Focused Passage

Judges 8:24-27

Gideon's Troubled Aftermath: Pursuit, Kingship Refusal, and the Ephod Snare

The LORD-given victory over Midian is followed by tribal resentment, local refusal, Gideon's punitive retaliation, a rejected but tempting offer of dynastic rule, an ephod that becomes idolatrous, temporary rest, and Israel's rapid return to Baal after Gideon's death.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

24Then he added, “Let me make a request of you, that each of you give me an earring from his plunder.” (For the enemies had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.)

25“We will give them gladly,” they replied. So they spread out a garment, and each man threw an earring from his plunder onto it.

26The weight of the gold earrings he had requested was 1,700 shekels, in addition to the crescent ornaments, the pendants, the purple garments of the kings of Midian, and the chains from the necks of their camels.

27From all this Gideon made an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his hometown. But soon all Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his household.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 24

Cross-references

Genesis 25:13Classic cross-references Exodus 32:2Classic cross-references Genesis 35:4Classic cross-references 1 Peter 3:3Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 7:25Classic cross-references

Original words

Then heגִּדְע֗וֹןH1439Noun - proper - masculine singularaddedוַיֹּ֨אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֲלֵהֶ֜םH413Preposition | third person masculine pluralLet me make a requestאֶשְׁאֲלָ֤הH7592Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular. . .שְׁאֵלָ֔הH7596Noun - feminine singularof youמִכֶּם֙Preposition | second person masculine pluralthat each of youאִ֖ישׁH376Noun - masculine singulargiveוּתְנוּ־H5414Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralmeלִ֕יPreposition | first person common singularan earringנֶ֣זֶםH5141Noun - masculine singular constructfrom his plunderשְׁלָל֑וֹH7998Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularForכִּֽי־H3588Conjunction[the enemies] had goldזָהָב֙H2091Noun - masculine singularearringsנִזְמֵ֤יH5141Noun - masculine plural constructbecauseכִּ֥יH3588Conjunctiontheyהֵֽם׃H1992Pronoun - third person masculine pluralwere Ishmaelitesיִשְׁמְעֵאלִ֖יםH3459Noun - proper - masculine plural

Verse 25

Original words

We will give [them] gladlyנָת֣וֹןH5414Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute. . .נִתֵּ֑ןH5414Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common pluralthey repliedוַיֹּאמְר֖וּH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralSo they spread outוַֽיִּפְרְשׂוּ֙H6566Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markera garmentהַשִּׂמְלָ֔הH8071Article | Noun - feminine singularand each manאִ֖ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularthrewוַיַּשְׁלִ֣יכוּH7993Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralan earringנֶ֥זֶםH5141Noun - masculine singular constructfrom his plunderשְׁלָלֽוֹ׃H7998Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularonto itשָׁ֔מָּהH8033Adverb | third person feminine singular

Verse 26

Cross-references

Proverbs 31:22Classic cross-references Esther 8:15Classic cross-references Jeremiah 10:9Classic cross-references John 19:2Classic cross-references John 19:5Classic cross-references

Original words

The weightמִשְׁקַ֞לH4948Noun - masculine singular constructof the goldהַזָּהָב֙H2091Article | Noun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativeearringsנִזְמֵ֤יH5141Noun - masculine plural constructhe had requestedשָׁאָ֔לH7592Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularwasוַיְהִ֗יH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular1 ,700אֶ֥לֶףH505Number - masculine singular construct. . .וּשְׁבַע־H7651Conjunctive waw | Number - feminine singular construct. . .מֵא֖וֹתH3967Number - feminine plural[shekels]זָהָ֑בH2091Noun - masculine singularin addition toלְ֠בַדH905Preposition | Noun - masculine singular. . .מִן־H4480Prepositionthe crescent ornamentsהַשַּׂהֲרֹנִ֨יםH7720Article | Noun - masculine pluralthe pendantsוְהַנְּטִפ֜וֹתH5188Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine pluralthe purpleהָאַרְגָּמָ֗ןH713Article | Noun - masculine singulargarmentsוּבִגְדֵ֣יH899Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural constructofשֶׁעַל֙H5921Pronoun - relative | Prepositionthe kingsמַלְכֵ֣יH4428Noun - masculine plural constructof Midianמִדְיָ֔ןH4080Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .וּלְבַד֙H905Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular. . .מִן־H4480Prepositionand the chainsהָ֣עֲנָק֔וֹתH6060Article | Noun - masculine plural-אֲשֶׁ֖רH834Pronoun - relativefrom the necksבְּצַוְּארֵ֥יH6677Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural constructof their camelsגְמַלֵּיהֶֽם׃H1581Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural

BSB notes

1,700 shekels is approximately 42.7 pounds or 19.4 kilograms.

Verse 27

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 7:16Classic cross-references Psalms 106:39Classic cross-references Judges 17:5Classic cross-references Judges 18:14Classic cross-references Judges 18:17Classic cross-references

Original words

[From all this] Gideonגִדְע֜וֹןH1439Noun - proper - masculine singularmadeוַיַּעַשׂ֩H6213Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular-אוֹת֨וֹH853Direct object marker | third person masculine singularan ephodלְאֵפ֗וֹדH646Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularwhich he placedוַיַּצֵּ֨גH3322Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular-אוֹת֤וֹH853Direct object marker | third person masculine singularin Ophrahבְּעָפְרָ֔הH6084Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singularhis hometownבְעִירוֹ֙H5892Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularBut soon allכָֽל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵ֛לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularprostituted themselvesוַיִּזְנ֧וּH2181Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralby worshiping itאַחֲרָ֖יוH310Preposition | third person masculine singularthereשָׁ֑םH8033Adverband it becameוַיְהִ֛יH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulara snareלְמוֹקֵֽשׁ׃H4170Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularto Gideonלְגִדְע֥וֹןH1439Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singularand his householdוּלְבֵית֖וֹH1004Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular

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