1 And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they did chide with him sharply. 2 And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abi-ezer? 3 God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.
4 ¶ And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them . 5 And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.
6 ¶ And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army? 7 And Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.
8 ¶ And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise: and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him . 9 And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.
10 ¶ Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, 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 an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.
11 ¶ And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host: for the host was secure. 12 And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host.
13 ¶ And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up , 14 And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired of him: and he described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men. 15 And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary? 16 And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth. 17 And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.
18 ¶ Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou art , so were they; each one resembled the children of a king. 19 And he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother: as the LORD liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you. 20 And he said unto Jether his firstborn, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth. 21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels’ necks.
22 ¶ Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian. 23 And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you.
24 ¶ And Gideon 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 Ishmaelites.) 25 And they answered, We will willingly give them . And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey. 26 And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels’ necks. 27 And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.
28 ¶ Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.
29 ¶ And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house. 30 And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives. 31 And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.
32 ¶ And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites. 33 And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baal-berith their god. 34 And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side: 35 Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely , Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.
1 Bet Ēfraima vīri sacīja viņam: „Kādēļ tu esi mums tā darījis, kāpēc tu mūs neaicināji tad, kad tu gāji karot pret Midianu?“ Un tie ar viņu stipri bārās.
2 Tad viņš tiem sacīja: „Ko tad es esmu tagad tādu veicis, salīdzinot ar jums? Vai Ēfraima beidzamais salasījums nav labāks nekā Abiēzera pirmās ražas savākums vīna kalnā?
3 Dievs ir jūsu rokā nodevis Midiana virsaišus—Orebu un Seēbu, un kā gan es būtu spējis tā rīkoties kā jūs?“ Un viņam šādus vārdus runājot, beidzot viņu dusmas pret viņu aprima.
4 Kad nu Gideons nāca pie Jardānas un bija jau pārcēlies pāri ar tiem trīs simti vīriem, kūpi bija pie viņa un kas bija piekusuši no vajāšanas,
5 Tad viņš lūdza Sukotas vīrus: „Dodiet tiem ļaudīm, kas man seko, dažus klaipus maizes, jo viņi ir pieku-suši: es vajāju Zebu un Calmunnu, Midiana ķēniņus.“
6 Bet Sukotas virsaiši atbildēja: „Vai tad Zeba un Calmunnas dūres ir jau tavā rokā, ka mums būs dot tavam karapulkam maizi?“
7 Tad Gideons atbildēja: „Lai paliek tā! Ja tas Kungs Zebu un Calmunnu nodos manā rokā, tad es jūsu miesas kulšu ar tuksneša ērkšķiem un dadžiem!“
8 Un no turienes viņš devās augšā uz Penučlu un runāja ar tiem tāpat; bet Penuēlas vīri tam atbildēja gluži tāpat, kā Sukotas vīri bija atbildējuši.
9 Un viņš sacīja arī Penuēlas vīriem: „Kad es sveiks atgriezīšos, tad es šo nocietinājumu noārdīšu!“
10 Bet Zeba un Calmunna atradās Karkorā, un kopā ar viņiem bija to karaspēks ap piecpadsmit tūkstoši vīru, visi, kas bija palikuši pāri no austrumnieku dēlu nometnes, jo simts divdesmit tūkstoši vīru, zobena nesēji, bija krituši.
11 Un Gideons devās pa tuksneša sirotāju ceļu austrumos no Nobas un Jogbehas, uzbruka un sakāva viņu karaspēku nometnē tai brīdī, kad tiem šķita, ka tā ir droša.
12 Un Zeba un Calmunna bēga, bet viņš tos vajāja un sagūstīja abus Midiana ķēniņus—Zebu un Calmunnu; un visu karaspēku viņš izkliedēja.
13 Tad Gideons, Joasa dēls, griezās atpakaļ pa augšējo ceļu pāri kalniem.
14 Un tur viņš notvēra kādu zēnu no Sukotas vīru pulka, un viņš to izjautāja, un tas viņam uzrakstīja ir Sukotas virsaišus, ir viņas vecajus, septiņdesmit septiņus vīrus.
15 Un tad viņš nonāca pie Sukotas vīriem un sacīja: „Te nu tagad ir Zeba un Calmunna, kuru dēļ jūs mani nievājāt, sacīdami: „Vai Zebas un Calmunnas dūres ir jau tavā rokā, ka mums jau tagad taviem piekusušiem vīriem ir jādod maize?“
16 Tad viņš lika satvert pilsētas vecajus, ņēma tuksneša ērkšķus un dadžus, un viņš lika tos manīt Sukotas vīriem.
17 Bet Penuēlas nocietinājumu viņš nojauca, un pilsētas vīrus viņš nokāva.
18 Tad viņš teica Zebam un Calmunnam: „Kā izskatījās tie vīri, ko jūs esat Tāborā nokāvuši?“ Tie atbildēja: „Tie bija visi gluži tādi kā tu, ikviens sava izskatā kā ķēniņa dēls.“
19 Tad viņš sacīja: „Tie bija mani brāļi, manas mātes dēli! Tik tiešām, ka tas Kungs dzīvo, ja jūs būtu saudzējuši viņu dzīvības, es jūs nenokautu!“
20 Un viņš sacīja Jeteram, savam pirmdzimušajam dēlam: „Celies, nokauj tos!“ Bet zēns neizvilka savu zobenu, jo viņš baidījās, tāpēc ka viņš bija vēl jauns.
21 Tad Zeba un Calmunna sacīja: „Celies tu pats un nodur mūs, jo kāds vīrs, tāds ir viņa spēks!“ Tad Gideons cēlās, un viņš nokāva Zebu un Calmunnu un noņēma mēnestiņus, kas bija ap viņu kamieļu kakliem.
22 Un Israēla vīri sacīja Gideonam: „Esi tu mums ķēniņš, tu un tavs dēls un tava dēla dēls, jo tu mūs esi izpestījis no Midiana rokas.“
23 Bet Gideons tiem atbildēja: „Es negribu būt jūsu ķēniņš, un ari mans dēls nevaldīs pār jums; tas Kungs ir jūsu ķēniņš!“
24 Tālāk Gideons tiem sacīja: „Es tomēr kaut ko lūgšu no jums: dodiet man ikviens savu gredzenu no sava laupījumu!“ Jo midianieši valkāja zelta gredzenus, tāpēc ka tie bija ismaēlieši.
25 Un viņi atbildēja: „Labprāt, mēs dosim.“ Un tie izklāja kādu tērpu, un uz tā meta ikkatrs vienu gredzenu no sava laupījuma.
26 Šo pieprasīto zelta gredzenu svars bija tūkstoš septiņi simti zelta seķeļu, nemaz neieskaitot mazos mēnešus un auskarus un purpura tērpus, ko bija valkājuši Midiana ķēniņi, neieskaitot arī kaklu ķēdes, kas bija ap kakliem viņu kamieļiem.
27 Un Gideons no tā darināja dārgu efodu, un viņš to novietoja Ofrā, savā cilts pilsētā; un viss Israēls ar to piekopa tur elka kalpību, un tas Gideonam un viņa namam kļuva par slazda valgu.
28 Bet midianieši tomēr bija pazemoti Israēla bērnu priekšā, un tie nespēja vairs savu galvu pacelt; zemei bija miers četrdesmit gadus, kamēr Gideons dzīvoja.
29 Un Jerubbaāls, Joasa dēls, nogāja un dzīvoja savā namā.
30 Gideonam bija septiņdesmit dēlu, kas bija no viņa gurniem nākuši, jo viņam bija daudz sievu.
31 Arī viņa blakus sieva, kas tam bija Sichemā, dzemdēja viņam dēlu, un viņš nosauca to vārdā Abimelechs.
32 Un Gideons, Joasa dēls, nomira sirmā vecumā un tika apglabāts sava tēva Joasa kapa vietā—abiēzeriešu Ofrā.
33 Bet kad Gideons bija nomiris, tad Israēla bērni noklīda uz neceļiem un netikli kalpoja baāliem un izveidoja Derības-Baālu sev par dievu.
34 Un Israēla bērni nepieminēja to Kungu, savu Dievu, kas patiešām viņus bija izglābis no visu viņu apkārtējo ienaidnieku rokas.
35 Viņi arī neapgājās labi ar Jerubbaāla, tas ir Gideona, namu, neievērodami to labo, ko viņš bija Israēlam darījis.
