Judges 8:30
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.
29 And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.
And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.
31 And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.
32 And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites.
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Gideon had seventy sons of his own, since he had many wives.
- KJV
- And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.
- WEB
- Gideon had seventy sons conceived from his body, for he had many wives.
- ASV
- And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten; for he had many wives.
- DARBY
- Now Gideon had seventy sons who had come out of his loins, for he had many wives.
- BLB
- And Gideon had seventy sons coming from his loin, for unto him were many wives,
- ÅB
- Gideon hadde sytti sønner som var kommet av hans lend; for han hadde mange hustruer.
- OTB
- Han hadde sytti sønner, da han hadde mange hustruer.
- B1930
- Gideon hadde sytti sønner som var kommet av hans lend; for han hadde mange hustruer.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Judges 9:2
Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.
Read in contextJudges 9:5
And he went unto his father’s house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.
Read in contextDeuteronomy 17:17
Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.
Read in context1 Kings 11:3
And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.
Read in contextGenesis 7:7
And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.
Read in contextMalachi 2:15
And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.
Read in context2 Samuel 3:2–5
And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;
Read in contextJudges 12:9
And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he sent abroad, and took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years.
Read in context