Zebah and Zalmunna
1The men of Ephraim asked Gideon, “Why have you treated us like this? Why didn’t you ask us to help you when you went out to fight against Midian?” In anger they challenged Gideon.
2But he answered them, “What I’ve done isn’t anything compared to what you have done. Ephraim’s grapes have been gathered. Isn’t what is left over better than all the grapes that have been gathered from Abiezer’s vines? 3God handed Oreb and Zeeb over to you. They were Midianite leaders. So what was I able to do compared to what you did?” After Gideon had said that, they didn’t feel angry with him anymore.
4Gideon and his 300 men were very tired. But they kept on chasing their enemies. They came to the Jordan River and went across it. 5Gideon said to the men of Sukkoth, “Give my troops some bread. They are worn out. And I’m still chasing Zebah and Zalmunna. They are the kings of Midian.”
6But the officials of Sukkoth objected. They said, “Have you already killed Zebah and Zalmunna? Have you cut their hands off and brought them back to prove it? If you haven’t, why should we give bread to your troops?”
7Gideon replied, “The Lord will hand Zebah and Zalmunna over to me. When he does, I’ll tear your skin with thorns from desert bushes.”
8From there Gideon went up to Peniel. He asked its men for the same thing. But they answered as the men of Sukkoth had. 9So he said to the men of Peniel, “I’ll be back after I’ve won the battle. Then I’ll tear down this tower.”
10Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor. They had an army of about 15,000 men. That’s all that were left of the armies of the tribes from the east. About 120,000 men who carried swords had died in battle. 11Gideon went up the trail the people of the desert had made. It ran east of Nobah and Jogbehah. He attacked the army by surprise. 12Zebah and Zalmunna ran away. They were the two kings of Midian. Gideon chased them and captured them. He destroyed their whole army.
13Then Gideon, the son of Joash, returned from the battle. He came back through the Pass of Heres. 14He caught a young man from Sukkoth. He asked him about the elders of the town. The young man wrote down for him the names of Sukkoth’s 77 officials. 15Then Gideon came and said to the men of Sukkoth, “Here are Zebah and Zalmunna. You made fun of me because of them. You said, ‘Have you already killed Zebah and Zalmunna? Have you cut their hands off and brought them back to prove it? If you haven’t, why should we give bread to your tired men?’ ” 16Gideon went and got the elders of the town. Then he taught the men of Sukkoth a lesson. He tore their skin with thorns from desert bushes. 17He also pulled down the tower at Peniel. He killed the men in the town.
18Then he spoke to Zebah and Zalmunna. He asked, “What were the men like that you killed at Tabor?”
“Men like you,” they answered. “Each one walked as if he were a prince.”
19Gideon replied, “Those were my brothers. They were the sons of my own mother. You can be sure that the Lord lives. And you can be just as sure that if you had spared their lives, I wouldn’t kill you.” 20Then Gideon turned to his oldest son Jether. He said, “Kill them!” But Jether didn’t pull out his sword. He was only a boy. So he was afraid.
21Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Come on. Do it yourself. ‘The older the man, the stronger he is.’ ” So Gideon stepped forward and killed them. Then he took the gold chains off the necks of their camels.
Gideon’s Linen Apron
22The Israelites said to Gideon, “Rule over us. We want you, your son and your grandson to be our rulers. You have saved us from the power of Midian.”
23But Gideon told them, “I will not rule over you. My son won’t rule over you either. The Lord will rule over you.” 24He continued, “I do ask one thing. I want each of you to give me an earring. I’m talking about the earrings you took from your enemies.” It was the practice of the people in the family line of Ishmael to wear gold earrings.
25The Israelites said, “We’ll be glad to give them to you.” So they spread out a piece of clothing. Each of them threw a ring on it from what he had taken. 26The weight of the gold rings Gideon asked for was 43 pounds. That didn’t include the moon-shaped necklaces the kings of Midian had worn. It didn’t include their other necklaces or their purple clothes. And it didn’t include the gold chains that had been on the necks of their camels. 27Gideon made an object out of all the gold. It looked like the linen apron the high priest of Israel wore. Gideon placed it in Ophrah. That was his hometown. All the Israelites worshiped it there. They weren’t faithful to the Lord. So the gold object became a trap to Gideon and his family.
Gideon Dies
28Israel brought Midian under their control. Midian wasn’t able to attack Israel anymore. So the land was at peace for 40 years. The peace lasted as long as Gideon was living.
29Jerub-Baal, the son of Joash, went back home to live. Jerub-Baal was another name for Gideon. 30He had 70 sons of his own. That’s because he had many wives. 31And he had a concubine who lived in Shechem. She also had a son by him. Gideon named that son Abimelek. 32Gideon, the son of Joash, died when he was very old. He was buried in the tomb of his father Joash in Ophrah. Ophrah was in the territory that belonged to the family line of Abiezer.
33As soon as Gideon had died, the Israelites began serving and worshiping gods that were named Baal. Israel wasn’t faithful to the Lord. They worshiped Baal-Berith as their god. 34They forgot what the Lord their God had done for them. He had saved them from the power of their enemies all around them. 35Jerub-Baal had done many good things for the Israelites. But they weren’t faithful to his family. Jerub-Baal was another name for Gideon.
Zeba na Zalimuna
18:1 Atiir 12:1; Kĩam 25:2Na rĩrĩ, andũ a Efiraimu makĩũria Gideoni atĩrĩ, “Nĩ kĩĩ gĩtũmĩte ũtwĩke ũguo? Wagire gũtwĩta ũgĩthiĩ kũhũũrana na Amidiani nĩkĩ?” Nao makĩmũtetia mũno.
28:2 Ndar 26:30Nowe akĩmacookeria atĩrĩ, “Nĩatĩa niĩ njĩkĩte ngerekanĩtio na inyuĩ? Githĩ kũhaara thabibũ cia Efiraimu ti kwega gũkĩra magetha mothe ma thabibũ cia Abiezeri? 38:3 Atiir 7:25Ngai nĩaneanire Orebu na Zeebu, atongoria a Amidiani moko-inĩ manyu. Nĩatĩa niĩ hotete gwĩka ngerekanĩtio na inyuĩ?” Maigua ũguo, marakara marĩa maamũrakarĩire namo magĩthira.
48:4 Atiir 7:25Gideoni na andũ ake magana matatũ, o na marĩ anogu, magĩtengʼeria thũ ciao magĩkinya Jorodani na makĩringa rũũĩ rũu. 58:5 Kĩam 33:17; Ayub 16:7Nake akĩĩra andũ a Sukothu atĩrĩ, “Heei ita rĩakwa kĩndũ gĩa kũrĩa; nĩ ũndũ nĩ anogu biũ, na no ndengʼeretie Zeba na Zalimuna, athamaki a Midiani.”
68:6 Atiir 8:15; 1Sam 25:11No anene a Sukothu makĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Rĩu-rĩ, ũkĩrĩ ũranyiita Zeba na Zalimuna magakorwo marĩ moko-inĩ maku? Tũkũhe thigari ciaku irio nĩkĩ?”
7Nake Gideoni akĩmacookeria atĩrĩ, “Nĩ ũndũ wa ũguo mwoiga, rĩrĩa Jehova arĩneana Zeba na Zalimuna moko-inĩ makwa, ndĩĩtembũranga mĩĩrĩ yanyu na mĩigua ya werũ-inĩ na mahiũ ma nyeki-inĩ.”
88:8 Kĩam 32:30; 1Ath 12:25Oima kũu akĩambata nginya Penieli,8:8 Penieli nĩho Jakubu aagianĩire na Ngai. akĩmooria o ta ũguo oorĩtie andũ a Sukothu, nao magĩcookia o ta ũrĩa andũ a Sukothu maamũcookeirie. 98:9 Atiir 8:17Nĩ ũndũ ũcio akĩĩra andũ a Penieli atĩrĩ, “Hĩndĩ ĩrĩa ngaahũndũka hootanĩte-rĩ, niĩ nĩngamomora mũthiringo ũyũ mũraihu na igũrũ.”
108:10 Atiir 6:5; Isa 9:4Nao Zeba na Zalimuna maarĩ kũu Karikori marĩ na ita rĩa andũ ta 15,000, acio oiki no-o maatigaire kuuma kũrĩ mbũtũ ya andũ a irathĩro; andũ 100,000 rĩa mĩrongo ĩĩrĩ arĩa maarũaga na hiũ cia njora nĩ moragĩtwo. 118:11 Ndar 32:42Gideoni akĩambata na njĩra ya andũ arĩa maikaraga hema-inĩ mwena wa irathĩro rĩa Noba na Jogibeha, akiumĩrĩra mbũtũ ĩyo hĩndĩ ĩrĩa ĩtegeragĩria kũrĩ na ũgwati. 12Zeba na Zalimuna, athamaki acio eerĩ a Midiani, makĩũra, nowe akĩmatengʼeria, akĩmanyiita, na akĩhoota mbũtũ ĩyo yao yothe.
138:13 Atiir 6:11Gideoni mũrũ wa Joashu akĩhũndũka oimĩte mbaara-inĩ, agereire Ihĩtũkĩro rĩa Heresi. 148:14 Thaam 3:16Nake akĩnyiita mwanake wa Sukothu, na akĩmũhooya ũhoro, nake mwanake ũcio akĩmwandĩkĩra marĩĩtwa ma anene mĩrongo mũgwanja na mũgwanja a Sukothu, na nĩo athuuri a itũũra rĩu. 158:15 Atiir 8:6Hĩndĩ ĩyo Gideoni agĩũka, akĩĩra andũ a Sukothu atĩrĩ, “Aya nĩo Zeba na Zalimuna, arĩa mwanyũrũrĩirie ũhoro wao, mũkiuga atĩrĩ, ‘Anga nĩũkĩnyiitĩte Zeba na Zalimuna magakorwo marĩ moko-inĩ maku? Tũkũhe andũ aya aku anogu irio nĩkĩ?’ ” 168:16 1Sam 14:12Agĩkĩnyiita athuuri acio a itũũra, nake akĩherithia andũ acio a Sukothu na mĩigua ya werũ-inĩ, na mahiũ ma nyeki-inĩ. 178:17 Atiir 8:8Ningĩ akĩmomora mũthiringo ũcio mũraihu na igũrũ wa Penieli, na akĩũraga andũ a itũũra rĩu.
188:18 Josh 19:22Hĩndĩ ĩyo akĩũria Zeba na Zalimuna atĩrĩ, “Andũ arĩa mworagĩire kũu Tabori-rĩ, maahaanaga atĩa?”
Nao magĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Nĩ andũ tawe, o ũmwe wao aahaanaga ta mũrũ wa mũthamaki.”
198:19 Ndar 14:21Gideoni akĩmacookeria atĩrĩ, “Acio maarĩ ariũ a baba, o na ariũ a maitũ. O ta ũrĩa Jehova atũũraga muoyo-rĩ, korwo nĩmwahonokirie mĩoyo yao-rĩ, ndingĩamũũraga.” 20Akĩgarũrũkĩra Jetheri, mũriũ wake wa irigithathi, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Moorage!” Nowe Jetheri ndaigana gũcomora rũhiũ rwa njora, tondũ aarĩ o kamwana kanini, na nĩetigagĩra.
218:21 Atiir 8:26; Isa 3:18Zeba na Zalimuna makĩĩra Gideoni atĩrĩ, “Ũkĩra, ũtũũrage arĩ we. Tondũ o ta ũrĩa mũndũ atariĩ noguo hinya wake ũigana.” Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Gideoni agĩũkĩra, akĩmooraga, na akĩruta irengeeri iria ciagemetie ngingo cia ngamĩĩra ciao, agĩthiĩ nacio.
Ebodi ya Gideoni
22Andũ a Isiraeli makĩĩra Gideoni atĩrĩ, “Tũthamakĩre, wee, na mũrũguo, na mũrũ wa mũrũguo o nake, nĩgũkorwo wee nĩũtũhonoketie, ũgatũruta moko-inĩ ma Midiani.”
238:23 Thaam 16:8; 1Sam 12:12Nowe Gideoni akĩmeera atĩrĩ, “Niĩ ndikũmũthamakĩra, o na kana mũrũ wakwa. Jehova nĩwe ũkũmũthamakĩra.” 248:24 Kĩam 35:4Ningĩ akĩmeera atĩrĩ, “Harĩ ũndũ ũngĩ ũmwe ngũmũhooya, naguo nĩ atĩ o ũmwe wanyu aahe gĩcũhĩ kĩmwe gĩa gũtũ kĩa iria aatahire.” (Ũcio warĩ mũtugo wa Aishumaeli, gwĩkĩra icũhĩ cia thahabu matũ.)
25Nao magĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Nĩtũgũciheana tũkenete.” Nĩ ũndũ ũcio makĩara nguo thĩ, na o mũndũ agĩikia gĩcũhĩ ho kuuma kũrĩ indo iria aatahĩte. 268:26 Atiir 8:21Naguo ũritũ wa icũhĩ icio cia thahabu aahooete wakinyire cekeri 1,700,8:26 nĩ ta kilo 20 mathaga marĩa mangĩ matatarĩtwo, na nĩmo mĩgathĩ, na nguo cia rangi wa ndathi iria ciehumbagwo nĩ athamaki a Amidiani, kana mĩnyororo ĩrĩa yarĩ ngingo cia ngamĩĩra ciao. 278:27 Atiir 17:5; Josh 18:23Gideoni agĩthondeka thahabu ĩyo ĩgĩtuĩka ebodi, ĩrĩa aigire kũu Ofira, itũũra rĩake. Isiraeli othe makĩhũũra ũmaraya na ũndũ wa kũmĩhooya marĩ kũu, nayo ĩgĩtuĩka mũtego harĩ Gideoni na nyũmba yake.
Gĩkuũ kĩa Gideoni
288:28 Thab 83:2Ũguo nĩguo andũ a Midiani maahootirwo nĩ andũ a Isiraeli, na matiacookire kwambararia mĩtwe rĩngĩ. Matukũ-inĩ marĩa Gideoni aatũũrire muoyo, bũrũri ũcio ũkĩgĩa na thayũ mĩaka mĩrongo ĩna.
298:29 Atiir 6:32Jerubu-Baali mũrũ wa Joashu nĩacookire gwake mũciĩ gũtũũra kuo. 308:30 2Ath 10:1Na aarĩ na ariũ mĩrongo mũgwanja ake mwene, nĩ ũndũ nĩ aarĩ na atumia aingĩ. 318:31 Kĩam 22:24; 2Sam 11:21Nayo thuriya yake ĩrĩa yaikaraga Shekemu, nĩyamũciarĩire mwana wa kahĩĩ, ũrĩa aatuire Abimeleku. 328:32 Kĩam 15:15Gideoni mũrũ wa Joashu aakuire arĩ mũkũrũ mũno, na agĩthikwo mbĩrĩra-inĩ ya ithe Joashu kũu Ofira ya Aabiezeri.
338:33 Atiir 2:11, 13, 19Gideoni akua-rĩ, andũ a Isiraeli o rĩngĩ nĩmahũũrire ũmaraya na Mabaali. Makĩrũgamia Baali-Berithu8:33 Baali-Berithu yarĩ ngai ya andũ a Kaanani, na hekarũ yayo yarĩ Shekemu. ĩtuĩke ngai yao, 34na matiacookire kũririkana Jehova Ngai wao, ũrĩa wamahonoketie akamaruta moko-inĩ ma thũ ciao ciothe iria ciarĩ mĩena-inĩ yao yothe. 35O na ningĩ nĩmagire gũcookia ngaatho kũrĩ nyũmba ya Jerubu-Baali (nĩwe Gideoni) nĩ ũndũ wa maũndũ marĩa mothe mega aamekĩire.
