Judges Chapter 8 verse 30 Holy Bible
And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten; for he had many wives.
read chapter 8 in ASV
Gideon had seventy sons, the offspring of his body; for he had a number of wives.
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Now Gideon had seventy sons, his own offspring, for he had many wives.
read chapter 8 in DARBY
And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.
read chapter 8 in KJV
And Gideon had seventy sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.
read chapter 8 in WBT
Gideon had seventy sons conceived from his body; for he had many wives.
read chapter 8 in WEB
and to Gideon there have been seventy sons, coming out of his loin, for he had many wives;
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Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerses 30-32. - Gideon had threescore and ten sons, etc. This notice helps us to fill up the picture of Gideon's state after the Midianitish victory, lie had indeed nobly refused the kingdom, as a Pericles would have refused to be tyrant of Athena But he did not return to poverty and obscurity, as L. Q. Cincinnatus, in the Roman legend, returned to his plough after his victory over the Volsciana He was judge over Israel for forty years, with a household and a harem like a great prince, living in his paternal city, with the ephod set up there, himself the centre round which the powers of Church and State gathered; directing the affairs of his country, both civil and ecclesiastical, with eminent success, so that the country was at peace for forty years (a peace as long as that which followed the battle of Water-leo], and the detestable Baal-worship was effectually suppressed. And having lived in wealth and honour, he died in peace, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father at Ophrah in a good old age. He remains to us as one of the most remarkable characters of the Old Testament, not indeed without faults and blemishes, and not wholly unspoiled by prosperity, but still a great man, and an eminent servant of God.
Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(30) Threescore and ten sons.--According to Oriental fashion, no account is taken of his daughters.He had many wives.--It is clear that Gideon was a king in all but name. This is the most magnificent, but the least honourable, period of his career. In Deuteronomy 17:17 it had been said of the future king, "Neither shall he multiply wives to himself. . . . neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold." Polygamy was only adopted on a large scale by rulers (Judges 10:4; Judges 12:9).
