Judges 7:21-25

Judges 7:21

And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.

 

Fear can be a greater weapon than a sword.  Gideon’s men had now positioned themselves around the camp making it look like a large invading army.  At this point the Midianites had begun to run in fear.  They cried which means they yelled to the point of an ear deafening level and with their shouting, they began to flee the scene.  Fear and panic and confusion had now overtaken the Midianites which was sent from the Lord.

 

Judges 7:22

And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Beth-shittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abel-meholah, unto Tabbath.

 

While the three hundred were continuing to blow their trumpets, the Lord had caused such confusion in their camp that they began to kill each other.  Maybe it was so dark in their camp that they did not know they were killing each other.  Finally, all the men who survived the internal strife in their camp began to flee from that place.  One of the places they fled was to Beth-shittah which was in Zererath.  That was about 32 miles (51 km) southeast of the Valley of Jezreel.  The other place they fled to was Abel-meholah which was in Tabbath about 25 miles (40 km) southeast.  The prophet Elisha was born in Abel-meholah.

 

Judges 7:23

And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites.

 

These are probably the men who had decided to go back when Gideon asked that if any were afraid to face the enemy, then they could go back to their homes.  Here they show no fear in pursuing the remnants of a defeated army so they put extra fear in the escaping Midianites while they continued their flight so they will no longer be a threat to Israel. There was no relenting of pursuit nor was there any compromise of peace terms.

 

Judges 7:24

And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Beth-barah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Beth-barah and Jordan.

 

Gideon then sent word to all those in Mount Ephraim to come down and to intercept the Midianites as they attempted to escape.  Gideon wanted to make sure that they will not rebuild their army so he wanted to continue the pursuit after them.  The Midianites were trying to make their way into Gilead through Bath-barah which was the ancient ford of Jordan on the road to Gilead.  So the men of Ephraim had gotten there before the Midianites and took the ford of Jordan to prevent their escape.

 

Judges 7:25

And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.

 

One thing about many leaders, when the strength is on their side, they talk and act tough but when things go against them they run in fear like any other person because the natural instinct of survival takes over.  The Midianites fell into the trap of the men of Ephraim and captured two of their princes.  The name “Oreb” means “raven” and the name “Zeeb” means “wolf.”  So they took Oreb and cut his head off on a rock which afterwards became known as the rock of Oreb.   Zeeb met his fate at either a winepress or a place which resembled a winepress having high hills surrounding a valley.  The valley Zeeb had taken its name from the Midianite prince.  Then the men of Ephraim brought the heads of the two princes to Gideon who had already crossed the Jordan River.  It seems ghastly to bring the heads of the conquered to the conqueror but that was the custom back then.  1 Samuel 17:54 (KJV)   And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armour in his tent.

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