Gideon chooses the three hundred Painting by James Tissot c1896-1902 The Jewish Museum, New York
God's Ways Are Not Man's Ways
Gideon finally got the message that God wanted him to lead the Israelite army to deal with the Midianites, so he set off with thirty-two thousand men for the Spring of Harod.
The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’ Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained. (Judges 7:2-3)
God told Gideon there were still too many and ordered him to take the men down to the stream to whittle down their number in a novel selection process.
" Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.”
Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink. The Lord said to Gideon,
" With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.”
So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites home but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others.
God's Plan for Attacking the Midianites
During that night the Lord said to Gideon, “Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands. If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp.”
So he and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp. The Midianites, the Amalekites and all the other eastern peoples had settled in the valley, thick as locusts. Their camels could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore. Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream.
“I had a dream,” he was saying. “A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed.”
His friend responded, “This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands.”
When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed down and worshipped. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out,
“Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands.”
Defeating the Midianites with Trumpets, Empty Jars & Torches
Gideon split the men who were left into three groups of one hundred and gave each man a trumpet, an empty jar and a flaming torch.
" Watch me,” he told them. “Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.’”
The Israelites attacked the Midianite camp in the middle of the night just after the changing of the guards. Following Gideon's orders each man broke his jar, blew his trumpet and shouted "A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!"
In the chaos that ensued, the Midianites turned on each other with swords and fled, hotly pursued by Gideon's forces, who captured two of the Midianite leaders and killed them.