Judges 8:1-21 ▼

1 THEN the men of Ephraim said to him, Why have you done thus, that you never called us when you went to fight with the Midianites? And they quarreled with him violently.

2 And he said to them, What have I done now in comparison to you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Jezreel?

3 For in Jezreel God has delivered into your hands the two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb; and what was I able to do in comparison to you? Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.

4 And Gideon came to the Jordan and passed over, he and the three hundred men who were with him, pursuing, yet faint from hunger.

5 And he said to the men of Succoth, Give a few loaves of bread to the people who are with me; for they are faint from hunger, and, behold, I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.

6 And the princes of Succoth said to him, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hands, that we should give bread to your army?

7 And Gideon said to them, Therefore when the LORD has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hands, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.

8 And he went up from there to Penuel, and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him.

9 And he said also to the men of Penuel, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.

10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were staying at Karkab, and their armies with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the armies of the people of the east; for there fell a hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.

11 And Gideon went up by the way of them who dwell in tents on the east of Necah and Jogbehah, and attacked the army camp; for the army was not on guard.

12 And Zebah and Zalmunna fled, and he pursued them, and captured the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and threw the whole army into confusion.

13 And Gideon the son of Joash returned from the battle at the slope of Hadas.

14 And he captured a young man of the men of Succoth, and questioned him; and he wrote down for him a description of the princes of Succoth and its elders, seventy-seven men.

15 And he came to the men of Succoth and said to them, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you upbraided me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hands, that we should give bread to your servants who are faint from hunger?

16 And he dragged the elders of the city over the briers and thorns of the wilderness, and thus inflicted tortures on the men of Succoth.

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

18 Then he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom you slew at Tabor? They said to him, They were like yourself, they resembled the sons of kings.

19 And he said, They were my brothers, the sons of my mother; as the LORD lives, if you had saved them alive, I would not slay you.

20 And he said to Jether his firstborn, Arise and slay 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 yourself, and fall upon us; for as the man is, so is his might. And Gideon arose and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels' necks.