Gideon

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Gideon (1961), a play by Paddy Chayefsky. [Plymouth Theatre, 236 perf.] God comes to earth as an Angel ( Fredric March) and exhorts the young farmer Gideon ( Douglas Campbell) to lead his people against the Midianites. At first Gideon is disbelieving, but when the Angel performs miracles and even gives Gideon the very plan that wins the battle, he accepts that the Angel is indeed Yahweh or Jehovah. But later Gideon refuses God's order to slay the elders of Succoth. His head has been swelled by praise, and so he comes to attribute his success not to God but to “historico‐economic, socio‐psychological forces.” The Angel can only rue that for all Man's belief in God, Man believes first and foremost in himself. Hailed by Howard Taubman of the Times as “a graceful conceit tinged with innocent wonder and wise laughter,” the play demonstrated Chayefsky's increasing preoccupation with mystical and metaphysical concerns.

Gideon One of the Judges (also called Jerubbaal, Judg. 6: 32); he had notable military success against the Midianites who were expanding westwards. Gideon selected a small band of 300 warriors for their intelligence (Judg. 7: 7) and in a surprise night attack put the Midianites to flight and killed their two princes (Ps. 83: 11–12). His refusal to accept the kingship (Judg. 8: 23; cf. 1 Sam. 8: 7) is part of the anti-monarchical strand in the tradition. See king.

Gideon ♂ Biblical name meaning ‘he who cuts down’ in Hebrew; it was borne by an Israelite leader appointed to deliver his people from the Midianites (Judges 6:14). He did this by getting his army to creep up on them with their torches hidden in pitchers. The name was popular among the 17th-century Puritans, and has remained in select use.

Gideon. One of the biblical judges. His activities are recorded in the Book of Judges (6. 11–8. 32).

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