^7:24Now Gideon sent messengers throughout the Ephraimite hill country who announced, “Go down and head off the Midianites.⁵⁶ Take control of the fords of the streams⁵⁷ all the way to Beth Barah and the Jordan River.”⁵⁸ When all the Ephraimites had assembled,⁵⁹ they took control of the fords⁶⁰ all the way to Beth Barah and the Jordan River. ^7:25They captured the two Midianite generals, Oreb and Zeeb.⁶¹ They executed Oreb on the rock of Oreb and Zeeb⁶² in the winepress of Zeeb. They chased the Midianites⁶³ and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, who was now on the other side of the Jordan River.⁶⁴

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Footnotes

56 Heb “to meet Midian.”
57 Heb “capture before them the waters.”
58 The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarification (also later in this verse).
59 Heb “And all the men of Ephraim were summoned.”
60 Heb “they captured the waters.”
61 The names Oreb and Zeeb, which mean “Raven” and “Wolf” respectively, are appropriate because the Midianites had been like scavengers and predators to Israel.
62 The Hebrew text repeats the verb “executed.” This has not been repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons.
63 Heb “Midian.”
64 Heb “beyond the Jordan.” The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text but has been supplied in the translation for clarity (also in 8:4).

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against the Midianites and capture the waters against them, as far as Beth-barah, and also the Jordan.” So all the men of Ephraim were called out, and they captured the waters as far as Beth-barah, and also the Jordan. And they captured the two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb they killed at the winepress of Zeeb. Then they pursued Midian, and they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon across the Jordan.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against the Midianites and seize the waters of the Jordan ahead of them as far as Beth Barah.”

So all the men of Ephraim were called out and they seized the waters of the Jordan as far as Beth Barah. They also captured two of the Midianite leaders, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. They pursued the Midianites and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, who was by the Jordan.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim with this message: “Come down to intercept the Midianites and take control of the watercourses ahead of them as far as Beth-barah and the Jordan.” So all the men of Ephraim were called out, and they took control of the watercourses as far as Beth-barah and the Jordan. They captured Oreb and Zeeb, the two princes of Midian; they killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb, while they were pursuing the Midianites. They brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon across the Jordan.

NLTNew Living Translation

Gideon also sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down to attack the Midianites. Cut them off at the shallow crossings of the Jordan River at Beth-barah.”

So all the men of Ephraim did as they were told. They captured Oreb and Zeeb, the two Midianite commanders, killing Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. And they continued to chase the Midianites. Afterward the Israelites brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, who was by the Jordan River.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down to oppose Midian, and capture from them the waters up to Beth Barah and the Jordan.” He called out all the men of Ephraim, and they captured the waters up to Beth Barah and the Jordan. And they captured the two commanders of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb, and they killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and they killed Zeeb at the wine press of Zeeb, while they chased Midian; and they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon from beyond the Jordan.

KJV 1900King James Version

And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Beth-barah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Beth-barah and Jordan. And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.

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