Rather than a simple Zebah and Zalmunnah fled, and he pursued and captured them,
the names of the kings are mentioned twice in this verse and their title (kings of Midian
) is also cited again. The preference given to the more complex and longer wording over a short and good wording…is designed to emphasise Gideon’s personal achievement in capturing the kings. Again, in this verse all the actions relate to Gideon, and the role of the soldiers in the success of the campaign is clearly ignored.
1
12 And Zebah and Zalmunna fled, and he pursued them and captured the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and he threw all the army into a panic.