two-handled pitcher and torch, symbolizing the implements used by Gideon to scare the Midianite army. Cultural references Origin of the phrase "putting out a fleece" The origin of the phrase "putting out a fleece" is a reference to the story of Gideon meaning to look for a sign from God before undertaking some action or carrying out some plan. Military references Much like the 300 Spartans at Thermopylae, Gideon has become symbolic of military success of a small elite force against overwhelming numerical odds. The 12th-century Poem of Almería invokes "the strength of Samson and the sword of Gideon" in the context of the Reconquista of Almería led by Ponce Giraldo de Cabrera (1147). Benedikt Gletting (16th century) invokes the "Sword of Gideon" in a call for a pious and confident defense of the Old Swiss Confederacy against the threat of the Franco-Ottoman alliance. The Gideon narrative was invoked by Covenanter commander Archibald Strachan prior to Battle of Carbisdale (1650). The Gideon Force was a small British-led special force in the East African Campaign during World War II. El Junquito raid code-named Operation Gideon in 2018 and Operation Gideon (2020) were dissident military operations in Venezuela. Archaeological evidence A five-letter inscription appearing to represent the name Jerubbaal (another name used in the Hebrew Bible for Gideon) was discovered on a 3100-year old fragment of a jug in Israel. According to Smithsonian Magazine, "the artifact's age lines up with the time period depicted in the Book of Judges." See also Gideon (name) Gideon, 1961 play Gideons International, an evangelical Christian association whose primary activity is distributing free Bibles to hotels and motels Talut, analogous Quranic figure Gideon the Ninth and the Locked Tomb Series by Tamsyn Miur References Explanatory notes Citations General sources Angelic visionaries Book of Judges Christian saints from the Old Testament Judges of ancient Israel Midian