23. But Gideon told them, “The Lord will be your ruler. I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you.”
24. He said, “I want you to do this one thing for me. I want each of you to give me a gold earring from the things you took in the fighting.” (The Ishmaelites wore gold earrings.)
25. They said, “We will gladly give you what you want.” So they spread out a coat, and everyone threw down an earring from what he had taken.
26. The gold earrings weighed about forty-three pounds. This did not count the decorations, necklaces, and purple robes worn by the kings of Midian, nor the chains from the camels’ necks.