Then the LORD said to Gideon, "With the three hundred men who lapped the water I will save you and deliver the Midianites into your hand. But all the others are to go home." Then the LORD saidThis phrase emphasizes the direct communication from God to Gideon, highlighting the personal relationship and divine guidance that is central to the narrative. The Hebrew word for "LORD" here is "YHWH," the covenant name of God, underscoring His faithfulness and sovereignty. This divine interaction is a reminder of God's active role in the lives of His people, guiding and directing them according to His will. to Gideon
Gideon, whose name means "hewer" or "one who cuts down," is chosen by God as a judge to deliver Israel. His account is one of transformation from a hesitant and doubtful individual to a leader of faith. This personal address signifies God's intimate involvement in Gideon's mission, reinforcing the idea that God equips those He calls. With the three hundred men
The number three hundred is significant, representing a small, divinely chosen remnant. This small group contrasts with the vast Midianite army, emphasizing that victory comes not by human might but by God's power. The selection of these men, who lapped water like dogs, symbolizes God's criteria for choosing those who are vigilant and ready for His purposes. who lapped
The act of lapping water is a test of alertness and readiness. Those who lapped were chosen because they demonstrated a unique vigilance, drinking while remaining aware of their surroundings. This detail highlights the importance of spiritual readiness and the need for God's people to be watchful and prepared for His calling. I will save you
This promise of salvation is central to the narrative, with God Himself declaring His intention to deliver Israel. The Hebrew root "yasha" conveys the idea of deliverance and victory, underscoring God's role as the ultimate Savior. This assurance is a powerful reminder of God's faithfulness and His ability to rescue His people against overwhelming odds. and deliver the Midianites into your hand
The phrase signifies God's control over the outcome of the battle. The Hebrew word "nathan," meaning "to give," indicates that the victory is a gift from God, not a result of human effort. This divine intervention is a testament to God's sovereignty and His commitment to fulfilling His promises to Israel. Let all the others go, each to his own place
This command to send the rest of the men home underscores the principle that God often works through a faithful remnant rather than large numbers. It highlights the theme of reliance on God rather than human strength. By reducing the army, God ensures that the glory of the victory belongs to Him alone, teaching His people to trust in His provision and power. Persons / Places / Events 1. GideonA judge of Israel chosen by God to deliver the Israelites from the oppression of the Midianites. Known for his initial hesitance and need for reassurance from God, Gideon becomes a mighty warrior through faith and obedience. 2. The LORD (Yahweh)The covenant God of Israel, who orchestrates the deliverance of His people. He demonstrates His power and sovereignty by choosing a small, unlikely group to achieve victory. 3. The Three Hundred MenA select group of warriors chosen by God based on how they drank water. Their selection emphasizes God's ability to save not by human strength but by His power. 4. MidianitesA nomadic people who oppressed Israel for seven years. Their defeat by Gideon's small army highlights God's deliverance and the fulfillment of His promises. 5. The Spring of HarodThe location where God tested Gideon's army, reducing their number to 300. This place becomes a symbol of God's testing and provision. Teaching Points God's Sovereignty and PowerGod often chooses the weak and the few to accomplish His purposes, demonstrating that victory comes from Him alone. Faith and ObedienceGideon's willingness to trust and obey God, despite the odds, serves as a model for believers to follow God's leading even when it seems illogical. Divine Selection and TestingGod's method of selecting the 300 men teaches us that He looks at the heart and character, not just outward abilities or numbers. Trust in God's PlanBelievers are encouraged to trust in God's plan and timing, knowing that He is in control and His ways are higher than ours. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Gideon's account in Judges 7:7 challenge our understanding of strength and victory in our personal lives? 2. In what ways can we apply the principle of "not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit" to our current challenges? 3. How does the reduction of Gideon's army to 300 men illustrate the concept of faith over fear? Can you think of a situation where you need to apply this principle? 4. What are some modern-day "Midianites" (challenges or oppressors) that believers face, and how can Gideon's account inspire us to confront them? 5. How can we discern God's testing in our lives, similar to the test at the Spring of Harod, and respond in faith and obedience? Connections to Other Scriptures 1 Samuel 14Jonathan's victory over the Philistines with a small force parallels Gideon's account, emphasizing that God can save "by many or by few." Zechariah 4:6The principle that victory comes "not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit," aligns with the lesson of Gideon's victory. 2 Corinthians 12:9Paul's teaching on God's power being made perfect in weakness reflects the theme of God using Gideon's small army to achieve victory. | A Sifting Among the Defenders of the Faith | R. A. Watson, M. A. | Judges 7:1-8 | | Backing Out of God's Service | Marcus Dods, D. D. | Judges 7:1-8 | | Divinely-Ordained Tests | A.F. Muir | Judges 7:1-8 | | Fit Men for the Fight | A. Maclaren, D. D. | Judges 7:1-8 | | Gideon and the Three Hundred | J. B. Brown, B. A. | Judges 7:1-8 | | Gideon's Army | Sermons by the Monday Club | Judges 7:1-8 | | Gideon's Army | Edward B. Mason. | Judges 7:1-8 | | Gideon's Band | R. J. Campbell, B. A. | Judges 7:1-8 | | Gideon's Three Hundred | T. Kelly. | Judges 7:1-8 | | Gideon's Three Hundred | J. McNeill. | Judges 7:1-8 | | Pride Excluded | G. A. Rogers, M. A. | Judges 7:1-8 | | Testing-Points in Life | R. A. Watson, M. A. | Judges 7:1-8 | | The Best Work of the World Done by the Few | J. Parker, D. D. | Judges 7:1-8 | | The Reduced Army | A. Roberts, M. A. | Judges 7:1-8 | | The Revelation of Character | Christian Age | Judges 7:1-8 | | The Sifting | W. W. Duncan, M. A | Judges 7:1-8 | | The Three Hundred Men that Lapped | Canon Newbolt. | Judges 7:1-8 | | The Trial of Gideon's Army by the Proclamation | F. Elwin. | Judges 7:1-8 | | The Trial of Gideon's Army by the Water | F. Elwin. | Judges 7:1-8 | | Why Were the Fearful Dismissed | A. Maclaren, D. D. | Judges 7:1-8 |
People Abel, Amalek, Amalekites, Asher, Gideon, Israelites, Jerubbaal, Joash, Manasseh, Midianites, Naphtali, Oreb, Phurah, ZeebPlaces Abel-meholah, Beth-barah, Beth-shittah, Harod, Jordan River, Midian, Mount Gilead, Ophrah, Tabbath, ZererahTopics Deliver, Drinking, Gideon, Hands, Home, Hundred, Lapped, Lapping, Midian, Midianites, Mid'ianites, Rest, Salvation, Save, TonguesDictionary of Bible Themes Judges 7:1-8 5266 conscription Judges 7:4-7 5955 strength, divine 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 IscariotAugust 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 Links Judges 7:7 NIVJudges 7:7 NLTJudges 7:7 ESVJudges 7:7 NASBJudges 7:7 KJV
Judges 7:7 Commentaries
Bible Hub |
