GIDEON, a liberator, reformer and "judge" of Israel who delivered Israel from hordes of desert raiders—Midianites and others (Jud. vi.–viii.) . He is called Jerubbaal also in the narra tive, and it is possible that the exploits of two heroes have been combined in the passage. There are, as a matter of fact, at least two narratives combined in the relevant chapters of Judges. Ac cording to one account Gideon is visited by the Angel of Yahweh as he is threshing corn in a wine-press, to hide it from the Midian ites, and is greeted as the future saviour of Israel. A portion of this narrative has been lost, but it must have told of a raid on Tabor by the Midianites, in the course of which Gideon's brothers were killed. Gathering 300 of his clansmen, Gideon first attacked the raiders by night and drove them away in flight, and then, pur suing them beyond Jordan, captured and slew their two chiefs, Zebah and Zalmunnah. He was then offered the throne, but re fused it, and made an image from the Midianite spoil, thus lead ing Israel into idolatry. In the other narrative Gideon is sum moned at night by Yahweh to overthrow the altar of Baal and to establish an altar to Yahweh in its place. This is discovered in the morning, and Gideon is only saved from the anger of his fellows by the pleading of his father, who argues that since Baal has been insulted, Baal must take vengeance—if he can. Gideon then gathers all Israel, his force is reduced to 30o in number, and with these, encouraged by a dream which he hears told in the camp of Midian, he assaults the enemy by night. They flee in panic, but find that the fords of Jordan are held against them by Ephraimites, who capture and kill the two chiefs Oreb and Zeeb. The Ephraimites then complain that Gideon, a Manassite, had not summoned them to follow him, and he appeases their anger by pointing to the honour they have won in killing Oreb and Zeeb.
The story is important as illustrating the danger of raids from the desert to which Palestine was subject, and it prepared the way for Abimelech, Gideon's son, who made the first tentative effort to establish an Israelite monarchy. (S. A. C.; T. H. R.)