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1. The Ephraimites said to him, "Why have you done such a thing to us? You did not summon us when you went to fight the Midianites!" They argued vehemently with him.
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1. And the men H376 of Ephraim H669 said H559 unto H413 him, Why H4100 hast thou served H6213 us thus H2088 , that thou calledst H7121 us not H1115 , when H3588 thou wentest H1980 to fight H3898 with the Midianites H4080 ? And they did chide H7378 with H854 him sharply H2394 .
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2. He said to them, "Now what have I accomplished compared to you? Even Ephraim's leftover grapes are better quality than Abiezer's harvest!
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2. And he said H559 unto H413 them, What H4100 have I done H6213 now H6258 in comparison of you? Is not H3808 the gleaning of the grapes H5955 of Ephraim H669 better H2896 than the vintage H4480 H1210 of Abi H44 -ezer?
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3. It was to you that God handed over the Midianite generals, Oreb and Zeeb! What did I accomplish to rival that?" When he said this, they calmed down.
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3. God H430 hath delivered H5414 into your hands H3027 H853 the princes H8269 of Midian H4080 , H853 Oreb H6159 and Zeeb H2062 : and what H4100 was I able H3201 to do H6213 in comparison of you? Then H227 their anger H7307 was abated H7503 toward H4480 H5921 him , when he had said H1696 that H2088 .
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4. Now Gideon and his three hundred men had crossed over the Jordan River, and even though they were exhausted, they were still chasing the Midianites.
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4. And Gideon H1439 came H935 to Jordan H3383 , and passed over H5674 , he H1931 , and the three H7969 hundred H3967 men H376 that H834 were with H854 him, faint H5889 , yet pursuing H7291 them .
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5. He said to the men of Succoth, "Give some loaves of bread to the men who are following me, because they are exhausted. I am chasing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian."
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5. And he said H559 unto the men H376 of Succoth H5523 , Give H5414 , I pray you H4994 , loaves H3603 of bread H3899 unto the people H5971 that H834 follow H7272 me; for H3588 they H1992 be faint H5889 , and I H595 am pursuing H7291 after H310 Zebah H2078 and Zalmunna H6759 , kings H4428 of Midian H4080 .
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6. The officials of Succoth said, "You have not yet overpowered Zebah and Zalmunna. So why should we give bread to your army?"
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6. And the princes H8269 of Succoth H5523 said H559 , Are the hands H3709 of Zebah H2078 and Zalmunna H6759 now H6258 in thine hand H3027 , that H3588 we should give H5414 bread H3899 unto thine army H6635 ?
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7. Gideon said, "Since you will not help, after the LORD hands Zebah and Zalmunna over to me, I will thresh your skin with desert thorns and briers."
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7. And Gideon H1439 said H559 , Therefore H3651 when the LORD H3068 hath delivered H5414 H853 Zebah H2078 and Zalmunna H6759 into mine hand H3027 , then I will tear H1758 H853 your flesh H1320 with H854 the thorns H6975 of the wilderness H4057 and with H854 briers H1303 .
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8. He went up from there to Penuel and made the same request. The men of Penuel responded the same way the men of Succoth had.
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8. And he went up H5927 thence H4480 H8033 to Penuel H6439 , and spoke H1696 unto H413 them likewise H2063 : and the men H376 of Penuel H6439 answered H6030 him as H834 the men H376 of Succoth H5523 had answered H6030 him .
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9. He also threatened the men of Penuel, warning, "When I return victoriously, I will tear down this tower."
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9. And he spoke H559 also H1571 unto the men H376 of Penuel H6439 , saying H559 , When I come again H7725 in peace H7965 , I will break down H5422 H853 this H2088 tower H4026 .
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10. Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with their armies. There were about fifteen thousand survivors from the army of the eastern peoples; a hundred and twenty thousand sword-wielding soldiers had been killed.
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10. Now Zebah H2078 and Zalmunna H6759 were in Karkor H7174 , and their hosts H4264 with H5973 them , about fifteen H2568 H6240 thousand H505 men , all H3605 that were left H3498 of all H4480 H3605 the hosts H4264 of the children H1121 of the east H6924 : for there fell H5307 a hundred H3967 and twenty H6242 thousand H505 men H376 that drew H8025 sword H2719 .
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11. Gideon went up the road of the nomads east of Nobah and Jogbehah and ambushed the surprised army.
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11. And Gideon H1439 went up H5927 by the way H1870 of them that dwelt H7931 in tents H168 on the east H4480 H6924 of Nobah H5025 and Jogbehah H3011 , and smote H5221 H853 the host H4264 : for the host H4264 was H1961 secure H983 .
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12. When Zebah and Zalmunna ran away, Gideon chased them and captured the two Midianite kings, Zebah and Zalmunna. He had surprised their entire army.
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12. And when Zebah H2078 and Zalmunna H6759 fled H5127 , he pursued H7291 after H310 them , and took H3920 H853 the two H8147 kings H4428 of Midian H4080 , H853 Zebah H2078 and Zalmunna H6759 , and discomfited H2729 all H3605 the host H4264 .
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13. Gideon son of Joash returned from the battle by the pass of Heres.
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13. And Gideon H1439 the son H1121 of Joash H3101 returned H7725 from H4480 battle H4421 before H4480 H4608 the sun H2775 was up ,
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14. He captured a young man from Succoth and interrogated him. The young man wrote down for him the names of Succoth's officials and city leaders� seventy-seven men in all.
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14. And caught H3920 a young man H5288 of the men H4480 H376 of Succoth H5523 , and inquired H7592 of him : and he described H3789 unto H413 him H853 the princes H8269 of Succoth H5523 , and the elders H2205 thereof, even threescore and seventeen H7657 H7651 men H376 .
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15. He approached the men of Succoth and said, "Look what I have! Zebah and Zalmunna! You insulted me, saying, 'You have not yet overpowered Zebah and Zalmunna. So why should we give bread to your exhausted men?'"
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15. And he came H935 unto H413 the men H376 of Succoth H5523 , and said H559 , Behold H2009 Zebah H2078 and Zalmunna H6759 , with whom H834 ye did upbraid H2778 me, saying H559 , Are the hands H3709 of Zebah H2078 and Zalmunna H6759 now H6258 in thine hand H3027 , that H3588 we should give H5414 bread H3899 unto thy men H376 that are weary H3287 ?
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16. He seized the leaders of the city, along with some desert thorns and briers; he then "threshed" the men of Succoth with them.
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16. And he took H3947 H853 the elders H2205 of the city H5892 , and thorns H6975 of the wilderness H4057 and briers H1303 , and with them he taught H3045 H853 the men H376 of Succoth H5523 .
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17. He also tore down the tower of Penuel and executed the city's men.
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17. And he beat down H5422 the tower H4026 of Penuel H6439 , and slew H2026 H853 the men H376 of the city H5892 .
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18. He said to Zebah and Zalmunna, "Describe for me the men you killed at Tabor." They said, "They were like you. Each one looked like a king's son."
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18. Then said H559 he unto H413 Zebah H2078 and Zalmunna H6759 , What manner H375 of men H376 were they whom H834 ye slew H2026 at Tabor H8396 ? And they answered H559 , As thou H3644 art , so were they ; each one H259 resembled H8389 the children H1121 of a king H4428 .
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19. He said, "They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. I swear, as surely as the LORD is alive, if you had let them live, I would not kill you."
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19. And he said H559 , They H1992 were my brethren H251 , even the sons H1121 of my mother H517 : as the LORD H3068 liveth H2416 , if H3863 ye had saved them alive H2421 H853 , I would not H3808 slay H2026 you.
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20. He ordered Jether his firstborn son, "Come on! Kill them!" But Jether was too afraid to draw his sword, because he was still young.
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20. And he said H559 unto Jether H3500 his firstborn H1060 , Up H6965 , and slay H2026 them . But the youth H5288 drew H8025 not H3808 his sword H2719 : for H3588 he feared H3372 , because H3588 he was yet H5750 a youth H5288 .
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21. Zebah and Zalmunna said to Gideon, "Come on, you strike us, for a man is judged by his strength." So Gideon killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and he took the crescent-shaped ornaments which were on the necks of their camels.
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21. Then Zebah H2078 and Zalmunna H6759 said H559 , Rise H6965 thou H859 , and fall H6293 upon us: for H3588 as the man H376 is, so is his strength H1369 . And Gideon H1439 arose H6965 , and slew H2026 H853 Zebah H2078 and Zalmunna H6759 , and took away H3947 H853 the ornaments H7720 that H834 were on their camels H1581 ' necks H6677 .
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22. The men of Israel said to Gideon, "Rule over us� you, your son, and your grandson. For you have delivered us from Midian's power."
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22. Then the men H376 of Israel H3478 said H559 unto H413 Gideon H1439 , Rule H4910 thou over us, both H1571 thou H859 , and H1571 thy son H1121 , and thy son H1121 's son H1121 also H1571 : for H3588 thou hast delivered H3467 us from the hand H4480 H3027 of Midian H4080 .
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23. Gideon said to them, "I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The LORD will rule over you."
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23. And Gideon H1439 said H559 unto H413 them, I H589 will not H3808 rule H4910 over you, neither H3808 shall my son H1121 rule H4910 over you : the LORD H3068 shall rule H4910 over you.
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24. Gideon continued, "I would like to make one request. Each of you give me an earring from the plunder you have taken." (The Midianites had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.)
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24. And Gideon H1439 said H559 unto H413 them , I would desire H7592 a request H7596 of H4480 you , that ye would give H5414 me every man H376 the earrings H5141 of his prey H7998 . ( For H3588 they had golden H2091 earrings H5141 , because H3588 they H1992 were Ishmaelites H3459 .)
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25. They said, "We are happy to give you earrings." So they spread out a garment, and each one threw an earring from his plunder onto it.
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25. And they answered H559 , We will willingly give H5414 H5414 them . And they spread H6566 H853 a garment H8071 , and did cast H7993 therein H8033 every man H376 the earrings H5141 of his prey H7998 .
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26. The total weight of the gold earrings he requested came to seventeen hundred gold shekels. This was in addition to the crescent-shaped ornaments, jewelry, purple clothing worn by the Midianite kings, and the necklaces on the camels.
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26. And the weight H4948 of the golden H2091 earrings H5141 that H834 he requested H7592 was H1961 a thousand H505 and seven H7651 hundred H3967 shekels of gold H2091 ; beside H905 H4480 ornaments H7720 , and collars H5188 , and purple H713 raiment H899 that was on H7945 H5921 the kings H4428 of Midian H4080 , and beside H905 H4480 the chains H6060 that H834 were about their camels H1581 ' necks H6677 .
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27. Gideon used all this to make an ephod, which he put in his hometown of Ophrah. All the Israelites prostituted themselves to it by worshiping it there. It became a snare to Gideon and his family.
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27. And Gideon H1439 made H6213 an ephod H646 thereof , and put H3322 it in his city H5892 , even in Ophrah H6084 : and all H3605 Israel H3478 went thither a whoring H2181 H8033 after H310 it : which thing became H1961 a snare H4170 unto Gideon H1439 , and to his house H1004 .
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28. The Israelites humiliated Midian; the Midianites' fighting spirit was broken. The land had rest for forty years during Gideon's time.
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28. Thus was Midian H4080 subdued H3665 before H6440 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 , so that they lifted up H5375 their heads H7218 no H3808 more H3254 . And the country H776 was in quietness H8252 forty H705 years H8141 in the days H3117 of Gideon H1439 .
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29. Then Jerub-Baal son of Joash went home and settled down.
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29. And Jerubbaal H3378 the son H1121 of Joash H3101 went H1980 and dwelt H3427 in his own house H1004 .
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30. Gideon fathered seventy sons through his many wives.
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30. And Gideon H1439 had H1961 threescore and ten H7657 sons H1121 of his body H3409 begotten H3318 : for H3588 he had H1961 many H7227 wives H802 .
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31. His concubine, who lived in Shechem, also gave him a son, whom he named Abimelech.
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31. And his concubine H6370 that H834 was in Shechem H7927 , she H1931 also H1571 bore H3205 him a son H1121 , H853 whose name H8034 he called H7760 Abimelech H40 .
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32. Gideon son of Joash died at a very old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash located in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
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32. And Gideon H1439 the son H1121 of Joash H3101 died H4191 in a good H2896 old age H7872 , and was buried H6912 in the sepulcher H6913 of Joash H3101 his father H1 , in Ophrah H6084 of the Abi H33 -ezrites.
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33. After Gideon died, the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals. They made Baal-Berith their god.
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33. And it came to pass H1961 , as soon as H834 Gideon H1439 was dead H4191 , that the children H1121 of Israel H3478 turned again H7725 , and went a whoring H2181 after H310 Baalim H1168 , and made H7760 Baal H1170 -berith their god H430 .
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34. The Israelites did not remain true to the LORD their God, who had delivered them from all the enemies who lived around them.
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34. And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 remembered H2142 not H3808 H853 the LORD H3068 their God H430 , who had delivered H5337 H853 them out of the hands H4480 H3027 of all H3605 their enemies H341 on every side H4480 H5439 :
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35. They did not treat the family of Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) fairly in return for all the good he had done for Israel.
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35. Neither H3808 showed H6213 they kindness H2617 to H5973 the house H1004 of Jerubbaal H3378 , namely , Gideon H1439 , according to all H3605 the goodness H2896 which H834 he had showed H6213 unto H5973 Israel H3478 .
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