Judges 7:9 - Meaning and Application

Because Gideon’s army had been reduced so much, he had to fight by faith or not fight at all. So God gives him support for his faith instead of more soldiers.

First, God gives him a firm basis for faith. Nothing but a word from God can truly support faith. Here Gideon gets that word in full and clear form, just as he could want it (Judges 7:9). He receives a command that authorizes the action, even though it may have seemed bold and unwise to a human commander: “Go down against the camp with this small group of men.” He also receives a promise that assures victory, though the outcome seemed very unlikely: “I have given it into your hand.” That word came to him the same night, when he may have been deeply troubled and burdened with concern about what would happen. In the middle of many anxious thoughts, these comforts gave rest to his soul. God’s comfort reaches believers both powerfully and at just the right time.

Second, God gives him something to strengthen his faith further. He tells Gideon to go as his own spy and, in the middle of the night, quietly go down into the Midianite camp and listen for news that would help him. “If you are afraid to go down and fight,” God says in effect, “go first with only your servant and hear what they are saying” (Judges 7:10-11). God hints that Gideon will hear something that will greatly encourage him. God knows the weakness of his people, and he knows how much courage a small thing can sometimes give them.

God tells Gideon to take Phurah, his servant, with him, likely one of the ten men who had helped Gideon tear down Baal’s altar. He must take no one else, so that the servant could be a witness to what he heard. Then, when the matter was later reported to Israel, the truth would be confirmed by two witnesses. He was also to take his servant because two are better than one, and a little help is better than none.

When Gideon went, he saw something that could have discouraged him. In the dim light, perhaps by moonlight, he could see the huge number of the enemy (Judges 7:12). They were as numerous as grasshoppers, and they proved no stronger or braver than grasshoppers. Their camels were beyond counting, like the sand on the seashore.

But then God let him hear something that was a very good sign. After hearing it, Gideon went straight back, thinking he had now received what he was sent to find. He overheard two Midianite soldiers talking, probably while they were lying awake in bed. One of them described a dream. As dreams often are, and therefore not worth much on their own, it was a strange one. He dreamed that a barley cake came rolling into the Midianite camp and struck one of their tents with such force that it knocked the tent over, drove down the stakes, and broke the ropes, so that the tent collapsed and buried those inside it (Judges 7:13). As Solomon says, in many dreams there is much emptiness and confusion (Ecclesiastes 5:7). Dream images often mix together in odd and meaningless ways.

The other man, perhaps half asleep, gave the dream a meaning, and his explanation was far-fetched: “This is nothing else but the sword of Gideon” (Judges 7:14). Later readers can see how the image fit. Gideon had threshed grain for his family and made cakes for his friend (Judges 6:11-19), so he was fittingly represented by a cake. He and his men were as small and weak as a cake made from a little flour, as plain as a barley cake, made quickly like bread baked on hot coals, and as unlikely to defeat a great army as a cake is to knock down a tent.

Still, real interpretation belongs to God. He put the dream in one man’s mind and the meaning in the other man’s mouth. If Gideon had only heard the dream and tried to explain it himself, it would have helped him very little, because it was so unclear. But hearing the meaning from an enemy made it seem like a message from God, who holds every person’s heart and tongue in his hand. It also showed that the enemy had lost heart. Gideon’s name had become so fearsome that it disturbed their sleep. The victory would be easy to win, since it was already being given up so weakly. God had delivered Midian into his hand. Those men were not likely to fight when they believed God was fighting against them.

When Gideon saw that God had led him to that exact place at that exact time, and to that dream and its meaning, he was greatly encouraged against the sad thoughts he had felt when his army was reduced. He was glad to hear himself compared to a barley cake, because God used even that small thing to do such great works.

Then, stirred up and strengthened, Gideon first gave glory to God. He worshiped at once, bowed his head, or perhaps lifted his eyes and hands, and gave God a short prayer of thanks for the victory he was now sure of and for this fresh encouragement to expect it. Wherever we are, we can speak to God and worship him, and heaven is open to us. God must receive the praise for anything that strengthens our faith. His providence, meaning his wise care and rule over events, must be noticed even in small and seemingly random things that turn out to help us.

Then Gideon shared the encouragement with his friends: “Get up, prepare to march, because the Lord has given Midian into your hand” (Judges 7:15).