22Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, Rule you over us, both you, and your son, and your son`s son also; for you have saved us out of the hand of Midian.
23Gideon said to them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: Yahweh shall rule over you.
24Gideon said to them, I would make a request of you, that you would give me every man the ear-rings of his spoil. (For they had golden ear-rings, because they were Ishmaelites.)
25They answered, We will willingly give them. They spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the ear-rings of his spoil.
26The weight of the golden ear-rings that he requested was one thousand and seven hundred [shekels] of gold, besides the crescents, and the pendants, and the purple clothing that was on the kings of Midian, and besides the chains that were about their camels` necks.
27Gideon made an ephod of it, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel played the prostitute after it there; and it became a snare to Gideon, and to his house.
28So Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, and they lifted up their heads no more. The land had rest forty years in the days of Gideon.
