Gideon Conquering the Rest of the Midianites |
Judges 8:1-35 The Book of Judges [in Smaller Chunks] |
The men of Ephraim [asked Gideon,] Why [have] you [treated] us [like this,] that you [didn’t] call us, when you [went] to fight with the Midianites? And they [scolded] him sharply. And [Gideon] said to them, What have I done now, in comparison to you? Isn’t gleaning the grapes of Ephraim, better than the vintage, [a.k.a. grape harvest] of Abiezer? |
God [has] delivered into your hands the princes of the Midian: Oreb & Zeeb. And what was I able to do, in comparison [to] you, [a.k.a. all you’ve done?] Then, their anger [became less intense,] toward [Gideon,] when he had said that. |
And Gideon, & the 300 men with him, [who] were faint, came to [the] Jordan [River,] & [crossed] over, [still] pursuing [the Midianites.] And [Gideon asked,] the men of Succoth, I pray [that] you give loaves of bread to the people, [who] follow me, [because] they [are] faint, [as] I [pursue] after Zebah & Zalmunna, [Midian's] kings, [with me.] |
The princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah & Zalmunna in your hand now, that we should give bread to your army? Gideon [replied,] Therefore, when the Lord [has] delivered Zebah & Zalmunna into [my] hand, I will then tear your flesh with the thorns & [stickers] of the wilderness. |
[Gideon] went up [there] to Penuel, & [asked] them [the same thing.] And the men of Penuel answered him [like] the men of Succoth. And [Gideon] also [spoke] to the men of Penuel, saying, When I come [back] in peace, I will break down this tower. |
Now, Zebah & Zalmunna & their [army] with them, [of] about 15,000 [remaining] men left of all the [army] of the children, [a.k.a. people,] of the East, were in Karko, because 120,000 men, [who] drew the sword [were struck down] there. |
And Gideon went up by [road of those, who stayed] in tents on the East of Nobah & Jogbehah & [attacked the army] [by surprise,] [because the army] [felt] [safe.] And when Zebah & Zalmunna fled, [Gideon] pursued after them & [captured] the 2 kings of Midian, [causing] all the [army to flee in panic.] |
And Gideon, the son of Joash, returned from battle before the sun was up & caught a young man, [from] the men of Succoth, & [asked] him, & he described [to Gideon,] [the location of] the princes of Succoth & the 77 elders. |
And [Gideon] came to the men of Succoth, & said, [See,] Zebah & Zalmunna, with whom you [ridiculed] me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah & Zalmunna in your [hands] now, that we should give bread to your [tired] men? |
And [Gideon] took the [77] elders of the city & taught the men of Succoth [a lesson with the:] thorns & [stickers] of the wilderness. |
And [Gideon] beat down the Tower of Penuel, & [killed] the men of the city. Then, [Gideon asked] Zebah & Zalmunna, What [type] of men did you kill at Tabor? And they answered, Like you [are.] Each one resembled the children of a king. |
And [Gideon] said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother. As the Lord [lives,] if you had [kept] them alive, I wouldn’t [kill] you. And [Gideon] said to Jether, his firstborn, [Get] up & [kill] them. But [Jether didn’t draw] his sword, because he was [still young & afraid.] |
Then, Zebah & Zalmunna said [to Gideon,] You rise & [kill] us. For [like] the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose & [killed] Zebah & Zalmunnah. And [Gideon] took away the ornaments that were on their camel’s necks. The men of Israel said to Gideon, You, rule over us. Both you, your son & your [descendants] also [rule over us,] [because] you [have] delivered us from the hand of Midian. |
[But] Gideon said to them, I won’t rule over you & neither shall my son rule over you. The Lord shall rule over you. And Gideon said to them, I desire a request [from] you, that every man would give me the earrings of his [plunder. ([Since,] they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.) And they answered, We will willingly give them. |
They spread a garment [out,] & every man [threw on it] the earrings [from] his [plunder.] And the weight of the gold earrings he requested was 1,700 shekels of gold [in addition to the:] ornaments, collars, the [Midianite king’s] purple [clothing,] & chains [around] the necks [of] their [camels.] |
And Gideon made an ephod [of it,] & put it in his city, Ophrah. [Judges 17:5 And the man, Michah, had a house of gods & made an ephod & a teraphim & consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.] |
And all [of] Israel went [there & lusted] after it, [unfaithfully like a harlot.] [This] thing became a snare [for] Gideon & his [household.] [James 1:14-15 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away [by] his own [lusts, a.k.a. desires,] & [is] enticed, Then, when [lustful] [thoughts are] conceived, it [delivers] sin, & when sin is finished, [it leads to] death.] |
[Like this,] Midian was [defeated, so] that they [could] no [longer lift] up their heads before the children, [a.k.a. people,] of Israel. And the country [of Israel] had [quiet, a.k.a. peace,] for 40 years [during] the days of Gideon. |
And Jerubbaal, [a.k.a. Gideon,] the son of Joash, went & [lived] in his own house & [fathered] 70 sons, [because] he had many wives. His [mistress] was in Shechem, & she also [bore] a son [to] him, & whose name [was] Abimelech. |
And Gideon, the son of Joash, died [at] a good old age, & was buried in the [tomb] of Joash, his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. As soon as Gideon was dead, it [happened,] that the [people] of Israel again turned, & [played the unfaithful harlot,] after Baalim & made Baal Berith their god. |
[Ezekiel 23:37 That they have committed adultery & blood is [on] their hands & have committed adultery with their idols & have also caused their sons, whom they [bore] to Me, to pass for them through the fire, to devour them.] |
And the children, [a.k.a. people,] of Israel [didn’t] remember the Lord their God, Who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side. Neither [did they show] kindness to the house of Jerubbaal [a.k.a. Gideon,] according to all the goodness, [that Gideon] had [shown] to Israel. |