Gideon's Battle Preps Judges 7 a

Judges 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."

In case you missed it, Gideon was called Jerubbaal by his father c6v31, after he told the people to let Baal plead for himself which is what the name means.

That's too much. The people numbered in the thousands, 32,000 to be exact that came out to fight with Gideon. The purpose here is for the people to have a victory with the LORD's help so that they give him the glory and not themselves. So a smaller number is needed. Gideon, as instructed by the LORD, let those go home who were fearful and afraid which turned out to be 22,000. Still the 10,000 was too many for it to be clear that the LORD had won the battle.

v5 "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."

Those who lapped like a dog were chosen for battle. They were 300. It seems that the most unlikely were chosen for battle.

That night the 300 went down to the valley as they had just changed the guard. First though, Gideon received further confirmation from a man who told a story of a man who had a dream that a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian and came unto a tent and smote it that it fall down. v13

v14 "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."

Gideon had the victory with the idol of Baal, he laid out his fleece, he talked to an angel under and oak tree, he sends away 31,700 soldiers, heard about a dream and is about to go to battle with 300 men who drink like a dog against the thousands of Midian. But the LORD is with him.

Psalms 35:28 "And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long."

Keywords: Bible study, Old Testament, Judges, Gideon,lap like a dog, battle,Gideon's sword,Israel,Canaan,Milton Southerland