17. He tore down the tower of Peniel and killed the men of the city.
18. Then he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men did you kill at Tabor?”They said, “They were like you. Each one looked like the son of a king.”
19. He said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the Lord lives, if you had allowed them to live, I would not kill you.”
20. Gideon said to his firstborn Jether, “Rise and kill them!” Yet the young man did not draw his sword because he was afraid, for he was still a young man.
21. Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, “You get up and attack us, for a man is judged by his strength.” So Gideon got up and killed Zebah and Zalmunna and took the crescent-shaped ornaments that were on the necks of their camels.
22. Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, you, and your son, and your grandson, for you have saved us from the hands of Midian.”
23. Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you. The Lord will rule over you.”
24. Gideon continued, “I have a request to make of you, that each man would give me an earring from his spoils.” (Their enemy had golden earrings because they were Ishmaelites.)
25. They said, “We will certainly give them.” So they spread out a cloak, and each man threw a ring of his spoils there.
26. The weight of the golden earrings that he requested was seventeen hundred gold shekels. This was in addition to the crescent-shaped ornaments, jewelry, and purple clothing worn by the kings of Midian, as well as the chains hanging on the necks of their camels.
27. Gideon used these things to make an ephod. He put it in his city, in Ophrah, and all Israel prostituted themselves to it there. It became a snare to Gideon and his family.