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1Now, the Baal-Fighter (that is, Gideon) and his men rose early and encamped by the Spring of Trembling. The Midianites had encamped in the valley to the north, below Moreh.[#7:1 Or, if the Hebrew verb tsaphar was taken from a similar Arabic verb, one could translate it “they ran quickly.”; #7:1 Or, in Hebrew, En-Harod , which means “spring of trembling.” It is identified as modern Ain Jalut. Ain Jalut means “the spring of Goliath.” From this vantage point, Gideon’s men could see the vast tents of the Midianite army. “Trembling Spring” speaks of the vulnerability of Gideon’s army before a superior fighting force. God will meet us in our place of trembling.; #7:1 Moreh means “teacher.” God was indeed the teacher who taught Gideon to trust in him and who taught the Midianites that is the true God. See John 14:26; 1 John 2:27.]
2Yahweh spoke to Gideon: “You have too many in your army. If I give them victory over the Midianites, they might claim credit for themselves at my expense, thinking that they had won the victory on their own.[#7:2 See Ps. 115:1; Isa. 42:8.]
3Announce to your men, ‘All who are trembling and afraid, hurry back home and leave Mount Gilead!’ ” So twenty-two thousand went back home, and only ten thousand stayed with Gideon.[#7:3 Gideon likely struggled with fear. Gideon was in effect saying to the Israelites, “All of you with my problem, go home!” Fear neutralizes the power of God and causes us to focus on ourselves and our weakness. See Deut. 20:1–4, 8; 1 Sam. 14:6; 2 Cor. 3:5; 2 Tim. 1:7.]
4Then Yahweh spoke to Gideon again, “You still have too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. If I tell you a man should go with you, he will go. If I tell you a man should not go with you, he will not go.”[#7:4 Or “purify them.” See John 15:3; Eph. 5:25–27. The Hebrew verb implies removing dross from a precious metal. God applied two tests to Gideon’s men. One was a test of their courage, and the other was a test of how they drank from the spring. Both tests revealed the qualities God is looking for in those he uses. We must be brave, and we must drink deeply from the “spring” of God’s grace. Also, with these two “tests,” we may reflect back on Gideon’s two tests of . proved faithful twice, and now Gideon must prove faithful twice.]
5So Gideon brought the soldiers down to the water, and Yahweh said to him, “Separate those who drink from their cupped hands and drink as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.”
6Of the ten thousand men, only three hundred lapped water from their cupped hands; all the others knelt to drink.[#7:6 That is, they would scoop the water in their cupped hands first, then drink from their hands instead of putting their heads down into the water. This would have been in the sight of the enemy’s camp. Those drinking from their hands (see the five-fold ministry, Eph. 4:11) showed discipline and readiness in case of a surprise attack. These three hundred alert warriors would be the ones in Gideon’s army. The Midianites numbered one hundred thirty-five thousand, which meant they outnumbered Gideon four hundred fifty to one.]
7Then Yahweh told Gideon, “I will give you victory over the Midianites with the three hundred men who cupped their hands and drank. Tell everyone else to go home.”
8So Gideon sent all the Israelites home except the three hundred, who kept the supplies and shofars of those who had left. Now the Midianites were camped down below in the valley.
9That night Yahweh commanded Gideon, “Get up and attack the camp; I am giving you victory over the Midianites!
10But if you are afraid to engage them, first go down to the camp with your servant Purah.[#7:10 God showed compassion for Gideon because Gideon had never led an army before nor attacked a fierce foe.; #7:10 Purah can be seen as a type of the Holy Spirit, who accompanies us in all our ways. Purah means “he is fruitful” or “fruitful branch.”]
11Listen to what they are saying, and then you will be brave and have the courage to attack.” So Gideon and his servant Purah went down and approached the outposts of the enemy camp.[#7:11 Or “your hands will be strengthened.”]
12The Midianites, the Amalekites, and the desert tribesmen were spread out in the valley like a swarm of locusts. They had as many camels as there were grains of sand on the seashore.
13As soon as Gideon arrived, he heard an enemy soldier telling a friend about a dream. He was saying, “Well, I had a dream of this huge commotion in our camp. I dreamed a round loaf of barley bread came whirling into our camp and leveled a tent. It hit the tent so hard it turned it upside down, and the tent collapsed on the ground.”[#7:13 The barley loaf symbolized Israel’s army that would invade and conquer the Midianites. The body of Christ is also that one loaf (see 1 Cor. 10:17), rolling down Mount Zion to destroy the tents of wickedness (the kingdoms of this world). See Dan. 2; 7; Rev. 11:15. Elisha multiplied twenty barley loaves to feed one hundred people with bread left over (see 2 Kings 4:42–44). Jesus multiplied five barley loaves (see John 6:9–13) and fed more than five thousand! The whirling barley loaf is a picture of Christ in us, who multiplies his life and power in believers today.]
14His friend interpreted the dream and said, “Your dream symbolizes the sword of the Israelite, Gideon son of Joash! It can’t mean anything else! God has given him victory over Midian and our whole army!”[#7:14 It is fascinating that Gideon overheard the Midianite dream interpreter speaking his name and the name of his father. Not only does God know your name, but so does the enemy, for you are a son or daughter of God! Gideon used this fear tactic when he instructed his three hundred men to shout both the name of and the name of Gideon. It was the Lord who gave this plan to Gideon.; #7:14 God gave a heathen man a dream, and he gave the interpretation to his friend. God has a thousand ways to deliver us and bring us victory.]
15When Gideon heard about the man’s dream and what it meant, he fell to his knees and worshiped Yahweh . Then he went back to the Israelite camp and shouted, “Come on, it’s time to strike! Yahweh is giving you victory over the Midianite army!”
16He divided his three hundred men into three groups and gave each man a shofar and a clay jar hiding a torch inside it.
17He told them, “Follow me! When I get to the edge of the camp, watch me closely and do exactly what I do.
18When my group and I blow our shofars, then you blow yours all around the camp and shout, ‘For Yahweh and for Gideon!’ ”
19-20Just before midnight, after the changing of the Midianite guard, Gideon and his hundred men came to the outskirts of the camp. Then each of the three groups blew the shofars and broke the clay jars that hid the torches inside . They held their torches in their left hands, the shofars in their right, and shouted a thunderous battle cry , “A sword for Yahweh and for Gideon!”[#7:19–20 Or “In the beginning of the middle watch.” This implied that the night was divided into three watches of about four hours each. The middle watch would have begun around 11:00 p.m. In the time of Jesus, the Jews apparently adopted the Roman system of four night watches.; #7:19–20 The shofars represent our prophetic message of power and grace to conquer. We “sound the shofar” each time we proclaim the Word of the Lord. The clay jars (pitchers) represent us. We are but clay vessels, who must be broken open so that Christ, our burning torch inside, can display his light. See 2 Cor. 4:6–12.; #7:19–20 In effect, the “sword” was their shout and the shining torch. Without even a sword, Israel won a great victory by trusting in God’s power, not their own. Their shouting and shofars would have stampeded the camels of the Midianites and caused havoc in their camp. This is perhaps the first instance of psychological warfare in history. (See M.A. Linebarger, Phycological Warfare [New York: Duell, Sloan, and Pearce, 1954].)]
21Each man held his position surrounding the camp. And the entire enemy army was shocked awake by the thunderous noises of Gideon’s army! They all panicked and fled, yelling as they ran away!
22When they sounded their three hundred shofars, Yahweh made the enemy troops turn against each other with their own swords. The Midianites fled toward Zarerah as far as Beth Shittah, as far as the outskirts of the town of Abel Meholah near Tabbath.[#7:22 Beth Shittah means “house of the scourge” or “house of acacia trees.”; #7:22 Abel Meholah means “meadow of the dance.” It is the birthplace of Elisha (see 1 Kings 19:16).]
23Gideon called to arms men from the tribes of Naphtali, Asher, and both parts of Manasseh, and they rallied and pursued the Midianites.
24Then Gideon sent messengers through the entire hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Join us in the fight against the Midianites. Deny them access to the River Jordan and the streams as far as Beth Barah, and prevent them from crossing over .” The men of Ephraim came together, and they held the River Jordan and the streams as far as Beth Barah.[#7:24 Beth Barah means “house of the crossing [ford].” John baptized the people at this location (“the place of the crossing of the Jordan River,” John 1:28).]
25They captured the two Midianite chiefs, Oreb and Zeeb. They executed Oreb at Oreb Rock and Zeeb at Zeeb Winepress. While the Ephraimites continued to pursue the Midianites, they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, who was now east of the Jordan.[#7:25 Oreb means “raven,” and Zeeb means “wolf.” The places where the Ephraimites killed the Midianite chiefs became landmarks. Oreb Rock reminds us of the rock where Gideon presented his offering, which the fire consumed. Zeeb Winepress reminds us of where Gideon was threshing his wheat.]