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26 The total weight of this gold was nearly 20 kilograms. In addition, there was the gold from the camels' ornaments and from the beautiful jewelry worn by the Midianite kings. Gideon also took their purple robes.

27-29 Gideon returned to his home in Ophrah and had the gold made into a statue, which the Israelites soon started worshiping. They were unfaithful to God, and even Gideon and his family were trapped into worshiping the statue.[a]

The Midianites had been defeated so badly that they were no longer strong enough to attack Israel. And so Israel was at peace for the remaining 40 years of Gideon's life.

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Footnotes

  1. 8.27-29 statue … statue: Or “sacred priestly vest … vest.”

26 The weight of the gold rings he asked for came to seventeen hundred shekels,[a] not counting the ornaments, the pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian or the chains(A) that were on their camels’ necks. 27 Gideon made the gold into an ephod,(B) which he placed in Ophrah,(C) his town. All Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare(D) to Gideon and his family.(E)

Gideon’s Death

28 Thus Midian was subdued before the Israelites and did not raise its head(F) again. During Gideon’s lifetime, the land had peace(G) forty years.

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Footnotes

  1. Judges 8:26 That is, about 43 pounds or about 20 kilograms