Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor?
They replied, "Like you. Each one looked like a son and a king. "
And Gideon said, They are my brethren, even the sons of my mother; I swear that if you hadn't killed them, I wouldn't have killed you either. "
He said to Jether his firstborn, "Kill them."
But the boy did not draw his sword. He was scared because he was still very young.
But Zebah and Zalmunna said unto Gideon, Thou shalt surely kill us; for no child can do this thing. So Gideon killed Zebah and Zalmunna and took away the ornaments that were on their camels' necks.
And the people of Israel said unto Gideon, Thou art our prince, thou and thy son, and thy seed after thee;
Gideon answered, "Neither I nor my son will lead you. The Lord is your leader! "
But he said, "I have something to ask you. Give me the earrings you took. "
(The Midianites and the rest of the people of the wilderness also had gold earrings.)
They answered, "We will gladly give it to you." They unfolded a cloth and on it they placed the earrings they had seized.
The gold earrings that Gideon asked for weighed 19 kilograms. This does not include the ornaments, necklaces and scarlet garments worn by the Midianite kings and the ornaments on the necks of their camels.
Gideon made an idol of gold and put it in his city of Ophrah. All the Israelites left God and went there to worship idols.
This became a snare for Gideon and his household.
The Israelites defeated the Midianites and did not bother them anymore. Israel had peace for 40 years while Gideon was still alive.