1Gli uomini di Efraim dissero a Gedeone: "Che azione e questa che tu ci hai fatto, non chiamandoci quando sei andato a combattere contro Madian?" Ed ebbero con lui una disputa violenta. 2Ed egli rispose loro: "Che ho fatto io al paragon di voi? la racimolatura d’Efraim non vale essa più della vendemmia d’Abiezer? 3Iddio v’ha dato nelle mani i principi di Madian, Oreb e Zeeb! che dunque ho potuto far io al paragon di voi?" Quand’egli ebbe lor detto quella parola, la loro ira contro di lui si calmò. 4E Gedeone arrivò al Giordano, e lo passò con i trecento uomini ch’erano con lui; i quali, benché stanchi, continuavano a inseguire il nemico. 5E disse a quelli di Succoth: "Date, vi prego, dei pani alla gente che mi segue, perché è stanca, ed io sto inseguendo Zebah e Tsalmunna, re di Madian". 6Ma i capi di Succoth risposero: "Tieni tu forse già nelle tue mani i polsi di Zebah e di Tsalmunna, che abbiamo a dar del pane al tuo esercito?" 7E Gedeone disse: "Ebbene! quando l’Eterno mi avrà dato nelle mani Zebah e Tsalmunna, io vi lacererò le carni con delle spine del deserto e con de’ triboli". 8Di là salì a Penuel, e parlò a quei di Penuel nello stesso modo; ed essi gli risposero come avean fatto quei di Succoth. 9Ed egli disse anche a quei di Penuel: "Quando tornerò in pace, abbatterò questa torre". 10Or Zebah e Tsalmunna erano a Karkor col loro esercito di circa quindicimila uomini, ch’era tutto quel che rimaneva dell’intero esercito dei figli dell’oriente, poiché centoventimila uomini che portavano spada erano stati uccisi. 11Gedeone salì per la via di quelli che abitano sotto tende a oriente di Nobah e di Iogbeha, e sconfisse l’esercito, che si credeva sicuro. 12E Zebah e Tsalmunna si diedero alla fuga; ma egli li inseguì, prese i due re di Madian, Zebah e Tsalmunna, e sbaragliò tutto l’esercito. 13Poi Gedeone, figliuolo di Joas, tornò dalla battaglia, per la salita di Heres. 14Mise le mani sopra un giovane della gente di Succoth, e lo interrogò; ed ei gli diè per iscritto i nomi dei capi e degli anziani di Succoth, ch’erano settantasette uomini. 15Poi venne alla gente di Succoth, e disse: "Ecco Zebah e Tsalmunna, a proposito de’ quali m’insultaste dicendo: Hai tu forse già nelle mani i polsi di Zebah e di Tsalmunna, che noi abbiamo da dar del pane alla tua gente stanca?" 16E prese gli anziani della città, e con delle spine del deserto e con de’ triboli castigò gli uomini di Succoth. 17E abbatté la torre di Penuel e uccise la gente della città. 18Poi disse a Zebah e a Tsalmunna: "Com’erano gli uomini che avete uccisi al Tabor?" Quelli risposero: "Eran come te; ognun d’essi avea l’aspetto d’un figlio di re". 19Ed egli riprese: "Eran miei fratelli, figliuoli di mia madre; com’è vero che l’Eterno vive, se aveste risparmiato loro la vita, io non vi ucciderei!" 20Poi disse a Iether, suo primogenito: "Lèvati, uccidili!" Ma il giovane non tirò la spada, perché avea paura, essendo ancora un giovinetto. 21E Zebah e Tsalmunna dissero: "Lèvati tu stesso e dacci il colpo mortale; poiché qual è l’uomo tal è la sua forza". E Gedeone si levò e uccise Zebah e Tsalmunna, e prese le mezzelune che i loro cammelli portavano al collo. 22Allora gli uomini d’Israele dissero a Gedeone: "Regna su noi tu e il tuo figliuolo e il figliuolo del tuo figliuolo, giacché ci hai salvati dalla mano di Madian". 23Ma Gedeone rispose loro: "Io non regnerò su voi, né il mio figliuolo regnerà su voi; l’Eterno è quegli che regnerà su voi!" 24Poi Gedeone disse loro: "Una cosa voglio chiedervi: che ciascun di voi mi dia gli anelli del suo bottino". (I nemici aveano degli anelli d’oro perché erano Ismaeliti). 25Quelli risposero: "Li daremo volentieri". E stesero un mantello, sul quale ciascuno gettò gli anelli del suo bottino. 26Il peso degli anelli d’oro ch’egli avea chiesto fu di mille settecento sicli d’oro, oltre le mezzelune, i pendenti e le vesti di porpora che i re di Madian aveano addosso, e oltre i collari che i loro cammelli aveano al collo. 27E Gedeone ne fece un efod, che pose in Ofra, sua città; tutto Israele v’andò a prostituirsi, ed esso diventò un insidia per Gedeone e per la sua casa. 28Così Madian fu umiliato davanti ai figliuoli d’Israele, e non alzò più il capo; e il paese ebbe requie per quarant’anni, durante la vita di Gedeone. 29Ierubbaal figliuolo di Joas, tornò a dimorare a casa sua. 30Or Gedeone ebbe settanta figliuoli, che gli nacquero dalle molte mogli che ebbe. 31E la sua concubina, che stava a Sichem, gli partorì anch’ella un figliuolo, al quale pose nome Abimelec. 32Poi Gedeone, figliuolo di Joas, morì in buona vecchiaia, e fu sepolto nella tomba di Joas suo padre, a Ofra degli Abiezeriti. 33Dopo che Gedeone fu morto, i figliuoli d’Israele ricominciarono a prostituirsi agl’idoli di Baal, e presero Baal-Berith come loro dio. 34I figliuoli d’Israele non si ricordarono dell’Eterno, del loro Dio, che li avea liberati dalle mani di tutti i loro nemici d’ogn’intorno; 35e non dimostrarono alcuna gratitudine alla casa di Ierubbaal, ossia di Gedeone, per tutto il bene ch’egli avea fatto a Israele.
1The men of Ephraim said to him, “Why have you treated us this way, that you didn’t call us, when you went to fight with Midian?” They rebuked him sharply. 2He said to them, “What have I now done in comparison with you? Isn’t the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer? 3God has delivered into your hand the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb! What was I able to do in comparison with you?” Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that. 4Gideon came to the Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men who were with him, faint, yet pursuing. 5He said to the men of Succoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the people who follow me; for they are faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.” 6The princes of Succoth said, “Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your army?” 7Gideon said, “Therefore when Yahweh has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.” 8He went up there to Penuel, and spoke to them in the same way; and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered. 9He spoke also to the men of Penuel, saying, “When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.” 10Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their armies with them, about fifteen thousand men, all who were left of all the army of the children of the east; for there fell one hundred twenty thousand men who drew sword. 11Gideon went up by the way of those who lived in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and struck the army; for the army was secure. 12Zebah and Zalmunna fled; and he pursued after them; and he took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and confused all the army. 13Gideon the son of Joash returned from the battle from the ascent of Heres. 14He caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him: and he described for him the princes of Succoth, and its elders, seventy-seven men. 15He came to the men of Succoth, and said, “See Zebah and Zalmunna, concerning whom you taunted me, saying, ‘Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are weary?’” 16He took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth. 17He broke down the tower of Penuel, and killed the men of the city. 18Then he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men were they whom you killed at Tabor?” They answered, “They were like you. Each one resembled the children of a king.” 19He said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As Yahweh lives, if you had saved them alive, I would not kill you.” 20He said to Jether his firstborn, “Get up, and kill them!” But the youth didn’t draw his sword; for he was afraid, because he was yet a youth. 21Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Rise and fall on us; for as the man is, so is his strength.” Gideon arose, and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and took the crescents that were on their camels’ necks. 22Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, both you, and your son, and your son’s son also; for you have saved us out of the hand of Midian.” 23Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you. Yahweh shall rule over you.” 24Gideon said to them, “I would make a request of you, that you would give me every man the earrings of his plunder.” (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.) 25They answered, “We will willingly give them.” They spread a garment, and every man threw the earrings of his plunder into it. 26The weight of the golden earrings that he requested was one thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold, besides the crescents, and the pendants, and the purple clothing that was on the kings of Midian, and besides the chains that were about their camels’ necks. 27Gideon made an ephod of it, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel played the prostitute after it there; and it became a snare to Gideon, and to his house. 28So Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, and they lifted up their heads no more. The land had rest forty years in the days of Gideon. 29Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and lived in his own house. 30Gideon had seventy sons conceived from his body; for he had many wives. 31His concubine who was in Shechem, she also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech. 32Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the tomb of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. 33As soon as Gideon was dead, the children of Israel turned again, and played the prostitute after the Baals, and made Baal Berith their god. 34The children of Israel didn’t remember Yahweh their God, who had delivered them out of the hand of all their enemies on every side; 35neither did they show kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shown to Israel.
1Toen zeiden de mannen van Efraim tot hem: Wat stuk is dit, dat gij ons gedaan hebt, dat gij ons niet riept, toen gij heentoogt om te strijden tegen de Midianieten? En zij twistten sterk met hem. 2Hij daarentegen zeide tot hen: Wat heb ik nu gedaan, gelijk gijlieden; zijn niet de nalezingen van Efraim beter dan de wijnoogst van Abi-ezer? 3God heeft de vorsten der Midianieten, Oreb en Zeeb, in uw hand gegeven; wat heb ik dan kunnen doen, gelijk gijlieden? Toen liet hun toorn van hem af, als hij dit woord sprak. 4Als nu Gideon gekomen was aan de Jordaan, ging hij over, met de driehonderd mannen, die bij hem waren, zijnde moede, nochtans vervolgende. 5En hij zeide tot de lieden van Sukkoth: Geeft toch enige bollen broods aan het volk, dat mijn voetstappen volgt, want zij zijn moede; en ik jaag Zebah en Tsalmuna, de koningen der Midianieten, achterna. 6Maar de oversten van Sukkoth zeiden: Is dan de handpalm van Zebah en Tsalmuna alrede in uw hand, dat wij aan uw heir brood zouden geven? 7Toen zeide Gideon: Daarom, als de HEERE Zebah en Tsalmuna in mijn hand geeft, zo zal ik uw vlees dorsen met doornen der woestijn, en met distelen. 8En hij toog van daar op naar Pnuel, en sprak tot hen desgelijks. En de lieden van Pnuel antwoordden hem, gelijk als de lieden van Sukkoth geantwoord hadden. 9Daarom sprak hij ook tot de lieden van Pnuel, zeggende: Als ik met vrede wederkome, zal ik deze toren afwerpen. 10Zebah nu en Tsalmuna waren te Karkor, en hun legers met hen, omtrent vijftien duizend, al de overgeblevenen van het ganse leger der kinderen van het oosten; en de gevallenen waren honderd en twintig duizend mannen, die het zwaard uittrokken. 11En Gideon toog opwaarts, den weg dergenen, die in tenten wonen, tegen het oosten van Nobah en Jogbeha; en hij sloeg dat leger, want het leger was zorgeloos. 12En Zebah en Tsalmuna vloden; doch hij jaagde hen na; en hij ving de beide koningen der Midianieten, Zebah en Tsalmuna, en verschrikte het ganse leger. 13Toen nu Gideon, de zoon van Joas, van den strijd wederkwam, voor den opgang der zon, 14Zo ving hij een jongen van de lieden te Sukkoth, en ondervraagde hem; die schreef hem op de oversten van Sukkoth, en hun oudsten, zeven en zeventig mannen. 15Toen kwam hij tot de lieden van Sukkoth, en zeide: Ziet daar Zebah en Tsalmuna, van dewelke gij mij smadelijk verweten hebt, zeggende: Is de handpalm van Zebah en Tsalmuna alrede in uw hand, dat wij aan uw mannen, die moede zijn, brood zouden geven? 16En hij nam de oudsten dier stad, en doornen der woestijn, en distelen, en deed het den lieden van Sukkoth door dezelve verstaan. 17En de toren van Pnuel wierp hij af, en doodde de lieden der stad. 18Daarna zeide hij tot Zebah en Tsalmuna: Wat waren het voor mannen, die gij te Thabor doodsloegt? En zij zeiden: Gelijk gij, alzo waren zij, enerlei, van gedaante als koningszonen. 19Toen zeide hij: Het waren mijn broeders, zonen mijner moeder; zo waarlijk als de HEERE leeft, zo gij hen hadt laten leven, ik zou ulieden niet doden! 20En hij zeide tot Jether, zijn eerstgeborene: Sta op, dood hen; maar de jongeling trok zijn zwaard niet uit, want hij vreesde, dewijl hij nog een jongeling was. 21Toen zeiden Zebah en Tsalmuna: Sta gij op, en val op ons aan, want naar dat de man is, zo is zijn macht. Zo stond Gideon op, en doodde Zebah en Tsalmuna, en nam de maantjes, die aan de halzen hunner kemelen waren. 22Toen zeiden de mannen van Israel tot Gideon: Heers over ons, zo gij als uw zoon en uws zoons zoon, dewijl gij ons van der Midianieten hand verlost hebt. 23Maar Gideon zeide tot hen: Ik zal over u niet heersen; ook zal mijn zoon over u niet heersen; de HEERE zal over u heersen. 24Voorts zeide Gideon tot hen: Een begeerte zal ik van u begeren: geeft mij maar een iegelijk een voorhoofdsiersel van zijn roof; want zij hadden gouden voorhoofdsierselen gehad, dewijl zij Ismaelieten waren. 25En zij zeiden: Wij zullen ze gaarne geven; en zij spreidden een kleed uit, en wierpen daarop een iegelijk een voorhoofdsiersel van zijn roof. 26En het gewicht der gouden voorhoofdsierselen, die hij begeerd had, was duizend en zevenhonderd sikkelen gouds, zonder de maantjes, en ketenen, en purperen klederen, die de koningen der Midianieten aangehad hadden, en zonder de halsbanden, die aan de halzen hunner kemelen geweest waren. 27En Gideon maakte daarvan een efod, en stelde die in zijn stad, te Ofra; en gans Israel hoereerde aldaar denzelven na; en het werd Gideon en zijn huis tot een valstrik. 28Alzo werden de Midianieten ten onder gebracht voor het aangezicht der kinderen Israels, en hieven hun hoofd niet meer op. En het land was stil veertig jaren, in de dagen van Gideon. 29En Jerubbaal, de zoon van Joas, ging henen en woonde in zijn huis. 30Gideon nu had zeventig zonen, die uit zijn heupe voortgekomen waren; want hij had vele vrouwen. 31En zijn bijwijf, hetwelk te Sichem was, baarde hem ook een zoon; en hij noemde zijn naam Abimelech. 32En Gideon, de zoon van Joas, stierf in goeden ouderdom; en hij werd begraven in het graf van zijn vader Joas, te Ofra, des Abi-ezriets. 33En het geschiedde, als Gideon gestorven was, dat de kinderen Israels zich omkeerden, en de Baals nahoereerden; en zij stelden zich Baal-Berith tot een God. 34En de kinderen Israels dachten niet aan den HEERE, hun God, Die hen gered had van de hand van al hun vijanden van rondom. 35En zij deden geen weldadigheid bij het huis van Jerubbaal, dat is Gideon, naar al het goede, dat hij bij Israel gedaan had.
La numerazione dei versetti segue la traduzione scelta e in alcuni capitoli può differire di un versetto.