Gideon the Polygamist

Sometimes you latch onto a concept or idea, and suddenly it starts popping up everywhere. So there I was, enduring to the end of an uninspiring lesson on Judges, when look what pops up in the short bio of Gideon, heroic Israelite patriot and judge from the tribe of Manasseh:

[Gideon] went back home to live. He had seventy sons of his own, for he had many wives. His concubine, who lived in Shechem, also bore him a son, whom he named Abimilech. Gideon son of Joash died at a good old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash. (Judges 8:29-32, NIV)

Wives, a concubine, and living to a good old age. How patriarchal.

Comments

[Mogget]

Hm, yes. The judges seem to span several boundaries. There's always a debate over whether Samuel should be considered a prophet or a judge, as well.

Sorry your lesson was uninspiring.

[annegb]

I liked that line: a good old age.

I noticed it several times.

[Dave]

Mogget, "uninspiring" is more a reflection on Judges than on the instructor, and probably reflects my state of mind at the time more than any other factor.