GEDEONE (Hebr. Gidh'ōn; Septuagint Γεβέων, Vulg. Gedeon). — A “judge” of Israel. Debora (v.), a period of raids and disturbances occurred in Palestine, caused by incursions of the Madianites, Amalekites, and Transjordanian Bedouins (Iude. 6:3). Oppressed by the calamity, the Israelites returned to the Lord, who raised up a new “judge” in G., son of Ioas, descended from Manasseh through the Abiezrite branch (cf. Ios. 17:2). While G. was beneath the terebinth of Ephra (a locality not identified, but certainly in the Cisjordanian part of the tribe of Manasseh), an angel of the Lord revealed to him the new mission he was to undertake. To assure him of his being truly a heavenly messenger, the angel offered G. a sign by producing a miraculous fire upon some food (Iude. 6:11-24).
First of all, the new judge purified his native land, indeed his very paternal household, of BA'ALBEK (v.). He demolished the altar, then cut down the sacred pole of the 'Ašerah (v. ASTARTE) and with it burned a sacrifice to the true God. The indignant townspeople demanded his death, accusing him of sacrilege. His father protected G., asserting that Baal himself could demonstrate his power by taking vengeance upon the impious man. The demonstrators contented themselves with turning Joas’s skeptical words into a good omen; from then on, in fact, G. was called Ierubaal (= “let Baal defend” his own cause). Before attacking the Madianites, G. asked for a sign from heaven, namely the miracle of the fleece and the dew, much exploited in the typological and allegorical exegesis of the Fathers. Then, with only 300 men, selected by the more or less hasty manner in which they drank from a stream, he attacked the raiders of Transjordan. The first clash took place near the Jordan, north of Samaria, probably between 'Ajn Gálód (= spring of Harad) and the hill of Nebi Dahl, or Little Hermon. By means of a stratagem, the 300 men managed to enter the enemy camp and spread panic there. G. pursued the enemy, some of whom were captured, including the two Madianite princes Oreb and Zeb, at the fords of the Jordan. After crossing the river, despite the hostility of certain Israelite centers, upon which he took harsh vengeance, G. defeated the enemy. Among the prisoners, Zebee and Salmana are expressly mentioned; G. killed them with his own hand in revenge for the massacre of his brothers, which the two had perpetrated. Having freed the people from the raiders, G. refused royal dignity and declined the great war booty. He asked only for certain gold ornaments. Having received approximately 18 kg. by weight, he melted them down to make an ephod, which does not seem to have been the homonymous priestly garment (v. EPHOD), but rather an object used for divinatory purposes. Indeed, the sacred author states that it became the cause of the people’s “spiritual fornication,” that is, idolatry. G. died, leaving 70 legitimate sons and one illegitimate son, who would massacre his half-brothers and prepare his own downfall (v. ARIMELECH; GAAL; IOHATAM, PIGLIO DI G).
The vicissitudes of G. are narrated in Indc. 6-8; elsewhere too, however, the Bible alludes to his deeds (cf. Ps. 82 [Hebr. 83]:12) and to his faith (cf. Hebr. 11:32-33).