Judges 8

Judges · Chapter 8

Judges 8:14

1And 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.2And 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 Abiezer?3God 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.4And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them.5And 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.6And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army?7And 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.8And 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.9And he spake also unto 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 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.11And 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.12And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host.13And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up,14And 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.15And 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?16And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.17And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.18Then 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.19And 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.20And 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.21Then 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.22Then 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.23And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you.24And 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.)25And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey.26And 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.27And 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.28Thus 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.29And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.30And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.31And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.32And 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 Abiezrites.33And 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 Baalberith their god.34And 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:35Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
14And 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.There he captured a young man of Succoth and interrogated him. The young man wrote down for him the names of the seventy-seven leaders and elders of Succoth.And he caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him: and he described for him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, seventy and seven men.

In context

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Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
and he capturedוַיִּלְכָּד־vai-yil-kod-H3920
to capture

לָכַד (la.khad) 1) to capture, take, seize 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to capture, seize 1a2) to capture (of men) (fig.) 1a3) to take (by lot) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be captured 1b2) to be caught (of men in trap, snare) (fig.) 1c) (Hithpael) to grasp each other

a young manנַ֛עַרNA-'arH5288
youth

נַ֫עַר (na.ar) 1) a boy, lad, servant, youth, retainer 1a) boy, lad, youth 1b) servant, retainer

one of [the] men ofמֵאַנְשֵׁ֥יme-'an-SHEIH0582
human

אֱנוֹשׁ (e.nosh) 1) man, mortal man, person, mankind 1a) of an individual 1b) men (collective) 1c) man, mankind Aramaic equivalent: e.nash (אֱנָשׁ "man" H0606)

Succothסֻכּ֖וֹתsu-KOTH5523G
Succoth

סֻכּוֹת (suk.kot) § Succoth = "booths" the site where Jacob put up booths for his cattle and built a house for himself; apparently east of the Jordan near the ford of the torrent Jabbok and later allotted to the tribe of Gad

and he enquired of himוַיִּשְׁאָלֵ֑הוּvai-yish-'a-LE-huH7592
to ask

שָׁאַל (sha.al) 1) to ask, enquire, borrow, beg 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to ask, ask for 1a2) to ask (as a favour), borrow 1a3) to enquire, enquire of 1a4) to enquire of, consult (of deity, oracle) 1a5) to seek 1b) (Niphal) to ask for oneself, ask leave of absence 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to enquire, enquire carefully 1c2) to beg, practise beggary 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to be given on request 1d2) to grant, make over to, let (one) ask (successfully) or give or lend on request (then) grant or make over to Aramaic equivalent: she.el (שְׁאֵל "to ask" H7593)

and he wrote downוַיִּכְתֹּ֨בvai-yikh-TOH3789
to write

כָּתַב (ka.tav) 1) to write, record, enrol 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to write, inscribe, engrave, write in, write on 1a2) to write down, describe in writing 1a3) to register, enrol, record 1a4) to decree 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be written 1b2) to be written down, be recorded, be enrolled 1c) (Piel) to continue writing Aramaic equivalent: ke.tav (כְּתַב "to write" H3790)

to himאֵלָ֜יו'e-LAVH0413
to(wards)

אֶל (el) 1) to, toward, unto (of motion) 2) into (limit is actually entered) 2a) in among 3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion) 4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character) 5) in addition to, to 6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of 7) according to (rule or standard) 8) at, by, against (of one's presence) 9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

[the] officials ofשָׂרֵ֤יsa-REIH8269
ruler

שַׂר (sar) 1) prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain 1a) chieftain, leader 1b) vassal, noble, official (under king) 1c) captain, general, commander (military) 1d) chief, head, overseer (of other official classes) 1e) heads, princes (of religious office) 1f) elders (of representative leaders of people) 1g) merchant-princes (of rank and dignity) 1h) patron-angel 1i) Ruler of rulers (of God) 1j) warden

Succothסֻכּוֹת֙su-kOtH5523G
Succoth

סֻכּוֹת (suk.kot) § Succoth = "booths" the site where Jacob put up booths for his cattle and built a house for himself; apparently east of the Jordan near the ford of the torrent Jabbok and later allotted to the tribe of Gad

elders itsזְקֵנֶ֔יהָze-ke-NEI-haH2205G
old: elder

זָקֵן (za.qen) : elder/leader 1) old 1a) old (of humans) 1b) elder (of those having authority)

seventyשִׁבְעִ֥יםshiv-'IMH7657
seventy

שִׁבְעִים (shiv.im) seventy

and sevenוְשִׁבְעָ֖הve-shiv-'AHH7651
seven

שֶׁ֫בַע (she.va) 1) seven (cardinal number) 1a) as ordinal number 1b) in combination-17, 700 etc Aramaic equivalent: shiv.ah (שִׁבְעָה "seven" H7655)

manאִֽישׁ׃'IshH0376G
man

אִישׁ (ish) : man 1) man 1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female) 1b) husband 1c) human being, person (in contrast to God) 1d) servant 1e) mankind 1f) champion 1g) great man 2) whosoever 3) each (adjective)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.