Judges 8:22-35 ▼

22 Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, Rule over us, both you and your son and your son's son also; for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.

23 And Gideon said to them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you; the LORD shall rule over you.

24 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.)

25 And they said to him, We will gladly give it. And they spread a mantle, and every man threw onto it one earring from his spoil.

26 And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was one thousand seven hundred shekels of gold; besides ornaments, neck chains, and purple raiment that were worn by the kings of Midian, and besides the chains that were about their camels' necks.

27 And Gideon took some of them and made a little idol, and set it up in his town, Ophrah; and all Israel went astray after it there; and it became a stumbling block to Gideon and to all his household,

28 Thus the Midianites were defeated before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the land was tranquil forty years in the days of Gideon.

29 Then Nedo-baal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.

30 And Gideon had seventy sons who were begotten by him; for he had many wives.

31 And his concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, whose name he called Abimeleck.

32 And Gideon the son of Joash died at a good old age, and was buried in the town of his father Joash, in Ophrah of the father of Azri.

33 And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, the children of Israel turned again and went astray after Baal, and made Baal-kiama their god.

34 And the children of Israel did not remember the LORD their God, who had delivered them from the hand of all their enemies on every side;

35 Neither did they show kindness to the house of Nedo-baal, that is, Gideon, according to all the goodness that he had done to Israel.