Gideon Asked to be Leader Judges 8 c

Judges 8:22 "Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also; for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian. v23 "And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you; the LORD shall rule over you."

First the people wanted to kill Gideon for tearing down the altar of Baal and cutting down the grove, now he is a hero and they want him for a ruler. He refused the offer and rightfully so giving God the glory.

Something happened then that he did not intend to happen. He asked of the people a token from the enemy. Just the earrings and fixtures for a reward perhaps. The people willingly gave them and Gideon made them into one piece, I'd say for a trophy. This action had a bad result though, as the people came to see the trophy and it turned into worship.

v27 "And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it; which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house."

Remember Gideon is Jerubbaal, the second name because he or his father told Israel to not defend Baal and that if he was a god, let him defend himself. There is no record that he did so. :)

Next, we have a brief summary of the rest of Gideon's life. He had many wives and a concubine. The concubine was in Shechem and we should remember that. His name was Abimelech.
Besides Abimelech, Gideon had 70 sons by his many wives. v30 And Gideon died in a good old age and was buried.

v28 "Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon."

Once Gideon was dead Israel again went into apostasy, the fifth. They showed no kindness to the house of Gideon (Jerubbaal) or his sons. v35

Psalms 51:7 "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."

Keywords: Bible Study, Old Testament, Israel, Judges, Gideon, Milton Southerland