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)

Do Not Worry^(A)

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry^(B) about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.^(C) Are you not much more valuable than they?^{(D) 27} Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life^[a]?^(E)

²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor^(F) was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?^{(G) 31} So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.^{(H) 33} But seek first his kingdom^(I) and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.^(J)