Q2. Gideon's Share of the Plunder

[Pastor Ralph]

Q2. (Judges 8:24-27) What does Gideon ask for his reward? Was Gideon wrong to take a reward? Where did the sin begin?

[Omie]

+ Payment for leading an army was not wrong. He asked for a gold earring from each of them.The sin was that Gideon made a bad choice - as we often do. He made an ephod out of the gold he received, (the notation in my Bible says was about 43 pounds of gold).

[Darleen Nelson]

Just as Aaron did, Gideon asked for their earrings. I don't think Gideon was out of line in asking for these as a reward for the fighting and leadership he had given them. Soldiers were not paid except in plunder and I am sure Gideon deserved much in the way of plunder. This was kind of an way to appeasing the people who wanted to make him king. It gave them something concrete they could do for him.

[Julie]

Gideon asking and receiving some of the plunders was fine, but, when he took the gold, melted it down, and then made an ephod to place in town, was the beginning of the sin.

[nelda huffman]

I believe Gideon was wrong for asking for a reward for doing Gods work. Gods reward to us was his Love and faith in us to do his work. Gideon also sinned by making an ephod and placing it in Ophrah, where Israel people worshipped it , thus making it an idol and it is wrong to worship idols, this became a trap to Gideon and his family.

[Helen Spaulding]

Gideon was following historically correct protocol when he asked for and got

his share of the plunder, he was not in the wrong to do that. His sin began

when made the golden ephod. He, and the others, began to worship this as

an idol. This, of course, was idolatry.

Helen

[David Maher]

What does Gideon ask for his reward?

Judg 8:24

24 And he said, "I do have one request, that each of you give me an earring from your share of the plunder."

(from New International Version)

Was Gideon wrong to take a reward?

I do not think there was anything wrong with his taking a reward. It was customary in his day to share in the spoils. I think there may be a problem, though, if Gideon already had the ephod in mind when he made the request. The Lord knows our hearts and I believe we may be asking for something that, in itself, is not sinful, but if it plays part of a sinful act, then I believe it is sinful from the beginning (or the inception of the sinful idea). I find in my life that there are too many times that I just act on impulse or without taking something to the Lord. Mostly, I just believe that whatever it is that I was doing was so minor, and not intentially sinful, that I didn't need to "bother" God with it. With 20/20 hind-site, I can see that these actions on my part that have, many times, resulted in sin in my life. Thank you, Lord, for teaching me this lesson today. Amen.

Where did the sin begin?

Judg 8:27

27 Gideon made the gold into an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his town. All Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family.

(from New International Version)

According to the exposition, an ephod is a garment reserved for gods or a select group of high ranking officials -- royalty and top priestly ranks. Gideon, maybe inadvertantly, was placing himself in this type of position by making the ephod. I believe the sin began when Gideon concieved the idea of the ephod. It was evident when "all Israel prostituded them selves by worshiping it there."

[Pat Beckner]

As I first read the ending of this wonderful story, I was so sad to think that such a great work could end so wrong. Then I began to think of my sucesses and failures and I saw hope because we all fail from time to time. The one thing that does stand out loud and clear is that Gideon's victories were because he was led by the Holy Spirit. His failure came from being led by the **** of the flesh........sound familiar?

[DebChats]

Gideon asks for an "earring" from each individual.

Gideon was not wrong to ask for or take the reward. Christians still seek and take such rewards to this day.

The sin began when the Israelites saw the value and splendor of the ephod and became so enamored with the ephod, that they began worshipping the ephod.

[Helen Williams]

Gideon asked for an earring from their share of the plunder. Gideon was not wrong to take a reward because it was appropriate to reward him for his courageousness as a successful military commander.

The sin began when Gideon made the gold into an ephod and all the Israelites prostitued themselves by worshiping it in Ophrah. For God's people to worship another god other than God himself is spiritual adultery.

[Fina]

What does Gideon ask for his reward? (8:24-27) Was Gideon wrong to take a reward? Where did the sin begin?

Gideon refused to rule the Israelites to be their king but asked for the share of their plunder - golden earrings as his reward instead.

"As Pastor Ralph said, "Taking the gold isn't wrong. It is appropriate to reward the courageous commander of a successful military victory. The problem comes with what Gideon does with the gold. Money is like that. Money is a neutral element, but in how we hoard or spend it comes the sin."

Gideon entraps people and lures them away from the worship of the true God by means of the golden ephod he created although it is not his intention.

[photobug]

I think the earring was a type of reward . But when he made the golden ephord was the sin because that was a idel.

[johncuse]

Q2. What does Gideon ask for his reward? (8:24-27) Was Gideon wrong to take a reward? Where did the sin begin?

Gideon asks foran earring from each of the Ishmaelites. Yes, because after the gold earrings were made into an ephod the people began to worship the ephod and not God.

In Christ Jesus,

John

[Tom Gilbert]

Gideon asked for the gold earrings from the plunder of the enemy. This was customary and not wrong in and of itself.

The sin began with what was done with the reward. It was used to make an ephod. One must wonder what the purpose of that was to begin with. We've read from this study the speculation that it was to give Gideon a cloak of honor and perhaps he considered it to be used in place of the true ephod.

When the people prosituted themselves by worshipping the ephod (and what it stood for--wealth, power, prestige) their sin was of idolatry. Here they go again, full circle.

As I shake my head at the Israelites continued stubborness and weakness I am also convicted of the many times that I look for comfort in material things. We must keep our reliance on what is true and everlasting--on the Lord who is forever sovereign. This seems to be part of the continual inner conflict in us and how grateful I am of the reminder not to serve two masters, and to put God first.

[Andrew]

When Gideon asked for his reward he had forgotten that God gave him his reward beforehand. The gold was a stumbling block for Gideon and blinded him to serve God and not help himself to the customary plunder that he would not have received in the first place if God hadn't been with Gideon and the Israelites in the first place. When I read this I reminded of the ephods that I have built and have detracted me from God.

[Peter Huang]

Gideon asked for an earring from each soldier. The total weight of the earrings came tomore than forty pounds. Gideon was not wrong to ask for some share of the plunder as the leader of the victorious Israelites. The sin started with what he did with the gold from the earrings. He made an ephod which the Israelites started to worship as an idol. This also ensnared his family who then paid more attention to the ephod than to God. The making of the ephod resulted in spiritual adultery of both Gideon's family and the Israelites as a whole. We learn from this recounting of Gideon's life that we cannot serve mammon and God. Either we love the one and hate the other but we cannot serve both at the same time.

[gripofhisgrace]

Gideon was not wrong taking a reward for his victory. I think it was historically acceptable and I don't think God would have denied it.

Gideon's mistake was not the gold ephod. Gideon's mistake was that he compromised. The people wanted to make him King and instead of being satisfied with a victory and finding satisfaction in God's release from bondage - Gideon compromised to accept a lesser reward than offered. The word "compromise" is something we all battle daily.

The worshipping of the ephod was the sin of the people. Gideon didn't have it made as a object to be idolized (I don't think) He made it to commerate a victory. The people turned it into an idol.

susan

[Wendy Reid]

Q2. What does Gideon ask for his reward? (8:24-27) Was Gideon wrong to take a reward? Where did the sin begin?

A gold rearring from each soldier.

No he was not wrong.

In what he did with the gold. Making the ephod he had unwittingly given the Israelites something other than God to worship.

[Vickie]

Gideon's sin was not in the payment he requested, nor was it in the making of the ephod. The sin was in not seeking the Lord's guidance. He obviously did not ask the Lord what he (Gideon) was to do next. He went full-steam ahead with his own plan (making the ephod), and subsequently, he and all the Israelites suffered the consequences.

How many times I have been like Gideon! The Lord will give me a victory, and I turn it into something ugly to serve myself. How incredibly sad.

Oh, Heavenly Father, please guide my in Your ways, Lord, to become more like You. Do not let me run my own race, Father. I know I cannot win that way. Let me follow Your path in everything I do. Amen.

[luminosa]

Gideon asks each man to give him an earring from the spoils of the war. Gideon, in my view, was not wrong in taking a reward. I don't think there was anything wrong with asking for the earrings; the people gave them as a gesture of appreciation.

The sin in this case began when Gideon made the ephod out of the golden earrings. The ephod became the target of the people's worship. It perhaps represented their deliverance and it became an idol. They forgot that their salvation is of God. God Himself instructs us not to worship idols.

[Marvin Phelps]

He requested from each Israelite a gold earring from the plunder. Accepting a portion of the plunder as payment for military service was customary back then and was not considered wrong. But, it was wrong of him to fashion the gold into an ephod, or sacred garment. Perhaps Gideon didn

[Linda Stanley]

Gideon did not want to rule as king,but he was in some leadership throughout his life.He did request from each of the soldiers that each one of them give him an earring from the plunder. WOW! That was a lot of gold!

Gideon was not wrong in taking the gold.It was appropriate to reward the courageous commander of a successful military victory.

Then Gideon made the gold into an ephod,which he placed in Ophrah,his town.What happen then was all Israel prostituted them selves by worshiping it there.This is where the sin began.Gideon did not mean for this to happen as he had torn down the Cananite idols to Baal and Astarte.{This tells me just how fast a person or people can turn their backs on God and go back to their old sinful ways.How sad,but it can happen,and even if Gideon didnt worship the ephod as an idol,many otheres did.The ephod in Ophrah became a source of sin.

[linda bass]

Gideon asked for the gold earrings that were taken from the plunder of the Midianite army.

Gideon did nothing wrong in asking for a reward. It was the custom to reward the commander of a successful military victory.

Gideon's sin wasn't in accepting the reward of the golden earrings; it was in what he did with them. He made it into an ephod which was set up as an object of worship by the Israelites.

[Mario Angel]

Q2. What does Gideon ask for his reward? (8:24-27) Was Gideon wrong to take a reward? Where did the sin begin? Exposition

Q2. What does Gideon ask for his reward? (8:24-27) Was Gideon wrong to take a reward? Where did the sin begin?

He asked for a reward as compensation for his participation in the battle, sort of salary. He was not wrong when he took the reward, the problem comes with what Gideon does with the gold. Money is like that. Money is a neutral element, but in how we hoard or spend it comes the sin. Making an ephod with the gold, was like making an idol, like the Israelites did at Mt Sinai with the golden calf, Gideon mde a mistake and the Israelites again fell after the false idols.

[Marjorie Knight]

When Gideon asked for his share in the plunder, namely the golden earring it was typical for that period of time, but he forgot that God had already rewarded hi.

His sin was in melting down the gold, and making the golden ephod.