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connotation in time of war. Likewise, the camp is the object of being
attacked, and furthermore, verbs of disarray are used to describe it. The
objectifying process of Zebah (nlt) and Zalmunna is continued
in the use of their names. It is no coincidence that their names mean
"victim" and "protection refused." They are type-cast in the role of the
hunted. It becomes even more ironic when their names are compared
with the Midianite generals, Oreb and Zeeb, which have predatory type
names, "raven" (::1j1:) and "wolf" (3KV), and therefore deserve to be
hunted down.
In 8:18, the real reason for Gideon's killing spree becomes evident.
Gideon is on a blood revenge mission, since the enemy leaders had killed
his family. Gideon's own agenda is thus the driving force behind this
movement. We see how he tries to kill these men in the worst possible
way. Webb notes that Gideon uses his little boy, his firstborn, to humili-
ate these kings and to cause them suffering. 37
A number of observations are important in this scene. First, Gideon is
portrayed in this movement as very much in control, very much the
focus of this narrative movement. He treats all the rest of the characters
as objects to be used and mistreated as he desires. Second, as Olson has
noted, God is not present at all and God's name is mentioned only
twice by Gideon (8:7, 19). The question asked in the beginning is still in
the back of one's mind: will Israel remember who God is? Will they
recognize that it is God who has saved them? The second part of the
third narrative movement becomes the test case in which this question
will be answered. However, the first part of this movement has distracted
attention from God's main goal, in that the focus has shifted solely onto '
Gideon. Accordingly, Israel does not remember who God is. Immedi-
ately after Gideon's slaying of the kings, Israel turns to Gideon and offers
him dynastic rule. The reason the people give is that Gideon has saved
them (8:22). They miss the point. As Webb notes, Israel fails to give God

37 Webb, Judges, 151. It was a great disgrace to be killed by a person of lowly stature,
like a woman or a boy. Cf. Abimelech's wish in Judg 9:54 to rather be killed by his servant
than the woman with the millstone. This is also illustrated by the great contempt Goliath
shows for the young David coming to fight him (1 Sam 17:42). Furthermore, the little
boy's inexperience would have resulted in a messy, painful death.
-3801son, "Judges," 807.