65 – Three Hundred Men
Judges 7:1 – 8:35
Gideon gathered a troop of 32,000 men. He took them and camped south of the Midianites. The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men with you. If I give the Midianites to you now, Israel will say, ‘We won this victory by our own power.’ Tell them, ‘If you’re afraid, go home.’ ”
Gideon said this to the people, and 22,000 people left, leaving 10,000 men.
The Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water. Watch carefully. Notice those who use their hands to bring the water to their mouth. Separate them from those who kneel down and drink like a dog.”
There were 300 men who drank, using their hands. The Lord said, “I’ll give you victory over the Midianites using these 300 men. Send the rest of them home.” So Gideon sent them home.
Those who were left made camp above where the Midianites were in the valley. The people of Midian were like a swarm of locusts, and their camels were like the sand by the sea.
That night the Lord said to Gideon, “Sneak into the Midianite camp. If you’re afraid, take your servant with you. Listen to what the soldiers say.” So Gideon took his servant and went into the Midianite camp.
He heard a man telling a friend about a dream. He said, “I saw a loaf of bread rolling into our camp. It struck a tent and totally destroyed it.”
His friend answered: “I know what it means. That loaf of bread is the sword of Gideon the Israelite. God has handed the entire Midianite camp over to him.”
Gideon returned to Israel’s camp and said, “Get up, for the Lord has given the Midianites to you.” He divided the 300 men into three companies of 100. He gave each man a trumpet and a jar with a torch inside it.
He said, “Watch me and follow my lead. When we’re all at the edge of their camp, our group will blow our trumpets. You’re to do the same. Everyone shout, ‘The sword of the Lord and Gideon!’ ”
Then he placed them on three sides of the camp. When they were all in place, Gideon’s group blew their trumpets and broke the jars. The other two groups did the same. They held their torches in their left hands, their trumpets in their right hands, and shouted, “The sword of the Lord and Gideon!”
This totally shocked the Midianite army! They panicked and started to run, yelling as they ran. Gideon’s men blew their 300 trumpets. With this, the Midianite soldiers drew their swords and started killing one another.
Gideon then sent for the rest of the men of Israel. Together they ran after the Midianites as they tried to leave Israel. God gave a great victory that day over Midian, and they were no longer a threat to Israel.
After the battle, the people wanted to make Gideon their king, but he refused. He simply went back to live at his house. Then Israel was at peace for forty years.
Omar telling this story at Gideon’s spring (Ein Harod) in the Jezreel Valley, from the March 2019 BibleTelling Seminar in Israel
Ein-Harod-spring-cave-GideonCave of Gideon’s spring, Ein Harod in the Jezreel Valley, from the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands, a valuable teaching resource produced by BiblePlaces.com
