Gideon was the son of Joash, of the tribe of Manasseh. The division to which this family belonged held no leading position, but the household of Joash was distinguished for courage and integrity. Of his brave sons it is said, "Each one resembled the children of a king." All but one had fallen in the struggles against the Midianites, and he had caused his name to be feared by the invaders. To Gideon came the divine call to deliver his people. He was engaged at the time in threshing wheat. A small quantity of grain had been concealed, and not daring to beat it out on the ordinary threshing floor, he had resorted to a spot near the winepress; for the season of ripe grapes being still far off, little notice was now taken of the vineyards. As Gideon labored in secrecy and silence, he sadly pondered upon the condition of Israel and considered how the oppressor's yoke might be broken from off his people.

Gideon var søn af Joasj og tilhørte Manasses stamme. Den slægt, som denne familie tilhørte, havde ingen førerstilling i folket, men Joasj's familie udmærkede sig ved mod og retskaffenhed. Der står skrevet om hans tapre sønner: "De så begge ud som kongesønner." Han havde mistet alle sine sønner på een nær i kampen mod midjanitterne. Denne havde indgydt de fremmede respekt for sit navn. Gud opfordrede nu Gideon til at befri sit folk. Gideon var ved at tærske hvede på det tidspunkt. Han havde gemt lidt korn, og da han ikke turde tærske det på det almindelige tærskegulv, gik han ud i nærheden af vinpersen. Der var endnu længe til vinhøsten, og derfor var der ingen, der skænkede vingårdene en tanke på dette tidspunkt af året. Mens Gideon stod skjult her og arbejdede, tænkte han med sorg på forholdene i Israel og overvejede, hvorledes hans folk kunne blive befriet for undertrykkernes åg.