Judges 8:1-9 ▼

1 Then the men of Ephraim (doubly fruitful) said to Gideon, “Why have you done this to us? Why did you fail to call us when you went to fight against Midian (strife)?” And they contended with him violently.

2 But Gideon answered them, “Now what have I accomplished compared to you⁺? Are not the gleanings of Ephraim (doubly fruitful) better than the grape harvest of Abiezer (my father is help)?

3 God {Elohim} has delivered Oreb (raven) and Zeeb (wolf), the two princes of Midian (strife), into your⁺ hand. What was I able to do compared to you⁺?” When he had said this, their anger {ruachah} against him subsided.

4 Then Gideon (hewer) and his three hundred men came to the Jordan (flowing down) and crossed it, exhausted yet still in pursuit.

5 So Gideon said to the men of Succoth (booths), “Please give my troops some bread, for they are exhausted, and I am still pursuing Zebah (deprived of protection) and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian (strife).”

6 But the leaders of Succoth (booths) asked, “Are the hands of Zebah (deprived of protection) and Zalmunna already in your possession, that we should give bread to your army?”

7 “Very well,” Gideon (hewer) replied, “when the LORD {YHWH} has delivered Zebah (deprived of protection) and Zalmunna into my hand, I will tear your⁺ flesh with the thorns and briers of the wilderness!”

8 From there he went up to Penuel (Peniel) and asked the same from them, but the men of Penuel (facing God) gave the same response as the men of Succoth (booths).

9 So Gideon told the men of Penuel (facing God), “When I return in triumph, I will tear down this tower!”