Old Testament (written)

Artwork by Douglas Kallerson.

Judges 8:22-35

Gideon, Judge of Israel, Part X

(Typed 1 January 2024) The words of Gideon in these verses are also reflective of the great moral character of a person in American history. Gideon knew that ruling as a king was not appropriate and that the Lord alone should rule over Israel. That is a great mark of the man. He had the chance to grab and hold power, not only for himself but for his descendants after him. And yet, he turned it down.

George Washington was such a man. An excerpt from the Heritage Foundation article “The Man Who Would Not Be King” by Matthew Spalding, Ph.D. is quoted –

“As our first president, he set the precedents that define what it means to be a constitutional executive: strong and energetic, aware of the limits of authority but guarding the prerogatives of office. The vast powers of the presidency, as one Convention delegate wrote, would not have been made as great had not many of the members cast their eyes towards General Washington as president; and shaped their ideas of the powers to be given to a president by their opinions of his virtue.

“And the key ingredient in all of these things was moral character, something that Washington took very seriously and which gave to his decision-making a deeply prudential quality and to his authority an unmatched magnanimity. ‘His integrity was pure, his justice the most inflexible I have ever known, no motives of interest or consanguinity, of friendship or hatred, being able to bias his decision,’ Jefferson later observed. ‘He was, indeed, in every sense of the words, a wise, a good, and a great man.’

“It is no coincidence, then, that Washington’s most important legacy comes during moments of temptation, when the lure of power was before him. Twice during the Revolution, in 1776 and again in 1777 when Congress was forced to abandon Philadelphia in the face of advancing British troops, Gen. Washington was granted virtually unlimited powers to maintain the war effort and preserve civil society, powers not unlike those assumed in an earlier era by Roman dictators. He shouldered the responsibility but gave the authority back as soon as possible.

“After the war, there were calls for Washington to claim formal political power. Indeed, seven months after the victory at Yorktown, one of his officers suggested what many thought only reasonable in the context of the 18th century: that America should establish a monarchy and that Washington should become king. A shocked Washington immediately rejected the offer out of hand as both inappropriate and dishonorable, and demanded the topic never be raised again.”

How unlike so many today who can think of nothing but grabbing and holding onto power at any cost.

Text Verse: “Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5

Throughout the Bible, the idea of meekness and humility in man is seen to be pleasing to the Lord. The arrogant, the proud, the haughty, the boasters, and other such people are seen as offensive to Him.

This truly reveals the greatness of God in His moral character. A god of our own making will inevitably be completely different than from how God is revealed in the Bible.

This is so foreign to our human understanding of greatness, that when Jesus came in absolute humility and submission to the will of His father, and even to those He created, the world at large rejected Him outright.

Gideon started out humble, acknowledging his insignificance, and even after doing great things, he remained humble. This is the message of the gospel as well.

It is the greatest message in the world because it is the saving message of Jesus. Nothing can be added to it without tainting it. It is simple, filled with humility in what it says about Jesus dying for our sins, and it expects a humble response that recognizes faith alone, apart from any personal merit.

Seeing the life of Gideon as a reflection of the gospel is a marvelous part of God’s superior word. And so, let us turn to that precious word once again, and… May God speak to us through His word today, and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. Thus Midian Was Subdued (verses 22-28)

²² Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, both you and your son, and your grandson also;

vayomru ish Yisrael el gidon m’shal banu gam atah gam binkha gam ben b’nekha – “And said man Israel unto Gideon, ‘Rule in us, also you, also your son, also son your son.” With the victory over Midian secured, the men of Israel have excitedly agreed among themselves that they desire Gideon to rule over them.

Most commentators claim that they are calling for a kingship that would begin with Gideon and extend to his progeny after him. But this is not necessarily the case. The word used is mashal, to rule, not malakh, to reign.

Solomon reigned (malakh – as in 1 Kings 1:35) over Israel, but he ruled (mashal) “over all kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt” (1 Kings 4:21). The word mashal, rule, is never used concerning Saul, the first king of Israel. Rather, each time it is said that he reigned (malakh).

There is minimal overlap between the two words because they signify two different things. Having said that, the word malakh is used seven times in Judges 9 concerning Gideon’s son Abimelech. These are the only uses of the word in all of Judges when referring to a person of Israel.

As for Gideon, his name means Cutter. He has thus far pictured the gospel. Now, the men of Israel have asked him to rule, saying…

^{22 (con’t)} for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.”

ki hovoshatnu miyad midyan – “for you have saved us from hand Midian.” The people ascribed the salvation to Gideon when it was the Lord who selected Gideon, encouraged him in his state of weakness, and instructed him in what to do, when to do it, and how to accomplish the task.

Midian means Place of Judgment. It has thus far been typical of the tribulation period. Gideon, the gospel, was the instrument by which the Lord gained the victory for Israel in the tribulation. As for the men now in Judges, it next says…

²³ But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you.”

vayomer alehem gidon lo emshol ani bakhem v’lo yimshol b’ni bakhem Yehovah yimshol bakhem – “And said unto them Gideon, ‘No ruling, I, in you; and no ruling my son, in you. Yehovah ruling in you.’” Of all of the achievements of his time as judge, this statement is the pinnacle of them all.

Gideon has deferred to the Lord, who provided the victory, to continue to be the ruler over Israel. He is turning down what almost any other person would have jumped at, knowing that such a rule by him was undeserved and would compromise the relationship that had existed between the Lord and His people.

Despite this honorable position, the very next words will lead to a blemish arising on the time of his leadership…

²⁴ Then Gideon said to them, “I would like to make a request of you,

The words contain a cohortative: vayomer alehem gidon eshalah mikem sh’elah – “And said unto them, Gideon, ‘I will ask from you an asking.’” It is like a personal imperative. Gideon has something he greatly desires. His words then carry the weight of “I have something I would really like you to do for me.”

It appears that this verse begins a short insert that will end in verse 27. At that time, the narrative will resume. With that thought, the insert continues with…

^{24 (con’t)} that each of you would give me the earrings from his plunder.”

It is incorrect: utnu li ish nezem shlalo – “Giving to me, man, earring his spoil.” He asks for each man to give an earring (sg.) from his plunder.

As for the word nezem, it simply signifies a ring. It may be an earring or a nose ring. The reason for the request is explained by the narrator…

^{24 (con’t)} For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.

ki nizme zahav lahem ki yishmelim hem – “For earrings gold to them, for Ishmaelites, they.” This explains why the translation is earring rather than nose ring. The earring was an identifying mark of the Ishmaelites. It is the fact that they are gold, however, that drives the request. As will be seen, he is using an earring from each man as a multiplier.

Ishmael means God Hears. Instead of calling them Midianites, who descend from Abraham by his wife Keturah, they are here called Ishmaelites who descend from Abraham by his concubine Hagar. The interchanging of the names is necessary for typology, but it has already been seen that the terms indicate a mixture of people –

“So Judah said to his brothers, ‘What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? ²⁷ Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh.’ And his brothers listened. ²⁸ Then Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.’” Genesis 37:26-28

As for the request, just as collecting insurance fees is a little leading to a lot, Gideon knows no one will turn down his simple request. Therefore, he will accumulate a great amount of wealth…

²⁵ So they answered, “We will gladly give them.”

The response is excited and very willing: vayomru naton niten – “And said, giving, will give.” The men were more than happy to oblige. Gideon had led them, there were innumerable enemies defeated, and each man’s spoil would have been great. Therefore, a single gold earring was an insignificant offering for their heroic leader.

^{25 (con’t)} And they spread out a garment, and each man threw into it the earrings from his plunder.

Rather: vayipr’su eth ha’simlah vayashliku shamah ish nezem shlalo – “And spread the garment, and cast there, man, earring his plunder.” The definite article before garment would normally speak of a particular garment, but none is specified. Probably for this reason, the Greek translation says that Gideon spread out his garment.

From there, it again refers to the earring in the singular. The sense, then, is that each man cast only one earring into the plunder. Despite this, the amount really added up…

²⁶ Now the weight of the gold earrings that he requested was one thousand seven hundred shekels of gold,

v’hi mishqal nizme ha’zahav asher shaal eleph ushba meoth zahav – “And was weight earrings the gold which asked thousand and seven hundreds gold.” This is a large amount of gold, signifying the great number of those slain. It is reckoned by scholars as around 50-75 pounds of gold.

The general thought is that each weighed about one-half a shekel and, thus there were about 3400 dead. This is incorrect. As noted, the Hebrew says, “earring his plunder.” Thus, if each man gave one earring and each collected many, then the extent of the slaughter is more strikingly realized.

As for the number, it is a multiple of 17 and 10s. Bullinger is careful to describe seventeen, saying –

Seventeen stands out very prominently as a significant number. It is not a multiple of any other number, and therefore it has no factors. Hence it is called one of the prime (or indivisible) numbers. What is more, it is the seventh in the list of the prime numbers.

The series runs 1, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, etc. Thirteen, it will be noted, is also a prime number, and is therefore important; but it is the sixth of the series: hence it partakes of the significance of the number 6, and is indeed an intensified expression of it.

In like manner seventeen being the seventh of the series, it partakes of and intensifies the significance of the number seven. Indeed, it is the combination or sum of two perfect numbers—seven and ten—seven being the number of spiritual perfection, and ten of ordinal perfection.

Contrasted together the significance of these two numbers is clear; and when united in the number seventeen we have a union of their respective meanings, viz., spiritual perfection, plus ordinal perfection, or the perfection of spiritual order.

Of the number ten, Bullinger also says, “Completeness of order, marking the entire round of anything, is, therefore, the ever-present signification of the number ten. It implies that nothing is wanting; that the number and order are perfect; that the whole cycle is complete.”

As for Gideon’s booty, it next says…

^{26 (con’t)} besides the crescent ornaments, pendants, and purple robes which were on the kings of Midian, and besides the chains that were around their camels’ necks.

l’bad min ha’saharonim v’hantipoth u-bigde ha’argaman se’al malkhe midyan u-l’bad min ha’anaqoth asher b’tsavare g’malehem – “to exception from the round-ornaments, and the drop-ornaments, and garment the purple upon kings Midian, and to exception from the necklaces which in necks their camels.”

There are two new words. The first is netiphah, a word coming from nataph, to drop or drip but also to prophecy via inspiration. Thus, it would signify a drop-ornament, meaning an eardrop or a pendant. The second is anaq, a necklace.

The round-ornaments were first noted in Judges 8:21. They were either round or crescent-shaped ornaments that adorned the camels’ necks. The eardrops or pendants would have been worn by the men in addition to the gold earrings already noted.

The purple garments might be those of the kings and princes who were over the various tribes. Finally, the necklaces of the camels may have been to hold the round ornaments, or there may have been other chains beside them. All in all, the amount of spoil obtained by Gideon was exceptional. Next, it says…

²⁷ Then Gideon made it into an ephod and set it up in his city, Ophrah.

vayaas oto gidon l’ephod vayatseg oto b’iro b’aphrah – “And made it, Gideon, to ephod. And placed it in his city, in Ophrah.” The “it” appears to be referring to the gold from the earrings apart from all of the items.

Depending on what commentary you read, the opinions on this act range from scathing indictment of apostasy to an acceptable dedication to the Lord, or even some sort of noble acknowledgment of the Lord’s provision.

The idea of this being intended as an object of idolatry is nuts. Gideon just said, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the LORD shall rule over you.” That was immediately followed by his request for the earrings. And those, along with the other items, are said to be made into an ephod.

It is obvious from the immediate sequence of events that he intended that this was to be a symbolic reminder that the Lord is the Ruler over Israel. The ephod was the garment worn by the high priest as described in Exodus 28.

It is the part of the priestly garment that covers the chest in front and the upper back. It may be the part of the garments described in Revelation 1 in John’s vision of the Lord Jesus –

“Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, ¹³ and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.” Revelation 1:12, 13

This ephod is thus Gideon’s acknowledgment of the Lord’s dual role as ruler and priestly leader of the people. That is a concept not really grasped nor fully considered in Israel until a prophecy by Zechariah concerning the coming Messiah –

“Then speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, saying:
‘Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH!
From His place He shall branch out,
And He shall build the temple of the Lord;
¹³ Yes, He shall build the temple of the Lord.
He shall bear the glory,
And shall sit and rule [mashal] on His throne;
So He shall be a priest [consider the ephod] on His throne,
And the counsel of peace shall be between them both.’” Zechariah 6:12, 13

Ophrah means Of the Dust.

^{27 (con’t)} And all Israel played the harlot with it there.

v’yiznu kal Yisrael akharav sham – “And prostituted all Israel after it there.” Israel’s actions cannot be equated to Gideon’s intent though some try to link them. For example, the Lord directed Moses to make the serpent on the pole. It then saved the people who looked to it for healing.

However, despite the original intent, we later read this concerning the actions of King Hezekiah –

“He removed the high places and broke the sacred pillars, cut down the wooden image and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made; for until those days the children of Israel burned incense to it, and called it Nehushtan.” 2 Kings 18:4

Because of the people’s actions, however…

^{27 (con’t)} It became a snare to Gideon and to his house.

v’hi l’gidon u-l’beitho l’moqesh – “And was to Gideon, and to his house, to snare.” The moqesh, or snare, is translated as skandalon in the Greek text. That is later used in the New Testament to indicate an offense or a stumbling block, such as –

“And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense [skandalon: stumbling block] of the cross has ceased. ¹² I could wish that those who trouble you would even cut themselves off!” Galatians 5:11, 12

The ephod, even if made with proper intentions, became a point of tripping up Gideon and his house.

²⁸ Thus Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted their heads no more.

vayikana midyan liphne b’ne Yisrael v’lo yasphu la’seth rosham – “And subdued Midian to faces sons Israel, and no added to lift their heads.” These words appear to be a closing bookend to the words of verse 23 which preceded the short inserted passage –

v.23 But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you.”
v.28 Thus Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted their heads no more.

Never again in Scripture is Midian said to come against Israel. However, in Isaiah, it notes that in the future the Midianites will return to Israel in multitudes. It is a time prophesied by Isaiah to come, not unsurprisingly, after the tribulation period –

“The multitude of camels shall cover your land,
The dromedaries of Midian and Ephah;
All those from Sheba shall come;
They shall bring gold and incense,
And they shall proclaim the praises of the Lord” Isaiah 60:6

With that, it next says…

^{28 (con’t)} And the country was quiet for forty years

vatishqot ha’arets arbaim shanah – “And rested the land forty years.” It is letter for letter the same as the corresponding words found in Judges 3:11 at the time of Othniel and Judges 5:31 at the time of Deborah.

Forty is defined by Bullinger as “a period of probation, trial, and chastisement—(not judgment, like the number 9, which stands in connection with the punishment of enemies, but the chastisement of sons, and of a covenant people).”

And more, because “it relates to enlarged dominion, or to renewed or extended rule, then it does so in virtue of its factors 4 and 10.”

Four, “is the number of things that have a beginning, of things that are made, of material things, and matter itself. It is the number of material completeness. Hence it is the world number, and especially the ‘city’ number.”

Ten has already been described. With that, the next words tell us that these forty years were…

^{28 (con’t)} in the days of Gideon.

bime gidon – “in days Gideon.” The entire remaining duration of Gideon’s life was free from any conflict, from within or without.

The Lord is your Creator and your God
To Him alone are your thanks and praises due
Throughout your life and every step you trod
The Lord alone shall rule over you

To place your hope and faith in man
Is a sad place of trust. It will never do
And if having confidence in yourself is your plan
Your thinking is certainly askew

Look to the Lord alone and accept His saving grace
In that, you can be confident in eternal happiness
Only in Him can you behold God’s face
Anything else will leave you in an eternal mess

II.  Israel Again Played the Harlot (verses 29-35)

²⁹ Then Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.

Maybe a little more poetically: vayelekh yerubaal ben yoash vayeshev b’beitho – “And walked, Jerubbaal son Joash, and sat in his house.” To walk in Scripture signifies the conduct of one’s life. To sit means to dwell, but it implies in a peaceful and content manner. Sitting also implies one who judges.

For example, Deborah sat under the palm to judge in Judges 4. Likewise, the Angel of the Lord sat under the terebinth tree in Ophrah to render a judgment in Judges 6.

Gideon, who is Jerubbaal, conducted himself to his house where he dwelt henceforth, judging Israel. Jerubbaal means Let Baal Strive. Joash means Yehovah Has Bestowed. Of him, it next says…

³⁰ Gideon had seventy sons who were his own offspring, for he had many wives.

u-l’gidon hayu shivim banim yotsei y’rekho ki nashim raboth hayu lo – “And to Gideon were seventy sons coming out his loin, for wives many were to him.” These words, and those of the next verse, are given to anticipate the coming chapter.

It should be noted that this doesn’t mean that all of his sons were born after he settled into his house. For example, his son Jether, the firstborn, was already noted. Thus, this is only a record of the seventy legitimate sons born to him. Bullinger says –

“Seventy is another combination of two of the perfect numbers, seven and ten. … Hence 7 x 10 signifies perfect spiritual order carried out with all spiritual power and significance. Both spirit and order are greatly emphasized.”

³¹ And his concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son,

The words bear emphasis: u-pilagsho asher bishkhem yaldah lo gam hi ben – “And his concubine who in Shechem bore to him, also she, son.” The words of this verse are important in understanding what is coming. It just noted that Gideon had lots of legitimate sons from his legal wives.

However, here, it notes that his concubine in Shechem bore him a son. But it does so with an additional emphasis. This son is thus being introduced as a main figure in the coming narrative.

Shechem means Shoulder. However, that comes from shakam signifying to incline, as in inclining the shoulder to a burden. Hence, it is normally translated as to rise or start early. Abarim defines Shechem as “[Having a Sense of] Responsibility.” Of him, it next says…

^{31 (con’t)} whose name he called Abimelech.

The translation is not correct, and it gives a completely wrong sense of what is going on: vayasem eth shemo avimelekh – “And he set his name: Abimelech.” There is no change in subject. Thus, it is not Gideon who gave this name.

Further, in the Bible, the way a person is given a name at birth is to say something like, “And he called [qara] his name Isaac.” To set a name means to give another name, like we do with a nickname.

My children and all their friends call me Skipper. But when I was born, my parents named me Emlen. On that same day, my maternal grandmother, thankfully and for a particular reason, called me Charlie. Thus, she set my name as Charlie. I set my name as Skipper for my children. Because of this, everyone but the government and the bank ignores the name my parents gave me.

As there is no change in subject, it is Abimelech who has set his name as such. Whatever his given name, it is irrelevant to the coming narrative. Abimelech means My Father is King, Father of a King, Father is King, Father Reigns, etc. It can even mean Desired Counsel. Exactly which of these is to be determined from the surrounding context.

³² Now Gideon the son of Joash died at a good old age,

Literally: vayamath gidon ben yoash b’sebah tovah – “And died, Gideon, son of Joash, in gray-hair good.” This exact expression, when referring to the death of an individual, is only used when referring to Abraham and David.

^{32 (con’t)} and was buried in the tomb of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

vayiqaver b’qever yoash aviv b’apherah avi ha ezri – “And buried in grave Joash his father, in Ophrah father the Ezrite.” This is the last time that avi ha’ezri, or Father the Ezrite is seen in Scripture. It means Father the Helper.

³³ So it was, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel again played the harlot with the Baals,

v’hi ka’asher meth gidon vayashuvu b’ne Yisrael vayiznu akhare ha’b’alim – “And was according to which died Gideon, and turned sons Israel, and prostituted after the Baals.” The obvious meaning is that Israel did not do so during the life of Gideon. And yet, as soon as he died (according to which), the inner impulses of disobedience immediately took over again. As such…

^{33 (con’t)} and made Baal-Berith their god.

It is the same word just used to set Abimelech’s name: vayasimu la’hem baal berith lelohim – “And set to them Baal Berith to their god.” In place of Yehovah, they have set Baal Berith as their god. The name means Master of the Covenant(s). The word Covenant is singular, but Jones’ Dictionary concludes that this construction is better rendered plural.

As a side note, the words can be translated as “They made a covenant with Baal to be their god.”

³⁴ Thus the children of Israel did not remember the Lord their God,

v’lo zekru b’ne Yisrael eth Yehovah elohehem – “And no remembered sons Israel Yehovah their God.” These words are far too often repeated in Scripture: Israel disobeys the Lord. The Lord sends corrective measures to punish them and turn them back to Him. Israel cries out to the Lord for deliverance. The Lord delivers them. And finally, once again, Israel turns from the Lord, completely forgetting the great deliverance He brought about. As it next says…

^{34 (con’t)} who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies on every side;

Rather: ha’matsil otam miyad kal oyvehem misaviv – “the Deliverer them from hand all their enemies around.” The verb, being used as a noun, shows that it was the Lord who accomplished the feat. Even if it was done through Gideon, it was by His power, His Spirit, and His choosing and determination that it came about. Further…

³⁵ nor did they show kindness to the house of Jerubbaal (Gideon)

v’lo asu khesed im beith yerubaal gidon – “And no made mercy with house Jerubbaal, Gideon.” The word khesed signifies mercy, favor, kindness, lovingkindness, etc. In this case, mercy probably captures the spirit of the word because of the next clause.

Jerubbaal’s house will be treated shamefully by the people. No mercy will be extended to his many sons. This will not at all be…

*^{35 (fin)} in accordance with the good he had done for Israel.

k’kal ha’tovah asher asah im Yisrael – “According to all the goodness which he made with Israel.” Gideon had worked in goodness with Israel. Israel had worked without mercy with his house. The two thoughts set as a complete contrast –

And no made mercy with house Jerubbaal, Gideon.
According to all the goodness which he made with Israel.

Remember how the verses of this passage started out –

“Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, ‘Rule over us, both you and your son, and your grandson also.’” Gideon refused this and told them that the Lord would rule over them. In forgetting the Lord, they have turned away and also failed to remember the Lord’s instrument of deliverance.

Likewise, in neglecting the Lord, we neglect the word, the simple gospel, which was the instrument the Lord used to bring us back to Himself in the first place.

Gideon the son of Joash was finally laid to rest
But that is not the end of his story
Because of the Lord, he will be raised and blessed
Someday to walk with Him in eternal glory

This is the hope of the saints throughout time
That the Lord has come to restore us to God
The gospel message, ever so sublime
Is the good news to which we can applaud

Thank You, O God, for having sent Jesus
To bring us back to You through His shed blood
Such glorious things You have done for us
When we are submerged ‘neath the crimson flood

III. An Explanation of the Typology

The passage today has several different things going on in it, and thus it is complicated. The first thing presented is the conclusion to the narrative that ended with the slaying of Zebah and Zalmunna in the previous sermon. That includes these verses –

“Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, ‘Rule over us, both you and your son, and your grandson also; for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.’
²³ But Gideon said to them, ‘I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you.’” …
“Thus Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted their heads no more. And the country was quiet for forty years in the days of Gideon.” Judges 8:22, 23 & 28

This presents an acknowledgment that after the tribulation period, during the millennium, the Lord alone will be the ruler over Israel. For example, it says in Isaiah 40 –

“Behold, the Lord God shall come with a strong hand,
And His arm shall rule [mashal] for Him;
Behold, His reward is with Him,
And His work before Him.” Isaiah 40:10

The thought of the reward being with Jesus is repeated in the last chapter of the Bible –

“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. ¹³ I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” Revelation 22:12, 13

Until Israel goes through the tribulation period, the Lord is not their sole ruler, but once the gospel (Gideon) delivers Israel from the tribulation, the Lord will be in His rightful position of rule from that time on.

Between those verses, however, there was the difficult insert concerning the ephod. Simply stated, these verses demonstrate that any addition to the gospel (Gideon) taints the gospel.

Personally reaching back to the victory over the law as a source of inspiration, even if it is intended to glorify the Lord or represent His gospel, taints the gospel, which is something that is procured by faith alone.

Each of the verses points to man’s effort or boasting. Thus, the final words of that section say, “And was to Gideon, and to his house, to snare.” One cannot add to the gospel without tainting it. With any attempt to do so, it becomes a snare.

Gideon set up the ephod in Ophrah, Of the Dust. This means that those born during the tribulation period will still be fallen. They will need to believe and accept the untainted gospel that Christ alone atones for their sin, as has always been the case in previous dispensations. Anything else is a snare that is to be avoided.

The note of the victory over Midian and the forty years of rest during the days of Gideon is given to express the wholeness of the victory of Christ over His enemies. As long as the gospel is adhered to, there will be complete rest, and there will never again be a need for the Place of Judgment (Midian).

Verse 29 then said, “And Jerubbaal, son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.” It is a final note confirming that the Lord will sit, as promised, in the house of the Lord during the millennium.

Jerubbaal, Let Baal Strive, speaks of Jesus. The law failed to strive against Jesus. Thus, He prevailed over it. The name Joash, Yehovah Has Bestowed, is included to clearly present that Christ is the One upon whom the Lord has bestowed all that is necessary to save man.

With that stated came the final verses concerning Gideon’s life after the battle. They are given as a foreshadowing of what lies ahead concerning Abimelech and the conduct of Israel during his time.

They are a necessary set of words to close out the literal history of Gideon and Israel. The next chapter, which is literal history, will then be used to reveal more typology.

As for Gideon, what a marvelous joy to see how God used him to reveal wonderful and amazing insights into the future of Israel’s history. At some point, hopefully soon, the rapture will occur. After that, Israel will enter into a seemingly hopeless seven years of true misery.

But during that time, they will go to the word, test it for what it proclaims concerning Jesus, and their nightmare will be ended. They will, as a nation, sit at the head of the nations for a thousand years.

However, that will only come about through humility and obedience to the gospel, accepting that Christ is their Lord and that He alone has paid their penalty for sin.

It will happen. The book is written, and it reveals to us what we need to know about what is coming. And more, it does it in such a way that we can have absolute confidence that it is reliable and true. If you are unsure about the word, test it with an open mind.

Every bit of time and effort you put into challenging it will be rewarded with greater confidence in what it says. In the end, you will find Jesus. And in finding Jesus, you will find peace, hope, and restoration.

Closing Verse: “And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon…” Hebrews 11:32

Next Week: Judges 9:1-15 What the heck. We’ll list the sermons, do ‘em and off we’ll check ‘em, until they are done… (Abimelech, King of Shechem, Part I) (28^th Judges sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. It is He who judges His people according to their deeds. So, follow Him, live for Him, and trust Him, and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

Gideon, Judge of Israel, Part X

Then the men of Israel said to Gideon
“Rule over us, both you and your son
And your grandson also
For you have delivered us from the hand of Midian

But Gideon said to them
“I will not rule over you
Nor shall my son rule over you
The LORD shall rule over you, so He shall do

Then Gideon said to them, “I would like to make a request of you
That each of you would give me the earrings from his plunder
For they had golden earrings
Because they were Ishmaelites: cool, like Quigley Down Under

So they answered, “We will gladly give them
And they spread out a garment (maybe from Boy Wonder)
And each man threw into it
The earrings from his plunder

Now the weight of the gold earrings that he requested
Was one thousand seven hundred shekels of gold-
———-that’s a lot of sheks
Besides the crescent ornaments, pendants, and purple robes which
———-were on the kings of Midian
And besides the chains that were around their camels’ necks

Then Gideon made it into an ephod
And set it up in his city, Ophrah – quite a distance from Laos
And all Israel played the harlot with it there
It became a snare to Gideon and to his house

Thus Midian was subdued before the children of Israel
So that they lifted their heads no more
And the country was quiet
For forty years in the days of Gideon; a time of no war

Then Jerubbaal the son of Joash went
And dwelt in his own house, so say the archives
Gideon had seventy sons who were his own offspring
For he had many wives

And his concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son
Whose name he called Abimelech. Yes, that’s rights
Now Gideon the son of Joash died at a good old age
And was buried in the tomb of Joash his father, in Ophrah
———-of the Abiezrites

So it was, as soon as Gideon was dead
That the children of Israel, every Tom and Todd
Again played the harlot with the Baals
And made Baal-Berith their god

Thus the children of Israel
Did not remember the LORD their God, they did backslide
Who had delivered them from the hands
Of all their enemies on every side

Nor did they show kindness to the house of Jerubbaal (Gideon)
In accordance with the good he had for Israel done

Lord God, turn our hearts to be obedient to Your word
Give us wisdom to be ever faithful to You
May we carefully heed each thing we have heard
Yes, Lord God may our hearts be faithful and true

And we shall be content and satisfied in You alone
We will follow You as we sing our songs of praise
Hallelujah to You; to us Your path You have shown
Hallelujah we shall sing to You for all of our days

Hallelujah and Amen…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

²² Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, both you and your son, and your grandson also; for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.”

²³ But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you.” ²⁴ Then Gideon said to them, “I would like to make a request of you, that each of you would give me the earrings from his plunder.” For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.

²⁵ So they answered, “We will gladly give them.” And they spread out a garment, and each man threw into it the earrings from his plunder. ²⁶ Now the weight of the gold earrings that he requested was one thousand seven hundred shekels of gold, besides the crescent ornaments, pendants, and purple robes which were on the kings of Midian, and besides the chains that were around their camels’ necks. ²⁷ Then Gideon made it into an ephod and set it up in his city, Ophrah. And all Israel played the harlot with it there. It became a snare to Gideon and to his house.

²⁸ Thus Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted their heads no more. And the country was quiet for forty years in the days of Gideon.

²⁹ Then Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house. ³⁰ Gideon had seventy sons who were his own offspring, for he had many wives. ³¹ And his concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, whose name he called Abimelech. ³² Now Gideon the son of Joash died at a good old age, and was buried in the tomb of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

³³ So it was, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel again played the harlot with the Baals, and made Baal-Berith their god. ³⁴ Thus the children of Israel did not remember the Lord their God, who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies on every side; ³⁵ nor did they show kindness to the house of Jerubbaal (Gideon) in accordance with the good he had done for Israel.

 

 

Artwork by Douglas Kallerson.

Judges 8:13-21
Gideon, Judge of Israel, Part IX

(Typed 25 December 2023) It has been pointed out in previous sermons that what will happen during the tribulation period in a literal sense, meaning the destruction and carnage on the planet, is only part of the story. At the same time, there is a spiritual battle that will be waged.

The timeline set by Paul in his epistles reveals the sequence of events that will take place. The rapture will occur, the antichrist will be revealed, and after that, a peace deal will be signed that will initiate the seven years of tribulation.

The timeline is clearly and unambiguously set in 2 Thessalonians 2. It was alluded to in Judges 6:1-10 in the opening narrative leading to Gideon as the judge of Israel. But the contents of Judges aren’t focused on the literal carnage of the world to come. Rather, they are focused on the spiritual battle that Israel will face.

Why would that be the case? The reason is that the church age is complete. The promises in the Old Testament concerning the millennium may include Gentiles who come to faith during the tribulation period, but it is Israel to whom the promises belong.

Everything else that occurs during the tribulation period is to bring Israel to this understanding. That will lead to their acceptance of the gospel and national salvation.

Text Verse: “I will plant them in their land,
And no longer shall they be pulled up
From the land I have given them,”
Says the Lord your God.” Amos 9:15

Israel is already back in the land. They have been planted, and they shall never again be pulled up. But their nation today is one of wickedness and unfaithfulness to the Lord. That, like the wickedness throughout the earth, must be dealt with before the time of harmony promised in the prophets comes.

What occurs outside of Israel, especially in what happens in the world in relation to Israel, is what is needed to bring them to the point of their anticipated conversion. Once that momentous event occurs, the Lord can personally intervene and bring about the end of the tribulation.

This is seen in Revelation 19, but it is also hinted at in Matthew 24. There, Jesus notes that there will be such great tribulation on the earth that if the days were not cut short, “no flesh would be saved.” However, He then says, “but for the elect’s sake, those days will be shortened.”

The spiritual battle that occurs during this time of tribulation is what Judges continues to deal with. It’s all to be found in His superior word. And so, let us turn to that precious word once again, and… May God speak to us through His word today, and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. My Brothers, the Sons of My Mother (verses 13-21)

¹³ Then Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle, from the Ascent of Heres.

To start the verses today we come to a very complicated set of words that are widely rendered: vayashav gidon ben yoash min ha’milkhamah milmaaleh hekhreres – “And returned Gideon, son Joash, from the battle, from to ascent the sun (or, Ascent the Sun).”

Some translations say: before the sun was up; at the going up of the sun; from the cliff of the sun; by way of Heres pass; down from the battle of Ares; etc. This is referring to what was presented in the previous sermon from last week –

“Now Zebah and Zalmunna were at Karkor, and their armies with them, about fifteen thousand, all who were left of all the army of the people of the East; for one hundred and twenty thousand men who drew the sword had fallen. ¹¹ Then Gideon went up by the road of those who dwell in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah; and he attacked the army while the camp felt secure. ¹² When Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued them; and he took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and routed the whole army.”

Gideon went around the army and came at the camp in an unexpected manner. During the battle, the two kings fled. The natural way for them to flee would be east, the direction they had originally come from. Gideon pursued them and took them. Now, after capturing the kings, it says, “from to ascent the sun.” The meaning is that he turned back (from) the point (to) which he had been in pursuit of them.

He was heading in the direction of the sun’s ascent (east). Eventually, he captured the kings. Now, to return to his land, he turned back from this direction. This appears to be a purposeful way of saying “east” without using that descriptor.

It is also notable that the full name, Gideon son of Joash, is used. The last time it was seen was in Judges 7:14 at the time of the dream –

“Then his companion answered and said, ‘This is nothing else but the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel! Into his hand God has delivered Midian and the whole camp.’”

Since then, the name Gideon has been stated nine times. Now, his full name is again stated as a confirmation that the task of defeating the enemy has been completed. Joash means Yehovah Has Bestowed.

¹⁴ And he caught a young man of the men of Succoth and interrogated him;

vayilkad naar meanshe sukkoth vayishalehu – “And took youth from men Sukkoth and asked him.” The words seem unnecessarily detailed, but they are needed to set the framework for the next clause. That this is a naar, or youth, may seem surprising based on the next words…

^{14 (con’t)} and he wrote down for him the leaders of Succoth and its elders, seventy-seven men.

vayiktov elav eth sare sukoth v’et zeqeneha shivim v’shivah ish – “and wrote unto him princes Sukkoth and her elders, seventy and seven man.” It is unknown if this youth being able to write was some unusual exception, or if it was a common trait. Either way, he was able to write, and he was intelligent enough to know the names of the princes of the city as well as its elders.

This was a means of ensuring that none of the leadership would escape justice for refusing to assist Gideon’s men with the simple provision of bread. Because of their pusillanimous refusal to help…

¹⁵ Then he came to the men of Succoth and said, “Here are Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you ridiculed me,

va’yavo el anshe sukoth vayomer hineh zevakh v’tsalmuna asher kheraptem oti – “And came unto men Sukkoth, and said, ‘Behold! Zebah and Zalmunna, whom you reproached me.’” Presenting the kings would have been a rather shocking display. Gideon could have simply killed the two kings and left them to rot.

He could have taken their heads off and brought them back. But that would leave the question open as to how they died. However, with the two kings standing right there, this was an absolute confirmation that there was total victory over Midian. The kings had been spared for this very purpose. And more, he turns these leaders’ words back on their own heads…

^{15 (con’t)} saying, ‘Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand,

lemor ha’kaph zevakh v’tsalmuna atah b’yadkha – “to say, ‘The palm Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand.’” In verse 6, using a singular verb indicating unanimity of speech, the leaders of Sukkoth said, “The palm Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand?” Gideon reminds them of their words, repeating them back to the men. It is a letter for letter response. And he continues…

^{15 (con’t)} that we should give bread to your weary men?’”

ki niten laanashekha hay’ephim lahem – “for giving to your men, the wearied, bread.” Gideon does a masterful changeup to their words –

“for giving to your army bread.”
“for giving to your men, the wearied, bread.”

Gideon had first said to them, “For wearied, they, and I, I pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings Midian.” The leaders had responded, essentially saying, “Why would we give your puny army bread when you are pursuing a massive force of Midianites?”

Here, he uses the same word for wearied, noting that they were, in fact, wearied. And yet, they prevailed over the massive force of Midian and the palm (the authority they possessed) of Zebah and Zalmunna was now in his hand (under his authority). As this was so, it is certain that a little city couldn’t stand against him…

¹⁶ And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.

vayiqakh eth ziqne ha’ir v’eth qotse ha’midbar v’eth ha’barqanim vayoda bahem eth anshe sukoth – “And took elders the city, and thorns the wilderness and the flails. And knowing in them men Sukkoth.” This is just what he promised to do to them – “And thresh your flesh with thorns the wilderness and with the flails.”

The meaning is that using briars and flails, he threshed the flesh of the elders. By this, the men of Sukkoth as a whole were instructed in what the punishment for cowardice was. In this verse is the second and last use of barqanim, flails, in Scripture.

What this seems to mean is that they completely covered the elders with thorns of the wilderness and then repeatedly hit them with the flails, thus threshing their flesh in the process. It would have been an exceedingly painful lesson – stingy hot and ouchy.

As a side note, some commentators think there is an error in the text. Instead of the word yada, to know, they think it should read threshed. The two are very close in spelling if structured in a particular way –

וידע – and knowing
וידש – and threshed

Some manuscripts agree with this, but the change is unnecessary. The elders were punished and the rest of the men of the city learned the penalty for being cowards. Gideon next moves on to another spineless group…

¹⁷ Then he tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.

v’eth Migdal penuel natats vayaharog eth anshe ha’ir – “And tower Penuel tore down. And killed men the city.” In verse 9, Gideon promised to come back and tear down the tower of Penuel. Nothing was said of killing the men of the city. And so it may have been that in tearing down the tower, the men were killed. They fled there for refuge and in its collapse, those inside were crushed with it.

The location of the city was strategically important enough that later, in the time of King Jeroboam, it was built again (1 Kings 12:25). Next, with his promise to the lily-livered inhabitants fulfilled, Gideon will turn his hand of justice upon those who had so severely afflicted Israel…

¹⁸ And he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men were they whom you killed at Tabor?”

The words are curious: vayomer el zevakh v’el tsalmuna ephoh ha’anashim asher haragtem b’thavor – “And said unto Zebah and unto Zalmunna, “Where-here the men whom you killed in Tabor?’” First, there is no antecedent to what is said. Neither Tabor nor the killing of these men has been mentioned during the account of Gideon. The last time Tabor was noted was in the battle of Judges 4 where it was called Mount Tabor.

Second, Gideon uses a rare word, ephoh. It comes from ay, where, and poh, here. Thus, it literally means where-here. It is always translated elsewhere as “where.” However, he may be using it as a general interrogative concerning a particular aspect of the men. If so, a similar combination in English might be “whaddabout.”

If it means only “where,” then it may be a taunt to the kings. “Where the men you killed in Tabor?” Something similar would then be the taunting of the Rabshakeh who stood at the walls of Jerusalem –

“Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, ‘The Lord will deliver us.’ Has any one of the gods of the nations delivered its land from the hand of the king of Assyria? ¹⁹ Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Indeed, have they delivered Samaria from my hand? ²⁰ Who among all the gods of these lands have delivered their countries from my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem from my hand?” Isaiah 36:18-20

Tabor comes from barar, to purify. It means Purity or Purified.

^{18 (con’t)} So they answered, “As you are, so were they; each one resembled the son of a king.”

vayomru kamokha kh’mohem ekhad k’toar b’ne ha’melekh – “And said according to you, according to them: one according to form, sons the king.” Without hearing their intonation, it’s hard to be dogmatic concerning their intent.

If Gideon was taunting them in the previous clause, which seems likely, then they are either trying to pacify him through flattery, acknowledging his princely state, or they are returning a taunt as in, “They were all like the king’s sons, but now they’re all dead.”

Either way, it is of note that they use the term “the king” when there was no king in Israel. One would think they would say “a king.” Next, Gideon’s response seals their fate…

¹⁹ Then he said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the Lord lives, if you had let them live, I would not kill you.”

The words are filled with life and force: vayomar akhai b’ne imi hem khai Yehovah lu hakhayitem otham lo haragti etkhem – “And said, ‘My brothers, sons my mother, them! Life Yehovah! Would you lived them, not I killed you.”

Not only were they sons of his father, but they were sons of the same mother. Thus, they had the closest bond of all between them. As Gideon is the nearest blood relative, from a legal sense it was his duty to execute these kings. However, he defers to his son to accomplish the deed. Thus, it would be a demeaning act added to their demise…

²⁰ And he said to Jether his firstborn, “Rise, kill them!”

Gideon speaks with imperatives: vayomer l’yether b’koro qum harog otham – “And said to Jether, his firstborn, ‘Arise! Kill them!’” Deferring to his young son to accomplish the task would be considered a disgraceful death for these kings almost comparable to having a woman kill them.

It would also be instructional for the son as well as a mark of prestige that he could carry with him later in life, being the one who finished off these great kings.

As for the name Jether, it comes from yathar, to remain, make plenteous, preserve, etc. It can mean Preeminence, Excellence, Abundance, Remnant, Preserved, etc.

^{20 (con’t)} But the youth would not draw his sword; for he was afraid, because he was still a youth.

v’lo shalaph ha’naar kharbo ki yare ki odenu naar – “And no drew the youth his sword. For afraid. For he still youth.” Despite being granted the honor of the kill, he was still young and fearful about such an act. Thus, he would have to learn through sight rather than action.

²¹ So Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Rise yourself, and kill us; for as a man is, so is his strength.”

The word “said” is singular and the kings use their own imperatives: vayomer zevakh v’tsalmuna qum atah uphga banu ki kaish g’vurato – “And said Zebah and Zalmunna, ‘Arise, you, and impinge in us. For according to the man, his strength.’”

These two know they are goners. If Gideon pressed the boy, insisting that he kill them, it wouldn’t simply be a disgrace. It is painfully evident that Jether had never done such a thing. Therefore, it would also be evidently painful for them that he had learned to kill through them. Therefore, they taunt Gideon into dispatching them to the pit. Therefore…

^{21 (con’t)} So Gideon arose and killed Zebah and Zalmunna,

Hooray! vayaqum gidon vayaharog eth zevakh v’eth tsalmuna – “And rises, Gideon, and kills Zebah and Zalmunna.” With a little taunting to spur him on, Gideon determines not to press the child but to give the men what they asked for. Once the job was finished, it says…

*^{21 (fin)} and took the crescent ornaments that were on their camels’ necks.

vayiqakh eth ha’saharonim b’tsaverei g’malehem – “And takes the round-ornaments which in necks their camels.” Here is a new and rare word, saharon. It is a round ornament, coming from the noun sahar, roundness. The word crescent has to be inferred, something that may or may not be the case.

Some tie it to the Arabic moon-god Sahar, but that still would signify roundness. Because many translations say crescent, and because it can be tied to the moon, an attempt to align this with the Islamic crescent is made. The decorations on camels’ necks both go all the way around the neck and, at times, hang like crescents.

The reason for taking the ornaments is to be found in verse 26 where it is noted that these are gold, ornaments fitting for the donkeys of kings.

Let us rejoice in God, we are no longer defiled
We have come to the One who purifies us
We were objects of His wrath, but upon us, He has now smiled
He is our Lord, He is our God, He is Jesus!

We missed Him on the first time around
Since then, we have remained defiled
Upon us, His wrath grew hot; it did abound
But finally, upon us, He has smiled

Our circumcision is not just in the flesh, but in the heart
We have accepted the gospel, entering new life
Today, we have made a glorious new start
We have reconciliation after many years of strife

II. Pictures of Christ

Judges 8 began with Ephraim angrily arguing with Gideon for not having been consulted concerning the battle against Midian. Ephraim (Twice Fruitful/Ashes), as has been seen, refers to the effect of the work of Christ among both Jews and Gentiles.

However, Gideon (the Gospel) had not called them for the initial battle against Midian (Place of Judgment, signifying the tribulation). This was upsetting to them.

To appease them (verse 2), he reminded them that their gleaning of grapes (the harvest of judgment) was better than the vintage of Abiezer (Father of Help). In validation of this, he referred to the fact that God gave into their hand Oreb and Zeeb (verse 3).

Remember in Chapter 7 there was a reference to those who tried to obtain the pledge of the Spirit without Christ and those who devour the flock. These were able to overcome through their faith in Christ, just as Revelation says will happen.

Gideon essentially said to them, “I, the Gospel, led the original charge of the battle against Midian (the first passing through of the vineyard), but you (YOU!) captured and beheaded the two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb (the gleaning of the grapes). You then pursued the battle even as far as Midian itself. What did I do in comparison to you?”

It is a way of saying that just because the gospel goes forth, it doesn’t necessarily save everyone who hears it. Rather, only those who appropriate it by faith are saved.

The Father of Help, the giving of the Spirit accompanied by the gospel, is only effective for people when it is combined with their faith. It is a confirmation of the doctrine known as synergism. God does His part, but He does not force salvation on man. Rather, man must do his part by accepting Jesus and His work by faith.

With that, Ephraim was content and “relaxed their spirit.” This introductory account was given to clear up several points of theology that people still do not properly grasp.

Verse 4 noted that Gideon and the three hundred with him came to the Jordan, the Descender. As was seen, three hundred is a multiple of 3 and 10. Three signifies Divine Perfection. Ten signifies that nothing is wanting and the whole cycle is complete. But more, as noted, Bullinger says of 3 –

“The number three, therefore, must be taken as the number of Divine fulness. It signifies and represents the Holy Spirit as taking of the things of Christ and making them real and solid in our experience. It is only by the Spirit that we realise spiritual things. Without Him and His gracious operation, all is surface work: all is what a plane figure is to a solid.”

The numbers perfectly fit with what one would expect in the final spiritual battle being played out during the tribulation period. Further, as has been seen, the Greek letter Tau, a cross, represents the number 300. It is a clear note that Christ’s cross, which is the basis of the gospel, is what is being pictured here.

From it comes salvation and prevailing over the Place of Judgment. The gospel (Gideon) and the three hundred (the cross/Christ’s work) cross the Descender (Christ) and arrive at Succoth, Tabernacles. This would reflect the state of Israel (on the other side of the Jordan) not yet converted as a nation.

Succoth reflects their state as individuals. The tent refers to the human in his physical body. That is explicitly stated by both Paul and Peter. Peter says –

“For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. ¹³ Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, ¹⁴ knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. ¹⁵ Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.” 2 Peter 1:12-15

At Succoth (verse 5), Gideon asks for circles of bread. The elders and leaders deny his request. They are not willing to accept the gospel’s power to deliver them from Midian, the tribulation, by assisting in its propagation. This, in spite of Gideon’s claim that he is pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna – Sacrifice and Moving Image.

The names are referring to the law. Sacrifice is the Levitical sacrificial system set up for atonement. Moving Image is an exact description of the rites of the tabernacle/temple under the law. The Modern Hebrew New Testament confirms the use of the words below –

“For the law, having a shadow [tsel] of the good things to come, and not the very image [tselem] of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect.” Hebrews 10:1

“And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. ¹² But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, ¹³ from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool.” Hebrews 10:11-13

These two, Zebah and Zalmunna are called “kings of Midian.” That is exactly what they will be in Israel. The reestablished law will be ruled during the tribulation by the sacrificial and temple system.

Remember that the word image, tselem, means that the tabernacle and temple were only shadows of the coming Christ, who is the very “image [tselem] of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15 – confirmed by the Modern Hebrew New Testament). Israel rejected His coming, they removed themselves from fellowship with the Lord, were exiled, and will suffer through the tribulation.

The leaders of Succoth, picturing the leaders of those in Israel dwelling in their human tents, turn Gideon (the gospel) down – “The palm (possession of) Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand (under your authority)?” They refused the message of Christ and failed to assist in the presentation of the gospel.

Because of their refusal, Gideon says (verse 7) that they will be punished, carefully describing what the punishment would be. He then (verse 8) ascended to Penuel (Turn to God!) and they answer similarly. There is a refusal to turn to God through the gospel, even while Midian (the tribulation) continues to exist.

With that (verse 9), Gideon promises that when he comes back in peace, he will tear down their tower. The tower, Migdal, comes from gadal, a verb that gives the sense of advancing, growing, boasting, magnifying, etc.

Israel will continue boasting in their state under the law, stubbornly refusing to acknowledge the gospel as long as their tower, the temple and its rites, are there for them to revel in.

Verse 10 noted that Zebah and Zalmunna were at Karkor, Destruction, with their army of fifteen thousand of the b’ne qedem, or sons East. They anticipate those who continue to cling to the law, annulled in the past through Christ’s work, simply because they cannot let go of it. A full description of such is carefully detailed in Hebrews.

The name Karkor (qarqor), where Midian is encamped, gives an ominous foreboding of their demise. The name is identical to the word used in Numbers 24:17 –

“I see Him, but not now;
I behold Him, but not near;
A Star shall come out of Jacob;
A Scepter shall rise out of Israel,
And batter the brow of Moab,
And destroy [qarqar] all the sons of tumult.”

The number of Midianites, fifteen thousand, is a multiple of fifteen and ten. Fifteen was explained by Bullinger as “acts wrought by the energy of Divine grace.”

Ten signifies, “Completeness of order, marking the entire round of anything … [it] implies that nothing is wanting; that the number and order are perfect; that the whole cycle is complete.” It would be hard to find a better description of Israel’s future meeting with God in Christ when the gospel finally prevails.

Still in verse 10, it noted that these fifteen thousand were all that was left out of the original one hundred and twenty thousand men who drew the sword. This is a multiple of one hundred and twenty and tens. Bullinger says one hundred and twenty –

“…is made up of three forties (3×40=120). Applied to time therefore it signifies a divinely appointed period of probation.”

In Daniel 9, Israel was given a divinely appointed period of probation under the law. The final seven years of that appointed time encompasses the tribulation period. When that entire round is complete, the time will be ended.

It is at this time that Gideon (the gospel) “went up by the road of those who dwell in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah.” The east speaks of aforetime, the past. Nobah (barking) and Jogbehah (Lofty), speak of the state of the people.

Dogs bark. It is equating Israel to Gentiles. Those under law exalt themselves. Israel is being shown its true state before the Lord while under the law. However, the gospel will prevail in the battle. As it said of Gideon, “And struck the camp, and the camp was confidence.”

There is Israel, sitting in confidence smug and barking as they enter the tribulation, represented by these Midianites (Place of Judgment). But Jesus and Paul both show that the Antichrist is coming and the temple will be defiled by his presence. Israel’s confidence will be shattered and they will almost be brought to an end.

Verse 12 says at that time Zebah and Zalmunna fled. It is exactly described by Daniel –

“Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;
But in the middle of the week
He shall bring an end to sacrifice [Zebah] and offering.
And on the wing [Zalmunna] of abominations shall be one who makes desolate,
Even until the consummation, which is determined,
Is poured out on the desolate.” Daniel 9:27

Jesus explains the “wing” metaphor –

“Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), ¹⁶ “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.” Matthew 24:15, 16

The gospel will not prevail until Israel realizes they have put their eggs in the wrong basket. That won’t happen until after the Antichrist has done his evil work. Sacrifice and temple worship will flee (be brought to an end) and be captured.

With that understood, verse 13 says that Gideon (Cutter, the gospel) the son of Joash (Yehovah has Bestowed) returned from battle from ascent to the sun. As noted, the wording appears to be a purposeful way of avoiding saying the words “from the east.”

In other words, that would have marred the typology. Therefore, a different way of describing the same thing was employed. The gospel is from earlier times in Israel’s history, but it will only be understood by Israel in the future.

Using the full name, Gideon son of Joash, at this time signifies the victory of the gospel that was introduced at the beginning of the narrative. The wording, when considered, is rather incredible.

Verse 14 told of taking the young man of Succoth and inquiring of him. In turn, he wrote down the names of the seventy-seven leaders and elders of Succoth. Seventy-seven is a multiple of eleven (disorder, disorganization, imperfection, and disintegration) and seven (spiritual perfection).

They represent the chaotic state of Israel before coming to Christ mixed with the spiritually perfect completion of their state. In other words, it marks the spiritual fullness of Israel’s rebellion against the gospel. The time has come for the rule of the law to end. As seen earlier, being in Succoth, Tabernacles, signifies their state in humanity.

Gideon presented the ending of Sacrifice and Temple worship to them. They wouldn’t give the gospel a moment of consideration through all the times of wearied toil under the law. Therefore, he inflicts upon them their promised punishment, threshing them with thorns and flails.

It is not unlike what happened to Jesus. In Matthew 27:29, a crown of thorns was placed on his head. Only after that, in Matthew 27:30 did they strike him on the head with a reed. Thus, his flesh was threshed in a similar way, meaning with thorns and rods.

It next says (verse 17) that he tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city. The place of confident boasting, representing the law, is to be torn down and those who adamantly adhere to it will be killed. Jesus alludes to this in Luke –

“But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We will not have this man to reign over us.’” … “But bring here those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me.” Luke 19:14 & 27

After this (verse 18), Gideon mockingly addresses Zebah and Zalmunna about the men who they killed at Tabor (Purified – from barar, to purify). It speaks of those who came to God through Christ during the tribulation period. Daniel 12, referring to this time, says –

“Many shall be purified [barar], made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.” Daniel 12:10

Their mocking, but surprising, response to him was, “one according to form, sons the king.” As there was no king in Israel at the time, the words are certainly given prophetically concerning those who will accept the gospel in the future. They are all likened to sons of the King. It refers to the sonship of those in Christ.

To confirm this, Gideon’s (the gospel’s) response was, “My brothers, sons my mother, them!” Each person saved by the gospel is a brother within the framework of the gospel. Their one mother is defined in Galatians 4:26, “but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.”

Those under law are in bondage and at enmity with God; those in Christ are free and sons of the King and brothers within the gospel. Because the law caused the death of these brothers, the law must be ended.

The introduction of Jether (verse 21) is brilliant. The firstborn of the gospel refers to the Jews who accepted the gospel first. The name has various meanings, such as Preeminence, Excellence, Abundance, Remnant, Preserved, etc. Each is a reflection of their state.

What does it say about the firstborn? He did not draw his sword, for he was afraid. It is the godly fear of one who possesses the grace of God mixed with a refusal to rely on the law (the kherev, sword), to slay the enemy. That task is left to Gideon, the gospel, to accomplish. Israel will learn that for each Jew who is saved, it is Christ’s work alone, reflected in the gospel, that prevails over the law.

Therefore, Gideon dispatched the law, the sacrifice and temple worship pictured by Zebah (Sacrifice) and Zalmunna (Moving Image). Finally, the passage ended with Gideon removing the round-ornaments off of their camel’s necks.

As seen in Chapter 7, camel comes from the verb gamal, to deal fully or adequately with. Thus, it can mean to wean, repay, require, reward, ripen, and so forth. The time of the law, clearly outlined in Daniel 9, is fully ripened and its end has come. It has been fully cameled.

Therefore, its ornamentation is stripped from its neck (tsavar), a word that comes from tsur, to confine, bind, besiege, etc. The binding of the law for Israel will be ended with the acceptance of the gospel.

Thus, with Israel’s acceptance, the battle is complete. The law is ended and its burden is removed. Remember, Gideon anticipates the gospel message –

“I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you … that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, ⁴ and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” From 1 Corinthians 15:1, 3, and 4

He, meaning His work which defines Him as the Messiah, is the gospel. The story of Gideon’s battle in Judges 8 is a marvelous tapestry detailing how it will, someday, change the status of Israel from being an enemy of the Lord to again being His people in the fullest sense of the word.

As noted at the beginning of the sermon, what is going to be played out in the world in literal events as described in Revelation are all a part of the underlying spiritual message of Israel’s reconciliation with God through Jesus.

The message is inclusive of Gentiles who will be saved, but the overarching goal of the tribulation is to bring about the promises of wholeness and fellowship with God that the Old Testament promises to Israel as a nation during the millennium.

It is an incredible witness to the faithfulness of God to uphold His word, even beyond any measure that we can hope to understand. It is so hard to grasp, that a large portion of those in the church simply reject the notion of God having any future purpose for Israel at all.

Likewise, a large portion of the church continues to believe that even if Jesus saved them, they still must perform works in order to keep their salvation. Most simply do not understand what the word grace means, and they cannot trust that God is eternally faithful to the commitments He makes.

Don’t be like these faithless souls. Your rewards are wholly tied up in one word – faith. Whatever you do in faith will be rewarded. Anything you do apart from faith is sin, and it will be a loss of rewards to you. The word is written. Have faith that everything it proclaims will come to pass, just as it is written.

Closing Verse: “Make their nobles like Oreb and like Zeeb,
Yes, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
¹² Who said, ‘’Let us take for ourselves
The pastures of God for a possession.” Psalm 83:11, 12

Next Week: Judges 8:22-35 It’s great and so fun, what a story to tell, better than a royal bloodline… (Gideon, Judge of Israel, Part X) (27^th Judges sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. It is He who judges His people according to their deeds. So, follow Him, live for Him, and trust Him, and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

Gideon, Judge of Israel, Part IX

Then Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle
From the Ascent of Heres where the swords did rattle

And he caught a young man of the men of Succoth
And interrogated him right there and then
And he wrote down for him the leaders of Succoth and its elders
Seventy-seven men

Then he came to the men of Succoth and said
“Here are Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you ridiculed me
———-back then
Saying, ‘Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand
That we should give bread to your weary men?

And he took the elders of the city
And thorns of the wilderness and briers (this wasn’t
———-going to be pretty)
And with them he taught the men of Succoth
Then he tore down the tower of Penuel and killed
———-the men of the city

And he said to Zebah and Zalmunna
“What kind of men were they whom you killed at Tabor?
So they answered, “As you are, so were they
Each one resembled the son of a king, good for tales of lore

Then he said, “They were my brothers
The sons of my mother. Yes, it’s true
As the LORD lives, if you had let them live
I would not kill you

And he said to Jether his firstborn
“Rise, kill them! The order was not uncouth
But the youth would not draw his sword
For he was afraid, because he was still a youth

So Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Rise yourself, and kill us
For as a man is, so is his strength, got it, Tex?
So Gideon arose and killed Zebah and Zalmunna
And took the crescent ornaments that were on their camels’ necks

Lord God, turn our hearts to be obedient to Your word
Give us wisdom to be ever faithful to You
May we carefully heed each thing we have heard
Yes, Lord God may our hearts be faithful and true

And we shall be content and satisfied in You alone
We will follow You as we sing our songs of praise
Hallelujah to You; to us Your path You have shown
Hallelujah we shall sing to You for all of our days

Hallelujah and Amen…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

¹³ Then Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle, from the Ascent of Heres. ¹⁴ And he caught a young man of the men of Succoth and interrogated him; and he wrote down for him the leaders of Succoth and its elders, seventy-seven men. ¹⁵ Then he came to the men of Succoth and said, “Here are Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you ridiculed me, saying, ‘Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your weary men?’ ” ¹⁶ And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth. ¹⁷ Then he tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.

¹⁸ And he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men were they whom you killed at Tabor?”

So they answered, “As you are, so were they; each one resembled the son of a king.”

¹⁹ Then he said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the Lord lives, if you had let them live, I would not kill you.” ²⁰ And he said to Jether his firstborn, “Rise, kill them!” But the youth would not draw his sword; for he was afraid, because he was still a youth.

²¹ So Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Rise yourself, and kill us; for as a man is, so is his strength.” So Gideon arose and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and took the crescent ornaments that were on their camels’ necks.

 

 

Artwork by Douglas Kallerson

Judges 8:1-12
Gideon, Judge of Israel, Part VIII

(Typed 18 December 2023) The reason for the battle that took place in Judges 6 was to take the burden off Israel after their time of oppression under Midian. Leading up to the battle, the children of Israel had done evil in the eyes of Yehovah. Therefore, the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years (Judges 6:1).

The people of Israel were, therefore, hidden in caves and strongholds (Judges 6:2) because Midian would come against Israel and plunder them, leaving nothing in their wake (Judges 6:3-5).

The reason for all of their affliction was the evil they were doing in the eyes of the Lord. As was seen, this is a prophetic type of what is to come upon Israel during the tribulation period. It was only when their power was totally shattered that they finally cried out to the Lord (Judges 6:6).

The Lord sent a messenger to rebuke and remind them of their past, which they had completely forgotten. Instead, they ignored the voice of the Lord (Judges 6:7-10). Finally, Gideon was selected as the judge, and the process of delivering Israel began.

Text Verse: “For yet a very little while and the indignation will cease, as will My anger in their destruction.” ²⁶ And the Lord of hosts will stir up a scourge for him like the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb; as His rod was on the sea, so will He lift it up in the manner of Egypt.” Isaiah 10:25, 26

As today’s verses indicate, the arrogance of Ephraim is seen. The point of the Lord choosing Gideon was because it was the Lord who was to obtain the glory for the victory in battle, not Israel. That was explicitly stated by the Lord in Judges 7:2.

To select Ephraim to gain the victory over the foes, the greater of the two tribes would stand as the head of the battle. Even if it was only three hundred men led by someone from Ephraim, it would have been more notable for them than three hundred from Manasseh, much less the weakest clan of Manasseh (Judges 6:15).

Therefore, the Lord gaining the glory would be, at least in part, diminished. When we read the Bible, we must look at everything that is going on and continually ask ourselves, “Why have things been orchestrated as they are? What is the Lord doing, and why is He doing it in a particular way?”

In contemplating such things, we can more clearly understand how jealously He protects His glory. The Lord, having done what He did through Jesus, only makes sense if Jesus is Yehovah incarnate. The Lord Himself, through the work of Jesus Christ, is what is being highlighted in Scripture.

Our participation, whether as part of Israel or part of the church, is for us to see the work of the Lord, to rejoice in it, and to glorify Him for it. Let the glory of the Lord always be considered as you walk before Him in this life you have been given.

This marvelous truth is to be considered as we read His superior word. And so, let us turn to that precious word once again, and… May God speak to us through His word today, and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. The Vintage of Abiezer (verses 1-3)

The words of Chapter 7 ended with –

“Then Gideon sent messengers throughout all the mountains of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against the Midianites, and seize from them the watering places as far as Beth Barah and the Jordan.” Then all the men of Ephraim gathered together and seized the watering places as far as Beth Barah and the Jordan. ²⁵ And they captured two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb they killed at the winepress of Zeeb. They pursued Midian and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side of the Jordan.” Judges 7:24, 25

Remembering that, Chapter 8 begins with seemingly contradictory words…

Now the men of Ephraim said to him, “Why have you done this to us

vayomeru elav ish ephrayim mah ha’davar ha’zeh asitha lanu – “And said unto him man Ephraim, ‘What the word, the this, done to us?’” From the outset there is an obvious sense of anger in the words. Ephraim is bent out of shape at their treatment at the hand of Gideon. The specific reason is next stated by them…

^1 (con’t) by not calling us when you went to fight with the Midianites?”

l’bilti q’roth lanu ki halakhta l’hilakhem b’midyan – “To except calling to us when went to fight in Midian.” It said at the end of Chapter 7 that Gideon sent messengers throughout Mount Ephraim to engage in the battle against Midian. However, this isn’t what they are arguing about.

Rather, they got the leftovers of the battle, as Midian was already fleeing away. They were called to be a mop-up crew to ensure total defeat of those in retreat. They weren’t called to participate in the larger battle where the glory of victory was gained. Therefore…

^1 (con’t) And they reprimanded him sharply.

The words are highly emphatic: v’rivun ito b’khazeqah – “And quarreled (surely) with him in vehemence.” The attitude of Ephraim has its roots in the past. A good summary of where their arrogance is derived from is given by the Pulpit Commentary –

“It is possible that the transfer of the birthright from Manasseh to Ephraim (Genesis 48:13-19) may have produced some estrangement between the tribes. It is also possible that Ephraim, in view of their great tribal power, and the distinction conferred upon them by the judgeship of Joshua the son of Nun (Numbers 13:8), and the possession of his grave (Joshua 24:30), may have grown haughty and domineering, and perhaps more disposed to rest upon their former glories than to embark in fresh undertakings. Anyhow Gideon did not consult them, nor ask their aid, in the first instance. Now that the war had been so successful, the men of Ephraim were much displeased at not having been consulted.”

Remember that Gideon is from Manasseh. Therefore, the tribe with the greater blessing, Ephraim, is upbraiding the leader who has come from the less-favored tribe, Manasseh.

Ephraim’s position among the tribes, their size, their history of being preeminent in blessing and battle, etc., all came together, resulting in a haughty feeling that they deserved more share in the glory of the battle than they had received.

As for the names, Ephraim means Twice Fruitful and Ashes. Midian means Place of Judgment.

Concerning Ephraim’s chiding of Gideon, this same hauteur will cost them greatly in Chapter 12. For now, instead of fighting over the matter, Gideon yields to their protestations by acknowledging Ephraim’s greatness…

² So he said to them, “What have I done now in comparison with you?

vayomer alehem meh asithi atah kakhem – “And said, ‘What done now like you?” In order to mollify the fit of pique that had welled up in Ephraim, Gideon subordinates himself, and thus his tribe, to his younger brother by asking a question in a comparative manner. The actual comparison comes in the next words…

^2 (con’t) Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?

halo tov ol’loth ephrayim mibsir aviezer – “Not grape-gleanings Ephraim from vintage Abiezer?” Here is a new word, oleloth. It is insufficiently translated by many as gleaning or gleanings. Rather, it is a particular type of gleaning, that of grapes. Being a noun in the plural construct, it should be rendered grape-gleanings. To get the sense of the word, Isaiah 17 provides clarity –

“Yet gleaning grapes [oleloth] will be left in it,
Like the shaking of an olive tree,
Two or three olives at the top of the uppermost bough,
Four or five in its most fruitful branches,”
Says the Lord God of Israel.” Isaiah 17:6

The word is derived from alal, to effect thoroughly. As such, it can indicate maltreatment of another, mocking, etc. In the case of such gleaning, a person goes through the grapes at harvest time. In order to get the most out of his harvest, he will cut all that he can as he goes over the grapes. The reason for this is stated in the law –

“When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not glean [alal] it afterward; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow. ²² And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I command you to do this thing.” Deuteronomy 24:21, 22

By law, there was not to be a second passing through (a gleaning) of the grapes. To do so would deprive those who were in need and who relied on these gleanings to merely survive.

Gideon is saying that the gleaning of Ephraim, this second passing through the meager remaining grapes, is greater than the vintage, or first cutting of the grapes, of Manasseh.

This may be a general statement of Gideon, like “You are so much greater than us that what we harvest each year is a pittance compared to what the poorest in your clan are left to eat.” If this is his intent, he will explain how in his coming words.

However, this is more likely a comparison to the battle itself, as in, “We may have initiated the battle, but what we did was incomparable to what you accomplished in the battle.”

The name Abiezer means Father of Help. As for what Gideon is conveying, his next words speak of the battle and the great achievement wrought by Ephraim…

³ God has delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb.

b’yedkhem nathan elohim eth sare midyan eth orev v’zaev – “In your hand gave God princes Midian, Oreb and Zeeb.” This explains the great accomplishment that outshone the deeds of Gideon, who cannot take credit for having dispersed the Midianite camp.

Rather, he simply did as instructed and the Lord brought about the victory. Gideon is humbly placing the deeds of Ephraim ahead of his effort, subordinating his clan below Ephraim who received the greater blessing from Jacob.

Oreb means Raven. Zeeb means Wolf. Continuing, he says…

^3 (con’t) And what was I able to do in comparison with you?”

u-mah yakhol’ti asoth kakhem – “And what was I able to do like you?” In essence, his words say – “Gideon led the original charge of the battle against Midian (the first passing through of the vineyard), but you (YOU!) captured and beheaded the two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb (the gleaning of the grapes). You then pursued the battle even as far as Midian itself. What did I do in comparison to you?” With that, the hoped-for response is realized…

^3 (con’t) Then their anger toward him subsided when he said that.

Rather: az raphtah rukham mealav b’dabero ha’davar ha’zeh – “Then relaxed their spirit from upon him in his speaking the word, the this.” The word ruakh means wind, spirit, and breath. They all are united in thought.

There is the spirit which expresses the state of the emotion. There is the breath which is the spirit animated into substance. And there is the wind which is the motion of the breath as it passes through the nostrils of the men. One can think of someone fuming and the heavy breathing that results.

Any of the three words would suffice in the translation, but the spirit is the basis of the other two. Gideon, through his statement, was able to soothe the indignation of Ephraim. The substance of these first three verses is well reflected in the words of Proverbs 15:1 –

“A soft answer turns away wrath,
But a harsh word stirs up anger.
² The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly,
But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.”

The whole thought is summed up well by John Lange –

“The vain tribe, which only smarted at the thought that an insignificant member of Manasseh should reap greater glory than Ephraim, is quieted when this person himself disclaims the glory. Vanity that prides itself on seeming merits, is always contracted. The Ephraimites do not understand the modesty of Gideon, which, in denying, as it were, his own real merits, necessarily pours the contempt of irony on their pretended deserts. But Gideon’s object is gained. They allow themselves to be pacified, and go home to bask themselves in the sunshine of their achievements. Gideon, for his part, teaches that victory alone does not suffice to save a people; but that he is the real hero who is truly humble, and for the sake of peace overcomes himself. To conquer, he must know how to bend.”

Who is fearful and unwilling to help?
When the Lord has already provided the victory
They will cry in anguish, from yelp to yelp
When Gideon punishes those who are contradictory

Pain and shame lie ahead for those of Succoth
When Gideon teaches them with thorns and flails
No more will they boastfully gloat
Instead, they will be remembered for their epic fails

And for the men of Penuel
For them, bad times lie ahead
A tough lesson is coming, and things won’t be swell
When the men wind up nothing but dead

II. Seeking Succor from Succoth (verses 4-9)

⁴ When Gideon came to the Jordan,

The whole verse is one of motion: vayavo gidon ha’yardenah – “And came, Gideon, the Jordan-ward.” The Jordan means The Descender. Gideon means Cutter. Gideon is coming toward and arriving at the Descender…

^4 (con’t) he and the three hundred men who were with him crossed over, exhausted but still in pursuit.

The action and intensity continue: over hu u-shlosh meoth ha’ish asher ito ayephim v’rodphim – “crossing over, he and three hundred the man who with him, wearied and pursuing.” The Latin Vulgate completely botches the thought –

“he crossed him with the three hundred men who were with him, and who fled because of weariness and could not pursue him.”

It doesn’t at all say they couldn’t pursue. Rather, they were completely exhausted, and yet they continued the pursuit. They began their pursuit in the dead of night and just kept going.

The word used to describe them, ayeph, signifies languid. It thus is to be wearied or faint. It is the same word used to describe Esau when he sold his birthright –

“Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary [ayeph]. ³⁰ And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary [ayeph].” Therefore his name was called Edom.” Genesis 25:29, 30

It is because of their wearied state that the next words are detailed…

⁵ Then he said to the men of Succoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the people who follow me,

The translation is correct, but the Hebrew is more expressive: vayomer l’anshe sukoth tenu na kik’roth lekhem la’am asher b’raglay – Literally: “And said to men Succoth, ‘Give, pray, circles bread to the people who in my feet.’” Gideon is looking to revitalize his men with bread. This is all he has asked for, and it would be a common courtesy to oblige, especially for fellow Israelites in their state.

Succoth means Tabernacles. Gideon next explains his request…

^5 (con’t) for they are exhausted, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.”

He emphatically states what is going on: ki ayephim hem v’anokhi rodeph akhare zevakh v’tsalmuna malkhe midyan – “For wearied, they, and I, I pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings Midian.” Gideon doesn’t go beyond the request for bread, such as enlisting fighting men, asking for intel on troop size or direction, or any other such thing. He simply notes the men are wearied as they pursue the enemies of Israel.

Zebah is the same as zebakh, a sacrifice. It means Sacrifice. The NAS Concordance says Zalmunna comes from the same as tselem, an image. The na at the end would then refer to nuah, to move, waver, tremble, quiver, etc. It gives the sense of motion.

Others say it is derived from tsel and mana – shade and to withhold. Therefore, the name may mean Moving Image or something like Denied Shade, Deprived of Shade, or Shade Has Been Denied. Without explanation, Ellicott says Shadow of an Exile.

As for the word tselem, image, it is the word used in Genesis 1 when God created man –

“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image [b’tselmenu], according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” ²⁷ So God created man in His own image [b’tsalmo]; in the image [b’tselem] of God He created him; male and female He created them.’” Genesis 1:26, 27

This word is also used as a prophetic type of Christ when Bezalel was selected to build the tabernacle in Exodus –

“Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ² ‘See, I have called by name Bezalel [b’tselel] the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. ³ And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, ⁴ to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, ⁵ in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship.’” Exodus 31:1-5

Bezalel was selected by the Lord to oversee the construction of the tabernacle that anticipated, in every detail, the “last Adam,” the very “image [tselem] of the invisible God” [Colossians 1:15 – as seen in the Modern Hebrew New Testament].

As for Gideon, with his simple request stated, a surprising response is provided…

⁶ And the leaders of Succoth said, “Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand,

Rather: vayomer sare sukoth ha’kaph zebakh v’tsalmuna atah b’yadekha – “And said princes Succoth, ‘The palm Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand?’” First, the verb “said” is singular. Therefore, either one person speaks for them or, more likely, they speak with a united voice.

Next, of the forty-plus translations I referred to, the only two that accurately translated the word as palm were a couple of Catholic Bibles. Though similar in meaning, the hand signifies power and/or authority. The palm (and sole) signifies possession and/or the state of something.

The men of Succoth are saying that the state of these two kings, because of the authority they possess, is not in Gideon’s hand (under his authority). As such, they question why it is…

^6 (con’t) that we should give bread to your army?”

There may be a dual meaning here that forms a pun: ki niten litsvaakha lakhem – “for giving to your army bread.” Without the vowel points, the word lakhem, or bread, is identical in spelling to lakhem, war.

Therefore, they could be making a play on the thought. “Why should we give your army bread so that you can wage war.” If Gideon’s army is defeated, there will be retribution upon those who aided the warriors.

It is, however, an inexcusable excuse, peevish and cowardly. First, how on earth would a retreating army even know that their pursuers stopped and received bread? And more, these are fellow Israelites. If Gideon doesn’t succeed, Succoth will continue to be oppressed by Midian anyway.

It is Israel who cried out to the Lord for relief. He has provided the chance of obtaining it through Gideon, and yet they are unwilling to assist. Therefore…

⁷ So Gideon said, “For this cause, when the Lord has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand,

vayomer gidon lakhen b’theth Yehovah eth zebakh v’eth tsalmuna b’yadi – “And said, Gideon, ‘Therefore, in giving, Yehovah, Zebah and Zalmunna in my hand…” Gideon asserts, with all assurance, that the battle is won. Rather than wasting his time and energy with what he intends to do to these princes, he defers their punishment. But it is coming…

^7 (con’t) then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers!”

Though nobody translates it this way, this is the most probable meaning: v’dashti eth b’sarkhem eth qotse ha’midbar v’eth ha’barqanim – “And thresh your flesh with thorns the wilderness and with the flails.” Here is a word found only in this passage, now and in verse 16, barqanim.

It is so obscure that the Greek translation punts and simply says, “I tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness, and the Barkenim.”

The word comes from the noun baraq, lightning. That then comes from the verb baraq to flash, but in the sense of casting forth. It isn’t the light that is the flash, but the action. Most translations say briars. To justify this, Strong’s says, “perhaps as burning brightly.” In other words, when lit, thorns burn brightly.

That makes no sense. The only other suggestion is threshing sledges. To justify that, BDB says, “furnished with sharp (glittering) stones.” Neither of these satisfies.

However, the CG translation (fortunately for your understanding) does what the others fail to do. Rather than what is intended, the other options focus on the idea of the light aspect of lightning, not the action.

However, the CG translation insightfully uses the casting forth aspect of a flail. It is a rod connected to another rod by loops so that when the rod is cast forward by the arm, the smaller rod, the flail, picks up immense speed and thwacks down on the grain, threshing it. To confirm this most astute translation, we turn to Isaiah –

“For the black cummin is not threshed with a threshing sledge,
Nor is a cartwheel rolled over the cummin;
But the black cummin is beaten out with a stick,
And the cummin with a rod.” Isaiah 28:27

The rod, in this case, would include a flail. In using this implement, the person will increase his productivity without wearing himself out in the process. For best happy, and for more shrewd commentaries on obscure or mistranslated words, be sure to continue attending the Superior Word.

As for the promised pending punishment, it is delayed until the enemy is eliminated. It will make what comes upon these princes all the more poignantly painful. The narrative continues…

⁸ Then he went up from there to Penuel and spoke to them in the same way.

vayaal misham penuel vaydaber alehem kazoth – “And ascended from there, Penuel, and spoke unto them according to this.” Penuel is translated as Face of God, but this must be more exactingly explained. The word comes from panah (to turn) and el (God). The word paneh (or pl: panim) comes from this and signifies face(s).

The idea of Penuel is of action – He Turns to God, or emphatically, Turn to God! It speaks in the sense of a relationship.

^8 (con’t) And the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered.

vayaanu oto anshe penuel kaasher anu anshe sukoth – “And answered him, men Penuel, according to which answered men Succoth.” In other words, they completely rejected his appeal for bread, ignoring any sense of familial relationship with him and opting to stay in the good graces of Midian. Therefore…

⁹ So he also spoke to the men of Penuel, saying, “When I come back in peace, I will tear down this tower!”

vayomer gam l’anshe penuel l’mor b’shuvi b’shalom etots eth ha’migdal hazeh – “And said, also to men Penuel, saying, ‘In returning in peace, breaking down the tower, the this.’” It may be that these men were in the tower when Gideon arrived, securing themselves there from the fleeing Midianites.

When Gideon arrived, he called out to them for bread, but they refused, thinking that they were secure in their tower and didn’t need Gideon’s assistance. Therefore, Gideon promised to return and destroy the object of their confidence. With that, the narrative turns to the objects of Gideon’s attention…

Another surprise awaits Midian
Another defeat awaits her kings
This is the Lord’s power working through Gideon
And for it, Israel’s heart sings

Who can doubt that the Lord led the battle
Victory despite such overwhelming odds
The shout of war and swords as they rattle
So much for Midian’s false trust in their gods

Through the Lord is victory and life
He is the One who guided every step of Gideon
Until was ended the time of strife
Until was defeated the vast army of Midian

III. He Took the Two Kings of Midian (verses 10-12)

¹⁰ Now Zebah and Zalmunna were at Karkor, and their armies with them, about fifteen thousand,

Rather: v’zebakh v’tsalmuna ba’qarqor u’makhanehem imam ka’khamesheth asar eleph – “And Zebah and Zalmunna in the Karkor, and their camps with them according to five ten thousand.” The name Karkor is variously defined as Foundation, Pounded Down, Even Ground, etc.

The word is identical in spelling to qarqar which is found in Numbers 24:17 where it signifies to shatter. As such, some define it as Destruction instead of Pounded Down.

There is another interpretation, though. As Karkor is not mentioned elsewhere, some suggest that it signifies rest. Not a place, but as what happens in the location. This is based on what it says in the next verse.

As for the number, it is a multiple of fifteen and ten (multiplied). Of fifteen, Bullinger says –

“…being a multiple of five, partakes of the significance of that number, also of the number three with which it is combined, 3 x 5. Five is, as we have seen, the number of grace, and three is the number of divine perfection. Fifteen, therefore, specially refers to acts wrought by the energy of Divine grace. Deity is seen in it, for the two Hebrew letters which express it are y, Yod (10), and h, Hey (5). These spell the ineffable Name of hy, Jah, who is the fountain of all grace. The number fifteen is thus made up, by addition, 10 + 5; but as the Jews would not, by the constant use of these two letters, profane the sacred name, two other letters were arbitrarily used for this number, and a different and artificial combination was thus formed—+ (Teth) = 9, and w (Vau) = 6. The number 9 + 6 would thus represent the number fifteen, but without any significance. Fifteen being 8 + 7 as well as 3 x 5, it may also include a reference to resurrection, as being a special mark of the energy of Divine grace issuing in glory.”

Ten: “Completeness of order, marking the entire round of anything, is, therefore, the ever-present signification of the number ten. It implies that nothing is wanting; that the number and order are perfect; that the whole cycle is complete.”

There, in this location, their camps totaled fifteen thousand. They were…

^{10 (con’t)} all who were left of all the army of the people of the East;

kol ha’notarim mikol makhaneh b’ne qedem – “All the remainings from all camp sons East.” As seen several times, the b’ne qedem or “sons East” are the various people groups gathered together as one camp.

It seems like a sizable army, but when it says “the remainings,” it brings the matter to its true light…

^{10 (con’t)} for one hundred and twenty thousand men who drew the sword had fallen.

v’ha’nophlim meah v’esrim eleph ish sholeph kharev – “And the fallers hundred and twenty thousand man drawing sword.” The meaning is that only one-ninth of the army had survived to this point.

As for the number, it is derived from one hundred and twenty multiplied by tens. Bullinger says one hundred and twenty –

“…is made up of three forties (3×40=120). Applied to time therefore it signifies a divinely appointed period of probation.”

The odds are still heavily against Gideon, but he has the initiative. Therefore, he continues onward against the oppressors of Israel…

¹¹ Then Gideon went up by the road of those who dwell in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah;

vayaal gidon derek ha’sh’khune ba’ohalim miqedem l’novakh v’yagbehah – “And ascended Gideon way the dwellers in tents from east to Nobah and Jogbehah.” The point is that they circled around to the east of these cities in an area where tent dwellers lived.

As such, it would be totally unexpected that war would come from a place where people were peacefully tending flocks. It was also the direction in which Midian was fleeing.

Nobah, or Novakh, is seen for the third and last time in Scripture. It means To Bark or Barking. It was located in the territory of Manasseh. Jogbehah is seen for the second and last time. It means Lofty or Exalted. It was in the territory of Gad.

Because of the surprising direction of Gideon’s attack, the camp of Midian was completely unprepared…

^{11 (cont)} and he attacked the army while the camp felt secure.

vayak eth ha’makhaneh v’ha’makhaneh haya betakh – “And struck the camp, and the camp was confidence.” The word betakh is a noun signifying security or confidence. The men were confident, assuming that they had escaped far enough from near the Hill of Moreh, the original place of attack. Thus, they stopped and rested to lick their wounds.

They could rest and ponder how things could have gone so poorly, and yet, they would be comfortable enough to set their swords down and prepare for their return home. It is at such a time that Gideon and his men struck the camp.

¹² When Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued them;

vayanusu zebakh v’tsalmuna vayirdoph akharehem – “And fled Zebah and Zalmuna. And pursued after them.” Because of another engagement with the enemy in such an unexpected manner and place, the kings of Midian simply got up and fled. However…

*^{12 (fin)} and he took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and routed the whole army.

It doesn’t say that they killed all of the camp. They may have been routed, but that isn’t what is conveyed: vayilkod eth shene malkhe midyan eth zebakh va’eth tsalmuna v’khal ha’makhaneh hekherid – “And seized two kings Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and all the camp terrified.”

What it seems to mean is that Gideon struck the camp, and the kings fled, so Gideon and his men simply left the battle to seize them. The rest of the Midianites were so terrified that they didn’t even bother to come after Gideon and his army, despite the huge numerical superiority.

They had been defeated, their leaders were goners, and they refrained from everything but shaking in their sandals and cowering in their tents.

With that, the verses for today are ended. Despite the odds, Gideon knew that with any number, when the Lord is involved, victory is guaranteed. And more, even without proper provision to sustain him and his men, he was willing to expend himself in pursuit of the enemy.

However, the Lord provided for them. They were able to continue and even prevail. This will be true for us if the Lord is behind what we are engaged in. This doesn’t mean that we should run off willy-nilly, assuming that what we intend to do will be a success.

Gideon had the word of the Lord to assure him of what he was to do. We have the word of the Lord as well. We don’t want to ever go beyond what is written, but we can have confidence in what we are doing if it is in accord with His word.

Let us trust in this and not falter in our determination to do what is right and what is expected of us. In the end, through life or death, we will be carried through to the promised end set before us in the word. So why worry in the meantime?

Until your time arrives, take heed to yourselves and to the doctrine you possess. Continue in them, and you will do well. Have the confidence of Gideon that you will prevail. The Lord is with you, so you will.

Closing Verse: “For You have broken the yoke of his burden
And the staff of his shoulder,
The rod of his oppressor,
As in the day of Midian.” Isaiah 9:4

Next Week: Judges 8:13-21 You wanna have fun, just listen for a spell, so get in line… (Gideon, Judge of Israel, Part IX) (26^th Judges sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. It is He who judges His people according to their deeds. So, follow Him, live for Him, and trust Him, and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

Gideon, Judge of Israel, Part VIII

Now the men of Ephraim said to him
Why have you done this to us by not calling us
When you went to fight with the Midianites?
And they reprimanded him sharply, putting up a fuss

So he said to them, “What have I done now
In comparison with you?
Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim
Better than the vintage of Abiezer? Isn’t it true?

God has delivered into your hands
The princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb, how about that?
And what was I able to do in comparison with you?
Then their anger toward him subsided when he said that

When Gideon came to the Jordan, he and the three hundred men
Who were with him crossed over, exhausted but still in pursuit
Then he said to the men of Succoth
“Please give loaves of bread to the people who follow me
———-our hunger is acute

For they are exhausted, and I am pursuing
Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian, this is what I am doing

And the leaders of Succoth said
Speaking a bit too smarmy
“Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand
That we should give bread to your army?

So Gideon said, “For this cause
When the LORD has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand
Then I will tear your flesh
With the thorns of the wilderness and with briers
———–so I have planned!

Then he went up from there to Penuel
And spoke to them in the same way
And the men of Penuel answered him
As the men of Succoth had answered that day

So he also spoke to the men of Penuel, saying
“When I come back in peace, I will tear down this tower!
———-So to you I am relaying

Now Zebah and Zalmunna were at Karkor
And their armies with them, about fifteen thousand men
All who were left of all the army of the people of the East
For one hundred and twenty thousand men who drew the sword
———-had fallen

Then Gideon went up by the road
Not taking a sightseeing tour
Of those who dwell in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah
And he attacked the army while the camp felt secure

When Zebah and Zalmunna fled
He pursued them, intending them harmy
And he took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna
And routed the whole army

Lord God, turn our hearts to be obedient to Your word
Give us wisdom to be ever faithful to You
May we carefully heed each thing we have heard
Yes, Lord God may our hearts be faithful and true

And we shall be content and satisfied in You alone
We will follow You as we sing our songs of praise
Hallelujah to You; to us Your path You have shown
Hallelujah we shall sing to You for all of our days

Hallelujah and Amen…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now the men of Ephraim said to him, “Why have you done this to us by not calling us when you went to fight with the Midianites?” And they reprimanded him sharply.

² So he said to them, “What have I done now in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer? ³ God has delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. And what was I able to do in comparison with you?” Then their anger toward him subsided when he said that.

⁴ When Gideon came to the Jordan, he and the three hundred men who were with him crossed over, exhausted but still in pursuit. ⁵ Then he said to the men of Succoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the people who follow me, for they are exhausted, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.”

⁶ And the leaders of Succoth said, “Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your army?”

⁷ So Gideon said, “For this cause, when the Lord has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers!” ⁸ Then he went up from there to Penuel and spoke to them in the same way. And the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered. ⁹ So he also spoke to the men of Penuel, saying, “When I come back in peace, I will tear down this tower!”

¹⁰ Now Zebah and Zalmunna were at Karkor, and their armies with them, about fifteen thousand, all who were left of all the army of the people of the East; for one hundred and twenty thousand men who drew the sword had fallen. ¹¹ Then Gideon went up by the road of those who dwell in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah; and he attacked the army while the camp felt secure. ¹² When Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued them; and he took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and routed the whole army.

 

Judges 7:21-25
(Gideon, Judge of Israel, Part VII)

(Typed 11 December 2023) So far, Judges has detailed an amazing journey through much of redemptive history. It started and has led to when Israel will enter the tribulation period. That is made explicit in Scripture, but it is also carefully detailed in typology.

The reason Israel even exists as a nation is because God covenanted with them. Unlike the other nations of the earth, the Lord specifically stated that Israel will always remain before Him as a people. This is grace.

Israel has consistently violated the covenant the Lord made with them. And yet, because of His faithfulness, He has kept it as a nation. Israel will enter the tribulation period for exactly the same reason: because God has covenanted with them.

Rather than destroying them along with much of the world, He will bring them through the tribulation, purify them, and they will again be His people. His attention and focus will be directly upon them, and He will dwell among them.

It’s hard to see how people don’t get this, but it completely escapes a large portion of people in the church. And not all of them are dummies. Many have degrees, reading their Bibles for their entire lives, but yet, it escapes them.

Text Verse: “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb,
The leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
The calf and the young lion and the fatling together;
And a little child shall lead them.” Isaiah 11:6

In today’s passage, Zeeb is one of the guys who will have his head taken off. Hence, I chose Isaiah 11:6 as our text verse. Please trust that when the Lord promises something to Israel in the Old Testament, it means that the Lord will fulfill those promises to Israel.

The promises are not abrogated through the work of Christ, they are not transferred to the church, and they are not taken away because of Israel’s unfaithfulness. All of these are propositions set forth by various unsound doctrines, and yet none of them align with Scripture.

Hold fast to the truth that God is faithful to His word. If He is not for Israel, He will not be for you either. Where is grace in that? Where is hope in that? Where is confidence in that? God’s word will never fail.

Such great truths as this are to be found in His superior word. And so, let us turn to that precious word once again, and… May God speak to us through His word today, and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. Oreb and Zeeb (verses 21-25)

In the previous sermon, the narrative left off with Gideon and his three hundred men coming to the outskirts of the camp, blowing their trumpets, and breaking their pitchers. With that, they cried out, “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon.” Now, this most magnificently marvelous action continues as the camp erupts into total chaos…

²¹ And every man stood in his place all around the camp; and the whole army ran and cried out and fled.

The verbs being imperfect give the sense of ongoing action: vayaamdu ish takhtav saviv lamakhaneh vayarats kal ha’makhaneh vayariu vayanisu – “And standing man his under around to the camp, and running all the camp, and shouting, and fleeing.” The meaning of “his under” is that the place where he stands does not change. The same ground remains under the standing man.

One can see the contrast between the two camps. While Gideon and his men were standing firm, those in the camp were running. While he and his men were blasting the trumpets, those in the camp were shouting. While Gideon’s company was shattering pitchers, those in the camp were fleeing.

It is reminiscent of the chaos that took place at the Battle of Jericho. There was the blowing of trumpets and a great shout, the walls falling down, and then the rush of every man running straight ahead. Here, however, there was no rush by Gideon and his men. The chaos alone would bring about the enemy’s destruction.

The wording is so exact and purposeful that the contrast is stunning –

vayaamdu / vayarats – and standing / and running
vayitqu / vayariu – and blasting / and shouting
vayishbru / vayanisu – and shattering / and fleeing

Hooray!

²² When the three hundred blew the trumpets, the Lord set every man’s sword against his companion throughout the whole camp;

The words return to the narrative in verse 20. This isn’t a second blasting of the trumpets, but a second description of the same action: vayitqu sh’losh meoth ha’shopharoth vayasem Yehovah eth kherev ish b’reehu u-b’kal ha’makhaneh – “And blasting three hundred in the shophars, and set Yehovah sword: man in his friend and in all the camp.”

Setting verses 20 and 22 side by side, the different aspects are more clearly seen –

“And blasting three the companies in the shophars … And crying, ‘Sword to Yehovah and to Gideon.”
“And blasting three hundred in the shophars, and set Yehovah sword: man in his friend and in all the camp.”

There is the call by Israel, and then there is the response by the Lord.

The scene is one of utter chaos. There was no light and no way to turn on a light. Every soldier’s instinct was to fight his way out solely for the sake of self-preservation. Thus, everyone simply plunged his sword into whoever was nearest. Anyone who wasn’t killed took off and headed for the hills, or rather…

^{22 (con’t)} and the army fled to Beth Acacia, toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel Meholah, by Tabbath.

Much more precisely: va’yanas ha’makhaneh ad beith ha’shitah tserathah ad sephat avel m’kholah al tabath – “And fled the camp until Beith Ha’Shittah Zererath-ward, until lip Abel Meholah upon Tabbath.” Those who could flee put their tails between their legs and took off. The movement of the flight became united and the camp rushed toward these named places.

Beith Ha’Shittah means House the Acacias. The shittah, or acacia, comes from shotet, a scourge because of the scourging thorns.

Tsererah (Tsererath), or Zererah, is found only here in Scripture. It is debated where the root comes from. Three possibilities are tsar, a hard pebble or flint, or an unused root meaning to pierce or puncture, or a word meaning bound. Abarim says, “…to a Hebrew audience it would probably have sounded like Bound. The word צררת [tsarar] occurs with that precise meaning in Exodus 12:34.”

Abel Meholah means Meadow of Dancing or Stream of Dancing.

Tabbath means either Extension, Renowned, or Perpetual.

²³ And the men of Israel gathered together from Naphtali, Asher, and all Manasseh, and pursued the Midianites.

Rather: vayitsaaq ish Yisrael min naphtali u-min asher u-min kal m’nasheh vayirdphu akhare midyan – “And cried man Israel from Naphtali, and from Asher, and from all Manasseh. And pursued after Midian.” The meaning is that now that the advantage has been gained, a general cry of alarm went out for the men of these tribes to come and assist in the battle.

The people responded, and Israel chased Midian. It is the same groups, minus Zebulun, who were called in Judges 6 –

“And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, who also gathered behind him. He also sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.” Judges 6:35

Therefore, it may be that these men had been dismissed from the battle but had simply not left yet, waiting to watch what happened. It said they returned to their tents in verse 7:8, so that is likely.

As for Zebulun, their tribal inheritance was not far away and so they may have headed home due to its close proximity. Even if Zebulun had people represented, it may simply be that their name, Glorious Dwelling Place, does not fit the typology and so they are omitted from the narrative.

Naphtali means My Wrestlings.

Asher means Happy or Blessed.

Manasseh means To Forget and From a Debt.

²⁴ Then Gideon sent messengers throughout all the mountains of Ephraim,

u-malakhim shalakh gidon b’kal har ephrayim – “And messengers sent Gideon in all Mount Ephraim.” Until this point, there was no call for Ephraim to join in the battle. However, with the enemy fleeing, there was a need for them to be cut off as they fled. Saying Mount Ephraim either indicates the mountains of Ephraim in general, or the name Mount Ephraim stands for the tribe.

The name Ephraim means Twice Fruitful and Ashes.

As for the call, the messengers were…

^{24 (con’t)} saying, “Come down against the Midianites, and seize from them the watering places as far as Beth Barah and the Jordan.”

lemor r’du liqrath midyan v’likhdu lahem eth ha’mayim ad beith barah v’eth ha’yarden – “to say, ‘Descend to meet Midian and seize to them the waters until Beth Barah and the Jordan.’” The meaning of “the waters” is unsure. Ellicott thinks it is “the watershed of the hills of Ephraim into the Jordan.” Some think it is a wadi that flows into the Jordan. It could mean that it is saying something like “the Jordan as far as Beth Barah.”

No matter what, Beth Barah is only mentioned twice in Scripture, both times in this verse. Some believe it is the same as Bethabara found in John 1:28. Abarim states the following about it –

“To a Hebrew audience, the name Beth-barah would have meant something like House of Cleanness or House Of Food or even House Of Covenant Making.

Still, for a meaning of the name Beth-barah, both NOBSE Study Bible Name List and Jones’ Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names read Place Of The Ford. BDB Theological Dictionary offers its signature prudent question mark, and the equation with the imaginary name בית עברה, which BDB translates with Place Of Ford.”

The Jordan means The Descender.

^{24 (con’t)} Then all the men of Ephraim gathered together and seized the watering places as far as Beth Barah and the Jordan.

The words confirm Ephraim’s response to the call: vayitsaeq kal ish ephrayim vayilkdu eth ha’yamim ad beith barah va’eth ha’yarden – “And cried all man Ephraim, and seized the waters until Beth Barah and the Jordan.”

²⁵ And they captured two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb.

vayilkdu shene sare midyan eth orev v’eth zaev – “And seized two princes Midian, Oreb and Zeev.” As there is no article before princes, it signifies there are other leaders in Midian. They will be identified in Chapter 8. But these two are singled out here in the narrative as they face their demise.

Oreb signifies a raven (orev), coming from the same root as erev, meaning evening. The connection to darkness is obvious. That comes from arav, to become dark, and that is identical to arav to give or take in pledge. Oreb means Raven. The main idea associated with ravens in Scripture, apart from their obvious dark color, is that of eating.

Zeeb means Wolf, coming from an unused root meaning to be yellow. As for the wolf in Scripture, it is a devourer and a scatterer, at least at this time. During the millennium, such will no longer be the case (Isaiah 11:6 & 65:25).

^{25 (con’t)} They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb they killed at the winepress of Zeeb.

vayahargu eth orev b’tsur orev v’eth zaev har’gu b’yeqev zaev – “And killed Oreb in Rock Oreb, and Zeeb killed in Wine-vat Zeeb.” The names are derived from the event. There doesn’t seem to be any need to say that these guys were seized, taken somewhere else, and killed. Rather, by saying they were killed in the rock and in the wine vat, it appears that they were hiding in those places, they were seized, and they were killed. Lastly, we read…

*^25 (fin) They pursued Midian and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side of the Jordan.

v’yirdphu el midyan v’rosh orev u-zaev heviru el gidon meever layarden – “And pursued unto Midian and head Oreb and Zeeb brought unto Gideon from side to the Jordan.” This would explain why they cut their heads off. The men found them, executed them, and continued to pursue the enemy unto the land of Midian, which is across the Jordan, starting down around the area of the Dead Sea.

Carrying heads would be much less cumbersome than dead bodies. The heads would be sufficient to confirm they had died in battle. Once they had completed their campaign, they then returned from that side of the Jordan to where Gideon was.

Who is fearful and afraid
Whose heart is failing at the sight
The word of the Lord has not been obeyed
He asks you to trust, no matter what the plight

Let us trust in this and go forth confidently
That our destiny is secure through what He has done
Innumerable people gathered around the glassy sea
Forgiven and redeemed through the work of the Son

The forces arrayed against us
Will all be swept away
Through our faith in Jesus
We are again right with God; oh, Glorious Day

II. Pictures of Christ

Judges 7 continues the pattern of showing the inferiority of the law and its inability to save. Rather, it is a detriment to a right and proper relationship with God. Obviously, the law was given to Israel as a means of establishing a relationship between the Lord and His people.

However, that was only so far as it pointed to their need for the coming of their Messiah. Ultimately, the law never brought Israel into a proper relationship with the Lord. Rather, it only highlights sin in fallen man.

The account in Judges 7, once again typologically points to the great work of Jesus Christ, fulfilling the law and bringing about restoration through His completed work.

Verse 1 began by naming Jerubbaal, Let Baal Strive. It is Jesus who strove against the law and prevailed. By stating the name in this manner at the outset, it gives prominence to this point. It is from that starting point that the narrative then continues. It immediately identified Jerubbaal as Gideon, Cutter.

Gideon comes from gada, to cut off. As was previously seen, just as Deborah anticipated the New Testament, coming from diathéké, a covenant or testament, which is a feminine noun, Gideon anticipates the euaggelion, or Gospel, meaning the Good News.

As noted, Jesus is the one who strove with the law. Jesus is also the ultimate meaning behind the gospel –

“I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you … that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, ⁴ and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” 1 Corinthians 15:1, 3, and 4

He, meaning His work which defines Him as the Messiah, is the gospel. Jerubbaal (Gideon) and those with him then encamped above the Spring Harod, Trembling. Their location meant that the camp of Midian (Place of Judgment) was north of them by “hill the Moreh.”

The north, tsaphon, is the hidden side because the north receives less light in the northern hemisphere during the fall and winter. As we have seen, the hill (givah) finds its typological fulfillment in Gabbatha, being etymologically connected to it.

It is where Jesus placed Himself under the rule of Rome, submitting to their authority, which led to His cross. Hill the Moreh has a dual meaning, Hill the Teacher and Hill the Early Rain. Christ is the Teacher of God’s law as well as the Fulfiller of it. The significance is that the law is hidden in Him so that He has authority in the place of judgment.

Along with this is Hill of the Early Rain. As was seen in Part V, James ties the coming of the early and latter rains to the coming of the Lord. Thus, this passage is anticipating events yet ahead in the redemptive narrative when the Lord returns to judge the world.

Verse 2 mentions that there were too many men that had come for battle. Thus, the number needed to be paired down lest Israel assume that they had won the battle. Therefore, those who were fearful and trembling were told to depart.

The word translated as trembling was the source of naming it Spring Harod. Those who were trembly were told while using a jussive (a sort of indirect command), “He shall depart and flit from Mount Gilead.” Mount Gilead (har gilad) signifies a large but centralized group of people (har) of The Perpetual Fountain.

Gilead has consistently represented the eternal presence of the Spirit. This is perfectly reflected in the words of Hebrews 10 concerning those who are not of faith and who turn back –

“For yet a little while,
And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.
³⁸ Now the just shall live by faith;
But if anyone draws back,
My soul has no pleasure in him.” Hebrews 10:37, 38

Remembering that Hebrews is an epistle particularly directed to the end times Jews, after the church age, the symbolism is perfectly clear. The use of the jussive is as an indirect command: “If you are not of faith, you shall depart and flit from the Perpetual Fountain.”

The next words of Hebrews 10 give a sense of their state. The author is speaking to believers but then contrasts it with unbelievers –

“But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.” Hebrews 10:39

Interestingly, the number who are not of faith are said to be twenty-two thousand, roughly two-thirds of the number of men prepared for battle. Without being dogmatic, it certainly appears that this is pointing to the Jews who will perish (without the Perpetual Fountain) during the tribulation period –

“’And it shall come to pass in all the land,’
Says the Lord,
‘That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die,
But one-third shall be left in it:
⁹ I will bring the one-third through the fire,
Will refine them as silver is refined,
And test them as gold is tested.
They will call on My name,
And I will answer them.
I will say, “This is My people”;
And each one will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’” Zechariah 13:8, 9

Of those that remained (verses 3 & 4), the Lord noted that there were still too many for the battle. Thus, they were to go down to the water and be refined. It is the same word, tsaraph, just used to describe those who are refined in Zechariah 13:9.

Verse 5 brought in the interesting words about lapping like a dog. Unlike every other commentary on this verse, I explained that the focus is not on how the lapping is conducted but on which animal did the lapping, the dog. The dog consistently anticipates Gentiles in Scripture.

Those who are like the Gentiles during the church age will lap up the water (the word, Christ, the Spirit, etc.), meaning by faith, they are those who will engage in the battle.  The others who crouched were to be excluded.

The excluded ones anticipate those who haven’t departed, but they are not those who are fully committed. Unlike the Gentiles and those like them, these may be further refined, but they will not engage in the battle.

As a side note: If you have restrained from owning a dog to this point, you must by now see every reason to go adopt one, or ten.

Verses 6 & 7 noted that three hundred men lapped water and that they would save Gideon and prevail over Midian. Three hundred is a multiple of 3 and 10. Ten signifies that nothing is wanting and the whole cycle is complete. Three signifies Divine Perfection. But more, as noted, Bullinger says of 3 –

“The number three, therefore, must be taken as the number of Divine fulness. It signifies and represents the Holy Spirit as taking of the things of Christ and making them real and solid in our experience. It is only by the Spirit that we realise spiritual things. Without Him and His gracious operation, all is surface work: all is what a plane figure is to a solid.”

The numbers perfectly fit with what one would expect in the final spiritual battle being played out during the tribulation period. Further, the Greek letter Tau, a cross, represents the number 300. It is a clear New Testament note that Christ’s cross, which is the basis of the gospel, is what is being pictured here.

From the cross comes salvation and prevailing over the Place of Judgment. The gospel (Gideon) and the three hundred (the cross/Christ’s work) will win the battle.

Remember that the odds between the two sides were four hundred fifty to one. The number is derived from 5, 9, and 10. Five is the number of grace. Nine is the number of finality or judgment. Ten signifies that nothing is wanting and the whole cycle is complete. It is a perfect match to what will transpire.

Verses 9 & 10 noted the victory was won, but if Gideon wasn’t convinced, he should go down with Purah his servant. Purah means either Fruitful or Branch, but in the sense of Honor, Beauty, Glory, etc.

Actually, either definition can reflect what the New Testament says about the gospel. It is both Fruitful (Romans 7:4, etc.) and Glorious (2 Corinthians 4:4, etc.). The close etymological connection between the words is probably purposeful. It asks us to consider both the fruitfulness and glory of the gospel’s effect in the end times.

Once Gideon and his troops were near the camp, it made a note about Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east lying in the valley. Midian, Place of Judgment, is the main force. It speaks of the tribulation period that Israel will someday endure.

Amalek, the People Who Wring Off, are those disconnected from the body (meaning the body among whom God is present) and who strive to disconnect the body.

The b’ne qedem, or “sons East,” signifies those who continue to cling to the law, annulled in the past through Christ’s work, simply because they cannot let go of it. Being as numerous as locusts means that they seemed endless in number. This is then set in contrast to the cross and the gospel. There is an actual battle ahead for Israel, but there is a spiritual battle that must be won for them to prevail as well.

Also, the number of camels was noted as being an incredible number, even beyond counting. The word comes from the verb gamal, to deal fully or adequately with. Thus, it can mean to wean, repay, require, reward, ripen, and so forth. It speaks of the treatment the world will receive due to its rejection of Christ.

Verse 13 detailed the dream of the man in the camp of Midian. A round loaf or cake of barley bread turned through the camp of Midian, destroying it. As noted, barley is the lesser, or more inconsequential, grain. It is also the grain of hairy ears. Hair signifies an awareness, especially that of sin.

The gospel is considered inconsequential to those who do not accept it. It is also that which properly identifies and deals with the awareness of sin. The law only highlights sin, but apart from Christ, it cannot deal with it.

The connection of the word haphak, turn, between the turning of the barley bread and the turning of the sword (kherev, the law) in Genesis 3:24 was noted, and it is not without significance. The law is what keeps man from returning to fellowship with God. The gospel is what terminates the law and allows man to return to that marvelous state –

“So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword [ha’kherev: the sword / the law] which turned [ha’mithhapekheth: the turning] every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.” Genesis 3:24

Verse 14 directly equated the turning barley bread (zoth bilti: this except) to the kherev, sword, of Gideon. Again, it is a perfect representation of Christ’s fulfillment of the law, which establishes the gospel (Gideon).

Think of Genesis 3:24! Think of Christ’s work! Consider the marvel of what is being pictured! Think of those who reject the gospel. They will be destroyed through their rejection of Jesus. It is all about Jesus!

Verse 15, a marvelous verse, includes anyone who is dissecting the typology of this passage right in its words. “And was according to hearing Gideon account the dream and its fracture, and he worshiped.”

The word shavar signifies a breaking, a fracture, a crushing, etc. In this case, the dream was given, but its meaning was closed up. We have been included in the telling of the dream. However, the other man was able to cause a fracture in the words, thus exposing the meaning. Hence, it signifies a solution or interpretation of the dream.

But, as we have seen, the dream has more than the surface meaning. Therefore, we are included in the fracture of the dream. Someday, Israel will pay heed, and they too will understand what is being said.

Verse 16 noted the shophars, pitchers, and torches. The shophar is for the call to battle. The pitchers, normally used for water, were to conceal the torches. The torches were to reveal the light. The three could not be more exactingly described than what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4. Listen and think of this passage from Judges –

“But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, ⁴ whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. ⁵ For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord [the blowing of the shophars], and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. ⁶ For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ [the torches].
⁷ But we have this treasure in earthen vessels [the pitchers], that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.” 2 Corinthians 4:3-7

In Gideon (the gospel) and his three hundred (the cross/Christ’s work) deploying these three things, the enemy will find its destruction. At the time they are employed, it says in verse 19 that it was “head the watch, the middle.”

It would have been at the time that Midian was least prepared for such a battle. This clearly speaks of the world during the tribulation period. The division into three companies, which was stated several times, refers to the Divine Perfection of the event and the Divine Fulness of the Spirit in causing the work of Christ to be realized, as noted by Bullinger earlier.

As for the employment of the shophars and torches, it was specific, “And strengthened in hand left in the torches, and in hand their right the shophars to blowing.” It could have simply said, “They held the torches and blew the trumpets.” But it didn’t in order to specifically reveal typology.

The left side refers to the north, or darker side, in Scripture. The word semol, or left, comes from simlah, a wrapper or mantle. Hence, the left is the hidden side. It is like saying, “And strengthened in the hidden hand, the torches.” Thus, the focus is on the torches.

The left hand pictures Christ in His humanity covering His deity. The light of the gospel is seen in the Person of Christ. As Paul noted earlier, “to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).

The right is the position of power. The blasting of the shophar, the heralding of the gospel, is what is seen. With that also came the cry, “Sword to Yehovah and to Gideon.” The meaning of “to” is “of.” The call is of Lord’s sword, meaning the fulfillment of the law by Christ and the gospel. The two are united as one, just as 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4 proclaims.

Verse 21, which opened our verses today, showed the contrast between the army of Gideon and that of Midian: and standing / and running, and blasting / and shouting, and shattering / and fleeing.

Despite the seeming odds, with the Lord behind the gospel, the world cannot prevail but will find absolute defeat, even to the point where it will destroy itself. This is seen in Yehovah’s setting a sword (kherev: the law] between a man and his friend within the camp. Without Jesus, the law can only bring death.

As for the names of the locations that were fled to, each of them is either used only once or this is the first time it is seen in Scripture. Therefore, it is probable that they were named based on these events.

Thus, in an attempt to explain the typology, I submit House of Acacias (meaning House of Scourges) describes the effects rendered upon the enemy. Toward Zererah (Bound) signifies the coming state of those who reject the gospel. At the final judgment, they will be bound forever in the Lake of Fire.

The border of Meadow (or Stream) of Dancing signifies the state of those victorious in the battle. Dances are used to describe joy, most often after a battle. Being by Tabbath (Perpetual) is the eternal state where either side will find itself.

Verse 23 mentioned the crying out and pursuing of Israel (He Strives with God) by Naphtali (My Wrestlings and signifying the work of Christ to secure salvation), Asher (Blessed because of the work of Christ), and Manasseh (To Forget/From a Debt signifying Christ who forgets sins, having paid the sin debt).

These went forth pursuing Midian, Place of Judgment, having been declared not guilty because of Christ. As we saw, Zebulun was notably missing. Those of Israel who survive the tribulation will enter into the millennium. They will not be translated directly to heaven.

Verse 24 detailed the call of Ephraim (Twice Fruitful/Ashes). It speaks of the continued salvation of both Jews and Gentiles during the tribulation because of the afflictions of Christ. They pursued Midian until Beth Barah (House of Covenant) and the Jordan (the Descender).

Whether this is referring to the negative effects of Midian rejecting Christ or the positive effects of Israel accepting Christ, the result is the same. There is one New Covenant and one Jesus. Those who are in Him will be saved, and those who reject Him will be lost. As it is Israel seizing the waters, I would go with the latter.

It speaks of the coming destruction of all who reject Jesus. That would follow with the words of verse 25. The two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb, were captured and killed. Being two, they provide a contrast and yet a confirmation. Oreb, Raven, ultimately comes from arav, to take in pledge. Zeev, Wolf, signifies those who devour.

It speaks of those who have tried to obtain the pledge of the Spirit without Christ and those who devour the flock. They contrast, and yet they confirm the totality of those who are separated from God. These were able to overcome such through their faith in Christ, just as Revelation says will come about.

Being killed at the rock of Oreb is set in contrast to having life in the Rock of Christ. One is a false hope. The other is the true Hope. Being killed at the winepress of Zeeb also provides a contrast. There is the overflowing vat given by the Lord (Proverbs 3:10) or the vat of punishment for rejecting Him (Joel 3:13).

The final words of the chapter noted the heads being carried back to Gideon on the other side of the Jordan. It is a note of the victory over these two as seen elsewhere in Scripture. The enemy is defeated, and the battle is complete.

Judges 7 is not the end of Gideon’s time as the judge of Israel. Chapter 8 is long and detailed. But Judges 7 is an integral part of what is typologically anticipated in the future. In studying and understanding typology, many errors in theology, such as Israel’s covenant relationship with God, are cleared up.

The Lord’s promises to Israel are absolutely sure to come about. This includes being brought into the New Covenant and enjoying all the blessings and privileges promised to them in the prophets. That time is ahead, but probably not far ahead.

The world is primed for self-destruction. But what good is knowing this if the word cannot be trusted? If God’s word is not eternal and decided once and for all time, there is absolutely no point in trusting Him or bothering with His word.

What a sad state to be in. “Jesus saved me! Hooray! But He might take it back. Therefore, my salvation is up to me.” That is where Israel is right now. They don’t trust the Lord and they don’t trust His word. Thus, they are stuck in a place where there is no faith, no hope, and no confidence except in themselves.

Let us learn the lesson of Scripture by understanding the lesson of Israel. God has been, and He will be, faithful to His unfaithful people. That includes you. Look to Israel and be confident that He will (not maybe!) carry you through to a good end. Thank God for His faithfulness in the giving of His Son. Yes, thank God for Jesus Christ our Lord.

Closing Verse: “The wolf and the lamb shall feed together,
The lion shall eat straw like the ox,
And dust shall be the serpent’s food.
They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,”
Says the Lord.” Isaiah 65:25

Next Week: Judges 8:1-12 More battling to be done, so the word does tell, but the outcome will be great… (Gideon, Judge of Israel, Part VIII) (25^th Judges sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. It is He who judges His people according to their deeds. So, follow Him, live for Him, and trust Him, and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

(Gideon, Judge of Israel, Part VII)

And every man all around the camp in his place stood
And the whole army ran and cried out and fled. Sayonara
———-for good.

When the three hundred blew the trumpets
The LORD set every man’s sword against his companion
———-throughout the whole camp, felicity was shot
And the army fled to Beth Acacia, toward Zererah
As far as the border of Abel Meholah, by Tabbath

And the men of Israel gathered together, not just to see the sights
From Naphtali, Asher, and all Manasseh, and pursued
———-the Midianites

Then Gideon sent messengers
Throughout all the mountains of Ephraim, saying
“Come down against the Midianites, and seize from them
———-the watering places
As far as Beth Barah and the Jordan, so he was conveying

Then all the men of Ephraim gathered together and seized
The watering places as far as Beth Barah and the Jordan
———- doing as Gideon pleased

And they captured two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb
They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb they killed at
———-Zeeb’s winepress
They pursued Midian and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb
To Gideon on the other side of the Jordan, to show off their success

Lord God, turn our hearts to be obedient to Your word
Give us wisdom to be ever faithful to You
May we carefully heed each thing we have heard
Yes, Lord God may our hearts be faithful and true

And we shall be content and satisfied in You alone
We will follow You as we sing our songs of praise
Hallelujah to You; to us Your path You have shown
Hallelujah we shall sing to You for all of our days

Hallelujah and Amen…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

²¹ And every man stood in his place all around the camp; and the whole army ran and cried out and fled. ²² When the three hundred blew the trumpets, the Lord set every man’s sword against his companion throughout the whole camp; and the army fled to Beth Acacia, toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel Meholah, by Tabbath.

²³ And the men of Israel gathered together from Naphtali, Asher, and all Manasseh, and pursued the Midianites.

²⁴ Then Gideon sent messengers throughout all the mountains of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against the Midianites, and seize from them the watering places as far as Beth Barah and the Jordan.” Then all the men of Ephraim gathered together and seized the watering places as far as Beth Barah and the Jordan. ²⁵ And they captured two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb they killed at the winepress of Zeeb. They pursued Midian and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side of the Jordan.

 

 

 

 

 

12

Artwork by Douglas Kallerson.

Judges 7:9-20
(Gideon, Judge of Israel, Part VI)

(Typed 4 December 2023) Extra-biblical claims of revelation from God are not necessary for any part of our salvation or a walk with the Lord. They add nothing to what God has detailed in His word, and following such supposed revelations will only distract us from study and contemplation of His word.

There are accounts of such things detailed in Scripture. Today’s account will tell us of one such event. At the time, the people of the world did not yet have the fully revealed word of God. This obviously means that God was still revealing it to the world.

Therefore, it is not unexpected that there would be prophets, visions, divinely directed dreams, and the like. These things were used by God to direct His plan of redemption, to reveal coming aspects of what He would do as are later recorded in the word, and to show later generations how such things came about.

Is any of that necessary now? I say no. The word is given and it is fully sufficient to teach us everything we now need to know.

Text Verse: “For God may speak in one way, or in another,
Yet man does not perceive it.
¹⁵ In a dream, in a vision of the night,
When deep sleep falls upon men,
While slumbering on their beds.” Job 33:14,15

In our verses today, there are a few astonishing aspects of the dream recorded here. Such things, once thought through, are like the lightbulb above the head memes. The light comes on and suddenly one can see the logic.

The word, as it is given, is so filled with interesting insights that we can read it innumerable times and still miss obvious truths it is revealing. Keep reading the word! Keep thinking on what it is telling you. It is God’s marvelous gift to the people of the world.

This is especially so because in it is revealed God’s greatest Gift of all, our Lord Jesus Christ. Everything points to Him and His coming. Let us remember this and seek Him out in every detail. He is there, waiting to be discovered.

Such great things as finding Jesus throughout every story are to be found in His superior word. And so, let us turn to that precious word once again, and… May God speak to us through His word today, and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. I Have Had a Dream (verses 9-14)

⁹ It happened on the same night that the Lord said to him,

v’hi ba’laylah ha’hu vayomer elav Yehovah – “And was in the night, the it, and say unto him, Yehovah…” This is the same night in which the selection of who would fight in the battle was made –

“Then the Lord said to Gideon, ‘By the three hundred men who lapped I will save you, and deliver the Midianites into your hand. Let all the other people go, every man to his place.’ ⁸ So the people took provisions and their trumpets in their hands. And he sent away all the rest of Israel, every man to his tent, and retained those three hundred men. Now the camp of Midian was below him in the valley.” Judges 7:7, 8

Before the battle is engaged, the Lord will have something for Gideon to do that will ease the minds of the soldiers with him. The odds are so great against them that only absolute trust in the Lord’s guiding hand could mollify their unease. However, the Lord first says…

^{9 (con’t)} “Arise, go down against the camp,

qum red ba’makhaneh – “Arise! Descend in the camp.” Gideon is told to get up in order to go down. It is night, so the soldiers were probably laying around campfires. Maybe some were slumbering. But, the Lord said the night is the time to engage the battle. This is a command for the entire camp to now descend and get going…

^{9 (con’t)} for I have delivered it into your hand.

ki n’thativ b’yadekha – “for I have given it in your hand.” The aspect of the verb is perfect. The matter is settled and accomplished in the Lord’s mind. He promises victory over the vast horde scattered across the valley. However, to ensure the men are confident, He has a sign to help them mentally prepare…

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

v’im yare atah la’redeth red atah u-phurah naarkha el ha’makhaneh – “And if fearing – you – to descend, descend – you and Purah your servant – unto the camp.” The Lord knew the heart of Gideon. He was leading three hundred men into battle against one hundred and thirty-five thousand. There would naturally be reticence concerning such an endeavor.

Therefore, He directs Gideon with emphatic and precisely stated words. First, in the previous verse he was told to descend in the camp. That command was to go to battle. Here, it says unto the camp. It is not a direction for fighting but for another purpose.

Also, the Lord could have said, “Take one of your men and go…” Or, He could have said, “Take a servant and go…” Instead, He expressly identifies by name who Gideon should take, Purah. Purah is his naar. The word means a youth, but in this case, it is referring to his attendant, probably his armor bearer.

This is a young person who is not yet a warrior. Such a person would carry the implements of war for the warrior and would follow along after, killing any who were wounded by the hand of his master but were not yet dead.

The name Purah may come from one of two separate but related sources. The first is the verb parah, to bear fruit or be fruitful. The other is the noun porah, a branch. However, that in turn comes from paar, to beautify or glorify. The branch is what beautifies a vine. This is seen, for example, in Ezekiel 31 –

“All the birds of the heavens made their nests in its boughs;
Under its branches [porah] all the beasts of the field brought forth their young;
And in its shadow all great nations made their home.
⁷ ‘Thus it was beautiful in greatness and in the length of its branches,
Because its roots reached to abundant waters.
⁸ The cedars in the garden of God could not hide it;
The fir trees were not like its boughs,
And the chestnut trees were not like its branches [porah];
No tree in the garden of God was like it in beauty.” Ezekiel 31:6-8

Therefore, the name Purah means Fruitful or Branch. However, if Branch, it carries with it the sense of honor, beauty, glory, etc.

¹¹ and you shall hear what they say; and afterward your hands shall be strengthened to go down against the camp.”

Rather, and more precisely: v’shamta mah y’daberu v’akhar tekhezaqnah yadekha v’yaradta ba’makhaneh – “And hear what they speak. And after, shall be strengthened your hand. And go down in the camp.” The meaning is that in hearing what the Lord has spoken, the hand of Gideon will no longer be limp from fear. He will be encouraged and confident to enter into the battle. Again, as in verse 9, it says “in the camp,” meaning to attack it.

^{11  (con’t)} Then he went down with Purah his servant to the outpost of the armed men who were in the camp.

The words bear an emphasis: vayered hu u-phurah naaro el qetseh ha’khamushim asher ba’makhaneh – “And descended, he, and Purah his servant, unto extremity the fiftied who in the camp.” Gideon, the Cutter, is highlighted. He, along with Purah did as directed and went to the outskirts of the khamushim.

It is a verb, the meaning of which is highly debated. Outpost, though, is incorrect. It may mean “the arrayed” or something similar. However, other than later vowel pointing, it is spelled identically to the plural of fifty. Therefore, it is likely that it signifies a battle array of units of fifty men. Today we would say, “by platoon” to indicate units of fifty men.

These two descended and came up close to the fifties. There would be two thousand seven hundred fifties in a camp of one hundred and thirty-five thousand. By the Lord’s providence, they will come to the extremity where a particular fifty was situated.

¹² Now the Midianites and Amalekites, all the people of the East, were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts;

Rather: u-midyan va’amaleq v’kal b’ne qedem nophlim ba’emeq ka’arbeh la’rov – “And Midian and Amalek and all sons East lying in the valley according to the locust to the multitude.” The words take us back to the opening of the previous chapter –

“So it was, whenever Israel had sown, Midianites would come up; also Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them. … For they would come up with their livestock and their tents, coming in as numerous as locusts; both they and their camels were without number; and they would enter the land to destroy it.” Judges 6:3, 5

Midian means Place of Judgment.

Amalek is derived from the word am, or people, and malaq which means to nip or wring off the head of a bird with or without severing it from the body. Thus, they are The People Who Wring Off. They are those who are disconnected from the body and strive to disconnect the body.

The b’ne qedem or “sons East” would be the various people groups including Arab tribes, Ishmaelites, etc.

Saying these were numbered like locusts is a way of saying that just as the locust moves around, making it impossible to count them, so was this hoard of invaders gathered in the valley. There were so many of them that they seemed endless in number. This is set in contrast to the mere three hundred men with Gideon.

^{12 (con’t)} and their camels were without number, as the sand by the seashore in multitude.

v’ligmalehem ein mispar ka’khol se’al s’phath ha’yam la’rov – “And to their camels not number, according to the sand upon her lip – the sea – to the multitude.” It is a hugely whopping and great superlative seen previously in Joshua 11:4 when Israel met the enemies gathered at the waters of Merom. The idea is almost an infinite number of them.

The word sand, khol, comes from the verb khul, to whirl or writhe. The idea is that of sand whirling in the wind. Hence, it would be impossible to count the sand as the wind blew over it.

As for the gamal, or camel, that comes from the verb gamal, to deal fully or adequately with. Thus, it can mean to wean, repay, require, reward, ripen, and so forth. As such, it refers to the treatment, either well or ill, that a person will receive.

Camels were not found in abundance in Canaan. They were brought in by the invaders, demonstrating the enormous amount of provision the marauding invaders possessed and the profusely plump piles of plunder they had taken each year as they stormed over the land. This is set in contrast to the limited supplies of Gideon’s men which was carried on foot rather than by camel.

¹³ And when Gideon had come, there was a man telling a dream to his companion.

vayavo gidon v’hineh ish m’saper l’reehu khalom – “And came Gideon, and behold, man recounting to his friend dream.” This is what the Jewish sages call the bath kol, daughter of a voice. They say there are four ways of receiving a divine word: prophets, dream, the Urim, and the bath kol. It is a voice of guidance or the first words one hears after looking out for them. For example –

Then Jonathan said, “Very well, let us cross over to these men, and we will show ourselves to them. ⁹ If they say thus to us, ‘Wait until we come to you,’ then we will stand still in our place and not go up to them. ¹⁰ But if they say thus, ‘Come up to us,’ then we will go up. For the Lord has delivered them into our hand, and this will be a sign to us.”

¹¹ So both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, “Look, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden.” ¹² Then the men of the garrison called to Jonathan and his armorbearer, and said, “Come up to us, and we will show you something.”
Jonathan said to his armorbearer, “Come up after me, for the Lord has delivered them into the hand of Israel.” 1 Samuel 14:8-12

This is not a sound interpretation of Scripture. First, there are other means of receiving a divine word, such as the appearance of an angel, a vision, etc. Second, the Lord is instructing Gideon to a specific place to hear a specific word. That word is based on a dream.

Charismatics and the superstitious accept this type of thing as a divine message, “If this, then this.” It is a sloppy way of handling theology. It leads directly to the “Open the Bible, turn to a random page, point, and make your decision” approach to life. As for what Gideon hears…

^{13 (con’t)} He said, “I have had a dream: To my surprise, a loaf of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian;

vayomer hineh khalom khalamti v’hineh tselol lekhem s’orim mithhapekh b’makhaneh midyan – “And said, ‘Behold dream dreamt. And behold, loaf bread barley turning in camp Midian.” There is a word found only here in Scripture, tselul (or tselil).

It is highly debated what the word means and many suggestions have been made. It may signify a round (or flattened but round) cake of bread. Strong’s identifies the word as coming from tsalal, to sink. As something sinks, it generally wafts downward through the water in a rolling motion. Thus, it may be a flat round cake, or a roll or loaf.

Barley is considered a lesser grain compared to wheat. The bread is thus inconsequential in both size and quality. Therefore, it is emblematic of the camp of Gideon in relation to the camp of Midian, low and contemptible in contrast to exalted and mighty.

Barley is also known as the crop of hairy ears because of its appearance on the stalk. Hence it is named seorah, coming from sear, hair. Hair in the Bible signifies an awareness, especially an awareness of sin, as in the saiyr, or hairy goat sin offering.

The motion of the bread is haphak, to turn or turn over. It is the same word in the same construct used to describe the turning sword held by the cherubim at the east of the Garden of Eden.

“So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned [ha’mithhapekheth: the turning] every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.” Genesis 3:24

If it is flattened bread, then it is on its side like a wheel turning. If a loaf, it is simply rolling along. Either way, it has come into the camp of Midian, Place of Judgment…

^{13 (con’t)} it came to a tent and struck it so that it fell and overturned, and the tent collapsed.”

The words are chaotic and filled with motion: vayavo ad ha’ohel vayakehu vayipol vayahaphkhehu l’malah v’naphal ha’ohel – “And came until the tent and struck it, and falling, and turning it to her upward, and fallen the tent.” Saying “the tent” has several possibilities. It may be the main tent of the highest-ranking person, but that seems dubious and forced.

It could be the dreamer’s own tent, making it personal – it was his own tent, not just an arbitrary tent. Or it may be that the word tent stands for the camp as a whole. It is the camp (sg.) of Midian (sg.), so this is the tent of Midian. That is not out of the question. It even seems likely based on the interpretation of the dream by his friend.

Either way, this is what Gideon needed to hear. Out of one hundred and thirty-five thousand people, in two thousand seven hundred platoons, and probably twenty-five tents per platoon (figuring two people per tent), Gideon walked up to the one tent where this dream had occurred. He also walked up at the time that the man conveyed his dream to his friend.

The probability of coming to the right tent would be approximately 67,500 to 1. Coming at the exact time the conversation was going on would increase the odds further. Sergio figured the probability based on a thirty-minute conversation and it is a bit more than one in a million odds. A five-minute conversation would take it to about one in ten million chance of coming upon the right tent at the right moment. And more, a further verification that this was the Lord’s doing is next seen…

¹⁴ Then his companion answered and said, “This is nothing else but the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel!

va’yaan reehu vayomer ein zoth bilti im kherev gidon ben yoash ish Yisrael – “And answered his friend and said, ‘Not this except if sword Gideon son Joash, man Israel.” However those in the camp became aware of Gideon and his men, it was understood that they were a teeny, insignificant force. And yet, this dream clearly indicated that they would come into the camp of Midian and level it.

This again raises the odds previously mentioned. The dream interpreter could have said, “It’s nothing. Go back to sleep, dreamer.” Also, he was able to correctly interpret the dream as Gideon listened. He directly equated the turning loaf of bread (zoth bilti: this except) to the kherev, sword, of Gideon.

Everything about the account is provided to assure Gideon that he will, in fact, prevail over Midian, just as the Lord said.

The name Joash means Yehovah Has Bestowed. Israel means He Strives with God. That has bearing on the next words…

^{14 (con’t)} Into his hand God has delivered Midian and the whole camp.”

natan ha’Elohim b’yado eth midyan v’eth kal ha’makhaneh – “Given the God in his hand Midian and all the camp.” As in verse 9, the aspect of the verb is perfect. Just as the Lord said, so this man has confirmed. And more, he uses the term “the God.”

The article is expressive and refers to the one true God in relation to man. But more especially, it is in relation to those who are in a right relationship with Him, or it is used to contrast those who are not in a right relationship with Him.

In this case, Gideon, who is of Israel (He Strives with God), is striving in a proper relationship with the God. This man understands that Gideon is chosen by the God, Yehovah, to destroy Midian and all the camp. The words are convincing…

The Lord alone will gain the victory
We simply trust in what He has done
He has set forth everything splendidly
In the giving of Christ, His only begotten Son 

Let us trust in this and go forth confidently
Our destiny is secure through what He has done
Innumerable people gathered around the glassy sea
Forgiven and redeemed through the work of the Son

Hallelujah to our God!
Behold the great things He has done
Forever and ever we shall applaud
The glory of the Lord’s cross, God’s only begotten Son

II. orches and Trumpets (verses 15-20)

¹⁵ And so it was, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, that he worshiped.

v’hi kishmoa gidon eth mispar ha’khalom v’eth shivro vayishtakhu – “And was according to hearing Gideon account the dream and its fracture, and he worshiped.” The word shavar signifies a breaking, a fracture, a crushing, etc.

In this case, it is as if the dream was given, but it was closed up. However, the interpreter was able to cause a fracture in the words, thus exposing the meaning. Hence, it signifies a solution or interpretation of the dream.

This, in itself, was as miraculous as the giving of the dream. Gideon, like all of Israel, would have known the words of Joseph to Pharaoh, hearing them year after year as the stories of their forefathers were recounted from generation to generation –

“And they said to him, ‘We each have had a dream, and there is no interpreter of it.’ So Joseph said to them, ‘Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, please.’” Genesis 40:8

Every detail of their time while at the camp of Midian was carefully orchestrated by the Lord to fully convince Gideon that victory was assured. Therefore, he took time to worship the Lord in grateful confidence that they would prevail.

^{15 (con’t)} He returned to the camp of Israel, and said, “Arise, for the Lord has delivered the camp of Midian into your hand.”

vayashav el makhaneh Yisrael vayomer qumu ki nathan Yehovah b’yedkhem eth makhaneh Midyan – “And returned unto camp Israel and said, ‘Arise! For given Yehovah in your hand camp Midian.’” As the Lord previously said, and as the interpreter of the dream repeated, so Gideon speaks using the word “give” in the perfect aspect. It is a done deal.

Midian is already destroyed in the Lord’s mind and in the mind of the interpreter. Now it is in Gideon’s mind as well. Therefore, he instructs the men to arise. It is time to engage the enemy…

¹⁶ Then he divided the three hundred men into three companies,

This division was to give the illusion of a much larger attacking force, coming at the enemy from various directions. It will later be employed by Saul and David. Three bands of raiders are also mentioned in Job –

“While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!” Job 1:17

Once divided…

^{16 (con’t)} and he put a trumpet into every man’s hand, with empty pitchers, and torches inside the pitchers.

vayiten shopharoth b’yad kulam v’khadim reqim v’lapidim b’thok ha’kadim – “And gave shophars in hand all them, and pitchers empty, and torches in midst the pitchers.” The shophar is used to call troops to or into battle. In this case, it is into battle. When they are arrayed and ready, the shophar is blown and the attack begins.

This would lead the enemy to suppose that the battle was coming from every direction with each shophar mustering an entire force of men. This could mean thirty thousand or more ready men running into a camp filled with sleeping men. It would bring immediate terror and confusion to the entire camp.

The kad, or pitcher, was an earthenware jar often used for carrying water from a well, such as that used by Rebekah in Genesis 24. In this case, the pitchers are empty, and a torch was inserted. The jar was to conceal the light until it was time for it to shine forth.

The word lapid describes a torch or lamp. In this case, it is a torch that would not be easily extinguished and which would increase in brightness as it was waved to and fro. The lights would be used by the head of a company to direct those behind him where he was going in the dark. Again, it gives the illusion of many people following leaders into battle.

¹⁷ And he said to them, “Look at me and do likewise;

The words are short and to the point: vayomer alehem mimeni tiru v’ken taasu – “And said unto them, ‘From me look and thus do.” He would lead the attack when all the men were set and ready. From wherever he was stationed, the rest would have stealthily encircled the camp, keeping their eyes on Gideon’s position as he approached the camp. Therefore…

^{17 (con’t)} watch, and when I come to the edge of the camp you shall do as I do:

There is a strong, emphatic nature to his words: v’hineh anokhi ba biqtseh ha’makhaneh v’hayah ka’asher eeseh ken taasun – “And behold, I come in extremity the camp, and it is according to which I doing, so shall you (certainly) do.”

Moving to the edge of the camp rather than remaining at a distance was to make the Midianites think that an entire attacking force was directly upon them. It would throw them into utter confusion and absolute panic. This is the point of the careful repetition and detailed, emphatic instruction by Gideon. Therefore…

¹⁸ When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me,

Again, it is emphatic: v’taqati ba’shofar anoki v’kal iti – “And I blast in the shophar, I, and all who with me.” Gideon would initiate the process and almost simultaneously he would be accompanied by his one hundred. This would initiate the battle.

Those inside the camp would hear it and understand a battle was beginning. Any mentally alert Midianites would direct their eyes and ears in the direction of Gideon. But within just another second or two, confusion would break out in their minds…

^{18 (con’t)} then you also blow the trumpets on every side of the whole camp, and say, ‘The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!’”

It is again emphatic: uth’qatem ba’shopharoth gam atem sivoth kal ha’makhaneh v’amartem l’Yehovah u-l’gidon – “and you blast in the shophars also – you around all the camp – and say, ‘to Yehovah and to Gideon.’” The inserted words “The sword of” are a part of the call as indicated in verse 20, but they are not a part of this verse.

It is a rallying cry for Gideon’s forces to remember the Lord and to acknowledge the leadership of Gideon under the Lord. Calling out the name of the Lord, a name that would be known to the Midianites, as well as the name of Gideon, was to let them know that they were being attacked under the authority of their God and with a capable military leader heading the army.

¹⁹ So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outpost of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch,

vayavo gidon u-meah ish asher ito biqtseh ha’makhaneh rosh ha’ashmoreth ha’tikonah – “And Gideon and hundred man who with him in extremity the camp, head the watch, the middle.” The timing is purposely selected to be when the sentinels were least likely to be ready for any alarm.

It is generally believed that there were three designated watches in the night during this time in history. As night went from six to six, it would be about 10pm. If there were four watches, then it could be as late as 12am. Either way, most in the camp would be falling into deep sleep. Waking up suddenly causes the brain to be foggy and unprepared.

^{19 (con’t)} just as they had posted the watch;

The words are a verb fest: akh haqem heqimu eth ha’shomrim – “surely, arising arisen the watchers.” The meaning is that the new watch had just gotten up. They were just being posted, probably still bleary eyed. The others were mind-numbed from their posting and ready to sleep. Just at this carefully selected moment, it says…

^{19 (con’t)} and they blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers that were in their hands.

vayitq’u ba’shopharoth v’napots ha’kadim asher beyadam – “And blasting in the shophars, and shattering the pitchers which in their hands.” The verb shattering is structured to indicate that the blasting and the shattering occurred simultaneously.

At one moment, there would be the sound of the battle call, the crash of some unknown but destructive sound, and the sudden flashing of lights very close to the camp. Each detail is given to elicit the maximum terror in the newly posted watchers. Those going off duty would be likewise horrified that the enemy had encircled them while they were on duty.

Those asleep would wake up completely confused, astonished, and terrified. The entire camp would be unprepared for the sudden event that had fallen upon them. Just as Gideon had acted, and as instructed, it then says…

²⁰ Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers—

Vayitqu sh’loshet harashim ba’shopharoth vayishbru ha’kadim – “And blasting three the companies in the shophars, and shattering the pitchers.” The fact that it already said that the three hundred did these things in verse 19 has caused a lot of unnecessary speculation in many different directions.

Verse 19 referred to Gideon and the company with him. This speaks of the other two companies doing it. Gideon had instructed them to follow after him. They have done exactly that. They immediately followed suit, so that it was as if the attack was from all sides at once. The text is simply affirming that all three companies obediently accomplished what they were charged to do.

^{20 (con’t)} they held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands for blowing

vayakhaziqu b’yad sh’molam ba’lapidim u-b’yad y’minam ha’shopharoth litqoa – “And strengthened in hand left in the torches, and in hand their right the shophars to blowing.” It could have simply said, “They held the torches and blew the trumpets.” However, the text is asking us to consider why the particular hands are specified.

The left side refers to the north, or darker side, in Scripture. The word semol, or left, comes from simlah, a wrapper or mantle. Hence, the left is the hidden side. It is like saying, “And strengthened in the hidden hand, the torches.” Thus, the focus is on the torches.

The right is the south side in Scripture. It is the side of strength and authority. Understanding this…

*^20 (fin) —and they cried, “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!”

vayiqreu kherev l’Yehovah u-l’gidon – “And crying, ‘Sword to Yehovah and to Gideon.” The meaning of “to” is “of.” This is to be inferred from the previous clause. The three hundred men stood completely unarmed as far as their hands were concerned.

One hand held the torch and the other the shophar. They cannot do any killing like that! Therefore, any destruction that occurs is because the Lord directed it to be so and Gideon, the Cutter, is the Lord’s designated leader who organized the non-fighting battle on behalf of the Lord.

Any cutting down of the enemy must be credited solely to the Lord who directed every step and to Gideon who acted on the Lord’s direction.

And this is a truth that carries over to our own spiritual lives as well. Every aspect of what is needed to accomplish the victory has been wrought by the Lord. There can be no boasting in what we have done. Scripture makes this perfectly clear, and as our closing verse will reveal.

The thought is central to what is going on in the redemption of man. The Bible notes that we are saved by grace through faith and that is not of ourselves. Rather, Ephesians 2 says it is the gift of God. A gift is something unearned, and grace is unmerited favor.

Understanding this, and remembering that we are to never mar grace by assuming that we must accomplish works in order to merit salvation, or that if we fail the Lord in some particular way we cannot be saved or we might become unsaved.

That is a chief lie of the devil. In essence it says that we either participate in our own salvation or we accomplish it apart from God’s grace. Rather, let us trust in what God has done. That is what faith is! It is accepting His work and being persuaded that it is sufficient.

Next week, we will go through the final verses and see what the contents of Chapter 7 are pointing to. But from our final verse of the passage today, we can know that acknowledging that the battle is the Lord’s is a key part of what is being conveyed.

For the Christian, that came about by faith. Let us hold fast to that, not getting pulled away from it by cunning deception. The gospel is clear and simple. Let me explain it to you…

Closing Verse: “Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.” Romans 3:27

Next Week: Judges 7:21-25 Fun a ton! It’s so swell – and close to heaven… (Gideon, Judge of Israel, Part VII) (24^th Judges Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. It is He who judges His people according to their deeds. So, follow Him, live for Him, and trust Him, and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

Gideon, Judge of Israel, Part VI

It happened on the same night
That the LORD said to Gideon in a command
“Arise, go down against the camp
For I have delivered it into your hand

But if you are afraid to go down
Go down to the camp with Purah your servant
And you shall hear what they say
And afterward your hands shall be strengthened to go down
———-against the camp, so be observant

Then he went down with Purah his servant
Together they did scamp
To the outpost of the armed men
Who were in the camp

Now the Midianites and Amalekites, all the people of the East
Were in the valley as numerous as locusts. No, the size
———-is not skewed
And their camels were without number
As the sand by the seashore in multitude

And when Gideon had come, there was a man telling a dream
———-to his companion
He said, “I have had a dream: To my surprise of this event
A loaf of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian
It came to a tent and struck it so that it fell and overturned, and
———-collapsed the tent

Then his companion answered and said
“This is nothing else but the sword of Gideon, Israel’s champ
The son of Joash, a man of Israel!
Into his hand God has delivered Midian and the whole camp

And so it was, when Gideon heard the telling
Of the dream and its interpretation, that he worshiped. So grand!

He returned to the camp of Israel, and said
“Arise, for the LORD has delivered the camp of Midian
———-into your hand

Then he divided the three hundred men
Into three companies, so he did divide
And he put a trumpet into every man’s hand
With empty pitchers, and with torches inside

And he said to them
“Look at me and likewise do
Watch, and when I come to the edge of the camp
You shall do as I do too

When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me
Then you also blow the trumpets on every side, so you shall do
Of the whole camp, and say
‘The sword of the LORD and of Gideon too

So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him
Came to the outpost of the camp at the beginning of the
———-middle watch, according to the plans
Just as they had posted the watch; and they blew the trumpets
And broke the pitchers that were in their hands

Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers
They held the torches in their left hands as things had begun
And the trumpets in their right hands for blowing
And they cried, “The sword of the LORD and of Gideon!

Lord God, turn our hearts to be obedient to Your word
Give us wisdom to be ever faithful to You
May we carefully heed each thing we have heard
Yes, Lord God may our hearts be faithful and true

And we shall be content and satisfied in You alone
We will follow You as we sing our songs of praise
Hallelujah to You; to us Your path You have shown
Hallelujah we shall sing to You for all of our days

Hallelujah and Amen…

 

 

 

 

 

 

⁹ It happened on the same night that the Lord said to him, “Arise, go down against the camp, for I have delivered it into your hand. ¹⁰ But if you are afraid to go down, go down to the camp with Purah your servant, 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 outpost of the armed men who were in the camp. ¹² Now the Midianites and Amalekites, all the people of the East, were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the seashore in multitude.

¹³ And when Gideon had come, there was a man telling a dream to his companion. He said, “I have had a dream: To my surprise, a loaf of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian; it came to a tent and struck it so that it fell and overturned, and the tent collapsed.”

¹⁴ Then his companion answered and said, “This is nothing else but the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel! Into his hand God has delivered Midian and the whole camp.”

¹⁵ And so it was, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, that he worshiped. He returned to the camp of Israel, and said, “Arise, for the Lord has delivered the camp of Midian into your hand.” ¹⁶ Then he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet into every man’s hand, with empty pitchers, and torches inside the pitchers. ¹⁷ And he said to them, “Look at me and do likewise; watch, and when I come to the edge of the camp you shall do as I do: ¹⁸ When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then you also blow the trumpets on every side of the whole camp, and say, ‘The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!’”

¹⁹ So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outpost of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just as they had posted the watch; and they blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers that were in their hands. ²⁰ Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers—they held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands for blowing—and they cried, “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!”