Judges 8

NEW JERUSALEM	STUTTGARTENSIA-DELITZSCH
1 Now the men of Ephraim said to Gideon, 'What do you mean by treating us like this, not summoning uswhen you went to fight Midian?' And they reproached him bitterly.	1 וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו אִישׁ אֶפְרַיִם מָה־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה עָשִׂיתָ לָּנוּ לְבִלְתִּי קְרֹאות לָנוּ כִּי הָלַכְתָּ לְהִלָּחֵם בְּמִדְיָן וַיְרִיבוּן אִתֹּו בְּחָזְקָה
2 He replied, 'What have I achieved, compared with you? Is not the gleaning of Ephraim's grapes betterthan the vintage of Abiezer?	2 וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם מֶה־עָשִׂיתִי עַתָּה כָּכֶם הֲלֹוא טֹוב עֹלְלֹות אֶפְרַיִם מִבְצִיר אֲבִיעֶזֶר
3 God delivered Oreb and Zeeb, the chieftains of Midian, into your power. What was I able to do, incomparison with what you have done?' At these words, their anger with him died down.	3 בְּיֶדְכֶם נָתַן אֱלֹהִים אֶת־שָׂרֵי מִדְיָן אֶת־עֹרֵב וְאֶת־זְאֵב וּמַה־יָּכֹלְתִּי עֲשֹׂות כָּכֶם אָז רָפְתָה רוּחָם מֵעָלָיו בְּדַבְּרֹו הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה
4 Gideon reached the Jordan and crossed it, but he and his three hundred companions were exhaustedwith the pursuit.	4 וַיָּבֹא גִדְעֹון הַיַּרְדֵּנָה עֹבֵר הוּא וּשְׁלֹשׁ־מֵאֹות הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר אִתֹּו עֲיֵפִים וְרֹדְפִים
5 So he said to the men of Succoth, 'Please give my fol owers some loaves of bread, since they areexhausted, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna the kings of Midian.'	5 וַיֹּאמֶר לְאַנְשֵׁי סֻכֹּות תְּנוּ־נָא כִּכְּרֹות לֶחֶם לָעָם אֲשֶׁר בְּרַגְלָי כִּי־עֲיֵפִים הֵם וְאָנֹכִי רֹדֵף אַחֲרֵי זֶבַח וְצַלְמֻנָּע מַלְכֵי מִדְיָן
6 The headmen of Succoth replied, 'Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your grasp, that weshould give bread to your army?'	6 וַיֹּאמֶר שָׂרֵי סֻכֹּות הֲכַף זֶבַח וְצַלְמֻנָּע עַתָּה בְּיָדֶךָ כִּי־נִתֵּן לִצְבָאֲךָ לָחֶם
7 'Very wel ,' retorted Gideon, 'when Yahweh has put Zebah and Zalmunna into my power, I shal tearyour flesh off with desert-thorn and thistles.'	7 וַיֹּאמֶר גִּדְעֹון לָכֵן בְּתֵת יְהוָה אֶת־זֶבַח וְאֶת־צַלְמֻנָּע בְּיָדִי וְדַשְׁתִּי אֶת־בְּשַׂרְכֶם אֶת־קֹוצֵי הַמִּדְבָּר וְאֶת־הַבַּרְקֳנִים
8 From there he went up to Penuel and asked the men of Penuel the same thing; they replied as those ofSuccoth had done.	8 וַיַּעַל מִשָּׁם פְּנוּאֵל וַיְדַבֵּר אֲלֵיהֶם כָּזֹאת וַיַּעֲנוּ אֹותֹו אַנְשֵׁי פְנוּאֵל כַּאֲשֶׁר עָנוּ אַנְשֵׁי סֻכֹּות
9 And to those of Penuel he made a similar retort, 'When I return victorious, I shal destroy this tower.'	9 וַיֹּאמֶר גַּם־לְאַנְשֵׁי פְנוּאֵל לֵאמֹר בְּשׁוּבִי בְשָׁלֹום אֶתֹּץ אֶת־הַמִּגְדָּל הַזֶּה׃ פ
10 Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with their army, about fifteen thousand men, al that was left ofthe entire army of the sons of the East. Of men bearing arms, a hundred and twenty thousand had fal en.	10 וְזֶבַח וְצַלְמֻנָּע בַּקַּרְקֹר וּמַחֲנֵיהֶם עִמָּם כַּחֲמֵשֶׁת עָשָׂר אֶלֶף כֹּל הַנֹּותָרִים מִכֹּל מַחֲנֵה בְנֵי־קֶדֶם וְהַנֹּפְלִים מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים אֶלֶף אִישׁ שֹׁלֵף חָרֶב
11 Gideon approached them by the tent-dwellers' route, east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and attacked thearmy when it thought itself in safety.	11 וַיַּעַל גִּדְעֹון דֶּרֶךְ הַשְּׁכוּנֵי בָאֳהָלִים מִקֶּדֶם לְנֹבַח וְיָגְבֳּהָה וַיַּךְ אֶת־הַמַּחֲנֶה וְהַמַּחֲנֶה הָיָה בֶטַח
12 Zebah and Zalmunna fled. He pursued them; he took the two kings of Midian prisoner -- Zebah andZalmunna -- and the whole army he routed in panic.	12 וַיָּנוּסוּ זֶבַח וְצַלְמֻנָּע וַיִּרְדֹּף אַחֲרֵיהֶם וַיִּלְכֹּד אֶת־שְׁנֵי ׀ מַלְכֵי מִדְיָן אֶת־זֶבַח וְאֶת־צַלְמֻנָּע וְכָל־הַמַּחֲנֶה הֶחֱרִיד
13 After the battle Gideon came back by the Ascent of Heres.	13 וַיָּשָׁב גִּדְעֹון בֶּן־יֹואָשׁ מִן־הַמִּלְחָמָה מִלְמַעֲלֵה הֶחָרֶס
14 He caught a young man, one of the people of Succoth, and questioned him, and the latter wrote downthe names of the headmen and elders of Succoth for him -- seventy-seven men.	14 וַיִּלְכָּד־נַעַר מֵאַנְשֵׁי סֻכֹּות וַיִּשְׁאָלֵהוּ וַיִּכְתֹּב אֵלָיו אֶת־שָׂרֵי סֻכֹּות וְאֶת־זְקֵנֶיהָ שִׁבְעִים וְשִׁבְעָה אִישׁ
15 Gideon son of Joash then went to the people of Succoth and said, 'Here you see Zebah andZalmunna, about whom you taunted me and said, "Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your grasp,that we should give bread to your exhausted troops?" '	15 וַיָּבֹא אֶל־אַנְשֵׁי סֻכֹּות וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה זֶבַח וְצַלְמֻנָּע אֲשֶׁר חֵרַפְתֶּם אֹותִי לֵאמֹר הֲכַף זֶבַח וְצַלְמֻנָּע עַתָּה בְּיָדֶךָ כִּי נִתֵּן לַאֲנָשֶׁיךָ הַיְּעֵפִים לָחֶם
16 He then seized the elders of the town and, taking desert-thorn and thistles, tore the men of Succoth topieces.	16 וַיִּקַּח אֶת־זִקְנֵי הָעִיר וְאֶת־קֹוצֵי הַמִּדְבָּר וְאֶת־הַבַּרְקֳנִים וַיֹּדַע בָּהֶם אֵת אַנְשֵׁי סֻכֹּות
17 He destroyed the tower of Penuel and slaughtered the townsmen.	17 וְאֶת־מִגְדַּל פְּנוּאֵל נָתָץ וַיַּהֲרֹג אֶת־אַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר
18 He then said to Zebah and Zalmunna, 'The men you kil ed at Tabor -- what were they like?' Theyreplied, 'They looked like you. Every one of them carried himself like the son of a king.'	18 וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־זֶבַח וְאֶל־צַלְמֻנָּע אֵיפֹה הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר הֲרַגְתֶּם בְּתָבֹור וַיֹּאמְרוּ כָּמֹוךָ כְמֹוהֶם אֶחָד כְּתֹאַר בְּנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ
19 Gideon replied, 'They were my brothers, the sons of my own mother; as Yahweh lives, if you hadspared their lives I would not kil you.'	19 וַיֹּאמַר אַחַי בְּנֵי־אִמִּי הֵם חַי־יְהוָה לוּ הַחֲיִתֶם אֹותָם לֹא הָרַגְתִּי אֶתְכֶם
20 To Jether his eldest son he said, 'Stand up and kil them!' But the boy did not draw his sword; he darednot; he was stil only a lad.	20 וַיֹּאמֶר לְיֶתֶר בְּכֹורֹו קוּם הֲרֹג אֹותָם וְלֹא־שָׁלַף הַנַּעַר חַרְבֹּו כִּי יָרֵא כִּי עֹודֶנּוּ נָעַר
21 Zebah and Zalmunna then said, 'Stand up yourself, and strike us down; for as a man is, so is hisstrength.' Then Gideon stood up and kil ed Zebah and Zalmunna; and he took the crescents from round theircamels' necks.	21 וַיֹּאמֶר זֶבַח וְצַלְמֻנָּע קוּם אַתָּה וּפְגַע־בָּנוּ כִּי כָאִישׁ גְּבוּרָתֹו וַיָּקָם גִּדְעֹון וַיַּהֲרֹג אֶת־זֶבַח וְאֶת־צַלְמֻנָּע וַיִּקַּח אֶת־הַשַּׂהֲרֹנִים אֲשֶׁר בְּצַוְּארֵי גְמַלֵּיהֶם
22 The men of Israel said to Gideon, 'Rule over us, you, your son and your grandson, since you haverescued us from the power of Midian.'	22 וַיֹּאמְרוּ אִישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־גִּדְעֹון מְשָׁל־בָּנוּ גַּם־אַתָּה גַּם־בִּנְךָ גַּם בֶּן־בְּנֶךָ כִּי הֹושַׁעְתָּנוּ מִיַּד מִדְיָן
23 But Gideon replied, 'I wil not rule you, neither wil my son. Yahweh shal rule you.'	23 וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם גִּדְעֹון לֹא־אֶמְשֹׁל אֲנִי בָּכֶם וְלֹא־יִמְשֹׁל בְּנִי בָּכֶם יְהוָה יִמְשֹׁל בָּכֶם
24 Gideon went on, however, 'Let me make you one request. Each of you give me one ring out of hisbooty' -- for the vanquished had had gold rings, being Ishmaelites.	24 וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם גִּדְעֹון אֶשְׁאֲלָה מִכֶּם שְׁאֵלָה וּתְנוּ־לִי אִישׁ נֶזֶם שְׁלָלֹו כִּי־נִזְמֵי זָהָב לָהֶם כִּי יִשְׁמְעֵאלִים הֵם
25 'We shal give them gladly,' they replied. So he spread out his cloak, and on it each of them threw aring from his booty.	25 וַיֹּאמְרוּ נָתֹון נִתֵּן וַיִּפְרְשׂוּ אֶת־הַשִּׂמְלָה וַיַּשְׁלִיכוּ שָׁמָּה אִישׁ נֶזֶם שְׁלָלֹו
26 The weight of the gold rings which he had asked for amounted to seventeen hundred shekels of gold,besides the crescents and the earrings and purple garments worn by the kings of Midian, and besides the col arsround their camels' necks.	26 וַיְהִי מִשְׁקַל נִזְמֵי הַזָּהָב אֲשֶׁר שָׁאָל אֶלֶף וּשְׁבַע־מֵאֹות זָהָב לְבַד מִן־הַשַּׂהֲרֹנִים וְהַנְּטִפֹות וּבִגְדֵי הָאַרְגָּמָן שֶׁעַל מַלְכֵי מִדְיָן וּלְבַד מִן־הָעֲנָקֹות אֲשֶׁר בְּצַוְּארֵי גְמַלֵּיהֶם
27 From this Gideon made an ephod and set it up in his town, in Ophrah. All Israel, fol owing his example,prostituted themselves to it, and it was a snare for Gideon and his family.	27 וַיַּעַשׂ אֹותֹו גִדְעֹון לְאֵפֹוד וַיַּצֵּג אֹותֹו בְעִירֹו בְּעָפְרָה וַיִּזְנוּ כָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל אַחֲרָיו שָׁם וַיְהִי לְגִדְעֹון וּלְבֵיתֹו לְמֹוקֵשׁ
28 Thus Midian was humbled before the Israelites. He did not raise his head again, and the country hadpeace for forty years, as long as Gideon lived.	28 וַיִּכָּנַע מִדְיָן לִפְנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא יָסְפוּ לָשֵׂאת רֹאשָׁם וַתִּשְׁקֹט הָאָרֶץ אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה בִּימֵי גִדְעֹון׃ פ
29 So Jerubbaal son of Joash went to live at home.	29 וַיֵּלֶךְ יְרֻבַּעַל בֶּן־יֹואָשׁ וַיֵּשֶׁב בְּבֵיתֹו
30 Gideon had seventy sons begotten by him, for he had many wives.	30 וּלְגִדְעֹון הָיוּ שִׁבְעִים בָּנִים יֹצְאֵי יְרֵכֹו כִּי־נָשִׁים רַבֹּות הָיוּ לֹו
31 His concubine, who lived in Shechem, also bore him a son, to whom he gave the name Abimelech.	31 וּפִילַגְשֹׁו אֲשֶׁר בִּשְׁכֶם יָלְדָה־לֹּו גַם־הִיא בֵּן וַיָּשֶׂם אֶת־שְׁמֹו אֲבִימֶלֶךְ
32 Gideon son of Joash died after a happy old age and was buried in the tomb of Joash his father, atOphrah of Abiezer.	32 וַיָּמָת גִּדְעֹון בֶּן־יֹואָשׁ בְּשֵׂיבָה טֹובָה וַיִּקָּבֵר בְּקֶבֶר יֹואָשׁ אָבִיו בְּעָפְרָה אֲבִי הָעֶזְרִי׃ פ
33 After Gideon's death, the people of Israel again began to prostitute themselves to the Baals, takingBaal-Berith for their god.	33 וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר מֵת גִּדְעֹון וַיָּשׁוּבוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּזְנוּ אַחֲרֵי הַבְּעָלִים וַיָּשִׂימוּ לָהֶם בַּעַל בְּרִית לֵאלֹהִים
34 The Israelites no longer remembered Yahweh their God, who had rescued them from all the enemiesround them.	34 וְלֹא זָכְרוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיהֶם הַמַּצִּיל אֹותָם מִיַּד כָּל־אֹיְבֵיהֶם מִסָּבִיב
35 And to the family of Jerubbaal -- Gideon -- they showed no faithful gratitude for al the good which ithad done for Israel.	35 וְלֹא־עָשׂוּ חֶסֶד עִם־בֵּית יְרֻבַּעַל גִּדְעֹון כְּכָל־הַטֹּובָה אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ פ