{"id":55475,"date":"2019-05-14T15:20:23","date_gmt":"2019-05-14T12:20:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=55475"},"modified":"2022-12-06T09:23:22","modified_gmt":"2022-12-06T07:23:22","slug":"gideon-declines-a-throne-but-creates-an-obstacle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/gideon-declines-a-throne-but-creates-an-obstacle\/","title":{"rendered":"Gideon Declines a Throne but Creates an \u201cObstacle\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[281],"tags":[520,429,835],"acf":{"old_id":"55475","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":34243,"related_cahpter":"219","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content":{"description":"Contributing to the vicious cycle of idolatry, infidelity and ingratitude","content":"

Gideon was a complex character. On the one hand, he displayed extraordinary humility and religious devotion. When offered a hereditary monarchy (\u201crule over us; you, your son, and grandson,\u201d v.22), he declined, stating that \u201cneither I nor my son shall rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you\u201d (23).<\/span><\/p>\n

And yet, immediately thereafter, Gideon instructed his followers to turn over the golden earrings they had taken as spoils (24) and he fashioned from them a \u201cgolden <\/span>ephod<\/span><\/i>\u201d (apron?) \u201cand all Israel went astray after it, and it became an obstacle to Gideon and his family\u201d (27).<\/span><\/p>\n

That \u201cobstacle\u201d (or \u201csnare\u201d) is a euphemism for idolatry is evident in several ways. First is the solicitation of the golden earrings, which are exactly what Aaron had collected from the people to manufacture the golden calf (Exodus 32:2-3). Second is the verb used to describe Israel\u2019s attitude towards it: <\/span>vayiznu<\/span><\/em> (\u201cwent astray\u201d), which literally signifies harlotry or infidelity. (See our comments on Judges 1<\/a>, where we define idolatry as \u201cthe quintessence of disaffection\u201d with God, inviting almost certain disaster.) The third indication takes us back to the Torah, which expressly refers to idolatry as \u201can obstacle\u201d (Exodus 23:33) and warns the Israelites not to tolerate the presence of idolaters \u201clest they become an obstacle in your midst\u201d (Exodus 34:12. See, too, our comments on Joshua 23<\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

Small wonder, then, that \u201cas soon as Gideon was dead, the children of Israel again went astray after the Ba`alim\u201d (33), they \u201cremembered not the Lord their God, who had delivered them out of the hand of all their enemies\u201d (34) and \u201cthey showed no kindness to the house of Jerubaal, namely Gideon\u201d (35). These three behaviors, idolatry, infidelity and ingratitude, were to characterize the Israelites throughout the era of the judges.<\/span><\/p>\n","image":{"ID":55476,"id":55476,"title":"Jud8-ephod","filename":"Jud8-ephod.jpg","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Jud8-ephod.jpg","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/gideon-declines-a-throne-but-creates-an-obstacle\/jud8-ephod\/","alt":"","author":"7","description":"","caption":"","name":"jud8-ephod","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":55475,"date":"2019-05-14 12:20:02","modified":"2022-05-23 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