Gideon, in the sense that if God were to give Midian into their hand, they might conclude it was their own valor that resulted in salvation. At God’s direction, Gideon told those who were afraid and trembling to retire. Twenty-two thousand departed, but still there were too many men. Next Jehovah instructed Gideon to lead the remaining ten thousand men down to the water to be tested. A few, merely three hundred, scooped water to the mouth by hand, and these were separated to one side. The others, who bent down upon their knees to drink, were not to be used. The three hundred, by their method of drinking, manifested alertness, concern for the fight for true worship in Jehovah’s name. By means of this small band of three hundred Jehovah promised to save Israel.—Judg. 7:1-7.

Gideon with his attendant Purah proceeded to scout the enemy camp at night. There Gideon overheard a man relating a dream to his companion. His companion, in turn, interpreted the dream to mean that Midian and all the camp would be given into Gideon’s hand. Strengthened by what he had heard, Gideon returned to the camp of Israel, organized the three hundred into three bands in order to enable him to approach the camp of Midian from three sides, and gave each man a horn and a large jar, inside of which was placed a torch.—Judg. 7:9-16.

With his band of one hundred, Gideon arrived at the edge of the Midianite camp right after they had posted the sentries for the middle night watch. Then, in keeping with Gideon’s instructions, his men did exactly what he did. The stillness of the night was shattered by the blowing of three hundred horns, the smashing of three hundred large water jars and the resounding of three hundred war cries; at the same time the sky was lit up with three hundred torches. Confusion seized the enemy camp. The invaders began shouting and fleeing, and “Jehovah proceeded to set the sword of each one against the other in all the camp; and the camp kept up their flight as far as Beth-shittah, on to Zererah, as far as the outskirts of Abel-meholah by Tabbath.”—Judg. 7:17-22.

Meantime the men of Naphtali, Asher and Manasseh were called together to chase after Midian. Moreover, messengers were sent to Ephraim to head off the fleeing Midianites. The Ephraimites followed through, capturing the waters as far as Beth-barah and the Jordan. They also captured and killed the two Midianite princes Oreb and Zeeb. On meeting up with Gideon, though, the Ephraimites “vehemently tried to pick a quarrel with him,” as he had not called them to help at the beginning. However, Gideon, by modestly pointing out that what he had done was nothing in comparison with what they had done in capturing Oreb and Zeeb, calmed their spirit and thereby averted a clash.—Judg. 7:23–8:3.

Crossing the Jordan, Gideon and the three hundred men with him, though tired, continued pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian, and the men with them. On his way, he requested food from the men of Succoth, but the princes of Succoth refused to lend aid, saying: “Are the palms of Zebah and of Zalmunna already in your hand so that bread has to be given to your army?” The men of Penuel likewise refused to honor Gideon’s request.—Judg. 8:4-9.

Arriving at Karkor where the invaders, reduced to about fifteen thousand men, were encamped, Gideon struck the camp while the enemy was off guard. Zebah and Zalmunna took to flight. Gideon immediately went in pursuit and captured them. Furthermore, “he drove all the camp into trembling.”—Judg. 8:10-12.

While returning from the fight, Gideon captured a young man from Succoth and ascertained from him the names of the princes and older men of the city. In keeping with what he had said earlier when they did not comply with his request for food, Gideon put the older men of Succoth through an experience with thorns and briers. Also, as he had forewarned, Gideon pulled down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of that city for their failure to cooperate in providing food for his men.—Judg. 8:13-17.

After this Gideon directed his firstborn son Jether to slay Zebah and Zalmunna, as they had killed Gideon’s brothers, the sons of his mother. Being a young man, Jether was afraid to put the Midianite kings to death. Therefore, Gideon, being challenged by Zebah and Zalmunna to do so himself, executed them.—Judg. 8:18-21.

THE EPHOD MADE

Grateful Israelites asked Gideon to establish his family as a ruling dynasty. However, Gideon appreciated that Jehovah was Israel’s rightful King and therefore did not go along with their request. He then suggested that they contribute the gold jewelry they had acquired as spoils of war, the nose rings alone amounting to 1,700 shekels in gold ($21,907.90). Gideon then made an ephod from the spoils contributed, exhibiting it in Ophrah. But all Israel began to have ‘immoral intercourse’ with the ephod, it even becoming a snare to Gideon and his household. Thus, though his action was doubtless properly motivated, the ephod diverted attention from the true sanctuary assigned by Jehovah—the tabernacle. Gideon’s efforts miscarried, producing a result contrary to what he had intended.—Judg. 8:22-27; see EPHOD, I.

DIES AS AN APPROVED WITNESS

So complete was the deliverance Jehovah brought about through Gideon that there was no further disturbance during the forty years of his judgeship. Gideon came to have many wives, by whom he had seventy sons. After Gideon’s death at a good old age, Israel again fell victim to Baal worship. Furthermore, Abimelech the son of Gideon by his concubine, a woman of Shechem, killed Gideon’s seventy sons with the exception of Jotham, who hid.—Judg. 8:28–9:5; see ABIMELECH No. 4.

Gideon’s faith, in the face of great odds, entitled him to be mentioned as one of the “so great a cloud of witnesses.” (Heb. 11:32; 12:1) Additionally, his modesty was exemplary, and this was coupled with caution. Apparently Gideon’s cautiousness was wholesome and is not to be viewed as springing from a lack of faith on his part, as he was never once censured for being cautious. Furthermore, as indicated by Psalm 83, the defeat of Midian in Gideon’s day provides a prophetic pattern of the coming destruction of all of Jehovah’s opposers, resulting in the complete vindication of his holy name.—Compare Isaiah 9:4; 10:26.

GIDEONI

(Gid·e·oʹni) [hewer, feller].

Father of Abidan the chieftain of the tribe of Benjamin in the time of Moses.—Num. 1:11, 16.

GIDOM

(Giʹdom) [cutting off].

A site mentioned in Judges 20:45. Following a gross sex crime by Benjamites, the other Israelite tribes pursued the Benjamites as far as this point. Its exact situation is unknown.

GIFTS, PRESENTS

From earliest times the giving of presents played an important role in daily life. Abraham’s aged servant gave gifts of jewelry to Rebekah after seeing evidence that Jehovah had assigned her as a wife for Isaac. (Gen. 24:13-22) Then, upon receiving the approval of Laban and Bethuel for the marriage, Abraham’s servant gave additional gifts to Rebekah and also “choice things to her brother and to her mother.” (Gen. 24:50-53) Later, Abraham turned all his possessions over to Isaac, but gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them away.—Gen. 25:5, 6; compare 2 Chronicles 21:3.