Bible Characters · Judges

Gideon

The reluctant judge who routed the Midianites with three hundred men, trumpets and torches, and refused to be made king.

Judges50 references in 4 booksIn theological review

The facts, as Scripture gives them

Lived
Dates not given in Scripture.
Region
Ophrah of the Abiezrites, and the valley of Jezreel where Midian camped. (Judges 6:11; Judges 6:33)
The name
Also called Jerubbaal, because he broke down Baal's altar: let Baal contend against him. (Judges 6:32)

Key verses

And the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon and said, “The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor.”

Judges 6:12 (BSB)

But Gideon replied, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son. The LORD shall rule over you.”

Judges 8:23 (BSB)

What they did

  • Called by the angel of the LORD while threshing wheat in a winepress to hide it from Midian: the LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor. (Judges 6:11-12)
  • Tore down his father's altar to Baal by night and built an altar to the LORD. (Judges 6:25-27)
  • Asked for the sign of the fleece, wet with dew and then dry, before he would go. (Judges 6:36-40)
  • Had his army cut down by God to three hundred men, and routed Midian at night with trumpets, jars and torches. (Judges 7:2-7; Judges 7:19-22)
  • Refused the crown Israel offered: I will not rule over you; the LORD will rule over you. (Judges 8:22-23)
  • Made a golden ephod from the spoil, which became a snare to his house. (Judges 8:24-27)

Family

Father
Joash (Judges 6:11)
Children
Jether (Judges 8:20); Jotham (Judges 9:5); Abimelech (Judges 8:31); Seventy sons in all (Judges 8:30)

Connected to

  • Joash: His father, who defended him before the men of the town (Judges 6:11; Judges 6:30-31)
  • Abimelech: His son by a concubine in Shechem, who murdered his brothers (Judges 8:31; Judges 9:1-5)
  • Jotham: His youngest son, the only one who escaped Abimelech (Judges 9:5-7)

Mentioned in

Judges, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, Hebrews.

Every reference (50)

Judges 6:11 · Judges 6:13 · Judges 6:19 · Judges 6:22 · Judges 6:24 · Judges 6:27 · Judges 6:29 · Judges 6:32 · Judges 6:34 · Judges 6:36 · Judges 6:39 · Judges 7:1 · Judges 7:2 · Judges 7:4 · Judges 7:5 · Judges 7:7 · Judges 7:13 · Judges 7:14 · Judges 7:15 · Judges 7:18 · Judges 7:19 · Judges 7:20 · Judges 7:24 · Judges 7:25 · Judges 8:4 · Judges 8:7 · Judges 8:11 · Judges 8:13 · Judges 8:21 · Judges 8:22 · Judges 8:23 · Judges 8:24 · Judges 8:27 · Judges 8:28 · Judges 8:29 · Judges 8:30 · Judges 8:32 · Judges 8:33 · Judges 8:35 · Judges 9:1 · Judges 9:2 · Judges 9:5 · Judges 9:16 · Judges 9:19 · Judges 9:24 · Judges 9:28 · Judges 9:57 · 1 Samuel 12:11 · 2 Samuel 11:21 · Hebrews 11:32

Review status: in-theological-review. Every Contend profile passes a human theological review against the Statement of Faith before it is published as approved teaching. This profile is in that queue. Sources: Scripture quotations are from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain), verified verse by verse. Name and reference data: STEP Bible (TIPNR), Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0.