And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel. And they said unto him, Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous. And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they enquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing.

And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over. And they set them up Micah’s graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh. And his mother’s brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother.