Gideon

Gideon
/gid"ee euhn/, n.
1. Also called Jerubbaal. a judge of Israel and conqueror of the Midianites. Judges 6-8.
2. a member of the Gideons International.
3. a male given name: from a Hebrew word meaning "great destroyer."

* * *

Judge and hero of ancient Israel, whose deeds are described in the Old Testament Book of Judges.

The book contains two versions of Gideon's story. In one account, he led his tribe of Manasseh in a victorious campaign against the Midianites, then fashioned an idolatrous image from the booty and led Israel into immorality. In another version, he replaced worship of the local deity, Baal, with that of Yahweh (the God of Israel), and the power of Yahweh enabled his tribe to destroy the Midianites.

* * *

▪ biblical figure
also spelled  Gedeon,  also called  Jerubbaal, or Jerobaal,  

      a judge and hero-liberator of Israel whose deeds are described in the Book of Judges. The author apparently juxtaposed two traditional accounts from his sources in order to emphasize Israel's monotheism and its duty to destroy idolatry. Accordingly, in one account Gideon led his clansmen of the tribe of Manasseh in slaying the Midianites, a horde of desert raiders; but, influenced by the cult of his adversaries, he fashioned an idolatrous image from the booty and induced Israel into immorality. In the parallel version he replaced the idol and altar of the local deity Baal with the worship of Yahweh, the God of Israel, who consequently inspired Gideon and his clan to destroy the Midianites and their chiefs as a sign of Yahweh's supremacy over Baal. The story is also important for showing the development of a monarchy in Israel under Gideon's son Abimelech.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • GIDEON — (Heb. גִּדְעוֹן, derived from גדע; to cast down ), also called Jerubaal (Heb. יְרֻבַּעַל; let Baal contend, or let Baal replace, Judg. 6:32), son of Joash, the Abiezrite from ophrah , in the area of the tribe of Manasseh. Gideon is regarded as… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Gideon — • One of the Greater Judges of Israel. He belonged to the tribe of Manasses, and to the family of Abiezer Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Gideon     Gideon      …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Gideon — steht für: Gideon (Richter), ein Richter im Alten Testament einen männlichen Vorname, siehe Gideon (Vorname) Gideon (Missouri), eine Stadt in den USA den US amerikanischen Film Gideon die ehemalige dänische Automarke Gideon (Automarke) eine… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Gideon Yu — is the current CFO of Facebook the popular social networking website. Yu was formally treasurer and Senior Vice President of Finance for Yahoo! where he executed over 30 acquisitions or investments for Yahoo, including Alibaba, Taobao, Overture,… …   Wikipedia

  • Gideon — Gideon, MO U.S. city in Missouri Population (2000): 1113 Housing Units (2000): 465 Land area (2000): 1.799243 sq. miles (4.660018 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 1.799243 sq. miles (4.660018 sq.… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Gideon, MO — U.S. city in Missouri Population (2000): 1113 Housing Units (2000): 465 Land area (2000): 1.799243 sq. miles (4.660018 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 1.799243 sq. miles (4.660018 sq. km) FIPS… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Gideon — Bible propagation society, 1906, formally Christian Commercial Young Men s Association of America, founded 1899. It takes its name from Gideon, Israelite judge and warrior [Judg. vi:11 viii:25], from Heb. Gidh on, lit. feller, from stem of gadha… …   Etymology dictionary

  • Gidĕon [1] — Gidĕon, Sohn des Joas von Ophea im Stamm Manasse, trat zur Zeit, als Israel unter dem Drucke der Midianiter stand, als Richter auf; erst rottete er den Baalsdienst aus, wofür er den Ehrennamen Jerubbaal erhielt, dann erforschte er, ob Gott seinem …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Gidĕon [2] — Gidĕon, eine Art Hornkäfer, s.d …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Gidĕon — (hebr., »Baumfäller«, für: Kriegsheld), Richter der Israeliten, Sohn des Joas aus dem Stamme Manasse, rottete den Baalsdienst zu Ophra aus (daher sein Beiname Jerubaal = »möge Baal mit ihm streiten«) und befreite das Volk von der siebenjährigen… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Gideon — Gidĕon, eigentlich Jerubbaal, einer der sog. Richter Israels, zu Ophra in Manasse, zerstörte den Baalsdienst und rächte Israel an den Midianitern (Richt. 6 8) …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”