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JUDGES ยท Chapter 8
8:1 And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why have you served us thus,
that you called us not, when you went to fight with the Midianites?
And they did chide with him sharply.
8:2 And 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
Abiezer?
8:3 God has 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 decreased toward him, when he had said that.
8:4 And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred
men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them.
8:5 And 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.
8:6 And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna
now in your hand, that we should give bread unto your army?
8:7 And Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD has delivered Zebah and
Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of
the wilderness and with briers.
8:8 And he went up thence to Penuel, and spoke unto them likewise:
and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him.
8:9 And he spoke also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again
in peace, I will break down this tower.
8:10 Now 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.
8:11 And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the
east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and stroke the host; for the host was secure.
8:12 And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took
the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and humiliated all the host.
8:13 And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun
was up,
8:14 And 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.
8:15 And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and
Zalmunna, with whom all of you did reproach me, saying, Are the hands of
Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread unto your
men that are weary?
8:16 And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness
and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.
8:17 And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the
city.
8:18 Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were
they whom all of you slew at Tabor? And they answered, As you are, so were
they; each one resembled the children of a king.
8:19 And he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother:
as the LORD lives, if all of you had saved them alive, I would not slay
you.
8:20 And 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.
8:21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise you, 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.
8:22 Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule you over us, both
you, and your son, and your son's son also: for you have delivered us from
the hand of Midian.
8:23 And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall
my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you.
8:24 And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that
all of you would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they
had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)
8:25 And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread
a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey.
8:26 And 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.
8:27 And 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.
8:28 Thus 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.
8:29 And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.
8:30 And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for
he had many wives.
8:31 And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son,
whose name he called Abimelech.
8:32 And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried
in the tomb of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
8:33 And 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 Baalberith
their god.
8:34 And 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:
8:35 Neither showed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely,
Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had showed unto Israel.
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