What Does Judges 8:26 Mean in the King James?
And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels’ necks.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
Gold’s weight makes victory countable, while purple cloth and camel chains make rank visible.
THE MEANING
The verse places 1,700 shekels of gold beside ornaments, collars, purple raiment, and chains on the camels’ necks. Its count and inventory make power tangible: gold is weighed, and rank appears in what is worn and carried.
THE ROOT
מִשְׁקַל
mishqal
GROWS FROM
שקל
sh-q-l
to weigh, to assign a weight
The verse names the gold’s weight and measures it in shekels. Both words grow from שקל, so the wealth is presented as something weighed into a countable measure.
ALSO GROWS
shaqal: to weigh
שָׁקַל
The verb behind the noun shows that the gold’s stated weight is an act of weighing, not a vague quantity.
sheqel: a shekel, a unit of weight
שֶׁקֶל
The unit used to count the gold shares its root with “weight,” joining the metal’s mass to its measure.
שָׁאַל
sha'al
GROWS FROM
שאל
sha'al
to ask, request; in some contexts, to borrow
“requested” in this verse is sha'al. The verb describes Gideon asking for the earrings. The same root can describe asking for goods that are then received, so the request itself belongs to the verse’s account of how wealth changes hands.
ALSO GROWS
she'elah: a request, petition
שְׁאֵלָה
This noun from the same root makes the act of asking explicit within the word family.
vayyish'alu: they asked; translated “borrowed”
וַיִּשְׁאֲלוּ
In Exodus 12:35 this form describes the Israelites asking the Egyptians for silver, gold, and clothing, linking request-language to a transfer of valuables.
THE PATTERN
Precious wealth becomes legible through measured metal and visible goods, whether worn, given, or traded.
And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment:The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD.The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,THE THREAD
And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment:The word translated “borrowed” in Exodus comes from שאל (sha’al), the same root as “requested” here. The shared root links two transfers of gold and clothing through the language of asking.
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