Gideons

Gideons commonly refers to two related subjects: Gideon, a figure in the Hebrew Bible, and Gideons International, a Christian evangelical organization known for distributing Bibles.

Gideons International was founded in 1899 in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, by two traveling salesmen, John H. Nicholson and Samuel E. Hill. Named after the biblical Gideon, the organization seeks to win people to faith in Jesus Christ through the distribution of Bibles and Scripture. It operates through volunteers and local members, and has grown into a worldwide network with the central office in Nashville, Tennessee.

The Gideons place Bibles and New Testaments in hotels and motels, as well as in hospitals, clinics, prisons, schools, and military facilities. They publish a range of pocket-sized editions in multiple languages, and editions are supplied by partner publishers. Funding comes from individual donations, churches, and organizations that support distribution.

Gideons International emphasizes personal testimony and evangelism as part of its mission. The organization works through national and international associations to coordinate distribution in many countries.

In the Hebrew Bible, Gideon is one of the judges of Israel, described in the Book of Judges (chapters 6–8). He is known for his call to lead Israel, the fleece test to confirm God's will, and for a victory over the Midianites with 300 men. He declines kingship, and after his death his clan becomes a prominent family in the region.