1 Então lhe disseram os homens de Efraim: Que é isso que nos fizeste, em não nos chamares, quando foste pelejar contra Midiã? Repreenderam-no asperamente.2 Respondeu-lhes: Que fiz eu comparável com o que vós fizestes? Não são os rabiscos de Efraim melhores do que a vindima de Abiezer?3 Deus vos entregou nas mãos os príncipes de Midiã, Orebe e Zeebe; que pude eu fazer de comparável com o que vós fizestes? Então se lhes aplacou a ira, depois que ele dissera isso.4 Veio Gideão ao Jordão que passou juntamente com os trezentos homens que estavam com ele, desfalecidos, mas perseguindo.5 Disse aos homens de Sucote: Dai uns pães ao povo que me segue, pois estão desfalecidos, e eu vou perseguindo a Zeba e a Zalmuna, reis de Midiã.6 Responderam os príncipes de Sucote: Porventura já se acham no teu poder as mãos de Zeba e Zalmuna, para que déssemos pão ao teu exército?7 Tornou-lhes Gideão: Pois, quando Jeová me tiver entregado nas mãos a Zeba e a Zalmuna, hei de vos rasgar as carnes com os espinhos do deserto e com os abrolhos.8 Dali subiu a Penuel, e falou-lhes da mesma maneira. Os homens de Penuel responderam-lhe como os homens de Sucote lhe haviam respondido.9 Disse também aos homens de Penuel: Quando eu voltar em paz, derrubarei esta torre.10 Estavam Zeba e Zalmuna em Carcor, com as suas hostes, uns quinze mil homens, os restantes de todo o exército dos filhos do Oriente: pois caíram cento e vinte mil homens que puxavam da espada.11 Subiu Gideão pelo caminho dos nômades, ao oriente de Noba e Jogbeá, e feriu a hoste inimiga, porque ela se dava por segura.12 Fugiram Zeba e Zalmuna: Gideão perseguiu-os, prendeu os dois reis de Midiã, Zeba e Zalmuna, e desbaratou toda a hoste.13 Gideão, filho de Joás, voltou da peleja desde a subida de Heres.14 Tendo prendido a um moço dos homens de Sucote, o inquiriu. Este lhe deu por escrito os nomes dos príncipes de Sucote, e dos seus anciãos, setenta e sete homens.15 Veio aos homens de Sucote, e disse: Eis aqui Zeba e Zalmuna, a respeito dos quais me motejastes, dizendo: Porventura se acham no teu poder as mãos de Zeba e Zalmuna, para que déssemos pão aos teus homens que estão desfalecidos?16 Tomou os anciãos da cidade, e espinhos do deserto e abrolhos, e com eles ensinou aos homens de Sucote.17 Derrubou também a torre de Penuel, e matou os homens da cidade.18 Disse a Zeba e Zalmuna: Que sorte de homens eram os que matastes em Tabor? Responderam eles: Como és tu, assim eram eles; cada um parecia filho de rei.19 Gideão tornou: Eles eram meus irmãos, filhos de minha mãe: por Jeová, que se vós tivésseis poupado a vida a eles, eu não vos mataria!20 Então disse a Jeter, seu primogênito: Levanta-te, e mata-os. O mancebo, porém, não puxou da espada; pois temia, porque ainda era moço.21 Disseram Zeba e Zalmuna: Levanta-te, e lança-te sobre nós, porque qual o homem, tal a sua força. Levantando-se Gideão, matou a Zeba e a Zalmuna, e tirou os colares que estavam aos pescoços dos seus camelos.22 Então disseram os homens de Israel a Gideão: Domina sobre nós, tanto tu, e teu filho, bem como o filho de teu filho; porque nos livraste do poder de Midiã.23 Gideão respondeu-lhes: Eu não dominarei sobre vós, nem sobre vós dominará meu filho; Jeová vos dominará.24 Disse-lhes mais Gideão: Permiti-me fazer-vos um pedido: dá-me cada um as arrecadas do seu despojo. (Porque os ismaelitas usavam arrecadas de ouro.)25 Eles responderam: De boa vontade as daremos. Estenderam uma capa, e cada um deles deitou ali as arrecadas do seu despojo.26 O peso das arrecadas de ouro, que pediu, foi mil e setecentos siclos de ouro (afora os colares, e os pendentes, e os vestidos de púrpura que os reis de Midiã trajavam, e afora as cadeias que estavam aos pescoços dos seus camelos).27 Dele fez Gideão um efode, e colocou-o na sua cidade de Ofra: ali ia todo o Israel a idolatrá-lo; e foi um laço para Gideão e sua casa.28 Foram abatidos os midianitas diante dos filhos de Israel, e nunca mais levantaram a cabeça. A terra teve descanso quarenta anos nos dias de Gideão.29 Retirou-se Jerubaal, filho de Joás, e habitou em sua casa.30 Gideão teve setenta filhos que saíram da sua coxa, porque tinha muitas mulheres.31 A sua concubina que morava em Siquém deu-lhe à luz também um filho; e ele lhe pôs por nome Abimeleque.32 Morreu Gideão, filho de Joás, numa boa velhice, e foi sepultado no sepulcro de seu pai Joás, em Ofra dos abiezritas.33 Logo que morreu Gideão, tornaram os filhos de Israel a idolatrarem os baalins, e fizeram a Baal-Berite o seu deus.34 Os filhos de Israel não se lembraram de Jeová seu Deus, que os havia libertado da mão de todos os seus inimigos ao redor;35 nem usaram de beneficência para com a casa de Jerubaal, o qual é Gideão, segundo toda a bondade que ele havia mostrado para com Israel.

1 And the men of Ephraim said to him: What is this that thou meanest to do, that thou wouldst not call us when thou wentest to fight against Madian? and they chid him sharply and almost offered violence.2 And he answered them: What could I have done like to that which you have done? Is not one bunch of grapes of Ephraim better than the vintages of Abiezer?3 The Lord hath delivered into your bands the princes of Madian, Oreb and Zeb: what could I have done like to what you have done? And when he had said this, their spirit was appeased, with which they swelled against him.4 And when Gedeon was come to the Jordan, he passed over it with the three hundred men, that were with him: who were so weary that they could not pursue after them that fled.5 And he said to the men of Soccoth: Give, I beseech you, bread to the people that is with me, for they are faint: that we may pursue Zebee, and Salmana the kings of Madian.6 The princes of Soccoth answered: Peradventure the palms of the hands of Zebee and Salmana are in thy hand, and therefore thou demandest that we should give bread to thy army.7 And he said to them: When the Lord therefore shall have delivered Zebee and Salmana into my hands, I will thresh your flesh with the thorns and briers of the desert.8 And going up from thence, he came to Phanuel: and he spoke the like things to the men of that place. And they also answered him, as the men of Soccoth had answered.9 He said therefore to them also: When I shall return a conqueror in peace, I will destroy this tower.10 But Zebee and Salmana were resting with all their army. For fifteen thousand men were left of all the troops of the eastern people, and one hundred and twenty thousand warriors that drew the sword, were slain.11 And Gedeon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents, on the east of Nobe and Jegbaa, and smote the camp of the enemies, who were secure, and suspected no hurt.12 And Zebee and Salmana fled, and Gedeon pursued and took them, all their host being put in confusion.13 And returning from the battle before the sun rising,14 He took a boy of the men of Soccoth: and he asked him the names of the princes and ancients of Soccoth, and he described unto him seventy-seven men.15 And he came to Soccoth and said to them: Behold Zebee and Salmana, concerning whom you upbraided me, saying: Peradventure the hands of Zebee and Salmana, are in thy hands, and therefore thou demandest that we should give bread to the men that are weary and faint.16 So he took the ancients of the city and thorns and briers of the desert, and tore them with the same, and cut in pieces the men of Soccoth.17 And he demolished the tower of Phanuel, and slew the men of the city.18 And he said to Zebee and Salmana: What manner of men were they whom you slew in Thabor? They answered: They were like thee, and one of them as the son of a king.19 He answered them: They were my brethren, the sons of my mother. As the Lord liveth, if you had saved them, I would not kill you.20 And he said to Jether his eldest son: Arise, and slay them. But he drew not his sword: for he was afraid, being but yet a boy.21 And Zebee and Salmana said: Do thou rise, and run upon us: because the strength of a man is according to his age: Gedeon rose up and slew Zebee and Salmana: and he took the ornaments and bosses, with which the necks of the camels of kings are wont to be adorned.22 And all the men of Israel said to Gedeon: Rule thou over us and thy son, and thy son's son: because thou hast delivered us from the hand of Madian.23 And he said to them: I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you, but the Lord shall rule over you.24 And he said to them: I desire one request of you: Give me the earlets of your spoils. For the Ismaelites were accustomed to wear golden earlets.25 They answered: We will give them most willingly. And spreading a mantle on the ground, they cast upon it the earlets of the spoils.26 And the weight of the earlets that he requested, was a thousand seven hundred sicles of gold, besides the ornaments, and jewels, and purple raiment which the kings of Madian were went to use, and besides the golden chains that were about the camels' necks.27 And Gedeon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city Ephra. And all Israel committed fornication with it, and it became a ruin to Gedeon and to all his house.28 But Madian was humbled before the children of Israel, neither could they any more lift up their beads: but the land rested for forty years, while Gedeon presided.29 So Jerobaal the son of Joas went, and dwelt in his own house.30 And he had seventy sons, who came out of his thigh, for he had many wives.31 And his concubine, that he had in Sichem, bore him a son, whose name was Abimelech.32 And Gedeon the son of Joas died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father in Ephra of the family of Ezri.33 But after Gedeon was dead, the children of Israel turned again, and committed fornication with Baalim. And they made a covenant with Baal, that he should be their god:34 And they remembered not the Lord their God, who delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies round about:35 Neither did they shew mercy to the house of Jerobaal Gedeon, according to all the good things he had done to Israel.