This verse closes this short episode. Gideon and his forces are portrayed as courageous and unrelenting, while the Midianites are portrayed as cowards (compare verse 1.6). The actions are short and quick, while the names of the kings are repeated twice here. Translators can try to catch some of this style, as well as the mocking tone.

And Zebah and Zalmunna fled: Repetition of the names of the two kings, Zebah and Zalmunna, serves as an inclusio for 8.10-12. In many languages such repetition conveys a mocking tone, showing the villains of the story have been defeated. Fled renders the same Hebrew word (nus) that is used throughout this book to describe Israel’s enemies (verse 1.6; verse 4.15, 17; verse 7.21-22; verse 9.40, 51). The narrator is skillful, since describing the fear of the enemy emphasizes how strong and courageous the Israelites were.

And he pursued them: The pronoun he refers to Gideon, but obviously he does not act alone here. Pursued renders the same Hebrew verb as in verse 8.4-5. The pronoun them refers to the two Midianite kings.

And took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna: Took renders the same Hebrew verb as in verse 7.25 (see comments there). This verb may be rendered “took captive” or “captured” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version).

And he threw all the army into a panic: And renders the Hebrew waw conjunction, but another possible connector is “Meanwhile.” The pronoun he refers again to Gideon. Threw … into a panic renders a single Hebrew verb meaning “make afraid” or “terrify.” Several versions underline the notion of panic: “caused … to panic” (Good News Translation) and “routed in panic” (New Jerusalem Bible). Most languages will have an idiomatic way to express this panic. The Septuagint reads “annihilated,” but Hebrew Old Testament Text Project gives an {A} rating to the reading in the Masoretic Text, followed by Revised Standard Version. All the army is literally “all the camp.” In most languages it will be easier to say “all the Midianite soldiers.” Another possibility is “the rest of the enemy army,” since the two Midianite kings were also part of this army. In Hebrew this phrase occurs at the beginning of the clause, and thus we may begin with “and as for the whole army….” Though the text says it was Gideon who terrified the Midianite army, there were certainly several factors that led to their panic: the surprise attack and the flight and capture of their kings. Thus some languages may prefer to say “Because of Gideon’s attack, all the Midianite soldiers panicked.”

Contemporary English Version changes the order of the events in this verse, saying “and the enemy panicked. Zebah and Zalmunna tried to escape, but Gideon chased and captured them.” This is natural English, but it seems quite far from the text. Better translation models for this verse are:

• And the two Midianite kings, Zebah and Zalmunna, ran away! But Gideon and his men pursued them and captured them. Meanwhile, the rest of the enemy army panicked.

• Zebah and Zalmunna tried to get away, but Gideon chased them and captured those two Midianite kings. Gideon’s surprise attack threw all the remaining soldiers into a complete panic.

Quoted with permission from Zogbo, Lynell and Ogden, Graham S. A Handbook on Judges. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .