Page "Gideon" Paragraph 13

The Israelites pleaded with Gideon to be their king, but he refused, telling them that only God was their ruler.

Interestingly, however, he carries on to make an " ephod " out of the gold won in battle, which causes the whole of Israel again to turn away from God.

Gideon had 70 sons from the many women he took as wives.

He also had a concubine who bore him a son that he named Abimelech ( which means " my father is king ").

There was peace in Israel for forty years during the life of Gideon.

As soon as Gideon died of old age, the Israelites again turned to worship the false god Baal-Berith and ignored the family of Gideon.