Gideon and His Army

Judges 7:1-18 (ESV): 

1 Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and  encamped beside the spring of Harod. And the camp of Midian was north of them, by the hill of Moreh, in  the valley. 

2 The Lord said to Gideon, “The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their  hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’  

3 Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him re turn home and hurry away from Mount Gilead.’” Then 22,000 of the people returned, and 10,000 re mained. 

4 And the Lord said to Gideon, “The people are still too many. Take them down to the water, and I will  test them for you there, and anyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ shall go with you,  and anyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ shall not go.”  5 So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, “Every one who laps the wa ter with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set by himself. Likewise, every one who kneels down to drink.”  6 And the number of those who lapped, putting their hands to their mouths, was 300 men, but all the rest  of the people knelt down to drink water.  

7 And the Lord said to Gideon, “With the 300 men who lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into  your hand, and let all the others go every man to his home.”  

8 So the people took provisions in their hands, and their trumpets. And he sent all the rest of Israel every  man to his tent, but retained the 300 men. And the camp of Midian was below him in the valley. 9 That same night the Lord said to him, “Arise, go down against the camp, for I have given 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 outposts of the armed men who were in the  camp.  

12 And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the people of the East lay along the valley like locusts in  abundance, and their camels were without number, as the sand that is on the seashore in abundance.  13 When Gideon came, behold, a man was telling a dream to his comrade. And he said, “Behold, I  dreamed a dream, and behold, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian and came to the  tent and struck it so that it fell and turned it upside down, so that the tent lay flat.”  14 And his comrade answered, “This is no other than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Isra el; God has given into his hand Midian and all the camp.” 

15 As soon as Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped. And he returned  to the camp of Israel and said, “Arise, for the Lordhas given the host of Midian into your hand.”  16 And he divided the 300 men into three companies and put trumpets into the hands of all of them and  empty jars, with torches inside the jars.  

17 And he said to them, “Look at me, and do likewise. When I come to the outskirts of the camp, do as I 

do.  

18 When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then blow the trumpets also on  every side of all the camp and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.’” 

Some Relevant Scripture References: 

♦ Genesis 1:1-3: 

“ In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and dark ness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 And God  said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.  

♦ Judges 6:14-16: 

“And the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do  not I send you?” 15 And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in  Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.” 16 And the Lord said to him, “But I will be with you, and  you shall strike the Midianites as one man.”” 

♦ Ecclesiastes 4:9-12: 

“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.10 For if they fall, one will lift up his  fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! 11 Again, if two lie to gether, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? 12 And though a man might prevail against one  who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” 

♦ 1 Corinthians 1:26-29: 

26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many  were powerful, not many were of noble birth.27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise;  God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the  world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in  the presence of God.  

♦ Jeremiah 9:23-24: 

23 Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might,  let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and  knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in  these things I delight, declares the Lord.” 

♦ Genesis 11:4: 

4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make  a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” 

♦ Isaiah 40:12-17: 

“12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens  with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in  scales and the hills in a balance? 13 Who has measured the Spirit of the Lord, or what  man shows him his counsel? 14 Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the  path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding? 15 Behold, the na tions are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales; behold, he takes up the  coastlands like fine dust. 16 Lebanon would not suffice for fuel, nor are its beasts enough for a burnt offering.  17 All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.” 

♦ Psalm 108:13: 

“With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes.”