Judges 7:24
Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim to say, "Come down against the Midianites and seize the waters of the Jordan ahead of them as far as Beth-barah." So all the men of Ephraim were called out, and they captured the waters of the Jordan as far as Beth-barah.
Gideon sent messengers
The act of sending messengers highlights Gideon's role as a leader and strategist. In the Hebrew context, the word for "messengers" (מַלְאָכִים, mal'akhim) can also mean "angels" or "envoys," indicating the importance of the message being delivered. Gideon's leadership is divinely inspired, as he acts on God's command to deliver Israel from the Midianites. This reflects the biblical theme of God raising leaders to fulfill His purposes.

throughout the hill country of Ephraim
Ephraim was one of the prominent tribes of Israel, known for its strength and strategic location. The hill country provided a natural defense and a vantage point for military operations. Historically, Ephraim was often involved in significant biblical events, and its involvement here underscores the unity and collective effort required to defeat the Midianites. The geographical reference also emphasizes the widespread call to action across the tribe.

saying, 'Come down against the Midianites
The phrase "come down" suggests a movement from a higher elevation, consistent with the topography of the hill country. The Midianites were a nomadic people who had oppressed Israel, and this call to action is a rallying cry for liberation. Theologically, it represents a divine mandate to confront and overcome oppression, with Gideon as God's chosen instrument.

and seize the waters of the Jordan ahead of them
The Jordan River was a critical geographical and symbolic boundary in Israel's history. To "seize the waters" implies cutting off the Midianites' escape route, a strategic military maneuver. The Jordan often represents transition and divine intervention, as seen in Israel's crossing into the Promised Land. Here, it signifies a turning point in the battle against the Midianites, orchestrated by God's guidance.

as far as Beth-barah
Beth-barah is a location of uncertain exact identification, but it is believed to be near the Jordan River. The name itself means "house of crossing," which is fitting given the strategic importance of controlling the river crossings. This detail underscores the thoroughness of Gideon's plan and the comprehensive nature of God's deliverance.

So all the men of Ephraim were called out
The collective response of Ephraim's men indicates a unified effort and obedience to Gideon's call. This unity is crucial for the success of God's plan, reflecting the biblical principle that God's people must work together to achieve His purposes. It also highlights the importance of community and cooperation in fulfilling divine missions.

and they seized the waters of the Jordan as far as Beth-barah
The successful execution of this plan demonstrates God's favor and the effectiveness of Gideon's leadership. The phrase "seized the waters" signifies a decisive victory, preventing the Midianites from regrouping or escaping. This victory is a testament to God's power and faithfulness in delivering His people when they act in obedience and faith.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Gideon
A judge of Israel chosen by God to deliver the Israelites from the oppression of the Midianites. Known for his faith and obedience to God's unconventional battle strategies.

2. Ephraim
One of the tribes of Israel, descended from Joseph's son Ephraim. They played a significant role in the battle against the Midianites by securing strategic locations.

3. Midianites
A nomadic people who oppressed Israel for seven years. They were defeated by Gideon's army through God's intervention.

4. Jordan River
A significant geographical landmark in Israel, often serving as a boundary and a strategic military location.

5. Beth-barah
A location near the Jordan River, significant in the battle strategy against the Midianites.
Teaching Points
Obedience to God's Call
Gideon's actions demonstrate the importance of responding to God's call, even when the task seems daunting or the strategy unconventional.

Unity Among God's People
The cooperation between Gideon and the tribe of Ephraim highlights the power of unity in achieving God's purposes.

Strategic Action in Faith
The seizing of the waters of the Jordan shows the need for strategic action in faith, trusting that God will provide victory.

God's Sovereignty in Deliverance
The defeat of the Midianites underscores God's sovereignty and His ability to deliver His people through seemingly impossible circumstances.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Gideon's leadership in Judges 7:24 reflect his obedience to God's instructions, and what can we learn from this about following God's guidance in our own lives?

2. In what ways does the cooperation between Gideon and the tribe of Ephraim illustrate the importance of unity among believers today?

3. How does the strategic action of seizing the waters of the Jordan demonstrate the balance between faith and action in our spiritual battles?

4. Reflect on a time when you faced a seemingly insurmountable challenge. How can the account of Gideon's victory over the Midianites encourage you to trust in God's sovereignty?

5. How does the account of Gideon and the Midianites connect with other biblical themes of deliverance and victory, and how can these themes be applied to modern-day challenges faced by Christians?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Joshua 3-4
The crossing of the Jordan River by the Israelites under Joshua's leadership. This event highlights the importance of the Jordan as a strategic and symbolic boundary for God's people.

Judges 6:12-16
The calling of Gideon by God, emphasizing his initial hesitance and eventual obedience, which sets the stage for the events in Judges 7.

Isaiah 9:4
The breaking of the yoke of oppression, which can be seen as a parallel to the deliverance from the Midianites.
A Good GeneralW. Burrows, B. A.Judges 7:15-25
A Meagre EquipmentJudges 7:15-25
Blowing the TrumpetsN. Y. EvangelistJudges 7:15-25
Divine Providence Overruling the ResultJ. P. Millar.Judges 7:15-25
Gideon's Gallant Three HundredD. Davies.Judges 7:15-25
Gideon's VictoryG. A. Rogers, M. A.Judges 7:15-25
Gideon's WatchwordH. E. J. Bevan, M. A.Judges 7:15-25
LampsJohn Mitchell.Judges 7:15-25
Our LifeDean Goulburn.Judges 7:15-25
The Battle of the PitchersT. De Witt Talmage.Judges 7:15-25
The Finite-InfiniteF. Ferguson, D. D.Judges 7:15-25
The Natural and SupernaturalD. Lewis.Judges 7:15-25
The Sword of the Lord, and of GideonC. Leach, D. D.Judges 7:15-25
People
Abel, Amalek, Amalekites, Asher, Gideon, Israelites, Jerubbaal, Joash, Manasseh, Midianites, Naphtali, Oreb, Phurah, Zeeb
Places
Abel-meholah, Beth-barah, Beth-shittah, Harod, Jordan River, Midian, Mount Gilead, Ophrah, Tabbath, Zererah
Topics
Across, Ahead, Assembled, Barah, Beth, Bethbarah, Beth-barah, Beth-bar'ah, Capture, Ephraim, E'phraim, Gathered, Gideon, Hill, Hill-country, Jordan, Kept, Massing, Meet, Messengers, Midian, Midianites, Mid'ianites, Mount, Saying, Seize, Seized, Summoned, Themselves, Throughout, Waters
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Judges 7:22

     1305   God, activity of
     4045   chaos

Judges 7:15-22

     5597   victory, act of God

Judges 7:16-22

     5595   trumpet

Judges 7:19-22

     5290   defeat

Judges 7:20-22

     5572   sword

Judges 7:22-8:3

     7266   tribes of Israel

Library
A Great victory
TEXT: "And they stood every man in his place round about the camp, and all the host ran, and cried, and fled."--Judges 7:21. Few things in this world are so inspiring to the traveler and at the same time so depressing as a city or temple in ruins. I remember a delightful experience in passing through the ruins of Karnak and Luxor, on the Nile in Egypt, and later passing through Phylae at Assuan on the Nile; and these two thoughts, each the opposite of the other, kept constantly coming to my mind.
J. Wilbur Chapman—And Judas Iscariot

August 18. "The Three Hundred Blew the Trumpets" (Judges vii. 22).
"The three hundred blew the trumpets" (Judges vii. 22). We little dream, sometimes, what a hasty word, a thoughtless speech, an imprudent act, or a confession of unbelief and fear may do to hinder our highest usefulness, or turn it aside from some great opportunity which God has been preparing for us. Although the Holy Ghost uses weak men, He does not want them to be weak after He chooses and calls them. Although He uses the foolish things to confound the wise, He does not want us to be foolish after
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

'Fit, Though Few'
'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
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

A Battle Without a Sword
'And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley-bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along. 14. And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host. 15, And it was so, when Gideon heard the
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Wyclif of the East --Bible Translation
1801-1832 The Bible Carey's missionary weapon--Other vernacular translators--Carey's modest but just description of his labours--His philological key--Type-cutting and type-casting by a Hindoo blacksmith--The first manufacture of paper and steam-engines in the East--Carey takes stock of the translation work at the opening of 1808--In his workshop--A seminary of Bible translators--William Yates, shoemaker, the Coverdale of the Bengali Bible--Wenger--A Bengali Luther wanted--Carey's Bengali Bible--How
George Smith—The Life of William Carey

The New Convert.

John Newton—Olney Hymns

Whether Divination by Auguries, Omens, and by Like Observations of External Things is Unlawful?
Objection 1: It would seem that divination by auguries, omens, and by like observations of external things is not unlawful. If it were unlawful holy men would not make use thereof. Now we read of Joseph that he paid attention to auguries, for it is related (Gn. 44:5) that Joseph's steward said: "The cup which you have stolen is that in which my lord drinketh and in which he is wont to divine [augurari]": and he himself afterwards said to his brethren (Gn. 44:15): "Know you not that there is no one
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether Fear is a Mortal Sin?
Objection 1: It seems that fear is not a mortal sin. For, as stated above ([3323]FS, Q[23], A[1]), fear is in the irascible faculty which is a part of the sensuality. Now there is none but venial sin in the sensuality, as stated above ([3324]FS, Q[74], A[4]). Therefore fear is not a mortal sin. Objection 2: Further, every mortal sin turns the heart wholly from God. But fear does not this, for a gloss on Judges 7:3, "Whosoever is fearful," etc., says that "a man is fearful when he trembles at the
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Appendix 2 Extracts from the Babylon Talmud
Massecheth Berachoth, or Tractate on Benedictions [76] Mishnah--From what time is the "Shema" said in the evening? From the hour that the priests entered to eat of their therumah [77] until the end of the first night watch. [78] These are the words of Rabbi Eliezer. But the sages say: Till midnight. Rabban Gamaliel says: Until the column of the morning (the dawn) rises. It happened, that his sons came back from a banquet. They said to him: "We have not said the Shema.'" He said to them, "If the column
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

Immanuel
Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name IMMANUEL , God with us. T here is a signature of wisdom and power impressed upon the works of God, which evidently distinguishes them from the feeble imitations of men. Not only the splendour of the sun, but the glimmering light of the glow-worm proclaims His glory. The structure and growth of a blade of grass, are the effects of the same power which produced the fabric of the heavens and the earth. In His Word likewise He is
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1

A Cloud of Witnesses.
"By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was a-dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when his end was nigh, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.... By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been compassed about for seven days. By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with them that were disobedient,
Thomas Charles Edwards—The Expositor's Bible: The Epistle to the Hebrews

Thirdly, for Thy Actions.
1. Do no evil, though thou mightest; for God will not suffer the least sin, without bitter repentance, to escape unpunished. Leave not undone any good that thou canst. But do nothing without a calling, nor anything in thy calling, till thou hast first taken counsel at God's word (1 Sam. xxx. 8) of its lawfulness, and pray for his blessings upon thy endeavour; and then do it in the name of God, with cheerfulness of heart, committing the success to him, in whose power it is to bless with his grace
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Lii. Concerning Hypocrisy, Worldly Anxiety, Watchfulness, and his Approaching Passion.
(Galilee.) ^C Luke XII. 1-59. ^c 1 In the meantime [that is, while these things were occurring in the Pharisee's house], when the many thousands of the multitude were gathered together, insomuch that they trod one upon another [in their eagerness to get near enough to Jesus to see and hear] , he began to say unto his disciples first of all [that is, as the first or most appropriate lesson], Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. [This admonition is the key to the understanding
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Wisdom of God
The next attribute is God's wisdom, which is one of the brightest beams of the Godhead. He is wise in heart.' Job 9:9. The heart is the seat of wisdom. Cor in Hebraeo sumitur pro judicio. Pineda. Among the Hebrews, the heart is put for wisdom.' Let men of understanding tell me:' Job 34:44: in the Hebrew, Let men of heart tell me.' God is wise in heart, that is, he is most wise. God only is wise; he solely and wholly possesses all wisdom; therefore he is called, the only wise God.' I Tim 1:17. All
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

The Section Chap. I. -iii.
The question which here above all engages our attention, and requires to be answered, is this: Whether that which is reported in these chapters did, or did not, actually and outwardly take place. The history of the inquiries connected with this question is found most fully in Marckius's "Diatribe de uxore fornicationum," Leyden, 1696, reprinted in the Commentary on the Minor Prophets by the same author. The various views may be divided into three classes. 1. It is maintained by very many interpreters,
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Judges
For the understanding of the early history and religion of Israel, the book of Judges, which covers the period from the death of Joshua to the beginning of the struggle with the Philistines, is of inestimable importance; and it is very fortunate that the elements contributed by the later editors are so easily separated from the ancient stories whose moral they seek to point. That moral is most elaborately stated in ii. 6-iii. 6, which is a sort of programme or preface to iii. 7-xvi. 31, which constitutes
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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