Gideons International is an evangelical Christian organisation dedicated to distributing copies of the Bible (generally the King James Version in the United States, but other translations elsewhere) to those who might not otherwise encounter it, most famously in hotel rooms. The organization was founded in 1899 in Boscobel, Wisconsin as one of the first parachurch organizations dedicated to Christian evangelism. It began distributing free Bibles, the work it is chiefly remembered for, in 1908, when the first Bibles were placed in the rooms of the Superior Hotel in Iron Mountain, Michigan.

The organization describes its link to the story of Gideon thus:

"Gideon was a man who was willing to do exactly what God wanted him to do, regardless of his own judgment as to the plans or results. Humility, faith, and obedience were his great elements of character. This is the standard that the Gideon association is trying to establish in all its members, each man to be ready to do God's will at any time, at any place, and in any way that the Holy Spirit leads."

In keeping with this symbolism, the symbol of the Gideons is a two handled pitcher and torch, recalling Gideon's victory over the Midianites in Judges 7.

In addition to their well-known hotel-room Bibles, the Gideons also distribute Bibles to members of the military of various countries, to hospitals, public

• a short preface;
• an apparatus suggesting Bible verses which may be of assistance in various sorts of trouble;
• translations of John 3:16 into a variety of different languages and scripts;
• the Bible text itself, without notes, references, or any other reference matter other than chapter and verse headings — this can either be the full Bible (as with most of the ones they put in the hotels), or just the New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs (typical in the Bibles which are handed out as gifts rather than left in rooms for temporary use);
• a short description of their salvation theory, with biblical quotations, and generally a place for the reader to sign and date his confession of Jesus (this is especially common in the shorter editions of just the New Testament and Psalms).

The placement of Gideon Bibles in hotel rooms has made the Gideon Bible a frequent subject for comment in popular culture; it is alluded to among other places in the Beatles song "Rocky Raccoon", the Jethro Tull song "Locomotive Breath", and the Bill Hicks comedy album Rant in E-Minor. In addition, this practice has inspired other religious organizations to distribute their sacred texts in similar fashion, such as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints with the Book of Mormon.

See also

• Bible Society

External link