Judges 8

The men of Ephraim said to him, Why have you served us thus, that you did not call us, when you went to fight with Madyan? They did chide with him sharply. 2He said to them, What have I now done in comparison with you? Isn’t the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer? 3God has delivered into your hand the princes of Madyan, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison with you? Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that. 4Gideon came to the Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men who were with him, faint, yet pursuing. 5He said to the men of Succoth, Please give loaves of bread to the people who follow me; for they are faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Madyan. 6The princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your army? 7Gideon said, Therefore when Allah has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers. 8He went up there to Penuel, and spoke to them in like manner; and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered. 9He spoke also to 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 forces with them, about fifteen thousand men, all who were left of all the forces of the children of the east; for there fell one hundred twenty thousand men who drew sword. 11Gideon went up by the way of those who lived in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and struck the army; for the army was secure. 12Zebah and Zalmunna fled; and he pursued after them; and he took the two kings of Madyan, Zebah and Zalmunna, and confused all the army. 13Gideon Ibn Joash returned from the battle from the ascent of Heres. 14He caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him: and he described for him the princes of Succoth, and its elders, seventy-seven men. 15He came to the men of Succoth, and said, See Zebah and Zalmunna, concerning whom you did taunt me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are weary? 16He took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth. 17He broke down the tower of Penuel, and killed the men of the city. 18Then he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom you killed at Tabor? They answered, As you are, so were they; each one resembled the children of a king. 19He said, They were my brothers, the sons of my mother: as Allah lives, if you had saved them alive, I would not kill you. 20He said to Jether his firstborn, Up, and kill them. But the youth did not draw his sword; for he feared, because he was yet a youth. 21Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise you, and fall on us; for as the man is, so is his strength. Gideon arose, and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and took the crescents that were on their camels’ necks. 22Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, Rule you over us, both you, and your son, and your son’s son also; for you have saved us out of the hand of Madyan. 23Gideon said to them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: Allah shall rule over you. 24Gideon said to them, I would make a request of you, that you would give me every man the ear-rings of his spoil. (For they had golden ear-rings, because they were Ismailites.) 25They answered, We will willingly give them. They spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the ear-rings of his spoil. 26The weight of the golden ear-rings that he requested was one thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold, besides the crescents, and the pendants, and the purple clothing that was on the kings of Madyan, and besides the chains that were about their camels’ necks. 27Gideon made an ephod of it, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel played the prostitute after it there; and it became a snare to Gideon, and to his house. 28So Madyan was subdued before Bani-Israel, and they lifted up their heads no more. The land had rest forty years in the days of Gideon. 29Jerubbaal Ibn Joash went and lived in his own house. 30Gideon had seventy sons conceived from his body; for he had many wives. 31His concubine who was in Shechem, she also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech. 32Gideon Ibn Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the tomb of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. 33It happened, as soon as Gideon was dead, that Bani-Israel turned again, and played the prostitute after the Baals, and made Baal Berith their god. 34Bani-Israel did not remember Allah their God, who had delivered them out of the hand of all their enemies on every side; 35neither showed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shown to Israel.

 

Next Page