²⁵ And they sat down to eat ^[a]a meal. Then they lifted up their eyes and saw, and behold, a caravan of ^(A)Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing ^[b](B)aromatic gum and ^[c](C)balm and ^[d]myrrh, going to bring them down to Egypt.

Midian Prevails Against Israel

6 Then the sons of Israel ^(A)did what was evil in the eyes of Yahweh; and Yahweh gave them into the hands of ^(B)Midian seven years. ² And the ^[a]power of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of Midian the sons of Israel made for themselves ^(C)the dens which were in the mountains and the caves and the strongholds. ³ And it was when Israel had sown, that the Midianites would go up with the Amalekites and the sons of the east and go up against them.

Gideon Makes an Ephod

²² Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, both you and your son, also your son’s son, for you have saved us from the hand of Midian.”

²⁴ Yet Gideon said to them, “I would ^[a]make one request of you, that each of you give me ^[b]an earring from his spoil.” (For they had gold earrings because they were ^(A)Ishmaelites.)