Judg 7-8 | NETfull | STEP | Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and his men got up the next morning and camped near the spring of Harod. The Midianites were camped north of them near the hill of Moreh in the valley.

Judges 7

Gideon Reduces the Ranks

1 Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and his men ^{▼▼Heb “and all the people who were with him.”} got up the next morning and camped near the spring of Harod. ^{▼▼ The name Harod means, ironically, “trembling.”} The Midianites ^{▼▼Heb “Midian.” The LXX reads “and Amalek” (cf. v. 12; 6:33).} were camped north of them near the hill of Moreh in the valley. 2 The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men for me to hand Midian over to you. ^{▼▼Heb “the people who are with you are too numerous for me to give Midian into their hand.”} Israel might brag, ^{▼▼Heb “might glorify itself against me.”} ‘Our own strength has delivered us.’ ^{▼▼Heb “my hand has delivered me.”} 3 Now, announce to the men, ^{▼▼Heb “call into the ears of the people.”} ‘Whoever is shaking with fear ^{▼▼Heb “afraid and shaking.”} may turn around and leave Mount Gilead.’” ^{▼▼ Many interpreters reject the MT reading “and leave Mount Gilead” for geographical reasons. A possible alternative, involving rather radical emendation of the Hebrew text, would be, “So Gideon tested them” (i.e., thinned the ranks in this manner).} Twenty-two thousand men ^{▼▼Heb “people.” The translation uses “men” because warriors are in view, and in ancient Israelite culture these would be only males. (This is also the case in vv. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.)} went home; ^{▼▼ Or “turned around, back.”} ten thousand remained. 4 The Lord spoke to Gideon again, “There are still too many men. ^{▼▼ Heb “too many people.”} Bring them down to the water and I will thin the ranks some more. ^{▼▼Heb “test them for you there.”} When I say, ‘This one should go with you,’ pick him to go; ^{▼▼Heb “he should go with you.”} when I say, ^{▼▼ Heb also has “to you.”} ‘This one should not go with you,’ do not take him.” ^{▼▼Heb “he should not go.”} 5 So he brought the men ^{▼▼ Heb “the people.”} down to the water. Then the Lord said to Gideon, “Separate those who lap the water as a dog laps from those who kneel to drink.” ^{▼▼Heb “Everyone who laps with his tongue from the water, as a dog laps, put him by himself, as well as the one who gets down on his knees to drink.”} 6 Three hundred men lapped; ^{▼▼ The Hebrew text adds, “with their hands to their mouths,” This makes no sense in light of v. 5, which distinguishes between dog-like lappers (who would not use their hands to drink) and those who kneel (who would use their hands). It seems likely that the words “with their hands to their mouths” have been misplaced from v. 6. They fit better at the end of v. 5 or v. 6. Perhaps these words were originally a marginal scribal note which was later accidentally inserted into the text in the wrong place.} the rest of the men ^{▼▼ Heb “the people.”} kneeled to drink water. 7 The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men who lapped I will deliver the whole army ^{▼▼Heb “you.” The Hebrew pronoun is masculine plural, probably referring to the entire army.} and I will hand Midian over to you. ^{▼▼ The Hebrew pronoun here is singular.} The rest of the men should go home.” ^{▼▼Heb “All the people should go, each to his place.”} 8 The men ^{▼▼ Heb “The people.”} who were chosen ^{▼▼ The words “who were chosen” are supplied in the translation for clarification.} took supplies ^{▼▼ The Hebrew text has “in their hands.”} and their trumpets. Gideon ^{▼▼Heb “he”; the referent (Gideon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.} sent all the men of Israel back to their homes; ^{▼▼Heb “tents.”} he kept only three hundred men. Now the Midianites ^{▼▼Heb “Midian.”} were camped down below ^{▼▼ The Hebrew text adds “him” (i.e., Gideon).} in the valley.

Gideon Reassured of Victory

9 That night the Lord said to Gideon, ^{▼▼Heb “him”; the referent (Gideon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.} “Get up! Attack ^{▼▼Heb “Go down against.”} the camp, for I am handing it over to you. ^{▼▼ The Hebrew verbal form is a perfect, emphasizing the certainty of the promise.} 10 But if you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with Purah your servant 11 and listen to what they are saying. Then you will be brave ^{▼▼Heb “your hands will be strengthened.”} and attack the camp.” So he went down with Purah his servant to where the sentries were guarding the camp. ^{▼▼Heb “to the edge of the ones in battle array who were in the camp.”} 12 Now the Midianites, Amalekites, and the people from the east covered the valley like a swarm of locusts. ^{▼▼Heb “Midian, Amalek, and the sons of the east were falling in the valley like locusts in great number.”} Their camels could not be counted; they were as innumerable as the sand on the seashore. 13 When Gideon arrived, he heard a man telling another man about a dream he had. ^{▼▼Heb “And Gideon came, and, look, a man was relating to his friend a dream.”} The man ^{▼▼Heb “he”; the referent (the man mentioned in the previous clause) has been specified in the translation for clarity.} said, “Look! I had a dream. I saw ^{▼▼Heb “Look!” The repetition of this interjection, while emphatic in Hebrew, would be redundant in the English translation.} a stale cake of barley bread rolling into the Midianite camp. It hit a tent so hard it knocked it over and turned it upside down. The tent just collapsed.” ^{▼▼Heb “It came to the tent and struck it and it fell. It turned it upside down and the tent fell.”} 14 The other man said, ^{▼▼Heb “answered and said.”} “Without a doubt this symbolizes ^{▼▼Heb “This can be nothing but.”} the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God is handing Midian and all the army over to him.”

Gideon Routs the Enemy

15 When Gideon heard the report of the dream and its interpretation, he praised God. ^{▼▼Heb “he bowed down” or “worshiped.”} Then he went back to the Israelite camp and said, “Get up, for the Lord is handing the Midianite army over to you!” 16 He divided the three hundred men into three units. ^{▼▼Heb “heads.”} He gave them all trumpets and empty jars with torches inside them. ^{▼▼Heb “the jars.” The noun has been replaced by the pronoun (“them”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.} ^{▼▼ They hid the torches inside the earthenware jars to disguise their approach and to keep the torches from being extinguished by the breeze.} 17 He said to them, “Watch me and do as I do. Watch closely! ^{▼▼ Or “look.”} I am going to the edge of the camp. Do as I do! 18 When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, you also blow your trumpets all around the camp. Then say, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon!’”

19 Gideon took a hundred men to the edge of the camp ^{▼▼Heb “Gideon went, along with the hundred men who were with him, to the edge of the camp.”} at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guards. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars they were carrying. ^{▼▼ Heb “that were in their hands.”} 20 All three units blew their trumpets and broke their jars. They held the torches in their left hand and the trumpets in their right. ^{▼▼ The Hebrew text adds, “in order to blow [them].” This has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.} Then they yelled, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” 21 They stood in order ^{▼▼Heb “each in his place.”} all around the camp. The whole army ran away; they shouted as they scrambled away. ^{▼▼ Or “fled.”} 22 When the three hundred men blew their trumpets, the Lord caused the Midianites to attack one another with their swords ^{▼▼Heb “the Lord set the sword of each one against his friend.”} throughout ^{▼▼ MT has “and throughout the camp,” but the conjunction (“and”) is due to dittography and should be dropped. Compare the ancient versions, which lack the conjunction here.} the camp. The army fled to Beth Shittah on the way to Zererah. They went ^{▼▼ The words “they went” are supplied in the translation for clarification.} to the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath. 23 Israelites from Naphtali, Asher, and Manasseh answered the call and chased the Midianites. ^{▼▼Heb “Midian.”}

Gideon Appeases the Ephraimites

24 Now Gideon sent messengers throughout the Ephraimite hill country who announced, “Go down and head off the Midianites. ^{▼▼Heb “to meet Midian.”} Take control of the fords of the streams ^{▼▼Heb “capture before them the waters.”} all the way to Beth Barah and the Jordan River.” ^{▼▼ The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarification (also later in this verse).} When all the Ephraimites had assembled, ^{▼▼Heb “And all the men of Ephraim were summoned.”} they took control of the fords ^{▼▼Heb “they captured the waters.”} all the way to Beth Barah and the Jordan River. 25 They captured the two Midianite generals, Oreb and Zeeb. ^{▼▼ The names Oreb and Zeeb, which mean “Raven” and “Wolf” respectively, are appropriate because the Midianites had been like scavengers and predators to Israel.} They executed Oreb on the rock of Oreb and Zeeb ^{▼▼ The Hebrew text repeats the verb “executed.” This has not been repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons.} in the winepress of Zeeb. They chased the Midianites ^{▼▼Heb “Midian.”} and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, who was now on the other side of the Jordan River. ^{▼▼Heb “beyond the Jordan.” The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text but has been supplied in the translation for clarity (also in 8:4).}

Judges 8

1 The Ephraimites said to him, “Why have you done such a thing to us? You did not summon us ^{▼▼Heb “by not summoning us.”} when you went to fight the Midianites!” They argued vehemently with him. 2 He said to them, “Now what have I accomplished compared to you? Even Ephraim’s leftover grapes ^{▼▼Heb “gleanings.”} are better quality than Abiezer’s harvest! ^{▼▼ Ephraim’s leftover grapes are better quality than Abiezer’s harvest. Gideon employs an agricultural metaphor. He argues that Ephraim’s mopping up operations, though seemingly like the inferior grapes which are missed initially by the harvesters or left for the poor, are actually more noteworthy than the military efforts of Gideon’s family.} 3 It was to you that God handed over the Midianite generals, Oreb and Zeeb! What did I accomplish to rival that?” ^{▼▼Heb “What was I able to do compared to you?”} When he said this, they calmed down. ^{▼▼Heb “Then their spirits relaxed from against him, when he spoke this word.”}

Gideon Tracks Down the Midianite Kings

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. ^{▼▼Heb “And Gideon arrived at the Jordan, crossing over, he and the three hundred men who were with him, exhausted and chasing.” The English past perfect (“had crossed”) is used because this verse flashes back chronologically to an event that preceded the hostile encounter described in vv. 1–3. (Note that 7:25 assumes Gideon had already crossed the Jordan.)} 5 He said to the men of Succoth, “Give ^{▼▼ Or perhaps, “sell.”} some loaves of bread to the men ^{▼▼Heb “people.” The translation uses “men” because these were warriors and in ancient Israelite culture would have been exclusively males.} who are following me, ^{▼▼Heb “who are at my feet.”} because they are exhausted. I am chasing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.” 6 The officials of Succoth said, “You have not yet overpowered Zebah and Zalmunna. So why should we give ^{▼▼ Or perhaps, “sell.”} bread to your army?” ^{▼▼Heb “Are the palms of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give to your army bread?” Perhaps the reference to the kings’ “palms” should be taken literally. The officials of Succoth may be alluding to the practice of mutilating prisoners or enemy corpses (see R. G. Boling, Judges [AB], 155).} ^{▼▼ The officials of Succoth are hesitant to give (or sell) food to Gideon’s forces because they are not sure of the outcome of the battle. Perhaps they had made an alliance with the Midianites which demanded their loyalty.} 7 Gideon said, “Since you will not help, ^{▼▼Heb “Therefore.”} after the Lord hands Zebah and Zalmunna over to me, I will thresh ^{▼▼ I will thresh. The metaphor is agricultural. Threshing was usually done on a hard threshing floor. As farm animals walked over the stalks, pulling behind them a board embedded with sharp stones, the stalks and grain would be separated. See O. Borowski, Agriculture in Iron Age Israel, 63–65. Gideon threatens to use thorns and briers on his sledge.} your skin ^{▼▼ Or “flesh.”} with ^{▼▼ This is apparently a rare instrumental use of the Hebrew preposition אֵת (’et, note the use of ב [bet] in v. 16). Some, however, argue that אֵת more naturally indicates accompaniment (“together with”). In this case Gideon envisions threshing their skin along with thorns and briers, just as the stalks and grain are intermingled on the threshing floor. See C. F. Burney, Judges, 229–30.} desert thorns and briers.” 8 He went up from there to Penuel and made the same request. ^{▼▼Heb “and spoke to them in the same way.”} The men of Penuel responded the same way the men of Succoth had. ^{▼▼Heb “The men of Penuel answered him just as the men of Succoth answered.”} 9 He also threatened ^{▼▼Heb “said to.” The translation “threatened” is interpretive, but is clearly indicated by the context.} the men of Penuel, warning, ^{▼▼Heb “saying.”} “When I return victoriously, ^{▼▼ Or “safely.” Heb “in peace.”} I will tear down this tower.”

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. ^{▼▼Heb “About fifteen thousand [in number] were all the ones remaining from the army of the sons of the east. The fallen ones were a hundred and twenty thousand [in number], men drawing the sword.”} 11 Gideon went up the road of the nomads ^{▼▼Heb “the ones living in tents.”} east of Nobah and Jogbehah and ambushed the surprised army. ^{▼▼Heb “and attacked the army, while the army was secure.” The Hebrew term בֶטַח (vetakh, “secure”) probably means the army was undefended (see R. G. Boling, Judges [AB], 156), not suspecting an attack at that time and place.} 12 When Zebah and Zalmunna ran away, Gideon ^{▼▼Heb “he”; the referent (Gideon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.} chased them and captured the two Midianite kings, Zebah and Zalmunna. He had surprised ^{▼▼ Or “routed”; Heb “caused to panic.”} their entire army.

13 Gideon son of Joash returned from the battle by the pass ^{▼▼ Or “ascent.”} of Heres. 14 He captured a young man from Succoth ^{▼▼Heb “from the men of 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. ^{▼▼Heb “wrote down for him the officials of Succoth and its elders, seventy-seven men.”} 15 He approached the men of Succoth and said, “Look what I have! ^{▼▼Heb “Look!” The words “what I have” are supplied in the translation for clarification.} 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?’” ^{▼▼Heb “Are the palms of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give to your exhausted men bread?”} ^{▼▼ Gideon changes their actual statement (see v. 6) by saying exhausted men rather than “army.” In this way he emphasizes the crisis his men were facing and highlights the insensitivity of the men of Succoth.} 16 He seized the leaders ^{▼▼Heb “elders.”} of the city, along with some desert thorns and briers; he then “threshed” the men of Succoth with them. ^{▼▼ The translation follows the reading of several ancient versions (LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate) in assuming the form וַיָּדָשׁ (vayyadash) from the verb דּוֹשׁ (dosh, “thresh”) as in v. 7. The MT reads instead the form וַיֹּדַע (vayyoda’, “make known”), a Hiphil form of יָדַע (yadah). In this case one could translate, “he used them [i.e., the thorns and briers] to teach the men of Succoth a lesson.”} 17 He also tore down the tower of Penuel and executed the city’s men.

18 He said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “Describe for me ^{▼▼Heb “Where are?”} the men you killed at Tabor.” They said, “They were like you. Each one looked like a king’s son.” ^{▼▼Heb “each one like the appearance of sons of the king.”} 19 He said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. I swear, ^{▼▼ The words “I swear” are supplied in the translation for clarification.} as surely as the Lord is alive, if you had let them live, I would not kill you.” 20 He ordered Jether his firstborn son, “Come on! ^{▼▼ Or “Arise!”} Kill them!” But Jether was too afraid to draw his sword, ^{▼▼Heb “did not draw his sword for he was afraid.”} because he was still young. 21 Zebah and Zalmunna said to Gideon, ^{▼▼ The words “to Gideon” are supplied in the translation for clarification.} “Come on, ^{▼▼ Or “Arise.”} you strike us, for a man is judged by his strength.” ^{▼▼Heb “for as the man is his strength.”} So Gideon killed ^{▼▼Heb “arose and killed.”} Zebah and Zalmunna, and he took the crescent-shaped ornaments which were on the necks of their camels.

Gideon Rejects a Crown but Makes an Ephod

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.” ^{▼▼Heb “hand.”} 23 Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you.” 24 Gideon continued, ^{▼▼Heb “said to them.”} “I would like to make one request. Each of you give me an earring from the plunder you have taken.” ^{▼▼Heb “Give to me, each one, an earring from his plunder.”} (The Midianites ^{▼▼Heb “they”; the referent (the Midianites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.} had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.) 25 They said, “We are happy to give you earrings.” ^{▼▼Heb “We will indeed give.”} So they ^{▼▼ In the LXX the subject of this verb is singular, referring to Gideon rather than to the Israelites.} spread out a garment, and each one threw an earring from his plunder onto it. 26 The total weight of the gold earrings he requested came to seventeen hundred gold shekels. ^{▼▼ Seventeen hundred gold shekels would be about 42.7 pounds (19.4 kilograms) of gold.} This was in addition to the crescent-shaped ornaments, jewelry, ^{▼▼ Or “pendants.”} purple clothing worn by the Midianite kings, and the necklaces on the camels. ^{▼▼Heb “the ornaments which were on the necks of their camels.”} 27 Gideon used all this to make ^{▼▼Heb “made it into.”} an ephod, ^{▼▼ In Exod 28:4–6 and several other texts an ephod is described as a priestly or cultic garment. In some cases an ephod is used to obtain a divine oracle (1 Sam 23:9; 30:7). Here the ephod is made of gold and is described as being quite heavy (70–75 lbs?). Some identify it as an idol, but it was more likely a cultic object fashioned in the form of a garment which was used for oracular purposes. For discussion of the ephod in the OT, see C. F. Burney, Judges, 236–43, and R. de Vaux, Ancient Israel, 349–52.} which he put in his hometown of Ophrah. All the Israelites ^{▼▼Heb “Israel” (a collective singular).} prostituted themselves to it by worshiping it ^{▼▼The words “by worshiping it” are supplied in the translation for clarity.} there. It became a snare to Gideon and his family.

Gideon’s Story Ends

28 The Israelites humiliated Midian; the Midianites’ fighting spirit was broken. ^{▼▼Heb “Midian was humbled before the Israelites, and they no longer lifted their heads.”} The land had rest for forty years during Gideon’s time. ^{▼▼Heb “in the days of Gideon.”} 29 Then Jerub-Baal son of Joash went home and settled down. ^{▼▼Heb “went and lived in his house.”} 30 Gideon fathered seventy sons through his many wives. ^{▼▼ Heb “Gideon had seventy sons who went out from his thigh, for he had many wives.” The Hebrew word יָרֵךְ (yarekh, “thigh”) is a euphemism here for the penis.} 31 His concubine, ^{▼▼ A concubine was a slave woman in ancient Near Eastern societies who was the legal property of her master, but who could have legitimate sexual relations with her master. A concubine’s status was more elevated than a mere servant, but she was not free and did not have the legal rights of a free wife. The children of a concubine could, in some instances, become equal heirs with the children of the free wife. After the period of the Judges concubines may have become more of a royal prerogative (2 Sam 21:10–14; 1 Kgs 11:3).} who lived in Shechem, also gave him a son, whom he named Abimelech. ^{▼▼ The name Abimelech means “my father is king.”} 32 Gideon son of Joash died at a very ^{▼▼Heb “good.”} old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash located in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

Israel Returns to Baal-Worship

33 After Gideon died, the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals. They made Baal-Berith ^{▼▼ Baal-Berith was a local manifestation of the Canaanite storm god. The name means, ironically, “Baal of the covenant.” Israel’s covenant allegiance had indeed shifted.} their god. 34 The Israelites did not remain true ^{▼▼Heb “remember.”} to the Lord their God, who had delivered them from all the enemies who lived around them. 35 They did not treat ^{▼▼Heb “did not do loyalty with,” or “did not act faithfully toward.”} the family of Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) fairly in return for all the good he had done for Israel.