Judge
Gideon
Mighty Warrior · Judges · c. 1200-1150 BC
Gideon Chooses 300 Soldiers — Gustave Doré, The Holy Bible (1866), public domain
Summary
Gideon was a reluctant judge who defeated Midian with only 300 men, demonstrating that victory comes from God alone, not from human strength.
- Among the passages here, Gideon is first named in Judges 6:11: “Then the angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak…”
- The record places Gideon in Judges.
- 56 verses name Gideon, in 2 books.
- 5 moments stand in order on this page, each with its verse.
On this page
Start here
And the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon and said, “The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor.”
Judges 6:12→- 5 key events in order
- 56 verses name Gideon, across 2 books
In Scripture
- Verses
- 56
- Books
- 2
Gideon
- Role
- Mighty Warrior
- Era
- Judges
- Dates
- c. 1200-1150 BC
- Tribe
- Manasseh
- Father
- Joash
- Mother
- Unknown
- Spouse
- Multiple wives
- Children
- Abimelech, and 70 others
The life in order
from the events the row records, with the first and last verse that names the person among the passages this page stands on
1Where the passages this page records open
2What the record holds, in its own order
- Called by angelJudges 6:11-24Then the angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to hide it from the Midianites.
- Destroyed Baal's altarJudges 6:25-32On that very night the LORD said to Gideon, “Take your father’s young bull and a second bull seven years old, tear down your father’s altar to Baal, and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.
- Fleece testsJudges 6:36-40Then Gideon said to God, “If You are going to save Israel by my hand, as You have said,
- Army reduced to 300Judges 7:1-8Early in the morning Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the men with him camped beside the spring of Harod. And the camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh.
- Victory over MidianJudges 7:15-25When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship. He returned to the camp of Israel and said, “Get up, for the LORD has delivered the camp of Midian into your hand.”
3Where the passages this page records close
Biography
Gideon was a farmer threshing wheat in a winepress to hide it from Midianite raiders when the angel of the LORD appeared and called him "mighty warrior"—an ironic greeting for a man hiding in fear. God called Gideon to deliver Israel from seven years of devastating Midianite oppression. Gideon's response was hesitant: his clan was weakest in Manasseh, and he was least in his family. He asked for signs—the famous fleece tests—and God graciously provided them. Gideon's first act was to tear down his father's Baal altar, earning him the name Jerubbaal ("let Baal contend"). When 32,000 men gathered to fight, God reduced the army to 300 to ensure Israel would know victory came from Him alone. With torches, trumpets, and jars, this tiny force routed the Midianite horde. After victory, Gideon wisely refused to become king, declaring "The LORD will rule over you." However, he made a golden ephod that became a snare of idolatry. His seventy sons by many wives led to tragedy—after his death, his son Abimelech murdered his brothers and briefly seized power.
And the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon and said, “The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor.”
God saw Gideon's potential, not his circumstances
More key verses
Text: Berean Standard Bible.
“Then the LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many people for Me to deliver Midian into their hands, lest Israel glorify themselves over Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’”
What they got right, and what they got wrong
Strengths
Eventual obedience, tactical brilliance, refused kingship, faith despite fear
Weaknesses
Excessive need for signs, made an idolatrous ephod, multiplied wives, failed to secure succession
Lessons
God sees potential that we don't see in ourselves. Obedience may require starting at home. Less is more when God is involved. The end doesn't always justify the means.
Spiritual significance
Gideon shows that God uses weak and fearful people when they trust Him. His story emphasizes that victory belongs to the LORD, not to numerical strength.
How Gideon points to Jesus
Gideon's small victorious army prefigures how God accomplishes His purposes through a faithful remnant rather than mighty armies.
Gideon in Scripture
Open a book to read its mentions here. Text: Berean Standard Bible. Names repeat in Scripture, so some of these verses may speak of another person called Gideon. The two marks are drawn from the chapters this page's own references stand in.
Old TestamentNew Testamentsegment width = share of mentions
Old Testament1 book · 55 mentions
Judges55 mentions
- Judges 6:11Then the angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to hide it from the Midianites.
- Judges 6:12And the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon and said, “The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor.”
- Judges 6:13“Please, my Lord,” Gideon replied, “if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all His wonders of which our fathers told us, saying, ‘Has not the LORD brought us up out of Egypt?’ But now the LORD has forsaken us and delivered us into the hand of Midian.”
- Judges 6:15“Please, my Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I save Israel? Indeed, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house.”
- Judges 6:17Gideon answered, “If I have found favor in Your sight, give me a sign that it is You speaking with me.
50 further mentions in Judges, read them in the book.
New Testament1 book · 1 mention
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