Tuomarit

Gideon's Revenge and Victory over Midian

Gideon pursues the two Midianite kings Zebah and Zalmunna, punishes the cities of Sukkot and Penuel for their resistance, and kills the kings after confirming that they killed his brothers. He ends the war by taking plunder and making an ephod that becomes a snare to Israel.

Tuomarien kirja 8,1-27

1The men of Ephraim said to Gideon, "Why have you treated us like this? Why didn't you call us when you went to fight against Midian?" And they quarreled with him bitterly.
וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ אֵלָ֜יו אִ֣ישׁ אֶפְרַ֗יִם מָֽה־הַדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ עָשִׂ֣יתָ לָּ֔נוּ לְבִלְתִּי֙ קְרֹ֣אות לָ֔נוּ כִּ֥י הָלַ֖כְתָּ לְהִלָּחֵ֣ם בְּמִדְיָ֑ן וַיְרִיב֥וּן אִתּ֖וֹ בְּחָזְקָֽה׃ ‬
2But he answered them, "What have I accomplished compared to you? Aren't Ephraim's gleanings better than Abiezer's whole harvest?
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם מֶה־עָשִׂ֥יתִי עַתָּ֖ה כָּכֶ֑ם הֲל֗וֹא ט֛וֹב עֹלְל֥וֹת אֶפְרַ֖יִם מִבְצִ֥יר אֲבִיעֶֽזֶר׃ ‬
3God gave the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb, into your hands. What was I able to do compared to you?" When he said this, their anger against him subsided.
בְּיֶדְכֶם֩ נָתַ֨ן אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֶת־שָׂרֵ֤י מִדְיָן֙ אֶת־עֹרֵ֣ב וְאֶת־זְאֵ֔ב וּמַה־יָּכֹ֖לְתִּי עֲשׂ֣וֹת כָּכֶ֑ם אָ֗ז רָפְתָ֤ה רוּחָם֙ מֵֽעָלָ֔יו בְּדַבְּר֖וֹ הַדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה׃ ‬
4Gideon came to the Jordan and crossed over, he and the three hundred men with him, exhausted yet still in pursuit.
וַיָּבֹ֥א גִדְע֖וֹן הַיַּרְדֵּ֑נָה עֹבֵ֣ר ה֗וּא וּשְׁלֹשׁ־מֵא֤וֹת הָאִישׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתּ֔וֹ עֲיֵפִ֖ים וְרֹדְפִֽים׃ ‬
5He said to the men of Succoth, "Please give some loaves of bread to the men who are following me, for they are exhausted, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian."
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לְאַנְשֵׁ֣י סֻכּ֔וֹת תְּנוּ־נָא֙ כִּכְּר֣וֹת לֶ֔חֶם לָעָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּרַגְלָ֑י כִּי־עֲיֵפִ֣ים הֵ֔ם וְאָנֹכִ֗י רֹדֵ֛ף אַחֲרֵ֛י זֶ֥בַח וְצַלְמֻנָּ֖ע מַלְכֵ֥י מִדְיָֽן׃ ‬
6But the officials of Succoth said, "Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your grasp, that we should give bread to your army?"
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ שָׂרֵ֣י סֻכּ֔וֹת הֲ֠כַף זֶ֧בַח וְצַלְמֻנָּ֛ע עַתָּ֖ה בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ כִּֽי־נִתֵּ֥ן לִֽצְבָאֲךָ֖ לָֽחֶם׃ ‬
7Gideon replied, "Very well. When the LORD has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will thresh your flesh with desert thorns and briers."
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר גִּדְע֔וֹן לָכֵ֗ן בְּתֵ֧ת יְהוָ֛ה אֶת־זֶ֥בַח וְאֶת־צַלְמֻנָּ֖ע בְּיָדִ֑י וְדַשְׁתִּי֙ אֶת־בְּשַׂרְכֶ֔ם אֶת־קוֹצֵ֥י הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר וְאֶת־הַֽבַּרְקֳנִֽים׃ ‬
8From there he went up to Penuel and made the same request of them, and the men of Penuel answered him just as the men of Succoth had.
וַיַּ֤עַל מִשָּׁם֙ פְּנוּאֵ֔ל וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם כָּזֹ֑את וַיַּעֲנ֤וּ אוֹתוֹ֙ אַנְשֵׁ֣י פְנוּאֵ֔ל כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר עָנ֖וּ אַנְשֵׁ֥י סֻכּֽוֹת׃ ‬
9So he said to the men of Penuel as well, "When I return in peace, I will tear down this tower."
וַיֹּ֛אמֶר גַּם־לְאַנְשֵׁ֥י פְנוּאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר בְּשׁוּבִ֣י בְשָׁל֔וֹם אֶתֹּ֖ץ אֶת־הַמִּגְדָּ֥ל הַזֶּֽה׃ פ ‬
10Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with their armies, about fifteen thousand men, all who were left of the entire army of the people of the East; a hundred and twenty thousand swordsmen had already fallen.
וְזֶ֨בַח וְצַלְמֻנָּ֜ע בַּקַּרְקֹ֗ר וּמַחֲנֵיהֶ֤ם עִמָּם֙ כַּחֲמֵ֤שֶׁת עָשָׂר֙ אֶ֔לֶף כֹּ֚ל הַנּ֣וֹתָרִ֔ים מִכֹּ֖ל מַחֲנֵ֣ה בְנֵי־קֶ֑דֶם וְהַנֹּ֣פְלִ֔ים מֵאָ֨ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים אֶ֛לֶף אִ֖ישׁ שֹׁ֥לֵֽף חָֽרֶב׃ ‬
11Gideon went up by the route of the tent dwellers east of Nobah and Jogbehah and attacked the army, catching it off guard.
וַיַּ֣עַל גִּדְע֗וֹן דֶּ֚רֶךְ הַשְּׁכוּנֵ֣י בֽ͏ָאֳהָלִ֔ים מִקֶּ֥דֶם לְנֹ֖בַח וְיָגְבֳּהָ֑ה וַיַּךְ֙ אֶת־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וְהַֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה הָ֥יָה בֶֽטַח׃ ‬
12Zebah and Zalmunna fled, but he pursued them and captured the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, throwing their whole army into panic.
וַיָּנ֗וּסוּ זֶ֚בַח וְצַלְמֻנָּ֔ע וַיִּרְדֹּ֖ף אַחֲרֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּלְכֹּ֞ד אֶת־שְׁנֵ֣י ׀ מַלְכֵ֣י מִדְיָ֗ן אֶת־זֶ֙בַח֙ וְאֶת־צַלְמֻנָּ֔ע וְכָל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה הֶחֱרִֽיד׃ ‬
13Then Gideon son of Joash returned from the battle by the Pass of Heres.
וַיָּ֛שָׁב גִּדְע֥וֹן בֶּן־יוֹאָ֖שׁ מִן־הַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה מִֽלְמַעֲלֵ֖ה הֶחָֽרֶס׃ ‬
14He caught a young man from Succoth and questioned him, and the young man wrote down for him the names of the seventy-seven officials and elders of Succoth.
וַיִּלְכָּד־נַ֛עַר מֵאַנְשֵׁ֥י סֻכּ֖וֹת וַיִּשְׁאָלֵ֑הוּ וַיִּכְתֹּ֨ב אֵלָ֜יו אֶת־שָׂרֵ֤י סֻכּוֹת֙ וְאֶת־זְקֵנֶ֔יהָ שִׁבְעִ֥ים וְשִׁבְעָ֖ה אִֽישׁ׃ ‬
15Then Gideon came to the men of Succoth and said, "Here are Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you taunted me, saying, 'Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your grasp, that we should give bread to your exhausted men?'"
וַיָּבֹא֙ אֶל־אַנְשֵׁ֣י סֻכּ֔וֹת וַיֹּ֕אמֶר הִנֵּ֖ה זֶ֣בַח וְצַלְמֻנָּ֑ע אֲשֶׁר֩ חֵרַפְתֶּ֨ם אוֹתִ֜י לֵאמֹ֗ר הֲ֠כַף זֶ֣בַח וְצַלְמֻנָּ֤ע עַתָּה֙ בְּיָדֶ֔ךָ כִּ֥י נִתֵּ֛ן לַאֲנָשֶׁ֥יךָ הַיְּעֵפִ֖ים לָֽחֶם׃ ‬
16So he took the elders of the city, and with desert thorns and briers he punished the men of Succoth.
וַיִּקַּח֙ אֶת־זִקְנֵ֣י הָעִ֔יר וְאֶת־קוֹצֵ֥י הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר וְאֶת־הַֽבַּרְקֳנִ֑ים וַיֹּ֣דַע בָּהֶ֔ם אֵ֖ת אַנְשֵׁ֥י סֻכּֽוֹת׃ ‬
17He also tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.
וְאֶת־מִגְדַּ֥ל פְּנוּאֵ֖ל נָתָ֑ץ וַֽיַּהֲרֹ֖ג אֶת־אַנְשֵׁ֥י הָעִֽיר׃ ‬
18Then he asked Zebah and Zalmunna, "What sort of men did you kill at Tabor?" "Men like you," they answered, "each one with the bearing of a king's son."
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אֶל־זֶ֙בַח֙ וְאֶל־צַלְמֻנָּ֔ע אֵיפֹה֙ הָאֲנָשִׁ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֲרַגְתֶּ֖ם בְּתָב֑וֹר וַֽיֹּאמרוּ֙ כָּמ֣וֹךָ כְמוֹהֶ֔ם אֶחָ֕ד כְּתֹ֖אַר בְּנֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ ‬
19He said, "They were my brothers, the sons of my own mother. As surely as the LORD lives, if you had spared them, I would not kill you."
וַיֹּאמַ֕ר אַחַ֥י בְּנֵֽי־אִמִּ֖י הֵ֑ם חַי־יְהוָ֗ה ל֚וּ הַחֲיִתֶ֣ם אוֹתָ֔ם לֹ֥א הָרַ֖גְתִּי אֶתְכֶֽם׃ ‬
20Turning to Jether, his firstborn, he said, "Get up and kill them!" But the boy did not draw his sword; he was afraid, because he was still only a boy.
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לְיֶ֣תֶר בְּכוֹר֔וֹ ק֖וּם הֲרֹ֣ג אוֹתָ֑ם וְלֹא־שָׁלַ֨ף הַנַּ֤עַר חַרְבּוֹ֙ כִּ֣י יָרֵ֔א כִּ֥י עוֹדֶ֖נּוּ נָֽעַר׃ ‬
21Zebah and Zalmunna said, "Get up and strike us down yourself. As the man is, so is his strength." So Gideon stood up and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and he took the crescent ornaments from their camels' necks.
וַיֹּ֜אמֶר זֶ֣בַח וְצַלְמֻנָּ֗ע ק֤וּם אַתָּה֙ וּפְגַע־בָּ֔נוּ כִּ֥י כָאִ֖ישׁ גְּבוּרָת֑וֹ וַיָּ֣קָם גִּדְע֗וֹן וַֽיַּהֲרֹג֙ אֶת־זֶ֣בַח וְאֶת־צַלְמֻנָּ֔ע וַיִּקַּח֙ אֶת־הַשַּׂ֣הֲרֹנִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּצַוְּארֵ֥י גְמַלֵּיהֶֽם׃ ‬
22The Israelites said to Gideon, "Rule over us—you, your son, and your grandson—for you have saved us from the hand of Midian."
וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ אִֽישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶל־גִּדְע֔וֹן מְשָׁל־בָּ֙נוּ֙ גַּם־אַתָּ֔ה גַּם־בִּנְךָ֖ גַּ֣ם בֶּן־בְּנֶ֑ךָ כִּ֥י הוֹשַׁעְתָּ֖נוּ מִיַּ֥ד מִדְיָֽן׃ ‬
23But Gideon answered them, "I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you. The LORD will rule over you."
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ גִּדְע֔וֹן לֹֽא־אֶמְשֹׁ֤ל אֲנִי֙ בָּכֶ֔ם וְלֹֽא־יִמְשֹׁ֥ל בְּנִ֖י בָּכֶ֑ם יְהוָ֖ה יִמְשֹׁ֥ל בָּכֶֽם׃ ‬
24Then Gideon said, "I do have one request: that each of you give me an earring from your share of the plunder." (It was the custom of the Ishmaelites to wear gold earrings.)
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֜ם גִּדְע֗וֹן אֶשְׁאֲלָ֤ה מִכֶּם֙ שְׁאֵלָ֔ה וּתְנוּ־לִ֕י אִ֖ישׁ נֶ֣זֶם שְׁלָל֑וֹ כִּֽי־נִזְמֵ֤י זָהָב֙ לָהֶ֔ם כִּ֥י יִשְׁמְעֵאלִ֖ים הֵֽם׃ ‬
25"We will gladly give them," they answered. So they spread out a garment, and each man threw an earring from his plunder onto it.
וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ נָת֣וֹן נִתֵּ֑ן וַֽיִּפְרְשׂוּ֙ אֶת־הַשִּׂמְלָ֔ה וַיַּשְׁלִ֣יכוּ שָׁ֔מָּה אִ֖ישׁ נֶ֥זֶם שְׁלָלֽוֹ׃ ‬
26The weight of the gold earrings he had asked for came to seventeen hundred shekels, not counting the crescent ornaments, the pendants, and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian, or the chains that were on their camels' necks.
וַיְהִ֗י מִשְׁקַ֞ל נִזְמֵ֤י הַזָּהָב֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָׁאָ֔ל אֶ֥לֶף וּשְׁבַע־מֵא֖וֹת זָהָ֑ב לְ֠בַד מִן־הַשַּׂהֲרֹנִ֨ים וְהַנְּטִפ֜וֹת וּבִגְדֵ֣י הָאַרְגָּמָ֗ן שֶׁעַל֙ מַלְכֵ֣י מִדְיָ֔ן וּלְבַד֙ מִן־הָ֣עֲנָק֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּצַוְּארֵ֥י גְמַלֵּיהֶֽם׃ ‬
27Gideon made the gold into an ephod, which he set up in his town, in Ophrah. And all Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his household.
וַיַּעַשׂ֩ אוֹת֨וֹ גִדְע֜וֹן לְאֵפ֗וֹד וַיַּצֵּ֨ג אוֹת֤וֹ בְעִירוֹ֙ בְּעָפְרָ֔ה וַיִּזְנ֧וּ כָֽל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אַחֲרָ֖יו שָׁ֑ם וַיְהִ֛י לְגִדְע֥וֹן וּלְבֵית֖וֹ לְמוֹקֵֽשׁ׃ ‬