VII. 1. The two camps. Judges 7:2. Gideon is bidden to dismiss all who are afraid. Judges 7:4. The remaining ten thousand are tested by the way in which they drink at the fountain of Harod, and only 300 are left. Judges 7:9. The Lord encourages Gideon by suffering him to overhear the narration of a... [ Continue Reading ]
JERUBBAAL, WHO IS GIDEON. — Abraham, Sarah, Jacob, Joseph, Esther, Daniel, St. Paul, &c, are other instances of Scriptural characters who have two names. BESIDE. — Rather, _above._ It would have been foolish and dangerous to encamp on the plain. THE WELL OF HAROD. — The name “Harod” means “tremblin... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WITH THEE ARE TOO MANY FOR ME. — This must have put the faith of Gideon to a severe trial, since the Midianites were 135,000 in number (Judges 8:10), and Gideon’s forces only 32,000 (Judges 7:4). LEST ISRAEL VAUNT THEMSELVES. — See Deuteronomy 8:17.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSOEVER IS FEARFUL AND AFRAID. — This proclamation is in exact accordance with Deuteronomy 20:8 (and the other general directions in that chapter). It is there founded on the psychological observation that cowardice is exceedingly contagious, so that the presence of timid men in an army is a sourc... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PEOPLE ARE YET TOO MANY. — A fresh trial of faith; but small numbers were essential for the method of victory by which God intended that the deliverance should be achieved. UNTO THE WATER. — i.e., to the spring of Harod. I WILL TRY THEM. — The LXX. render it (_Cod. Vat._)_,_ “I will _purge_ th... [ Continue Reading ]
EVERY ONE THAT LAPPETH OF THE WATER WITH HIS TONGUE. — Josephus (_Antt. v._ 6, § 4) says that Gideon led them down to the spring in the fiercest heat of the noonday, and that he judged those to be the bravest who flung themselves down and drank, and those to be the cowards who lapped the water hasti... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT LAPPED, PUTTING THEIR HAND TO THEIR MOUTH. — Literally, _licked with their hand to their mouth._ ALL THE REST OF THE PEOPLE — _i.e.,_ 9,700 men.... [ Continue Reading ]
EVERY MAN UNTO HIS PLACE. — i.e., home, as in Numbers 24:11.... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THE PEOPLE TOOK VICTUALS IN THEIR HAND, AND THEIR TRUMPETS. — The E.V. here differs from most of the ancient versions (_e.g.,_ the LXX., the Chaldee, the Vulgate, &c.), which render it, “And they (the 300) took the provisions and trumpets of the people (the 9,700) in their hands.” This is also th... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE DELIVERED IT INTO THINE HAND. — Comp. Judges 4:14.... [ Continue Reading ]
TO GO DOWN. — If thou fear to make the attack at once, without still further encouragement. Let it be borne in mind that the courage required by Gideon and his men was in many respects far beyond that of the much more vaunted 300 at Thermopylæ — (1) because they were to _attack,_ not to defend; (2)... [ Continue Reading ]
(11)AND THOU SHALT HEAR WHAT THEY SAY. — This was the kind of omen known by the Jews as the Bath Kol, or “Daughter of a Voice.” For a similar instance see 1 Samuel 14:6 (Jonathan and his armour-bearer). The word is used in slightly different senses. Sometimes it means a voice from heaven (Matthew 3:... [ Continue Reading ]
LIKE GRASSHOPPERS. — Comp. Judges 6:5; Numbers 22:4. THEIR CAMELS. — Which constitute the chief wealth of Arab tribes. “The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah” (Isaiah 60:6). AS THE SAND. — See Joshua 11:4, and frequently in the Bible. (See Genesis 22:17; Isa... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, I DREAMED A DREAM. — Since dreams, no less than the Bath Kol, were recognised channels for Divine intimations (Genesis 41:12; Numbers 12:6; 1 Samuel 28:6; Joel 2:28, &c.), Gideon would feel doubly assured. A CAKE. — The Hebrew word _tsalol_ (or _tselil_ in the Keri, or margin) is a word whic... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS IS NOTHING ELSE SAVE THE SWORD OF GIDEON. — The sort of dread which revealed itself by this instant interpretation of the dream shows that Israel Was formidable even in its depression, doubtless because the nations around were well aware of the Divine aid by which they had so often struck terro... [ Continue Reading ]
THE INTERPRETATION THEREOF. — Literally, _its breaking._ The word is a metaphor from breaking a nut — _enucleation. _... [ Continue Reading ]
INTO THREE COMPANIES. — See Judges 9:43. This division of the attacking force was a common stratagem. We find it in Job 1:17 — “the Chaldæans made out three bands “ — and it was adopted by Saul against the Ammonites (1 Samuel 11:11), and by David against Absalom (2 Samuel 18:2). (Comp. Genesis 14:15... [ Continue Reading ]
LOOK ON ME. — He showed all the three hundred the way in which he wished them, at a given signal, to break the pitchers, wave the torches, and shout. The signal would be given by the one hundred whom he himself headed.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SWORD OF THE LORD, AND OF GIDEON. — Literally, _for Jehovah and for Gideon_ (LXX., Τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ τῷ Γεδεων; Vulg., _clangite et conclamate Domino et Gedeoni_)_,_ but the particle _le_ often has the meaning _of_, as in “a Psalm to David,” which is found at the beginning of many Psalms. Our version... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MIDDLE WATCH. — The Jews anciently divided the night, from 6 P.M. to 6 A.M., into three watches (Exodus 14:24; 1 Samuel 11:11). The subsequent division into four watches of three hours each was borrowed from the Romans (Matthew 14:25; Mark 6:48). At the beginning of the middle watch — _i.e.,_ so... [ Continue Reading ]
THE TRUMPETS IN THEIR RIGHT HANDS... — Thus they were comparatively defenceless, though, if they had any armour at all, doubtless they could still hold the shield on the left arm, while the sword was girded on the thigh. The effect of the sudden crash and glare and shout upon the vast unwieldy host... [ Continue Reading ]
RAN, AND CRIED, AND FLED. — They ran about to discover the meaning of the trumpet-blast. Their “cries” were either the wail of despair (Vulg., _ululantes_)_,_ or a number of confused shouts and words of command (LXX., _esêmainan_)_;_ their flight would be a natural result of the hopeless terror and... [ Continue Reading ]
BLEW THE TRUMPETS. — They continued to blow incessantly, to add to the panic. THE LORD SET EVERY MAN’S SWORD AGAINST HIS FELLOW. — We have an exact parallel to this in the mutual slaughter of the Ammonites, Moabites, and Edomites, when stricken with a similar panic before the army of Jehoshaphat, in... [ Continue Reading ]
OUT OF NAPHTALI. — Doubtless these pursuers were some of those who had left Gideon’s camp before the victory. Those of Naphtali and Asher might pursue the flying Midianites northwards (if Beth-shittah is the same Shultah), and those of Manasseh might pursue those who fled southwards to the lower for... [ Continue Reading ]
THROUGHOUT ALL MOUNT EPHRAIM. — He had not ventured to summon these haughty clansmen before his victory was assured. TAKE BEFORE THEM THE WATERS. — i.e., “intercept their flight unto Beth-barah and Jordan.” The “waters” are probably the marshes formed by streams which flow from the watershed of the... [ Continue Reading ]
OREB AND ZEEB. — The names mean “raven” and “wolf”: but these are common names for warriors among rude tribes, and there is no reason to look on them as names given in scorn by the Israelites. Such names are common among nomads. The capture of these two powerful sheykhs was the result of the second... [ Continue Reading ]