Orthodox icon of Prophet Gideon, Προφήτης Γεδεών. NOTE: the sizes of the icon are approximate, because of its shape. Judge of Israel, whose memory is honored by our Church on September 26. On this day, those who bear the name Gideon celebrate. Gideon was from the city of Ephrathah in the tribe of Manasseh. He was also called Jerubbaal (= Baal will judge), because he destroyed an altar of Baal and built an altar to Yahweh in its place. Gideon's calling by God is connected with the raids of the Midianites, who terrorized the Israelite people. Gideon managed to unite the tribes of Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and after receiving God's assurance of victory, he launched a surprise attack with 300 men against the Midianite camp, put them to flight, and drove them beyond the Jordan River. The two kings of the Midianites, who had killed Gideon's brothers, were captured and executed. After the successful outcome of the war, the Israelites asked Gideon to remain their ruler for life, but he refused, saying, "The Lord shall be your ruler." He died at an advanced age and was buried in his hometown. The life and deeds of Gideon are recounted in detail in the Book of Judges (chapters 6, 7, and 8) of the Old Testament. Gideon is known in the orthodox ecclesiastical hymnography from the miracle of "the dew in the basket" (Judges 6:37-38), where, in order to be convinced of God's intentions to help his people, he asked him to cool a fleece (a ball of raw wool) that he placed on a threshing floor, while at the same time there would be drought around it. God performed the miracle, Gideon was convinced, and he led the Israelites against the Midianites. In ecclesiastical hymnography, the Virgin Mary is likened to the fleece and Jesus to the dew.
