Gideon tries to calm the Ephraimites by reasoning with them and using a proverb that might convince them of his viewpoint.
And he said to them: Gideon responds to the Ephraimites’ question with two rhetorical questions of his own to appease their anger. The verb said may be rendered “answered” (Contemporary English Version, New International Version) or “replied” (Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible).
What have I done now in comparison with you?: As with the Ephraimites’ questions, Gideon’s first question is more general than the second one. This first one is literally “What have I done now like you?” Here Gideon tries to assure the Ephraimites that they have played an important role, doing more than he has in the war. The pronoun I refers to Gideon as leader, and by extension to him and his troops. The verb done may be rendered “accomplished” (New International Version, Revised English Bible) or “achieved” (New Jerusalem Bible). The pronoun you refers to the Ephraimites as a group, so in some languages it may be helpful to say “you Ephraimites” or “you people of Ephraim.” For this whole question New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “After all, what have I accomplished compared to you?” Some languages may say “Comparing you and me, what did I do?” Instead of using a question, translators can use a strong statement. For example, Contemporary English Version says “Even though you came later, you were able to do much more than I did.” Other possible models are “Nothing I have done surpasses what you have done” and “What you did was far more significant than what I did!”
Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abi-ezer?: Gideon’s second rhetorical question resembles a proverb. Using figurative language, Gideon compares his and the Ephraimites’ role in the war. The gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim is imagery for the capturing and killing of the two Midianite commanders by the Ephraimites (verse 7.25), while the vintage of Abi-ezer is imagery for Gideon’s defeat of the Midianites (verse 7.22), since he came from the clan of Abiezer (verse 6.11).
Gleaning refers to a common practice in Israel, in which poor people were allowed to go through the fields after the harvest and pick up what was left behind. Here Gideon refers to the harvest of grapes, small sweet fruits that are squeezed to make wine and dried to make raisins. The vintage refers to the grape harvest in general. Translators can try to preserve this figurative speech, for example, “Aren’t the grapes you picked up after the harvest better than the whole crop I harvested?” In some languages it will be better to render the question as a strong statement, for example, “What you Ephraimites picked up after the harvest is better than the crop I was able to harvest!” Is … better than may be rendered “surpasses,” “is more significant than,” or “is worth more than.” This statement expresses some humor since gleaning represents far fewer grapes than an entire harvest. Here Gideon is clearly trying to flatter the Ephraimites. Some versions choose to remove the imagery. For example, Good News Translation says “Even the little that you people of Ephraim did is worth more than what my whole clan has done.” While Good News Translation‘s rendering is acceptable, we do not recommend it since Gideon explains his images in what follows. It is better to try to render the text as it stands.
Translation models for this verse are:
• But Gideon replied, “Come on, what have I done compared to you? The fruits you Ephraimites picked up after the harvest are more important than my crop!
• And he said to the Ephraimites, “But what I have done is nothing compared to what you did! The little fruit you were able to glean is worth much more than my whole harvest.
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 .