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== Shoftim (Book of Judges), Chapter 8 ==

<named id="1"/>1 And the men of Ephraim said unto him: 'Why hast thou served us thus, that thou didst not call us when thou wentest to fight with Midian?' And they did chide with him sharply.

<named id="2"/>2 And he said unto them: 'What have I now done in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?

<named id="3"/>3 G-d hath delivered into your hand the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb; and what was I able to do in comparison with you?' Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.

<named id="4"/>4 And Gideon came to the Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing.

<named id="5"/>5 And he said unto the men of Succoth: 'Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they are faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.'

<named id="6"/>6 And the princes of Succoth said: 'Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thy power, that we should give bread unto thine army?'

<named id="7"/>7 And Gideon said: 'Therefore when HaShem hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.'

<named id="8"/>8 And he went up thence to Penuel, and spoke unto them in like manner; and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered.

<named id="9"/>9 And he spoke also unto the men of Penuel, saying: 'When I come back in peace, I will break down this tower.'

<named id="10"/>10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the host of the children of the east; for there fell a hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.

<named id="11"/>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.

<named id="12"/>12 And Zebah and Zalmunna fled; and he pursued after them; and he took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host.

<named id="13"/>13 And Gideon the son of Joash returned from the battle from the ascent of Heres.

<named id="14"/>14 And he caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him; and he wrote down for him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, seventy and seven men.

<named id="15"/>15 And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said: 'Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, concerning whom ye did taunt me, saying: Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thy power, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary?'

<named id="16"/>16 And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.

<named id="17"/>17 And he broke down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.

<named id="18"/>18 Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna: 'Where are the men whom ye slew at Tabor?' And they answered: 'As thou art, so were they; of one form with the children of a king.'

<named id="19"/>19 And he said: 'They were my brethren, the sons of my mother; as HaShem liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you.'

<named id="20"/>20 And he said unto Jether his first-born: 'Up, and slay them.' But the youth drew not his sword; for he feared, because he was yet a youth.

<named id="21"/>21 Then 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 the crescents that were on their camels' necks.

<named id="22"/>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 saved us out of the hand of Midian.'

<named id="23"/>23 And Gideon said unto them: 'I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you; HaShem shall rule over you.'

<named id="24"/>24 And Gideon said unto them: 'I would make a request of you, that ye would give me every man the ear-rings of his spoil.' --For they had golden ear-rings, because they were Ishmaelites.

<named id="25"/>25 And they answered: 'We will willingly give them.' And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the ear-rings of his spoil.

<named id="26"/>26 And the weight of the golden ear-rings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside the crescents, and the pendants, and the purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels' necks.

<named id="27"/>27 And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah; and all Israel went astray after it there; and it became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.

<named id="28"/>28 So Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, and they lifted up their heads no more. And the land had rest forty years in the days of Gideon.

<named id="29"/>29 And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.

<named id="30"/>30 And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten; for he had many wives.

<named id="31"/>31 And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bore him a son, and he called his name Abimelech.

<named id="32"/>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 Abiezrites.

<named id="33"/>33 And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel again went astray after the Baalim, and made Baal-berith their god.

<named id="34"/>34 And the children of Israel remembered not HaShem their G-d, who had delivered them out of the hand of all their enemies on every side;

<named id="35"/>35 neither showed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shown unto Israel.

== See also ==
* [[Shoftim 7|Previous Chapter]]
* [[Shoftim 8 Commentaries]]
* [[Shoftim 9|Next Chapter]]

== References ==
<references />

[[Category:Learning resources]]
[[Category:Bible]]
[[Category:Bible Contents]]

[[he:שופטים ח]]

[[1917 JPS Copyright|Portions © 1997 by Benyamin Pilant. Portions © 1998 by Larry Nelson.]]

Shoftim 8 - Revision history

WikiSysop at 09:12, 23 December 2008