“In Judges, Gideon asks God how to choose his men for battle. The Lord told Gideon to take his men down to the river and drink. The men who flopped down on their bellies and drank like dogs were no good to him. Gideon watched as some of his men knelt down and drank with their heads watching the horizon, spears in hand. Though they were few, they were the men he needed.” ― Jack Carr, The Terminal List
You're viewing a single comment thread. View all comments, or full comment thread.
Comments (39)
sorted by:
I love this commentary. It has its issues and I use others as well. But here’s the commentary on judges and why a few were chosen (they were still ready to fight). If you don’t want to read it all here is the one quote which sticks out
“ We see that those who lapped like a dog, did not lay their weapons down to drink. Their first thought was being ready to fight the good fight. Their own personal needs were not that important to them. A good soldier of the cross never lays his weapon (Bible), down.”
Judges 7:5 “So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.”
His whole army of 10,000 men.
“And the Lord said unto Gideon, everyone that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shall thou set by himself”: For they first took the water in the hollow of their hands out of the stream, and then lapped it (as in Judges 7:6). Whereas a dog does not and cannot take water that way. And this lapping was standing upright. And by this these men were distinguished from those that bowed on their knees to drink. For had they not taken up water in their hands, they must have bowed down on their knees to have lapped, as well as those did. Now all those that thus lapped were to be set apart by themselves; but whether they were to go with Gideon or not, as yet he knew not.
“Likewise everyone that boweth down on his knee to drink”: Were to be set by themselves also, but which of those were to go with him is after related.
We see that those who lapped like a dog, did not lay their weapons down to drink. Their first thought was being ready to fight the good fight. Their own personal needs were not that important to them. A good soldier of the cross never lays his weapon (Bible), down.
Judges 7:6 “And the number of them that lapped, [putting] their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.”
That is, that took up water in the hollow of their hands, which they lifted up to their mouths, and so lapped it. As the Egyptians about the Nile are said to do, who drank not out of pots and cups, but used their hands to drink with.
“Were three hundred men”: Only such a number out of 10,000: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water (even 9,700).
This is saying, that only 300 of the original 32,000 were ready to go to war. Those who bowed down on their knees to drink, used both hands to drink. They were also not ready to instantly take up the fight.
Judges 7:7 “And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the [other] people go every man unto his place.”
“The Lord said … By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you. It is scarcely possible to conceive a more severe trial than the command to attack the overwhelming forces of the enemy with such a handful of followers. But Gideon’s faith in the divine assurance of victory was steadfast, and it is for this he is so highly commended (Heb. 11:32).
We know that the LORD told Gideon earlier that the enemy would be like one man to fight, it would be so easy to defeat them. Everyone was sent home except these 300 chosen men of the LORD. They were not chosen because of their great physical strength. They were chosen because of their readiness to do what had to be done.
https://bible-studys.org/judges-chapter-7/