Judges 8:22-35 - Gideon's Legacy
22 Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, "Reign over us, both thou, thy son and thy son's son, for thou hast delivered us out of the hands of the Midianites."
23 And Gideon said unto them, "I will not reign over you, neither shall my children reign over you, but the LORD shall reign over you." 24 Neverthelater, Gideon said unto them, "I would desire a certain request of you: even that you would give me, every man, the earrings of his prey." For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.
25 And they said, "We will do it." And they spread a mantle and did cast thereinto every man the earrings of his prey. 26 And the weight of the golden earrings was a thousand and seven hundred sicles of gold, beside brooches, ouches and garments of scarlet that were of the kings of Midian, and beside the chains, that were about their camels' necks. 27 And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city Ophrah. And all Israel went a whoring after him there, which thing was the ruin of Gideon's house.
28 Thus were the Midianites brought low before the children of Israel, so that they lift up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon. 29 And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.
30 And Gideon had seventy sons of his body begotten, for he had many wives. 31 And his concubine that dwelt in Shechem bare him a son also, whose name he called Abimelech. 32 And Gideon the son of Joash died, when he was of a good age, and was buried in the burial of Joash his father, even in Ophrah that pertained unto the father of the Abiezrites.
33 But as soon as Gideon was dead, the children of Israel turned away and went a whoring after Baal, and made Baalberith their God, 34 and thought not on the LORD their God which had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side. 35 Neither showed they mercy on the house of Jerubbaal, otherwise called Gideon, according to all the goodness which he showed them.