And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.
Parallel translations
- WEB Gideon had seventy sons conceived from his body, for he had many wives.
- BSB Gideon had seventy sons of his own, since he had many wives.
- NKJV Gideon had seventy sons who were his own offspring, for he had many wives.
- NASB Now Gideon had seventy sons who were his direct descendants, for he had many wives.
- NLT He had seventy sons born to him, for he had many wives.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Gideon has seventy sons by his many wives.
Overview
His many wives, like a king's harem, reveal that Gideon adopted royal trappings despite refusing the title. Polygamy departs from God's design and sows seeds of future conflict. The seventy sons become the tragic victims of Abimelech's ambition in chapter 9.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Judg 9:2Speak, 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.
- Judg 9:5And 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.
- Deut 17:17Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.
- 1 Kgs 11:3And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.
- Exod 1:5And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already.
- Eph 5:31–33For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
- Judg 10:4And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair unto this day, which are in the land of Gilead.
- 2 Sam 5:13–16And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and daughters born to David.
- Judg 12:9And 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.
- Gen 46:26All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, which came out of his loins, besides Jacob’s sons’ wives, all the souls were threescore and six;
- Judg 12:14And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years.
- Gen 2:24Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
- 2 Kgs 10:1And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to them that brought up Ahab’s children, saying,
- Gen 7:7And 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.
- Matt 19:5–8And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
- Mal 2:15And 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.
- 2 Sam 3:2–5And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;
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Christ at the center
Israel's cycle of sin and rescue through flawed deliverers cries out for a Savior who never fails — the true and final Judge and Deliverer who saves his people not for a season but forever.
How Judges 8:30 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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