Judges 8:24
in Judges 8Then 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.)
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Gideon said unto them, I would make a request of you, that ye would give me every man the ear-rings of his spoil. (For they had golden ear-rings, because they were Ishmaelites.)
KJV
And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)
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This verse in Judges 8
Commentary
5 notes on this verseGive me every man the ear-rings of his prey - The spoils taken from their enemies in this warfare. This is a transaction very like to that of the Israelites and Aaron; when they brought him their golden ear-rings, out of which he made the molten calf, Exo 32:2, etc. Whether Gideon designed this ephod for an instrument of worship, or merely as a trophy, is not very clear. It is most likely that he had intended to establish a place of worship at Ophrah; and he took this occasion to provide the proper sacerdotal vestments.
This site's exposition
Let me make a request of you
on Judges 8:24-26
The request follows the refusal in the same breath, and it asks for gold. The verse calls the enemy Ishmaelites where the chapter says Midianites, as Genesis 37:25-28 does of the traders who carried Joseph off. Israel "spread out a garment" and gave gladly, as for the tabernacle at Exodus 35:22 and the calf at Exodus 32:2-3, and 1,700 shekels come near fifty pounds weight.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you--This was the contribution of an earring (singular). As the ancient Arabians (Ishmaelites and Midianites being synonymous terms, Ge 37:25, 28) were gorgeously adorned with barbaric pearl and gold, an immense amount of such valuable booty had fallen into the hands of the Israelitish soldiers.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
In this desire for gold Gideon falls to the level of ordinary men, and we may see in it the first decline of his glory, leading to a sad tarnishing of the luster of his bright name. The idolatrous honor paid to Gideon’s ephod was probably a source of revenue to his house. Contrast the conduct of Abraham Gen 14:21-23, and of Elisha 2Ki 5:16, 2Ki 5:26. The “ear-ring” here mentioned is properly a “nose-ring” (compare Gen 24:22 note). The custom of wearing nose-rings prevails in Eastern countries to the present day. The circumstance of Job’s friends each contributing a nose-ring of gold (Job 42:11 note) is a remarkable parallel to the incident in Gideon’s history. Rings of gold were also used as money in Egypt, as appears on several early monuments, and by the Celts.
The words behind it
18 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֨אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֲלֵהֶ֜ם | ʾalehem | to them | H413 → | 5510 times |
| גִּדְע֗וֹן | gidon | Gideon | H1439 → | 39 times |
| אֶשְׁאֲלָ֤ה | ʾeshalah | let me ask | H7592 → | 171 times |
| מִכֶּם֙ | mikem | from <the> you | ||
| שְׁאֵלָ֔ה | sheelah | a petition | H7596 → | |
| וּתְנוּ־ | utenu- | and give | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| לִ֕י | li | to <the> me | ||
| אִ֖ישׁ | ʾish | everyone | H376 → | 1663 times |
| נֶ֣זֶם | nezem | <the> earring of | H5141 → | 17 times |
| שְׁלָל֑וֹ | shelalo | plunder his | H7998 → | 73 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| נִזְמֵ֤י | nizmei | earrings of | H5141 → | 17 times |
| זָהָב֙ | zahav | gold | H2091 → | 389 times |
| לָהֶ֔ם | lahem | [belonged] to <the> them | ||
| כִּ֥י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| יִשְׁמְעֵאלִ֖ים | yishmeelim | [were] Ishmaelites | H3459 → | |
| הֵֽם׃ | hem | they | H1992 → | 553 times |
וַיֹּ֨אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
אֲלֵהֶ֜םto them
ʾalehemH413 →5510 times
גִּדְע֗וֹןGideon
gidonH1439 →39 times
אֶשְׁאֲלָ֤הlet me ask
ʾeshalahH7592 →171 times
מִכֶּם֙from <the> you
mikem
שְׁאֵלָ֔הa petition
sheelahH7596 →
וּתְנוּ־and give
utenu-H5414 →2011 times
לִ֕יto <the> me
li
אִ֖ישׁeveryone
ʾishH376 →1663 times
נֶ֣זֶם<the> earring of
nezemH5141 →17 times
שְׁלָל֑וֹplunder his
shelaloH7998 →73 times
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
נִזְמֵ֤יearrings of
nizmeiH5141 →17 times
זָהָב֙gold
zahavH2091 →389 times
לָהֶ֔ם[belonged] to <the> them
lahem
כִּ֥יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
יִשְׁמְעֵאלִ֖ים[were] Ishmaelites
yishmeelimH3459 →
הֵֽם׃they
hemH1992 →553 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Genesis 37:28So when the Midianite traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.
it leads to
- Acts 7:9
Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him
- Psalms 105:17
He sent a man before them— Joseph, sold as a slave.
- Genesis 25:2
and she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.
- Acts 7:9
Through
Genesis 37:25And as they sat down to eat a meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying spices, balm, and myrrh on their way down to…
it leads to
- Genesis 43:11
Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your packs and carry them down as a gift…
- Jeremiah 8:22
Is there no balm in Gilead? Is no physician there? Why then has the health of the daughter of my people not been restored?
- Genesis 37:28
So when the Midianite traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.
- Genesis 43:11
Through
1 Samuel 25:11Why should I take my bread and water and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give them to these men whose origin I do not know?”
it leads to
- Judges 8:6
But the leaders of Succoth asked, “Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your possession, that we should give bread to your army?”
- Judges 8:6
Through
Genesis 25:13These are the names of the sons of Ishmael in the order of their birth: Nebaioth the firstborn of Ishmael, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,
it leads to
- 1 Chronicles 1:29–31
These are their genealogies:
- 1 Chronicles 1:29–31
About Judges
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763).