Judges 8:22-32
New King James Version
Gideon’s Ephod
22 Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, (A)“Rule over us, both you and your son, and your grandson also; for you have (B)delivered us from the hand of Midian.”
23 But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; (C)the Lord shall rule over you.” 24 Then Gideon said to them, “I would like to [a]make a request of you, that each of you would give me the earrings from his plunder.” For they had golden earrings, (D)because they were Ishmaelites.
25 So they answered, “We will gladly give them.” And they spread out a garment, and each man threw into it the earrings from his plunder. 26 Now the weight of the gold earrings that he requested was one thousand seven hundred shekels of gold, besides the crescent ornaments, pendants, and purple robes which were on the kings of Midian, and besides the chains that were around their camels’ necks. 27 Then Gideon (E)made it into an ephod and set it up in his city, (F)Ophrah. And all Israel (G)played the harlot with it there. It became (H)a snare to Gideon and to his house.
28 Thus Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted their heads no more. (I)And the country was quiet for forty years in the days of Gideon.
Death of Gideon
29 Then (J)Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house. 30 Gideon had (K)seventy sons who were his own offspring, for he had many wives. 31 (L)And his concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, whose name he called Abimelech. 32 Now Gideon the son of Joash died (M)at a good old age, and was buried in the tomb of Joash his father, (N)in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
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- Judges 8:24 Lit. request a request
Judges 8:22-32
Young's Literal Translation
22 And the men of Israel say unto Gideon, `Rule over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, for thou hast saved us from the hand of Midian.'
23 And Gideon saith unto them, `I do not rule over you, nor doth my son rule over you; Jehovah doth rule over you.'
24 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.'
25 And they say, `We certainly give;' and they spread out the garment, and cast thither each the ring of his prey;
26 and the weight of the rings of gold which he asked is a thousand and seven hundred [shekels] of gold, apart from the round ornaments, and the drops, and the purple garments, which [are] on the kings of Midian, and apart from the chains which [are] on the necks of their camels,
27 and Gideon maketh it into an ephod, and setteth it up in his city, in Ophrah, and all Israel go a-whoring after it there, and it is to Gideon and to his house for a snare.
28 And Midian is humbled before the sons of Israel, and have not added to lift up their head; and the land resteth forty years in the days of Gideon.
29 And Jerubbaal son of Joash goeth and dwelleth in his own house,
30 and to Gideon there have been seventy sons, coming out of his loin, for he had many wives;
31 and his concubine, who [is] in Shechem, hath born to him -- even she -- a son, and he appointeth his name Abimelech.
32 And Gideon son of Joash dieth, in a good old age, and is buried in the burying-place of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abi-Ezrite.
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Judges 8:22-32
New American Standard Bible
22 Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, both you and your son, your son’s son as well, for you have saved us from the hand of Midian!” 23 But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; (A)the Lord shall rule over you.” 24 Yet Gideon said to them, “I would [a]request of you, that each of you give me [b]an earring from his plunder.” (For they had gold earrings, because they were (B)Ishmaelites.) 25 And they said, “We will certainly give them to you.” So they spread out a garment, and every one of them tossed an earring there from his plunder. 26 The weight of the gold earrings that he requested was 1,700 shekels of gold, apart from the crescent amulets, the ear pendants, and the purple robes which were on the kings of Midian, and apart from the neck chains that were on their camels’ necks. 27 Gideon made it into (C)an ephod, and placed it in his city, Ophrah; but all Israel [c]committed infidelity with it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his household.
Forty Years of Peace
28 So Midian was subdued before the sons of Israel, and they did not lift up their heads anymore. And the land was undisturbed for forty years in the days of Gideon.
29 Then (D)Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and lived in his own house. 30 Now Gideon had (E)seventy sons who [d]were his direct descendants, for he had many wives. 31 And his concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he [e]named him Abimelech. 32 And Gideon the son of Joash died at a good old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Judges 8:24 Lit request a request
- Judges 8:24 Or a nose ring
- Judges 8:27 I.e., against God
- Judges 8:30 Lit came from his loins
- Judges 8:31 Lit appointed his name
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
