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Open English Translation JDG Chapter 8

JDG 8 ©

Readers’ Version

Literal Version

8:1 The final defeat of the Midianites

8But then the Efraimite men challenged Gideon, “Why have you side-tracked us? Why didn’t you call us when you went to battle against the Midianites?” And they severely rebuked him.

2“What have I achieved compared to you guys?” answered Gideon. “Aren’t the seconds of Efraim’s grapes better than the whole grape harvest of Abiezer? 3God helped you all defeat Oreb and Zeeb, the princes of Midian. What did I do compared to that?” After he said that, they all calmed down again.[ref]

4Then Gideon and his three hundred warriors crossed the Yordan going east. They were all exhausted, but continued the pursuit. 5When they arrived at the town of Sukkot, Gideon asked the leaders, “Please give my men some bread to eat because they’re exhausted, but we’re chasing Zebah and Zalmunna, the Midianite kings.”

6However, the Sukkot officials asked cautiously, “Do you already have Zebah and Zalmunna in your grasp that we should give food to your army?”

7“Let me assure you all,” Gideon responded, “that when Yahweh has helped us capture Zebah and Zalmunna, I will rip off your flesh with the wilderness thorns and briers.”

8From there they climbed up to Penuel, and he asked them for food in a similar manner, and the leaders there responded similarly to the leaders of Sukkot. 9So he said to the men of Penuel as well, “When I return safely, I’ll tear down this tower.”

10Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with around fifteen thousand warriors—all that remained out of all of that allied Midianite camp of eastern people, because one hundred and twenty thousand of their warriors had already been killed. 11Gideon approached them unexpectedly via the caravan route east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and struck their camp when they were feeling secure. 12Zebah and Zalmunna fled, but they chased after those two Midianite kings and captured them, thus defeating their entire army.

13The Gideon (Yoash’s son) and his warriors returned from battle, going through the Heres pass. 14He captured a young man from Sukkot and questioned him—writing down the names of the seventy-seven leaders and elders of Sukkot. 15Then he returned to Sukkot and told them, “Look here at Zebah and Zalmunna—the ones you taunted me about when you asked, ‘Do you already have Zebah and Zalmunna in your grasp that we should give food to your weary men.’ ” 16He took the city elders and had them punished with wilderness thorns and briers to teach them a lesson, 17then they went to Penuel and tore down the tower and executed the city leaders.

18Then Gideon asked Zebah and Zalmunna, “What were the men like that you killed at Tabor?”

They were just like you,” they replied. “They seemed like they could have been a king’s sons.”

19“They were my brothers—the sons of my mother,” he said. “As Yahweh lives, if only you had let them live, I wouldn’t have killed you.” 20Then he ordered Yeter, his oldest son, “Go and kill them.” But Yeter didn’t pull out his sword because he was afraid—he was still a youth.

21Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Come and kill us yourself—be a man and use your own strength.” So Gideon went over and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and then he took the crescent-shaped ornaments that were on their camels’ necks.

22Then a group of Israeli men said to Gideon, “We want you and your sons and your future descendants to rule over us, because you have saved us from the Midianites.”

23But Gideon answered, “No, I won’t rule over you myself, nor will my son rule over you. Yahweh will rule over you.” 24However, he continued, “Let me ask you all for something: that each man give me the earrings from his spoil.” (The enemies had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.)

25We can certainly do that for you,” they replied. So they spread out a garment and each man threw the earrings from his spoil onto it. 26Now the weight of the gold earrings of gold came to twenty kilograms, and then there were the crescent-shaped ornaments, the pendants, the dyed purple garments that the Midianite kings had been wearing, as well as the collars that had been around their camels’ necks. 27Then Gideon made the gold into an idol[fn] and placed it in his home city of Ophrah, and the Israelis prostituted themselves to it there, and so it became like a trap for Gideon and his household.

28So Midian was kept under control by the Israelis and they didn’t continue to oppress the people, and there was peace in the region for forty years during Gideon’s time.

8And_they_said to_him/it the_man_of ʼEfrayim what the_thing the_this [which]_you_have_done to/for_ourselves to_not to_summon to/for_us if/because you_went to_fight in/on/at/with_Midyānites and_upbraided with_him/it in/on/at/with_sharpness.
2And_he/it_said to_them what have_I_done now in_comparison_with_you_all am_not good [are]_the_gleanings_of ʼEfrayim than_grape_harvest_of ʼAⱱīˊezr.
3In/on/at/with_hands_of_your_all’s god he_has_given DOM the_commanders_of Midyān DOM ˊOrēⱱ and_DOM Zəʼēⱱ and_what have_I_been_able to_do in_comparison_with_you_all then anger_of_their it_relaxed from_against_him in/on/at/with_said_he the_thing the_this.
4And_ Gidˊōn _came the_Yardēn_to [was]_passing_over he and_three hundred(s) the_man who with_him/it exhausted and_pursuing.
5And_he/it_said to_men_of Şukkōt give please round_loaves_of bread to_the_people which in/on/at/with_feet_of_my if/because [are]_exhausted they and_I [am]_pursuing after Zeⱱaḩ and_Tsalmunnāˊ/(Tsalmōn/(Zalmun)na) the_kings_of Midyān.
6And_ the_officials_of _he/it_said of_Şukkōt hands_of Zeⱱaḩ and_Tsalmunnāˊ now in/on/at/with_hand_of_your (cmp) we_will_give to_army_of_your bread.
7And_ Gidˊōn _he/it_said for_so/thus/hence in/on/at/with_given YHWH DOM Zeⱱaḩ and_DOM Tsalmunnāˊ in/on/at/with_hand_of_my and_trample DOM flesh_of_your_all’s with (the)_thorns_of the_wilderness and_DOM the_briers.
8And_he/it_ascended from_there Pəʼēl and_he/it_spoke to_them as_that and_answered the_men_of DOM_him of_Pəʼēl just_as they_had_answered the_men_of Şukkōt.
9And_he/it_said also to_men_of Pəʼēl to_say in/on/at/with_return_I in/on/at/with_triumph I_will_tear_down DOM the_tower the_this.
10and_Zeⱱaḩ and_Tsalmunnāˊ in/on/at/with_Qarqor and_army_of_their with_them about_five_of teen thousand all_of the_left from_all the_army_of [the]_people_of [the]_east and_the_fallen [were]_one_hundred and_twenty thousand man [who]_drew [the]_sword.
11And_ Gidˊōn _he/it_ascended the_direction_of the_dwell_of in/on/at/with_tents from_east of_Noⱱaḩ and_Yāgəbəhāh/(Jogbehah) and_attacked DOM the_army and_the_army it_was security.
12And_ Zeⱱaḩ _fled and_Tsalmunnāˊ/(Tsalmōn/(Zalmun)na) and_pursued after_them and_captured DOM the_two_of the_kings_of Midyān DOM Zeⱱaḩ and_DOM Tsalmunnāˊ and_all the_army he_routed.
13And_ Gidˊōn _returned the_son_of Yōʼāsh/(Joash) from the_battle by_to/for_ascent_of the_Ḩereş.
14And_captured a_young_man from_people_of Şukkōt and_questioned_him and_wrote_down to_him/it DOM the_officials_of Şukkōt and_DOM elders_of_its seventy and_seven man.
15And_came to the_men_of Şukkōt and_he/it_said here Zeⱱaḩ and_Tsalmunnāˊ whom you_all_taunted DOM_me to_say hands_of Zeⱱaḩ and_Tsalmunnāˊ now in/on/at/with_hand_of_your (cmp) we_will_give to_men_of_your the_exhausted bread.
16And_he/it_took DOM the_elders_of the_city and_DOM the_thorns_of the_wilderness and_DOM the_briers and_taught_alesson (is)_in_them DOM the_men_of Şukkōt.
17And_DOM the_tower_of Pəʼēl he_tore_down and_killed DOM the_men_of the_city.
18And_he/it_said to Zeⱱaḩ and_near/to Tsalmunnāˊ where the_men whom you_all_killed in/on/at/with_Tāⱱōr and_said[fn][fn][fn] like_you so_they one with_appearance_of the_sons_of the_king.
19And_said brothers_of_my the_sons_of mother_of_my they [by]_the_life of_YHWH if you_all_had_let_live DOM_them not I_killed DOM_you_all.
20And_he/it_said to_Yeter/(Jether) firstborn_of_his arise kill DOM_them and_not he_drew the_boy sword_of_his if/because he_was_afraid if/because still_he [was]_a_young_man.
21And_ Zeⱱaḩ _he/it_said and_Tsalmunnāˊ/(Tsalmōn/(Zalmun)na) arise you and_fall in/on/at/with_us if/because as_the_man strength_of_his and_ Gidˊōn _he/it_rose_up and_killed DOM Zeⱱaḩ and_DOM Tsalmunnāˊ and_he/it_took DOM the_crescent_ornaments which in/on/at/with_necks_of camels_of_their.
22And_ the_man_of _they_said of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) to Gidˊōn rule in/on/at/with_us both you as_well_as son_of_your as_well_as the_son_of sons’_of_your if/because delivered_us from_hand_of Midyān.
23And_he/it_said to_them Gidˊōn not I_will_rule I in/on/at/with_you_all and_not he_will_rule son_of_my in/on/at/with_you_all YHWH he_will_rule in/on/at/with_you_all.
24And_he/it_said to_them Gidˊōn let_me_ask of_you_all a_petition and_give to_me everyone (the)_earring_of plunder_of_his if/because earrings_of gold to/for_them if/because [were]_Ishmaelites they.
25And_they_said indeed_(give) we_will_give_[them] and_spread_out DOM the_garment and_threw there_into everyone (the)_earring_of plunder_of_his.
26And_he/it_was the_weight_of the_earrings_of the_gold which he_asked_for one_thousand and_seven hundred(s) gold to/for_apart from the_crescent_ornaments and_the_pendants and_garments_of the_purple that_on the_kings_of Midyān and_to/for_apart from the_chains which in/on/at/with_necks_of camels_of_their.
27And_he/it_made Gidˊōn DOM_it into_ephod and_put DOM_it in/on/at/with_town_of_his in/on/at/with_ˊĀfərāh and_ all_of _prostituted Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) to_it there and_he/it_was to_Gidˊōn and_to_family_of_his as_snare.
28And_ Midyān _subdued to_(the)_face_of/in_front_of/before the_people_of Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) and_not they_repeated to_lift_up heads_of_their and_had_rest the_earth/land forty year[s] in/on/at/with_days_of Gidˊōn.

8:29 The death of Gideon

29Then Gideon (Yoash’s son, also known as Yerub-Baal) went back and lived in his house, 30and he fathered seventy sons because he had many wives. 31He also had a mistress in Shekem—she also bore him a son that he named Abimelek. 32Gideon died at a good old age and was buried in the tomb of Yoash his father, at Ofrah of the Abiezerites.

33However after Gideon had died, the Israelis turned away again from Yahweh and prostituted themselves to the Baals—making Baal-Berit for themselves as a god. 34They forgot about their God Yahweh—the one who had rescued them from the clutch of all of their enemies all around. 35They didn’t show lasting loyalty to Gideon’s family, despite all the good that he’d done within Israel.


8:27 We don’t really know what ‘efod’ means in this context. (It was also used to refer to priestly clothing.)


29and_ Jerub-Baˊal _he/it_went the_son_of Yōʼāsh/(Joash) and_he/it_sat_down//remained//lived in/on/at/with_house_of_his_own.
30And_to_Gidˊōn they_belonged seventy sons body_of_his_own [who]_came_out_of if/because wives many they_belonged to_him/it.
31And_concubine_of_his who in/on/at/with_Shəkem she_bore for_him/it also she a_son and_he/it_assigned DOM his/its_name ʼAⱱīmelek.
32And_ Gidˊōn _he/it_died the_son_of Yōʼāsh in/on/at/with_old_age good and_buried in/on/at/with_tomb_of Yōʼāsh his/its_father in/on/at/with_ˊĀfərāh of_the_ʼAⱱī- ezrite[s].
33and_he/it_was as/like_just_as he_had_died Gidˊōn and_ the_people_of _again of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) and_prostituted after the_Baals and_made to/for_them Baˊal- Berith as_god.
34And_not the_people_of they_remembered of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) DOM YHWH god_of_their the_rescued DOM_them from_hand_of all_of enemies_of_their on_every_side.
35And_not they_did loyalty with the_house_of Jerub-Baˊal Gidˊōn for_all_of the_good which he_had_done with Yisrāʼēl/(Israel).

8:18 Note: Marks a place where we agree with BHQ against BHS in reading L.

8:18 Note: Marks an anomalous form.

8:18 Note: We read one or more vowels in L differently from BHS.

JDG 8 ©

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