Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



Then the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, gathered together and went up, they with all their armies, and they camped by Gibeon and fought against it.

Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with their armies, about fifteen thousand [fighting] men, all who were left of the entire army of the sons of the east; for a hundred and twenty thousand swordsmen had fallen.


Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the east came together and, crossing the Jordan, encamped in the Valley of Jezreel. But the Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon with Himself and took possession of him, and he blew a trumpet, and [the clan of] Abiezer was gathered to him. And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, and the Manassites were called to follow him; and he sent messengers to Asher, to Zebulun, and to Naphtali, and they came up to meet them.

And Gideon came to the Jordan and passed over, he and the 300 men with him, faint yet pursuing. And he said to the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread to the people who follow me, for they are faint, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian. And the princes of Succoth said, Are Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hand, that we should give bread to your army? read more.
And Gideon said, For that, when the Lord has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will thresh your flesh with the thorns and briers of the wilderness! And he went from there up to Penuel and made the same request, and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had done. And [Gideon] said to the men of Penuel, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower. Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with their army -- "about 15,000 men, all who were left of all the army of the sons of the east, for there had fallen 120,000 men who drew the sword. And Gideon went up by the route of those who dwelt in tents east of Nobah and Jogbehah and smote their camp [unexpectedly], for the army thought itself secure. And Zebah and Zalmunna fled, and he pursued them and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and terrified all the army.


Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with their army -- "about 15,000 men, all who were left of all the army of the sons of the east, for there had fallen 120,000 men who drew the sword. And Gideon went up by the route of those who dwelt in tents east of Nobah and Jogbehah and smote their camp [unexpectedly], for the army thought itself secure. And Zebah and Zalmunna fled, and he pursued them and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and terrified all the army. read more.
Then Gideon son of Joash returned from the battle by the ascent of Heres. And he caught a young man of Succoth and inquired of him, and [the youth] wrote down for him [the names of] the officials of Succoth and its elders, seventy-seven men. And he came to the men of Succoth and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you scoffed at me, saying, Are Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are faint? And he took the elders of the city and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth [a lesson]. And he broke down the tower of Penuel and slew the men of the city. Then [Gideon] said to Zebah and Zalmunna, What kind of men were they whom you slew at Tabor? And they replied, They were like you, each of them resembled the son of a king. And he said, They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the Lord lives, if you had saved them alive, I would not slay you. And [Gideon] said to Jether his firstborn [to embarrass them], Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword, for he feared because he was yet a lad. Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise yourself and fall on us; for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose and slew Zebah and Zalmunna and took the [crescent-shaped] ornaments that were on their camels' necks. Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, Rule over us -- "you and your son and your son's son also -- "for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian. And Gideon said to them, I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you; the Lord will rule over you. And Gideon said to them, Let me make a request of you -- "every man of you give me the earrings of his spoil. For [the Midianites] had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites [general term for all descendants of Keturah].


And the men of Ephraim said to Gideon, Why have you treated us like this, not calling us when you went to fight with Midian? And they quarreled with him furiously. And he said to them, What have I done now in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of [your big tribe of] Ephraim better than the vintage of [my little clan of] Abiezer? God has given into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb, and what was I able to do in comparison with you? Then their anger toward him was abated when he had said that. read more.
And Gideon came to the Jordan and passed over, he and the 300 men with him, faint yet pursuing. And he said to the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread to the people who follow me, for they are faint, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian. And the princes of Succoth said, Are Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hand, that we should give bread to your army? And Gideon said, For that, when the Lord has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will thresh your flesh with the thorns and briers of the wilderness! And he went from there up to Penuel and made the same request, and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had done. And [Gideon] said to the men of Penuel, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower. Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with their army -- "about 15,000 men, all who were left of all the army of the sons of the east, for there had fallen 120,000 men who drew the sword. And Gideon went up by the route of those who dwelt in tents east of Nobah and Jogbehah and smote their camp [unexpectedly], for the army thought itself secure. And Zebah and Zalmunna fled, and he pursued them and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and terrified all the army. Then Gideon son of Joash returned from the battle by the ascent of Heres. And he caught a young man of Succoth and inquired of him, and [the youth] wrote down for him [the names of] the officials of Succoth and its elders, seventy-seven men. And he came to the men of Succoth and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you scoffed at me, saying, Are Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are faint? And he took the elders of the city and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth [a lesson]. And he broke down the tower of Penuel and slew the men of the city. Then [Gideon] said to Zebah and Zalmunna, What kind of men were they whom you slew at Tabor? And they replied, They were like you, each of them resembled the son of a king. And he said, They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the Lord lives, if you had saved them alive, I would not slay you. And [Gideon] said to Jether his firstborn [to embarrass them], Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword, for he feared because he was yet a lad. Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise yourself and fall on us; for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose and slew Zebah and Zalmunna and took the [crescent-shaped] ornaments that were on their camels' necks. Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, Rule over us -- "you and your son and your son's son also -- "for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian. And Gideon said to them, I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you; the Lord will rule over you. And Gideon said to them, Let me make a request of you -- "every man of you give me the earrings of his spoil. For [the Midianites] had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites [general term for all descendants of Keturah]. And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and every man cast on it the earrings of his spoil. And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was 1,700 shekels of gold, besides the crescents and pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian, and the chains that were about their camels' necks. And Gideon made an ephod [a sacred, high priest's garment] of it, and put it in his city of Ophrah, and all Israel paid homage to it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and to his family. Thus was Midian subdued before the Israelites so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the land had peace and rest for forty years in the days of Gideon.


Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with their armies, about fifteen thousand [fighting] men, all who were left of the entire army of the sons of the east; for a hundred and twenty thousand swordsmen had fallen.


And he divided the 300 men into three companies, and he put into the hands of all of them trumpets and empty pitchers, with torches inside the pitchers. And he said to them, Look at me, then do likewise. When I come to the edge of their camp, do as I do. When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then you blow the trumpets also on every side of all the camp and shout, For the Lord and for Gideon! read more.
So Gideon and the 100 men who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, when the guards had just been changed, and they blew the trumpets and smashed the pitchers that were in their hands. And the three companies blew the trumpets and shattered the pitchers, holding the torches in their left hands, and in their right hands the trumpets to blow [leaving no chance to use swords], and they cried, The sword for the Lord and Gideon! They stood every man in his place round about the camp, and all the [Midianite] army ran -- "they cried out and fled. When [Gideon's men] blew the 300 trumpets, the Lord set every [Midianite's] sword against his comrade and against all the army, and the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel-meholah by Tabbath.

Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with their army -- "about 15,000 men, all who were left of all the army of the sons of the east, for there had fallen 120,000 men who drew the sword. And Gideon went up by the route of those who dwelt in tents east of Nobah and Jogbehah and smote their camp [unexpectedly], for the army thought itself secure.


And Gideon came to the Jordan and passed over, he and the 300 men with him, faint yet pursuing. And he said to the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread to the people who follow me, for they are faint, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian. And the princes of Succoth said, Are Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hand, that we should give bread to your army? read more.
And Gideon said, For that, when the Lord has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will thresh your flesh with the thorns and briers of the wilderness! And he went from there up to Penuel and made the same request, and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had done. And [Gideon] said to the men of Penuel, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower. Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with their army -- "about 15,000 men, all who were left of all the army of the sons of the east, for there had fallen 120,000 men who drew the sword. And Gideon went up by the route of those who dwelt in tents east of Nobah and Jogbehah and smote their camp [unexpectedly], for the army thought itself secure. And Zebah and Zalmunna fled, and he pursued them and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and terrified all the army. Then Gideon son of Joash returned from the battle by the ascent of Heres. And he caught a young man of Succoth and inquired of him, and [the youth] wrote down for him [the names of] the officials of Succoth and its elders, seventy-seven men. And he came to the men of Succoth and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you scoffed at me, saying, Are Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are faint? And he took the elders of the city and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth [a lesson]. And he broke down the tower of Penuel and slew the men of the city.



Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb
And all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,

And he said to the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread to the people who follow me, for they are faint, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian. And the princes of Succoth said, Are Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hand, that we should give bread to your army? And Gideon said, For that, when the Lord has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will thresh your flesh with the thorns and briers of the wilderness! read more.
And he went from there up to Penuel and made the same request, and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had done. And [Gideon] said to the men of Penuel, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower. Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with their army -- "about 15,000 men, all who were left of all the army of the sons of the east, for there had fallen 120,000 men who drew the sword. And Gideon went up by the route of those who dwelt in tents east of Nobah and Jogbehah and smote their camp [unexpectedly], for the army thought itself secure. And Zebah and Zalmunna fled, and he pursued them and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and terrified all the army. Then Gideon son of Joash returned from the battle by the ascent of Heres. And he caught a young man of Succoth and inquired of him, and [the youth] wrote down for him [the names of] the officials of Succoth and its elders, seventy-seven men. And he came to the men of Succoth and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you scoffed at me, saying, Are Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are faint? And he took the elders of the city and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth [a lesson]. And he broke down the tower of Penuel and slew the men of the city. Then [Gideon] said to Zebah and Zalmunna, What kind of men were they whom you slew at Tabor? And they replied, They were like you, each of them resembled the son of a king. And he said, They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the Lord lives, if you had saved them alive, I would not slay you. And [Gideon] said to Jether his firstborn [to embarrass them], Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword, for he feared because he was yet a lad. Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise yourself and fall on us; for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose and slew Zebah and Zalmunna and took the [crescent-shaped] ornaments that were on their camels' necks.



Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb
And all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,

And he said to the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread to the people who follow me, for they are faint, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian. And the princes of Succoth said, Are Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hand, that we should give bread to your army? And Gideon said, For that, when the Lord has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will thresh your flesh with the thorns and briers of the wilderness! read more.
And he went from there up to Penuel and made the same request, and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had done. And [Gideon] said to the men of Penuel, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower. Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with their army -- "about 15,000 men, all who were left of all the army of the sons of the east, for there had fallen 120,000 men who drew the sword. And Gideon went up by the route of those who dwelt in tents east of Nobah and Jogbehah and smote their camp [unexpectedly], for the army thought itself secure. And Zebah and Zalmunna fled, and he pursued them and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and terrified all the army. Then Gideon son of Joash returned from the battle by the ascent of Heres. And he caught a young man of Succoth and inquired of him, and [the youth] wrote down for him [the names of] the officials of Succoth and its elders, seventy-seven men. And he came to the men of Succoth and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you scoffed at me, saying, Are Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are faint? And he took the elders of the city and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth [a lesson]. And he broke down the tower of Penuel and slew the men of the city. Then [Gideon] said to Zebah and Zalmunna, What kind of men were they whom you slew at Tabor? And they replied, They were like you, each of them resembled the son of a king. And he said, They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the Lord lives, if you had saved them alive, I would not slay you. And [Gideon] said to Jether his firstborn [to embarrass them], Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword, for he feared because he was yet a lad. Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise yourself and fall on us; for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose and slew Zebah and Zalmunna and took the [crescent-shaped] ornaments that were on their camels' necks.