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DEborah being dead, Zaeba and Zalmuna (Kings of the Me∣dianites) cruelly inuaded the Land of Iudaea; but the Lord taking compassion vpon his People, sent them a helper, one GIDEON the sonne of Ioas, of the family of Abiezer, who was borne at Ophra or Ephron, a Citie in the Tribe of Manasses, not far from Mahanaim on the East side of Iordan, some foure and forty miles from Ierusalem towards the North-East; and signifieth, a Rooter out; from GADA, That is,
Hee hath rooted out. This man at the appointment of the Lord, tooke vpon him the charge of the people, and at Ophra, which signifies, Dust, he destroied the Idol Baal, pitching vp in that place an Alter to the Lord: wherefore he was after called Ieru-Baal, ta∣king that name from Reuenge, because he had destroied the Idol. He began to rule in Israel in the yeare of the World, 2672, and before Christ 1296.
From Ophra Gideon went to Harad, which standeth in the halfe Tribe of Manasseth, where he blew the Trumpet. From this place he sent back 22000 of his army, because the Lord had so appoin∣ted. But the Midianites hearing of this preparation, prouided a great host, and pitched in the valley of the hill Moreh: so Gideon taking onely 300 with him, went ouer Iordan, and came to the towne of Iesrael, (for Iosephus saith) 16 miles from Harod, where he gaue the Midianites a wonderfull ouerthrow, Iudg. 7. hee also tooke there two princes, Oreb and Zeb, and returned to the riuer Iordan, where he put them to death.
From thence he went to Succoth with his army in expectation to haue refreshed themselues, but the inhabitants shut him out of the towne, and gaue him many despightfull words. This towne lay close by Iordan, and here Iacob sometime pitched his Tent.
From thence he went to Penuel, which is two miles; there also they vsed him vnkindly and gaue him bad language.
From thence he went to Nobach with his army, which is two miles.
From thence he went to Iagbetha, which is 4 miles, where he conquered Zaeba and Zalmuna, Kings of the Midianites, who thin∣king themselues secure, made no preparation for warre, till they were besieged. This was a memorable battell, and here the two Kings were put to death.
From thence he followed the enemy with a great slaughter to Carkor which is foure miles.
From thence he went backe to Succoth, which is 8 miles: here he put the inhabitants of this Towne to the sword, and all the El∣ders and Princes he tore to pieces with thornes, because they had formerly denied him entrance into the citie.
From thence hee went to the Castle of Penuel, which is two miles, and vtterly destroied it, euen to the ground, and put all the inhabitants to death because of their mocks.
From thence he went to Ophra, foure miles, where gathering together all the gold which hee had taken from the Midianites, he made a rich Ephod, Iudg. 8.
From Ophra hee went to Sichem, where his sonne Abimalech was borne, which is 10 miles.
From thence he returned backe to Ophra, which is ten miles, and there he died, after he had judged Israel 10 yeares.
So all the trauels of Gedion were 82 miles.