GIDEON

A "major" judge from western Manasses who saved Israel from disaster c. 1070 b.c. (Jgs 6.1–8.28). Gideon's vocation to save Israel involved first the vindication of the unique cult of Yahweh against syncretist tendencies (Jgs 6.25–32). His struggle against religious assimilation was summarized in the popular explanation of his second name, Jerubbaal, "Let Baal take action against him, since he destroyed his altar" (Jgs 6.32), although the correct meaning of the name is "May Baal defend him." Through Gideon, then, the cult of Yahweh ousted that of Baal, because Baal was powerless to defend his rights. That Gideon's name was formed with Baal, while his father's, Joash, with Yahweh, illustrates the confused religious situation of the time. Many had adopted the cult of local gods, the Baals; only a few along with Gideon remained faithful to Yahweh, and through them monotheism finally triumphed.

Annually, at harvestime, camel-riding nomads— "Midianites, Amalekites, and the Kedemites" (Jgs6.3) —irrupted into Palestine from the Arabian desert, ravaging the land. The avalanche of marauding nomads threatened to drive Israel from Palestine. The story of Gideon's war against Midian—the second stage in his liberation of Israel—combines a series of distinct episodes; hence, reconstruction is difficult. Yahweh's intervention and leadership were the sacred author's primary affirmation and concern. The Lord delivered Midian into Israel's hands. He was the real victor. The timid were sent away, and the army was reduced to 300 men to make the divine intervention even more striking. "For Yahweh and for Gideon!" was their battle cry. Yahweh threw the enemy camp into confusion and victory followed. The victorious Israelites, sensing their military weakness, offered Gideon hereditary principality: "Rule over us— you, your son and your son's son." He refused because, "The Lord must rule over you" (Jgs 8.22–23). That he

did, however, exercise some type of authority is indicated by his large harem, a mark of power and rule (Jgs 8.30). The eventual ruin of Gideon's family was occasioned by an ephod made from the spoils of victory. Though he intended it for Yahweh's cult in the sanctuary at Ophrah, "all Israel paid idolatrous homage to it" (Jgs 8.27).

The story of Gideon poses some delicate problems. There are, apparently, two different traditions concerning the origin of the worship of Yahweh in Ophrah. A double convocation of the tribes is recorded and discrepancies appear in the narrative of the campaign against Midian. Many commentators attribute these apparent inconsistencies to the intermingling of two sources. Perhaps a basic narrative has been enriched by independent pieces, with several documents being used in a complementary fashion.

Bibliography: Encyclopedic Dictionary of the Bible, tr. and adap. by l. hartman (New York 1963) 846–847. h. cazelles, Dictionnaire de la Bible, suppl. ed. l. pirot, et al. (Paris 1928–) 4:1403–04. R. G. BOLING, Judges Anchor Bible 6A. (Garden City, NY 1975).

[j. moriarity]