Judges 8 30

Judges 8:30 kjv

And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.

Judges 8:30 nkjv

Gideon had seventy sons who were his own offspring, for he had many wives.

Judges 8:30 niv

He had seventy sons of his own, for he had many wives.

Judges 8:30 esv

Now Gideon had seventy sons, his own offspring, for he had many wives.

Judges 8:30 nlt

He had seventy sons born to him, for he had many wives.

Judges 8 verses

Judges 8 30 Meaning

Judges 8:30 details Gideon's extensive family life after his triumph over Midian. It states that he had seventy sons, all directly descended from him, a result of having many wives. This verse reflects Gideon's elevated status, wealth, and power within post-victory Israel, consistent with the norms of ancient Near Eastern leaders who often consolidated influence through numerous progeny and multiple marital alliances. However, it also subtly foreshadows the family discord and political instability that would arise after his death.

Judges 8 30 Context

Judges 8:30 marks a significant transition in Gideon's life story and in the larger narrative of the Book of Judges. Coming immediately after his astounding military victory over Midian and his subsequent refusal of kingship (Jdg 8:23), this verse details how Gideon settled into a life resembling that of a tribal chieftain or monarch. Despite his initial pious refusal, his actions — creating an idolatrous ephod (Jdg 8:27) and now establishing an enormous family with "many wives" — indicate a drift towards worldly power and a potential dynastic aspiration. This period of peace is undergirded by practices that were culturally common for powerful figures but were problematic within the divine law for a ruler. The sheer number of his sons, seventy, solidifies Gideon's perceived power and wealth but also sets the stage for the dramatic and violent usurpation by his concubine's son, Abimelech, who will tragically eliminate most of Gideon's numerous progeny in Judges chapter 9. Thus, this verse is a crucial point that demonstrates the fragile nature of Israel's spiritual state during the Judges period and the dangerous consequences of human ambition, even within the life of a divinely called deliverer.

Judges 8 30 Word analysis

• "And" (WaY - וַיְ): A common Hebrew connective, linking Gideon's numerous offspring directly to the preceding narrative of his triumph and period of peace. It signifies the consequence of his victory and his subsequent elevated status.

• "Gideon" (Gid'on - גִּדְעוֹן): Meaning "hewer" or "feller," referring to his action against the Midianites. Here, the name evokes his established fame and position, emphasizing the personal success and renown achieved by the former judge.

• "had" (Hayah l-o - הָיוּ־לוֹ): Literally "were to him" or "came into being for him." It signifies the existence and possession of these sons, highlighting the outcome of his marital unions.

• "seventy" (Shiv'im - שִׁבְעִים): A significant numerical value in the Bible, often symbolizing completeness, a large administrative or representative body, or princely multitude (e.g., seventy elders of Israel, seventy nations). In this context, it underscores Gideon's substantial progeny, conveying immense personal status, strength, and potential dynastic influence in that culture.

• "sons" (Banim - בָּנִים): Male offspring. In a patriarchal society, many sons were highly valued as a sign of blessing, power, legacy, and security, assuring the continuation of the family line and the household's strength.

• "begotten of his body" (Yotzei yerekho - יוֹצְאֵי יְרֵכוֹ): A powerful, emphatic phrase literally meaning "those who came forth from his loins" or "from his thigh." This emphasizes direct, undeniable biological paternity, reinforcing the legitimacy of all seventy sons as heirs and ensuring no ambiguity regarding their claim to Gideon's inheritance or name. It is language used elsewhere to denote numerous legitimate descendants (e.g., Jacob's descendants from his loins, Gen 46:26).

• "for" (Ki - כִּי): This conjunction provides the causal explanation for the remarkably large number of sons.

• "he had many wives" (Nashim rabbot hayah lo - נָשִׁים רַבּוֹת הָיוּ־לוֹ):

  • "many" (Rabbot - רַבּוֹת): Indicates abundance or numerousness.
  • "wives" (Nashim - נָשִׁים): Explicitly denotes a plural number of spouses. Polygamy, though prevalent among powerful figures and kings in the Ancient Near East and tolerated within parts of the Old Testament narrative (e.g., David, Solomon), was often a source of domestic strife and, as per Deuteronomic law for kings, implicitly discouraged as a potential stumbling block. It was a clear marker of wealth, status, and power for Gideon.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "Gideon had seventy sons: This phrase immediately establishes Gideon's immense social and patriarchal standing. It suggests a man of great vigor, prosperity, and authority, mirroring the kind of domestic success often attributed to great leaders and kings in that cultural context. It presents an image of stability and strength that tragically proves to be illusory in the very next chapter.
  • "begotten of his body: This specific formulation strongly authenticates the lineage of his sons. It asserts the undisputed paternity of all seventy children, which would be crucial for establishing their legitimate claims to inheritance, status, and authority within Gideon's expansive household. It highlights the strength and fecundity associated with his leadership.
  • "for he had many wives: This concluding clause directly explains the large number of Gideon's offspring. While polygamy was a common practice for powerful individuals to extend family influence and secure alliances, it was often the breeding ground for internal jealousies and conflicts within a household, especially concerning succession. In Gideon's case, it directly foreshadows the violent power struggle instigated by Abimelech, born from a concubine rather than a wife. This detail underscores Gideon's worldly accumulation of status, potentially in contrast to his earlier refusal of divine rule, and serves as a vital clue to understanding the chaos that follows.

Judges 8 30 Bonus section

• Foreshadowing of Disaster: This verse, seemingly positive about Gideon's flourishing household, is actually a setup for the profound tragedy in the very next chapter. The existence of "seventy sons" directly provides the victims for Abimelech's massacre in Judges 9:5, making this abundance of progeny a harbinger of dynastic collapse rather than a secure legacy.
• Contrast with Deuteronomic Kingship: While Gideon explicitly rejects kingship in name (Jdg 8:23), his lifestyle described here – many wives and vast offspring – directly contradicts the ideals for a king in Deuteronomy 17:17, which explicitly warns against multiplying wives "lest his heart turn away." Gideon's actions implicitly adopt a kingly persona and highlight the worldly desires that corrupted even a chosen judge.
• The Spiritual Decline of a Hero: This verse marks a notable point in the gradual spiritual decline of Gideon. Initially portrayed as a timid man used mightily by God, he ends up embodying worldly success and status through means (many wives, an idolatrous ephod) that lead away from true faith and the welfare of Israel.
• Symbolic Number "Seventy": The number seventy is not just large; it carries symbolic weight for completeness or a full company, as seen with the seventy nations of the world or the seventy elders. For Gideon to have seventy sons underscores the comprehensiveness of his family and lineage, presenting it almost as a complete 'royal' household, though lacking divine endorsement for such an accumulation.

Judges 8 30 Commentary

Judges 8:30 serves as a succinct yet powerful statement summarizing the state of Gideon's household and, by extension, the trajectory of his life after his celebrated victory. His acquisition of "seventy sons" from "many wives" paints a vivid picture of a leader who has ascended to a princely status, enjoying the trappings of wealth, power, and domestic proliferation akin to a monarch, despite explicitly refusing to be king (Jdg 8:23). In ancient Israelite culture, numerous sons signified a strong legacy and divine blessing, ensuring the continuity and strength of a family line. However, the mention of "many wives" also hints at a deeper complexity. While culturally accepted, the biblical narrative often depicts polygamy as a source of rivalry, conflict, and internal division, a pattern tragically evident in the house of David (2 Sam 3) and ultimately contributing to Solomon's downfall (1 Kgs 11).

In Gideon's case, this verse sets the stage for the dramatic and brutal events of Judges chapter 9. The sheer number of his legitimate sons, a mark of his success, paradoxically creates an unstable environment, laying the groundwork for the ruthlessness of Abimelech. Gideon's actions in accumulating such a vast family, alongside the crafting of the ephod that became an idol (Jdg 8:27), illustrate a shift from selfless deliverance to self-aggrandizement. The desire for human legacy, through multiplying wives and sons, ultimately becomes a curse rather than a blessing, demonstrating the perpetual human tendency to deviate from God's perfect plan and rely on worldly metrics of power. This verse subtly contributes to the overall theme of the book of Judges: Israel's cyclical descent into moral and spiritual compromise due to flawed leadership and a people who "did what was right in their own eyes."