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Judges 7

In this chapter, God instructs Gideon on how to reduce the size of his army to ensure that Israel’s victory over the Midianites would be credited to God alone, not to human strength. Gideon, with only 300 men, follows God’s strategy, leading to a miraculous victory against the Midianites, showing God's power and the importance of faith and obedience.

Judges 7:1 (NKJV)
1 Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the well of Harod, so that the camp of the Midianites was on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley.

Gideon and his men position themselves near the well of Harod, ready for battle. The Midianites are encamped in the valley nearby. This sets the stage for the upcoming confrontation, emphasizing how outnumbered Israel was in comparison to the Midianites. Gideon's title as Jerubbaal (which means “contender with Baal”) is a reminder of his earlier faithfulness in destroying the altar of Baal, showing that Gideon continues to act under God’s direction.

Judges 7:2 (NKJV)
2 And the Lord said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’”

God explains that the size of Gideon's army is too large for the victory to clearly be attributed to Him. If Israel won with such a large force, they might become prideful and think they achieved victory through their own strength. This verse introduces God’s plan to reduce the army, ensuring that the glory goes to Him alone and teaching Israel to rely on divine power, not human might.

Judges 7:3 (NKJV)
3 Now therefore, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and afraid, let him turn and depart at once from Mount Gilead.’ And twenty-two thousand of the people returned, and ten thousand remained.

Gideon is instructed to allow anyone who is afraid to leave. This drastically reduces his army from 32,000 to 10,000 men. The command reflects God's understanding that fear can undermine courage in battle. By reducing the numbers, God begins to eliminate human confidence, preparing to demonstrate His power through a much smaller force.

Judges 7:4-5 (NKJV)
4 But the Lord said to Gideon, “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. Then it will be that of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ the same shall go with you; and of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ the same shall not go.”
5 So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, “Everyone who laps from the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set apart by himself; likewise everyone who gets down on his knees to drink.”

God further reduces the number of men by testing how they drink water. This test may reflect attentiveness and readiness; those who lapped like a dog were fewer in number, symbolizing a select group. God’s intention is clear: He is preparing a small but chosen force that will rely entirely on His strength, not on numbers or might.

Judges 7:6-7 (NKJV)
6 And the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men; but all the rest of the people got down on their knees to drink water.
7 Then the Lord said to Gideon, “By the three hundred men who lapped I will save you, and deliver the Midianites into your hand. Let all the other people go, every man to his place.”

God reduces Gideon’s army by selecting only 300 men who lapped water with their hands, showing alertness, while the others knelt to drink. This test symbolized readiness for battle, but more importantly, it emphasized that Israel’s victory would come through God’s power, not through the size of the army. By choosing such a small group, God demonstrated that the deliverance from the Midianites would be His doing, teaching Israel to rely on Him rather than their own strength.

Judges 7:8 (NKJV)
8 So the people took provisions and their trumpets in their hands. And he sent away all the rest of Israel, every man to his tent, and retained those three hundred men. Now the camp of Midian was below him in the valley.

Gideon retains only the 300 men, armed with trumpets and provisions, while the rest are sent home. The Midianite camp remains in the valley below, underscoring the impending confrontation. The fact that these 300 are equipped with trumpets rather than traditional weapons hints at the unconventional method by which God will deliver victory.

Judges 7:9-11 (NKJV)
9 It happened on the same night that the Lord said to him, “Arise, go down against the camp, for I have delivered it into your hand.
10 But if you are afraid to go down, go down to the camp with Purah your servant,
11 and you shall hear what they say; and afterward your hands shall be strengthened to go down against the camp.” Then he went down with Purah his servant to the outpost of the armed men who were in the camp.

God reassures Gideon once more, telling him that the victory is already assured. However, knowing Gideon might still have doubts, God provides a way for him to gain further confidence. He allows Gideon to overhear a conversation that will strengthen his resolve. This moment reflects God’s patience with human weakness, providing support even when faith falters.

Judges 7:12-14 (NKJV)
12 Now the Midianites and Amalekites, all the people of the East, were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the seashore in multitude.
13 And when Gideon had come, there was a man telling a dream to his companion. He said, “I have had a dream: To my surprise, a loaf of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian; it came to a tent and struck it so that it fell and overturned, and the tent collapsed.”
14 Then his companion answered and said, “This is nothing else but the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel! Into his hand God has delivered Midian and the whole camp.”

The vast size of the Midianite and Amalekite armies is emphasized, making Gideon’s task seem even more impossible from a human perspective. However, the dream that Gideon overhears symbolizes their downfall. The barley loaf, a humble symbol, represents Gideon and his small force. The interpretation reveals that even the enemy recognizes that God has ordained their defeat. This revelation gives Gideon the courage he needs to proceed with the attack.

Judges 7:15 (NKJV)
15 And so it was, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, that he worshiped. He returned to the camp of Israel, and said, “Arise, for the Lord has delivered the camp of Midian into your hand.”

Upon hearing the dream and its meaning, Gideon’s faith is strengthened, and he responds in worship. He now fully believes that God has given him the victory. Encouraged, he rallies his 300 men, declaring that the Lord has already handed the Midianites over to them, reflecting the assurance that comes from trusting God’s promises.

Judges 7:16-18 (NKJV)
16 Then he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet into every man’s hand, with empty pitchers, and torches inside the pitchers.
17 And he said to them, “Look at me and do likewise; watch, and when I come to the edge of the camp you shall do as I do:
18 When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then you also blow the trumpets on every side of the whole camp, and say, ‘The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!’”

Gideon organizes his small army into three groups, each equipped with trumpets, pitchers, and torches, which are unconventional weapons for battle. The plan is a psychological attack meant to confuse and terrify the Midianites. By following Gideon’s lead, the men will create the impression of a much larger force. The phrase “the sword of the Lord and of Gideon” emphasizes both divine intervention and Gideon’s role as God’s chosen leader.

Judges 7:19-21 (NKJV)
19 So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outpost of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just as they had posted the watch; and they blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers that were in their hands.
20 Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers—they held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands for blowing—and they cried, “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!”
21 And every man stood in his place all around the camp; and the whole army ran and cried out and fled.

At the start of the middle watch, Gideon’s men execute the plan, creating chaos in the Midianite camp. The sudden sound of trumpets, the sight of torches, and the breaking of pitchers terrify the Midianites, making them believe they are being attacked by a massive force. The confusion and panic cause them to flee in fear. This victory is clearly orchestrated by God, using unconventional means to achieve what would have been impossible through human strength alone.

Judges 7:22-23 (NKJV)
22 When the three hundred blew the trumpets, the Lord set every man’s sword against his companion throughout the whole camp; and the army fled to Beth Acacia, toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel Meholah, by Tabbath.
23 And the men of Israel gathered together from Naphtali, Asher, and all Manasseh, and pursued the Midianites.

God causes further confusion among the Midianites, leading them to turn on one another in the chaos. This divine intervention results in the Midianite army’s self-destruction, as they flee in every direction. Meanwhile, Israelites from other tribes join in the pursuit, taking advantage of the panic to finish off the enemy. This victory demonstrates how God can turn the tide of battle with just a few faithful servants.

Judges 7:24-25 (NKJV)
24 Then Gideon sent messengers throughout all the mountains of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against the Midianites, and seize from them the watering places as far as Beth Barah and the Jordan.” Then all the men of Ephraim gathered together and seized the watering places as far as Beth Barah and the Jordan.
25 And they captured two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb they killed at the winepress of Zeeb. They pursued Midian and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side of the Jordan.

Gideon calls for the tribe of Ephraim to join the pursuit and cut off the Midianites' retreat at key strategic points like the Jordan River. The Ephraimites successfully capture and kill two Midianite princes, Oreb and Zeeb, and present their heads to Gideon as trophies of victory. This signifies the total defeat of the Midianite forces and further confirms God's hand in delivering Israel from its oppressors.

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