The Part of Gideon’s Story Nobody Talks About.

How a Biblical hero with three names ultimately blew it.

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One of the best things about the Bible is that it tells the stories of real people who were just human. And how God interacted with them regardless. (I’m looking at you, Samson.)

Many Christians and Jews today seem to look at the greatness of the individuals God chose to fulfill His will, yet skim over the parts that reveal their human frailty. There aren’t popular sermons about Judah hiring his daughter as a prostitute, or Saul and his demonic oppression. Few study Jephthah’s idiotic vow, Elisha’s cursing of forty-two children to their death, or John Mark’s cowardice. (Yes, he later wrote the gospel of Mark.) We do, however, study David’s affair with Bathsheba and Peter’s denial of Jesus to a teenage girl.

When we need an example of starting strong and finishing weak, we often turn to King Solomon. But nobody discusses one of the mightiest warriors and deliverers of Israel: Gideon.

This guy is one of my favorites. And I can’t wait to meet him in the next chapter of this plan. If you haven’t read the story of Gideon, I urge you to do so this week. His tale begins in Judges, Chapter 6. And ends in Chapter 8. He is mentioned in the “Hall of Faith” chapter (Hebrews 11) alongside the great ones. Oh, that I could be more like Gideon as we head into the closing of this age.

The Man With Three Names.

There were three names given to this man in Scripture: Gideon, Jerubbaal (also known as Jerub-Baal), and Jerubbesheth.

Gideon was the name first given to him in the book of Judges. It means “hewer” or “one who cuts down”. In Judges 6, Gideon tears down his father Joash’s altar to Baal and cuts down the pagan Asherah pole beside it. The townspeople are enraged and want to kill him for this act. Still, Joash defends him, saying: “If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar” (Judges 6:31). Well played, Joash.

Because of this, Gideon is given the nickname Jerubbaal, which means “Let Baal contend with him” or “Baal will deal with him.” From that point on, the text sometimes calls him Gideon and sometimes Jerubbaal (Judges 6:32; 7:1; 8:29; 8:35). So, Gideon is his personal name, and Jerubbaal is a title or nickname given to him after he challenged Baal. Got it? Good. Hang in there.

The third name was given to him by Jewish Rabbis and scholars. Later biblical books sometimes use the name Jerubbesheth instead of Jerubbaal (2 Samuel 11:21). Jerubbaal = “Let Baal contend”. Jerubbesheth = “Let shame contend” (since bosheth means “shame” in Hebrew).

This change happened because later Israelite writers and editors were uncomfortable preserving the name of the pagan god Baal in the name of a righteous leader like Gideon. To avoid even saying “Baal,” they sometimes substituted the word bosheth (“shame,” a derogatory term for idols).

This same pattern happens with other names:

• Ish-baal → Ish-bosheth (Saul’s son, 2 Sam. 2:8 vs. 1 Chron. 8:33)
• Merib-baal → Mephibosheth (another son of Saul, 1 Chron. 8:34 vs. 2 Sam. 9:6)

So, in short: Gideon = Jerubbaal = Jerubbesheth. The difference reflects how scribes oversaw the reference to Baal. But the name Gideon (one who cuts down) also symbolizes his role in “cutting down” Israel’s enemies, which he did. His bravery, in collaboration with God’s miraculous power, brought 40 years of peace to Israel.

Tradition often suggests that a person’s deeds can alter their name. (I’m looking at you, Simon Peter.) Gideon wasn’t born “Jerubbaal,” but after his act of bravery against Baal, that became his identity.

(Side note: you will receive a new name. See Rev 2:17. Jesus also gets a new name. See Rev 3:12.)

Midrash Rabbah adds that his name was a mark of courage: instead of fearing Baal, Gideon publicly challenged the false god. Some rabbinic sources note that the name Gideon was like a badge of honor: he was the man who stood up to idolatry. In summary:

· Gideon = the cutter-down (idols and enemies).

· Jerubbaal = the one who contended with Baal.

· Jerubbesheth = the one who contended with “shame” (idolatry).

All He Did Was Win, Win, Win…Until.

And then we come to this. Here’s how his story ends:

“The Israelites said, ‘Rule over us, you and your son and your grandson. You have saved us from Midian’s tyranny.’ Gideon said, ‘I most certainly will not rule over you, nor will my son. God will reign over you.’

Then Gideon said, ‘But I do have one request. Give me, each of you, an earring that you took as plunder.’ Ishmaelites wore gold earrings, and the men all had their pockets full of them. They said, ‘Of course. They’re yours!’

They spread out a blanket, and each man threw his plundered earrings on it. The gold earrings that Gideon had asked for weighed about forty-three pounds — and that didn’t include the crescents and pendants, the purple robes worn by the Midianite kings, and the ornaments hung around the necks of their camels. Gideon made the gold into a sacred ephod and put it on display in his hometown, Ophrah. All Israel prostituted itself there. Gideon and his family, too, were seduced by it.” Judges 8: 22–28

The man whose name means cutter down of idols makes an idol? And the whole nation sins, even Gideon himself?

This is one of the most puzzling parts of Gideon’s story, because it seems contradictory: the man who smashed Baal’s altar later made an object that became a snare for Israel.

Maybe It Was a Misguided Act of Piety.

The ephod in the Torah is the priestly garment worn by the high priest with the breastplate of judgment (Exodus 28). Many commentators (Rashi, Radak) say Gideon did not intend to make an idol. Instead, he wanted a sacred object — maybe to consult God, like the high priest did with the Urim and Thummim. But since he wasn’t authorized to create one, it led to idolatry. Or,

Maybe It Was A Political Move.

Some suggest Gideon made the ephod to create a religious center in Ophrah, shifting influence away from Shiloh (where the tabernacle was). This could have been meant to strengthen his tribe (Manasseh), but ended up fragmenting Israel’s worship instead. Or,

Maybe He Was Flawed Like Us.

The Book of Judges often shows deliverers as flawed. Gideon, though faithful at first, may have slipped into pride or desire for lasting honor after victory. The ephod was a symbol of victory. But became a snare when Israel treated it as an idol.

I believe Gideon’s making of the ephod was a mistake born from good intentions. He wanted Israel to remain close to God, but created confusion instead. The Talmud (Sanhedrin 103b) lists Gideon among those who made errors that led Israel astray.

Hero? Yes. Warrior? Yes. Deliverer? Yes. One who caused Israel to stumble? Also, Yes.

How Is Gideon Remembered?

He started as the man who smashed idols and defied Baal. But even a great deliverer can stumble by mixing human ideas with divine worship. Gideon probably did not mean to make a pagan idol. He intended the ephod as a religious memorial or trophy, but because God didn’t command it, it opened the door to idolatry.

We should take this as a warning: zeal against idolatry is not enough. Obedience to God’s instructions must guide our worship, our devotion, and our lives.

Finish Strong!

This is what the start of a marathon looks like:

Photo by Steward Masweneng on Unsplash

But the finish line is a different story:

Photo by Capstone Events on Unsplash

Where are all the other runners? As many as 35% of runners who start a marathon don’t finish it. What happened to them?

The Big “IF”.

“For we belong to Christ, IF we keep on trusting Him to the end, just as we trusted Him at first.” Heb 3:14

This is a perfect day to ensure our spiritual tank is full, our eyes are sharp, and our will is set to finish strong. Let nothing cause us to slip. Yes, Peter denied Jesus. But later, his shadow healed the sick. Read 1st and 2nd Peter. He finished strong.

God shows up in our human frailty. He knows. He understands. And He wants us to finish the race and receive a crown of life. If my hero Gideon can slip, so can we. Cling to the rock. And you will be just fine in the end.

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Be strong! Be courageous! Never forget how much you are loved. -Issachar