Struktura literacka opowiadania o Gedeonie (Sdz 6-8)

Abstract

The history of Gideon described in the Book of Judges 6-8 represents the silhouette of this person on the basis of the latest report of the source materials; the same sources had been used for the elaboration of the major part of the Book in question. There have been two hypotheses trying to explain the forming of the materials for Gideon's history: one Pentateuch hypothesis and another hypothesis of the living tradition. The followers of the Pentateuch hypothesis consider that in Gideon's history the sources J and E are to be found - these having the same history as the sources J and E in the Pentateuch. The above sources had been unified by an unknown redactor, who has completed them with his supplements. In turn the first compilation of the source materials on Gideon ‒ as transferred by an Jahvist and an Elohist had received during the exile a deuteronomic frame as Well as a new redaction done by a priest. The Pentateuch hypothesis of sources is inacceptable for two important reasons: once it is cutting the text dividing it into various pieces, bound together often artificially, and then it does not explain the theological idea of this story, which has beem written first of all for didactic Purposes. Therefore many modern investigators propose to admit the so called hypothesis of living tradition instead of it. The fact that the text of Jdgs. 6-8 is not uniform and contains some difficulties and repetitions suggests manifold tradition contributing to its origin. The contrast of particular episods, differences in the names of Madian's rulers and contradictions in the text let us to admit manifold tradition. The followers of the hypothesis of the living tradition confirm accordingly that an important part of materials to the history of Gideon dates from the pre-deuteronomic period. From the above materials, which have been included in the biblical description of our heros activity we can distinguish old tradition from the period of Gideon's life and later compilations of this traditional material with some modifications and amendments done by redactors compilaters. The next tradition on Gideon in the form of unified stories has been elaborated by deuteronomic redactors, who, following the essential religious and moral assumptions have worked over the old tradition complexes including them into their own theological frame. Due to the work of redactors compilaters the fragments of Gideon's tradition have been unified into bigger units. When elaborating separate stories the authors had been adding some parts of their own information in order either to make a logical whole from the gathered tradition materials or to meet the assumptions of the compilators. The tradition materials on Gideon unified by redactors compilaters had been subject to different modifications. Trying to distinguish particular tradition layers from the text being of interest to us ‒ it seems that we are able to seize at least a few of them. Some of them, being of a purely secular character, are interested in Gideon's private life their chief attention being attached to his position in the family and in his generation. This tradition may be called „heterodox”. Other tradition looks at Gideon not only as a representative of one tribe but also a hero in command of a few tribes. The „orthodox” tradition shows Gideon in this way, transforming him from a hero of one tribe into a hero in a wider sense. Some other tradition is including Gideon into the circle of people especially distinguished by God. It seems that „heterodox" tradition belongs to the oldest one on Gideon, where he remains a hero of one clan, a hero of a clearly secular dimensions, a hero solving individual controversies concerning his family and his clan. The traditioin which makes Gideon a hero especially distinguished by Jahve is showing former survivals and events of a given tribe as a continuation of healing activities of Jahve. It looks at the history of Gideon as at the continuation of the history of the deliery begun with the leaving Egypt by Israel. Hence Gideon becomes a tool in the hands of the same God, who once had saved his people through Moses Having learned of former deeds of Gideon in places him at an equal level with Moses and the Midianites defeat is treated as an analogy to the liberation from Egypt. It looks like that the tradition on Gideon has been drawn up in the Kingdom of lsrael. The further fate of Gideon's tradition is connected with the circumstances of the origin and drawing up of the whole Book of Judges.