That night the LORD said to Gideon, "Get up and go down against the camp, for I have delivered it into your hand. That nightThe phrase "that night" indicates a specific time when God chose to communicate with Gideon. In the Hebrew context, night often symbolizes a time of vulnerability and uncertainty. Yet, it is also a time when God frequently reveals His plans, as seen in other biblical narratives. This highlights God's sovereignty and His ability to bring clarity and direction even in the darkest times. the LORD said
"The LORD" here is translated from the Hebrew "Yahweh," the covenant name of God, emphasizing His eternal and unchanging nature. When "the LORD said," it signifies divine communication, underscoring the personal relationship between God and His chosen leaders. This phrase assures us that God is actively involved in guiding His people, speaking directly to those He calls for His purposes. to Gideon
Gideon, whose name means "hewer" or "one who cuts down," was chosen by God to deliver Israel from the Midianites. His account is one of transformation from fear to faith, illustrating how God equips the called rather than calling the equipped. Gideon's journey is a testament to God's grace and empowerment, reminding believers that God can use anyone for His glory. Get up
The command "Get up" is a call to action, urging Gideon to rise from a place of rest or inactivity. In the Hebrew context, this phrase often signifies readiness and obedience. It is a reminder that faith requires action and that God's promises often necessitate our participation. This call to "get up" is an invitation to trust in God's plan and move forward with confidence. and go down
"Go down" indicates a movement towards the enemy camp, symbolizing a step of faith into the unknown. In biblical terms, descending often represents humility and reliance on God's strength rather than one's own. This directive challenges believers to step out of their comfort zones, trusting that God goes before them in every battle. against the camp
The "camp" refers to the encampment of the Midianites, the oppressors of Israel. This phrase sets the stage for the impending confrontation, highlighting the reality of spiritual warfare. It serves as a reminder that believers are often called to stand against formidable challenges, relying on God's power to overcome. for I have delivered it into your hand
This declaration of victory, "I have delivered it into your hand," is a profound statement of God's sovereignty and faithfulness. The Hebrew verb used here implies a completed action, emphasizing that the victory is assured by God's decree. It reassures believers that God's promises are certain, and His plans are already accomplished in the spiritual realm, even before they manifest in the physical world. This phrase encourages trust in God's timing and His ultimate control over all circumstances. Persons / Places / Events 1. GideonA judge of Israel chosen by God to deliver the Israelites from the oppression of the Midianites. Known for his initial hesitance and need for reassurance from God. 2. The LORD (Yahweh)The covenant God of Israel, who speaks directly to Gideon, providing guidance and assurance of victory. 3. Midianite CampThe encampment of the Midianites, who were oppressing Israel. God promises Gideon victory over this formidable enemy. 4. IsraelitesThe people of God, suffering under Midianite oppression, whom Gideon is called to deliver. 5. The NightThe specific time when God speaks to Gideon, emphasizing the immediacy and urgency of God's command. Teaching Points Divine AssuranceGod provides assurance to His chosen leaders, even in the face of overwhelming odds. Believers can trust in God's promises and His timing. Immediate ObedienceWhen God commands, the response should be immediate action. Delayed obedience can hinder God's plans for victory in our lives. God's SovereigntyThe phrase "I have delivered it into your hand" underscores God's control over circumstances. Believers can find peace in knowing that God is sovereign over their battles. Faith in ActionGideon's account encourages believers to act on their faith, even when they feel inadequate or fearful. God equips those He calls. God's Presence in UncertaintyJust as God spoke to Gideon at night, He is present in our darkest moments, providing guidance and reassurance. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Gideon's initial hesitance reflect our own struggles with faith, and how can we overcome these doubts with God's help? 2. In what ways does God's assurance to Gideon encourage us to trust in His promises, even when the outcome seems uncertain? 3. How can we apply the principle of immediate obedience in our daily walk with God, and what are some practical steps to achieve this? 4. Reflect on a time when you experienced God's sovereignty in a challenging situation. How did this impact your faith journey? 5. How can the account of Gideon inspire us to take bold steps of faith, and what other biblical figures demonstrate similar faith in action? Connections to Other Scriptures Exodus 3Just as God called Moses to deliver Israel from Egypt, He calls Gideon to deliver them from Midian, showing God's consistent pattern of raising leaders for deliverance. Joshua 1God's command to Joshua to be strong and courageous parallels His assurance to Gideon, highlighting the theme of divine empowerment for leadership. Hebrews 11Gideon is listed among the heroes of faith, demonstrating that his actions, though initially hesitant, were ultimately rooted in trust in God's promises. People Abel, Amalek, Amalekites, Asher, Gideon, Israelites, Jerubbaal, Joash, Manasseh, Midianites, Naphtali, Oreb, Phurah, ZeebPlaces Abel-meholah, Beth-barah, Beth-shittah, Harod, Jordan River, Midian, Mount Gilead, Ophrah, Tabbath, ZererahTopics Arise, Army, Camp, Delivered, Gideon, Hands, Host, Pass, RiseDictionary of Bible Themes Judges 7:9 1305 God, activity of Judges 7:8-11 5244 camp Judges 7:8-12 4290 valleys Judges 7:9-11 5608 warfare, strategies
8220 courage, facing enemies 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 IscariotAugust 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.
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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 Links Judges 7:9 NIVJudges 7:9 NLTJudges 7:9 ESVJudges 7:9 NASBJudges 7:9 KJV
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