Gideon's Golden Ephod

Although Gideon refused the kingship, he asked for the golden earrings from the plunder. The people happily poured the gold rings onto a cloth, totaling one thousand seven hundred shekels of gold, along with other ornaments. Gideon used this gold to make an ephod and placed it in his city, Ophrah. But this ephod became a trap for Israel. The people worshiped it like an idol, and Gideon's household suffered because of it. During Gideon's lifetime, the land was at peace for forty years. Gideon had seventy biological sons because he had many wives. A concubine in Shechem also bore him a son named Abimelech. When Gideon grew old and died, he was buried. The Israelites again turned to worship Baal and stopped remembering the Lord's goodness. They did not treat Gideon's descendants well either.