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Gidon married a Pilegesh (second wife) from Shechem. Was she Jewish? She bore him a son Avimelech. He convinced the people of Shechem to agree that he should become king. Were the people of Shechem Jewish in this story?

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    What makes you think she/they might not have been Jewish?
    – Tamir Evan
    Commented Jul 6, 2020 at 14:17

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It would seem so. First of all, Yosam, in his speech to the people of Shechem, speaks of his father having "fought on your behalf... and saved you from Midian" (9:17), which wouldn't really fit if they weren't Jewish (Gideon didn't fight on behalf of the Canaanites or whoever, after all). Also, when Gaal ben Eved shows up (9:26), Rashi there says that "he was from a different nation," implying that all the protagonists up to that point were from the same (Jewish) nation.

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