Judg 7:1-8:5 | TNotes | STEP | 7:1 The spring of Harod and the hill of Moreh were just east of the town of Jezreel; they guarded the pass that connects the valley of Jezreel to the fords of the Jordan near Beth-shan. Gideon’s army was located on the north slope of Mount Gilboa. The Midianite hosts were in the valley below, with the hill behind them.

7:1 ^a The spring of Harod and the hill of Moreh were just east of the town of Jezreel; they guarded the pass that connects the valley of Jezreel to the fords of the Jordan near Beth-shan. Gideon’s army was located on the north slope of Mount Gilboa. The Midianite hosts were in the valley below, with the hill behind them.
7:2 ^b The Lord does not require a large force to save his people (cp. 1 Sam 14:6 ^c). A large number might even have hindered success because the element of surprise was crucial to the Lord’s battle plan. Gideon was to pare down the army to maintain godly humility, not for reasons of military strategy.
7:3 ^d The first reduction sorted out those who initially responded with enthusiasm but then had second thoughts.
Summary for Judg 7:4-8: 7:4-8 ^e The choice of those who lapped from their hands over those who knelt was apparently arbitrary, but it enabled the Lord to reduce the size of the army.
7:8 ^f The jars (in which the men carried provisions) and trumpets borrowed from the warriors who were sent home would be used in the coming battle.
Summary for Judg 7:10-15: 7:10-15 ^g The Lord encouraged Gideon with a third sign (6:17-21 ^h, 36-40 ⁱ).
7:11 ^j With the enemy camp spread out across the valley (7:1 ^k, 12 ^l), it was easy for Gideon and his servant to sneak undetected into the camp.
Summary for Judg 7:13-14: 7:13-14 ^m Dreams and their interpretations were often discussed in Egypt and Babylonia. The Old Testament teaches that dreams are inspired by God and are best interpreted by his revelation (see Gen 41:15-16 ⁿ, 25 ^o; Dan 2:28 ^p). The point of this dream is clear: Gideon’s band, represented as a rounded loaf of barley bread, would come tumbling down and overturn the Midianite camp.
7:16 ^q Dividing the small band into three groups created the impression of a much larger force.
Summary for Judg 7:17-20: 7:17-20 ^r Surprise and deception took the place of a massive army. The war cry, the sudden blast of 300 trumpets, and the torches bursting into light created the impression of a large force.
7:21 ^s The warriors stood in place while God fought the battle (cp. Exod 14:13 ^t; 1 Sam 12:16 ^u; Rev 19:11-16 ^v).

• The Midianites’ camels (Judg 6:5 ^w) might have contributed to the panic. Camels usually provided a military advantage, but in this situation they would have been a liability. They had probably been hobbled for the night, and camels themselves are subject to panic.
7:22 ^x The fugitives fled in a southeasterly direction, past Beth-shan and toward the fords of the Jordan, trying to reach more friendly and favorable surroundings.
7:24 ^y The shallow crossings of the Jordan were key to cutting off the escape of an army (cp. 3:28 ^z; 12:4-6 ^aa).
7:25 ^ab Oreb (“raven”) and Zeeb (“wolf”) were military leaders, in contrast to Zebah and Zalmunna, who were kings (8:5 ^ac). This capture was commemorated in the subsequent names of the rock and winepress where they were captured.

‏ Judges 8:1-5

Summary for Judg 8:1-3: 8:1-3 ^ad Ephraim, the dominant tribe of the north-central hill country, produced only a minor judge, Tola (10:1 ^ae). The Ephraimites resented their omission from the battle, if only because they hoped for a share of the spoils. When summoned, they did the job at hand. Gideon gave a gracious and humble answer, which turned away Ephraim’s anger (see Prov 15:1 ^af; contrast Jephthah, Judg 12:1-4 ^ag). Gideon’s and Ephraim’s victories over Oreb and Zeeb and their armies became the stuff of legend (cp. Ps 83:11-12 ^ah; Isa 10:26 ^ai).
Summary for Judg 8:4-12: 8:4-12 ^aj At this point, Gideon seemed as bent on revenge as on victory, and there is an abrupt cessation of his earlier dialogue with the Lord. The core of 300 men made this final run against the Midianites.

• Gideon pursued the fleeing kings of Midian through the Jabbok gorge, then southward toward Rabbah, following the caravan route onto the Transjordan plateau.

• Succoth and Peniel were Israelite cities, but their loyalty to Gideon, an upstart general, was thin. The tribes east of the Jordan were continually exposed to the Midianites’ pressure and apparently feared the Midianites.