Judges 7

1 igitur Hierobbaal qui est et Gedeon de nocte consurgens et omnis populus cum eo venit ad fontem qui vocatur Arad erant autem castra Madian in valle ad septentrionalem plagam collis Excelsi

2 dixitque Dominus ad Gedeon multus tecum est populus nec tradetur Madian in manus eius ne glorietur contra me Israhel et dicat meis viribus liberatus sum

3 loquere ad populum et cunctis audientibus praedica qui formidolosus et timidus est revertatur recesseruntque de monte Galaad et reversa sunt ex populo viginti duo milia virorum et tantum decem milia remanserunt

4 dixitque Dominus ad Gedeon adhuc populus multus est duc eos ad aquas et ibi probabo illos et de quo dixero tibi ut tecum vadat ipse pergat quem ire prohibuero revertatur

5 cumque descendisset populus ad aquas dixit Dominus ad Gedeon qui lingua lambuerint aquas sicut solent canes lambere separabis eos seorsum qui autem curvatis genibus biberint in altera parte erunt

6 fuit itaque numerus eorum qui manu ad os proiciente aquas lambuerant trecenti viri omnis autem reliqua multitudo flexo poplite biberat

7 et ait Dominus ad Gedeon in trecentis viris qui lambuerunt aquas liberabo vos et tradam Madian in manu tua omnis autem reliqua multitudo revertatur in locum suum

8 sumptis itaque pro numero cibariis et tubis omnem reliquam multitudinem abire praecepit ad tabernacula sua et ipse cum trecentis viris se certamini dedit castra autem Madian erant subter in valle

9 eadem nocte dixit Dominus ad eum surge et descende in castra quia tradidi eos in manu tua

10 sin autem solus ire formidas descendat tecum Phara puer tuus

11 et cum audieris quid loquantur tunc confortabuntur manus tuae et securior ad hostium castra descendes descendit ergo ipse et Phara puer eius in partem castrorum ubi erant armatorum vigiliae

12 Madian autem et Amalech et omnes orientales populi fusi iacebant in valle ut lucustarum multitudo cameli quoque innumerabiles erant sicut harena quae iacet in litoribus maris

13 cumque venisset Gedeon narrabat aliquis somnium proximo suo et in hunc modum referebat quod viderat vidi somnium et videbatur mihi quasi subcinericius panis ex hordeo volvi et in Madian castra descendere cumque pervenisset ad tabernaculum percussit illud atque subvertit et terrae funditus coaequavit

14 respondit is cui loquebatur non est hoc aliud nisi gladius Gedeonis filii Ioas viri Israhelitae tradidit Deus in manu eius Madian et omnia castra eius

15 cumque audisset Gedeon somnium et interpretationem eius adoravit et reversus ad castra Israhel ait surgite tradidit enim Dominus in manus nostras castra Madian

16 divisitque trecentos viros in tres partes et dedit tubas in manibus eorum lagoenasque vacuas ac lampadas in medio lagoenarum

17 et dixit ad eos quod me facere videritis hoc facite ingrediar partem castrorum et quod fecero sectamini

18 quando personaverit tuba in manu mea vos quoque per castrorum circuitum clangite et conclamate Domino et Gedeoni

19 ingressusque est Gedeon et trecenti viri qui erant cum eo in parte castrorum incipientibus vigiliis noctis mediae et custodibus suscitatis coeperunt bucinis clangere et conplodere inter se lagoenas

20 cumque per gyrum castrorum in tribus personarent locis et hydrias confregissent tenuerunt sinistris manibus lampadas et dextris sonantes tubas clamaveruntque gladius Domini et Gedeonis

21 stantes singuli in loco suo per circuitum castrorum hostilium omnia itaque castra turbata sunt et vociferantes ululantesque fugerunt

22 et nihilominus insistebant trecenti viri bucinis personantes inmisitque Dominus gladium in omnibus castris et mutua se caede truncabant

23 fugientes usque Bethseta et crepidinem Abelmeula in Tebbath conclamantes autem viri Israhel de Nepthali et Aser et omni Manasse persequebantur Madian

24 misitque Gedeon nuntios in omnem montem Ephraim dicens descendite in occursum Madian et occupate aquas usque Bethbera atque Iordanem clamavitque omnis Ephraim et praeoccupavit aquas atque Iordanem usque Bethbera

25 adprehensosque duos viros Madian Oreb et Zeb interfecit Oreb in petra Oreb Zeb vero in torculari Zeb et persecuti sunt Madian capita Oreb et Zeb portantes ad Gedeon trans fluenta Iordanis

Judges 7 Commentary

Chapter 7

Gideon's army reduced. (1-8) Gideon is encouraged. (9-15) The defeat of the Midianites. (16-22) The Ephraimites take Oreb and Zeeb. (23-25)

1-8. God provides that the praise of victory may be wholly to himself, by appointing only three hundred men to be employed. Activity and prudence go with dependence upon God for help in our lawful undertakings. When the Lord sees that men would overlook him, and through unbelief, would shrink from perilous services, or that through pride they would vaunt themselves against him, he will set them aside, and do his work by other instruments. Pretences will be found by many, for deserting the cause and escaping the cross. But though a religious society may thus be made fewer in numbers, yet it will gain as to purity, and may expect an increased blessing from the Lord. God chooses to employ such as are not only well affected, but zealously affected in a good thing. They grudged not at the liberty of the others who were dismissed. In doing the duties required by God, we must not regard the forwardness or backwardness of others, nor what they do, but what God looks for at our hands. He is a rare person who can endure that others should excel him in gifts or blessings, or in liberty; so that we may say, it is by the special grace of God that we regard what God says to us, and not look to men what they do.

Verses 9-15 The dream seemed to have little meaning in it; but the interpretation evidently proved the whole to be from the Lord, and discovered that the name of Gideon had filled the Midianites with terror. Gideon took this as a sure pledge of success; without delay he worshipped and praised God, and returned with confidence to his three hundred men. Wherever we are, we may speak to God, and worship him. God must have the praise of that which encourages our faith. And his providence must be acknowledged in events, though small and seemingly accidental.

Verses 16-22 This method of defeating the Midianites may be alluded to, as exemplifying the destruction of the devil's kingdom in the world, by the preaching of the everlasting gospel, the sounding that trumpet, and the holding forth that light out of earthen vessels, for such are the ministers of the gospel, 2Co. 4:6, 2Co. 4:7 . God chose the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, a barley-cake to overthrow the tents of Midian, that the excellency of the power might be of God only. The gospel is a sword, not in the hand, but in the mouth: the sword of the Lord and of Gideon; of God and Jesus Christ, of Him that sits on the throne and the Lamb. The wicked are often led to avenge the cause of God upon each other, under the power of their delusions, and the fury of their passions. See also how God often makes the enemies of the church instruments to destroy one another; it is a pity that the church's friends should ever act like them.

Verses 23-25 Two chief commanders of the host of Midian were taken and slain by the men of Ephraim. It were to be wished that we all did as these did, and that where help is needed, that it were willingly and readily performed by another. And that if there were any excellent and profitable matter begun, we were willing to have fellow-labourers to the finishing and perfecting the same, and not, as often, hinder one another.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 7

In this chapter we have an account of the army under Gideon gathered out of several tribes, which from 32,000 were reduced to three hundred, and we are told by what means this was done, Jud 7:1-8 and how he was directed to go into the host of the Midianites, where he heard one of them telling his dream to his fellow, which greatly encouraged him to believe he should succeed, Jud 7:9-15 also we are told the form and manner in which he disposed of his little army to attack the Midianites, and the orders he gave them to observe, which had the desired effect, and issued in the total rout of that large body of people, Jud 7:16-22 and those that were not destroyed were pursued by persons gathered out of several tribes, and the passages of Jordan were taken by the Ephraimites, so that those that attempted their escape into their own country, there fell into their hands, Jud 7:23-25.