Topical Bible: Gideon: had Seventy Sons

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Topical Encyclopedia

Gideon, also known as Jerubbaal, is a prominent figure in the Book of Judges, recognized for his role as a judge and military leader of Israel. His account is primarily found in Judges 6-8. Gideon is best known for his divinely guided victory over the Midianites with a small army of 300 men, demonstrating God's power and deliverance.

Family and Legacy

Gideon's family life is notably marked by his many sons. Judges 8:30-31 states, "Gideon had seventy sons of his own, for he had many wives. His concubine who lived in Shechem also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech." This large number of offspring reflects the common practice of polygamy among leaders and influential figures in ancient Israel, which often served to establish and strengthen familial and tribal alliances.

Seventy Sons

The mention of Gideon's seventy sons highlights both his personal legacy and the potential for familial strife. The number seventy is often symbolic in the Bible, representing completeness or abundance. In Gideon's case, it underscores his status and the extensive reach of his family. However, this large family also sets the stage for future conflict, as seen in the subsequent narrative involving his son Abimelech.

Abimelech's Ambition

Abimelech, the son of Gideon's concubine, emerges as a significant figure in the aftermath of Gideon's death. Judges 9 details Abimelech's ruthless ambition to become king, which leads to the murder of his seventy brothers, save for Jotham, who escapes. This act of fratricide underscores the dangers of unchecked ambition and the potential for internal discord within a family or nation.

Spiritual and Moral Implications

Gideon's account, including the account of his seventy sons, serves as a cautionary tale about the complexities of leadership and the consequences of personal choices. While Gideon is celebrated for his faith and obedience to God during the battle against the Midianites, his later years reveal the challenges of maintaining spiritual integrity and familial harmony. The narrative invites reflection on the importance of godly leadership and the impact of one's legacy on future generations.

Biblical Context

The account of Gideon's seventy sons is situated within the broader context of the cyclical pattern of sin, oppression, repentance, and deliverance that characterizes the Book of Judges. Gideon's life and family illustrate the recurring theme of Israel's struggle to remain faithful to God amidst external threats and internal divisions. His account serves as a reminder of the need for reliance on God and the dangers of turning away from His commandments.

In summary, Gideon's seventy sons are a testament to his influence and the complexities of his legacy. The narrative of his family, particularly the actions of Abimelech, highlights the potential for both greatness and tragedy within the lineage of a leader chosen by God.

Nave's Topical Index

Judges 8:30
And Gideon had three score and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

That the Judges who Succeeded Gideon Made War with the Adjoining ...
... 1. Now Gideon had seventy sons that were legitimate, for he had many wives; but
he had also one that was spurious, by his concubine Drumah, whose name was ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 7 that the judges.htm

Gideon's Brave Band
... The weight of the golden ear-rings for which he had asked was nearly seventy pounds
of gold ... Then Gideon made of the gold a priestly robe to wear when asking ...
//christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/gideons brave band.htm

The Crowning of Abimelech
... to the house of Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, according to all the goodness which he
had shewed unto ... did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren: and ...
/.../select masterpieces of biblical literature/iii the crowning of abimelech.htm

Doubtful Fragments on the Pentateuch.
... the Syriac tongue of the Targum, which the Seventy translated into ... until God translated
him to Himself, after He had made him ... And Baruk delivered it to Gideon. ...
/.../doubtful fragments on the pentateuch.htm

Demonstration xxi. --Of Persecution.
... and was opulent after she had wandered seventy years, [1107 ... Hananiah and his brethren
the fire had no power ... Jephthah and Samson and Gideon and Barak, these also ...
/.../aphrahat/aphrahat select demonstrations/demonstration xxi of persecution.htm

Jesus Calls Four Fishermen to Follow Him.
... see cases of Moses ( Exodus 3:1, 2), Gideon (Judges 6 ... 12:1, 2); and John, after upwards
of seventy years of ... the draught of the fishes which they had taken [This ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/xxx jesus calls four fishermen.htm

The Antiquities of the Jews
... CHAPTER 1. How Moses When He Had Brought The People ... The Interval Of Four Hundred
And Seventy-Six Years ... Seven Years, How They Were Delivered By Gideon, Who Ruled ...
//christianbookshelf.org/josephus/the antiquities of the jews/

The People of the New Earth
... for the cowardly, such as those in Gideon's army, Judges 7:3 ... Moses and Aaron, his
two sons, and seventy Elders of ... The time had not come for the people to dwell ...
/.../bullinger/commentary on revelation/the people of the new.htm

Numbers
... for flesh, the divine equipment of the seventy elders, the ... except Caleb and Joshua,
the whole generation had perished (cf. ... of Israel, in the days of Gideon (Jud ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/numbers.htm

The Only Atoning Priest
... was no nobler position, or Jesus should have had it ... would that you would drink it
in as Gideon's fleece drank ... me even though I were a sinner of seventy years of ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 18 1872/the only atoning priest.htm