What does Judges 8:32 mean?
Gideon's story is one of the longest and most involved of the judges described in this book. God used him to deliver Israel from her enemies (Judges 6:1–5; 8:10–12) and to bring peace for forty years (Judges 8:28). Though he rightly declined to become king (Judges 8:22–23), he served himself (Judges 8:24–26) and led Israel into idol worship (Judges 8:27). He likely openly betrayed God's law (Deuteronomy 7:3–4) in taking a Canaanite woman and having a son with her (Judges 8:31).Still, Gideon lived a long and full life, eventually being buried in the tomb of his father Joash, in his hometown of Ophrah (Judges 6:11; 8:32). With the end of Gideon's life, the familiar pattern of Judges will eventually reset and begin to repeat (Judges 2:11–19). First, though, his son by an unnamed concubine will commit acts of brutality (Judges 9:1–5).