NASB — Judges 8 — KJV

Zebah and Zalmunna Routed

1 Then the men° of Ephraim° said° to him, “aWhat° is this° thing° you have done° to us, not calling° us when° you went° to fight° against Midian°?” And they contended° with him vigorously°. 2 But he said° to them, “What° have I done° now° in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning° [of the grapes] of Ephraim° better° than° the vintage° of Abiezer°? 3 God° has given° the leaders° of Midian°, Oreb° and Zeeb° into your hands°; and what° was I able° to do° in comparison with you?” Then° their Ianger° toward°° him subsided° when he said° IIthat.

[1] aJg 12:1
[3] ILit spirit IILit this thing

4 ¶ Then Gideon° and the 300°° men° who° were with him came° ato the Jordan° [and] crossed° over°, weary° yet pursuing°. 5 He said° to the men° of aSuccoth°, “Please° give° loaves° of bread° to the people° who° are following° me, for they are weary°, and I am pursuing° Zebah° and Zalmunna°, the kings° of Midian°.” 6 The leaders° of Succoth° said°, “IaAre the hands° of Zebah° and Zalmunna° already° in your hands°, that we should give° bread° to your army°?” 7 Gideon° said°, “IAll right°, awhen the LORD° has given° Zebah° and Zalmunna° into my hand°, then I will IIthrash° your IIIbodies° with the thorns° of the wilderness° and with briers°.” 8 He went° up from there° to IaPenuel° and spoke° similarly° to them; and the men° of Penuel° answered° him just° as the men° of Succoth° had answered°. 9 So he spoke° also° to the men° of Penuel°, saying°, “When I return° safely°, aI will tear° down° this° tower°.”

[4] aJg 7:25
[5] aGn 33:17
[6] ILit Is the palm aJg 8:15
[7] ILit For thus IIOr trample IIILit flesh aJg 7:15
[8] IIn Gn 32:30, Peniel aGn 32:31
[9] aJg 8:17

10 ¶ Now Zebah° and Zalmunna° were in Karkor°, and their Iarmies° with them, about 15,000°°° men, all° who were left° of the entire° IIarmy° of the sons° of the east°; afor the fallen° were 120,000°°° IIIswordsmen°°°. 11 Gideon° went° up by the way° of those who lived° in tents° on the east° of Nobah° and Jogbehah°, and Iattacked° the camp° when the camp° was IIunsuspecting°. 12 When Zebah° and Zalmunna° fled°, he pursued° them and captured° the two° kings° of Midian°, Zebah° and Zalmunna°, and routed° the whole° Iarmy°.

[10] IOr camps IIOr camp IIILit men who drew sword aJg 6:5; 7:12; Is 9:4
[11] ILit smote IIOr secure
[12] IOr camp

13 ¶ Then Gideon° the son° of Joash° returned° from the battle° Iby the ascent° of Heres°. 14 And he captured° a youth° Ifrom Succoth° and questioned° him. Then [the youth] wrote° down° for him the princes° of Succoth° and its elders°, seventy-seven° men°. 15 He came° to the men° of Succoth° and said°, “Behold° Zebah° and Zalmunna°, concerning whom° you taunted° me, saying°, ‘IaAre the hands° of Zebah° and Zalmunna° already° in your hand°, that we should give° bread° to your men° who are weary°?’” 16 He took° the elders° of the city°, and thorns° of the wilderness° and briers°, and he Idisciplined° the men° of Succoth° with them. 17 aHe tore° down° the tower° of Penuel° and killed° the men° of the city°.

[13] IOr from
[14] ILit of the men of
[15] ILit Is the palm aJg 8:6
[16] ILit made the men...to know
[17] aJg 8:9

18 ¶ Then he said° to Zebah° and Zalmunna°, “What° kind° of men° [were] they whom° you killed° at Tabor°?” And they said°, “They were like° you, each one° Iresembling° the son° of a king°.” 19 He said°, “They [were] my brothers°, the sons° of my mother°. [As] the LORD° lives°, if° only° you had let them live°, I would not kill° you.” 20 So he said° to Jether° his firstborn°, “Rise°, kill° them.” But the youth° did not draw° his sword°, for he was afraid°, because° he was still° a youth°. 21 Then Zebah° and Zalmunna° said°, “Rise° up yourself°, and fall° on us; for as the man°, so is his strength°.” aSo Gideon° arose° and killed° Zebah° and Zalmunna°, and btook° the crescent° ornaments° which° were on their camels’° necks°.

[18] ILit like the form of the sons
[21] aPs 83:11 bJg 8:26

22 ¶ Then the men° of Israel° said° to Gideon°, “Rule° over us, both° you and your son°, also° your son’s° son°, for you have delivered° us from the hand° of Midian°.” 23 But Gideon° said° to them, “I will not rule° over you, nor° shall my son° rule° over you; athe LORD° shall rule° over you.” 24 Yet Gideon° said° to them, “I would Irequest°° of you, that each° of you give° me IIan earring° from his spoil°.” (For they had gold° earrings°, because° they were aIshmaelites°.) 25 They said°, “We will surely° give° [them].” So they spread° out a garment°, and every° one° of them threw° an earring° there° from his spoil°. 26 The weight° of the gold° earrings° that he requested° was 1,700°°° [shekels] of gold°, besides°° the crescent° ornaments° and the pendants° and the purple° robes° which° [were] on the kings° of Midian°, and besides°° the neck° bands° that [were] on their camels’° necks°. 27 Gideon° made° it into aan ephod°, and placed° it in his city°, Ophrah°, and all° Israel° played° the harlot° with it there°, so that it became° a snare° to Gideon° and his household°.

[23] a1S 8:7; 10:19; 12:12; Ps 10:16
[24] ILit request a request IIOr a nose ring aGn 25:13-16
[27] aEx 28:6-35; Jg 17:5; 18:14-20

Forty Years of Peace

28 So Midian° was subdued° before° the sons° of Israel°, and they did not lift° up their heads° anymore°. And the land° was undisturbed° for forty° years° in the days° of Gideon°.

29 ¶ Then aJerubbaal° the son° of Joash° went° and lived° in his own house°. 30 Now Gideon° had° aseventy° sons° who Iwere his direct° descendants°, for he had° many° wives°. 31 His concubine° who° was in Shechem° also° bore° him a son°, and he Inamed°° him Abimelech°. 32 And Gideon° the son° of Joash° died° at a ripe° old° age° and was buried° in the tomb° of his father° Joash°, in Ophrah° of the Abiezrites°.

[29] aJg 7:1
[30] ILit came from his loins aJg 9:2, 5
[31] ILit appointed his name

33 ¶ Then it came° about, as soon° as Gideon° was dead°, athat the sons° of Israel° again° played° the harlot° with the Baals°, and made° bBaal-berith° their god°. 34 Thus the sons° of Israel° adid not remember° the LORD° their God°, who had delivered° them from the hands° of all° their enemies° on every° side°; 35 anor° did they show° kindness° to the household° of Jerubbaal° ([that is], Gideon°) in accord with all° the good° that he had done° to Israel°.

[33] aJg 2:11, 12 bJg 9:4, 27, 46
[34] aDt 4:9; Jg 3:7
[35] aJg 9:16-18


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Gideon pacifieth the Ephraimites.

1 ¶ And the menº of Ephraimº saidºª unto² him, Why² hast thou¹ servedºª us thus,¹² that thou calledstºª us not,² when² thou wentestºª to fightºª with the Midianites?º And they did chideºª with² him sharply.º 2 And he saidºª unto² them, What² have I doneºª now² in comparison of you? [Is] not² the gleaning¹ of the grapes² of Ephraimº betterº than the vintageº² of Abiezer?º 3 Godº hath deliveredºª into your handsº² the princesº of Midian,º² Orebº and Zeeb:º and what² was I ableºª to doºª in comparison of you? Then² their angerº was abatedºª toward²² him, when he had said¹² that.¹ª²

[1] Jg 12:1; 2S 19:41; Jb 5:2; Ec 4:4; Jm 4:5.
[2] Jg 6:11, 34; 1Co 13:4; Ga 5:14; Php 2:2; Jm 1:19; 3:13.
[3] Jg 7:24; Ps 44:3; 115:1; 118:14; Pv 15:1; 16:32; 25:11, 15; Jn 4:37; Ro 12:3, 6; 15:18; Php 2:3.

Succoth and Penuel refuse to relieve Gideon's army.

4 ¶ And Gideonº cameºª to Jordan,º [and] passed over,ºª he,² and the threeº hundredº menº that² [were] with² him, faint,º yet pursuingºª [them]. 5 And he saidºª unto the men¹² of Succoth,º Give,ºª I pray you,² loavesº of breadº unto the peopleº that² followº me; for² they² [be] faint,º and I² am pursuingºª afterº Zebahº and Zalmunna,º kingsº of Midian.º

[4] 1S 14:28, 31; 30:10; 2Co 4:8, 16; Ga 6:9; He 12:1.
[5] Gn 14:18; 33:17; Dt 23:4; 1S 25:18; 2S 17:28; Ps 60:6; 3Jn 1:6.

6 ¶ And the princesº of Succothº said,ºª [Are] the handsº of Zebahº and Zalmunnaº now² in thine hand,º that² we should giveºª breadº unto thine army?º 7 And Gideonº said,ºª Therefore² when the LORDº hath deliveredºª² Zebahº and Zalmunnaº into mine hand,º then I will tearºª² your fleshº with² the thornsº of the wildernessº and with² briers.º

[6] Gn 25:13; 37:25, 28; Jg 5:23; 1S 25:10; 1K 20:11; 2K 14:9; Pv 18:23; Php 2:21.
[7] Jg 8:16.

8 ¶ And he went upºª thence²² to Penuel,º and spakeºª unto² them likewise:º and the men¹² of Penuelº answeredºª him as² the men¹² of Succothº had answeredºª [him]. 9 And he spakeºª also² unto the men¹² of Penuel,º saying,ºª When I come againºª in peace,º I will break downºª² this² tower.º

[8] Gn 32:30; 1K 12:25.
[9] Jg 8:17; 1K 22:27.

Zebah and Zalmunna are taken.

10 ¶ Now Zebahº and Zalmunnaº [were] in Karkor,º and their hostsº with² them, about fifteenºº thousandº [men], all² that were leftºª of all²² the hostsº of the childrenº of the east:º for there fellºª an hundredº and twentyº thousandº menº that drewºª sword.º

[10] Jg 7:12, 22; 8:11; 20:2, 15, 17, 25, 35, 46; 2K 3:26; 2Ch 13:17; 28:6, 8; Is 37:36.

11 ¶ And Gideonº went upºª by the wayº of them that dweltºª in tentsº on the eastº² of Nobahº and Jogbehah,º and smoteºª² the host:º for the hostº was² secure.º 12 And when Zebahº and Zalmunnaº fled,ºª he pursuedºª afterº them, and tookºª² the twoº kingsº of Midian,º² Zebahº and Zalmunna,º and discomfitedºª all² the host.º

[11] Nu 32:35, 42; Jg 18:27; 1S 15:32; 30:16; 1Th 5:3.
[12] Jsh 10:16, 22; Jb 12:16; 34:19; Ps 83:11; Am 2:14; Rv 6:15; 19:19.

Succoth and Penuel are destroyed.

13 ¶ And Gideonº the sonº of Joashº returnedºª from² battleº beforeº² the sunº [was up], 14 And caughtºª a young manº of the men¹²² of Succoth,º and enquiredºª of him: and he describedºª unto² him² the princesº of Succoth,º and the eldersº thereof, [even] threescore and seventeenºº men.º 15 And he cameºª unto² the men¹² of Succoth,º and said,ºª Behold² Zebahº and Zalmunna,º with whom² ye did upbraidºª me, saying,ºª [Are] the handsº of Zebahº and Zalmunnaº now² in thine hand,º that² we should giveºª breadº unto thy men¹² [that are] weary?º 16 And he tookºª² the eldersº of the city,º and thornsº of the wildernessº and briers,º and with them he taughtºª² the men¹² of Succoth.º 17 And he beat downºª the towerº of Penuel,º and slewºª² the men¹² of the city.º

[13] Jg 8:13.
[14] Jg 1:24; 1S 30:11.
[15] Jg 8:6.
[16] Jg 8:7; Ezr 2:6; Pv 10:13; 19:29; Mi 7:4.
[17] Jg 8:9; 1K 12:25.

Gideon revengeth his brethren's death on Zebah and Zalmunna.

18 ¶ Then saidºª he unto² Zebahº and Zalmunna,º What¹ manner² of men¹² [were they] whom² ye slewºª at Tabor?º And they answered,ºª As thouº [art], so [were] they; each oneº resembledº the childrenº of a king.º 19 And he said,ºª They² [were] my brethren,º [even] the sonsº of my mother:º [as] the LORDº liveth,º ifº ye had saved them alive,ºª² I would not² slayºª you. 20 And he saidºª unto Jetherº his firstborn,º Up,ºª [and] slayºª them. But the youthº drewºª not² his sword:º for² he feared,ºª because² he [was] yet² a youth.º 21 Then Zebahº and Zalmunnaº said,ºª Riseºª thou,² and fallºª upon us: for² as the manº [is, so is] his strength.º And Gideonº arose,ºª and slewºª² Zebahº and Zalmunna,º and took awayºª² the ornamentsº that² [were] on their camels'º necks.º

[18] Jg 4:6; Ps 12:2; 89:12; Jde 1:16.
[20] Jsh 10:24; 1S 15:33; Ps 149:9.
[21] Jg 9:54; 1S 31:3, 5; Ps 83:1; Is 3:18; Rv 9:6.

He refuseth government.

22 ¶ Then the menº of Israelº saidºª unto² Gideon,º Ruleºª thou over us, both² thou,² and² thy son,º and thy son'sº sonº also:² for² thou hast deliveredºª us from the handº² of Midian.º 23 And Gideonº saidºª unto² them, I² will not² ruleºª over you, neither² shall my sonº ruleºª over you: the LORDº shall ruleºª over you.

[22] Jg 9:8; 1S 8:5; 12:12; Jn 6:15.
[23] Jg 2:18; 10:18; 11:9; 1S 8:6; 10:19; 12:12; Is 33:22; 63:19; Lk 22:24; 2Co 1:24; 1P 5:3.

His ephod cause of idolatry.

24 ¶ And Gideonº saidºª unto² them, I would desireºª a requestº of² you, that ye would giveºª me every manº the earringsº of his prey.º (For² they had goldenº earrings,º because² they² [were] Ishmaelites.)º 25 And they answered,ºª We will willingly¹ª giveºª [them]. And they spreadºª² a garment,º and did castºª therein² every manº the earringsº of his prey.º 26 And the weightº of the goldenº earringsº that² he requestedºª was² a thousandº and sevenº hundredº [shekels] of gold;º beside²² ornaments,º and collars,º and purpleº raimentº that [was] on²² the kingsº of Midian,º and beside²² the chainsº that² [were] about their camels'º necks.º 27 And Gideonº madeºª an ephodº thereof, and putºª it in his city,º [even] in Ophrah:º and all² Israelº went thither a whoringºª² afterº it: which thing became² a snareº unto Gideon,º and to his house.º

[24] Gn 16:10; 24:22, 53; 25:13; 37:25, 28; Ex 12:35; 32:3; 1S 25:11; 1K 20:11; 1P 3:3.
[26] Jg 8:21; Es 8:15; Jr 10:9; Ezk 27:7; Lk 16:19; Jn 19:2, 5; Rv 17:4; 18:12, 16.
[27] Ex 23:33; 28:6; Dt 7:16; 12:5; Jg 6:11, 24; 8:32, 33; 17:5; 18:14, 17; 1S 23:9; Ps 73:27; 106:39; Is 8:20; Ho 2:2; 4:12.

Midian subdued.

28 ¶ Thus was Midianº subduedºª beforeº the childrenº of Israel,º so that they lifted upºª their headsº no² more.ºª And the countryº was in quietnessºª fortyº yearsº in the daysº of Gideon.º

[28] Jg 3:11, 30; 5:31; Ps 83:9; Is 9:4; 10:26.

29 ¶ And Jerubbaalº the sonº of Joashº went¹ª² and dweltºª in his own house.º 30 And Gideonº had² threescore and tenº sonsº of his bodyº begotten:ºª for² he had² manyº wives.º 31 And his concubineº that² [was] in Shechem,º she² also² bareºª him a son,º² whose nameº he calledºª Abimelech.º

[29] Jg 6:32; 1S 12:11; Ne 5:14.
[30] Gn 2:24; 7:7; 46:26; Ex 1:5; Dt 17:17; Jg 9:2, 5; 10:4; 12:9, 14; 2S 3:2; 5:13; 1K 11:3; 2K 10:1; Mal 2:15; Mt 19:5; Ep 5:31.
[31] Gn 16:15; 20:2; 22:24; Jg 9:1, 18.

32 ¶ And Gideonº the sonº of Joashº diedºª in a goodº old age,º and was buriedºª in the sepulchreº of Joashº his father,º in Ophrahº of the Abiezrites.º

[32] Gn 15:15; 25:8; Jsh 24:29; Jg 6:24; 8:27; Jb 5:26; 42:17.

The Israelites' idolatry and ingratitude.

33 And it came to pass,² as soon as² Gideonº was dead,ºª that the childrenº of Israelº turned again,ºª and went a whoringºª afterº Baalim,º and madeºª Baalberithº their god.º 34 And the childrenº of Israelº rememberedºª not²² the LORDº their God,º who had deliveredºª² them out of the handsº² of all² their enemiesºª on every side:º² 35 Neither² shewedºª they kindnessº to² the houseº of Jerubbaal,º [namely], Gideon,º according to all² the goodnessº which² he had shewedºª unto² Israel.º

[33] Ex 34:15; Jsh 24:31; Jg 2:7, 17, 19; 8:27; 9:4, 46; 2K 12:2; 2Ch 24:17; Jr 3:9.
[34] Ps 78:11, 42; 106:18, 21; Ec 12:1; Jr 2:32.
[35] Jg 9:5, 16; Ec 9:14.


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