What does Judges 8:24 mean?

Gideon rejected an offer from the people of Israel to rule over them (Judges 8:22). They wanted him to begin a dynasty that will include his sons and grandsons. Yet God's intent was for each person in Israel to submit to His will (Joshua 24:15–18). Therefore, God drastically reduced the number of men in Gideon's main army (Judges 7:2). Israel's rescue (Judges 8:18–21) from Midian's raids (Judges 6:1–5) was to be a clear sign of God's power, not Israel's.

Having passed this test, however, Gideon unfortunately does precisely what many kings do. He leverages his fame and the people's gratitude to serve himself. He asks every man to give him the earrings they have taken from the defeated enemy as spoils of war. The writer explains that Midianites wore earrings because they were Ishmaelites. This would most literally refer to the descendants of Ishmael, son of Abraham through Hagar (Genesis 16:1–2, 11–12). Scholars suggest the term was also used to describe anyone from a particular region.

"Spoils" are the materials captured or recovered after victory in battle. It's not clear if Gideon was asking for one earring per person, or if he was asking for all the earrings taken from defeated Midianites. In any case, Gideon's request is that he be paid a sort of tribute for his role as leader during the war. While Gideon has declined to become their ruler, he still asks them to submit payment to him exactly as a king might do.

More troubling is the fact that Gideon is not recorded declaring God's role in the victory. He properly referred to God when speaking about how Israel was to be governed (Judges 8:23). Perhaps he did, in fact, remind the people that God's power is what rescued them. But Judges makes no mention of this; it's notable that there is no record of Gideon deflecting credit for the victory to God. Instead, he asks for tribute from the people. He seems willing to take some credit and see himself as deserving payment as a result.