This chapter made me sad. Empowered by the Spirit of the LORD, Gideon indeed rose as a valiant warrior in Judges 7, pulling out a miraculous victory over the Midian army. In Judges 8, however, Gideon showed many alarming behaviors, such as taking personal revenge against small cities and building a ruling system which was no different from that under pagan kings.

This chapter somewhat reminded me of the Federalist Papers No. 50, which I had a chance to read when I was a graduate student.  The country’s founding fathers, James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, emphatically stated the danger of power concentration, therefore, arguing for establishing checks and balances system in the Constitution. Absolute power absolutely corrupts. Sadly, Gideon underwent this experience. 

Summary

Gideon with 300 men continued to pursue fleeing Midianites. In his pursuit, he asked for food at Succoth and Penuel, two cities in the Gad tribe, but were rejected. Nonetheless, Gideon continued to pursue and captured Zebah and Zalmunna, two remaining leaders of the Midiantes, and routed the rest of the Midianites army. On his way back, Gideon revisited the two cities, Succoth and Penuel, to punish them severely by killing the men of the town and destroying their major tower. After Gideon killed Zebah and Zalmunna, two remaining heads of the Midianites, he was asked by the men of Israel to rule over them. During his reign, although Israel had 40 years of peace, he had many wives and nearly seventy sons, and the people of Israel played harlot with an ephod that Gideon made. 

Gideon Servile to the Strong…

The men of Ephraim (one of the largest Israel tribes) came to Gideon in anger because he did not call them during the early stage of war against the Midianites. In response, Gideon mitigated their anger tactically by giving the tribe of Ephraim a key credit to the overall war (Judges 8:2-3). Therefore, the men of Ephraim subsided their anger. 

Gideon’s tactical response can be viewed either positively or negatively. In a positive perspective, he genuinely gave a full credit to the Ephraim tribe for achieving key victory against the Midianites – indeed, Ephraim, although participated late in the war, played a key role in capturing the two first kings of the Midianites (Judges 7:24-25). In a negative perspective, he was subservient to the strongest tribe of Israel, just to avoid the escalation of altercation.

Gideon, but Harsh to the Weak…

Let’s see how Gideon responded to a weaker tribe of Israel. On his way in pursuing the remaining Midianite leaders, Zebah and Zalmunna, he stopped by two cities, Succoth and Penuel in the Gad tribe, asking for food for his weary men. The two cities rejected Gideon’s request, and Gideon responded harshly by promising for vengeance (Judges 8:7-9). When Gideon returned, after capturing the two Midian kings, he came back to the two cities to punish and kill them (Judges 8:16-17). 

I would like to note two observations. 

First, Gideon’s harsh response and actions to the two cities in the Gad tribes point to two contradictions within the condition of his heart. On one hand, he showed a full trust in God what God would achieve in his statement, “when the LORD has given Zebah and Zalmunna” into his hand (Judges 8:7). On the other hand, however, he fully vented his anger by killing the men of Succoth and Penuel. This is ironic. 

Second, we see little unity among the Israel tribes – even when facing a common external enemy. Succoth and Penuel choose not to offer any help to Gideon and 300 men when they were pursuing the Midianites, the common external enemy. The division and mistrust still seemed to linger between the Israel tribes on the west and east side of the Jordan River (Joshua 22 depicts this condition as well). Even though Israel was called to represent the Kingdom of God, the book of Judges showed a fragile national unity. 

Gideon, the Ruler like a Pagan King

After defeating the Midianites, Gideon was asked by the men of Israel to rule over them (Judges 8:22). Notice that the men of Israel failed to perceive that the true source of victory was God the LORD. All they could see was a human, Gideon, who delivered them out of the enemies. 

Gideon responded correctly, but failed to live up to his response. Gideon said to them that “the Lord shall rule over you (Judges 8:23),” but he collected a large sum of money (Judges 8:26) and made an ephod, which was supposed to belong to only the Levitical priests. The ephod eventually became a troubling source of Israel’s idol worship. In addition, just like a pagan king, Gideon had many wives and nearly seventy sons (Judges 8:30-31).

He failed to live up to his statement, “the Lord shall rule over you.”

Gideon, Still Man of Faith?

Let’s jump to the New Testament, specifically the book of Hebrews. Gideon was one of those men of faith (Hebrews 11:32), and this designation still puzzles me. 

However, it reminded me that God’s perspective and our perspectives can differ significantly. God still saw the good that Gideon had done to Israel despite his flaws and mistakes (Judges 8:35). 

This chapter was a sad one because we saw a man who had fallen from his peak. However, still God designated him as one of the men of faith. 

Something more for us to ponder the meaning of faith.