Judges · around 1150 BC
Gideon in the Bible
The mighty man of valor with three hundred men. Name meaning: “He who cuts down”; nicknamed Jerubbaal, “Let Baal plead against him” (Judg 6:32)
Gideon, of the tribe of Manasseh, is a fearful man whom God calls a “mighty man of valor” to deliver Israel from seven years of Midianite oppression. With only three hundred men, trumpets, jars, and torches, he wins a victory that could only have come from the LORD. But the golden ephod he makes after the victory becomes a snare to him and to Israel.
Key moments
- “The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valor!” Judges 6:12
- He tears down his father’s altar of Baal Judges 6:28
- The sign of the fleece Judges 6:37
- God reduces the army to three hundred men Judges 7:7
- “The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon!” Judges 7:20
- He refuses to rule over Israel Judges 8:23
- The ephod at Ophrah becomes a snare Judges 8:27
Strengths
- Humility
- Growing obedience
- Growing courage
- Diplomacy
- Refusal of personal power
Weaknesses
Gideon is fearful for a long time and asks for sign after sign (Judg 6:17, 27, 36-40). After the victory, he is harsh toward Succoth and Penuel, makes a golden ephod that leads Israel into idolatry, and his messy family life sets the stage for the tragedy of Abimelech (Judg 8:16-17, 27, 30-31).
Lessons for today
- God sees what we can become: he calls a man who is hiding a “mighty man of valor” (Judg 6:12).
- Faithfulness starts at home: tear down the idols in your own house before facing the enemy (Judg 6:25).
- God sometimes shrinks our resources so that all the glory goes to him (Judg 7:2; 2 Cor 12:9).
- A great victory does not protect you from a fall: finishing well takes vigilance (Judg 8:27; 1 Cor 10:12).
And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?
And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.
People around Gideon
- Joash — Father, of the family of Abiezer, who defends him before the town
- Purah — Servant who goes with him to the enemy camp
- Jether — Firstborn son
- Abimelech — Son born to his concubine in Shechem, murderer of his brothers
- Jotham — Youngest son, sole survivor of the massacre
- Zebah and Zalmunna — Kings of Midian whom he captures
Stories with Gideon
Quiz: how well do you know Gideon?
What was Gideon doing when the angel of the LORD appeared to him?
Gideon “threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites” when the angel told him, “The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valor.” Judges 6:11–12
How many men did God finally keep with Gideon?
“By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you”; all the rest of the people were sent home. Judges 7:7
What name was given to Gideon after he tore down the altar of Baal?
“On that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.” Judges 6:32
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