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Judges

Describes a time when Israel was ruled by judges and the cycle of turning away from God, facing trouble, and then returning to Him.

Chapter 8

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1 And 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.

*The men of Ephraim asked him, "Why didn't you include us when you fought the Midianites?" They were very upset with him.

2 And 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 Abiezer?

*He asked them, "What have I done compared to you? Isn't gathering the leftover grapes from Ephraim's fields better than the grape harvest in Abiezer?"

3 God 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.

*God gave the leaders of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb, into your hands. What could I possibly do compared to you? After saying this, they were less angry with him.

4 And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them.

*Gideon and his 300 tired followers crossed the Jordan River to chase after someone.

5 And 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.

*He asked the people of Succoth for bread to give to his followers because they were weak and he was chasing the kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna.

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?

*The leaders of Succoth asked, "Do you have control over Zebah and Zalmunna now, so we can provide food for your soldiers?"

7 And 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.

*Gideon said, "Once the Lord gives me Zebah and Zalmunna to defeat, I will punish you with thorns and brambles from the desert."

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.

*He traveled to Penuel and spoke to them like he did at Succoth. The people of Penuel responded to him just like the people of Succoth did.

9 And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.

*He told the people of Penuel, "When I return safely, I will destroy 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.

*Now, Zebah and Zalmunna were at a place called Karkor with their remaining soldiers, around 15,000 men. They were the last ones left from the large group of warriors from the east. A huge number of them, about 120,000, had been killed in battles.

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.

*Gideon approached the area where nomads lived east of Nobah and Jogbehah. He attacked their camp because they were not alert or cautious.

12 And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host.

*When Zebah and Zalmunna ran away, he chased them and captured the two leaders of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and defeated their entire army.

13 And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up,

*Gideon, son of Joash, came back from fighting before the sun rose.

14 And 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.

*A young man from Succoth was captured, and asked about the leaders of the town. He named 67 leaders, including both princes and elders.

15 And 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?

*He arrived at Succoth and told the people there, "I have captured Zebah and Zalmunna, whom you doubted would be caught, asking if their hands were in my control before we feed your tired soldiers."

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.

*He gathered the city's older people, plus wild thorns and tangled brambles, and used them to teach the people of Succoth.

17 And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.

*He destroyed the Penuel tower and killed the city's people.

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.

*Then he asked Zebah and Zalmunna about the men they killed at Tabor. They replied that they looked like the king's children, just like him.

19 And 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.

*He said, "They were my family members, like brothers. If you had saved them, I wouldn't want to kill you. I swear by the Lord."

20 And 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.

*He told his oldest son, Jether, to kill them. But the young man didn't take out his sword because he was afraid since he was still young.

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 away the ornaments that were on their camels’ necks.

*Then Zebah and Zalmunna asked Gideon to attack them, saying that a person's strength is based on who they are. So, Gideon got up and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and he also took the decorations from the necks of their camels.

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.

*Then, the people of Israel asked Gideon, "Lead us, you and your son, and your son's son too! Because you saved us from the control of Midian."

23 And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you.

*Gideon told them, "I won't be your leader, and neither will my son. Instead, God will be your leader."

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.)

*Gideon asked them, "Please, can I have the gold earrings from each of your captured prey? (Because they were from Ishmaelite tribes and wore gold earrings.)"

25 And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey.

*They agreed to give some things willingly. They put a cloth down and each person placed their victim's earrings on it.

26 And 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.

*The value of the golden earrings he asked for was 1,070 gold shekels; along with decorations, necklaces, and royal purple clothes from the kings of Midian, plus the chains around their camels' necks.

27 And 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.

*Gideon created an ephod from this item and placed it in his city, Ophrah. This led all of Israel to sin by worshiping it. This action caused problems for Gideon and his family.

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.

*So, Midian was defeated by Israel's kids, and they didn't dare to cause trouble again. During Gideon's time, the land enjoyed peace for 40 years.

29 And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.

*Jerubbaal, son of Joash, left and lived in his own home.

30 And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.

*Gideon had seventy sons because he had multiple wives.

31 And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.

*In Shechem, his concubine had a baby, and he named the child Abimelech.

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.

*Gideon, son of Joash, passed away after living a long life and was buried in Joash's tomb in Ophrah, a city of the Abiezrites.

33 And 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 Baalberith their god.

*After Gideon died, the people of Israel returned to their old ways, worshiping Baal and choosing Baalberith as their god.

34 And 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:

*The children of Israel forgot God, who saved them from all their enemies around.

35 Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.

*They didn't show kindness to Gideon's family like how he had been kind to Israel.

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