20140227 Thursday, February 27 2014
Judges 07: Gideon's Trumpets

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"The trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon"

Gideon was chosen (see Judges 6: Gideon Of Manasseh) to lead the deliverance that the LORD (Who was and is Jesus Christ - see Genesis 1: In The Beginning Was The Word and The Kingdom Of The LORD God) was providing to Israel. For that reason, Gideon was told to take only a token force from the 32,000 troops that were available to him. Gideon did so by first ordering the sissy-boys and cowards, those who were "fearful and afraid," to return home - to which 22,000 left (again, a pathetic testimony to what the "men" of Israel had become). A further cut was made from the remaining 10,000 by sending away all of those who drank water by lapping it up like a dog, rather than using a container or cupped hands like a human. When all was done, only 300 of the 32,000 were found to be courageous and civilized. The "well of Harod" (not to be confused with the Roman king Herod of centuries later), where the incident happened, is shown in the photograph as it appears today within a park.

"7:1 Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley. 7:2 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. 7:3 Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.

7:4 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.

7:5 So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink. 7:6 And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.

7:7 And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place. 7:8 So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those three hundred men: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley." (Judges 7:1-8 KJV)

After dividing his 300 men into 3 groups of 100, Gideon attacked the Midianite camp, in the darkness of night, at the time of their change of guard ("they had but newly set the watch"), with a loud diversion of trumpets - that all of Gideon's troops blew. The Midianites, thinking that a force that could afford hundreds of trumpet blowers must total tens of thousands, broke into confusion and ran. The LORD delivered the victory to Gideon.

"7:19 So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands. 7:20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon. 7:21 And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.

7:22 And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath. 7:23 And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites. 7:24 And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. 7:25 And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan." (Judges 7:19-25 KJV)

Fact Finder: Is the Messiah going to return at the sound of a great trumpet?
See The Feast Of Trumpets Prophecy