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.
1基甸婉言平息以法蓮人之怒以法蓮人對基甸說：“你去與米甸人爭戰的時候，沒有召我們同去，你為甚麼這樣待我們呢？”他們就與他激烈地爭辯起來。
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?
2基甸對他們說：“我所行的怎能比得上你們呢？在以法蓮拾取剩下的葡萄，不是比在亞比以謝收摘的葡萄更好嗎？
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.
3 神已經把米甸人的兩個首領：俄立和西伊伯，交在你們的手裡了；我所行的怎能與你們相比呢？”基甸說了這話，他們的怒氣就平息了。
4Gideon came to the Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men who were with him, faint, yet pursuing.
4基甸乘勝追趕米甸王基甸來到約旦河，就過了河；他和與他在一起的三百人雖然都很疲乏，仍然追趕敵人。
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.”
5基甸對疏割人說：“求你們把幾個餅給跟隨我的人吃，因為他們疲乏了，我還要繼續追趕米甸人和兩個王西巴和撒慕拿。”
6The princes of Succoth said, “Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your army?”
6疏割人的首領回答：“西巴和撒慕拿現在不是已經在你的手裡嗎？我們應該把餅送給你的軍隊吃嗎？”
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.”
7基甸說：“好吧，耶和華把西巴和撒慕拿交在我手裡的時候，我就必用野地的荊棘鞭打你們的身體。”
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.
8基甸從那裡上到毗努伊勒，也向他們說了同樣的話；毗努伊勒人回答他也像疏割人回答的一樣。
9He spoke also to the men of Penuel, saying, “When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.”
9他亦對毗努伊勒人說：“我平平安安回來的時候，我必拆毀這座望樓。”
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.
10那時，西巴和撒慕拿正在加各，與他們在一起的軍隊約有一萬五千人，就是東方人全營剩下的，因為有十二萬持刀的已經倒下了。
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.
11基甸就從挪巴和約比哈東面，順著住帳棚的人的路上去；在敵軍以為安全而不戒備的時候，擊敗了敵軍。
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.
12西巴和撒慕拿逃跑；基甸追趕他們，捉住了米甸人的兩個王西巴和撒慕拿，使全軍都驚惶。
13Gideon the son of Joash returned from the battle from the ascent of Heres.
13約阿施的兒子基甸從戰場沿著希列斯的山坡回來，
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.
14捉住了疏割人中的一個青年人，查問他；他就把疏割的首領和長老的名字寫給他，共七十七人。
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?’”
15基甸到了疏割人那裡，就說：“你看，西巴和撒慕拿，你們為了他們曾經譏笑我說：‘西巴和撒慕拿現在不是在你的手裡嗎？我們應該把餅送給你那些疲乏的人吃嗎？’”
16He took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.
16於是拿住那城的長老，又拿起野地的荊棘，用荊棘把疏割人教訓了一頓；
17He broke down the tower of Penuel, and killed the men of the city.
17又拆毀了毗努伊勒的望樓，殺死了那城裡的人。
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.”
18基甸問西巴和撒慕拿：“你們在他泊山上所殺的人，是甚麼模樣的人？”他們回答：“他們像你一樣，每一個都像王子的模樣。”
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.”
19基甸說：“他們是我的兄弟，是我母親的兒子；我指著永活的耶和華起誓，如果你們從前讓他們存活，我現在就不殺你們了。”
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.
20於是對他的長子益帖說：“起來，把他們殺了吧。”但是那孩子不敢拔刀，只是害怕，因為他還是個孩子。
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.
21西巴和撒慕拿說：“你親自起來殺我們吧；因為人怎樣，他的力量也怎樣。”於是基甸起來，把西巴和撒慕拿殺了，拿了他們駱駝頸項上的月牙圈。
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.”
22基甸推辭不統治以色列人以色列人對基甸說：“你既然拯救我們脫離了米甸人的手，求你和你的子孫統治我們。”
23Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you. Yahweh shall rule over you.”
23基甸回答他們：“我不統治你們，我的子孫也不統治你們，唯有耶和華統治你們。”
24Gideon said to them, “I would make a request of you, that you would give me every man the earrings of his spoil.” (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)
24基甸又對他們說：“我有一個要求：請把你們各人奪得的耳環給我。”原來敵人都戴金耳環，因為他們是以實瑪利人。
25They answered, “We will willingly give them.” They spread a garment, and every man threw the earrings of his spoil into it.
25他們回答：“我們願意給你。”於是鋪開一件外衣，各人把奪得的耳環丟在上面。
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.
26基甸所要的金耳環，共重約二十公斤金子，此外還有米甸王身上的月牙圈、耳墜和紫紅色的衣服，另外還有駱駝頸項上的鍊子。
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.
27基甸用這些金子做了一個以弗得，安置在他的城俄弗拉；後來以色列眾人都在那裡隨從以弗得行了邪淫，因此這就成了基甸和他全家的網羅。
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.
28基甸逝世這樣，米甸人在以色列人面前就被制伏了，不能再抬起頭來；基甸在世的日子，國中太平了四十年。
29Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and lived in his own house.
29約阿施的兒子耶路．巴力回去，住在自己家裡。
30Gideon had seventy sons conceived from his body; for he had many wives.
30基甸有七十個兒子，都是他親生的，因為他有很多妻子。
31His concubine who was in Shechem, she also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech.
31他在示劍的妾，也給他生了一個兒子，他給他起名叫亞比米勒。
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.
32約阿施的兒子基甸壽數滿足而死，埋葬在亞比以謝族的俄弗拉，在他父親約阿施的墳墓裡。
33It happened, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and played the prostitute after the Baals, and made Baal Berith their god.
33基甸死了以後，以色列人又轉去隨從眾巴力，行邪淫，並且以巴力．比利土作他們的神。
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;
34以色列人忘記了耶和華他們的 神，就是曾經拯救他們脫離四圍仇敵之手的那位；
35neither did they show kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shown to Israel.
35也沒有照著基甸向以色列人所施的一切恩惠，恩待耶路．巴力，就是基甸的家。