Gideon Refuses Kingship and Makes an Ephod
Judges 8:22-27
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalm
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
Jude
Revelation
Jud.8.22 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמרו: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,pl
- איש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אל: NEG
- גדעון: NOUN,m,sg,proper
- משל: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- בנו: NOUN,m,sg,abs+3ms
- גם: ADV
- אתה: PRON,2,m,sg
- גם: ADV
- בנך: NOUN,m,sg,cstr+poss,2,m,sg
- גם: ADV
- בן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- בנך: NOUN,m,sg,cstr+poss,2,m,sg
- כי: CONJ
- הושעתנו: VERB,hiphil,perf,2,m,sg+1,pl
- מיד: PREP
- מדין: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- 1 Samuel 8:5 (verbal): The people ask Samuel to 'appoint a king to judge us'—language and petition ('rule over us') closely parallel Israel's offer to Gideon to rule over them.
- Deuteronomy 17:14-15 (thematic): Anticipates and regulates the people's desire for a human king ('when you come to the land...you will set a king over you'), providing the legal/theological framework for requests to anoint rulers.
- Judges 8:23 (structural): Immediate literary counterpart in the same episode: Gideon's refusal—'I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the LORD shall rule over you'—directly contrasts the people's offer in 8:22.
- Judges 9:1-6 (thematic): Ironically fulfills/undermines the offer: Gideon's son (Abimelech) is later made king by Shechem, showing the consequences of human kingship and the problematic outcome of the earlier request.
Alternative generated candidates
- And the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us—you, and your son, and your son's son; for you have saved us from the hand of Midian.”
- And the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us—you, your son, and your grandson—since you have saved us from the hand of Midian.”
Jud.8.23 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- אלהם: PREP+PRON,3,m,pl
- גדעון: NOUN,m,sg,proper
- לא: PART_NEG
- אמשל: VERB,qal,impf,1,?,sg
- אני: PRON,1,sg
- בכם: PREP,2,m,pl
- ולא: CONJ
- ימשל: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- בני: NOUN,m,pl,construct
- בכם: PREP,2,m,pl
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- ימשל: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- בכם: PREP,2,m,pl
Parallels
- 1 Samuel 8:7-8 (thematic): Israel asks for a human king and God (through Samuel) frames that desire as a rejection of YHWH’s kingship — contrasts with Gideon’s refusal to become ruler and his affirmation that the LORD shall rule over them.
- Deuteronomy 17:14-20 (allusion): Prescribes regulations for an Israelite king and presumes the institution of kingship; provides legal/theological background for Gideon’s denial of dynastic rule and his insistence that God, not a human monarch, is sovereign.
- Isaiah 33:22 (verbal): Declares ‘The LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king,’ echoing Gideon’s formulaic assertion that the LORD shall rule over Israel.
- Ezekiel 37:24 (thematic): Speaks of God setting ‘one shepherd… my servant David’ to rule Israel — connects to the theme of divine rule over Israel and tensions about human kingship and dynasties that Gideon rejects.
- Judges 2:16 (structural): Reports that the LORD raised up judges to save Israel in times of crisis; places Gideon within the judge-cycle and highlights his refusal to transform judicial/deliverer leadership into a hereditary monarchy.
Alternative generated candidates
- Gideon replied to them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you; the LORD will rule over you.”
- And Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the LORD will rule over you.”
Jud.8.24 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- אלהם: PREP+PRON,3,m,pl
- גדעון: NOUN,m,sg,proper
- אשאלה: VERB,qal,impf,1,m,sg
- מכם: PREP,2,m,pl
- שאלה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ותנו: VERB,qal,impf,2,m,pl
- לי: PREP+PRON,1,sg
- איש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- נזם: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- שללו: NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,3,m,sg
- כי: CONJ
- נזמי: NOUN,m,pl,construct
- זהב: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- להם: PREP+PRON,3,m,pl
- כי: CONJ
- ישמעאלים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- הם: PRON,personal,3,m,pl
Parallels
- Judges 8:27 (structural): Direct continuation: the gold taken (including the earrings Gideon requested) is fashioned into an ephod, and this act produces religious and social consequences for Israel.
- Numbers 31:50-54 (thematic): After the Midianite campaign Israel gathers ornaments and jewelry as spoil and is instructed about dividing/offering them; parallels the collection of earrings as war booty and their post-battle disposition.
- Exodus 12:35-36 (thematic): When Israel left Egypt they plundered the Egyptians of jewelry and clothing—another instance of taking personal ornaments from defeated/foreigners as wartime booty and wealth transfer.
- 1 Samuel 30:18-25 (thematic): David’s recovery and distribution of spoil taken by the Amalekites (including goods and captives) raises questions about claims on booty and its allocation, paralleling issues raised by Gideon’s demand for the enemy’s ornaments.
Alternative generated candidates
- And Gideon said to them, “I will ask you one thing; give me each man the earring from his spoil” — for they were Ishmaelites.
- And Gideon said to them, “I have one request to make of you: give me each man the earring from his spoil”—for they were Ishmaelites—
Jud.8.25 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמרו: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,pl
- נתון: ADJ,m,sg,abs
- נתן: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- ויפרשו: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,pl
- את: PRT,acc
- השמלה: NOUN,f,sg,def
- וישליכו: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,pl
- שמה: ADV
- איש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- נזם: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- שללו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
Parallels
- 1 Samuel 8:4-7 (thematic): Israelites request a human ruler over them—parallels the demand that Gideon 'rule over us' and the broader theme of asking a leader/king.
- 2 Kings 9:13 (structural): When Jehu is made king the people 'took their garments and spread them under him'—the spreading of cloaks as a visible act of installation parallels the cloak-spreading in Judges 8:25.
- Exodus 12:35-36 (thematic): The Israelites take gold and jewelry from the Egyptians as they leave Egypt; echoes the motif of people contributing or casting off ornaments (gold/earrings) as valuables offered or given.
- 2 Samuel 5:3 (thematic): The elders come to David and anoint him king over Israel—another instance of the community conferring kingship/leadership, corresponding to the Israelites' attempt to make Gideon their ruler.
Alternative generated candidates
- They answered, “Let it be given.” They spread out their garments, and every man threw there the earring from his spoil.
- and they answered, “We will willingly give them.” They spread a garment, and every man threw therein the earring of his spoil.
Jud.8.26 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויהי: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- משקל: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- נזמי: NOUN,m,pl,cons
- הזהב: NOUN,m,sg,def
- אשר: PRON,rel
- שאל: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- אלף: NUM,m,sg
- ושבע: NUM,m,sg,abs
- מאות: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- זהב: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לבד: PREP
- מן: PREP
- השהרנים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- והנטפות: CONJ+NOUN,f,pl,def
- ובגדי: CONJ+NOUN,m,pl,cons
- הארגמן: NOUN,m,sg,def
- שעל: REL+PREP
- מלכי: NOUN,pl,m,cons
- מדין: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ולבד: CONJ+PREP
- מן: PREP
- הענקות: NOUN,f,pl,def
- אשר: PRON,rel
- בצוארי: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,cst
- גמליהם: NOUN,m,pl,abs+PRON,3,m,pl
Parallels
- Numbers 31:50-54 (verbal): Lists and treats the gold and jewelry taken from Midian (ear-rings, bracelets, etc.) and the handling/dedication of the spoil — parallels Gideon’s weighing of Midianite gold ornaments.
- Judges 8:27 (structural): Immediate continuation: Gideon makes an ephod from the collected gold, which becomes a snare to Israel — directly linked to the gold mentioned in 8:26.
- Judges 8:22-23 (thematic): The townspeople urge Gideon to rule as king and he refuses; the mention of ‘kings of Midian’ and royal garments in 8:26 resonates with the chapter’s kingship theme and Gideon’s rejection of kingship.
- 1 Samuel 30:18-20 (thematic): David’s recovery and distribution of plunder from the Amalekites (including garments and goods) provides a parallel case of war-booty collection, weighing/retaining valuables, and questions about handling spoil.
Alternative generated candidates
- The weight of the gold earrings that he requested was one thousand seven hundred shekels of gold, besides the chains and the pendants and the purple garments on the kings of Midian, and besides the ornaments that were on the necks of their camels.
- The weight of the gold earrings that he requested was one thousand seven hundred shekels of gold, besides the chains and pendants and the purple garments on the kings of Midian, and besides the ornaments that were on the necks of their camels.
Jud.8.27 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויעש: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- אותו: PRON,3,m,sg,obj
- גדעון: NOUN,m,sg,proper
- לאפוד: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ויצג: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- אותו: PRON,3,m,sg,obj
- בעירו: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs+3,m,sg
- בעפרה: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ויזנו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- כל: DET
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אחריו: PREP,3,m,sg
- שם: ADV
- ויהי: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- לגדעון: PREP+NOUN,prop,m,sg
- ולביתו: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs+3,m,sg
- למוקש: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Exodus 32:4-8 (verbal): The golden calf episode: the people make a cult object and ‘prostitute’ themselves after it; language and theme of making an object that leads Israel into idolatry closely parallels Gideon’s ephod.
- Judges 17:5 (structural): Micah’s household shrine includes an ephod and teraphim — the same cultic object (ephod) appears in a domestic/local sanctuary setting, showing a precedent for private/folk cult leading to irregular worship.
- Judges 18:17-20 (thematic): The Danite episode: an ephod and idols are set up in a town and become the focus of cultic life; parallels Gideon placing an ephod in his city and the subsequent communal idolatry.
- 1 Kings 12:28-30 (verbal): Jeroboam makes two calves for Israel and sets them in towns, explicitly causing Israel to sin — a parallel instance of a leader establishing cultic images that lead the nation into apostasy.
- Psalm 106:19-21 (thematic): A liturgical reflection on Israel’s worship of the golden calf: exchanging God’s glory for an image and ‘prostituting’ themselves — echoes the theological judgment rendered on Gideon’s ephod as causing spiritual unfaithfulness.
Alternative generated candidates
- Gideon made it into an ephod and set it up in his city of Ophrah. All Israel prostituted themselves after it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and to his house.
- And Gideon made it an ephod and set it up in his city, Ophrah. All Israel prostituted themselves after it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and to his house.
And the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us—you, your son, and your grandson—for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.” And Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you; the LORD will rule over you.” And Gideon said to them, “I have one request; give me each man the earring from his spoil,” for they were gold earrings—because they were Ishmaelites. And they said, “We will gladly give them.” They spread their garments, and every man threw there the earring from his spoil.
The weight of the gold earrings that he requested was one thousand seven hundred shekels of gold, besides the crescent ornaments, the pendants, the purple garments on the kings of Midian, and besides the collars that were on the necks of their camels.
Gideon made it an ephod and set it up in his city, Ophrah. All Israel prostituted themselves after it there; it became a snare to Gideon and to his house.