¶ And the men¹ of Ephraim said unto him, Why² 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.

And he said unto them, What³ have I done now in comparison of you? Is not the⁴ gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer⁵?

God⁶ hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then⁷ their anger⁸ was abated toward him, when he had said that.

¶ And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint⁹, yet pursuing them.

And he said unto the men of Succoth¹⁰, Give, I pray you, loaves¹¹ of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.

¹²And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army?

And Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear¹³ your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.

¹⁴And 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.

And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come¹⁵ again in peace, I will break¹⁶ down this tower.

¶ Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor¹⁷, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children¹⁸ of the east: for there fell an hundred¹⁹ and twenty thousand men that drew sword.

And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah²⁰ and Jogbehah, and smote the host: for the host was secure²¹.

And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took²² the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited²³ all the host.

And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before²⁴ the sun was up,

And caught²⁵ a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired of him: and he described²⁶ unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men.

And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid²⁷ me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary?

And he took the elders²⁸ of the city, and thorns²⁹ of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught³⁰ the men of Succoth.

³¹And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.

¶ Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor³²? And they answered, As thou art,³³ so were they; each one resembled³⁴ the children of a king.

And 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.

¶³⁵And 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.

Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou,³⁶ and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew³⁷ Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments³⁸ that were on their camels' necks.

¶ Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou³⁹ over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian.

And Gideon said unto them, I will⁴⁰ not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD⁴¹ shall rule over you.

And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me⁴² every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because⁴³ they were Ishmaelites.)

And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey.

And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand⁴⁴ and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars⁴⁵, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains⁴⁶ that were about their camels' necks.

And Gideon made an ephod⁴⁷ thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah⁴⁸: and all Israel went thither a whoring⁴⁹ after it: which thing became a snare⁵⁰ unto Gideon, and to his house.

Thus was Midian⁵¹ subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years⁵² in the days of Gideon.

¶ And Jerubbaal⁵³ the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house⁵⁴.

¶ And Gideon had threescore⁵⁵ and ten sons of his body begotten⁵⁶: for he had many wives.

And his concubine⁵⁷ that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called⁵⁸ Abimelech.

And Gideon the son of Joash died in⁵⁹ a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah⁶⁰ of the Abiezrites.

And it came to pass, as soon⁶¹ as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went⁶² a whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith⁶³ their god.

And the children of Israel remembered⁶⁴ not the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side:

Neither shewed⁶⁵ they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal⁶⁶, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.