THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE TRAITS OF GIDEON

THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE TRAITS OF GIDEON

AS REFLECTED IN HIS SONS JOTHAM AND ABIMELECH

HAYYIM ANGEL

The Gideon narrative in Judges 6-7 adds several new elements to the
stereotypical judge cycle: the faith development of the judge; a retrospective
of the Exodus as a distant memory; the destruction of a local Baal shrine; and
an angelic revelation. Despite these features, however, the overall effect of
Judges 6-7 is fundamentally the same as the preceding narratives. The
Israelites had sinned and therefore suffered years of oppression. After the
people cried out, God appointed a savior. Gideon organized an army and led
the people to victory. The land then enjoyed an extensive period of peace.
Following the pattern noted for the earlier judges, one would expect the
Gideon narrative to conclude at the end of Chapter 7, closing with a
formulaic statement that the land was tranquil for 40 years (as it finally does
in 8:28). This does not happen, though. Chapter 8 adds new variables to the
Book of Judges, and to Gideon's career. It appears that every act in Chapter 8
was intended to be ambiguous: each can be both justified and criticized.
Chapter 9 seems to separate out the two opposite constituents of a complex
Gideon into the personalities of his two sons. Jotham reflected Gideon's most
positive aspects, while Abimelech reflected the most negative. In this essay,
we will briefly survey these issues in Chapters 8-9, and then consider how
Gideon's career is the key turning point in the Book of Judges.

SUCCOTH AND PENUEL

After Gideon succeeded in avoiding conflict with the tribe of Ephraim (8:1-
3), his requests for assistance were snubbed by the residents of Succoth and
Penuel. Gideon swore that upon his return from pursuing the Midianites, he
would torture the elders of Succoth, and tear down the tower of Penuel.
When he returned, he carried out his threats, possibly with a magnitude that
exceeded the threats: And he took the elders of the city and, [bringing] desert

Hayyim Angel is Rabbi at Congregation Shearith Israel of New York City (the Spanish-
Portuguese Synagogue, founded in 1654) and teaches Tanakh at Yeshiva University. He has
published articles on Tanakh in journals such as Tradition, Nahalah, Jewish Thought, Or
HaMizrah, and in several collections of essays.
 HAYYIM ANGEL

thorns and briers, he punished the people of Succoth with them. As for
Penuel, he tore down its tower and killed the townspeople (8:16-17).
One might try to justify the severity of the torture and the massacre at
Penuel. Gideon, as a judge, had king-like status. The people had a
responsibility to feed the famished troops as part of the national defense
efforts. Abarbanel adopts this argument, viewing Gideon's actions as a
1
national leader's rightful prerogative to punish rebels. Based on his studies of
comparative cultures, Abraham Malamat has argued similarly; that is, that
2
Gideon acted in accordance with the standard practice of that era. In addition
to the historical context, the narrative itself appears to support Gideon's
3
behavior in light of the positive treatment it accords him.
On the other hand, the sheer magnitude of the torture – threshing the people
of Succoth with thorns, and massacring the people of Penuel (after he had
explicitly promised to destroy only their tower) appears excessive. Radak and
Abarbanel (on 8:17) suggest that the people of Penuel must have resisted
when Gideon came to destroy their tower, so Gideon was left with no choice
4
but to fight back and destroy the city. However, it is difficult to blame the
people of Penuel for defending themselves against an attack. This negative
dimension finds some support in Gideon's surprising justification of
punishing the people of Succoth – they had mocked him: Then he came to the
people of Succoth and said, 'Here are Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you
mocked me, saying, Are Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hands, that we
should give your famished men bread?' (8:15). By injecting Gideon's
personal feelings instead of an objective claim of authority, the narrative
appears to mitigate the rationale of Gideon's punishing these cities solely in
5
the name of national security.
Gideon's response to the cities' non-participation contrasts with that of
Deborah, his predecessor. In her victory poem, Deborah condemned those
who did not participate in the battle against Sisera (5:15-17, 23), but did not
inflict physical harm on them. Surprisingly, Gideon's attacks on Succoth and
Penuel bear a closer resemblance to Abimelech's subsequent attacks on those
who resisted his authority (Ch. 9).

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THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE TRAITS OF GIDEON

GIDEON AVENGES THE LOSS OF HIS BROTHERS

Then he asked Zebah and Zalmunna, 'Those men you killed at
Tabor, what were they like?' 'They looked just like you,' they
replied, 'like sons of a king.' 'They were my brothers,' he declared,
'the sons of my mother. As the Lord lives, if you had spared them, I
would not kill you.' And he commanded his oldest son Jether, 'Go
kill them!' But the boy did not draw his sword, for he was timid,
being still a boy (8:18-20).
In 8:19, we learn that Gideon's maternal brothers had been killed in an
earlier battle against Midian. This is the first time in Judges that a leader
acted from personal revenge, not purely for God and for Israel. Although it is
not inherently bad to have personal motivations when engaged in a battle of
national defense, Gideon complicated the moral issue by saying if you had
spared them, I would not kill you (8:19). If he meant that statement literally,
it would cast light on his massacre at Penuel and torture at Succoth. One can
imagine a scenario where Gideon would have let the Midianite kings go free,
even after severely punishing Israelites cities for not assisting in their
6
capture! In the final analysis, however, Gideon did help his nation by
defeating the Midianites. Even if his actions in the battle may have been
tinged with some personal motivations, Gideon appears to receive full
support in the narrative.

GIDEON DECLINES THE MONARCHY

Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, 'Rule over us – you, your
son, and your grandson as well; for you have saved us from the
Midianites.' But Gideon replied, 'I will not rule over you myself,
nor shall my son rule over you; the Lord alone shall rule over you'
(8:22-23).
With these words, Gideon exemplified a high level of religiosity. Rather
than exploiting a spectacular military victory to propel himself and his family
into power, he reminded the people of their religious obligation to God. His
words echo those of the prophet Samuel, who similarly favored Divine
kingship over human monarchy: 'But when you saw that Nahash king of the
Ammonites was advancing against you, you said to me, "No, we must have a
king reigning over us – though the Lord your God is your King"' (I Sam.

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12:12). Yairah Amit aptly remarks that Gideon was worthy of the monarchy
7
precisely because he realized that kingship belongs to God.
Although Amit appears correct on one level, her argument needs
modification based on what had transpired in Chapter 8. Gideon acted as a
king by torturing Succoth and massacring the people of Penuel; he used a
national war for personal revenge; he ordered his eldest son Jether to execute
the Midianite kings – furthering a family vendetta, and also possibly training
his son as a likely successor (cf. Abarbanel). Even the Midianites recognized
Gideon as a king-like figure. When Gideon asked Zebah and Zalmunna: 'The
men you killed at Tabor, what were they like?' 'They looked just like you,'
they replied, 'like sons of a king' (8:18). Until Gideon emphatically declined
the monarchy, it seemed that Gideon was particularly anxious to be king and
indeed accorded that status to himself.

THE EPHOD
Gideon made an ephod of this gold and set it up in his own town of
Ophrah. There all Israel went astray after it, and it became a
snare to Gideon and his household. Thus Midian submitted to the
Israelites and did not raise its head again; and the land was
tranquil for forty years in Gideon's time (8:27-28).
Gideon's actions after declining the monarchy also require further
investigation. It would appear that Gideon built an ephod from the spoils in
order to remind the nation that their victory had been miraculous (Rashi,
Radak). Additionally, the ephod could have been intended as a divining agent
8
(R. Isaiah of Trani, Yehudah Elitzur). Nevertheless, the narrator
unequivocally blames Gideon for leading Israel to sin. While Rashi and
Radak assume that the people went astray only after Gideon's death, there is
no mention of that chronological detail in the text. It is possible that the
9
people already turned illegally to the ephod during Gideon's lifetime. In any
event, the negative judgment of the narrator clouds the purely noble
motivations Gideon might have had when making the ephod by blaming him
directly.

MULTIPLE WIVES, ABIMELECH

Gideon had seventy sons of his own issue, for he had many wives. A

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THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE TRAITS OF GIDEON

son was also born to him by his concubine in Shechem, and he

named him Abimelech. Gideon son of Joash died at a ripe old age,
and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash at Ophrah of the Ab-
iezrites. After Gideon died, the Israelites again went astray after
the Baalim, and they adopted Baal-berith as a god. The Israelites
gave no thought to the Lord their God, who saved them from all the
enemies around them. Nor did they show loyalty to the house of
Jerubbaal-Gideon in return for all the good that he had done for
Israel (8:30-35).
Although Gideon emphatically declined kingship, he had many wives and
10
sons – a hallmark of a monarch. In fact, his sons went on to succeed him in
positions of leadership (9:2). Even more surprisingly, he named one of his
sons "Abimelech" [my father is king]! If Gideon were opposed to monarchy,
this would be an unlikely name to give to his son.
Abarbanel (on 8:27) pieces together the evidence by suggesting that Gideon
made the ephod to enshrine his own heroism. By placing the ephod in his
hometown of Ophrah, Gideon thought the people would have a permanent
reminder of his victory – and this would legitimize his sons' future positions
in leadership. Similarly, Abarbanel (on 8:31) adds that Gideon named his son
11
"Abimelech" to hint that he would succeed him as ruler.
On the other hand, the name "Abimelech" could mean "God is king" rather
12
than "my father is king". From this point of view, Gideon was not giving
expression to latent dreams of monarchy; he was glorifying God. The same
reasoning would apply to the ephod – Gideon established it solely for the
honor of God, converting the spoils of war into a sacred object.
One also could posit a middle position: Thoughout Chapter 8, Gideon
appears to have served both God's and his own interests. It is likely that
Gideon had both intents in mind when naming Abimelech and when placing
the ephod in his hometown. Through his actions and words, Gideon
13
repeatedly proclaimed both God's kingship and his own kingship.
Although Gideon died at a ripe old age (8:32), and the land was tranquil for
40 years (8:28), Gideon's tenure is the first time that a judge's career ends on
a negative note. The frame of the Gideon narrative remains largely positive
and sympathetic to Gideon; but cracks appear already during his lifetime, and
certainly after his death.

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 HAYYIM ANGEL

ABIMELECH AND JOTHAM

After Gideon's death, Abimelech immediately usurped power by
massacring his brothers. Jotham, the sole surviving brother, related his
parable of the trees in condemning both Abimelech and the people who
supported him. The nightmarish regime of Abimelech evolved into a reign of
terror, until a woman finally killed him by dropping a millstone on his head
from the tower at Thebez (9:53).
Through the deeds of Gideon's two sons, the reader is exposed to the
conflicting elements within Gideon concerning the monarchy. The
multifaceted dimensions in Gideon were separated out into their purest
components in his sons. Jotham represents one aspect of Gideon – the pure,
religious, anti-monarchy leader who defended his nation and encouraged the
people to serve God. Fittingly, the name Jotham [God is perfect] reflects this
14
dimension of his father's worldview.
Abimelech, in contrast, inherited Gideon's desire for power. The elements
of attacking Succoth and Penuel for their mockery; Gideon's vendetta against
Midian; his desire for multiple wives and sons to ensure succession in
positions of leadership; and naming his son Abimelech [my father is king]
capture the more personal, and pro-monarchy elements of Gideon.
To be sure, there are clear contrasts between Gideon and Abimelech:
Gideon refused to reign; Abimelech seized power. Gideon converted spoils
of war into a religious national monument (ephod); Abimelech used money
to hire people to commit murder. Gideon destroyed his father's Baal shrine;
Abimelech received his funding from the temple of Baal-berith. Gideon
avenged the loss of his brothers and defeated the enemies of Israel;
15
Abimelech murdered his brothers and destroyed Israelite towns.
Yet, several uncomfortable similarities link the two as well. Gideon
massacred the people of Israelite cities, set up a shrine that led to spiritual
disaster (possibly even during his lifetime), and carried out a personal
vendetta. Abimelech emulated all of these ambiguous actions with
unambiguous negativity. As noted above, one should contrast the city
massacres: Gideon was acting like a king, and national security was at stake.
In contrast, Abimelech attacked Israelite cities to assert his personal
authority, not for national interests. However, Gideon threshed the people of
Succoth with thorns – and Abimelech was a thorn bush in Jotham's parable;
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THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE TRAITS OF GIDEON

Gideon destroyed the tower of Penuel – and Abimelech was killed storming
the tower of Thebez. These striking similarities add a note of condemnation
to Gideon's actions by the author of the Book of Judges. They were part of a
continuum towards the more extreme, and completely immoral, actions of his
son Abimelech.

SUMMARY CHART
Reason for punishing Succoth and Penuel
POSITIVE-IDEALISTIC MOTIVES NEGATIVE-PERSONAL MOTIVES
National Security They mocked Gideon

Reason for killing Midianite kings

POSITIVE-IDEALISTIC MOTIVES NEGATIVE-PERSONAL MOTIVES
They were enemies of Israel They killed Gideon's brothers

Reason for appointing Jether to kill Midianite kings

POSITIVE-IDEALISTIC MOTIVES NEGATIVE-PERSONAL MOTIVES
Family vendetta
Possibly to train his eldest son as his
successor

Reason for declining monarchy

POSITIVE-IDEALISTIC MOTIVES NEGATIVE-PERSONAL MOTIVES
The Lord is your King
Reasons for ephod
POSITIVE-IDEALISTIC MOTIVES NEGATIVE-PERSONAL MOTIVES
To commemorate God's To establish Gideon's hometown as
miraculous role in the victory; a shrine, and to bolster his sons'
possibly a divining agent. claim as future leaders
Name of Abimelech
POSITIVE-IDEALISTIC MOTIVES NEGATIVE-PERSONAL MOTIVES
God is King My father (= Gideon) is king

Gideon's sons
POSITIVE-IDEALISTIC MOTIVES NEGATIVE-PERSONAL MOTIVES

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 HAYYIM ANGEL

Jotham (God is perfect): Abimelech (my father is king):

anti-monarchy and the immorality usurped monarchy, received
that arose from Abimelech's funding from pagan shrine, and
massacre . attacked those who resisted his
authority.

Fact that Gideon had seventy sons

who then assumed positions of
leadership also is king-like behavior.

CONCLUSIONS
Gideon belongs to the "good" half of the Book of Judges, bringing military
salvation and religious guidance to his people as did his predecessors Othniel,
Ehud, and Deborah. He died in peace and the land was tranquil for 40 years.
He thus became the last of the judges to bring a full generation of peace to
the nation. Yet, Gideon also paved the way for the decline in the second half
of Judges: he was the first judge to act out of revenge and for being mocked.
The military actions of Abimelech, Jephthah, and Samson also would be
colored by personal motivations and revenge. Abimelech and Jephthah
harmed Israel, whereas Samson directed his anger towards the Philistines.
Additionally, Gideon was the first judge to have many children. The so-
called minor judges Yair (10:3-5), Ibzan (12:8-10), and Abdon (12:13-15)
would follow suit. Thus, Gideon serves as the transitional figure in the Book
of Judges. The positive elements in his career mirror those of his
predecessors; the more personal, negative, and king-like components find
expression in the second half of Judges.
The complexities in Gideon's career, and the multifaceted transition from
Gideon to Abimelech (the only "dynasty" in Judges), are the ideal way to
introduce the issue of monarchy in Israel. Given the complexities inherent in
that office, the Book of Judges in general, and the intricate nature of the
Gideon narratives in particular, pinpoint the positive and negative elements
that were to become a central part of Israel's political landscape for centuries
to come.

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THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE TRAITS OF GIDEON
NOTES
1. See Abarbanel's introduction to the Book of Judges, p. 93; and his commentary on 8:17.
2. A. Malamat, History of Biblical Israel: Major Problems and Minor Issues (Leiden: Brill,
2001) pp. 148-150.
3. Y. Amit, Mikra LeYisrael: Shofetim [Hebrew] (Tel-Aviv: Am Oved Publishers Ltd., 1999) p.
148, similarly views this passage as intended to demonstrate Gideon's authority as a national
figure.
4. Alternatively, Ralbag suggests that Gideon intended to attack the people, and this intent is
implicit in his earlier statement that he would destroy their tower.
5. Cf. T. J. Schneider, Judges: Berit Olam, Studies in Hebrew Narrative & Poetry, ed. D. W.
Cotter (Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 2000) pp. 123-124.
6. Cf. Y. Rozenson, When the Chieftans Ruled: Interpretive Studies in the Book of Judges
[Hebrew] (Alon Shevut: Tevunot Press, 2003) p. 125.
7. Amit, p. 154; Y. Elitzur, Da'at Mikra: Shofetim [Hebrew] (Jerusalem: Mossad HaRav Kook,
1976) pp. 100-101, n. 20, maintains that Gideon was not fundamentally opposed to the
institution of monarchy. The nation's leaders believed that the oppressions were a result of their
weak system of government. Gideon, following the position of the prophets, maintained that
Israel's woes came as a result of infidelity to God; monarchy alone would not solve their
problems.
8. Elitzur, p. 101.
9. Ralbag already notes the ambiguity of the timing of the people's going astray, but prefers to
believe that this occurred only after Gideon's death.
10. In an effort to defend Gideon from the Torah's prohibition against a king's having too many
wives (Deut. 17:17), Abarbanel (introduction to Judges, p. 94) maintains that technically, Gideon
was not a king – he was only a judge, and therefore permitted to take numerous wives.
11. Cf. Olam HaTanakh: Shofetim [Hebrew] (Tel-Aviv: Divrei HaYamim Ltd., 1999) pp. 82-83.
12. See, for example, Y. Kaufmann, Sefer Shofetim [Hebrew] (Jerusalem: Kiryat Sefer, 1962) p.
194; Olam HaTanakh: Shofetim, p. 83; Y. Amit, Mikra LeYisrael: Shofetim, p. 162.
13. See Y. Rozenson, op. cit., p. 130.
14. Cf. Amit, p. 164.
15. See Elitzur, p. 103; Amit, pp. 163-164.

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