Judges 8:24

Judges 8:24 in other versions

• King James Version (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.)
• New International Version (NIV)And he said, “I do have one request, that each of you give me an earring from your share of the plunder.” (It was the custom of the Ishmaelites to wear gold earrings.)
• English Standard Version (ESV)And Gideon said to them, "Let me make a request of you: every one of you give me the earrings from his spoil." (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Gideon said to them, “I would like to make a request of you, that each of you would give me the earrings from his plunder.” For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.

Context of Judges 8:24

22The men of Israel said to Gideon, “You, then your son, and then your grandson, must rule us. You rescued us from Midian.” 23Gideon replied, “I will not rule you nor will my son. The Lord will rule you.” Then Gideon said to them, “Do me a favor. Each of you give me the earrings from your loot.” (Their enemies, the Ishmaelites, wore gold earrings.) 25The men of Israel answered, “Yes, we’ll give them to you.” So they spread out a coat. Each man took the earrings from his loot and dropped them on it. 26The gold earrings Gideon had asked for weighed 40 pounds. This did not include the half-moon ornaments, the earrings, the purple clothes worn by the kings of Midian, and the chains from their camels’ necks.

Judges 8:24 word by word

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֜ם גִּדְע֗וֹן אֶשְׁאֲלָ֤ה מִכֶּם֙ שְׁאֵלָ֔ה וּתְנוּ־לִ֕י אִ֖ישׁ נֶ֣זֶם שְׁלָל֑וֹ כִּֽי־נִזְמֵ֤י זָהָב֙ לָהֶ֔ם כִּ֥י יִשְׁמְעֵאלִ֖ים הֵֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Gideonגִּדְעוֹןgid‛ôn · GideonH1439
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto them, I would desireשָׁאַלshâ'al shâ'êl · to askH7592
• a requestשְׁאֵלָהshe'êlâh shêlâh · petitionH7596
• of you, that ye would giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• me every manאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
• the earringsנֶ֫זֶםnezem · ringH5141
• of his preyשָׁלָלshâlâl · spoilH7998
• For they had goldenזָהָבzâhâb · goldH2091
• Ishmaelitesיִשְׁמְעֵאלִיyishmâ‛ê'lîy · IshmaeliteH3459

Cross-references for Judges 8:24

• Genesis 24:22When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a fifth of an ounce and two gold bracelets weighing four ounces.
• Exodus 12:35The Israelites did what Moses had told them and asked the Egyptians for gold and silver jewelry and for clothes.
• Exodus 32:3So all the people took off their gold earrings and handed them to Aaron.
• 1 Peter 3:3Wives must not let their beauty be something external. Beauty doesn’t come from hairstyles, gold jewelry, or clothes.
• Genesis 16:10The Messenger of the Lord also said to her, “I will give you many descendants. No one will be able to count them because there will be so many.”
• Genesis 25:13These are the names of the sons of Ishmael listed in the order of their birth: Nebaioth (Ishmael’s firstborn), Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,
• Genesis 37:25As they sat down to eat, they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying the materials for cosmetics, medicine, and embalming. They were on their way to take them to Egypt.
• 1 Samuel 25:11Should I take my bread, my water, and my meat that I butchered for my shearers and give them to men coming from who knows where?”
• 1 Kings 20:11The king of Israel answered, “The saying goes, ‘Don’t brag about a victory before you have even dressed for battle.’ ”

Commentaries on Judges 8:24

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 24Give 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, Exodus 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…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 24In 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 Genesis 14:21-23, and of Elisha 2 Kings 5:16, 2 Kings 5:26. The “ear-ring” here mentioned is properly a “nose-ring” (compare Genesis 24:22 note). The…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-28Verses 22-28 Gideon refused the government the people offered him. No good man can be pleased with any honour done to himself, which belongs only to God. Gideon thought to keep up the remembrance of this victory by an ephod, made of the choicest of the spoils. But probably this ephod had, as usual, a teraphim annexed to it, and Gideon intended this for an oracle to be consulted. Many are led into false ways by one false step of a good man. It became a…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 24Both Ishmaelites and Midianites descended from Abraham (Genesis 16:15; 25:2).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 24-2624-26. 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. The contribution was liberally made, and the quantity of gold given to him is estimated at £3113…Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 8:24

• Gideon
• Ishmaelites
• Israel
• Midianites

In the dictionaries

• Gideon
• Request
• Resemble
• Teraphim
• Zebah
• Abdon (1)
• East, Children of the
• Gold
• Government
• Israel, History of

Commentaries on Judges 8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings