Judges 8:25-35

25 They answered, We will willingly give them. They spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the ear-rings of his spoil.

26 The weight of the golden ear-rings that he requested was one thousand and seven hundred [shekels] of gold, besides the crescents, and the pendants, and the purple clothing that was on the kings of Midyan, and besides the chains that were about their camels' necks.

27 Gid`on made an efod of it, and put it in his city, even in Ofrat: and all Yisra'el played the prostitute after it there; and it became a snare to Gid`on, and to his house.

28 So Midyan was subdued before the children of Yisra'el, and they lifted up their heads no more. The land had rest forty years in the days of Gid`on.

29 Yerubba`al the son of Yo'ash went and lived in his own house.

30 Gid`on had seventy sons conceived from his body; for he had many wives.

31 His concubine who was in Shekhem, she also bore him a son, and he named him Avimelekh.

32 Gid`on the son of Yo'ash died in a good old age, and was buried in the tomb of Yo'ash his father, in Ofrat of the Abiezrites.

33 It happened, as soon as Gid`on was dead, that the children of Yisra'el turned again, and played the prostitute after the Ba`alim, and made Ba`al-Berit their god.

34 The children of Yisra'el didn't remember the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hand of all their enemies on every side;

35 neither shown they kindness to the house of Yerubba`al, [who is] Gid`on, according to all the goodness which he had shown to Yisra'el.

Judges 8:25-35 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.