Judges 8

וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ אֵלָ֜יו אִ֣ישׁ אֶפְרַ֗יִם מָֽה־הַדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ עָשִׂ֣יתָ לָּ֔נוּ לְבִלְתִּי֙ קְרֹ֣אות לָ֔נוּ כִּ֥י הָלַ֖כְתָּ לְהִלָּחֵ֣ם בְּמִדְיָ֑ן וַיְרִיב֥וּן אִתּ֖וֹ בְּחָזְקָֽה׃

And the men of Ephraim said unto him: ‘Why hast thou served us thus, that thou didst not call us when thou wentest to fight with Midian?’ And they did chide with him sharply.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם מֶה־עָשִׂ֥יתִי עַתָּ֖ה כָּכֶ֑ם הֲל֗וֹא ט֛וֹב עֹלְל֥וֹת אֶפְרַ֖יִם מִבְצִ֥יר אֲבִיעֶֽזֶר׃

And he said unto them: ‘What have I now done in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?

בְּיֶדְכֶם֩ נָתַ֨ן אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֶת־שָׂרֵ֤י מִדְיָן֙ אֶת־עֹרֵ֣ב וְאֶת־זְאֵ֔ב וּמַה־יָּכֹ֖לְתִּי עֲשׂ֣וֹת כָּכֶ֑ם אָ֗ז רָפְתָ֤ה רוּחָם֙ מֵֽעָלָ֔יו בְּדַבְּר֖וֹ הַדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה׃

God hath delivered into your hand the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb; and what was I able to do in comparison with you?’ Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.

וַיָּבֹ֥א גִדְע֖וֹן הַיַּרְדֵּ֑נָה עֹבֵ֣ר ה֗וּא וּשְׁלֹשׁ־מֵא֤וֹת הָאִישׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתּ֔וֹ עֲיֵפִ֖ים וְרֹדְפִֽים׃

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

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לְאַנְשֵׁ֣י סֻכּ֔וֹת תְּנוּ־נָא֙ כִּכְּר֣וֹת לֶ֔חֶם לָעָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּרַגְלָ֑י כִּי־עֲיֵפִ֣ים הֵ֔ם וְאָנֹכִ֗י רֹדֵ֛ף אַחֲרֵ֛י זֶ֥בַח וְצַלְמֻנָּ֖ע מַלְכֵ֥י מִדְיָֽן׃

And he said unto the men of Succoth: ‘Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they are faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.’

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ שָׂרֵ֣י סֻכּ֔וֹת הֲ֠כַף זֶ֧בַח וְצַלְמֻנָּ֛ע עַתָּ֖ה בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ כִּֽי־נִתֵּ֥ן לִֽצְבָאֲךָ֖ לָֽחֶם׃

And the princes of Succoth said: ‘Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thy power, that we should give bread unto thine army?’

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר גִּדְע֔וֹן לָכֵ֗ן בְּתֵ֧ת יְהוָ֛ה אֶת־זֶ֥בַח וְאֶת־צַלְמֻנָּ֖ע בְּיָדִ֑י וְדַשְׁתִּי֙ אֶת־בְּשַׂרְכֶ֔ם אֶת־קוֹצֵ֥י הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר וְאֶת־הַֽבַּרְקֳנִֽים׃

And Gideon said: ‘Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.’

וַיַּ֤עַל מִשָּׁם֙ פְּנוּאֵ֔ל וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם כָּזֹ֑את וַיַּעֲנ֤וּ אוֹתוֹ֙ אַנְשֵׁ֣י פְנוּאֵ֔ל כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר עָנ֖וּ אַנְשֵׁ֥י סֻכּֽוֹת׃

And he went up thence to Penuel, and spoke unto them in like manner; and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered.

וַיֹּ֛אמֶר גַּם־לְאַנְשֵׁ֥י פְנוּאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר בְּשׁוּבִ֣י בְשָׁל֔וֹם אֶתֹּ֖ץ אֶת־הַמִּגְדָּ֥ל הַזֶּֽה׃ (פ)

And he spoke also unto the men of Penuel, saying: ‘When I come back in peace, I will break down this tower.’

וְזֶ֨בַח וְצַלְמֻנָּ֜ע בַּקַּרְקֹ֗ר וּמַחֲנֵיהֶ֤ם עִמָּם֙ כַּחֲמֵ֤שֶׁת עָשָׂר֙ אֶ֔לֶף כֹּ֚ל הַנּ֣וֹתָרִ֔ים מִכֹּ֖ל מַחֲנֵ֣ה בְנֵי־קֶ֑דֶם וְהַנֹּ֣פְלִ֔ים מֵאָ֨ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים אֶ֛לֶף אִ֖ישׁ שֹׁ֥לֵֽף חָֽרֶב׃

Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the host of the children of the east; for there fell a hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.

וַיַּ֣עַל גִּדְע֗וֹן דֶּ֚רֶךְ הַשְּׁכוּנֵ֣י בָֽאֳהָלִ֔ים מִקֶּ֥דֶם לְנֹ֖בַח וְיָגְבֳּהָ֑ה וַיַּךְ֙ אֶת־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וְהַֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה הָ֥יָה בֶֽטַח׃

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.

וַיָּנ֗וּסוּ זֶ֚בַח וְצַלְמֻנָּ֔ע וַיִּרְדֹּ֖ף אַחֲרֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּלְכֹּ֞ד אֶת־שְׁנֵ֣י ׀ מַלְכֵ֣י מִדְיָ֗ן אֶת־זֶ֙בַח֙ וְאֶת־צַלְמֻנָּ֔ע וְכָל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה הֶחֱרִֽיד׃

And Zebah and Zalmunna fled; and he pursued after them; and he took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host.

וַיָּ֛שָׁב גִּדְע֥וֹן בֶּן־יוֹאָ֖שׁ מִן־הַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה מִֽלְמַעֲלֵ֖ה הֶחָֽרֶס׃

And Gideon the son of Joash returned from the battle from the ascent of Heres.

וַיִּלְכָּד־נַ֛עַר מֵאַנְשֵׁ֥י סֻכּ֖וֹת וַיִּשְׁאָלֵ֑הוּ וַיִּכְתֹּ֨ב אֵלָ֜יו אֶת־שָׂרֵ֤י סֻכּוֹת֙ וְאֶת־זְקֵנֶ֔יהָ שִׁבְעִ֥ים וְשִׁבְעָ֖ה אִֽישׁ׃

And he caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him; and he wrote down for him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, seventy and seven men.

וַיָּבֹא֙ אֶל־אַנְשֵׁ֣י סֻכּ֔וֹת וַיֹּ֕אמֶר הִנֵּ֖ה זֶ֣בַח וְצַלְמֻנָּ֑ע אֲשֶׁר֩ חֵרַפְתֶּ֨ם אוֹתִ֜י לֵאמֹ֗ר הֲ֠כַף זֶ֣בַח וְצַלְמֻנָּ֤ע עַתָּה֙ בְּיָדֶ֔ךָ כִּ֥י נִתֵּ֛ן לַאֲנָשֶׁ֥יךָ הַיְּעֵפִ֖ים לָֽחֶם׃

And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said: ‘Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, concerning whom ye did taunt me, saying: Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thy power, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary?’

וַיִּקַּח֙ אֶת־זִקְנֵ֣י הָעִ֔יר וְאֶת־קוֹצֵ֥י הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר וְאֶת־הַֽבַּרְקֳנִ֑ים וַיֹּ֣דַע בָּהֶ֔ם אֵ֖ת אַנְשֵׁ֥י סֻכּֽוֹת׃

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

וְאֶת־מִגְדַּ֥ל פְּנוּאֵ֖ל נָתָ֑ץ וַֽיַּהֲרֹ֖ג אֶת־אַנְשֵׁ֥י הָעִֽיר׃

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

וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אֶל־זֶ֙בַח֙ וְאֶל־צַלְמֻנָּ֔ע אֵיפֹה֙ הָאֲנָשִׁ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֲרַגְתֶּ֖ם בְּתָב֑וֹר וַֽיֹּאמרוּ֙ כָּמ֣וֹךָ כְמוֹהֶ֔ם אֶחָ֕ד כְּתֹ֖אַר בְּנֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna: ‘Where are the men whom ye slew at Tabor?’ And they answered: ‘As thou art, so were they; of one form with the children of a king.’

וַיֹּאמַ֕ר אַחַ֥י בְּנֵֽי־אִמִּ֖י הֵ֑ם חַי־יְהוָ֗ה ל֚וּ הַחֲיִתֶ֣ם אוֹתָ֔ם לֹ֥א הָרַ֖גְתִּי אֶתְכֶֽם׃

And he said: ‘They were my brethren, the sons of my mother; as the LORD liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you.’

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לְיֶ֣תֶר בְּכוֹר֔וֹ ק֖וּם הֲרֹ֣ג אוֹתָ֑ם וְלֹא־שָׁלַ֨ף הַנַּ֤עַר חַרְבּוֹ֙ כִּ֣י יָרֵ֔א כִּ֥י עוֹדֶ֖נּוּ נָֽעַר׃

And he said unto Jether his first-born: ‘Up, and slay them.’ But the youth drew not his sword; for he feared, because he was yet a youth.

וַיֹּ֜אמֶר זֶ֣בַח וְצַלְמֻנָּ֗ע ק֤וּם אַתָּה֙ וּפְגַע־בָּ֔נוּ כִּ֥י כָאִ֖ישׁ גְּבוּרָת֑וֹ וַיָּ֣קָם גִּדְע֗וֹן וַֽיַּהֲרֹג֙ אֶת־זֶ֣בַח וְאֶת־צַלְמֻנָּ֔ע וַיִּקַּח֙ אֶת־הַשַּׂ֣הֲרֹנִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּצַוְּארֵ֥י גְמַלֵּיהֶֽם׃

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 the crescents that were on their camels’necks.

וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ אִֽישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶל־גִּדְע֔וֹן מְשָׁל־בָּ֙נוּ֙ גַּם־אַתָּ֔ה גַּם־בִּנְךָ֖ גַּ֣ם בֶּן־בְּנֶ֑ךָ כִּ֥י הוֹשַׁעְתָּ֖נוּ מִיַּ֥ד מִדְיָֽן׃

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 saved us out of the hand of Midian.’

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ גִּדְע֔וֹן לֹֽא־אֶמְשֹׁ֤ל אֲנִי֙ בָּכֶ֔ם וְלֹֽא־יִמְשֹׁ֥ל בְּנִ֖י בָּכֶ֑ם יְהוָ֖ה יִמְשֹׁ֥ל בָּכֶֽם׃

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

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֜ם גִּדְע֗וֹן אֶשְׁאֲלָ֤ה מִכֶּם֙ שְׁאֵלָ֔ה וּתְנוּ־לִ֕י אִ֖ישׁ נֶ֣זֶם שְׁלָל֑וֹ כִּֽי־נִזְמֵ֤י זָהָב֙ לָהֶ֔ם כִּ֥י יִשְׁמְעֵאלִ֖ים הֵֽם׃

And Gideon said unto them: ‘I would make a request of you, that ye would give me every man the ear-rings of his spoil.’—For they had golden ear-rings, because they were Ishmaelites.

וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ נָת֣וֹן נִתֵּ֑ן וַֽיִּפְרְשׂוּ֙ אֶת־הַשִּׂמְלָ֔ה וַיַּשְׁלִ֣יכוּ שָׁ֔מָּה אִ֖ישׁ נֶ֥זֶם שְׁלָלֽוֹ׃

And they answered: ‘We will willingly give them.’ And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the ear-rings of his spoil.

וַיְהִ֗י מִשְׁקַ֞ל נִזְמֵ֤י הַזָּהָב֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָׁאָ֔ל אֶ֥לֶף וּשְׁבַע־מֵא֖וֹת זָהָ֑ב לְ֠בַד מִן־הַשַּׂהֲרֹנִ֨ים וְהַנְּטִפ֜וֹת וּבִגְדֵ֣י הָאַרְגָּמָ֗ן שֶׁעַל֙ מַלְכֵ֣י מִדְיָ֔ן וּלְבַד֙ מִן־הָ֣עֲנָק֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּצַוְּארֵ֥י גְמַלֵּיהֶֽם׃

And the weight of the golden ear-rings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside the crescents, and the pendants, and the purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels’necks.

וַיַּעַשׂ֩ אוֹת֨וֹ גִדְע֜וֹן לְאֵפ֗וֹד וַיַּצֵּ֨ג אוֹת֤וֹ בְעִירוֹ֙ בְּעָפְרָ֔ה וַיִּזְנ֧וּ כָֽל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אַחֲרָ֖יו שָׁ֑ם וַיְהִ֛י לְגִדְע֥וֹן וּלְבֵית֖וֹ לְמוֹקֵֽשׁ׃

And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah; and all Israel went astray after it there; and it became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.

וַיִּכָּנַ֣ע מִדְיָ֗ן לִפְנֵי֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְלֹ֥א יָסְפ֖וּ לָשֵׂ֣את רֹאשָׁ֑ם וַתִּשְׁקֹ֥ט הָאָ֛רֶץ אַרְבָּעִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה בִּימֵ֥י גִדְעֽוֹן׃ (פ)

So Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, and they lifted up their heads no more. And the land had rest forty years in the days of Gideon.

וַיֵּ֛לֶךְ יְרֻבַּ֥עַל בֶּן־יוֹאָ֖שׁ וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב בְּבֵיתֽוֹ׃

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

וּלְגִדְע֗וֹן הָיוּ֙ שִׁבְעִ֣ים בָּנִ֔ים יֹצְאֵ֖י יְרֵכ֑וֹ כִּֽי־נָשִׁ֥ים רַבּ֖וֹת הָ֥יוּ לֽוֹ׃

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

וּפִֽילַגְשׁוֹ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בִּשְׁכֶ֔ם יָֽלְדָה־לּ֥וֹ גַם־הִ֖יא בֵּ֑ן וַיָּ֥שֶׂם אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ אֲבִימֶֽלֶךְ׃

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

וַיָּ֛מָת גִּדְע֥וֹן בֶּן־יוֹאָ֖שׁ בְּשֵׂיבָ֣ה טוֹבָ֑ה וַיִּקָּבֵ֗ר בְּקֶ֙בֶר֙ יוֹאָ֣שׁ אָבִ֔יו בְּעָפְרָ֖ה אֲבִ֥י הָֽעֶזְרִֽי׃ (פ)

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.

וַיְהִ֗י כַּֽאֲשֶׁר֙ מֵ֣ת גִּדְע֔וֹן וַיָּשׁ֙וּבוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיִּזְנ֖וּ אַחֲרֵ֣י הַבְּעָלִ֑ים וַיָּשִׂ֧ימוּ לָהֶ֛ם בַּ֥עַל בְּרִ֖ית לֵאלֹהִֽים׃

And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel again went astray after the Baalim, and made Baal-berith their god.

וְלֹ֤א זָֽכְרוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶת־יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑ם הַמַּצִּ֥יל אוֹתָ֛ם מִיַּ֥ד כָּל־אֹיְבֵיהֶ֖ם מִסָּבִֽיב׃

And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hand of all their enemies on every side;

וְלֹֽא־עָשׂ֣וּ חֶ֔סֶד עִם־בֵּ֥ית יְרֻבַּ֖עַל גִּדְע֑וֹן כְּכָל־הַטּוֹבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (פ)

neither showed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shown unto Israel.