Judges 8:22-27

GOD’S WORD Translation

Gideon Makes a Gold Idol

²² The men of Israel said to Gideon, “You, then your son, and then your grandson, must rule us. You rescued us from Midian.”

²³ Gideon replied, “I will not rule you nor will my son. The Lord will rule you.” ²⁴ Then Gideon said to them, “Do me a favor. Each of you give me the earrings from your loot.” (Their enemies, the Ishmaelites, wore gold earrings.)

²⁵ The men of Israel answered, “Yes, we’ll give them to you.” So they spread out a coat. Each man took the earrings from his loot and dropped them on it. ²⁶ The gold earrings Gideon had asked for weighed 40 pounds. This did not include the half-moon ornaments, the earrings, the purple clothes worn by the kings of Midian, and the chains from their camels’ necks. ²⁷ Then Gideon used the gold to make an idol ^[a] and placed it in his hometown, Ophrah. All Israel chased after it there as though it were a prostitute. It became a trap for Gideon and his family.