1Then 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 chide with him sharply.
2To whom he said, What have I now done, in comparison of you? is not the gleaning of grapes of Ephraim better, than the vintage of Abiezer?
3God 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.
4And Gideon came to Jordan to pass over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, weary, yet pursuing them.
5And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, morsels of bread unto the people that follow me (for they be weary) that I may follow after Zebah and Zalmunna Kings of Midian.
6And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hands, that we should give bread unto thine army?
7Gideon then said, Therefore when the Lord hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, I will tear your flesh with thorns of the wilderness and with briers.
8And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise, and the men of Penuel answered him, as the men of Succoth answered.
9And he said also unto the men of Penuel, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.
10Now Zebah and Zalmunna were 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.
11And Gideon went through them that dwelt in Tabernacles on the East side of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host: for the host was careless.
12And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he followed after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host.
13So Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle, the sun being yet high,
14And took a servant of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him: and he wrote to him the princes of Succoth and the Elders thereof, even seventy and seven men.
15And 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?
16Then he took the Elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and did tear the men of Succoth with them.
17Also he brake down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.
18Then 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, every one was like the children of a king.
19And he said, They were my brethren, even my mother’s children: as the Lord liveth, if ye had saved their lives, I would not slay you.
20Then 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.
21Then 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.
22Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Reign thou over us, both thou, and thy son and thy son’s son: for thou hast delivered us out of the hand of Midian.
23And Gideon said unto them, I will not reign over you, neither shall my child reign over you, but the Lord shall reign over you.
24Again Gideon said unto them, 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.)
25And they answered, We will give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey.
26And the weight of the golden earrings that he required, was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold, beside collars and jewels, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about the camels’ necks.
27And Gideon made an 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.
28Thus 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.
29Then Jerubbaal the son of Joash went, and dwelt in his own house.
30And Gideon had seventy sons begotten of his body: for he had many wives.
31And his concubine that was in Shechem, bare him a son also, whose name he called Abimelech.
32So Gideon the son of Joash died in a good age, and was buried in the sepulcher of Joash his father in Ophrah, of the father of the Abiezrites.
33But when Gideon was dead, the children of Israel turned away, and went a whoring after Baal, and made Baal-Berith their god.
34And 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.
35Neither showed they mercy on the house of Jerubbaal, or Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had showed unto Israel.