Judges 8 26

Judges 8:26 kjv

And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels' necks.

Judges 8:26 nkjv

Now the weight of the gold earrings that he requested was one thousand seven hundred shekels of gold, besides the crescent ornaments, pendants, and purple robes which were on the kings of Midian, and besides the chains that were around their camels' necks.

Judges 8:26 niv

The weight of the gold rings he asked for came to seventeen hundred shekels, not counting the ornaments, the pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian or the chains that were on their camels' necks.

Judges 8:26 esv

And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was 1,700 shekels of gold, besides the crescent ornaments and the pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian, and besides the collars that were around the necks of their camels.

Judges 8:26 nlt

The weight of the gold earrings was forty-three pounds, not including the royal ornaments and pendants, the purple clothing worn by the kings of Midian, or the chains around the necks of their camels.

Judges 8 verses

Judges 8 26 Meaning

Judges 8:26 details the immense wealth Gideon collected from the defeated Midianite army as spoils of war. Specifically, it highlights the 1700 shekels of gold obtained from the golden earrings, which he had specifically requested. Additionally, the verse lists other opulent items seized, such as crescent ornaments, pendants, and purple garments worn by the Midianite kings, along with chains from their camels' necks. This enumeration underscores the vast riches acquired and, implicitly, the luxury and idolatrous practices of the Midianites, setting the stage for the narrative's next critical turn.

Judges 8 26 Context

Judges 8:26 follows Gideon's decisive victory over the Midianite confederacy, specifically after he had pursued and captured the Midianite kings, Zebah and Zalmunna, avenging his brothers. Prior to this verse, the people of Israel offered Gideon kingship, recognizing his deliverance of them. However, Gideon famously refused, stating, "I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the Lord shall rule over you" (Judg 8:23). Yet, immediately after this declaration, Gideon makes a peculiar request for the golden earrings from the spoils of war. Verse 26 describes the scale of this collection. The context reveals a shift from selfless victory to a potential compromise with worldly treasures and influence, despite his rejection of the royal title. This accumulation of wealth, particularly the golden earrings, sets the stage directly for the sin described in Judges 8:27, where Gideon creates an ephod that becomes a snare for Israel, causing them to "go whoring after it" – a spiritual adultery against God. The Midianites were known for their rich commerce, thus their abundance of gold and luxurious attire was typical of their identity as wealthy desert traders who previously oppressed Israel.

Judges 8 26 Word analysis

• And the weight of the golden earrings:

  • And: Hebrew "וְ" (ve-), a common conjunction connecting this statement directly to Gideon's prior actions and requests, indicating a progression in the narrative.
  • weight: Hebrew "מִשְׁקַל" (mishqal), meaning "weight" or "what is weighed." This emphasizes the quantitative measurement and substantial nature of the gold collected, not just its symbolic value. It was tangible, measurable wealth.
  • of the golden: Hebrew "הַזָּהָב" (ha-zahav), indicating material. Gold was the most prized metal in the ancient world, representing ultimate wealth, status, and often, sacredness (either for divine worship or idol making).
  • earrings: Hebrew "נֶזֶם" (neZem). While commonly translated as "earrings," it can also mean "nose-ring" (e.g., Gen 24:47, Prov 11:22). These ornaments were highly prevalent in ancient Near Eastern cultures, worn by both men and women. Notably, these were crucial components in the making of the golden calf in Exodus 32:2-4, symbolizing the danger of foreign adornments leading to idolatry. Here, taken from the pagan Midianites, they inherently carry a spiritual risk.

• that he requested:

  • This highlights Gideon's specific agency in collecting this particular type of spoil, unlike general war booty. This was not merely found; it was singled out by him. It foreshadows a personal attachment and plan for the gold.

• was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold:

  • a thousand and seven hundred: Hebrew "אֶלֶף וּשְׁבַע מֵאוֹת" (elef u-sheva me'ot). This precise number underscores the staggering amount.
  • shekels: Hebrew "שֶׁקֶל" (sheqel). A unit of weight (and later currency) widely used in the ancient Near East, roughly 11.4 grams or 0.4 ounces of silver or gold. 1700 shekels of gold equates to roughly 40 pounds or about 19.4 kilograms of gold, a colossal fortune for a single individual in that era. This represents immense wealth and power consolidated in one person. It's an unprecedented private collection of wealth in early Israelite history.

• beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment:

  • beside: Hebrew "לְבַד מִן" (le-vad min), meaning "apart from" or "in addition to." This indicates that the 1700 shekels of earrings were only a portion; even more valuable items were acquired.
  • ornaments: Hebrew "שְׂהָרֹנִים" (seharonim), referring to crescent-shaped pendants, often worn by people and animals (like camels). These crescent forms were common pagan symbols, especially associated with lunar deities or prosperity. They appear again in Isaiah 3:18 as items Israelite women adorned themselves with, incurring divine judgment.
  • collars: Hebrew "נְטִיפוֹת" (netifot), usually translated as "pendants" or "ear-drops." These are decorative drop-like jewels or beads.
  • purple raiment: Hebrew "בִּגְדֵי אַרְגָּמָן" (bigdei 'argaman). "Purple" dye was exceptionally rare and costly, derived from murex shells. Purple garments were a distinct symbol of royalty, immense wealth, and high status throughout the ancient Near East, worn by kings, nobility, and high priests. This signals the royal status of the Midianite adversaries and the richness of their empire.

• that was on the kings of Midian:

  • This specifies the source of the luxurious items – directly from the captured kings, Zebah and Zalmunna (Judg 8:5-7), signifying Gideon's complete triumph and confiscation of their power and opulence. It underscores the "pagan" origin and association of these items.

• and beside the chains that were about their camels' necks:

  • chains: Hebrew "עֲנָקֹות" (anaqot), referring to necklaces or decorative chains worn around the necks of camels.
  • camels' necks: Camels themselves were a sign of great wealth and essential for trade and mobility in desert regions. Adorning them with valuable chains indicated extraordinary riches. This further emphasizes the lavishness and opulence of the Midianites, whose very animals wore signs of wealth.

Judges 8 26 Bonus section

The precise weight of 1700 shekels of gold, which is estimated to be roughly 40-50 pounds (or approximately 19-23 kg), represents an astonishing amount for an individual's personal acquisition in the ancient world. This value far exceeded any typical family's wealth and placed Gideon in a position of extraordinary, perhaps unparalleled, economic power among the Israelites of his time. This wealth accumulation parallels that of ancient kings, even though he refused the title, demonstrating a practical monarchy or chieftainship forming outside of explicit divine appointment. The practice of Midianites adorning even their camels with chains signifies a highly prosperous, indeed ostentatious, culture, reinforcing the scope of the threat they posed and the lavishness of the wealth now acquired by Gideon. The "crescent ornaments" (seharonim) also bear significant spiritual implication, as crescent moons were widely recognized symbols of pagan deities across Mesopotamia and Canaan, often representing fertility cults or lunar gods. Their presence underscores the defeat of foreign religious systems but also highlights the danger of absorbing or even handling their symbols without proper divine guidance.

Judges 8 26 Commentary

Judges 8:26 paints a vivid picture of the immense spoils Gideon acquired from the defeated Midianite kings. This verse is pivotal not only for describing the magnitude of Gideon's material gain—1700 shekels of gold (a vast fortune of about 40 pounds) just from requested earrings—but also for what it omens. Despite Gideon's noble rejection of kingship, stating Yahweh would rule over Israel, his request for this specific wealth signals a subtle, yet significant, shift from spiritual devotion to a material accumulation that mirrored the very pagan opulence he had just conquered.

The gold, especially the "earrings," which were often associated with idolatry (Exo 32:2-4, Gen 35:4), and the pagan "crescent ornaments" and "purple raiment" of kings, held inherent risks. These items, representing the worldly power and pagan practices of Midian, posed a temptation. While spoils of war were permissible (Deut 20:14), Gideon's specific request for earrings, coupled with his immense private accumulation, deviates from past patterns where spoils were often dedicated to God's treasury or distributed widely among the people.

This concentration of wealth foreshadows the disastrous decision in the very next verse (Judg 8:27), where Gideon fashioned an "ephod" from this gold. Though intended, perhaps, as a memorial or religious article, it became a snare, leading Israel into idolatry and undermining his earlier confession that "the Lord shall rule over you." Thus, Judges 8:26 serves as a critical bridge, demonstrating how victory's allure and worldly treasure, even when rejecting the outward trappings of a king, can subtly lead a leader and his people astray from wholehearted devotion to God. It shows the subtle, insidious way material possessions, especially those laden with pagan associations, can become a spiritual danger, despite initially being legitimate war booty.