1 ¶ Then the men of Ephraim said to Gideon, Why have you treated us like this, in that you did not call us, when you went to fight with the Midianites? And they accused him severely.

2 And he said to them, What have I done now in comparison with you? Are not the leftover grapes of Ephraim better than the entire crop of Abiezer?

3 God has delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: so what was I able to do as compared with you? Then their anger subsided toward him, after he said that.

4 ¶ And Gideon came to the Jordan, and crossed over, he, and the three hundred men who were with him, faint, yet pursuing the enemy.

5 And he said to the men of Succoth, I beg you, give loaves of bread to the people who follow me; for they are faint, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.

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

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

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

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

10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, with their army, about fifteen thousand men, all who were left of the army of the people of the east: for one hundred and twenty thousand men who drew the sword had fallen.

11 And Gideon went up by the route of those who lived in tents to the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and attacked the army: for the army thought itself secure.

12 And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued them, and captured the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and threw the entire army into a panic.

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

14 And caught a young man of Succoth, and questioned of him: and he wrote down for him the names of the princes and elders of Succoth, seventy-seven men.

15 Then he went to the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you taunted me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are weary?

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

17 He then broke down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.

18 ¶ Then Gideon said to Zebah and Zalmunna, What kind of men were they whom you slew at Tabor? And they answered, They were like you; each one looked like the son of a king.

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 execute you.

20 And he said to Jether his firstborn, Rise, and slay them. But the youth did not draw his sword: for he was afraid, because he was yet a youth.

21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise, 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.

22 ¶ Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, Rule over us, both you, and your son, and your son’s son also: for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.

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

24 And Gideon said to them, Let me make a request of you, that you would each give me an earring from his plunder. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)

25 And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread out a garment, and every man threw an earring from his plunder on it.

26 And the golden earrings that he requested weighed one thousand and seven hundred shekels; besides the ornaments, and collars, and purple garments that were on the kings of Midian, and besides the chains that were around their camels’ necks.

27 Then Gideon made an ephod out of it, and put it in Ophrah, his city: and all Israel venerated it there committing spiritual adultery: and it became a snare to Gideon, and to his house.

28 Thus Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, and they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness for forty years in the days of Gideon.

29 ¶ And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and lived in his own house.

30 Now Gideon had seventy sons begotten by him: for he had many wives.

31 And his concubine who was in Shechem, also bore him a son, whom he named Abimelech.

32 Then Gideon the son of Joash died at a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

33 And as soon as Gideon was dead, the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith their god.

34 And the children of Israel did not remember the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side:

35 Nor did they show kindness to the family of Jerubbaal, that is, Gideon, in return for all the good that he had done for Israel.