Shoftim Perek 8

• The men of the tribe of Ephraim complained harshly to Gideon for not having summoned them to battle.

• Gideon responds by telling them to be grateful for what he had accomplished.

• The Jews of Sukkot and P’nuel deny rations to Gideon’s army.

• Gideon kills the Jews of Sukkot and P’nuel.

• Two Midyan kings are captured and killed.

• Gideon commands his son Yesser to kill the two kings, but Yesser fears to do so. Gideon kills the two Midyan kings himself.

• The Jewish people wish to make Gideon their leader, but

• Gideon refuses to accept the leadership role of the Jewish nation.

• Gideon makes an ephod out of the golden nose rings that the Jews had amassed in the Midyan battles.

• The ephod becomes a source of idol worship for the Jewish people.

• Gideon returns home and sires seventy sons, plus another son named Avimelech.

• Gideon dies.

• The land is tranquil for forty years.

• Then the Jewish nation returns to idol worship.