Judges 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.

The Ephraim men confronted him, their voices filled with hurt and anger, "Why did you exclude us from the battle against the Midianites?" They rebuked him fiercely.

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?

He asked them, "What have I really accomplished compared to you? Isn't even the smallest success of Ephraim greater than the biggest victory of Abiezer?"

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.

God has gifted you with the defeat of Midian's leaders, Oreb and Zeeb. What could I have done compared to you? Upon hearing this, their anger towards him subsided.

And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them.

Gideon and his weary band of three hundred crossed the Jordan, their bodies exhausted but their spirits relentless in pursuit.

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.

He pleaded with the people of Succoth, "Please, share your bread with my followers. They're exhausted and hungry while we chase after Zebah and Zalmunna, the Midianite kings."

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?

The leaders of Succoth scoffed, "Do you already have Zebah and Zalmunna in your grasp, that we should feed your soldiers?"

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.

Gideon declared, "Once God gives me victory over Zebah and Zalmunna, I will make you feel the pain of the wild thorns and brambles."

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.

He journeyed to Penuel, speaking to them in the same manner as before. The people of Penuel responded just like the people of Succoth had.

And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.

He also addressed the people of Penuel, promising, "When I return in tranquility, this tower will be demolished."

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.

Zebah and Zalmunna, along with their armies, were stationed in Karkor. They were the last remnants of the eastern armies, numbering about fifteen thousand. They were all that was left after a devastating loss of a hundred and twenty thousand swordsmen.

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.

Gideon bravely journeyed through the eastern tent-dwelling lands of Nobah and Jogbehah. He attacked their unsuspecting army, for they were at ease and unprepared.

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.

When Zebah and Zalmunna ran away, he chased them down. He captured the two Midianite kings, Zebah and Zalmunna, and threw their entire army into chaos.

And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up,

Gideon, Joash's son, came back from the fight while dawn was still breaking.

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.

They seized a young man from Succoth and questioned him. Fearfully, he revealed the identities of the leaders of Succoth, a total of 77 men.

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?

He approached the people of Succoth, presenting Zebah and Zalmunna. "Remember when you taunted me?" he asked. "You doubted I could defeat Zebah and Zalmunna, and refused to feed my tired men. Look at them now."

And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.

He took the city's elders and, using thorns and briers from the wild, he punished the men of Succoth.

And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.

He demolished the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.

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.

He asked Zebah and Zalmunna, "Describe the men you killed at Tabor." They replied, "They were just like you, royal in every way."

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.

He declared, "They were my own brothers, my mother's sons! By God's truth, if you had spared them, I wouldn't be forced to kill you."

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.

He told his eldest son, Jether, to kill them. But the young boy, paralyzed by fear and his tender age, couldn't draw his sword.

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.

Zebah and Zalmunna said, "Stand up and strike us yourself! Your strength matches your courage." Gideon rose and killed them, and took the decorative trinkets from their camels' necks.

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.

The men of Israel pleaded with Gideon, "Please lead us, you and your descendants, for you have saved us from Midian's oppression."

And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you.

Gideon firmly told them, "I won't be your leader, nor will my son. Only God should guide you."

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.)

Gideon said to them, "Please, I have a favor to ask. Could each of you give me the golden earrings from your spoils?" The enemy had worn gold earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.

And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey.

With eager hearts, they agreed, "We will gladly give them." They laid out a cloth, each man tossing in the earrings taken from their conquests.

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.

He asked for golden earrings, so heavy they weighed a whopping 1,700 shekels of gold. This was in addition to the ornate jewelry, the royal purple clothing worn by the Midianite kings, and the decorative chains adorning their camels' necks.

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.

Gideon crafted an ephod, placing it in his hometown, Ophrah. All of Israel went there and prostituted themselves by worshipping it. It became a trap for Gideon and his family.

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.

The people of Midian were finally humbled under the might of Israel's children, never daring to rise against them again. During Gideon's time, the land enjoyed forty years of peaceful tranquility.

And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.

Jerubbaal, Joash's son, returned to the comfort and familiarity of his own home.

And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.

Gideon, a man of great passion, fathered seventy sons through his numerous wives.

And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.

His concubine in Shechem also gave him a son, whom he named Abimelech.

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.

Gideon, Joash's son, peacefully passed away at a ripe old age. He was laid to rest in his father Joash's tomb, located in their hometown of Ophrah, among the Abiezrites.

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.

As soon as Gideon was dead, the people of Israel turned away again and prostituted themselves to the Baals, making Baalberith their god.

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:

The people of Israel forgot their God, the one who saved them from all their foes, their memories clouded by ingratitude and neglect.

Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.

They showed no kindness to Gideon's family, despite all the good he had done for Israel.