Judges 8:24
New International Version
And he said, “I do have one request, that each of you give me an earring from your share of the plunder.” (It was the custom of the Ishmaelites to wear gold earrings.)

New Living Translation
However, I do have one request—that each of you give me an earring from the plunder you collected from your fallen enemies.” (The enemies, being Ishmaelites, all wore gold earrings.)

English Standard Version
And Gideon said to them, “Let me make a request of you: every one of you give me the earrings from his spoil.” (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)

Berean Standard Bible
Then he added, “Let me make a request of you, that each of you give me an earring from his plunder.” (For the enemies had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.)

King James Bible
And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)

New King James Version
Then Gideon said to them, “I would like to make a request of you, that each of you would give me the earrings from his plunder.” For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.

New American Standard Bible
Yet Gideon said to them, “I would request of you, that each of you give me an earring from his plunder.” (For they had gold earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)

NASB 1995
Yet Gideon said to them, “I would request of you, that each of you give me an earring from his spoil.” (For they had gold earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)

NASB 1977
Yet Gideon said to them, “I would request of you, that each of you give me an earring from his spoil.” (For they had gold earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)

Legacy Standard Bible
Yet Gideon said to them, “I would make one request of you, that each of you give me an earring from his spoil.” (For they had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.)

Amplified Bible
And Gideon said to them, “I would make a request of you, that each one of you give me an earring from his spoil.” For the Midianites had gold earrings, because they were Ishmaelites [who customarily wore them].

Christian Standard Bible
Then he said to them, “Let me make a request of you: Everyone give me an earring from his plunder.” Now the enemy had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then he said to them, “Let me make a request of you: Everyone give me an earring from his plunder.” Now the enemy had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.

American Standard Version
And Gideon said unto them, I would make a request of you, that ye would give me every man the ear-rings of his spoil. (For they had golden ear-rings, because they were Ishmaelites.)

Contemporary English Version
But I will ask you to do one thing: Give me all the earrings you took from the enemy." The enemy soldiers had been Ishmaelites, and they wore gold earrings.

English Revised Version
And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his spoil. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then Gideon said to them, "Do me a favor. Each of you give me the earrings from your loot." (Their enemies, the Ishmaelites, wore gold earrings.)

Good News Translation
But he went on to say, "Let me ask one thing of you. Every one of you give me the earrings you took." (The Midianites, like other desert people, wore gold earrings.)

International Standard Version
But Gideon also added, "I would like to ask that each of you give me a ring from his war booty" because, as Ishmaelites, the Midianites had been wearing gold rings.

Majority Standard Bible
Then he added, “Let me make a request of you, that each of you give me an earring from his plunder.” (For the enemies had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.)

NET Bible
Gideon continued, "I would like to make one request. Each of you give me an earring from the plunder you have taken." (The Midianites had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.)

New Heart English Bible
Gideon said to them, "I would make a request of you, that you would give me every man the earrings from his plunder." (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)

Webster's Bible Translation
And Gideon said to them, I would desire a request of you, that you would give me every man the ear-rings of his prey. (For they had golden ear-rings, because they were Ishmaelites.)

World English Bible
Gideon said to them, “I do have a request: that you would each give me the earrings of his plunder.” (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Gideon says to them, “Let me ask a petition of you, and each give to me the ring of his prey, for they have rings of gold, for they [are] Ishmaelites.”

Young's Literal Translation
And Gideon saith unto them, 'Let me ask of you a petition, and give ye to me each the ring of his prey, for they have rings of gold, for they are Ishmaelites.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And Gideon will say to them, I will ask of you an asking, and ye shall give to me a man the rings of his spoil: for gold rings to them, because they were Ishmaelites.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said to them: I desire one request of you: Give me the earlets of your spoils. For the Ismaelites were accustomed to wear golden earlets.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he said to them: “I petition one request from you. Give me the earrings from your spoils.” For the Ishmaelites were accustomed to wear gold earrings.

New American Bible
Gideon went on to say, “Let me make a request of you. Give me, each of you, a ring from his spoils.” (Since they were Ishmaelites, the enemy had gold rings.)

New Revised Standard Version
Then Gideon said to them, “Let me make a request of you; each of you give me an earring he has taken as booty.” (For the enemy had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And Gideon said to them, I would like to make a request of you: give me every man of you an earring of his spoil. (For they had golden earrings, since the enemies were Arabians.)

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Gedun said to them: “I request one thing of you; each man give to me an earring from his plundered property”, because they had earrings of gold, for they were Arabians
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Gideon said unto them: 'I would make a request of you, that ye would give me every man the ear-rings of his spoil.'--For they had golden ear-rings, because they were Ishmaelites.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Gedeon said to them, I will make a request of you, and do ye give me every man an earring out of his spoils: for they had golden earrings, for they were Ismaelites.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Gideon's Ephod
23But Gideon replied, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son. The LORD shall rule over you.” 24Then he added, “Let me make a request of you, that each of you give me an earring from his plunder.” (For the enemies had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.) 25“We will give them gladly,” they replied. So they spread out a garment, and each man threw an earring from his plunder onto it.…

Cross References
Exodus 32:2-4
So Aaron told them, “Take off the gold earrings that are on your wives and sons and daughters, and bring them to me.” / Then all the people took off their gold earrings and brought them to Aaron. / He took the gold from their hands, and with an engraving tool he fashioned it into a molten calf. And they said, “These, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!”

Genesis 24:22
And after the camels had finished drinking, he took out a gold ring weighing a beka, and two gold bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels.

1 Kings 10:14-15
The weight of gold that came to Solomon each year was 666 talents, / not including the revenue from the merchants, traders, and all the Arabian kings and governors of the land.

Isaiah 3:18-23
In that day the Lord will take away their finery: their anklets and headbands and crescents; / their pendants, bracelets, and veils; / their headdresses, ankle chains, and sashes; their perfume bottles and charms; ...

Ezekiel 16:11-13
I adorned you with jewelry, and I put bracelets on your wrists and a chain around your neck. / I put a ring in your nose, earrings on your ears, and a beautiful crown upon your head. / So you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was made of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth. You ate fine flour, honey, and oil. You became very beautiful and rose to be queen.

1 Samuel 8:11-17
He said, “This will be the manner of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them to serve his own chariots and horses, and to run in front of his chariots. / He will appoint some for himself as commanders of thousands and of fifties, and others to plow his ground, to reap his harvest, and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. / And he will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. ...

2 Kings 5:22-23
“Everything is all right,” Gehazi replied. “My master has sent me to say, ‘Look, two young men from the sons of the prophets have just now come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two sets of clothing.’” / But Naaman insisted, “Please, take two talents.” And he urged Gehazi to accept them. Then he tied up two talents of silver in two bags along with two sets of clothing and gave them to two of his servants, who carried them ahead of Gehazi.

Proverbs 25:12
Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is a wise man’s rebuke to a listening ear.

Genesis 35:4
So they gave Jacob all their foreign gods and all their earrings, and Jacob buried them under the oak near Shechem.

Hosea 2:13
I will punish her for the days of the Baals when she burned incense to them, when she adorned herself with rings and jewelry, and went after her lovers. But Me she forgot,” declares the LORD.

Matthew 6:19-21
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. / But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. / For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

1 Timothy 2:9
Likewise, I want the women to adorn themselves with respectable apparel, with modesty, and with self-control, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes,

1 Peter 3:3-4
Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair or gold jewelry or fine clothes, / but from the inner disposition of your heart, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in God’s sight.

Revelation 17:4
The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls. She held in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality.

James 5:3
Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and consume your flesh like fire. You have hoarded treasure in the last days.


Treasury of Scripture

And Gideon said to them, I would desire a request of you, that you would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)

give me

Genesis 24:22,53
And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold; …

Exodus 12:35
And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment:

Exodus 32:3
And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.

because

Genesis 16:10,11
And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude…

Genesis 25:13
And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam,

Genesis 37:25,28
And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt…

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Custom Desire Earring Earrings Ear-Rings Ishmaelites Ish'maelites Plunder Prey Request Ring Rings Share Spoil Wear
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Custom Desire Earring Earrings Ear-Rings Ishmaelites Ish'maelites Plunder Prey Request Ring Rings Share Spoil Wear
Judges 8
1. Gideon pacifies the Ephraimites
4. Succoth and Penuel refuse to deliver Gideon's army
10. Zebah and Zalmunna are taken
13. Succoth and Penuel are destroyed
17. Gideon revenges his brothers's death on Zebah and Zalmunna
22. He refuses government
24. His ephod the cause of idolatry
28. Midian subdued
29. Gideon's children, and death
33. The Israelites' idolatry and ingratitude














Then he added
This phrase introduces a continuation of Gideon's speech. Gideon, a judge of Israel, has just refused kingship, emphasizing that the LORD will rule over Israel. The Hebrew root for "added" (יָסַף, yasaph) often implies an increase or continuation, suggesting that Gideon is building upon his previous statements. This reflects a moment of transition where Gideon shifts from spiritual leadership to addressing material concerns.

I do have one request
Gideon's request is framed as singular, indicating its importance. The Hebrew word for "request" (שְׁאֵלָה, she'elah) can also mean a petition or desire. This highlights Gideon's humility and respect for the people, as he does not command but rather asks. It sets the stage for a significant moment where Gideon's leadership is tested by his handling of wealth and power.

that each of you would give me an earring from his plunder
The request for an earring (נֶזֶם, nezem) from the plunder (שָׁלָל, shalal) is significant. Earrings were often made of gold and symbolized wealth and status. In the ancient Near Eastern context, plunder was a common reward for victory in battle. Gideon's request is modest compared to the spoils of war, yet it introduces a potential moral and spiritual challenge. The act of collecting gold from the people foreshadows the creation of an ephod, which becomes a snare for Gideon and Israel.

(For the enemies had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.)
This parenthetical note provides cultural and historical context. The Ishmaelites, descendants of Ishmael, were known for their wealth and trade, often adorned with gold. The mention of Ishmaelites connects the narrative to the broader biblical account of Abraham's descendants and highlights the cultural interactions between Israel and its neighbors. It underscores the temptation of adopting foreign customs and the potential for idolatry, a recurring theme in Israel's history.

(24) I would desire a request of you.--Not unfrequently the magnanimity which has just stood firm under a great trial succumbs to a weaker one. His case did not exactly resemble that of Abraham (Genesis 14:21-23), but it would have been better for his glory if he had acted in a similar spirit.

The earrings of his prey.--Nezem means a ring which, sometimes at least, was worn, especially by women, in the nose (Genesis 24:47; Isaiah 3:21; Ezekiel 16:12; Job 42:11). In the absence of any regular currency, these gold rings served as a sort of coinage. . . .

Verse 24. - I would desire a request of you. Again human weakness breaks out in this great man, and we seem to see the effect of great prosperity in stirring up selfish desires in his heart. It was perhaps not without significance that mention was made in ver. 21 of his taking the ornaments that were on the camels' necks in connection with the slaughter of the kings. Anyhow we have now a second instance of a love of spoil. It seems to have been a national custom with the Ishmaelites, among whom the Midianites are reckoned (see Genesis 37:25-28), to wear golden rings; hence when they came to strip the slain there was a vast booty of gold rings. These Gideon asked for as his share, and the people readily agreed to the request. Ear-rings. The word is singular in Hebrew, which agrees with its more proper signification of nose-ring, an ornament often worn by both men and women in the East. Gesenius mentions having seen at Leipsic some Indian dancing women with nose-rings. It is distinctly marked as a nose-ring in Genesis 24:22, 30, 47, because in the last verse Abraham's servant says that he "put the ring (han-nezem) upon her nose" (face, A.V.). Again, in Ezekiel 16:12 the Hebrew is, "I placed a ring upon thy nose" (I put a jewel upon thy forehead, A.V.). So also Job 42:11, "one ring of gold," implies that it was a nose-ring, and not an ear-ring. In other passages, however, as Genesis 35:4; Exodus 32:2, it is expressly said that these rings were worn in the ears; while in others, again, there is nothing to mark whether they were worn in the ears or in the nose, as Proverbs 25:12; Hosea 2:13, except that in the latter passage the singular number in the Hebrew is more favourable to the nose-ring than to the ear-rings, as the A.V. translates it. It is thought by many, with some probability, that the nose-ring did not pierce the gristle of the nose, but hung down upon the nose from a fillet round the forehead. In every case they were of gold.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then he
גִּדְע֗וֹן (giḏ·‘ō·wn)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1439: Gideon -- a judge of Israel

added,
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Let me make a request
אֶשְׁאֲלָ֤ה (’eš·’ă·lāh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular
Strong's 7592: To inquire, to request, to demand

of you,
מִכֶּם֙ (mik·kem)
Preposition | second person masculine plural
Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of

that each of you
אִ֖ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

give
וּתְנוּ־ (ū·ṯə·nū-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

me an earring
נֶ֣זֶם (ne·zem)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5141: A ring (worn as an ornament)

from his plunder.”
שְׁלָל֑וֹ (šə·lā·lōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7998: A prey, spoil, plunder, booty

(Now
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

[the enemy] had gold
זָהָב֙ (zā·hāḇ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2091: Gold, something gold-colored, as oil, a clear sky

earrings
נִזְמֵ֤י (niz·mê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 5141: A ring (worn as an ornament)

because
כִּ֥י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

they
הֵֽם׃ (hêm)
Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1992: They

were Ishmaelites.)
יִשְׁמְעֵאלִ֖ים (yiš·mə·‘ê·lîm)
Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's 3459: Ishmaelites -- descendant of Ishmael


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OT History: Judges 8:24 Gideon said to them I would make (Jd Judg. Jdg)
Judges 8:23
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