Gideon

Also known as: Jerubbaal

Judge · The Fleece and the 300

When the Angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon while he was threshing wheat in a winepress to hide it from the Midianites, the greeting was paradoxical: "The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour" (Judges 6:12) — addressed to a man hiding in fear. God called Gideon to deliver Israel, and Gideon tested the call twice with a fleece: once asking God to make it wet while the ground stayed dry, then reversing the test (Judges 6:36-40). When Gideon assembled 32,000 men, God said the army was too large — Israel might credit the victory to themselves. Through two rounds of reduction (the fearful sent home, then the water-drinking test), God whittled the force to 300 men. Armed only with torches, empty pitchers, and trumpets, the 300 surrounded the Midianite camp at night, broke their pitchers, and shouted: "The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon!" (Judges 7:20). The Midianites panicked and turned on each other. When the grateful Israelites offered to make him king, Gideon refused: "I will not rule over you... the LORD shall rule over you" (Judges 8:23).

Key Events

1Called by Angel of the Lord while hiding
2Tore down altar of Baal
3Tested God with the fleece twice
4Army reduced from 32,000 to 300
5Defeated Midianites with torches, pitchers, and trumpets
6Refused to be made king: "the LORD shall rule over you"

What Scripture Says (42 verses)

Numbers 1:11

Of Benjamin; Abidan the son of Gideoni.

Numbers · Chapter 1

Numbers 2:22

Then the tribe of Benjamin: and the captain of the sons of Benjamin shall be Abidan the son of Gideoni.

Numbers · Chapter 2

Numbers 7:60

On the ninth day Abidan the son of Gideoni, prince of the children of Benjamin, offered:

Numbers · Chapter 7

Numbers 7:65

And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Abidan the son of Gideoni.

Numbers · Chapter 7

Numbers 10:24

And over the host of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni.

Numbers · Chapter 10

Judges 6:11

And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.

Judges · Chapter 6

Judges 6:13

And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.

Judges · Chapter 6

Judges 6:19

And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it.

Judges · Chapter 6

Judges 6:22

And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O LORD God! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face.

Judges · Chapter 6

Judges 6:24

Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

Judges · Chapter 6

Showing 10 of 42 verses

Church Tradition

Death

Died at a good old age

Source: Judges 8:32

Biblical Record

Details

Verses: 42
Category: judge

Appears In

Judges Hebrews

Key Verses

Judges 6:12

Judges 6:36-40

Judges 7:2-7

Judges 7:20

Judges 8:23

Hebrews 11:32