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More Judges commentaries
Judges 4:1-24
Israel’s Woman Liberator
Judges 5:17-31
Those Who Love Him Will Prosper
Judges 6:1-10
Conditions in Israel
Judges 6:11-24
The Commission of Gideon
Judges 6:25-29
Destroying the Pagan Altar
Judges 6:30-40
Confirming the Will of God
Judges 7:1-15
Who is on the Lord’s Side?
Judges 7:16-25
The Defeat of Gideon’s Foes
Judges 8:1-12
The Surprise Attack
Judges 8:13-23
Gideon’s Sense of Justice
Judges 8:24-35
The Concluding Days of Gideon
Judges 9:1-15
The Renegade Who Lusted for Power
Judges 9:16-29
The Troubled Reign of Abimelech
Judges 9:30-41
The Destruction of Shechem
Judges 9:42-57
Abimelech Wanted to Get Revenge
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The Defeat of Gideon’s Foes
Judges 7:16–25
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)
A young husband was henpecked and was going to a psychiatrist about the problem. The doctor told him, “You don’t have to let your wife bully you! Go home and show her you’re the boss! The young man got home, slammed the door, shook his fist in his wife’s face, and growled, & … More
The Israelites strategy unfolded as the 300 soldiers were divided into three companies (v. 16). Each warrior had a trumpet and a pitcher containing a lamp. When Gideon gave the signal all acted at the same time (vv. 17-18). They blew the trumpets, shattered the pitchers, raised the lamps and shouted, “The sword of the Lord and Gideon” (v.20). This would have been at 10 p.m., since this was the beginning of the middle watch (v. 19) and the night was divided into three periods of 4 hours each starting at 6 p.m.
The attack happened exactly as planned which created total panic and confusion among the Midianites. They pictured every trumpeter leading a full battalion of soldiers and that they were coming in from all sides. In a hurry to escape many of the enemy soldiers killed each other. The enemy soldiers started yelling and tried to run away. Gideon’s troops stayed in their positions surrounding the camp (v. 21). When Gideon’s men blew the 300 trumpets the LORD made the enemy soldiers pull out their swords and start fighting each other (v. 22). The enemy army tried to escape and ran toward Zeredah.
Gideon then called upon the northern tribes to send troops and intercept the retreating Midianites at the river Jordan (vv. 23-25). These troops captured Raven and Wolf, the two Midianite leaders and killed them. The men of Ephraim brought the heads of the two Midianite leaders to Gideon.
Application
When facing a difficult situation I need to learn the lesson of waiting for the Lord’s answer rather than trying to force some solution in my own strength.
Judges 7:16-25 (English Standard Version)
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. And he said to them, "Look at me, and do likewise. When I come to the outskirts of the camp, do as I do. 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.'" So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, when they had just set the watch. And they blew the trumpets and smashed the jars that were in their hands. Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the jars. They held in their left hands the torches, and in their right hands the trumpets to blow. And they cried out, "A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!" Every man stood in his place around the camp, and all the army ran. They cried out and fled. When they blew the 300 trumpets, the LORD set every man's sword against his comrade and against all the army. And the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath. And the men of Israel were called out from Naphtali and from Asher and from all Manasseh, and they pursued after Midian. Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim, saying, "Come down against the Midianites and capture the waters against them, as far as Beth-barah, and also the Jordan." So all the men of Ephraim were called out, and they captured the waters as far as Beth- barah, and also the Jordan. And they captured the two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb they killed at the winepress of Zeeb. Then they pursued Midian, and they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon across the Jordan.
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