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Judges 8:17-27

Listen to Judges 8:17-27
17 1He tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.
18 Then he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, "What kind of men were they whom you killed at Tabor?" And they said, "They were like you, each one resembling the son of a king."
19 He said, "They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the LORD lives, if only you had let them live, I would not kill you."
20 So he said to Jether his firstborn, "Rise, kill them." But the youth did not draw his sword, for he was afraid, because he was still a youth.
21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, "Rise up yourself, and fall on us; for as the man, so is his strength." 2So Gideon arose and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and 3took the crescent ornaments which were on their camels' necks.
22 Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, "Rule over us, both you and your son, also your son's son, for you have 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; 4the LORD shall rule over you."
24 Yet Gideon said to them, "I would request * of you, that each of you give me an earring from his spoil." (For they had gold earrings, because they were 5Ishmaelites.)
25 They said, "We will surely give them." So they spread out a garment, and every one of them threw an earring there from his spoil.
26 The weight of the gold earrings that he requested was 1,700 * * shekels of gold, besides * the crescent ornaments and the pendants and the purple robes which were on the kings of Midian, and besides * the neck bands that were on their camels' necks.
27 Gideon made it into 6an ephod, and placed it in his city, Ophrah, and all Israel played the harlot with it there, so that it became a snare to Gideon and his household.

Judges 8:17-27 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 8

In this chapter we are told how Gideon pacified the Ephraimites, who complained because they were not sent unto to fight the Midianites, Jud 8:1-3 how he pursued the Midianites, until he took their two kings, and on his return chastised the men of Succoth and Penuel, because they refused to relieve his men with food as they were pursuing, Jud 8:4-17 how he slew the two kings of Midian, Jud 8:18-21 and after this conquest refused to take the government of Israel when offered him, Jud 8:22,23 how he requested of the Israelites the earrings they had taken from the Midianites, with which he in weakness made an ephod, which proved a snare to his house, Jud 8:24-27 how that the people were in peace forty years during his life, and that he had a numerous issue, and died in a good old age, Jud 8:28-32 but that after his death the Israelites fell into idolatry, and were ungrateful to his family, Jud 8:33-35.

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Cross References 6

  • 1. Judges 8:9
  • 2. Psalms 83:11
  • 3. Judges 8:26
  • 4. 1 Samuel 8:7; 1 Samuel 10:19; 1 Samuel 12:12; Psalms 10:16
  • 5. Genesis 25:13-16
  • 6. Exodus 28:6-35; Judges 17:5; Judges 18:14-20

Footnotes 3

  • [a] Lit "like the form of the sons"
  • [b] Lit "request a request"
  • [c] Or "a nose ring"
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.Lockman.org

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