1. The men of Ephraim said to him, “Why have you done this to us, not calling us when you went to fight against the Midianites? ” And they argued with him violently.
2. So he said to them, “What have I done now compared to you? Is not the gleaning of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?
3. God handed over to you Oreb and Zeeb, the two princes of Midian. What was I able to do compared to you? ” When he said this, their anger against him subsided.
4. Gideon and the 300 men came to the Jordan and crossed it. They were exhausted but still in pursuit.
5. He said to the men of Succoth, “Please give some loaves of bread to the people who are following me, because they are exhausted, for I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”
6. But the princes of Succoth asked, “Are Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hands that we should give bread to your army? ”
7. Gideon replied, “Very well, when the Lord has handed Zebah and Zalmunna over to me, I will trample your flesh on thorns and briers from the wilderness! ”
8. He went from there to Penuel and asked the same thing from them. The men of Penuel answered just as the men of Succoth had answered.
9. He also told the men of Penuel, “When I return in peace, I will tear down this tower! ”
10. Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and with them was their army of about 15,000 men, who were all those left of the entire army of the Qedemites. Those who had been killed were 120,000 warriors.
11. Gideon traveled on the caravan route east of Nobah and Jogbehah and attacked their army while the army was unsuspecting.
12. Zebah and Zalmunna fled, and he pursued them. He captured these two kings of Midian and routed the entire army.