◄ Judges 7:6 ►
And the number of those who lapped the water with their hands to their mouths was three hundred men; all the others knelt to drink.
Study Bible
And the number of those who lapped the water with their hands to their mouths was three hundred men;
This phrase highlights the selection of Gideon's army. The act of lapping water with their hands to their mouths is significant as it demonstrates vigilance and readiness, qualities necessary for the battle ahead. The number three hundred is symbolic of God's power and provision, as it is a small number compared to the Midianite army, emphasizing that victory comes from the Lord, not human strength. This selection process is reminiscent of God's choosing of the faithful remnant throughout Scripture, such as the 7,000 in Israel who did not bow to Baal (1 Kings 19:18).

all the others knelt to drink.
The contrast between the two groups is stark. Those who knelt to drink were less alert, focusing on their immediate needs rather than the potential threat. This distinction serves as a metaphor for spiritual readiness and the importance of being watchful, as echoed in the New Testament exhortations to be vigilant (1 Peter 5:8). The act of kneeling, while not inherently negative, in this context suggests a lack of preparedness, which is crucial in the spiritual battles faced by believers. This separation of the vigilant from the complacent is a recurring theme in Scripture, illustrating the need for discernment and readiness in following God's call.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Gideon
The judge chosen by God to deliver Israel from the Midianites. He is the central figure in this account, leading the Israelites.

2. The Three Hundred Men
These are the select group of warriors who lapped water with their hands to their mouths, chosen by God to accompany Gideon in battle against the Midianites.

3. The Midianites
The oppressive force against Israel at this time, whom God intends to defeat through Gideon and his small army.

4. The Spring of Harod
The location where Gideon's men were tested by how they drank water, leading to the selection of the three hundred.

5. The Lord (Yahweh)
The divine orchestrator of the events, who reduces Gideon's army to ensure that the victory is attributed to divine intervention rather than human strength.
Teaching Points
Divine Selection
God often chooses the unlikely or the few to accomplish His purposes, demonstrating His power and sovereignty.

Faith Over Numbers
Trust in God should not be based on human resources or strength but on His promises and power.

Obedience in Testing
The way the men drank water was a test of readiness and alertness, teaching us to be vigilant and prepared in our spiritual walk.

God's Glory in Weakness
God intentionally reduces Gideon's army to ensure that the victory is attributed to Him, reminding us that our weaknesses can be platforms for His glory.

Spiritual Readiness
Just as the three hundred were chosen for their alertness, we are called to be spiritually alert and ready for God's call.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the method of selection for Gideon's army reflect God's priorities in choosing His servants?

2. In what ways can we apply the principle of "faith over numbers" in our personal lives and church communities?

3. How does the account of Gideon's three hundred men challenge our understanding of strength and success?

4. What are some modern-day "tests" that God might use to prepare us for His purposes, similar to the water-drinking test?

5. How can we ensure that our victories and successes in life bring glory to God rather than ourselves, as demonstrated in Gideon's account?
Connections to Other Scriptures
1 Samuel 14
Jonathan's faith in God to deliver Israel with few men parallels Gideon's reliance on God with a small army.

Psalm 33:16-17
This passage emphasizes that victory does not come from the size of an army but from the Lord, echoing the lesson in Judges 7.

Zechariah 4:6
The principle that success comes "not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit," aligns with the theme of divine reliance in Gideon's account.
Sermons
A Sifting Among the Defenders of the FaithR. A. Watson, M. A.Judges 7:1-8
Backing Out of God's ServiceMarcus Dods, D. D.Judges 7:1-8
Divinely-Ordained TestsA.F. Muir Judges 7:1-8
Fit Men for the FightA. Maclaren, D. D.Judges 7:1-8
Gideon and the Three HundredJ. B. Brown, B. A.Judges 7:1-8
Gideon's ArmySermons by the Monday ClubJudges 7:1-8
Gideon's ArmyEdward B. Mason.Judges 7:1-8
Gideon's BandR. J. Campbell, B. A.Judges 7:1-8
Gideon's Three HundredT. Kelly.Judges 7:1-8
Gideon's Three HundredJ. McNeill.Judges 7:1-8
Pride ExcludedG. A. Rogers, M. A.Judges 7:1-8
Testing-Points in LifeR. A. Watson, M. A.Judges 7:1-8
The Best Work of the World Done by the FewJ. Parker, D. D.Judges 7:1-8
The Reduced ArmyA. Roberts, M. A.Judges 7:1-8
The Revelation of CharacterChristian AgeJudges 7:1-8
The SiftingW. W. Duncan, M. AJudges 7:1-8
The Three Hundred Men that LappedCanon Newbolt.Judges 7:1-8
The Trial of Gideon's Army by the ProclamationF. Elwin.Judges 7:1-8
The Trial of Gideon's Army by the WaterF. Elwin.Judges 7:1-8
Why Were the Fearful DismissedA. Maclaren, D. D.Judges 7:1-8
People
Abel, Amalek, Amalekites, Asher, Gideon, Israelites, Jerubbaal, Joash, Manasseh, Midianites, Naphtali, Oreb, Phurah, Zeeb
Places
Abel-meholah, Beth-barah, Beth-shittah, Harod, Jordan River, Midian, Mount Gilead, Ophrah, Tabbath, Zererah
Topics
Bowed, Drink, Got, Hands, Hundred, Kneeled, Knees, Knelt, Lapped, Lapping, Mouth, Mouths, Putting, Rest, Tongues
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Judges 7:1-8

     5266   conscription

Judges 7:4-7

     5955   strength, divine

Judges 7:5-6

     5167   mouth

Library
A Great victory
TEXT: "And they stood every man in his place round about the camp, and all the host ran, and cried, and fled."--Judges 7:21. Few things in this world are so inspiring to the traveler and at the same time so depressing as a city or temple in ruins. I remember a delightful experience in passing through the ruins of Karnak and Luxor, on the Nile in Egypt, and later passing through Phylae at Assuan on the Nile; and these two thoughts, each the opposite of the other, kept constantly coming to my mind. …
J. Wilbur Chapman—And Judas Iscariot

August 18. "The Three Hundred Blew the Trumpets" (Judges vii. 22).
"The three hundred blew the trumpets" (Judges vii. 22). We little dream, sometimes, what a hasty word, a thoughtless speech, an imprudent act, or a confession of unbelief and fear may do to hinder our highest usefulness, or turn it aside from some great opportunity which God has been preparing for us. Although the Holy Ghost uses weak men, He does not want them to be weak after He chooses and calls them. Although He uses the foolish things to confound the wise, He does not want us to be foolish after …
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

'Fit, Though Few'
'Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley. 2. And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against Me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. 3. Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

A Battle Without a Sword
'And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley-bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along. 14. And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host. 15, And it was so, when Gideon heard the …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Wyclif of the East --Bible Translation
1801-1832 The Bible Carey's missionary weapon--Other vernacular translators--Carey's modest but just description of his labours--His philological key--Type-cutting and type-casting by a Hindoo blacksmith--The first manufacture of paper and steam-engines in the East--Carey takes stock of the translation work at the opening of 1808--In his workshop--A seminary of Bible translators--William Yates, shoemaker, the Coverdale of the Bengali Bible--Wenger--A Bengali Luther wanted--Carey's Bengali Bible--How …
George Smith—The Life of William Carey

The New Convert.
…
John Newton—Olney Hymns

Whether Divination by Auguries, Omens, and by Like Observations of External Things is Unlawful?
Objection 1: It would seem that divination by auguries, omens, and by like observations of external things is not unlawful. If it were unlawful holy men would not make use thereof. Now we read of Joseph that he paid attention to auguries, for it is related (Gn. 44:5) that Joseph's steward said: "The cup which you have stolen is that in which my lord drinketh and in which he is wont to divine [augurari]": and he himself afterwards said to his brethren (Gn. 44:15): "Know you not that there is no one …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether Fear is a Mortal Sin?
Objection 1: It seems that fear is not a mortal sin. For, as stated above ([3323]FS, Q[23], A[1]), fear is in the irascible faculty which is a part of the sensuality. Now there is none but venial sin in the sensuality, as stated above ([3324]FS, Q[74], A[4]). Therefore fear is not a mortal sin. Objection 2: Further, every mortal sin turns the heart wholly from God. But fear does not this, for a gloss on Judges 7:3, "Whosoever is fearful," etc., says that "a man is fearful when he trembles at the …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Appendix 2 Extracts from the Babylon Talmud
Massecheth Berachoth, or Tractate on Benedictions [76] Mishnah--From what time is the "Shema" said in the evening? From the hour that the priests entered to eat of their therumah [77] until the end of the first night watch. [78] These are the words of Rabbi Eliezer. But the sages say: Till midnight. Rabban Gamaliel says: Until the column of the morning (the dawn) rises. It happened, that his sons came back from a banquet. They said to him: "We have not said the Shema.'" He said to them, "If the column …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

Immanuel
Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name IMMANUEL , God with us. T here is a signature of wisdom and power impressed upon the works of God, which evidently distinguishes them from the feeble imitations of men. Not only the splendour of the sun, but the glimmering light of the glow-worm proclaims His glory. The structure and growth of a blade of grass, are the effects of the same power which produced the fabric of the heavens and the earth. In His Word likewise He is …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1

A Cloud of Witnesses.
"By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was a-dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when his end was nigh, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.... By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been compassed about for seven days. By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with them that were disobedient, …
Thomas Charles Edwards—The Expositor's Bible: The Epistle to the Hebrews

Thirdly, for Thy Actions.
1. Do no evil, though thou mightest; for God will not suffer the least sin, without bitter repentance, to escape unpunished. Leave not undone any good that thou canst. But do nothing without a calling, nor anything in thy calling, till thou hast first taken counsel at God's word (1 Sam. xxx. 8) of its lawfulness, and pray for his blessings upon thy endeavour; and then do it in the name of God, with cheerfulness of heart, committing the success to him, in whose power it is to bless with his grace …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Lii. Concerning Hypocrisy, Worldly Anxiety, Watchfulness, and his Approaching Passion.
(Galilee.) ^C Luke XII. 1-59. ^c 1 In the meantime [that is, while these things were occurring in the Pharisee's house], when the many thousands of the multitude were gathered together, insomuch that they trod one upon another [in their eagerness to get near enough to Jesus to see and hear] , he began to say unto his disciples first of all [that is, as the first or most appropriate lesson], Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. [This admonition is the key to the understanding …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Wisdom of God
The next attribute is God's wisdom, which is one of the brightest beams of the Godhead. He is wise in heart.' Job 9:9. The heart is the seat of wisdom. Cor in Hebraeo sumitur pro judicio. Pineda. Among the Hebrews, the heart is put for wisdom.' Let men of understanding tell me:' Job 34:44: in the Hebrew, Let men of heart tell me.' God is wise in heart, that is, he is most wise. God only is wise; he solely and wholly possesses all wisdom; therefore he is called, the only wise God.' I Tim 1:17. All …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

The Section Chap. I. -iii.
The question which here above all engages our attention, and requires to be answered, is this: Whether that which is reported in these chapters did, or did not, actually and outwardly take place. The history of the inquiries connected with this question is found most fully in Marckius's "Diatribe de uxore fornicationum," Leyden, 1696, reprinted in the Commentary on the Minor Prophets by the same author. The various views may be divided into three classes. 1. It is maintained by very many interpreters, …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Judges
For the understanding of the early history and religion of Israel, the book of Judges, which covers the period from the death of Joshua to the beginning of the struggle with the Philistines, is of inestimable importance; and it is very fortunate that the elements contributed by the later editors are so easily separated from the ancient stories whose moral they seek to point. That moral is most elaborately stated in ii. 6-iii. 6, which is a sort of programme or preface to iii. 7-xvi. 31, which constitutes …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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