Judg 7:0-8:21 | Clarke | e4.org | CHAPTER VII The Lord commands Gideon to make a selection of a small number of his men to go against the Midianites. Three hundred only are selected; and into the hands of these God promises to deliver the whole Midianitish host , 1-8. Gideon is directed to go down unto the host in the night, that he may be encouraged on hearing what they say , 9-12. He obeys, and hears a Midianite tell a remarkable dream unto his fellow, which predicted the success of his attack , 13-15. He takes encouragement, divides his men into three companies, and gives each a trumpet with a lighted lamp concealed in a pitcher, with directions how to use them , 16-18. They come to the Midianitish camp at night, when all suddenly blowing their trumpets and exposing their lamps, the Midianites are thrown into confusion, fly, and are stopped by the Ephraimites at the passage of Jordan, and slain , 19-24. Oreb and Zeeb, two Midianitish princes, are slain , 25. NOTES ON CHAP. VII Verse 1. Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon ] It appears that Jerubbaal was now a surname of Gideon, from the circumstance mentioned . See . The well of Harod ] If this was a town or village , it is nowhere else mentioned. Probably, as charad signifies to shake or tremble through fear , the fountain in question may have had its name from the terror and panic with which the Midianitish host was seized at this place.

‏ Judges 7

CHAPTER VII

The Lord commands Gideon to make a selection of a small number of his men to go against the Midianites. Three hundred only are selected; and into the hands of these God promises to deliver the whole Midianitish host, 1-8.

Gideon is directed to go down unto the host in the night, that he may be encouraged on hearing what they say, 9-12.

He obeys, and hears a Midianite tell a remarkable dream unto his fellow, which predicted the success of his attack, 13-15.

He takes encouragement, divides his men into three companies, and gives each a trumpet with a lighted lamp concealed in a pitcher, with directions how to use them, 16-18.

They come to the Midianitish camp at night, when all suddenly blowing their trumpets and exposing their lamps, the Midianites are thrown into confusion, fly, and are stopped by the Ephraimites at the passage of Jordan, and slain, 19-24.

Oreb and Zeeb, two Midianitish princes, are slain, 25.

NOTES ON CHAP. VII

Verse 1. Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon] It appears that Jerubbaal was now a surname of Gideon, from the circumstance mentioned Jud 6:32. See Jud 8:35.

The well of Harod] If this was a town or village, it is nowhere else mentioned. Probably, as charad signifies to shake or tremble through fear, the fountain in question may have had its name from the terror and panic with which the Midianitish host was seized at this place.

Verse 2. The people that are with thee are too many] Had he led up a numerous host against his enemies, the excellence of the power by which they were discomfited might have appeared to be of man and not of God. By the manner in which this whole transaction was conducted, both the Israelites and Midianites must see that the thing was of God. This would inspire the Israelites with confidence, and the Midianites with fear.

Verse 3. Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let ham return-from Mount Gilead] Gideon was certainly not at Mount Gilead at this time, but rather near Mount Gilboa. Gilead was on the other side of Jordan. Calmet thinks there must either have been two Gileads, which does not from the Scripture appear to be the case, or that the Hebrew text is here corrupted, and that for Gilead we should read Gilboa. This reading, though adopted by Houbigant, is not countenanced by any MS., nor by any of the versions.

Dr. Hales endeavours to reconcile the whole, by the supposition that there were in Gideon's army many of the eastern Manassites, who came from Mount Gilead; and that these probably were more afraid of their neighbours, the Midianites, than the western tribes were; and therefore proposes to read the text thus: Whosoever from Mount Gilead is fearful and afraid, let him return (home) and depart early. So there returned (home) twenty-two thousand of the people. Perhaps this is on the whole the best method of solving this difficulty.

There returned of the people twenty and two thousand] Gideon's army was at this time thirty-two thousand strong, and after the above address twenty-two thousand went away. How astonishing, that in thirty-two thousand men there should be found not less than twenty-two thousand poltroons, who would neither fight for God nor their oppressed country! A state of slavery debases the mind of man, and renders it incapable of being influenced by the pure principles of patriotism or religion. In behalf of the army of Gideon we may say, if the best appointed armies in Europe had the same address, bona fide, from their generals as the Israelites had, at least an equal proportion would return home.

Verse 5. Every one that lappeth of the water-as a dog] The original word yalok is precisely the sound which a dog makes when he is drinking.

Verse 6. The number of them that lapped] From this account it appears that some of the people went down on their knees, and putting their mouths to the water, sucked up what they needed; the others stooped down, and taking up water in the hollow of their hands, applied it to their mouth.

Verse 8. So the people took victuals] The three hundred men that he reserved took the victuals necessary for the day's expenditure, while the others were dismissed to their tents and their houses as they thought proper.

Verse 9. I have delivered it into thine hand.] I have determined to do it, and it is as sure as if it were done.

Verse 11. Unto the outside of the armed men] No doubt the vast multitudes of Midianites, &c., which came merely for plunder, were wholly unarmed; but they had a guard of armed men, as all the caravans have, and those guards were on the outside of the multitudes; it was to these that Gideon and his servant came.

Verse 13. Told a dream] Both the dream and the interpretation were inspired by God for the purpose of increasing the confidence of Gideon, and appalling his enemies.

Verse 14. Into his hand hath God delivered Midian] This is a full proof that God had inspired both the dream and its interpretation.

Verse 16. He divided the three hundred men] Though the victory was to be from the Lord, yet he knew that he ought to use prudential means; and those which he employed on this occasion were the best calculated to answer the end. If he had not used these means, it is not likely that God would have delivered the Midianites into his hands. Sometimes, even in working a miracle, God will have natural means used: Go, dip thyself seven times in Jordan. Go, wash in the pool Siloam.

Verse 18. The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.] The word chereb, "sword," is not found in this verse, though it is necessarily implied, and is found in Jud 7:20. But it is found in this place in the Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic, and in eight of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS. The reading appears to be genuine.

Verse 20. Blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers] How astonishing must the effect be, in a dark night, of the sudden glare of three hundred torches, darting their splendour, in the same instant, on the half-awakened eyes of the terrified Midianites, accompanied with the clangour of three hundred trumpets, alternately mingled with the thundering shout of chereb layhovah ulegidon, "A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!"

Origen, in his ninth homily on this book, makes these three hundred men types of the preachers of the Gospel; their trumpets of the preaching of Christ crucified; and their lights or torches, of the holy conduct of righteous men. In some verses of an ancient author, attributed to Tertullian, and written against the heretic Marcion, Gideon's three hundred men are represented as horsemen; and in this number he finds the mystery of the cross; because the Greek letter T, tau which is the numeral for 300, is itself the sign of the cross. The verses, which may be found in vol. v. of the Pisaurian Collection of the Latin heathen and Christian poets, Advers, Marcion., lib. 3, ver. 18, as being very curious, and not often to be met with, I shall here subjoin:-

Ex quibus ut Gideon dux agminis, acer in hostem,

Non virtute sua tutelam acquirere genti,

Firmatusque fide signum petit excita menti,

Quo vel non posset, vel posset vincere bellum,

Vellus ut in noctem positum de rore maderet,

Et tellus omnis circum siccata jaceret,

Hoc inimicorum palmam coalescere mundo;

Atque iterum solo remanenti vellere sicco,

Hoc eadem tellus roraret nocte liquore,

Hoc etenim signo praedonum stravit acervos.

Congressus populo Christi, sine milite multo:

Tercenteno equite (numerus Tau littera Graeca)

Armatis facibusque et cornibus ore canentum.

Vellus erat populus ovium de semine sancto.

Nam tellus variae gentes fusaeque per orbem,

Verbum quod nutrit, sed nox est mortis imago.

Tau signum crucis et cornu praeconia vitae,

Lucentesque faces in lychno spiritus ardens.

"Gideon, keen in arms, was captain of the host,

And acquired redemption for his people, but not by his own

power.

Being strengthened in faith, his heart was influenced to ask a

sign

By which he might know whether or not he should be successful

in battle.

A fleece was so placed by night, that it might be wet with dew;

And all the surrounding earth remain dry.

By this he was to learn that he should gain the victory over

his enemies.

The sign was reversed; the fleece remaining dry while all the

ground was moist;

And by this sign he was to know that he should slaughter those

troops of robbers.

The people of Christ conquer without any military force;

Three hundred horsemen, (for the Greek letter T, tau, is the

emblem of the number,)

Armed with torches, and blowing with trumpets.

The fleece of the sheep are the people sprung from the Messiah,

And the earth are the various nations dispersed over the world.

It is the word which nourishes; but might is the image of

death.

Tau is the sign of the cross; and the trumpets, the emblems of

the heralds of life;

And the burning torches in the pitchers, the emblems of the Holy Spirit."

We see here what abstruse meanings a strong imagination, assisted by a little piety, may extract from what was never intended to be understood as a mystery.

Verse 21. They stood every man in his place] Each of the three companies kept its station, and continued to sound their trumpets. The Midianites seeing this, and believing that they were the trumpets of a numerous army which had then penetrated their camp, were thrown instantly into confusion; and supposing that their enemies were in the midst of them, they turned their swords against every man they met, while at the same time they endeavoured to escape for their lives. No stratagem was ever better imagined, better executed, or more completely successful.

Verse 22. Fled to Beth-shittah] This is no where else mentioned in Scripture.

Zererath] This and Tabbath are nowhere else to be found.

Abel-meholah] This was the birth-place of the prophet Elisha, 1Ki 19:16. It was beyond Jordan, in the tribe of Manasseh, 1Ki 4:12. The Zartanah, mentioned in this last quoted verse, was probably the same as Zererath. Its situation corresponds well with Abel-meholah.

Verse 23. The men of Israel gathered] It is very likely that these were some persons whom Gideon had sent home the day before, who now hearing that the Midianites were routed, went immediately in pursuit.

Verse 24. Take before them the waters unto Beth-barah] This is probably the same place as that mentioned Joh 1:28, where the Hebrews forded Jordan under the direction of Joshua. To this place the Midianites directed their flight that they might escape into their own country; and here, being met by the Ephraimites, they appear to have been totally overthrown, and their two generals taken.

Verse 25. They slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb] These two generals had taken shelter, one in the cavern of the rock, the other in the vat of a winepress; both of which places were from this circumstance, afterwards called by their names.

Brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon] OREB signifies a raven and ZEEB a wolf. In all ancient nations we find generals and princes taking their names from both birds and beasts; the Romans had their Gracchi, jackdaws; Corvini, crows; Aquilini, eagles, &c. We have the same in our Crows, Wolfs, Lyons, Hawkes, Bulls, Kidds, &c. Among barbarous nations the head of the conquered chief was often brought to the conqueror. Pompey's head was brought to Caesar; Cicero's head, to Mark Antony; the heads of Ahab's children, to Jehu, &c. These barbarities are not often practiced now, except among the Mohammedans or the savages of Africa and America; and for the credit of human nature it is a pity that such barbarous atrocities had ever been committed.

‏ Judges 8:1-21

CHAPTER VIII

The Ephraimites are angry with Gideon because he did not call them particularly to his assistance; he pacifies them, 1-3.

Gideon and his three hundred men pass over Jordan, pursuing the Midianites; and, being faint, ask victuals from the princes of Succoth, but are refused, 4-7.

They make the like application to the people of Penuel, and are also refused, 8, 9.

Gideon defeats Zebah and Zalmunna, the two kings of Midian, and takes them prisoners, 10-12.

He chastises the men of Succoth and Penuel, 13-17.

He slays Zebah and Zalumunna, who had killed his brethren,

18-21.

The Israelites offer him the kingdom, which he refuses, 22, 23.

He requires from them the gold rings which they had taken from the Ishmaelites, and makes an ephod, which he sets up at Ophrah; and it became an instrument of idolatry, 24-27.

The land enjoys peace forty years; Gideon dies, having seventy-one sons, 28-32.

The Israelites fall into idolatry, and forget their obligations to Gideon's family, 33-35.

NOTES ON CHAP. VIII

Verse 1. The men of Ephraim said] This account is no doubt displaced; for what is mentioned here could not have taken place till the return of Gideon from the pursuit of the Midianites; for he had not yet passed Jordan, Jud 8:4. And it was when he was beyond that river that the Ephraimites brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to him, Jud 7:25.

Verse 2. Is not the gleaning, &c.] That is, The Ephraimites have performed more important services than Gideon and his men; and he supports the assertion by observing that it was they who took the two Midianitish generals, having discomfited their hosts at the passes of Jordan.

Verse 3. Then their anger was abated] A soft answer turneth away wrath. He might have said that he could place but little dependence on his brethren when, through faint-heartedness, 22,000 left him at one time; but he passed this by, and took a more excellent way.

Verse 4. Faint, yet pursuing] The Vulgate paraphrases this, et prae lassitudine, fugientes persequi non poterant; "and, through fatigue, unable to pursue the fugitives."

Verse 5. Give, I pray you, loaves of bread] As Gideon was engaged in the common cause of Israel, he had a right to expect succour from the people at large. His request to the men of Succoth and Penuel was both just and reasonable.

Verse 6. Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand] They feared to help Gideon, lest, if he should be overpowered, the Midianites would revenge it upon them; and they dared not trust God.

Verse 7. I will tear your flesh] What this punishment consisted in I cannot say; it must mean a severe punishment: as if he had said, I will thresh your flesh with briers and thorns, as corn is threshed out with threshing instruments; or, Ye shall be trodden down under the feet of my victorious army, as the corn is trodden out with the feet of the ox.

Succoth was beyond Jordan, in the tribe of Gad. Penuel was also in the same tribe, and not far distant from Succoth.

Verse 9. I will break down this tower.] Probably they had not only denied him, but insultingly pointed to a tower in which their chief defense lay; and intimated to him that he might do his worst, for they could amply defend themselves.

Verse 10. Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor] If this were a place, it is nowhere else mentioned in Scripture. Some contend that karkor signifies rest; and thus the Vulgate understood it: Zebah and Zalmunna requiescebant, rested, with all their army. And this seems the most likely, for it is said, Jud 8:11, that Gideon smote the host, for the host was secure.

Verse 13. Returned from battle before the sun was up] This does not appear to be a proper translation of milmaaleh hechares. It should be rendered from the ascent of Chares: this is the reading of the Septuagint, the Syriac, and the Arabic.

Verse 14. He described unto him the princes of Succoth] The young man probably gave him the names of seventy persons, the chief men of Succoth, who were those who were most concerned in refusing him and his men the refreshment he requested.

Verse 16. He taught the men of Succoth.] Instead of he taught, Houbigant reads he tore; and this is not only agreeable to what Gideon had threatened, Jud 8:7, but is supported by the Vulgate, Septuagint, Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic. The Hebrew text might have been easily corrupted in this place by the change of shin into ain, letters very similar to each other.

Verse 18. What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor?] We have no antecedent to this question; and are obliged to conjecture one: it seems as if Zebah and Zalmunna had massacred the family of Gideon, while he was absent on this expedition. Gideon had heard some confused account of it, and now questions them concerning the fact. They boldly acknowledge it, and describe the persons whom they slew, by which he found they were his own brethren. This determines him to avenge their death by slaying the Midianitish kings, whom he otherwise was inclined to save. He might have heard that his brethren had been taken prisoners, and might have hoped to have exchanged them for the kings now in his hand; but when he found they had been all slain, he decrees the death of their murderers. There is something in this account similar to that in the 12th AEneis of Virgil:-When Turnus was overthrown, and supplicated for his life, and AEneas was inclined to spare him; he saw the belt of his friend Pallas, whom Turnus had slain, and which he now wore as a trophy: this immediately determined the Trojan to sacrifice the life of Turnus to the manes of his friend. The story is well told:-

Stetit acer in armis

AEneas, volvens oculos, dextramque repressit.

Et jam jamque magis cunctantem flectere sermo

Coeperat: infelix humero cum apparuit ingens

Balteus, et notis fulserunt cingula bullis

Pallantis pueri; victum quem vulnere Turnus

Straverat, atque humeris inimicum insigne gerebat.

Ille oculis postquam saevi monumenta doloris

Exuviasque hausit: furiis accensus et ira

Terribilis: Tune hinc spoliis indute meorum

Eripiare mihi?.-Pallas, te hoc vulnere Pallas

Immolat; et poenam scelerato ex sanguine sumit.

Hoc dicens furrum adverso sub pectore condit Fervidus.

VIRG. AEn. lib. xii., ver. 938.

"In deep suspense the Trojan seem'd to stand,

And, just prepared to strike, repress'd his hand.

He roll'd his eyes, and every moment felt

His manly soul with more compassion melt.

When, casting down a casual glance, he spied

The golden belt that glitter'd on his side;

The fatal spoils which haughty Turnus tore

From dying Pallas, and in triumph wore.

Then roused anew to wrath, he loudly cries,

(Flames, while he spoke, came flashing from his eyes,)

Traitor! dost thou! dost thou to grace pretend,

Clad, as thou art, in trophies of my friend?--

To his sad soul a grateful offering go;

'Tis Pallas, Pallas gives this deadly blow.

He rais'd his arm aloft; and at the word,

Deep in his bosom drove the shining sword."

DRYDEN.

The same principle impels Gideon to slay Zebah and Zalmunna which induced AEneas to kill Turnus: and perhaps the ornaments which he took from their camels' necks, Jud 8:21, were some of the spoils of his slaughtered brethren.

Verse 20. He said unto Jether his first-born] By the ancient laws of war, prisoners taken in war might be either slain, sold, or kept for slaves. To put a captive enemy to death no executioner was required. Gideon slays Zebah and Zalmunna with his own hand. So Samuel is said to have hewn Agag in pieces, 1Sa 15:33. Benaiah slew Joab, 1Ki 2:25. Saul orders his guards to slay the priests who had contributed to the escape of David, 1Sa 22:17; and David caused one of his attendants to slay the Amalekite who pretended to have slain Saul, 2Sa 1:15.

Verse 21. Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise, thou, and fall upon us] It was disgraceful to fall by the hands of a child; and the death occasioned by the blows of such a person must be much more lingering and tormenting. Some have even employed children to despatch captives. Civilis, a Roman knight, headed a revolt of the Gauls against Rome, in the year of the city 824. Of him Tacitus says, Hist. lib. iv., c. 61: Ferebatur parvulo filio quosdam captivorum sagittis jaculisque puerilibus figendos obtulisse: "He is said to have given to his little son some prisoners, as butts to be shot at with little darts and arrows." This was for their greater torment and dishonour; and to inure his child to blood! Could any thing like this have been the design of Gideon?

The ornaments that were on their camels' necks.] The heads, necks, bodies, and legs of camels, horses, and elephants, are highly ornamented in the eastern countries, and indeed this was common, from the remotest antiquity, in all countries. Virgil refers to it as a thing long before his time, and thus describes the horses given by King Latinus to the ambassadors of AEneas.-AEn. lib. vii., ver. 274.

Haec effatus equos numero pater eligit omni.

Stabant tercentum nitidi in praesepibus altis:

Omnibus extemplo Teucris jubet ordine duci

Instratos ostro alipedes pictisque tapetis.

Aurea pectoribus demissa monilia pendent:

Tecti auro fulvum mandunt sub dentibus aurum.

"He said, and order'd steeds to mount the band:

In lofty stalls three hundred coursers stand;

Their shining sides with crimson cover'd o'er;

The sprightly steeds embroider'd trappings wore,

With golden chains, refulgent to behold:

Gold were their bridles, and they champ'd on gold."

PITT.

Instead of ornaments, the Septuagint translate τουςμηνισκους, the crescents or half-moons; and this is followed by the Syriac and Arabic. The worship of the moon was very ancient; and, with that of the sun, constituted the earliest idolatry of mankind. We learn from Jud 8:24 that the Ishmaelites, or Arabs, as they are termed by the Targum, Syriac, and Arabic, had golden ear-rings, and probably a crescent in each; for it is well known that the Ishmaelites, and the Arabs who descended from them, were addicted very early to the worship of the moon; and so attached were they to this superstition, that although Mohammed destroyed the idolatrous use of the crescent, yet it was universally borne in their ensigns, and on the tops of their mosques, as well as in various ornaments.