1And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they did chide with him sharply.8.1 Why…: Heb. What thing is this thou hast done unto us8.1 sharply: Heb. strongly 2And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abi-ezer? 3God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.8.3 anger: Heb. spirit
4¶ And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them. 5And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.
6¶ And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army? 7And Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.8.7 tear: Heb. thresh
8¶ And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise: and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him. 9And he spake also unto 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, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.8.10 men that…: or, every one drawing a sword
11¶ 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. 12And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host.8.12 discomfited: Heb. terrified
13¶ And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up, 14And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired of him: and he described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men.8.14 described: Heb. writ 15And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary? 16And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.8.16 taught: Heb. made to know 17And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.
18¶ Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou art, so were they; each one resembled the children of a king.8.18 resembled…: Heb. according to the form, etc 19And he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother: as the LORD liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you. 20And he said unto Jether his firstborn, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth. 21Then 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 away the ornaments that were on their camels’ necks.8.21 ornaments: or, ornaments like the moon
22¶ 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 delivered us from the hand of Midian. 23And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you.
24¶ And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.) 25And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey. 26And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels’ necks.8.26 collars: or, sweet jewels 27And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.
28¶ Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.
29¶ And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house. 30And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.8.30 of his…: Heb. going out of his thigh 31And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.8.31 called: Heb. set
32¶ 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 Abi-ezrites. 33And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baal-berith their god. 34And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side: 35Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.
1De efraimitiske ledere var imidlertid utilfredse og rettede en skarp kritik mod Gideon. „Hvorfor ventede du med at sende bud efter os, til midjanitterne var besejret?” spurgte de.
2Gideon svarede: „Den smule, jeg og min klan har gjort, er ikke noget i sammenligning med jeres heltedåd! 3Lod Gud jer ikke fange de to midjanitiske hærførere Oreb og Ze’eb? Hvad I opnåede mod slagets afslutning, har langt større betydning, end hvad vi foretog os i begyndelsen.” Da efraimitterne hørte det, var de ikke vrede længere.
4Derpå satte Gideon over Jordanfloden med sine 300 mand, som ikke havde opgivet at forfølge fjenden, selv om de var trætte og udmattede. 5Da de nåede Sukkot, sagde Gideon til byens ledere: „Giv venligst mine krigere noget at spise. Vi er udmattede af at jagte midjanitterkongerne Zeba og Salmunna.”
6Men byens ledere svarede: „Fang først Zeba og Salmunna. Så skal vi nok give jer noget at spise.”
7Da sagde Gideon: „Når Herren har udleveret Zeba og Salmunna til mig, vender jeg tilbage og slår jer alle sammen med ørkentjørne og tidsler.” 8Så fortsatte de videre til Penuel, men der gav man samme svar som i Sukkot, 9hvorpå Gideon sagde til dem: „Når vi har sejret, vender vi tilbage og river jeres vagttårn ned.”
10I mellemtiden var Zeba og Salmunna nået frem til Karkor med de 15.000 mand, der var tilbage af den forenede hær fra øst. 120.000 var faldet for sværdet. 11Men Gideon gik en omvej forbi teltlejrene øst for Noba og Jogbeha og overfaldt de intetanende midjanitter. 12De to konger flygtede, men Gideon fulgte efter dem og fangede dem, og hele deres hær blev grebet af rædsel.
13Derefter vendte Gideon tilbage gennem Herespasset. 14Dér tog han en ung mand fra Sukkot til fange og tvang ham til at skrive navnene ned på alle byens 77 ledere. 15Så gik Gideon til Sukkot og sagde til mændene i byen:
„Her er de to konger Zeba og Salmunna. I husker vist godt, at I sagde: Fang først Zeba og Salmunna. Så skal vi nok give jer noget at spise.”
16Så tog han de 77 ledere til fange og pryglede dem til døde med ørkentjørne og tidsler. 17Bagefter drog han til Penuel, hvor han rev byens vagttårn ned og dræbte samtlige mandlige indbyggere.
18Derpå spurgte han Zeba og Salmunna: „Hvordan så de mænd ud, som I dræbte ved Tabor?”
„De lignede dig, og de så begge to ud som kongesønner,” svarede de.
19„Så var det mine egne brødre!” udbrød Gideon. „Jeg sværger, at hvis I havde skånet dem, ville jeg have skånet jer.” 20Så sagde han til sin ældste søn Jeter: „Kom her hen og hug de to konger ned!” Men Jeter, der endnu kun var en stor dreng, havde ikke mod til det.
21„Gør det selv, Gideon,” sagde Zeba og Salmunna. „Det er ikke noget for et barn.” Så huggede Gideon dem ned og tog de kostbare ornamenter, som deres kameler havde om halsen.
Gideon afslår at blive konge
22Nu sagde israelitterne til Gideon: „Du og dine efterkommere skal regere over os, for du har reddet os fra midjanitterne!” 23Men Gideon svarede: „Hverken jeg eller min søn skal regere over jer. Herren skal være jeres Konge!” 24Så tilføjede han: „En enkelt ting vil jeg dog bede jer om: at I alle sammen giver mig en ørering fra jeres krigsbytte.” Midjanitterne gik nemlig med guldringe i ørerne, for de var dygtige handelsfolk.8,24 Ordret: „Ishmaelitter”, men det er her sikkert en titel på ørkenens handelsfolk.
25„Gerne,” svarede de og bredte et klæde ud på jorden, hvor de hver især lagde en ring fra deres krigsbytte. 26Vægten af ringene alene beløb sig til næsten 20 kilo.8,26 På hebraisk: 1700 shekel. 1 shekel = ca. 11,5 g. Dertil kom de kostbare kamelornamenter, andre smykker, kongernes purpurfarvede dragter og de kæder, som kamelerne havde haft om halsen. 27Af disse kostbarheder lavede Gideon en efod, som han anbragte i sin hjemby Ofra. Men israelitterne begyndte at tilbede efoden, som derfor blev årsag til fald for Gideon og hans familie.
28Midjanitterne var nu besejret og udgjorde ikke længere nogen trussel for Israel. De næste 40 år var der fred i landet, så længe Gideon levede.
29-30Efter sejren vendte Gideon tilbage til sin hjemegn, hvor han siden boede og fik 70 sønner, for han havde mange koner. 31Han fik også en søn med en slavepige fra Sikem, og han kom til at hedde Abimelek. 32Gideon døde som en meget gammel mand og blev begravet i familiegravstedet i Ofra, hvor Abiezers slægt kom fra.
33Kort efter Gideons død begyndte israelitterne igen at dyrke kana’anæernes afguder. De gjorde Ba’al-Berit til deres gud 34og glemte Herren, der havde frelst dem fra deres fjendtlige nabofolk. 35De viste heller ingen respekt for Gideons familie, på trods af hvad Gideon havde betydet for landet.
