Judges 7:2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

In a state of deep humility, I was on the verge of collapse, but the Lord supported me (Psalm 117:13). After illustrating the magnitude of the trials I faced through the multitude, positioning, intensity, and distress caused by my adversaries, I also convey the suffering I endured. The challenges weighed so heavily upon me that I felt I could not endure any longer; their strikes left me near defeat. Yet, when I had already knelt in despair and exhausted all human resources, God revealed His deliverance. This is the manner in which God operates, ensuring that no one can claim His glory for themselves. He demonstrated this same principle to Gideon during the era of the judges.

Why did the Lord direct that only those who behaved like dogs at the water should be confronted? The answer was revealed directly by God Himself. He stated, “Many men who are with you, for this cause I will not deliver Midian into their hand, lest Israel should boast against Me, saying: My hand shall save me.” Thus, when most of the people were sent away, God ordered that those who remained be taken to the river. Among these, many fell to their knees to drink immediately. However, three hundred men did not do so out of sloth; instead, they scooped water into their mouths by handfuls. These few, who were deemed unregenerate and careless, were chosen by God to face the enemy, demonstrating His assistance to all.

In the battle against the Midianites, who swarmed like locusts according to the book of Judges, Gideon was instructed to lead a small group of warriors into conflict. Although he possessed a sizeable army, he was restricted from taking many men into battle to prevent the glory of victory from being attributed to their own strength. When thirty thousand soldiers assembled, the Lord communicated to Gideon, saying, The people are too many with thee, I cannot deliver the Midianites into their hands. Consequently, for the fight against a vast enemy, He allowed only three hundred men to accompany him. The Lord’s command to significantly reduce the troop numbers ensured that their limited size would deter them from claiming any part of the victory as a result of their own capabilities.