Which judge of Israel had 70 sons?

The judge of Israel who had 70 sons was Gideon. Judges 8:30 says Gideon fathered seventy sons because he had many wives, presenting his large household as a sign of his wealth and status after military success.

Gideon, also called Jerubbaal, came from the tribe of Manasseh and led Israel against the Midianites. His most famous victory involved only 300 men, selected after the army was reduced so that the triumph would be attributed to God rather than overwhelming military strength. Afterward, Israel experienced 40 years of peace during his lifetime.

Gideon refused the Israelites’ offer to establish a hereditary monarchy, but his family nevertheless became politically important. His concubine in Shechem bore another son, Abimelech. After Gideon died, Abimelech killed nearly all of Gideon’s 70 sons and attempted to rule Shechem. Jotham, the youngest, escaped. This is the common mix-up: Abimelech was Gideon’s son, not the judge who fathered the seventy.