As Gideon was driving the Midianites headlong from Israel, some Israelites were wary of publicly backing him in case the Midianites returned. Gideon did not forget that; and after completing his victory, rounding up the Midianite leaders and executing them, he took merciless revenge on those in Israel who had failed him.

Gideon’s victory over Midian brought a generation of peace to Israel, and the warrior retired to his hometown. However, he made the mistake of beating his enemies’ gold into some kind of victory trophy, which the Israelites began to treat with superstitious awe. From this came a strife in Israel that ended in invasion by neighbouring Philistia.

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