Camp, and shout together to the Lord and to Gedeon: or rather "the sword of, &c., ver. 20. The war is the Lord's, victory to or by the hand of Gedeon," Chaldean. He is the minister of God's justice to punish Madian. (Menochius) --- It is not derogation to God (Calmet) that honour is given to his servants. (Worthington) --- Protestants supply the word which seems to be wanting. The sword of the Lord, &c. (Haydock) read more
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, 2 Corinthians 4:6; 2 Corinthians 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... read more
The Defeat of the Midianites v. 9. And it came to pass the same night that the Lord said unto him, Gideon, Arise, get thee down unto the host, in a sudden night attack upon the enemy ; for I have delivered it into thine hand. v. 10. But if thou fear to go down, to make the attack at once, go thou with Phurah, thy servant, down to the host, on a scouting expedition; v. 11. and thou shalt hear what they say, find out the state, disposition, and attitude of the enemy; and afterward shall... read more
Gideon and his attendant secretly visit the hostile camp. The dream of the soldier and its interpretation. The night-surprise, confusion, and pursuitJudges 7:12-2512And the Midianites, and the Amalekites, and all the children [sons] of the east, lay along in the valley like grasshoppers [locusts] for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea-side for multitude. 13And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold,... read more
Judges A BATTLE WITHOUT A SWORD Jdg_7:13 - Jdg_7:23 . To reduce thirty-two thousand to three hundred was a strange way of preparing for a fight; and, no doubt, the handful left felt some sinking of their courage when they looked on their own small number and then on the widespread Midianite host. Gideon, too, would need heartening. So the first thing to be noted is the encouragement given him. God strengthens faith when it needs strengthening, and He has many ways of doing so. Note that... read more
the Sword of Jehovah and of Gideon Judges 7:9-23 Gideon asked for the sign of the fleece, but God, without his asking, gave him that of the barley-cake. It was only barley-bread, the cheapest and commonest kind of food, but it overthrew a tent. Gideon was quick to recognize the symbol of his weakness and helplessness, but he recognized also the presage of victory. Lying there in the moonless night, with his head toward that tent, he worshiped and hastened back to his camp. We remember what... read more
This is the story of perhaps one of the most remarkable conflicts in the whole history of the people. As we have seen, it was a time when they had been cruelly oppressed as the result of disobedience. It was of the utmost importance that their deliverance should be evidently by divine action. Nothing would have been more disastrous at that time than for them to have imagined that they were able to extricate themselves from the circumstances in the midst of which they were suffering. ... read more
Gideon, a Hero of the Faith Judges 7:1-25 INTRODUCTORY WORDS Hebrews eleven classes Gideon with the heroes of the faith. This may well have been done. We need to remember, however, that Gideon lived in a day when faith was at low tide; he faced a condition of gloom, and almost of despair among his contemporaries. In addition, Gideon was, by nature, a good deal of a coward. He had been threshing down in a valley, for fear of the Midianites. He possessed no signal sign of faith, when God first... read more
‘ And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put into the hands of all of them ram’s horns, and empty pitchers, with torches within the pitchers. And he said to them, “Watch me, and do the same. And behold when I come to the extremity of the camp it shall be that as I do, so you shall do. When I blow the ram’s horn, I and all who are with me, then you blow the ram’s horns also on every side of the whole camp, and say ‘For Yahweh and for Gideon’.” ’ The strategy was... read more
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George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Judges 7:17
Camp. The three divisions stopt at the entrance, ver. 21. (Calmet) read more