Judges 8:22-35 ▼

22 Then the Israelites (God prevails) said to Gideon (hewer), “Rule over us—you and your son and grandson—for you have saved us from the hand of Midian (strife).”

23 But Gideon (hewer) replied, “I will not rule over you⁺, nor will my son. The LORD {YHWH} shall rule over you⁺.”

24 Then he (hewer) 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.

26 The weight of the gold earrings he had requested was 1,700 shekels <42.7 lb / 19.4 kg>, in addition to the crescent ornaments, the pendants, the purple garments of the kings of Midian (strife), and the chains from the necks of their camels.

27 From all this Gideon (hewer) made an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah (fawn), his hometown. But soon all Israel (he wrestles with God) prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his household.

28 In this way Midian (strife) was subdued before the Israelites (God prevails) and did not raise its head again. So the land had rest for forty years in the days of Gideon (hewer),

29 and he—Jerubbaal (let Baal contend) son of Joash (given by the Lord)—returned home and settled down.

30 Gideon (hewer) had seventy sons of his own \who came from his own loins/, since he had many wives.

31 His concubine, who dwelt in Shechem (shoulder), also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech (my father is king).

32 Later, Gideon (hewer) son of Joash (given by the Lord) died at a ripe old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash in Ophrah (fawn) of the Abiezrites (my father is help).

33 And as soon as Gideon (hewer) was dead, the Israelites (God prevails) turned and prostituted themselves with the Baals (lord), and they set up Baal-berith (lord of the covenant) as their god.

34 The Israelites (God prevails) failed to remember the LORD their God {YHWH Elohehem} who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies on every side.

35 They did not show kindness to the house of Jerubbaal (let Baal contend) (that is, Gideon (hewer)) for all the good things he had done for Israel (he wrestles with God).