Gideon of Judges 6–8 was regarded by the "critical school" as a composite narrative, combining Jahwist, Elohist and Deuteronomic sources, with further interpolations and editorial comments of the Second Temple period. Emil Hirsch alleged a historical nucleus in the narrative, reflecting the struggle of the tribe of Manasseh with hostile Bedouins across the Jordan, along with "reminiscences of tribal jealousies on the part of Ephraim" in the early period of Hebrew settlement, later conflated with the religious context of connecting Yahweh with the shrine at Ophrah. The core (Jahwist) narrative consists of Gideon wishing to avenge the death of his brothers,
Iconostasis of the Cathedral of Hajdúdorog Priest of the Israelites. In his right hand he holds a crosier decorated with flowers, and a thurible in his left. The next image depicts Gideon, one of the judges of Israel, with a fleece. In the Old Testament, an angel appeared to Gideon, telling him that he would save his tribe from the invading Midianites. Gideon asked for proof of God's message; he laid a fleece of wool on the ground and asked the Lord to make the fleece wet and keep the ground dry by next morning, if the victory were to be his. Next morning the fleece