Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon
That being the name his father had lately given him, ( Judges 6:32 )
and all the people that were with him, rose up early;
encouraged by the signs and miracles wrought, by which he was assured of success; he was eager to be about his work, and therefore rose early in the morning, and got his army together, and marched to engage the enemy:
and pitched beside the well of Harod;
which he might choose for the refreshment of his army on occasion; or, however, so he was directed in Providence here, where a trial was to be made of them by water: this well, or fountain, seems to be the same with that in ( 1 Samuel 29:1 ) it signifies fear and trembling, and might have its name either from the fear and trembling of the 22,000 Israelites, whose hearts were dismayed at the Midianites, and they were ordered to return home; or from the fear and trembling of the Midianites, who were discomfited here; the former seems to be the true reason, see ( Judges 7:3 ) so that the Midianites were on the north side of them; which Gideon, no doubt, judged to be an advantageous post to him:
by the hill of Moreh, in the valley;
the valley of Jezreel, one of the mountains of Gilboa, as is supposed; the Targum is,
``by the hill which looks to the plain;''from whence he could have a view of the Midianitish army, and the disposition of it. Some think this hill had its name from the Midianitish archers; but, according to Kimchi and Ben Melech, from there being a watch here to direct the ways, or to give notice to the inhabitants of the valley when an army came against them; though some take it to be a school of some eminent teacher in those days F26.