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Verse

Judges 8:30

ESV Now Gideon had seventy sons, his own offspring, for he had many wives.
NIV He had seventy sons of his own, for he had many wives.
NASB Now Gideon had seventy sons who were his direct descendants, for he had many wives.
CSB Gideon had seventy sons, his own offspring, since he had many wives.
NLT He had seventy sons born to him, for he had many wives.
KJV And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.
NKJV Gideon had seventy sons who were his own offspring, for he had many wives.

What does Judges 8:30 mean?

Victory over the Midianites made Gideon a very wealthy man. This would partly be thanks to gold he received when he requested a tribute from spoils of war (Judges 8:24–26). Gideon used some of that gold to make an object that became a false idol worshiped in Israel (Judges 8:27). He would have had plenty of other money, however, including the goods he took from the conquered Midianite kings.

Gideon used his wealth and fame to take many wives. Those wives bore Gideon seventy sons, and presumably a substantial number of daughters. The resources necessary to support so many wives and children would have been enormous in any era, but especially in the ancient world. That Gideon could live "like a king:" in luxury and prosperity, despite not literally being a king (Judges 8:22–23) suggests Gideon held profound influence in Israel.
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