And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)
Gideon said to them, 'I have one request I'd like to make of you: would each of you give me the earrings you took from your enemies?' (The enemies had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.)
Gideon is asking his soldiers to give him the gold earrings they captured from their defeated enemies as his reward for leading them to victory.
📚 Historical Context
This takes place after Gideon's famous victory over the Midianites with just 300 men. In ancient times, it was common for warriors to take jewelry and valuables from defeated enemies as spoils of war. The Ishmaelites (descendants of Abraham's son Ishmael) were known for wearing gold jewelry, particularly earrings, as a sign of their wealth and status.
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