http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 1 Commentary by Ron Thomas Questions by John C. Sewell Gideon s Army and Victory Gideon Defeats the Midianites Judges 7:1-25
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 2 Text: Judges 7:1-25, Gideon s Army and Victory Gideon Defeats the Midianites 1. Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. 2. The LORD said to Gideon, "You have too many men for me to deliver Midian into their hands. In order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her, 3. announce now to the people, 'Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.' " So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained. 4. But the LORD said to Gideon, "There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will sift them for you there. If I say, 'This one shall go with you,' he shall go; but if I say, 'This one shall not go with you,' he shall not go." 5. So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the LORD told him, "Separate those who lap the water with their tongues like a dog from those who kneel down to drink." 6. Three hundred men lapped with their hands to their mouths. All the rest got down on their knees to drink. 7. The LORD said to Gideon, "With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the other men go, each to his own place." 8. So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites to their tents but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others. Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley. 9. During that night the LORD said to Gideon, "Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands.
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 3 10. If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah 11. and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp." So he and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp. 12. The Midianites, the Amalekites and all the other eastern peoples had settled in the valley, thick as locusts. Their camels could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore. 13. Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. "I had a dream," he was saying. "A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed." 14. His friend responded, "This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands." 15. When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped God. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, "Get up! The LORD has given the Midianite camp into your hands." 16. Dividing the three hundred men into three companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside. 17. "Watch me," he told them. "Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. 18. When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, 'For the LORD and for Gideon.' " 19. Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars that were in their hands. 20. The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, "A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!"
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 4 21. While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled. 22. When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the LORD caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath. 23. Israelites from Naphtali, Asher and all Manasseh were called out, and they pursued the Midianites. 24. Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying, "Come down against the Midianites and seize the waters of the Jordan ahead of them as far as Beth Barah." So all the men of Ephraim were called out and they took the waters of the Jordan as far as Beth Barah. 25. They also captured two of the Midianite leaders, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. They pursued the Midianites and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, who was by the Jordan. (NIV) Commentary: Judges 7:1-8, Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. The LORD said to Gideon, "You have too many men for me to deliver Midian into their hands. In order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her, announce now to the people, 'Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.' " So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained. But the LORD said to Gideon, "There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will sift them for you there. If I say, 'This one shall go with you,' he shall go; but if I say, 'This one shall not go with you,' he shall not go." So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the LORD told him, "Separate those who lap the water with their tongues like a dog from those who kneel down to drink." Three hundred men lapped with their hands to their
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 5 mouths. All the rest got down on their knees to drink. The LORD said to Gideon, "With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the other men go, each to his own place." So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites to their tents but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others. Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley. (NIV) I. Gideon s army is shrunk. 7:1-8 A. After Gideon called upon the Israelites to thwart the stealing that was about to take place, the Lord decided that Gideon s army was much too large (There were about 32,000 men.). B. One can imagine Gideon s feeling when the Lord told him to pare down the army. 1. Imagine Gideon s thinking when it was pared down to 300! 2. As with any kind of citizen soldiery some are going to be most desirous of battle, others not so much. a. Those who were fearful, 22,000 of them, departed. Ten-thousand (10,000) left. i. Now the odds were 12 1. ii. The Lord said there were still too many. b. Thus, the army was pared down to 300. i. Why 300?
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 6 ii. All that can be known is that is what the Lord wanted. c. If Josephus is correct in his description of these men men who were fearful and timid it would be easy to understand that Gideon must have gone out of his mind! 3. This was the case with Gideon s army and the Lord saw this also. a. However, He did not pare down the army because of the fear some had, but because He wanted it understood that the battle belongs to the Lord. B. In truth, Gideon had 300 men too many! C. If 8:12 is an indication of Gideon s enemy army size, then before the army was pared down by the Lord, Gideon was outnumbered 4 1. Now it was 400 1! 1. Judges 8:12, Zebah and Zalmunna, the two kings of Midian, fled, but he pursued them and captured them, routing their entire army. (NIV) Judges 7:9-14, During that night the LORD said to Gideon, "Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands. If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp." So he and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp. The Midianites, the Amalekites and all the other eastern peoples had settled in the valley, thick as locusts. Their camels could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore. Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. "I had a dream," he was saying. "A round loaf of
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 7 barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed." His friend responded, "This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands." (NIV) I. Gideon is encouraged. 7:9-14. A. With Gideon s army being so small it is reasonable he could have feared even more than he once did (7:10). B. The Lord encouraged him. 1. As Gideon secretly entered into the enemy s camp, he heard a dream relayed between the soldiers. 2. A cake of barley bread (something Josephus said man can hardly eat) rolled into the Midianite camp and knocked a tent down so that it laid flat. 3. This was interpreted as Gideon s victory by the enemy! C. It may be hard to imagine why a dream like this would occur with men who more than likely knew nothing of Gideon, but let us not forget that the Lord is not bound by man s limitations. D. Younger mentions (p. 190) that whatever lack of faith Barak might have had, it does not compare with that of Gideon. 1. Gideon actually needed the enemy to encourage him! Judges 7:15-22, When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped God. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, "Get up! The LORD has given the Midianite camp into your hands." Dividing the three hundred men into three
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 8 companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside. "Watch me," he told them. "Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, 'For the LORD and for Gideon.' " Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars that were in their hands. The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, "A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!" While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled. When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the LORD caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath. (NIV) I. Gideon s preparation and battle plan. 7:15-22 A. When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped God. 1. This is a clear recognition that Gideon attributed the imminent victory to the Lord. 2. If the leaders do it, the followers will do it as well. B. To Gideon, this was not a mere coincidence, it was the Lord s doing and, perhaps, as fearful as he might have been, he was now strengthened mightily. C. Gideon s battle plan is now set.
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 9 1. Three groups of 100 men (7:19) took trumpets, empty jars, and torches with them to their respective stations. 2. Since it was the middle of the night when the soldiers were in the midst of heavy sleep, the Lord told Gideon to make his attack at that time. 3. The confusion over the shouting and the variety within the army of the Midianites and the Amalekites brought havoc and destruction to them that night. D. Josephus said the army spoke different languages and with this chaos, it is no wonder confusion reigned. E. Adam Clarke made an interesting observation on 7:21, Each of the three companies kept its station, and continued to sound its trumpets. The Midianites seeing this, and believing that they were the trumpets of a numerous army which had then penetrated their camp, were thrown instantly into confusion; and supposing that their enemies were in the midst of them, they turned their swords against every man they met, while at the same time they endeavored to escape for their lives. No stratagem was ever better imagined, better executed, or more completely successful (E- Sword). Judges 7:23-25, Israelites from Naphtali, Asher and all Manasseh were called out, and they pursued the Midianites. Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying, "Come down against the Midianites and seize the waters of the Jordan ahead of them as far as Beth Barah." So all the men of Ephraim were called out and they took the waters of the Jordan as far as Beth Barah. They also captured two of the Midianite leaders, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. They pursued the Midianites and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, who was by the Jordan. (NIV)
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 10 I. Gideon calls upon the Israelites. 7:23-25 A. With the Midianites and the Amalekites turning their swords on one another in their confusion, Gideon s 300 men, presumably, stood at a safe distance. 1. When they noticed the army fleeing, they set out to pursue them and Gideon called for reinforcements (7:23-24). B. The reinforcements came and the two princes of Midian were killed (7:25).
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 11 Questions Judges 7:1-25 (Questions based on NIV text.) 1. Locate the spring of Harod. What happened there? 2. Locate the hill of Moreh. What happened in the valley near there? 3. Did Jerub-Baal wage psychological warfare? If so, explain how. 4. Why did the Lord tell Gideon his army was too large? See verse 3.
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 12 5. What method was used first to reduce the size of Gideon s army? Would you have been in this group? 6. Locate Mount Gilead. What happened there? 7. How many men were in Gideon s army initially? How many left as a result of the first reduction procedure? How many soldiers remained with Gideon? 8. Gideon s army was still too big, God said. By exactly what method was the army reduced in size this time? 9. How large was Gideon s army before the second reduction? How many left as a result of this second reduction? How large was Gideon s army after the second reduction? 10. The said to, With the men...
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 13 will you and give the into your hands. The took over the and of those who were discharged. 11. Who occupied the high ground? Did this position have advantages? Explain. 12. Gideon and his servant were ordered to reconnoiter the Midiante camp. What was the purpose of this reconnaissance? 13. When was the reconnaissance performed? What is the wisdom of this timing? 14. How big was the Midianite army? What was the ratio of Gideon s army to the Midianite army or to size?
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 14 15. What did Gideon and his servant hear while reconnoitering the Midianite camp? Were the Midianites superstitious? Are we superstitious? 16. What did Gideon say and do upon returning to the Israelite camp? _ 17. What was Gideon s plan of attack? When was it to be deployed? What was the reason for this timing? 18. What happened that made the Midianites so afraid? 19. When the, the Lord caused the men throughout the to turn on each other with their.
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 15 20. Locate Beth Shittah, Zererah, Abel Meholah and Tabbath. What happened at these places? 21. Gideon called for backup from,, all and the hill country of. 23. Gideon ordered, Come down against the and seize the of the ahead of them as far as. 23. Locate Beth Barah. 24. They also two of the, and. They killed at the of and at the of. 25. They pursued the and brought the of and to, who was by the.