Gideon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gideon
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| גִּדְעוֹן | |
Gideon from Promptuarii Iconum Insigniorum
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| Predecessor | Deborah |
| Successor | Abimelech |
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Gideon (also called Jerubbaal) was an important military leader and judge in ancient Israel. His story is told in the Book of Judges in the Hebrew Bible. He is famous for leading the Israelites to a big victory over the Midianites, even though his army was much smaller.
Gideon was the son of Joash. He belonged to the Abiezrite family, which was part of the tribe of Manasseh. Gideon lived in a place called Ephra (also known as Ophrah).
Contents
Understanding Gideon's Names
Gideon had a few names. One of his other names was Jerubbaal. This name means "Baal will contend" or "Let Baal be great." It connects to a story where Gideon challenged the worship of a false god named Baal.
Another name, Jerubbesheth, means "shame." This name was used later to avoid saying "Baal," which was seen as shameful by some people. The name Gideon itself might mean "hewer" or "driver."
Gideon's Story in the Bible
After a time of peace, the Israelites started to worship other gods. Because of this, the Midianites and other groups attacked Israel for seven years. They made life very hard for the Israelites.
Gideon's Special Calling
God chose Gideon, a young man, to help free the Israelites and remind them to worship only God. An angel appeared to Gideon and said, "The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!"
Gideon asked for proof that God was truly with him. He asked for three miracles:
- First, the angel made fire shoot out of a rock.
- Second, Gideon placed a fleece on the ground. The next morning, the fleece was wet with dew, but the ground around it was dry.
- Third, the following morning, the fleece was dry, but the ground around it was wet with dew.
After these signs, Gideon followed God's instructions. He destroyed the town's altar to Baal and the statue of the goddess Asherah. Because of this, his father called him Jerubbaal, meaning "Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar."
Gathering an Army for Battle
Gideon sent messages to gather men from several Israelite tribes, including Asher, Zebulun, Naphtali, and his own tribe of Manasseh. They prepared to fight the Midianites.
God told Gideon that he had too many soldiers. God said that if Gideon had too many, the Israelites might think they won the battle by their own strength, not by God's help.
- First, Gideon sent home all the men who were afraid. About 22,000 men left, leaving 10,000.
- Then, God said there were still too many. He told Gideon to take the men to the water to drink. Only 300 men drank by cupping the water in their hands. These 300 men were chosen to stay.
The Night Attack on the Midianites
God told Gideon to go to the Midianite camp. There, Gideon heard a Midianite soldier tell a dream about a loaf of barley bread destroying their camp. This was a sign that God had given the Midianites into Gideon's hands.
Gideon returned to his camp. He gave each of his 300 men a shofar (a trumpet made from a ram's horn) and a clay jar with a torch hidden inside. He divided his men into three groups.
Gideon told them to blow their trumpets, shout a battle cry, and light their torches. This made it seem like a huge army was attacking. The Midianite army became confused and fled in panic.
Gideon sent messengers to the Ephraimites to chase the Midianites. Two Midianite leaders, Oreb and Zeeb, were captured and killed. Gideon and his 300 men continued to pursue the two Midianite kings, Zebah and Zalmunna. After capturing the kings, Gideon killed them as justice for his brothers.
After the Victory
The Israelites wanted Gideon to become their king and start a dynasty (a line of rulers from his family). But Gideon refused, saying that only God should rule over them.
Gideon had 70 sons. He lived a long life, and there was peace in Israel for 40 years during his lifetime. After Gideon died, the Israelites again started to worship false gods.
Archaeological Discoveries
Archaeologists found a small piece of a jug that is about 3,100 years old. On it, there are five letters written in ink that seem to spell the name Jerubbaal. This is another name for Gideon in the Bible. The age of this artifact matches the time period described in the Book of Judges. This discovery helps connect the biblical story with real historical evidence.
Images for kids
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Gideon from Promptuarii Iconum Insigniorum
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Gideon thanks God for the miracle of the dew, a painting by Maarten van Heemskerck.
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Gideon's Call, a 1860 woodcut by Julius Schnorr von Karolsfeld.
See also
- Gideon (name)
- Gideon, a 1961 play
- Gideons International, a group that gives out free Bibles
- Talut, a similar figure in the Quran
