...
That bad decision pretty much plagued him his entire life:
Judges 8:27...which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.
Quoting: Anonymous Coward 76570510 Question: "What was the significance of the ephod?"
Answer: In the Old Testament, the ephod has two meanings. In one group of passages, it signifies a garment...
It is certain that the word cannot here refer to a garment. This is evident in Judges 8:26–27, where it is recorded that Gideon took the golden earrings of the Midianites, weighing 1,700 shekels of gold, and made an “ephod thereof...
The most natural inference from all these passages is that “ephod” here signifies an image that was set up in the sanctuary, especially since the word is cited with teraphim, which undoubtedly refers to graven images (Hosea 3:4). The conclusion is that ephod, in these cases, refers to a portable idol....
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Once again we see it was 40 years of peace in Israel:
Judges 8:28 Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in
quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.
Summary of how God made Gideon (the skeptic), into Gideon, the hero:
Judges 6: 1-5 the people of Israel worship other gods and God becomes angry. He decides to send the Midianites out against them.
Judges 6: 6-10 the people are frustrated and cry out to God. He sends a prophet who tells them why they’re being oppressed. He wants them to repent.
Judges 6: 11-13 an angel of the Lord appears to Gideon and tells him that he has been chosen by God to free his people.
Judges 6: 14-16 Gideon questions God’s decision for choosing him. He claims to be too weak to accomplish this feat.
Judges 6: 17-40 Gideon questions God again and makes special requests to validate his choice. Gideon finally believes the Lord.
Judges 7:2 Gideon had selected many warriors, but God wanted their numbers reduced so that they would not claim that the victory came from them.
Judges 7: 18-25 Gideon and his forces defeat the Midianites.
Judges 8: 28 Gideon ruled the Israelites for 40 years before he died.
Judges 8:33 after Gideon had died, the people of Israel started to worship foreign gods once again.
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