12: Later days of Gideon (Judges 8:22 – 35)

The rest of the story reveals a broader problem within Israel: though temporarily saved from the Midianites, their inclination toward idolatry remained unchanged.

Read Judges 8:22 - 35

Q1. (22 – 27) People wanted to make Gideon their king. However, Gideon clarified that (              ) was the King. Instead, he asked for (                ) from their plunder and collected (             ) gold shekels. He made an (             ) and put it in his hometown of (                ). Now, all Israel (                 ) themselves to it by worshiping it there. It became a (            ) to Gideon.

People wanted to make Gideon their king. However, Gideon clarified that ( the Lord ) was the King. Instead, he asked for ( gold earrings) from their plunder and collected ( 1700 ) gold shekels. He made an ( ephod ) and put it in his hometown of ( Ophrah  ). Now, all Israel ( prostituted ) themselves to it by worshiping it there. It became a ( snare ) to Gideon.

Gideon wanted to teach them that the Lord was their King by making the golden ephod, a symbol of the Lord’s priesthood. He placed it in Ophrah, even though the Lord’s Tabernacle was in Shiloh at that time. This led the people to worship the ephod itself—they worshipped the symbol rather than the invisible God. Although Gideon did not intend it, he caused them to fall into idol worship. Once they began worshipping the ephod, Gideon could not stop them. Thus, it became a snare to him.

Creating a symbol not commanded by God was a critical failure in leadership. All forms and rituals in church ministry should be temporary unless dictated in the Bible and be regularly revised according to the Bible.

If I were to criticize, it seems that he made the symbol because of his tendency to seek visible signs. Leaders who rely on visible markers and ministry outcomes are more susceptible to making this kind of mistake.

1700 gold shekels = 19.2 ~ 19.7 kg.

Q2. How many sons did Gideon have?

Seventy + one. 

Though he didn’t claim kingship, he behaved like a king, especially in the manner of pagan rulers. He made a golden ephod as a symbol of his leadership and took many wives. His son’s name, Abimelech, means “my father is king.”

Q3. What happened after Gideon’s death? (two)

They made Baal Berith their god and worshiped it.

They betrayed Gideon’s family. This implies their following Abimelech who killed 69 sons of Gideon, as in the next chapter.

The god of the city of Shechem was called Baal-Berith (Lord of the Covenant). Shechem became the first cultic center of the religious tribal confederacy of the Israelites during the period of the judges. (www.britannica.com) 

Shechem was the place where the Israelites renewed their covenantal relationship with the Lord (Josh 24). Ironically, however, after some time, they began to worship the "Lord of the Covenant" (Baal-Berith) of Shechem instead of Yahweh, with whom they had renewed their covenant. Their lack of understanding of Yahweh may have contributed to their confusion between Baal-Berith and Yahweh or led to intentional idolatry. See the post of Joshua (24:1-28)

Two factors stimulated their idolatry: a culture of syncretism and their sinful inclinations. Canaan was a land where diverse cultures and religions coexisted and intermingled, making it easy for the Israelites to confuse Yahweh with other Canaanite deities. Furthermore, their obsession with wealth and their inherent sinfulness—the desire to control their own lives—made the prosperity-focused theology of the Canaanite gods particularly appealing.

Jerub-Baal had destroyed the altar of Baal, but not the idol in their hearts. Thus, a new idol appeared and their idolatry continued.