Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

What does Judges Chapter 7 mean?

After giving Gideon several miraculous signs (Judges 6:36–40), God wants the attack on Midian to commence. Gideon has gathered a force of some 32,000 Israelites to follow him into battle. They rise early in the morning and make camp in the hills, just a few miles south from the Midianite camp in the valley below (Judges 7:1).

The Lord then says a surprising thing to Gideon. He wants the number of Israelite troops reduced. When the battle is over, God wants everyone to clearly understand that He gave Israel the victory. There is to be no doubt that the Lord, not the people, has accomplished this victory. The Lord tells Gideon to send home anyone who admits to being too afraid to stay for a fight. This step is not without precedent, as it follows commands about warfare which God gave to Moses (Deuteronomy 20:5–8). Two-thirds of the available men leave (Judges 7:2–3).

Next the Lord tells Gideon the remaining thousands of men are still too many. He has Gideon take the army down to a nearby brook to drink. Gideon is to divide the men into two groups: those who kneel to drink or those who use their hands. Scholars debate whether this was meant to sort out those less aware or those accustomed to kneeling in pagan worship. Or it might simply have been a quick way to reduce the task force to a smaller size. In any case, only 300 pass this test. With those 300 men, God says He will give Gideon the victory. The others are sent away (Judges 9:4–8).

That night, the Lord tells Gideon to attack the Midianite camp. Before any objection can be expressed, God offers Gideon another sign in case he is afraid. The Lord says Gideon should spy on the enemy camp, along with his servant Purah. There, he will hear something to bolster his courage. Gideon and his servant get close enough to the vast encampment of enemy fighters to overhear two men talking. One described a dream about a cake of barley bread rolling into the Midianite camp and smashing a tent flat. The other interprets the dream, saying that it represents the sword of the Israelite Gideon. Despite having no reason to say such a thing, the other soldier says God has given the Midianite camp into Gideon’s hand (Judges 9:9–14).

In response to this encouragement, Gideon worships God. He immediately returns to his own camp, awakens his 300 men, and announces that the Lord is going to give Midian into their hands right now. He gives each man a ram’s horn trumpet and a clay pitcher with a torch inside of it. He describes what they will do with them, possibly demonstrating so they know exactly how to proceed. The task force descends to the Midianite camp and takes up positions around the perimeter (Judges 7:15–18).

Following Gideon’s lead, his men all blow their trumpets and smash their clay jars, holding the torches high. They repeatedly shout out “a sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” while continuing to blow their trumpets. This results in a sudden burst of noise, light, and battle signals from every side. A normal army would not have given a horn and torch to every soldier, so Gideon’s army seems massive in the darkness. Further, the attack is timed just after the changing of the guard. At that moment, most Midianites are sleeping, while others are walking back into their camp, armed, and in the dark (Judges 7:19–20).

The response in the camp is chaos. Being surprised by crashing, shouting, sudden lights, and military horns would have been unnerving enough. Worse, in the confusion, Midianites begin to mistake one another for enemy attackers. That probably included the guards just coming back from their duty. Anyone coming across such a skirmish would assume the same and fight back. In this way, the entire Midianite encampment is overcome with a sweeping wave of utter mayhem. The Midianites try to run away, fumbling to reorganize in their panic. Eventually, the survivors gather themselves enough to flee east, trying to cross the Jordan River into friendly territory (Judges 7:21–23).

Gideon calls out to several of the tribes of Israel to join him in chasing the Midianites down. He does this using messengers. A single man running or on an animal could move much faster than a group on foot. Gideon’s signal is taken to the men of the tribe of Ephraim, who are closer to the Jordan River. They mostly cut off the Midianites’ escape route, chasing down those who managed to get through. The Ephraimites eliminate their targets and kill two princes of Midian. Their heads are brought to Gideon (Judges 7:24–25).

The following chapter details the completion of Gideon’s victory. This does not come without resistance, and consequences, from other Israelites (Judges 8:1).

Chapter Context
Despite a miraculous calling from God, and success in his first actions, Gideon still expressed doubt (Judges 6). After seeing two custom-requested miracles, Gideon prepares to attack the Midianite invaders. He winnows his army down to only 300 men and overhears an encouraging conversation. Gideon and his men surprise the enemy after nightfall with trumpets and torches, sparking a panic. This begins a rout of the enemy. In the next chapter, Gideon succeeds further despite stubbornness from his own people (Judges 8).

Verse by Verse

Verse 1. Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the spring of Harod. And the camp of Midian was north of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.

When God called Gideon, he was hiding food from the enemy (Judges 6:11–12). Even when God confirmed His divine message (Judges 6:17–22), Gideon was still hesitant. After being empowered by the Holy Spirit to summon an army, he still asked for signs and proofs (Judges 6:34–40). Finally, after so many confirmations, Gideon seems ready to attack the Midianites.

The enemy is camped in the Valley of Jezreel by the hill of Moreh (Judges 6:33). This puts them squarely between Mount Gilboa to the south and Mount Tabor to the north. They are not far from the location at which Gideon’s hometown of Ophrah is most commonly thought to have been. The Midian army, together with their allies, is enormous (Judges 8:10).

This verse briefly refers to Gideon by his new name: Jerubbaal. This title came after Gideon destroyed a pagan altar, and his father challenged the town to let Baal defend himself if he so chose. The name Jerubbaal means “let Baal contend,” and suggests that Gideon’s very life and success are proof of the Canaanite god’s weakness.

Gideon and those with him rise early in the morning and head out to set up their own camp by the spring of Harod. This puts them directly south of the Midianite army and only about five miles, or eight kilometers, away. Gideon has a large company of men under his command at this point (Judges 7:3), though not for long. God has plans to winnow the group down to a small task force.

Context Summary
Judges 7:1–18 begins with Gideon and his large company of Israelite volunteers setting up camp in the hills just a few miles from the Midianite camp in the valley below. God gives Gideon two tests to reduce the number of his troops until only 300 are left. God tells Gideon to spy on the Midianite camp, where he overhears a conversation which bolsters his faith. Gideon returns to his camp and prepares for the attack that night. He gives his men torches concealed in clay jars, as well as trumpets.

Verse 2. The Lord said to Gideon, “The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’

When the Lord’s Spirit “clothed” Gideon with God’s power, he sent out the call to the people of his own tribe Manasseh and the people of the surrounding tribes of Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali. Volunteers poured in (Judges 6:34–35). Gideon found himself surrounded by a considerable number of men willing—if not eager—to fight the Midianites with him (Judges 6:3). The Israelites are still outnumbered four-to-one (Judges 8:10), but still a sizable group.

In a statement Gideon was likely not expecting, the Lord says Gideon’s army is too large. He doesn’t want the people of Israel to think they saved themselves without divine help. He wants His people to know—for certain—that it was God who delivered them from their enemy once more. He will command Gideon to reduce the size of the force taken into battle.

Verse 3. Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home and hurry away from Mount Gilead.’” Then 22,000 of the people returned, and 10,000 remained.

After empowering him with the Holy Spirit, collecting a large force of volunteers (Judges 6:34–35), God gave a shocking command to Gideon. Gideon is not a trained soldier or experienced commander. He’s likely wondering how to lead such a group. The army of Midian outnumbers his by four-to-one (Judges 8:10), and they’re not far away (Judges 7:1). Rather than giving Gideon a plan of attack, the Lord tells him he has too many fighters. He doesn’t want anyone to think this victory is due to Israel’s might. They must know they were saved by the power of their God (Judges 7:2).

God tells Gideon to announce that any volunteer who is afraid should return home. Not surprisingly, almost two-thirds of the Israelites are scared—hardly unusual for a group of amateurs facing a larger, more experienced enemy. This is also part of the instructions God had already given Israel for battle (Deuteronomy 20:5–8). Gideon’s army is now outnumbered almost fourteen-to-one.

Normally, such an event would be a catastrophe in war. Such desertion would make a laughingstock of any ancient army. However, this was exactly the will of God. He wanted fewer warriors for this battle, not more of them. Those who remained were brave enough to stay and fight.

The direction given to those leaving can be confusing: to hurry away from Mount Gilead. The commonly known Mount Gilead was on the east side of the Jordan, some distance from where Gideon is currently camped. Scholars suggest either another hill or mountain in the area was also known as Mount Gilead. Alternatively, the reference might have been to “Mount Gilboa” in the original text yet misspelled in a manuscript.

Verse 4. And the Lord said to Gideon, “The people are still too many. Take them down to the water, and I will test them for you there, and anyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ shall go with you, and anyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ shall not go.”

Scripture records no response from Gideon after God gives a seemingly unhelpful command (Judges 7:3). It’s hard not to imagine that it made him deeply uncomfortable. Gideon’s depiction thus far has not been of a man overflowing with confidence (Judges 6:15, 17, 27, 36–40). The fact that no answer is recorded might suggest that there was none: that Gideon simply obeyed, growing in his ability to trust God’s plan without excessive doubt.

God seems to be saying that if the current Israelite army, outnumbered as much as fourteen-to-one (Judges 7:3; 8:10) defeats the Midianites, those men might claim credit for the victory. Rather, this victory is to be a clear sign of God’s direct intervention. God doesn’t need Israeli soldiers to overcome an enemy, and He is about to prove it.

The Lord tells Gideon to take his remaining fighters down to the nearby water. He will test the men there and tell Gideon which to keep with him and which to send away.

Verse 5. So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, “Every one who laps the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set by himself. Likewise, every one who kneels down to drink.”

God is committed to reducing Gideon’s forces, despite being desperately outnumbered (Judges 7:3; 8:10). His intent is to make it clear that any victory was only provided by the work of the Lord, not by special skill or effort by the men themselves. He now tells Gideon to take all the men down to the nearby water to drink from the brook. Gideon is to divide the men into two groups depending on how they drink.

The Hebrew phrasing in this verse is difficult to translate, but not unclear. Between verses 5 and 6, a pattern emerges that explains what distinguishes these groups. In short, one group drinks in a vulnerable position, the other in a position of readiness.

The first group is described as “lapping” water. Mention of how a dog drinks might refer to the way a dog’s tongue picks up water—the following verse notes these men brought water to their mouths with their hands (Judges 7:6). This would leave the soldier in a position of awareness and stability. The other group kneels to drink, possibly putting their lips directly to the stream.

On one hand, God’s test might be separating diligent men from those who are careless. Some scholars suggest another option: that those who kneeled did so because they were accustomed to doing so during their pagan idol worship. On the other hand, others note that the Midianite army was close, but not so close that a surprise attack was possible. This might well be nothing more than a seemingly random means to separate the men.

Gideon will quickly learn that the number of men in each group is wildly uneven.

Verse 6. And the number of those who lapped, putting their hands to their mouths, was 300 men, but all the rest of the people knelt down to drink water.

The Lord has given Gideon some very odd instructions. The Old Testament provided precedent for sending fearful soldiers back home (Deuteronomy 20:5–8; Judges 7:3). Yet the remaining forces were still too large for God’s purposes. God wants all the credit for the coming victory over the Midianite horde. He’s not merely defeating an enemy; He is also sending a message to His chosen people. A signal is being given to the Midianites, who at this point are aware of the Israeli forces mustering nearby (Judges 7:14). For all those reasons, He wants Gideon’s force to be even smaller.

To determine who should stay and who should go, God directed Gideon to take the men to a water source and divide them according to how they drank. Those who kneel—likely meaning they put their mouths in the water directly—should be put in one group. Those who lap the water out of their hands should be put in the other group.

Here, the results are reported. Only 300 men used their hands, while thirty times that many knelt to drink. Gideon, presumably, knows which group he’d prefer to lead into battle. However, God has created this imbalance for a good reason (Judges 7:7).

Verse 7. And the Lord said to Gideon, “With the 300 men who lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hand, and let all the others go every man to his home.”

God’s call on Gideon included empowering him with the Holy Spirit (Judges 6:34), leading to a large army of volunteers gathering to fight Midianite invaders (Judges 6:35). Almost immediately, however, God used two sorting methods to reduce that force to a tiny fraction of its original size (Judges 7:2–6). Here, God confirms that He intends to use only the smaller portion of the men—300—and to send the other several thousand home. At this point, the Israeli forces are now outnumbered something like 450-to-1 (Judges 8:10). Nevertheless, God promises to give Gideon victory over those enemies.

Over the millennia, commentators have debated if God’s test in these last two verses was practical, or merely a way to reduce the size of the army. Some suggest it was clearly better for soldiers to stay in a ready position, making the 300 more diligent. Others note that the Midianites were not close enough for a surprise attack, so that factor was not as important. Still others suggest that those who instinctively kneeled did so out of customary idol worship, while those who did not kneel were not in such a habit. Yet another theory, proposed by ancient historians such as Josephus, is that the 300 men were more defective, somehow, making the victory even more impressive.

Regardless of the exact reasons, God has now reduced Gideon’s task force to a relatively tiny number. That group will be sent to purge enemy invaders from the land. The rest are sent home—most likely to wait in reserve until they are called.

Verse 8. So the people took provisions in their hands, and their trumpets. And he sent all the rest of Israel every man to his tent, but retained the 300 men. And the camp of Midian was below him in the valley.

God has used a two-stage test to reduce Gideon’s forces. If the numbers given in these passages are literal, Israel’s forces will be outnumbered something like 450-to-1 (Judges 7:7; 8:10). The first test was a standard practice commanded by God in the Law of Moses (Deuteronomy 20:5–8; Judges 7:3): everyone desperately afraid was allowed to go home. That left only a third of the original volunteers. The next test was to let those men drink from a brook and divide out those who drank the water from their hands instead of directly from the brook with their faces. That left only 300. The Lord has promised Gideon to give him victory over the swarming Midianite raiders (Judges 6:5) with those 300 men.

In obedience, Gideon sends several thousand men back to their tents. The 300 took the provisions the people had given to the army and their trumpets and prepared for the battle. The Midianite camp was approximately five miles, or eight kilometers, along the valley below the Israelite position.

Verse 9. That same night the Lord said to him, “Arise, go down against the camp, for I have given it into your hand.

After spending the day reducing the size of Gideon’s army down to a relatively minuscule 300 men (Judges 7:5–8), the Lord speaks to Gideon at night. His command is to attack the Midianite camp. God insists that Gideon’s victory is already assured. The instruction here is undoubtedly one for battle: the moment has come for Israel to defeat her enemies.

Even so, God is aware of Gideon’s secret thoughts and fears (1 Samuel 16:7). To this point, Gideon’s anxious nature has been evident (Judges 6:15, 17, 27, 36–40). So, once again, God will provide reassurance. In the next verse, God will let Gideon make a secret spy mission, if he is afraid to attack immediately (Judges 7:10). That trip will provide Gideon with the boost of faith he needs to make a daring, aggressive attack against the Midianites.

Verse 10. But if you are afraid to go down, go down to the camp with Purah your servant.

Gideon sits camped with his 300 men in the hills above the massive Midianite camp in the valley below. In the night, the Lord has come to command Gideon to attack—to “go down against” the enemy (Judges 7:9). Immediately, however, God adds a condition: if Gideon is afraid, he can take his servant Purah with him on a spying mission, first.

So far, Gideon’s approach has been marked by indecisiveness and doubt (Judges 6:11, 15, 17, 27, 36–40). Prior to this moment, God instructed him to reduce his fighting forces from many thousands to just 300 (Judges 7:2–7). Based on the numbers given elsewhere in the book of Judges, his army is outnumbered by around 450-to-1 (Judges 8:10). It’s reasonable that he might be afraid, so God tells him there’s a purpose behind making an excursion, first. God’s reason for allowing Gideon a brief detour, before the attack, is given in the next verse. The Lord’s intent is to strengthen Gideon’s faith, not challenge it further.

Verse 11. And you shall hear what they say, and afterward your hands shall be strengthened to go down against the camp.” Then he went down with Purah his servant to the outposts of the armed men who were in the camp.

The Lord is speaking to Gideon in the night. He has told him to attack (Judges 7:9) the massive swarms of Midianites in the valley below (Judges 8:10). Knowing how doubtful Gideon can be (Judges 6:17, 36–40), God offers to let him spy on the enemy first (Judges 7:10). Gideon can take his servant Purah with him for the short nighttime hike to the outskirts of the camp. God’s purpose in allowing this detour is to further strengthen Gideon’s resolve. By spying on the enemy, Gideon will overhear something that will give him strength.

In this case, Gideon seems to obey without challenging or pushing back. After all, in this case, God didn’t wait for Gideon to make excuses or ask for signs: He simply told him to go if he was afraid. The two men sneak down until they come near the outer guard posts of the Midianite camp. This puts them in a dangerous area; to be discovered would be certain death.

Verse 12. And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the people of the East lay along the valley like locusts in abundance, and their camels were without number, as the sand that is on the seashore in abundance.

At the Lord’s command, Gideon and his servant Purah are on a late-night spying mission to the outskirts of the Midianite camp (Judges 7:9–11). Looking out over the scene, the size of the enemy must have been overwhelming to Gideon. As far as they could have possibly seen in the darkness, the Midianites and the Amalekites and their other allies from east of the Jordan were spread out along the valley like locusts (Judges 6:5). At this time of night, they would have seen countless torches and fires.

The comparison to locusts was made in the previous chapter, and it is appropriate. The horde from the east descended on Israel and consumed everything in sight. They left a wasted landscape everywhere they went (Judges 6:1–4). Also crowded into the valley were countless camels, used by the Midianites and the others to ride and to carry their gear to Israel and to carry Israel’s food away from it. The writer uses the phrase “as sand on the seashore” to emphasize the massive number of animals and tents and bodies packed into the Valley of Jezreel.

If this late-night trip to the enemy camp was supposed to strengthen Gideon’s faith, seeing a swarming horde of enemies wouldn’t help. As promised, however, Gideon then hears something that proves God’s purposes in sending him on this mission (Judges 7:13–14).

Verse 13. When Gideon came, behold, a man was telling a dream to his comrade. And he said, “Behold, I dreamed a dream, and behold, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian and came to the tent and struck it so that it fell and turned it upside down, so that the tent lay flat.”

God has directed Gideon and his servant Purah to spy on the enemy in the valley below the Israelite camp in the hills (Judges 7:9–12). They arrived and witnessed the massive number of men, camels, and tents crowded into the valley (Judges 6:1–5). It’s a staggering force to see, even in the night as most of the men are sleeping. It’s more intimidating because Gideon has recently reduced his forces to a mere 300 men (Judges 7:2–7).

Rather than leaving in terror, Gideon is gifted with an encouraging incident. He overhears two men talking nearby. The text does not reveal if they are in a tent or merely somewhere in the darkness. One man has had a dream, and he is describing it to the other. He dreamed that a cake of barley bread rolled into the camp where they were and struck a tent. Barley cakes would have been small, easily carried and made from cheap grains (John 6:9). And yet, the impact of this little loaf was so powerful that the tent turned upside down and lay flat.

God promised Gideon that he would hear something on this mission that would strengthen him. This context makes it clear the Lord planted this dream in the mind of this soldier. That, in turn, was meant to be described aloud to his friend. While the meaning of the dream might have been unclear, at first, God will provide for that, as well (Judges 7:14).

Verse 14. And his comrade answered, “This is no other than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel; God has given into his hand Midian and all the camp.”

God is reassuring Gideon using a dream given to a Midianite soldier (Judges 7:13). The man dreamt of a small loaf of bread rolling into the camp and flattening an entire tent. Gideon overhears this while he spies on the enemy, at God’s command (Judges 7:9–11). Part of that command was that Gideon would hear something to strengthen his resolve. If the meaning of the overhead dream was not obvious, the Lord provides an immediate interpretation.

The other Midianite soldier replied by interpreting the dream in a blunt, supernaturally confident manner. He refers to Gideon—whose army was undoubtedly seen gathering over the last few days (Judges 6:33–35). The Midianite says Gideon, son of Joash of Israel, has been guaranteed victory by their God. This includes the defeat of all the nations camped alongside Midian, as well.

Scripture offers no explanation how a pagan soldier could have known this. It’s likely God inspired those exact words without the man even knowing where they came from. We can’t know for sure. What is certain is that Gideon finds this experience inspiring. He sees clear confirmation that God was with Him; He was doing exactly what He promised. This overheard conversation becomes a gift of grace to calm Gideon’s fears, imbuing him with confidence before the battle.

Verse 15. As soon as Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped. And he returned to the camp of Israel and said, “Arise, for the Lord has given the host of Midian into your hand.”

God didn’t owe Gideon a scenario to bolster His chosen deliverer’s faith and confidence. Gideon has already been given an outsized portion of God’s miraculous evidence (Judges 6:22; 36–40). The Lord could have accomplished exactly what He wanted to through Gideon without engineering this latest series of events. Still, these moments were designed specifically to strengthen Gideon’s faith in God and His plan.

In His grace and mercy for Gideon, the Lord caused a man in the Midianite camp to have to dream and to tell that dream to his friend at the exact moment Gideon was there to overhear the dream (Judges 7:9–13). The Lord then enabled the man’s friend to interpret the dream exactly. It was no coincidence. God sent Gideon to the camp to hear these exact words coming from the lips of one of the feared Midianite fighters:

“This is no other than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel; God has given into his hand Midian and all the camp.” (Judges 7:14).”

Gideon’s response is the proper reaction. He worships God. He likely fell face down on the ground and prostrated himself before the Lord in a combination of humility and celebration. God knew exactly what it would take for Gideon to be convinced that God was able to save Israel through him. This moment marks something of a change in the once-hesitant man (Judges 6:15, 17). He will immediately return to the 300 men God has selected for the battle. He tells them the Lord has given the host of Midian into their hands. They will attack immediately.

Verse 16. And he divided the 300 men into three companies and put trumpets into the hands of all of them and empty jars, with torches inside the jars.

Gideon and his 300 men (Judges 7:2–9) are preparing to attack the massive Midianite horde (Judges 6:1–5; 8:10) in their camp below. Whether this strategy was directly given by God, or merely inspired by Him, the Bible does not say. The plan comes from Gideon, and Gideon is the one who administers it.

He divides the task force into three groups of one hundred men. He gives each man a trumpet and a clay jar or pitcher with a torch inside of it. The trumpet would have been a ram’s horn or shofar. The shofar is still blown today in various Jewish religious services. The torch would likely have been made of reeds or something similar; these would have given off little light until exposed. Gideon gives specific instructions for what to do with these items in the following verses.

Verse 17. And he said to them, “Look at me, and do likewise. When I come to the outskirts of the camp, do as I do.

Gideon is giving instructions to his 300 men about how they will attack the Midianite camp in the valley below (Judges 7:1) He has given to each a ram’s horn trumpet and a clay pitcher with a torch inside of it (Judges 7:16). Now he tells them to look at him and do as he does; this probably means Gideon was demonstrating what he wanted the men to do when he gives the signal. They will take positions all around the outskirts of the Midianite camp (Judges 7:18). When he blows his trumpet, smashes his pitcher, and shouts, they should do the same.

As the following passage demonstrates, this surprise “attack” will have devastating results. It will throw the enemy into a panic and result in a complete victory for Israel (Judges 7:19–23).

Verse 18. When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then blow the trumpets also on every side of all the camp and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.’”

Convinced the Lord will give the Midianite army into his hands (Judges 7:9–17), Gideon launches his strike. The “attack,” such as it is, comes in the form of psychological warfare. Gideon is giving instructions to his 300 men (Judges 7:2–8). He has given each of them a ram’s horn trumpet and a clay pitcher with a torch in it. He has shown them what to do with these items.

Gideon will approach the edge of the enemy camps, break his clay jar to expose a torch, blow his trumpet, and shout. The others are to do the same, scattered around the enemy tents. Their cry is to echo the prophetic words of the Midianite soldier overheard earlier that evening: referring to both God and to Gideon.

Obviously, this is not traditional warfare by any measure. Gideon’s plan may have sounded completely absurd to his men. They are outnumbered something like 450-to-1 (Judges 8:10). And yet, they were all willing volunteers and ready to act on Gideon’s command. The only viable way for this to work is if God gives them the victory. That’s exactly what God wants every person to understand.

As it happens, Gideon’s approach contains a clever sense of strategy. In a typical attack, only a few soldiers would have carried trumpets, and only a few torches. Surprising the enemy this way will make it appear as if the Israeli force is much larger. Further, Gideon times the attack just after the changing of the guard. At the moment the attack is announced, the prior group of guards will be walking back into the camp—in the dark, armed, and likely to be mistaken for invading troops.

The following passage shows the devastating effects of this ruse (Judges 7:19–23).

Verse 19. So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, when they had just set the watch. And they blew the trumpets and smashed the jars that were in their hands.

The plan is in place, and the offensive against the vast Midianite camp has begun (Judges 7:15–18). Gideon and his 300 men walk down to the valley and position themselves in three groups of one hundred men. They spread out at strategic points surrounding the perimeter of the enemy camp. The men will wait for a signal, then reveal torches, blow trumpets, and shout nearly in unison.

In that era, most armies observed three four-hour watches during the night. Scholars suggest these watches were typically set around 6 p.m., 10 p.m., and 2 a.m. Gideon and his men would have been in their places around the camp by about 10 p.m. What happens next occurs “just after” the setting of the new watch. That the book of Judges mentions the exact timing of the attack is no accident: it’s a crucial part of Gideon’s strategy.

At the moment Israel’s men make their move, Midianite guards at the outskirts of the camp are caught unaware. Guards returning from duty are walking through the camp—armed—and in the dark. The rest are likely asleep. The sudden sound of battle horns and torches would cause confusion; it would appear a huge force was bearing down. This would lead men jarred out of sleep to assume the armed figures they saw were enemy troops. As they attack these unrecognized allies, others would see the attack, and assume the aggressors were the enemy. In this way, the entire Midianite force would be thrown into chaos.

Context Summary
Judges 7:19–25 describes the Lord’s victory over the Midianites through Gideon and his 300 men. The Israelites take positions around the Midianite camp well after dark. They choose a strategic moment to attack: just after the changing of the guard. Nearly in unison, the Israelite soldiers blow trumpets and shout battle cries while exposing torches. The Midianites panic, assuming the enemy force is massive. In the dark, and in a panic, they begin attacking each other. The chaos leads them to flee toward the Jordan River. Gideon calls for men from several tribes to join him in chasing them down. He sends messengers to Ephraim to tell them to cut off the fleeing enemy at the Jordan River. The Midianites do not escape.

Verse 20. Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the jars. They held in their left hands the torches, and in their right hands the trumpets to blow. And they cried out, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!”

Gideon’s attack against the Midianites (Judges 7:9) has begun. His three groups of one hundred men each have taken their places around the perimeter of the enemy camp. Gideon and his group blew loudly on their ram’s horn trumpets and smashed their clay pitchers. Hearing the noise, the other two groups now immediately do the same thing (Judges 7:15–18).

The smashing of the clay jars not only added a loud, unexpected noise, it also exposed the reed-style torches inside them to the air, causing the flames to burn bright. Gideon and each of his 300 soldiers held their torches high with their left hands and continued to hold their trumpets with their right hands. They also kept shouting out, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!”

Of course, the sword of the Lord against the Midianites did not include any swords. In fact, the Israelites did not “attack” with any weapons other than noise and light and the confusion they produced in the Midianite camp. That confusion would have been considerable. The presence of so many torches and trumpets would have given the appearance of a much-larger army. Further, Israel is attacking while most of the enemy are asleep, and armed guards are just returning from their watch (Judges 7:19). In the chaos and confusion, some of those returning Midianites were likely mistaken for enemy invaders, and attacked, starting a chain reaction of absolute mayhem (Judges 7:21–23).

Verse 21. Every man stood in his place around the camp, and all the army ran. They cried out and fled.

Every one of Gideon’s 300 soldiers stood his ground around the Midianite camp, making a daring attack at night. This must have required remarkable courage and confidence. Even seeing the massive horde beginning to wake up and move around, Gideon’s soldiers stay in their places and continued to blow their trumpets and shout their battle cry (Judges 7:15–20). Earlier verses describe what the Israelite soldiers must have seen when they held their torches high:

“The Midianites and the Amalekites and all the people of the East lay along the valley like locusts in abundance, and their camels were without number, as the sand that is on the seashore in abundance.” (Judges 7:12)

The result in the Midianite camp reveals Gideon’s strategy to be a masterful use of psychological warfare. Hundreds of trumpets, in a normal army, would imply many thousands of men. They surround the enemy. Gideon’s men attack just as armed guards are making their way back at the end of their watch, past sleeping men in a dark camp. Those awakened by the chaos likely mistook some of the returning men as the enemy and attacked them. That, in turn, would lead others to attack the attackers, each assuming they were being invaded.

Like ripples in a pool of water, this wave of chaos, panic, and confusion seems to have spread almost instantly through the entire Midianite camp. The foreign raiders (Judges 6:1–5) shout in terror and try to run away. Instead, they ran into each other—and fought with one another (Judges 6:22).

Verse 22. When they blew the 300 trumpets, the Lord set every man ‘s sword against his comrade and against all the army. And the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath.

Gideon’s plan (Judges 7:15–18) worked perfectly. His 300 men spread around the perimeter of the camp, in the dead of night, blew trumpets and smashed pitchers and shouted battle cries while holding torches in the air. The Lord uses this panic and chaos to convince the Midianites and their allies that the attackers were already in the camp (Judges 7:19–21).

Those awakened by the noise and lights assumed they were surrounded and under attack by a massive army. They cried out and tried to run away, likely straight into armed guards just returning from their late-night duty, and assuming them to be the enemy. They began fighting each other. That would lead others, coming across a skirmish, to assume some of the men were invaders, and attack them. In this way, the whole Midianite army is thrown into utter chaos. It’s unclear how many died in this way before the army could reorganize enough to retreat from this phantom battle.

At some point, they gain their senses enough to start running in the same direction: east. Whether the entire army stayed together, or split as they ran, Scripture does not specify. The location of these places is not known with certainty to modern scholars. The general idea is that the Midianite forces fled toward the Jordan River, hoping to cross at the fords and escape into the desert beyond.

Verse 23. And the men of Israel were called out from Naphtali and from Asher and from all Manasseh, and they pursued after Midian.

Gideon’s strategy, likely given to him by the Lord, has worked beautifully (Judges 7:15–18). By positioning just 300 men around the camp and blowing horns and shouting and holding torches (Judges 7:19–22), they have convinced the enormous horde (Judges 8:10) they were under attack by a massive force. The Lord caused confusion to fall on the camp; at least some of this was probably due to Midianites accidentally attacking their own returning guards during the chaos. That, in turn, would lead others to attack the attackers, creating a wave of utter mayhem.

Thanks to this combination of darkness, fear, trumpets, and shouting, the Midianites attacked each other for a time before fleeing to the east. The hope of the survivors was to get across the Jordan River and escape into the desert.

Gideon, of course, doesn’t want them to escape. He wants to end their annual raids on Israel (Judges 6:1–5) once and for all. So, he presumes he will need more than just 300 soldiers with trumpets and torches. As his men pursue the terrified enemy, they send messages to the tribes of Naphtali, Asher, and Manasseh to help give chase. Those called into the hunt may very have included the men dismissed earlier that day through God’s unique sorting process (Judges 7:2–9).

Scholars differ on their view of this verse. The text does not mention direction from the Lord about calling out men of Israel to pursue and attack the Midianites. For that reason, some speculate Gideon went beyond what the Lord intended, perhaps losing the Lord’s blessing. Others assume this was the Lord’s plan all along, especially since the Midianites and their allies are so thoroughly defeated. In either case, the victory will be an epic rout.

Verse 24. Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against the Midianites and capture the waters against them, as far as Beth-barah, and also the Jordan.” So all the men of Ephraim were called out, and they captured the waters as far as Beth-barah, and also the Jordan.

The survivors of the Midianite horde (Judges 7:19–23) are fleeing east from Gideon’s army. That force started the nighttime attack with only 300 men but is quickly growing to much larger size. The call has gone out to several local tribes, telling them to join the attack on Israel’s oppressors (Judges 6:1–5). Those sent away just before from the initial “attack” on the Midianites (Judges 7:2–9) were probably the first assigned to chase down the fleeing enemy and destroy them before they can escape across the Jordan.

The problem, for now, is that Gideon’s men are chasing the enemy, and need to stop them from reaching a particular objective. Israel needs someone to secure river crossings at the Jordan, where the Midianites and their allies will attempt to cross back over into their own countries. Gideon’s forces won’t be able to outrun their enemy in time to stop them from getting away.

So, Gideon sends messengers—in this context, meaning individual runners or riders, who can move much faster than a large group—to call the men of Ephraim into the battle. He specifically commands they race to the Jordan River and cut off all the crossing points the Midianites might use to escape. This will trap the Midianites between the men of Ephraim at the Jordan and Gideon’s pursuing forces. The specific location of Beth-barah is unknown to modern scholars.

Verse 25. And they captured the two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb they killed at the winepress of Zeeb. Then they pursued Midian, and they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon across the Jordan.

Gideon’s combat strategy is once again successful. He and his forces pursue the army of Midian (Judges 7:19–24) as they flee east to cross the Jordan River and escape. Gideon sent fast messengers to the men of Ephraim, closer to the Jordan River, to secure the crossing places the Midianites might use, cutting off their retreat.

This tactic seems to have worked, but not perfectly. Apparently, some of the Midianite army was able to make it across the Jordan, but they do not get far before Ephraimite fighters chase them down. They capture and kill two princes of Midian: Oreb and Zeeb. They name the places where these members of the Midianite royal family are killed accordingly. Thus, Oreb is killed by the Israelites at what is then called “the rock of Oreb,” and Zeeb is killed at what becomes known as “the winepress of Zeeb.” This part of Israel’s victory is commemorated in one of the psalms (Psalm 83:11) and mentioned in the book of Isaiah (Isaiah 10:26).

The Ephraimite soldiers bring the heads of these men back across the Jordan River, presenting them to Gideon as trophies of battle.

End of Judges 7

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