Judges 7:1

Chapter 7. Gideon Smites the Midianite Confederacy.

In this chapter we have an account of the army gathered out of several tribes under Gideon, which were finally reduced under God's instructions from thirty two large units to three hundred men, and we are told by what means this was done, and how Gideon was directed to himself go among the host of the Midianites, where he heard one of them telling his dream to his fellow, which greatly encouraged Gideon to believe that he would succeed. Also we are told of the way in which he disposed of his reduced army in order to attack the Midianites, and the orders that he gave them, which had the desired effect, and issued in the total rout of that huge army. Those who were not destroyed were pursued by Israelites gathered out of several tribes, and the passages of Jordan were taken by the Ephraimites, so that those who attempted to escape into their own country there fell into their hands.

Judges 7:1

‘ Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people who were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the spring of Harod, and the camp of Midian was on the north side of them, by the Hill of Moreh in the valley.'

This verse emphasises the new name given to Gideon, the name of Jerubbaal, but the narrative then speaks of him again as Gideon. It is however under his new name that he is known elsewhere (1 Samuel 12:11) and his household is known as the house of Jerubbaal (Judges 8:29; Judges 8:35), the one with whom Baal presumably (in men's minds) strove but could not defeat.

The people were now with him and they rose up early, ready for battle. The odds did not seem good. Thirty two units against one hundred and thirty five (Judges 8:10). But they were encouraged by the signs that Gideon had received.

“The spring of Harod.” This spring was at the foot of Mount Gilboa, east of Jezreel, and flows eastward into the Bethshean valley. It is a copious spring and its name means ‘trembling', an apt name in view of the withdrawal of many of Gideon's troops through fear (Judges 7:3). It is probably what is now known as ‘Ain Jalud in which case its banks are infested in leeches, and no one knowing it would put his mouth directly in the water. The enemy were to the north, in the plain, by the hill of Moreh, at the head of the north side of the Valley of Jezreel, now known as Jebel Dahi.