Chapter 7:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Joshua Ruth
Judges 7
God's direction to Gideon for modelling his army, ver. 1-8.
The dream of the Midianite, ver. 9-15. His manner of attacking
the camp of Midian, ver. 16-20. Their total overthrow, ver. 21-25.
Verse 2. Too many - For my purpose; which is, so to deliver Israel, that
it may appear to be my own act, that so I may have all the glory,
and they may be the more strongly obliged to serve me. This may
help us to understand those providences, which sometimes seem
to weaken the church of Christ. Its friends are too many, too
mighty, too wise, for God to work deliverance by. God is taking a
course to lessen them, that he may be exalted in his own strength.
Verse 3. Mount Gilead - Not mount Gilead beyond Jordan; for both the
camps of the Israelites and the Midianites were on this side
Jordan: but another mount Gilead in the tribe of Manasseh. There
returned - These finding their whole army very small, in
comparison of their enemies, who were a hundred and thirty five
thousand, chap. viii, 10, and they, no doubt well armed and
disciplined, and encouraged by long success; whereas the
Israelites were dispirited with long servitude, and many of them
unarmed, lost the courage which they had at first.
Verse 4. The water - Either that which ran from the well of Harod,
mentioned ver. 1, or some other brook.
Verse 6. That lapped - Taking up a little water in the palm of their
hands.
Verse 7. His own place - That is, to his own home. By this farther
distinction it was proved, that none should be made use of, but,
1. Men that were hardy, that could endure fatigue, without
complaining of thirst or weariness:
2. Men that were hasty, that thought it long, 'till they were
engaged with the enemy, and so just wetted their mouth and away,
not staying for a full draught. Such as these God chuses to
employ, that are not only well affected, but zealously affected to
his work.
Verse 8. Their trumpets - That is the trumpets belonging to the whole
army, which he retained for the use following.
Verse 9. The same night - After he had dismissed all but the three
hundred. The Lord said - In a dream or vision of the night.
Verse 11. Thine hand strengthened - Thou wilt be encourage to proceed,
notwithstanding the smallness of thy number.
Verse 13. A cake - A weak and contemptible thing; and in itself as
unable to overthrow a tent, as to remove a mountain; but being
thrown by a divine hand, it bore down all before it.
Verse 14. His fellow answered, &c. - As there are many examples of
significant dreams, given by God to Heathens, so some of them
had the gift of interpreting dreams; which they sometimes did by
divine direction as in this case.
Verse 15. He worshipped-He praised God for this special
encouragement.
Verse 16. Three companies - To make a shew of a vast army. Within the
pitchers - Partly to preserve the flame from the wind and weather;
and partly to conceal it, and surprise their enemy with sudden
flashes of light.
Verse 17. Look on me - For though two hundred of his men were placed
on other sides of the camp; yet they were so disposed, that some
persons, set as watchmen, might see what was done, and give
notice to the rest to follow the example.
Verse 18. Of Gideon - He mentions his own name, together with God's,
not out of arrogance, as if he would equal himself with God; but
from prudent policy, because his name was grown formidable to
them, and so was likely to further his design. See ver. 14.
Verse 19. Middle watch - That is, of the second watch; for though
afterward the night was divided into four watches by the Romans,
Matt. xiv, 25, yet in more ancient times, and in the eastern parts, it
was divided into three: he chose the dark and dead of the night, to
increase their terror by the trumpets, whose sound would then be
loudest, and the lamps, whose light would then shine most
brightly, to surprise them, and conceal the smallness of their
numbers.
Verse 21. They stood - As if they had been torch-bearers to the several
companies.
Verse 22. Against his fellow - They slew one another, because they
suspected treachery, and so fell upon those they first met with;
which they might more easily do, because they consisted of
several nations, because the darkness of the night made them
unable to distinguish friends from foes, because the suddenness of
the thing struck them with horror and amazement; and because
God had infatuated them, as he had done many others.
Verse 24. The waters - That is, the passes over those waters to which
they are like to come. Jordan - The fords of Jordan, which they
must pass over into their own country.
Verse 25. The other side of Jordan - For Gideon in the pursuit had
passed over Jordan. Oreb and Zeeb had probably taken shelter, the
one in a rock, the other by a wine-press. But the places of their
shelter were made the places of their slaughter, and the memory
of it preserved in the names of the places.
Chapter 7:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Joshua Ruth
This version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible is a derivative of an electronic version, Copyright 1997, by Sulu D. Kelley. All rights reserved. Used by permission. It may not be modified or used commercially without permission of Wesleyan Heritage Publishing and Sulu Kelley. A special thanks to Mr. Kelley and Wesleyan Heritage Publishing for permission to create and post this version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible.
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalm
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation
