Judges 7:11

_AND THOU SHALT HEAR WHAT THEY SAY; AND AFTERWARD SHALL THINE HANDS BE STRENGTHENED TO GO DOWN UNTO THE HOST. THEN WENT HE DOWN WITH PHURAH HIS SERVANT UNTO THE OUTSIDE OF THE ARMED MEN THAT WERE IN THE HOST._ The outside of the armed men that were in the host. "Armed" х_ HACHªMUSHIYM_ (H2571); margin, in ranks by five, or embodied] - embodied under the five officers established by the ordinary laws and usages of encampments (see the note at Exodus 13:18, last clause). The camp seems to have been unprotected by any rampart, since Gideon had no difficulty in reaching and overhearing a conversation that was passing in one of them....

9-15 The dream seemed to have little meaning in it; but the interpretation evidently proved the whole to be from the Lord, and discovered that the name of Gideon had filled the Midianites with terror. Gideon took this as a sure pledge of success; without delay he worshipped and praised God, and returned with confidence to his three hundred men. Wherever we are, we may speak to God, and worship him. God must have the praise of that which encourages our faith. And his providence must be acknowledged in events, though small and seemingly accidental....

Verse Judges 7:11. _UNTO THE OUTSIDE OF THE ARMED MEN_] No doubt the vast multitudes of Midianites, c., which came merely for plunder, were wholly unarmed but they had a guard of armed men, as all the caravans have, and those guards were on the outside of the multitudes; it was to these that Gideon and his servant came....

THE ARMED MEN - The word is rendered harnessed in Exodus 13:18 (see the note). The most probable meaning of the word is arrayed in divisions or ranks....

EXPOSITION JUDGES 7:9 GET THEE DOWN, etc; _i.e_. attack the camp at once with thy 300 men. But if thou art afraid to do so, go down first alone with Phurah thy servant, and hear what they are saying in the camp. JUDGES 7:11 THE ARMED MEN. The exact meaning of the word here rendered _armed men _(_chamushim_),_ _and which occurs Exodus 13:18; Joshua 1:14; Joshua 4:12, is a little uncertain, but it is generally thought to be synonymous with another

AND THOU SHALT HEAR WHAT THEY SHALL SAY,.... The Midianites, or what shall be said by any of them; for though it was the night season, and so not a time for much conversation, as it may be supposed to be the dead of the night; yet something would be said and heard, which is a clear proof of the prescience of God respecting future contingent events: AND AFTERWARDS SHALL THINE HANDS BE STRENGTHENED; and his heart encouraged by what he should hear: TO GO DOWN INTO THE CAMP; in an hostile manner, with his three hundred men, after his return to them: THEN WENT HE DOWN WITH PHURAH HIS SERVANT; first privately, only they two, leaving his little army on the hill: and came UNTO THE OUTSIDE OF THE ARMED MEN THAT WERE IN THE HOST; the sentinels, who were without side the camp, and stood complete in armour to guard it; and they came as near to them, in as still and private manner as they could,...

CHAPTER 7 THE VICTORY OF GIDEON _ 1. The sifting of Gideon's army (Judges 7:1)_ 2. The dream of the Midianite (Judges 7:9) 3. Victory through weakness (Judges 7:16) Gideon “the cutter down,” now also called Jerubbaal “the contender with Baal,” after his faith had been strengthened, pitched his camp at the well of Harod (trembling). The Lord did not need the large army he had gathered, lest Israel would say: “Mine own hand hath saved me.” First 22,000 were let go. They were afraid. What an evidence of the sad conditions among the people. Jehovah had commanded through Moses this test. “And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and faint he

GIDEON'S VISIT TO THE MIDFANITE CAMP. The heroic leader was next encouraged, not by a dream of his own, but by one which he heard told at night in the camp of the enemy. The significant features of the dream are the tent, the symbol of the Midianite nomads, and the cake of barley bread, the symbol of the Israelite peasants. As the little barley cake overturns the huge tent, so Israel is to defeat the host of Midian. Judges 7:14. Read This is nothing but the men of Israel, the words Gideon the son of Joash being probably a later insertion. It is not Gideon, but Gideon's little band of gallant yeomen (Judges 7:15_ b_), that corresponds to the dreamer's cake....

_Gideon visits the Midianite camp_ 9 _.the same night_ Probably the night of the day which began in Judges 7:1. _get thee down_ Here and in Judges 7:11 a AGAINST _the camp_, to attack it; in Judges 7:10 _unto the camp_, to visit it....

_Gideon's Men Reduced to Three Hundred Judges 7:1-14_ Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley. 2 And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. 3 Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand. 4 And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say