Judges 8:22-27

New Century Version

Gideon Makes an Idol

²² The people of Israel said to Gideon, “You saved us from the Midianites. Now, we want you and your son and your grandson to rule over us.”

²³ But Gideon told them, “The Lord will be your ruler. I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you.” ²⁴ He said, “I want you to do this one thing for me. I want each of you to give me a gold earring from the things you took in the fighting.” (The Ishmaelites^[a] wore gold earrings.)

²⁵ They said, “We will gladly give you what you want.” So they spread out a coat, and everyone threw down an earring from what he had taken. ²⁶ The gold earrings weighed about forty-three pounds. This did not count the decorations, necklaces, and purple robes worn by the kings of Midian, nor the chains from the camels’ necks. ²⁷ Gideon used the gold to make a holy vest, which he put in his hometown of Ophrah. But all the Israelites were unfaithful to God and worshiped it, so it became a trap for Gideon and his family.