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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;"/><title>Judges 8 ISV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/judges/8.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/judges/8-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">ISV</a> > Judges 8</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../judges/7.htm" title="Judges 7">◄</a> Judges 8 <a href="../judges/9.htm" title="Judges 9">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">International Standard Version</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/isv/esv/judges/8.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><p class="heading">Gideon Assuages the Anger of Ephraim</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>Later on, the descendants of Ephraim spoke to Gideon.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="8:1 Lit. him">a</a></span> They argued vehemently, “What are you doing to us? You never called us! But you went out to fight Midian!”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>“What have I accomplished compared to you?” he responded. “Isn’t what’s left from Ephraim’s harvest better than the best vintage of Abiezer? <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>God gave Oreb and Zeeb, the leaders of Midian, into your control. What was I able to do compared to you?” When he said this, their anger calmed down.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>Meanwhile, Gideon and the 300 soldiers with him came to the Jordan, exhausted but continuing their pursuit. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>He told the men of Succoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the soldiers who are following behind me. They’re tired, and I’m pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>But the officials of Succoth replied, “Do you have Zebah and Zalmunna in custody<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="8:6 Lit. have the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna">b</a></span> already, so that we should give food to your army?”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>So Gideon responded, “Okay then, but when the LORD has turned over Zebah and Zalmunna into my control, I’m going to whip you with thorns and briers from the desert!”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>Then he left there to go to Penuel and asked the same thing from them, but the men of Penuel responded the same way the men of Succoth did. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>So he responded the same way to the men of Penuel, “When I come back safely,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="8:9 Lit. return in peace">c</a></span> I’m going to tear down this tower.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, along with their armies, about 15,000 men who survived from the entire army of the group from<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="8:10 Lit. the sons of">d</a></span> the east, since 120,000 swordsmen had already fallen. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>Gideon went up by a caravan route east of Nobah and Jogbehah and attacked their encampment when they were off guard. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>When Zebah and Zalmunna escaped, he pursued them, captured those two kings of Midian,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="8:12 Lit. Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna,">e</a></span> and threw the entire army into a panic.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>Then Joash’s son Gideon returned from the battle along the Heres Ascent. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>He caught a young man from Succoth and interrogated him. He wrote out for Gideon<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="8:14 Lit. him">f</a></span> a list of the 77 officials of Succoth, including its elders. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>Then Gideon<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="8:15 Lit. he">g</a></span> approached the men of Succoth and announced, “Here are Zebah and Zalmunna. You criticized me about them when you said, ‘Do you have Zebah and Zalmunna in custody<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="8:15 Lit. have the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna">h</a></span> already, so that we should give food to your weary army?’” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>So he took the elders of the city and disciplined the men of Succoth with thorns and briers from the desert. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>He also demolished the tower in Penuel and killed the men of the city.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>Afterwards, he asked Zebah and Zalmunna, “What were the men like whom you killed at Tabor?”</p> <p class="reg">They answered, “Like you, each one like the son of a king…”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>Gideon replied, “They were my brothers—sons from my own mother. As the LORD lives, if you had let them live, I wouldn’t be killing you.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>Then he told his firstborn son Jether, “Get up and kill them!” But he was afraid, since he was still only a youngster.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>Then Zebah and Zalmunna responded, “Get up and attack us yourself, since a man’s valor is only as good as the man himself.” So Gideon got up, killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the crescent-shaped necklaces that adorned the necks of their camels.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>Then the men of Israel asked Gideon, “Rule over us—you, your son, and your grandsons—because you have delivered us from Midian’s domination.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>But Gideon told them, “I won’t rule over you and my son won’t rule over you. The LORD will rule you.”</p> <p class="heading">Gideon Falls into Idolatry</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>But Gideon also added, “I would like to ask that each of you give me a ring from his war booty” because, as Ishmaelites, the Midianites<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="8:24 Lit. they">i</a></span> had been wearing gold rings.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>They responded, “We’ll be happy to give them.” So they laid out a garment, and each of them contributed a ring from his war booty. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>The weight of the rings that he had asked for was 1,700 gold coins,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="8:26 The Heb. lacks coins">j</a></span> not counting the crescent-shaped necklaces, pendants, and purple garments worn by the Midian kings, and also not counting the bands adorning the necks of their camels.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>Gideon crafted the booty into an ephod<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="8:27 cf. Lev 8:7; a golden garment rightly worn only by the Levitical high priest">k</a></span> and enshrined it in his home town of Ophrah. Then all of Israel committed spiritual adultery with it there, and it became a snare for Gideon and his household.</p> <p class="heading">Gideon Dies</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>Midian remained subjugated to the Israelis, and they didn’t so much as raise their heads anymore, so the land was peaceful for 40 years during the lifetime of Gideon. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span>Afterwards, Joash’s son Jerubbaal went home and retired.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="8:29 Lit. lived">l</a></span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span>Gideon raised 70 sons as his direct descendants, since he had many wives. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-31.htm"><b>31</b></a></span>His mistress<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="8:31 Or concubine; i.e. a secondary wife">m</a></span> in Shechem bore him a son whom he named Abimelech.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="8:31 The Heb. name Abimelech means My father is king">n</a></span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-32.htm"><b>32</b></a></span>Later, Joash’s son Gideon died at a ripe<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="8:32 Lit. good">o</a></span> old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash at Ophrah, which belonged to the descendants of Abiezer.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-33.htm"><b>33</b></a></span>Later on, as soon as Gideon was dead, the Israelis again committed spiritual adultery with various Canaanite deities<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="8:33:1 Lit. baals">p</a></span> and appointed Baal-berith<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="8:33 The Heb. name Baal-berith means Lord of the Covenant">q</a></span> to be their god. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-34.htm"><b>34</b></a></span>The Israelis did not remember the LORD their God, who continually delivered them from the domination of their enemies who surrounded them on every side. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/judges/8-35.htm"><b>35</b></a></span>And they showed no gracious love to the household of Jerubbaal—also known as Gideon—despite all the good that he had done for Israel.</p><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><A name="ftn"></a><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="fn1"><span class="fnb">a</span> 8:1 Lit. <i>him</i><br /><span class="fnb">b</span> 8:6 Lit. <i>have the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna</i><br /><span class="fnb">c</span> 8:9 Lit. <i>return in peace</i><br /><span class="fnb">d</span> 8:10 Lit. <i>the sons of</i><br /><span class="fnb">e</span> 8:12 Lit. <i>Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna,</i><br /><span class="fnb">f</span> 8:14 Lit. <i>him</i><br /><span class="fnb">g</span> 8:15 Lit. <i>he</i><br /><span class="fnb">h</span> 8:15 Lit. <i>have the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna</i><br /><span class="fnb">i</span> 8:24 Lit. <i>they</i><br /><span class="fnb">j</span> 8:26 The Heb. lacks <i>coins</i><br /><span class="fnb">k</span> 8:27 cf. Lev 8:7; a golden garment rightly worn only by the Levitical high priest<br /><span class="fnb">l</span> 8:29 Lit. <i>lived</i><br /><span class="fnb">m</span> 8:31 Or <i>concubine</i>; i.e. a secondary wife<br /><span class="fnb">n</span> 8:31 The Heb. name <i>Abimelech</i> means <i>My father is king</i><br /><span class="fnb">o</span> 8:32 Lit. <i>good</i><br /><span class="fnb">p</span> 8:33:1 Lit. <i>baals</i><br /><span class="fnb">q</span> 8:33 The Heb. name <i>Baal-berith</i> means <i>Lord of the Covenant</i><br /></span><br><br><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><div align="center"><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1<br />Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation<br />ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/">Bible Hub</a></div></div></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="../judges/7.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Judges 7"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Judges 7" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../judges/9.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Judges 9"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Judges 9" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="rightbox"><div class="padright"><div id="pic"><iframe width="100%" height="860" scrolling="no" src="//biblescan.com/mpc/judges/8-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></div></div><div id="rightbox4"><div class="padright2"><div id="spons1"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tr><td class="sp1"><iframe width="122" height="860" scrolling="no" src="../sidemenu.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="bot"><div align="center" style="background-color:#F2FAFF"><br /><br /><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>  <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="6710025936" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></td></tr></table><br /><br /><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>  <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="6710025936" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></td></tr></table></div><br /><br /> </div><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="//biblehu.com/botmenubhnm2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe><div align="center"><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span></div></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>