Judges 8
King James Version
8 And 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.
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?
3 God 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.
4 And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them.
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.
6 And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army?
7 And 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.
8 And 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.
9 And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.
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.
11 And 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.
12 And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host.
13 And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up,
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.
15 And 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?
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.
17 And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.
18 Then 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.
19 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.
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.
21 Then 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.
22 Then 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.
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.
24 And 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.)
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.
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.
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.
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.
29 And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.
30 And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.
31 And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.
32 And 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.
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.
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:
35 Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.
Judges 8
1599 Geneva Bible
8 1 Ephraim murmureth against Gideon, who appeaseth them. 4 He passeth the Jordan. 16 He revengeth himself on them of Succoth and Penuel. 27 He maketh an Ephod which was the cause of idolatry. 30 Of Gideon’s sons and of his death.
1 Then the men of Ephraim said unto him, [a]Why hast thou served us thus that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? and they chide with him sharply.
2 To whom he said, What have I now done, in comparison of [b]you? is not the [c]gleaning of grapes of Ephraim better, than the vintage of Abiezer?
3 God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? and when he had thus spoken, then their spirits abated toward him.
4 ¶ And Gideon came to Jordan to pass over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, weary, yet pursuing them.
5 And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, [d]morsels of bread unto the people [e]that follow me (for they be weary) that I may follow after Zebah and Zalmunna Kings of Midian.
6 And the princes of Succoth said, Are the [f]hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hands, that we should give bread unto thine army?
7 Gideon then said, Therefore when the Lord hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, I will [g]tear your flesh with thorns of the wilderness and with briers.
8 ¶ And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise, and the men of Penuel answered him, as the men of Succoth answered.
9 And he said also unto the men of Penuel, When I come again [h]in peace, I will break down this tower.
10 ¶ Now Zebah and Zalmunna were [i]in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand, all that were left of all the hosts of them of the East: for there was slain an hundred and twenty thousand men, that drew swords.
11 ¶ And Gideon went through them that dwelt in [j]Tabernacles on the East side of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host: for the host was careless.
12 And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he followed after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host.
13 ¶ So Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle, [k]the sun being yet high,
14 And took a servant of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him: and he [l]wrote to him the princes of Succoth and the Elders thereof, even seventy and seven men.
15 And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah, and Zalmunna, by whom ye upbraided me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah, and Zalmunna already in thine hands, that we should give bread unto thy weary men?
16 Then he took the Elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and [m]did tear the men of Succoth with them.
17 Also he brake down the tower of (A)Penuel, and slew the men of the city.
18 ¶ Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they, whom ye slew at Tabor? And they answered, [n]As thou art, so were they, every one was like the children of a king.
19 And he said, They were my brethren, even my [o]mother’s children: as the Lord liveth, if ye had saved their lives, I would not slay you.
20 Then he said unto Jether his firstborn son, Up, and slay them: but the boy drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet young.
21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou and fall upon us: for [p]as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the [q]ornaments, that were on their camels’ necks.
22 ¶ Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Reign thou over us, both thou, and thy son and thy [r]son’s son: for thou hast delivered us out of the hand of Midian.
23 And Gideon said unto them, I will not reign over you, neither shall my child reign over you, but the Lord shall reign over you.
24 Again Gideon said unto them, [s]I would desire a request of you, that you would give me every man the earrings of his prey (for they [had] golden earrings because they were Ishmaelites.)
25 And they answered, We will give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey.
26 And the weight of the golden earrings that he required, was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold, beside collars [t]and jewels, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about the camels’ necks.
27 And Gideon made an [u]Ephod thereof, and put it in Ophrah his city: and all Israel went a whoring there after it, which was the destruction of Gideon and his house.
28 Thus was Midian brought low 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.
29 ¶ Then Jerubbaal the son of Joash went, and dwelt in his own house.
30 And Gideon had seventy sons [v]begotten of his body: for he had many wives.
31 And his concubine that was in Shechem, bare him a son also, whose name he called Abimelech.
32 So Gideon the son of Joash died in a good age, and was buried in the sepulcher of Joash his father in Ophrah, of the [w]father of the Abiezrites.
33 But when Gideon was dead, the children of Israel turned away, and went a whoring after Baal, and made [x]Baal-Berith their god.
34 And the children of Israel remembered not the Lord their God, which had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side.
35 Neither [y]showed they mercy on the house of Jerubbaal, or Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had showed unto Israel.
Footnotes
- Judges 8:1 They began to cavil, because he had the glory of the victory.
- Judges 8:2 Which have slain two princes, Oreb and Zeeb.
- Judges 8:2 This last act of the whole tribe is more famous, than the whole enterprise of one man of one family.
- Judges 8:5 Or, some small portion.
- Judges 8:5 Hebrew, that are at my feet.
- Judges 8:6 Because thou hast overcome an handful, thinkest thou to have overcome the whole?
- Judges 8:7 Hebrew, beat in pieces.
- Judges 8:9 Having gotten the victory.
- Judges 8:10 A city Eastward beyond Jordan.
- Judges 8:11 He went by the wilderness where the Arabians dwelt in tents.
- Judges 8:13 Some read, before the Sun rose up.
- Judges 8:14 Or, described.
- Judges 8:16 Hebrew, break in pieces, as one thresheth corn.
- Judges 8:18 Or, they were like unto thee.
- Judges 8:19 We came all out of one belly: therefore I will be revenged.
- Judges 8:21 Meaning, that they would be rid out of their pain at once, or else to have a valiant man to put them to death.
- Judges 8:21 Or, collars.
- Judges 8:22 That is, thy posterity.
- Judges 8:24 His intent was to show himself thankful for this victory by restoring of religion, which because it was not according as God had commanded, turned to their destruction.
- Judges 8:26 Or, sweet balls.
- Judges 8:27 That is, such things as pertained to the use of the Tabernacle. See more of Ephod, Exod. 28:4,6; 1 Sam. 2:18 and 2 Sam. 6:14 and Judg. 17:5.
- Judges 8:30 Hebrew, which came out of his thigh.
- Judges 8:32 Which city belonged to the family of the Abiezrites.
- Judges 8:33 That is, Baal, to whom they had bound themselves by covenant.
- Judges 8:35 They were unmindful of God and unkind toward him, by whom they had received so great a benefit.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
