And the menof Ephraimsaiduntohim, Whyhast thou servedus thus, that thou calledstus not, whenthou wentestto fightwith the Midianites? And they did chidewithhim sharply. And he saiduntothem, Whathave I donenowin comparison of you? Is notthe gleaning of the grapesof Ephraimbetterthan the vintageof Abi-ezer? Godhath deliveredinto your handsthe princesof Midian, Oreband Zeeb: and whatwas I ableto doin comparison of you? Thentheir angerwas abatedtowardhim, when he had saidthat. And Gideoncameto Jordan, and passed over, he, and the threehundredmenthat were withhim, faint, yet pursuing them . And he saidunto the menof Succoth, Give, I pray you, loavesof breadunto the peoplethatfollowme; forthey be faint, and Iam pursuingafterZebahand Zalmunna, kingsof Midian. And the princesof Succothsaid, Are the handsof Zebahand Zalmunnanowin thine hand, thatwe should givebreadunto thine army? And Gideonsaid, Thereforewhen the LORDhath deliveredZebahand Zalmunnainto mine hand, then I will tearyour fleshwiththe thornsof the wildernessand withbriers. And he went upthenceto Penuel, and spokeuntothem likewise: and the menof Penuelansweredhim asthe menof Succothhad answered him . And he spokealsounto the menof Penuel, saying, When I come againin peace, I will break downthistower. Now Zebahand Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hostswiththem, about fifteenthousand men , allthat were leftof allthe hostsof the childrenof the east: for there fella hundredand twentythousandmenthat drewsword. And Gideonwent upby the wayof them that dweltin tentson the eastof Nobahand Jogbehah, and smotethe host: for the hostwassecure. And when Zebahand Zalmunnafled, he pursuedafterthem, and tookthe twokingsof Midian, Zebahand Zalmunna, and discomfitedallthe host. And Gideonthe sonof Joashreturnedfrombattlebeforethe sun was up , And caughta young manof the menof Succoth, and inquiredof him: and he describeduntohim the princesof Succoth, and the eldersthereof, even threescore and seventeenmen. And he cameuntothe menof Succoth, and said, BeholdZebahand Zalmunna, with whomye did upbraidme, saying, Are the handsof Zebahand Zalmunnanowin thine hand, thatwe should givebreadunto thy men that are weary? And he tookthe eldersof the city, and thornsof the wildernessand briers, and with them he taughtthe menof Succoth. And he beat downthe towerof Penuel, and slewthe menof the city. Then saidhe untoZebahand Zalmunna, What mannerof men were they whomye slewat Tabor? And they answered, As thou art , so were they; each oneresembledthe childrenof a king. And he said, They were my brethren, even the sonsof my mother: as the LORDliveth, ifye had saved them alive, I would notslayyou. And he saidunto Jetherhis firstborn, Up, and slaythem. But the youthdrewnothis sword: forhe feared, becausehe was yeta youth. Then Zebahand Zalmunnasaid, Risethou, and fallupon us: foras the man is, so is his strength. And Gideonarose, and slewZebahand Zalmunna, and took awaythe ornamentsthat were on their camels' necks. Then the menof IsraelsaiduntoGideon, Rulethou over us, boththou, andthy son, and thy son's sonalso: forthou hast deliveredus from the handof Midian. And Gideonsaiduntothem, Iwill notruleover you, neithershall my sonruleover you: the LORDshall ruleover you. And Gideonsaiduntothem, I would desirea requestofyou, that ye would giveme every manthe earringsof his prey. ( Forthey had goldenearrings, becausethey were Ishmaelites.) And they answered, We will willingly give them . And they spreada garment, and did castthereinevery manthe earringsof his prey. And the weightof the goldenearringsthathe requestedwasa thousandand sevenhundred shekels of gold; besideornaments, and collars, and purpleraimentthat was onthe kingsof Midian, and besidethe chainsthat were about their camels' necks. And Gideonmadean ephodthereof, and putit in his city, even in Ophrah: and allIsraelwent thither a whoringafterit: which thing becamea snareunto Gideon, and to his house. Thus was Midiansubduedbeforethe childrenof Israel, so that they lifted uptheir headsnomore. And the countrywas in quietnessfortyyearsin the daysof Gideon. And Jerubbaalthe sonof Joashwentand dweltin his own house. And Gideonhadthreescore and tensonsof his bodybegotten: forhe hadmanywives. And his concubinethat was in Shechem, shealsoborehim a son, whose namehe calledAbimelech. And Gideonthe sonof Joashdiedin a goodold age, and was buriedin the sepulcherof Joashhis father, in Ophrahof the Abi-ezrites. And it came to pass, as soon asGideonwas dead, that the childrenof Israelturned again, and went a whoringafterBaalim, and madeBaal-berith their god. And the childrenof Israelrememberednotthe LORDtheir God, who had deliveredthem out of the handsof alltheir enemieson every side: Neithershowedthey kindnesstothe houseof Jerubbaal, namely , Gideon, according to allthe goodnesswhichhe had showeduntoIsrael.