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Judges 8:22-9:6
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Judges 8:22-9:6
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Gideon’s Legacy
22 Then the Israelites said to Gideon, “Rule over us, you as well as your sons and your grandsons, for you delivered us from the power of Midian.”
23 But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you; the Lord will rule over you.” 24 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.
25 They said, “We agree to give them.” So they spread out a mantle, and everyone threw an earring from his plunder on it. 26 The weight of the gold earrings he requested was about 43 pounds[a] of gold, in addition to the crescent ornaments and ear pendants, the purple garments on the kings of Midian, and the chains on the necks of their camels. 27 Gideon made an ephod(A) from all this and put it in Ophrah, his hometown. Then all Israel prostituted themselves with it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his household.
28 So Midian was subdued before the Israelites, and they were no longer a threat.[b] The land was peaceful 40 years during the days of Gideon. 29 Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) son of Joash went back to live at his house.
30 Gideon had 70 sons, his own offspring, since he had many wives. 31 His concubine who was in Shechem(B) also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech. 32 Then Gideon son of Joash died at a ripe old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
33 When Gideon died, the Israelites turned and prostituted themselves with the Baals and made Baal-berith[c] their god. 34 The Israelites did not remember the Lord their God who had delivered them from the power of the enemies around them. 35 They did not show kindness(C) to the house of Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) for all the good he had done for Israel.
Abimelech Becomes King
9 Abimelech son of Jerubbaal went to his mother’s brothers at Shechem and spoke to them and to all his maternal grandfather’s clan, saying, 2 “Please speak in the presence of all the lords of Shechem, ‘Is it better for you that 70 men, all the sons of Jerubbaal,(D) rule over you or that one man rule over you?’ Remember that I am your own flesh and blood.”[d]
3 His mother’s relatives spoke all these words about him in the presence of all the lords of Shechem, and they were favorable to Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.” 4 So they gave him 70 pieces of silver from the temple of Baal-berith.[e] Abimelech hired worthless and reckless men with this money, and they followed him. 5 He went to his father’s house in Ophrah and killed his 70 brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal, on top of a large stone. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, survived, because he hid himself. 6 Then all the lords of Shechem and of Beth-millo gathered together and proceeded to make Abimelech king at the oak of the pillar in Shechem.
Footnotes
- Judges 8:26 Lit 1,700 shekels
- Judges 8:28 Lit they no longer raised their head
- Judges 8:33 Lit Baal of the Covenant, or Lord of the Covenant
- Judges 9:2 Lit your bone and your flesh
- Judges 9:4 Lit Baal of the Covenant, or Lord of the Covenant
Judges 8:22-9:6
New International Version
Judges 8:22-9:6
New International Version
Gideon’s Ephod
22 The Israelites said to Gideon, “Rule over us—you, your son and your grandson—because you have saved us from the hand of Midian.”
23 But Gideon told them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule(A) over you.” 24 And he said, “I do have one request, that each of you give me an earring(B) from your share of the plunder.(C)” (It was the custom of the Ishmaelites(D) to wear gold earrings.)
25 They answered, “We’ll be glad to give them.” So they spread out a garment, and each of them threw a ring from his plunder onto it. 26 The weight of the gold rings he asked for came to seventeen hundred shekels,[a] not counting the ornaments, the pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian or the chains(E) that were on their camels’ necks. 27 Gideon made the gold into an ephod,(F) which he placed in Ophrah,(G) his town. All Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare(H) to Gideon and his family.(I)
Gideon’s Death
28 Thus Midian was subdued before the Israelites and did not raise its head(J) again. During Gideon’s lifetime, the land had peace(K) forty years.
29 Jerub-Baal(L) son of Joash(M) went back home to live. 30 He had seventy sons(N) of his own, for he had many wives. 31 His concubine,(O) who lived in Shechem, also bore him a son, whom he named Abimelek.(P) 32 Gideon son of Joash died at a good old age(Q) and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
33 No sooner had Gideon died than the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals.(R) They set up Baal-Berith(S) as their god(T) 34 and did not remember(U) the Lord their God, who had rescued them from the hands of all their enemies on every side. 35 They also failed to show any loyalty to the family of Jerub-Baal(V) (that is, Gideon) in spite of all the good things he had done for them.(W)
Abimelek
9 Abimelek(X) son of Jerub-Baal(Y) went to his mother’s brothers in Shechem and said to them and to all his mother’s clan, 2 “Ask all the citizens of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you: to have all seventy of Jerub-Baal’s sons rule over you, or just one man?’ Remember, I am your flesh and blood.(Z)”
3 When the brothers repeated all this to the citizens of Shechem, they were inclined to follow Abimelek, for they said, “He is related to us.” 4 They gave him seventy shekels[b] of silver from the temple of Baal-Berith,(AA) and Abimelek used it to hire reckless scoundrels,(AB) who became his followers. 5 He went to his father’s home in Ophrah and on one stone murdered his seventy brothers,(AC) the sons of Jerub-Baal. But Jotham,(AD) the youngest son of Jerub-Baal, escaped by hiding.(AE) 6 Then all the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo(AF) gathered beside the great tree(AG) at the pillar in Shechem to crown Abimelek king.
Footnotes
- Judges 8:26 That is, about 43 pounds or about 20 kilograms
- Judges 9:4 That is, about 1 3/4 pounds or about 800 grams
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
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