8:1 The Ephraimites said to him, Why have you done such a thing to us? You did not summon us1 when you went to fight the Midianites! They argued vehemently with him. 8:2 He said to them, Now what have I accomplished compared to you? Even Ephraims leftover grapes2 are better quality than Abiezers harvest!3 8:3 It was to you that God handed over the Midianite generals, Oreb and Zeeb! What did I accomplish to rival that?4 When he said this, they calmed down.5
Gideon Tracks Down the Midianite Kings
8:4 Now Gideon and his three hundred men had crossed over the Jordan River and, though exhausted, were still chasing the Midianites.6 8:5 He said to the men of Succoth, Give7 some loaves of bread to the men8 who are following me,9 because they are exhausted. I am chasing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian. 8:6 The officials of Succoth said, You have not yet overpowered Zebah and Zalmunna. So why should we give10 bread to your army?11 8:7 Gideon said, Since you will not help,12 after the Lord hands Zebah and Zalmunna over to me, I will thresh13 your skin14 with15 desert thorns and briers. 8:8 He went up from there to Penuel and made the same request.16 The men of Penuel responded the same way the men of Succoth had.17 8:9 He also threatened18 the men of Penuel, warning,19 When I return victoriously,20 I will tear down this tower.
8:10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with their armies. There were about fifteen thousand survivors from the army of the eastern peoples; a hundred and twenty thousand sword-wielding soldiers had been killed.21 8:11 Gideon went up the road of the nomads22 east of Nobah and Jogbehah and ambushed the surprised army.23 8:12 When Zebah and Zalmunna ran away, Gideon24 chased them and captured the two Midianite kings, Zebah and Zalmunna. He had surprised25 their entire army.
8:13 Gideon son of Joash returned from the battle by the pass26 of Heres. 8:14 He captured a young man from Succoth27 and interrogated him. The young man wrote down for him the names of Succoths officials and city leadersseventy-seven men in all.28 8:15 He approached the men of Succoth and said, Look what I have!29 Zebah and Zalmunna! You insulted me, saying, You have not yet overpowered Zebah and Zalmunna. So why should we give bread to your exhausted men?30 8:16 He grabbed the leaders31 of the city, along with some desert thorns and briers; he then threshed the men of Succoth with them.32 8:17 He also tore down the tower of Penuel and executed the citys men.
8:18 He said to Zebah and Zalmunna, Describe for me33 the men you killed at Tabor. They said, They were like you. Each one looked like a kings son.34 8:19 He said, They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. I swear,35 as surely as the Lord is alive, if you had let them live, I would not kill you. 8:20 He ordered Jether his firstborn son, Come on!36 Kill them! But Jether was too afraid to draw his sword,37 because he was still young. 8:21 Zebah and Zalmunna said to Gideon,38 Come on,39 you strike us, for a man is judged by his strength.40 So Gideon killed41 Zebah and Zalmunna, and he took the crescent-shaped ornaments which were on the necks of their camels.
Gideon Rejects a Crown but Makes an Ephod
8:22 The men of Israel said to Gideon, Rule over usyou, your son, and your grandson. For you have delivered us from Midians power.42 8:23 Gideon said to them, I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you. 8:24 Gideon continued,43 I would like to make one request. Each of you give me an earring from the plunder you have taken.44 (The Midianites45 had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.) 8:25 They said, We are happy to give you earrings.46 So they47 spread out a garment, and each one threw an earring from his plunder onto it. 8:26 The total weight of the gold earrings he requested came to seventeen hundred gold shekels.48 This was in addition to the crescent-shaped ornaments, jewelry,49 purple clothing worn by the Midianite kings, and the necklaces on the camels.50 8:27 Gideon used all this to make51 an ephod,52 which he put in his hometown of Ophrah. All the Israelites53 prostituted themselves to it there. It became a snare to Gideon and his family.
Gideons Story Ends
8:28 The Israelites humiliated Midian; the Midianites fighting spirit was broken.54 The land had rest for forty years during Gideons time.55 8:29 Then Jerub-Baal son of Joash went home and settled down.56 8:30 Gideon fathered seventy sons through his many wives.57 8:31 His concubine,58 who lived in Shechem, also gave him a son, whom he named Abimelech.59 8:32 Gideon son of Joash died at a very60 old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash located in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
Israel Returns to Baal-Worship
8:33 After Gideon died, the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals. They made Baal-Berith61 their god. 8:34 The Israelites did not remain true62 to the Lord their God, who had delivered them from all the enemies who lived around them. 8:35 They did not treat63 the family of Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) fairly in return for all the good he had done for Israel.
Abimelech Murders His Brothers