1And the men of Ephraim said unto him , Why hast thou served us thus , that thou calledst us not , when thou wentest to fight with Midian ? And they did chide with him sharply . 2And he said unto them , What have I now done in comparison with you ? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer? 3God hath delivered into your hand the princes of Midian , Oreb and Zeeb : and what was I able to do in comparison with you ? Then their anger was abated toward him , when he had said that . 4And Gideon came to the Jordan , and passed over , he , and the three hundred men that were with him , faint , yet pursuing . 5And he said unto the men of Succoth , Give , I pray you , loaves of bread unto the people that follow me ; for they are faint , and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna , the kings of Midian . 6And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thy hand , that we should give bread unto thine army ? 7And Gideon said , Therefore when Jehovah hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand , then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers . 8And he went up thence to Penuel , and spake unto them in like manner; and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered . 9And he spake also unto the men of Penuel , saying, When I come again in peace , I will break down this tower . 10Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor , and their hosts with them , about fifteen thousand men , all that were left of all the host of the children of the east ; for there fell a hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword . 11And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah , and smote the host ; for the host was secure. 12And Zebah and Zalmunna fled ; and he pursued after them ; and he took the two kings of Midian , Zebah and Zalmunna , and discomfited all the host . 13And Gideon the son of Joash returned from the battle from the ascent of Heres. 14And he caught a young man of the men of Succoth , and inquired of him : and he described for him the princes of Succoth , and the elders thereof, seventy and seven men . 15And he came unto the men of Succoth , and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna , concerning whom ye did taunt me , saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thy hand , that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary ? 16And he took the elders of the city , and thorns of the wilderness and briers , and with them he taught the men of Succoth . 17And he brake down the tower of Penuel , and slew the men of the city . 18Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna , What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor ? And they answered, As thou art, so were they ; each one resembled the children of a king . 19And he said, They were my brethren, the sons of my mother: as Jehovah liveth , if ye had saved them alive , I would not slay you . 20And he said unto Jether his first-born, Up , and slay them . But the youth drew not his sword ; for he feared , because he was yet a youth . 21Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou , and fall upon us ; for as the man is , so is his strength . And Gideon arose , and slew Zebah and Zalmunna , and took the crescents that were on their camels ’ necks .
Gideon's Ephod and Israel's Apostasy
22Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon , Rule thou over us , both thou , and thy son , and thy son ’s son also ; for thou hast saved us out of the hand of Midian . 23And Gideon said unto them , I will not rule over you , neither shall my son rule over you : Jehovah shall rule over you . 24And Gideon said unto them , I would make a request of you , that ye would give me every man the ear-rings of his spoil . ( For they had golden ear-rings, because they were Ishmaelites .) 25And they answered, We will willingly give them . And they spread a garment , and did cast therein every man the ear-rings of his spoil . 26And the weight of the golden ear-rings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold ; besides the crescents, and the pendants , and the purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian , and besides the chains that were about their camels ’ necks . 27And Gideon made an ephod thereof , and put it in his city , even in Ophrah : and all Israel played the harlot after it there ; and it became a snare unto Gideon , and to his house . 28So Midian was subdued before the children of Israel , and they lifted up their heads no more . And the land had rest forty years in the days of Gideon . 29And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house . 30And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten ; for he had many wives. 31And his concubine that was in Shechem , she also bare him a son , and he called his name Abimelech. 32And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age , and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father , in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. 33And it came to pass , as soon as Gideon was dead , that the children of Israel turned again , and played the harlot after the Baalim , and made Baal-berith their god. 34And the children of Israel remembered not Jehovah their God , who had delivered them out of the hand of all their enemies on every side ; 35neither showed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal , who is Gideon , according to all the goodness which he had showed unto Israel .