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Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
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Matthew Henry |
J U D G E S
CHAP. VII.
This chapter presents us with Gideon in the field, commanding the army
of Israel, and routing the army of the Midianites, for which great
exploit we found in the former chapter how he was prepared by his
converse with God and his conquest of Baal. We are here told,
I. What direction God gave to Gideon for the modelling of his army, by
which it was reduced to 300 men,
II. What encouragement God gave to Gideon to attack the enemy, by
sending him secretly into their camp to hear a Midianite tell his dream,
III. How he formed his attack upon the enemy’s camp with his 300 men,
not to fight them, but to frighten them,
IV. The success of this attack; it put them to flight, and gave them a
total rout, the disbanded forces, and their other neighbours, then
coming in to his assistance,
It is a story that shines very brightly in the book of the wars of the
Lord.
| Gideon’s Three Hundred Men. | B. C. 1249. |
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1 Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that
were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of
Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side
of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.
2 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with
thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their
hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own
hand hath saved me.
3 Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people,
saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and
depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people
twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.
4 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too
many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for
thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This
shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of
whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same
shall not go.
5 So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD
said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his
tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise
every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.
6 And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to
their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the
people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.
7 And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that
lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine
hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.
8 So the people took victuals in their hand, and their
trumpets: and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his
tent, and retained those three hundred men: and the host of
Midian was beneath him in the valley.
Here,
I. Gideon applies himself with all possible care and industry to do the
part of a good general, in leading on the hosts of Israel against the
Midianites
(v. 1):
He rose up early, as one whose heart was upon his business, and
who was afraid of losing time. Now that he is sure God is with him he
is impatient of delay. He pitched near a famous well, that his army
might not be distressed for want of water, and gained the higher
ground, which possibly might be some advantage to him, for the
Midianites were beneath him in the valley. Note, Faith in God’s
promises must not slacken, but rather quicken, our endeavours. When we
are sure God goes before us, then we must bestir ourselves,
II. God provides that the praise of the intended victory may be
reserved wholly to himself, by appointing 300 men only to be employed
in this service.
1. The army consisted of 32,000 men, a small army in comparison with
what the Midianites had now brought into the field; Gideon was ready to
think them too few, but God comes to him, and tells him they are too
many,
v. 2.
Not but that those did well who offered themselves willingly to this
expedition, but God saw fit not to make use of all that came. We often
find God bringing great things to pass by a few hands, but this was the
only time that he purposely made them fewer. Had Deborah lately blamed
those who came not to the help of the Lord, and yet in the next
great action must those be turned off that do come? Yes;
(1.) God would hereby show that when he employed suitable instruments
in his service he did not need them, but could do his work without
them, so that he was not indebted to them for their service, but they
to him for employing them.
(2.) He would hereby put those to shame for their cowardice who had
tamely submitted to the Midianites, and durst not make head against
them, because of the disproportion of their numbers. They now saw that,
if they had but made sure of the favour of God, one of them might have
chased a thousand.
(3.) He would hereby silence and exclude boasting. This is the reason
here given by him who knows the pride that is in men’s hearts: Lest
Israel vaunt themselves against me. Justly were those denied the
honour of the success. My own hand hath saved me is a word that
must never come out of the mouth of such as shall be saved. He that
glories must glory in the Lord, and all flesh must be silent before
him.
2. Two ways God took to lessen their numbers:–
(1.) He ordered all that would own themselves timorous and
faint-hearted to be dismissed,
v. 3.
They were now encamped on a mountain close to the enemy, called
Mount Gilead, from Gilead, the common ancestor of these families
of Manasseh, which were seated on this side Jordan
and thence they might see perhaps the vast numbers of the enemy; those
therefore who were disheartened at the sight were left to their
liberty, to go back if they pleased. There was a law for making such a
proclamation as this,
But Gideon perhaps thought that concerned only those wars which were
undertaken for the enlarging of their coast, not, as this, for their
necessary defence against an invader; therefore Gideon would not have
proclaimed this if God, who knew how his forces would hereby be
diminished, had not commanded him. Cowards would be as likely as any,
after the victory, to take the honour of it from God, and therefore God
would not do them the honour to employ them in it. One would have
thought there would be scarcely one Israelite to be found that against
such an enemy as the Midianites, and under such a leader as Gideon,
would own himself fearful; yet above two parts of three took advantage
of this proclamation, and filed off, when they saw the strength of the
enemy and their own weakness, not considering the assurances of the
divine presence which their general had received of the Lord, and, it
is likely, delivered unto them. Some think the oppression they had been
under so long had broken their spirits, others, more probably, that
consciousness of their own guilt had deprived them of their courage.
Sin stared them in the face, and therefore they durst not look death in
the face. Note, Fearful faint-hearted people are not fit to be employed
for God; and, among those that are enlisted under the banner of Christ,
there are more such than we think there are.
(2.) He directed the cashiering of all that remained except 300 men,
and he did it by a sign: The people are yet too many for me to
make use off,
v. 4.
See how much God’s thoughts and ways are above ours. Gideon himself, it
is likely, thought they were too few, though they were as many as Barak
encountered Sisera with
(ch. iv. 14);
and, had he not forced his way through the discouragement by dint of
faith, he himself would have started back from so hazardous an
enterprise, and have made the best of his own way back. But God saith,
they are too many, and, when diminished to a third part, they
are yet too many, which may help us to understand those
providences which sometimes seem to weaken the church and its
interests: its friends are too many, too mighty, too wise, for God to
work deliverance by; God is taking a course to lessen them, that he may
be exalted in his own strength. Gideon is ordered to bring his
soldiers to the watering, probably to the well of Harod
(v. 1)
and the stream that ran from it; he, or some appointed by him, must
observe how they drank. We must suppose they were all thirsty, and were
inclined to drink; it is likely he told them they must prepare to enter
upon action immediately, and therefore must refresh themselves
accordingly, not expecting, after this, to drink any thing else but the
blood of their enemies. Now some, and no doubt the most, would kneel
down on their knees to drink, and put their mouths to the water as
horses do, and so they might get their full draught. Others, it may be,
would not make such a formal business of it, but as a dog laps with his
tongue, a lap and away, so they would hastily take up a little water in
their hands, and cool their mouths with that, and be gone. Three
hundred and no more there were of this latter sort, that drank in
haste, and by those God tells Gideon he would rout the Midianites,
v. 7.
By the former distinction none were retained but hearty men, that were
resolved to do their utmost for retrieving the liberties of Israel; but
by this further distinction it was provided that none should be made
use of but,
[1.] Men that were hardy, that could endure long fatigue, without
complaining of thirst or weariness, that had not in them any dregs
either of sloth or luxury.
[2.] Men that were hasty, that thought it long till they were engaged
with the enemy, preferring the service of God and their country before
their necessary refreshment; such as these God chooses to employ, that
are not only well affected, but zealously affected in a good thing. And
also because these were the smaller number, and therefore the least
likely to effect what they were designed for, God would by them save
Israel. It was a great trial to the faith and courage of Gideon, when
God bade him let all the rest of the people but these 300 go every
man to his place, that is, go where they pleased out of his call,
and from under his command; yet we may suppose those that were hearty
in the cause, though now set aside, did not go so far out of hearing
but that they were ready to follow the blow, when the 300 had broken
the ice, though this does not appear. Thus strangely was Gideon’s army
purged, and modelled, and reduced, instead of being recruited, as one
would think in so great an action it both needed and deserved to be.
Now,
3. Let us see how this little despicable regiment, on which the stress
of the action must lie, was accoutred and fitted out. Had these 300
been double-manned with servants and attendants, and double-armed with
swords and spears, we should have thought them the more likely to bring
something to pass. But, instead of making them more serviceable by
their equipment, they are made less so. For,
(1.) Every soldier turns butler: They took victuals in their
hands
(v. 8),
left their bag and baggage behind, and every man burdened himself with
his own provision, which was a trial of their faith, whether they could
trust God when they had no more provisions with them than they could
carry, and a trial of their diligence, whether they would carry as much
as they had occasion for. This was indeed living from hand to mouth.
(2.) Every soldier turns trumpeter. The regiments that were cashiered
left their trumpets behind them for the use of these 300 men, who were
furnished with these instead of weapons of war, as if they had been
going rather to a game than to a battle.
9 And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto
him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it
into thine hand.
10 But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant
down to the host:
11 And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine
hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down
with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that
were in the host.
12 And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children
of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for
multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by
the sea side for multitude.
13 And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that
told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a
dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of
Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and
overturned it, that the tent lay along.
14 And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else
save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for
into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.
15 And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream,
and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned
into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath
delivered into your hand the host of Midian.
Gideon’s army being diminished as we have found it was, he must either
fight by faith or not at all; God therefore here provides recruits for
his faith, instead of recruits for his forces.
I. He furnishes him with a good foundation to build his faith upon.
Nothing but a word from God will be a footing for faith. He has this as
full and express as he can desire,
v. 9.
1. A word of command to warrant the action, which otherwise seemed rash
and indiscreet, and unbecoming a wise general: Arise, get thee
down with this handful of men unto the host.
2. A word of promise to assure him of the success, which otherwise
seemed very improbable: I have delivered it into thy hand; it is
all thy own. This word of the Lord came to him the same night,
when he was (we may suppose) greatly agitated and full of care how he
should come off; in the multitude of his thoughts within him these
comforts did delight his soul. Divine consolations are given in to
believers not only strongly but seasonably.
II. He furnishes him with a good prop to support his faith with.
1. He orders him to be his own spy, and now in the dead of the night to
go down privately into the host of Midian, and see what intelligence he
could gain: “If thou fear to go down to fight, go first only
with thy own servant
(v. 10)
and hear what they say”
(v. 11);
and it is intimated to him that he should hear that which would greatly
strengthen his faith. God knows the infirmities of his people, and what
great encouragement they may sometimes take from a small matter; and
therefore, knowing beforehand what would occur to Gideon, in that very
part of the camp to which he would go down, he orders him to go down
and hearken to what they said, that he might the more firmly believe
what God said. He must take with him Phurah his servant, one
that he could confide in, probably one of the ten that had helped him
to break down the altar of Baal. He must take him and no one else with
him, must take him with him to be a witness of what he should hear the
Midianites say, that out of the mouth of these two witnesses, when the
matter came to be reported to Israel, the word might be established. He
must take his servant with him, because two are better than one and a
little help is better than none.
2. Being so, he orders him the sight of something that was
discouraging. It was enough to frighten him to discern, perhaps by
moon-light, the vast numbers of the enemy
(v. 12),
the men like grasshoppers for multitude, and they proved no better than
grasshoppers for strength and courage; the camels one could not count,
any more than the sand. But,
3. He causes him to hear that which was to him a very good omen; and
when he had heard it he went back again immediately, supposing he now
had what he was sent thither for. He overheard two soldiers of the
enemy, that were comrades, talking; probably they were in bed together,
waking in the night.
(1.) One of them tells his dream, and as our dreams generally are, and
therefore not worth telling again, it is a very foolish one. He dreamed
that he saw a barley-cake come rolling down the hill into the camp of
the Midianites, and “methought,” says he (for so we speak in telling
our dreams), “this rolling cake struck one of our tents” (perhaps one
of the chief of their tents) “and with such violence that” (would you
think it?) “it overturned the tent, forced down the stakes, and broke
the cords at one blow, so that the tent lay along and buried its
inhabitants,”
In multitudes of dreams there are divers vanities, says Solomon,
One would wonder what odd incoherent things are often put together by a
ludicrous fancy in our dreams.
(2.) The other, it may be between sleeping and waking, undertakes to
interpret this dream, and the interpretation is very far-fetched:
This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon,
v. 14.
Our expositors now can tell us how apt the resemblance was, that
Gideon, who had threshed corn for his family, and made cakes for his
friend
was fitly represented by a cake,–that he and his army were as
inconsiderable as a cake made of a little flour, as contemptible as a
barley-cake, hastily got together as a cake suddenly baked upon the
coals, and as unlikely to conquer this great army as a cake to
overthrow a tent. But, after all, do not interpretations belong to
God? He put it into the head of the one to dream and into the mouth
of the other to give the sense of it; if Gideon had heard the dream
only, and he and his servant had been left to interpret it themselves,
it had so little significancy in it that it would have done him little
service; but, having the interpretation from the mouth of an enemy, it
not only appeared to come from God, who has all men’s hearts and
tongues in his hand, but it was likewise an evidence that the enemy was
quite dispirited, and that the name of Gideon had become so formidable
to them that it disturbed their sleep. The victory would easily be won
which was already so tamely yielded: Into his hand hath God
delivered Midian. Those were not likely to fight who saw God
fighting against them.
Lastly, Gideon, observing the finger of God pointing him to this
very place, at this very time, to hear this dream and the
interpretation of it, was exceedingly encouraged by it against the
melancholy apprehensions he had upon the reducing of his army. He was
very well pleased to hear himself compared to a barley-cake, when it
proved to effect such great things. Being hereby animated, we are told
(v. 15),
1. How he gave God the glory of it; he worshipped immediately, bowed
his head, or, it may be, lifted up his eyes and hands, and in a short
ejaculation thanked God for the victory he was now sure of, and for
this encouragement to expect it. Wherever we are, we may speak to God,
and worship him, and find a way open heavenward. God must have the
praise of that which is encouraging to our faith, and his providence
must be acknowledged in those events which, though minute and seemingly
accidental, prove serviceable to us.
2. How he gave his friends a share in the encouragements he had
received: Arise, prepare to march presently; the Lord has
delivered Midian into your hand.
| The Midianites Surprised. | B. C. 1249. |
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16 And he divided the three hundred men into three companies,
and he put a trumpet in every man’s hand, with empty pitchers,
and lamps within the pitchers.
17 And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and,
behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be
that, as I do, so shall ye do.
18 When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me,
then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and
say, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.
19 So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came
unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle
watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the
trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands.
20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the
pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the
trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried,
The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.
21 And they stood every man in his place round about the camp:
and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.
22 And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set
every man’s sword against his fellow, even throughout all the
host: and the host fled to Beth-shittah in Zererath, and to the
border of Abel-meholah, unto Tabbath.
Here is,
I. The alarm which Gideon gave to the hosts of Midian in the dead time
of the night; for it was intended that those who had so long been a
terror to Israel, and had so often frightened them, should themselves
be routed and ruined purely by terror.
1. The attack here made was, in many circumstances, like that which
Abraham made upon the army that had taken Lot captive. The number of
men was much the same: Abraham had 318, Gideon 300; they both divided
their forces, both made their attack by night, and were both victorious
under great disadvantages
and Gideon is not only a son of Abraham (so were the Midianites by
Keturah) but an heir of his faith. Gideon,
(1.) Divided his army, small as it was, into three battalions
(v. 16),
one of which he himself commanded
(v. 19),
because great armies (and such a one he would make a show of) were
usually divided into the right wing, and left wing, and the body of the
army.
(2.) He ordered them all to do as he did,
He told them now, it is very likely, what they must do, else the thing
was so strange that they would scarcely have done it of a sudden, but
he would, by doing it first, give notice to them when to do it, as
officers exercise their soldiers with the word of command or by beat of
drum: Look on me, and do likewise. Such is the word of command
which our Lord Jesus, the captain of our salvation, gives his soldiers;
for he has left us an example, with a charge to follow it: As
I do, so shall you do.
(3.) He made his descent in the night, when they were secure
and least expected it, which would put them into great consternation,
and when the smallness of his army would not be discovered. In the
night all frights are most frightful, especially in the dead of the
night, as this was, a little after midnight, when the middle watch
began, and the alarm would wake them out of their sleep. We read of
terror by night as very terrible
(Ps. xci. 5),
and fear in the night,
Cant. iii. 8.
(4.) That which Gideon aimed at was to frighten this huge host, to give
them not only a fatal rout, but a very shameful one. He accoutred his
army with every man a trumpet in his right hand, and an earthen
pitcher, with a torch in it, in his left, and he himself thought it no
disparagement to him to march before them thus armed. He would make but
a jest of conquering this army, and goes out against them rather as
against a company of children than against a host of soldiers. The
virgin, the daughter of Zion, hath despised thee, and laughed
thee to scorn,
Isa. xxxvii. 22.
The fewness of his men favoured his design; for, being so few, they
marched to the camp with the greater secresy and expedition, so that
they were not discovered till they were close by the camp; and he
contrived to give the alarm when they had just mounted the guards
(v. 19),
that the sentinels, being then wakeful, might the sooner disperse the
alarm through the camp, which was the best service they could do him.
Three ways Gideon contrived to strike a terror upon this army, and so
put them into confusion.
[1.] With a great noise. Every man must blow his trumpet in the most
terrible manner he could and clatter an earthen pitcher to pieces at
the same time; probably each dashed his pitcher to his next man’s, and
so they were broken both together, which would not only make a great
crash, but was a figure of what would be the effects of the fright,
even the Midianites’ killing one another.
[2.] With a great blaze. The lighted torches were hid in the pitchers,
like a candle under a bushel, until they came to the camp, and
then, being taken out all together of a sudden, would make a glaring
show, and run through the camp like a flash of lightning. Perhaps with
these they set some of the tents on the outside of the camp on fire,
which would very much increase the confusion.
[3.] With a great shout. Every man must cry, For the Lord, and for
Gideon, so some think it should be read in
for there the sword is not in the original, but it is in
The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon. It should seem, he
borrowed the word from the Midianite’s dream
(v. 14):
it is the sword of Gideon. Finding his name was a terror to
them, he thus improves it against them, but prefixes the name of
Jehovah, as the figure without which his own was but an insignificant
cypher. This would put life into his own men, who might well take
courage when they had such a God as Jehovah, and such a man as Gideon,
both to fight for, and to fight for them; well might
those follow who had such leaders. It would likewise put their enemies
into a fright, who had of old heard of Jehovah’s great name, and of
late of Gideon’s. The sword of the Lord is all in all to the success of
the sword of Gideon, yet the sword of Gideon must be employed. Men the
instruments, and God the principal agent, must both be considered in
their places, but men, the greatest and best, always in subserviency
and subordination to God. This army was to be defeated purely by
terrors, and these are especially the sword of the Lord. These
soldiers, if they had swords by their sides, that was all, they had
none in their hands, but they gained the victory by shouting “The
sword.” So the church’s enemies are routed by a sword out of the
mouth,
Rev. xix. 21.
2. These soldiers, if they had swords by their sides, that was all,
they had none in their hands, but they gained the victory by shouting
“The sword.” So the church’s enemies are routed by a sword out of
the mouth,
Rev. xix. 21.
2. This method here taken of defeating the Midianites may be alluded
to,
(1.) As typifying the destruction of the devil’s kingdom in the world
by the preaching of the everlasting gospel, the sounding of that
trumpet, and the holding forth of that light out of earthen vessels,
for such the ministers of the gospel are, in whom the treasure of that
light is deposited,
Thus 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, him that sits on the throne and
the Lamb.
(2.) As representing the terrors of the great day. So the excellent
bishop Hall applies it; if these pitchers, trumpets, and firebrands,
did so daunt and dismay the proud troops of Midian and Amalek, who
shall be able to stand before the last terror, when the trumpet of the
archangel shall sound, the elements shall be on a flame, the heavens
pass away with a great noise, and the Lord himself shall descend with a
shout!
II. The wonderful success of this alarm. The Midianites were shouted
out of their lives, as the walls of Jericho were shouted down, that
Gideon might see what he lately despaired of ever seeing, the
wonders that their fathers told them of. Gideon’s soldiers
observed their orders, and stood every man in his place round about
the camp
(v. 21),
sounding his trumpet to excite them to fight one another, and holding
out his torch to light them to their ruin. They did not rush into the
host of Midian, as greedy either of blood or spoil, but patiently stood
still to see the salvation of the Lord, a salvation purely of
his own working. Observe how the design took effect.
1. They feared the Israelites. All the host immediately took
the alarm; it flew like lightning through all their lines, and they
ran, and cried, and fled,
v. 21.
There was something natural in this fright. We may suppose they had not
had intelligence of the great diminution of Gideon’s army, but rather
concluded that since their last advices it had been growing greater and
greater; and therefore they had reason to suspect, knowing how odious
and grievous they had made themselves and what bold steps had been
taken towards the throwing off of their yoke, that it was a very great
army which was to be ushered in with all those trumpeters and
torch-bearers. But there was more of a supernatural power impressing
this terror upon them. God himself gave it the setting on, to show how
that promise should have been fulfilled if they had not forfeited it,
One of you shall chase a thousand. See the power of imagination,
and how much it may become a terror at some times, as at other times it
is a pleasure.
2. They fell foul upon one another: The Lord set every man’s sword
against his fellow,
v. 22.
In this confusion, observing the trumpeters and torch-bearers to stand
still without their camp, they concluded the body of the army had
already entered and was in the midst of them, and therefore every one
ran at the next he met, though a friend, supposing him an enemy, and
one such mistake as this would occasion many, for then he that slew him
would certainly be taken for an enemy, and would be dispatched
immediately. It is our interest to preserve such a command of our own
spirits as never to be afraid with any amazement, for we cannot
conceive what mischiefs we thereby plunge ourselves into. See also how
God often makes the enemies of his church instruments to destroy one
another; it is a pity the church’s friends should ever be thus
infatuated.
3. They fled for their lives. Perhaps when day-light came they were
sensible of their mistake in fighting with one another, and concluded
that by this fatal error they had so weakened themselves that now it
was impossible to make any head against Israel, and therefore made the
best of their way towards their own country, though, for aught that
appears, the 300 men kept their ground. The wicked flee when none
pursueth,
Prov. xxviii. 1.
Terrors make him afraid on every side, and drive him to his
feet,
Job xviii. 11.
| Gideon’s Victory. | B. C. 1249. |
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23 And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of
Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued
after the Midianites.
24 And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim,
saying, Come down against the Midianites, and take before them
the waters unto Beth-barah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim
gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Beth-barah
and Jordan.
25 And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb;
and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the
winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of
Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.
We have here the prosecution of this glorious victory.
1. Gideon’s soldiers that had been dismissed, and perhaps had begun to
disperse themselves, upon notice of the enemies’ flight got together
again, and vigorously pursued those whom they had not courage to face.
The men of Israel out of Naphtali and Asher who did this
(v. 23)
were not such as now came from those distant countries, but the same
that had enlisted themselves
(ch. vi. 35),
but had been cashiered. Those who were fearful and afraid to fight
(v. 3)
now took heart, when the worst was over, and were ready enough to
divide the spoil, though backward to make the onset. Those also that
might not fight though they had a mind to it, and were disbanded by
order from God, did not as those,
return in great anger, but waited for an opportunity of doing
service in pursuing the victory, though they were denied the honour of
helping to force the lines.
2. The Ephraimites, upon a summons from Gideon, came in unanimously,
and secured the passes over Jordan, by the several fords, to cut off
the enemies’ retreat into their own country, that they might be
entirely destroyed, to prevent the like mischief to Israel another
time. Now that they had begun to fall, it was easy to say, Down with
them,
They took the waters
(v. 24),
that is, posted themselves along the river side, so that the
Midianites, who fled from those who pursued them, fell into the hands
of those that waited to intercept them. Here were fear, and the pit,
and the snare,
Isa. xxiv. 17.
3. Two of the chief commanders of the host of Midian were taken and
slain by the Ephraimites on this side Jordan,
Their names perhaps signified their nature, Oreb signifies a
raven, and Zeeb a wolf (corvus and
lupus). These in their flight had taken shelter, one in a
rock
the other by a wine-press, as Gideon for fear of them had lately
hid his corn by a wine-press,
But the places of their shelter were made the places of their
slaughter, and the memory of it was preserved to posterity in the names
of the places, to their perpetual infamy: Here fell the princes of
Midian.
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