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 the Midianites ? And they did chide with him sharply . 2And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abi-ezer ? 3God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian , Oreb and Zeeb : and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that . 4And Gideon came to Jordan , and passed over , he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint , yet pursuing them . 5And he said unto the men of Succoth , Give , I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint , and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna , kings of Midian . 6And the princes of Succoth said , Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand , that we should give bread unto thine army ? 7And Gideon said , Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine 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 likewise : and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him . 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 hosts of the children of the east : for there fell an 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 when Zebah and Zalmunna fled , he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian , Zebah and Zalmunna , and discomfited all the host . 13And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up , 14And caught a young man of the men of Succoth , and enquired of him: and he described unto him the princes of Succoth , and the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men . 15And he came unto the men of Succoth , and said , Behold Zebah and Zalmunna , with whom ye did upbraid me, saying , Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine 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 beat 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 , even the sons of my mother : as the LORD liveth , if ye had saved them alive , I would not slay you. 20And he said unto Jether his firstborn , 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 away the ornaments 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 delivered us from the hand of Midian . 23And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you. 24And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey . (For they had golden earrings , because they were Ishmaelites .) 25And they answered , We will willingly give them . And they spread a garment , and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey . 26And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold ; beside ornaments , and collars , and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian , and beside 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 went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon , and to his house . 28Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel , so that they lifted up their heads no more . And the country was in quietness 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 , whose name he called 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 Abi-ezrites . 33And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead , that the children of Israel turned again , and went a whoring after Baalim , and made Baal-berith their god . 34And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God , who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side : 35Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal , namely , Gideon , according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel .