AND the men of Ephrayim said unto him, Why have you served us thus, that you called us not, when you went to fight with the Midyaniym? And they did chide with him sharply.
And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephrayim better than the vintage of Aviy'ezer?
Elohiym has delivered into your hands the princes of Midyan, Orev and Ze'ev: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.
And Gid'on came to the Yardan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them.
And he said unto the men of Cukkoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zevach and Tsalmunna, kings of Midyan.
And the princes of Cukkoth said, Are the hands of Zevach and Tsalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread unto your army?
And Gid'on said, Therefore when Yahuah has delivered Zevach and Tsalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.
And he went up thence to Penu'el, and spoke unto them likewise: and the men of Penu'el answered him as the men of Cukkoth had answered him.
And he spoke also unto the men of Penu'el, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.
Now Zevach and Tsalmunna were in Qarqor, 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 a hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.
And Gid'on went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Novach and Yogbehah, and smote the host: for the host was secure.
And when Zevach and Tsalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midyan, Zevach and Tsalmunna, and discomfited all the host.
And Gid'on the son of Yo'ash returned from battle before the sun was up,
And caught a young man of the men of Cukkoth, and inquired of him: and he described unto him the princes of Cukkoth, and the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men.
And he came unto the men of Cukkoth, and said, Behold Zevach and Tsalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of Zevach and Tsalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread unto your men that are weary?
And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and the briers, and with them he taught את the men of Cukkoth.
And he beat down the tower of Penu'el, and slew the men of the city.
Then said he unto Zevach and Tsalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tavor? And they answered, As you are, so were they; each one resembled the children of a king.
And he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother: as Yahuah lives, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you.
And he said unto Yether his firstborn, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth.
Then Zevach and Tsalmunna said, Rise you, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gid'on arose, and slew Zevach and Tsalmunna, and took away the crescent ornaments that were on their camels' necks.
Then the men of Yashar'el said unto Gid'on, Rule over us, both you, and your son, and your son's son also: for you have delivered us from the hand of Midyan.
And Gid'on said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: Yahuah shall rule over you.
And Gid'on 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 Yishma'e'liym.)
And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey.
And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred sheqels of gold; besides the crescent ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midyan, and beside the chains that were about their camels' necks.
And Gid'on made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Yashar'el went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gid'on, and to his house.
Thus was Midyan subdued before the children of Yashar'el, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gid'on.
And Yerubba`al the son of Yo'ash went and dwelt in his own house.
And Gid'on had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many women.
And his concubine that was in Shekem, she also bore him a son, whose name he called Aviymelek.
And Gid'on the son of Yo'ash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Yo'ash his father, in Ophrah of the Aviy Ha-Ezriym.
And it came to pass, as soon as Gid'on was dead, that the children of Yashar'el turned again, and went a whoring after Ba`aliym, and made Ba`al Beriyth their elohiym.
And the children of Yashar'el remembered not Yahuah Elohayhem, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side:
Neither showed they kindness to the house of Yerubba`al, namely, Gid'on, according to all the goodness which he had showed unto Yashar'el.