^6 (A)In those days there was no king in Israel. ^(B)Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

² “Say in the ears of all the leaders of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you, that all ^(A)seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal rule over you, or that one rule over you?’ Remember also that ^(B)I am ^(C)your bone and your flesh.”

Gideon's Ephod

²² Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, you and your son and your grandson also, for you have saved us from the hand of Midian.”

¹³ Is it ^(A)a small thing that you have brought us up out of ^(B)a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, that you must also ^(C)make yourself a prince over us? ¹⁴ Moreover, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up.” ¹⁵ And Moses was very angry and said to the Lord, ^(D)“Do not respect their offering. ^(E)I have not taken one donkey from them, and I have not harmed one of them.”

¹⁹ Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall ^(A)represent the people before God and ^(B)bring their cases to God,

^16 (A)when they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I ^(B)make them know the statutes of God and his laws.”