Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 1 · Judges · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
THen Gedeon, and all the people with him, rose up early, and pitched by the well V. 1.Harod; so the host of the Midianites were on the north of them, by the hill of Moreh, &c. Where this well Harod was, is uncertaine, but one saith it was in the tribe of Manasseh, 16 miles from Jezreel, in the valley whereof the Enemies H. Bunt. patriar. travailes.lay by the hill Moreb, supposed to bee the high hill Gilbee, and therefore the hill Moreh, or a most high hill, as the Vulg. Latine rendreth it. Harod seemeth to have had the name from that which happened here, the fearfulnesse of many, for foreign signifieth to feare, as it is used, v. 3. when they that were fearfull were commanded to depart. And here the Lord causeth Gedeon first to dismisse all such as were timerous and fearfull, for the people with him were V. 2, 3.too many to deliver Midian into their hands, lest they should vaunt that by their owne power they gotten the victory, and so 22000 depart from the Army. And all this was done, as Ferus noteth well, that the victory might plainly appeare to come of the Lord onelyonly, and not of any humane power, Ferus.that he onelyonly may be trusted in and praised, and that wee might learne to flee Note. to him in the time of danger. And herein Gods wayes appeare to be wonderfull, and not like unto mans; for man in the time of War gathereth as great Forces as he can, but God contrariwise diminisheth the number; and finally leaveth Gedeon almost alone, that helping, when things are most desperate, hee may have the greater glory. That the fearfull should depart, was given as a generall Ordinance, Deut. 20. 8. because such may doe more hurt in the battail then good, by discouraging others. But it is a marvaile that so many after such a signe for confirmation, should bee found fearfull; and why were they fearfull, but because they yet beleeved not? so that faith is but of a few, even in Gedeons Army, in Christs congregation. But what meaneth this, Let him depart early from Mount Gilead. Most hold, that this was a mountaine in the tribe of Manasseh, so called from the generall name of the Manassites, because they came of Gilead the sonne of Machir, the son of Manasseh. There was indeed a Gilead on the other side of Jordan, where the other halfe of this Tribe dwelt, so called from the heape of stones placed there, and the Covenant made by it betwixt Jacob and Laban, Gen. 37. but the mount Gilead from whence these men departed, was on this side Jordan, neare the place where Gedeon dwelt.
When so great a number of the people were gone for feare, the Lord used V. 4, 5, 6.another way to distinguish betwixt the 10000 remaining, because they were yet too many, viz. by causing to bee brought to the water to drinke, for most of them kneeled downe and dranke, but 300 of them lapped the water like dogs, and by these onelyonly God would save Israel, the rest being dismissed. For the manner of their lapping, it was by taking up water with their hands, and so drinking it a little at once out of the hollow of their hand, as appeareth, v. 6. as a dog drinketh a little at once by lapping. For the reason why God would have them againe thus tryed, Josephus and Theodoret say, that hereby Josephus, Theodoret.it would appeare yet further, who were most basely and timerously minded, that durst not stay to kneele downe and drinke for feare of the enemy, but catcht up now a little and then a little, as the dogges about Nilus, who stay not to drinke as they passe by that River, for feare of Crocodiles and other hideous Serpents, but drinke a little and then run away againe and again. And by such, and a few such would God destroy the Midianites, that the greater glory might be to his name. But how this exposition may bee received, I cannot see, forsomuch as all the fearefull were sent away before. Wherefore Lyran. and Ferus, Lyra Ferus.and others better say, that God tryed those whom hee would use in this Warre two wayes: 1 By the strength and stability of the minde, as before v. 3. 2 Of the body at this time; for they that are saint and weary lye down, when they come to take refreshing; but the unweariable stand, and onelyonly stooping put their hands downe to take up a little water for their refreshing, and these are the men whom God chooseth, and not the other. And the mystery The Mystery.hereof is excellent; Out of those that are gathered together to fight under Christs banner, the farre greater company shall bee rejected, for many are called, but few chosen. The rejected are of two sorts: 1 The fearfull and unbeleeving, who in time of danger fall away, that is, when the heate of persecution Matth. 13.ariseth. Wherefore our Lord warneth all that will bee his Disciples, to deny themselves, and not to feare men; Pastors then that feare to reprove sinne in great ones: Subjects that feare their Princes more then God; and Children and Servants, that thus feare Parents and Masters, shall bee dismissed and separated from Christs elect Company. 2 Such as kneel downe to drinke of the water, that is, have their hearts taken up with the pleasures and profits of this life, as the covetous and the voluptuous, who are most eagerly set upon these things, and lye downe, as it were, at these waters to take their fill of them; but if any thing adverse happeneth to them in the world, they are most impatient and discontented. These are rejected as unfit for the spirituall warfare; but they that onelyonly lap these waters, that is, use worldly things moderately, are received. To this effect Ferus, who also applyeth it two wayes more: 1. To Ferus.adversities and sufferings, wherewith they that are wearyed and faint fall downe at the waters, and are rejected. 2. To doctrine and life, they that lapped the water, taking it up in their hands, setting forth such as are inlightened with the knowledge of heavenly doctrine, and shew it in the piety of their lives; but they that kneeled downe to drinke, such as have onelyonly knowledge but no piety in their lives. But leaving these as not so apt, I embrace the former, because waters in thirst and wearinesse are a refreshing to the body. And here I cannot omit one good passage more of Ferus, if they that kneeled down to drinke their fill of water were rejected, what shall they bee that continue Note. drinking wine and strong drinke from time to time, till it inflameth and intoxicateth their braines? But besides the former mysticall application to pleasures, I thinke, that such as faint and are weary in any good way, and persevere not to the end, may well be understood by those that kneeled downe to drinke, for wee shall reape in due time if wee faint not, and hee that indureth Gal. 6. 9. Matth. 24. 14.to the end shall be saved. Lastly, because they that were chosen, are said to have lapped like dogges, it was hereby set forth, as Augustine hath it, that the August.godly whom God chooseth, should bee accounted vile and base in this world, as a dogge is commonly put for that which is base and vile: And so it is said, 1 Cor. 1. 27, 28, 29.God hath chosen the base and vile things of this world to confound the noble. Origen by those that come to the waters, understandeth such as come to Baptisme; Origen.Others, that feare persecution, and so never take upon them the Christian profession; or because they feare damnation, if they should finne after Baptisme, being set forth by those that departed through feare. But such as come to the water of Baptisme by these, amongst whom such as fall to the ground to drinke, are the earthly minded, and such as are bent by temptations, as languishing and feeble, for wee must stand fast and strengthen our feeble knees: Others, that stand and lappe, putting their hands to their mouths, are the constant followers of Christ, who glorifie God with the workes of their hands, and the words of their mouths, and they are assimilated to dogges in their lapping, because the dogge is of all beasts most loving to his Master, and so are they to the Lord, not shrinking from him, howsoever they are attempted.
So the people tooke victualls in their hands, and Trumpets, and hee sent away V. 8.all the rest of Israel, every one to his Tent, and retained these 300 men, &c. These 300 men tooke victualls to feed upon, whilst they should bee fighting against, and pursuing their enemies, their Trumpets were not of brasse, but of hornes, as the word foreign here used, signifieth, see Levit. 23. 24. and therefore Josephus plainly saith, that they took Trumpets of Rams-hornes; and Josephus.the Septuagint have it, foreign, other Trumpets are called foreign Numb. 31. 6. Numb. 11. 1. and there were but two of them blowne by the Priests onelyonly.
The people with Gedeon being thus prepared, the Lord biddeth him in the V. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14.night to goe downe to the host of Midian, lying in the valley of Jezreel, not farre from which hee then was in mount Gilead; and that he might goe against them the more confidently hee first biddeth him to goe with his servant Phuah to heare what the Midianites said, which hee did; and heard a Souldier telling his fellow, that hee dreamed, that a cake of barley came tumbling into the host of Midian, and overthrew a Tent, which hee by and by interpreted to bee the sword of Gedeon, for into his hands God would deliver that whole Army. Because the Lord would now give another signe to Gedeon for his confirmation: Ferus gathereth, that hee was yet weake in his faith, and timerous after the Ferus.other signes; but hee saith thus without ground, for the Lord having caused him to dismisse all his Army but 300, added this signe for his further confirmation, now that hee had so weak a company about him, of his great grace towards him, not being requested by him, shewing indeed hereby, that the strongest faith needeth still to bee more strengthened, according to that, I beleeve, Lord, helpe mine unbeliefe: In the dreame, which Gedeon heard related, hee was set forth by a barly cake, to shew, how vile and contemptible hee was in the eyes of the Midianites, and yet by him God made some of them know, that they should be all overthrowne, but not for any good to themselves, but for his comfort, as Balaam prophesied for the good of the Church, and afterwards Caiaphas the Numb. 23. Ioh. 11. 50.High-priest of the Jewes. They knew they should bee destroyed, but had no power by repentance to seek the preventing of it, as the wicked now know what judgements shall befall them at the last day, but yet goe on in sin, and so, as it were, to meet their doome.
The Army of Midianites, Amalekites, &c. is said to have lyen, as the grassehoppers V. 12.for number, but how great a number of men were in this Army is not set downe, onelyonly Ch. 8. 10. it may be gathered, that they were above 135000. unto whom what were 300. with Gedeon? even as a barly cake trundled downe an hill against a tent to overthrow it, & therefore by the similtude hereof they are set forth. For the dreame, it is no doubt, but that both it and the interpretation came of God, because Gedeon was directed by God to come downe and heare somewhat for his incouragement, and therefore Gedeon hearing it worshipped V. 15.God, and animateth his men, as being now assured of the victory forthwith.
Then hee divided the 300 into three companies, and giving every one a V. 16, 17, 18.pitcher with a lampe in it, he bade them sound, when he sounded, and doe as they that were with him, and hee did, crying out, The sword of the Lord and of Gedon. Hee divided them into three, saith Lyra, that they might come upon Lyra.the Midianites Army in three parts at once, and so terrifie them, as if they had beene beset with three great Armies together. And for the lamps in the pitchers, hee saith, that they were such, as could not easily be put out, but burned still when the pitchers were broken, that shewing no light before and now suddenly appearing about them, accompanyed with a strange noise of breaking pitchers, the enemies might bee the more dismayed and confounded. All things were here done, saith Ferus, most politickly, that the enemies being amazed Ferus.might think upon nothing, but immediately to slee away; for the very comming upon them in the night could not but bee a terrour, but much more the noise and the lights accompanyed with that cry, The sword of the Lord and of Gedeon, might make them feare, that the Lord was come against them, of whom there was no resisting. And such meanes Gedeon used, although he was Note. certaine of the victory, to teach us to use the meanes of attaining the things which God hath promised.
The time, that Gedeon and his men came to the Midianites campe, was at the V. 19.middle watch, that is, at midnight, for the watches of the night are three, being each one of three houres.
And they being come about the campe stood still and blew with their trumpets, V. 20, 21.&c. which was done, that they might seeme onelyonly to be such as went before others to light them to this warre, and so the enemies thinking the warriours already to be come amongst them, might sight one against another instead of an enemy, as they did indeed, and fled away as overcome.
Mystically by Gedeon overcoming his enemies by blowing the trumpet, breaking a pitcher, shewing a light and crying out, The sword of God and of The Mystery.Gedeon, we may understand Christ overcoming our spirituall enemies by the sound of the Word, giving his body to be broken, shewing a light of miracles and by prayer; and by the followers of Gedeon that did likewise, the Apostles and Martyrs of Christ, who were instructed with a light of miracles, and preached, prayed and suffered also in their bodies. And therefore Christs victory being spoken of Esa. 9. 4. this comparison is made, as in the day of Esa. 81. Psal. 19.Midian. And thus must every Christian overcome, by confessing the truth, mortification of the flesh, the light of a good life and prayer. In that the trumpet was carryed in the right hand and the pitcher in the left, it was signified, that the word and spirituall things are first and chiefely to be cared for, and then the body. And the victory begun against our spirituall enemies in baptisme must bee prosecuted, till all bee destroyed, as Gedeon ceased not parsuing the Midianites; thus Origen, Gregory, Augustine, Jerom, and Ferus.
The places to which the enemies fled, were Bethshittath, Zarerath, and the V. 22.border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath. All these places are unknowne unto us, but onelyonly Abelmeholah, because not spoken of elsewhere in the sacred History. Abelmeholah, is mentioned together with Betbshean, and other places knowne to 1 King. 4. 12. Hieronym.bee in the halfe tribe of Manasseh, and therefore by Jerome counted in that halfe of Manasseh on this side Jordan; and hence it may bee gathered, that the other places were not far off from this.
Here the men of Israel pursue the Midianites thus fleeing, both Naphtali, V. 23.Asher, and Manasseh, out of which tribes, and Zebulun they had before assembled unto Gedeon, Chap. 6. 35. Then he sent to the men of mount Ephraim to V. 24.stop the Midianites passage at Bethbarah and Jordan, and so the two Princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb were taken and slaine, Oreb at the rock Oreb, and Zeeb at V. 25.the winepresse of Zeeb; Places thus named from the falling of these two Princes in them, as is generally conjectured. There was a rock Oreb, out of which Exod. 17. 6. Lyra.Moses brought water, but that was in the Wildernesse, this place on this side of Jordan, so that it could not be the same, as Lyra noteth. Bethbarah where the Ephraimites tooke the passage,is not certainly knowne where it was, but some hold it to be the same with Bethabara, where John afterwards baptized, a City by Jordan, called Bethabarah, the house of passage, because here the children of Israel passed over Jordan on dry land. But the name is diverse, that being compounded of foreign and foreign, this of foreign and foreign and so signifying the house of eating, but the same place might be called by both these names, by the one for the passing over Jordan miraculously; by the other, because there they first ate of the fruits of the land of Canaan.