Insignificant Family – After being appointed as a leader by Hashem's representative, both Gidon and Shaul refuse to accept the appointment, due to their family being the smallest and youngest of their tribe's families.
Three Miracles – Before Gidon commits to battle, he is given three different signs. When Shaul leaves Shemuel, he is told as a sign of three meetings he will have.
Battle Preparations and Tactics – Both Shaul and Gidon send out messengers to collect soldiers to fight. They then split their army into three sections, and hit the enemy camp in a coordinated attack at a specific hour.
Post-Battle Conflict – Following the battle, the men of Efraim complain to Gidon, but he manages to pacify them without any deaths. Following Shaul's battle, their is an attempt to kill anyone opposed to Shaul, but Shaul also avoids killing.
Kingship Offer – As a result of the victory, an offer is made to both Gidon and Shaul to make them a king over Israel.
Gidon's Battle and Shaul's Battle at Michmas
Avimelekh and Shaul
Destruction of Competitors – Avimelekh kills all seventy of his brothers, who might have competed with him to inherit Gidon's leadership, with only the youngest son, Yotam, escaping. Shaul orders the death of all the priests of Nov, whom he thought supported David, with only the son of Achimelekh, Evyatar, escaping.
Rebuke from the Mountain – After escaping, Yotam stands on top of Mount Gerizim, and calls out to Avimelekh's cronies, Ba'alei Shekhem, accusing them of ingratitude. While escaping, David calls out to Shaul and his followers from the top of the mountain, asking them why Shaul hunts him.
Death – During his last battle, Avimelekh is hit by an enemy projectile. He then asks his arms-bearer to stab him, to prevent him from a worse fate (being killed by a woman). After his death, his followers depart. During Shaul's last battle, he is hit by the enemy archers. He then asks his arms-bearer to kill him, to prevent him from a worse fate (being tortured by the Pelishtim). After his death, his followers flee.
Literary Allusions
Gidon and the Early Stages of Shaul's Career
The Prophet's Speech - Before Gidon's appointment, an unnamed prophet speaks to the Israelites, mentioning how Hashem took them out of Egypt and saved them from their enemies. Before Shaul's crowning, Shemuel speaks to the nation using almost identical language.
Gidon's Battle and Shaul's Battle at Michmas
Avimelekh and Shaul
Bad Spirit – Both Avimelekh and Shaul are affected by a bad spirit ("רוּחַ רָעָה") sent by Hashem.
Rebuke from the Mountain – Both Yotam and David stand ("וַיַּעֲמֹד") on top of a mountain ("בְּרֹאשׁ הַר" / "עַל רֹאשׁ הָהָר") and call out ("וַיִּקְרָא").
Death – Avimelekh and Shaul both ask their arms-bearer ("נֹשֵׂא כֵלָיו") to unsheathe their sword ("שְׁלֹף חַרְבְּךָ") and stab them ("וַיִּדְקְרֵהוּ" / "וְדׇקְרֵנִי").
Analysis
Degree of similarity –
Distinctive phrases –
Avimelekh and Shaul – The term "bad spirit" ("רוּחַ רָעָה"), the phrase "standing" ("וַיַּעֲמֹד") on "top of a mountain" ("בְּרֹאשׁ הַר" / "עַל רֹאשׁ הָהָר"), and the request "שְׁלֹף חַרְבְּךָ" appear only in these stories. The term arms-bearer ("נֹשֵׂא כֵלָיו") and the verb stab (דקר) are also found only rarely in Tanakh.1
