If You Know, You Know
Judges Chapter 7, the Strange and the Spectacular
Verses: 25
Is It Read At Synagogue?: No.
Famous Quotes/Phrases: The vast number of camels belonging to the Midianite, Amalekite, and Kedemite troops are described in Verse 12 “as numerous as the sands on the seashore”, recalling the promise made to our forefathers’ and foremothers’ descendants in the book of Genesis.
Basic Plot: Waiting to engage in battle, God instructs Gideon to dramatically reduce the number of Israelite troops so that God will receive proper credit to God the imminent victory (more on that in a moment). First, Gideon releases all fearful soldiers — 22,000 of the 32,000 assembled. That isn’t enough for God, so Gideon is instructed to take the remaining troops to a stream of water. There, 300 of the soldiers drink the water in the same manner as a four-legged animal; God identifies these “lappers” as the ones who will fight for Israel.
Gideon spies on the enemy camp and overhears one soldier describing a dream he had just had foretelling an Israelite victory. Bursting with newfound confidence, Gideon leads his remaining soldiers into battle, each carrying a shofar and a torch. The battle is a decisive Israelite triumph.
What’s Strange: At the start of the chapter, we find that Gideon is also known by a different name, Jerubbaal. This is a reference to an incident in the previous chapter, in which Gideon destroys an altar of the idolatrous deity Baal. This name is given to Gideon by the Baal-worshiping townspeople, which represents one of the few times (if not the only time) in the Hebrew Bible that Israel’s adversaries bestow an additional name onto an Israelite character.
What’s Spectacular: God explains to Gideon that the reason why he must go to battle with only 300 soldiers is so that Israel won’t assume that their victory on the battlefield is due to their fighting prowess, but rather due to a remarkable act of God. At least, that’s what the text tells us; but Richard D. Nelson, in his book Judges: A Critical and Rhetorical Commentary, claims that God does this so that Gideon believes in God’s power.
If we take Nelson’s view, this chapter stands in contrast to the previous chapter, in which Gideon asks God for a reassuring sign on three different occasions. Now, in this chapter, God is providing Gideon with proof before Gideon requests it. What’s more, the dream Gideon overhears is another unsolicited sign.
Why would God provide Gideon with even more proof when he hasn’t even requested it? This can be compared to how any of us act when we really know another person. When we truly understand someone else, they don’t have to ask for the things they need from us — we can provide them before they say a word. God seems to know Gideon well enough to continually offer him assurances that he’ll be successful, and now doesn’t have to wait for Gideon to request them. May we strive to achieve that same level of understanding the people we care about.
Shabbat Shalom!