Gideon Sends Messengers Throughout Ephraim - Judges 7:24

In the book of Judges we learned how Gideon, “divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand … 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 Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath. 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”, and in chapter seven and verse twenty-four of Judges, we learn how “Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim” where we read,

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

The verse reads, “And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites, …” The writer began with the words, “And Gideon sent messengers” which means “and Gideon whose name means ‘hewer’ and was the youngest son of Joash of the Abiezrites, fifth judge of Israel who led the Israelites against the Midianites, dispatched and assigned envoys and ambassadors” “throughout all mount Ephraim” or “in each, the whole and every part of the rising above the plain known as Ephraim whose name means ‘double ash-heap or I shall be doubly fruitful’ and was the second son of Joseph, blessed by him and given preference over first son, Manasseh ”, “saying” which means “uttering, declaring and proclaiming”, “come down against the Midianites” or “descend and proceed in a downward direction in opposition to the Midianites or Midian whose name means ‘strife’ and was the son of Abraham by Keturah and progenitor of the tribe of Midianites or Arabians.” The writer shared how “Gideon” dispatched ambassadors in every part of “Ephraim”, and his message to the people there was to descend to rise in opposition to the army of the “Midianites”.

The verse continues, “ … and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan.” The writer added the words, “and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah” which means “and cut off them, the Midianites”, at Bethbarah whose name means ‘house of the ford’ and was a place on the Jordan” “and Jordan” whose name means “descender” and was the river of Palestine running from the roots of Anti-Lebanon to the Dead Sea a distance of approximately  200 miles (320 km). “Then all the men of Ephraim” or “at that time each, every and the whole amount of male human beings belonging to Ephraim whose name means ‘double ash-heap or I shall be doubly fruitful’” “gathered themselves together” which means “assembled and collected their own selves with one another”, “and took the waters unto Bethbarah” or “and captured and seized the flowing waters to Bethbarah whose name means ‘house of the ford’”, “and Jordan” which means “descender”. “The writer shared how “Gideon” wanted the people of “Ephraim” to cut off the flowing waters of “Behtbarah” and “the Jordan River” from the “Midianites”. 

When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we learn how the people of “Ephraim” entered the battle against the “Midianites” and cut off the river sources fro them. This served as a strategic move against the army of “Midian”, and the people of “Ephraim” were victorious. We shall see more about “Ephraim” in our next verses, but for now let us consider that they became involved. God wants all of us to be involved in His Kingdom work, and when we receive His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of everyone and was raised from the dead after three days as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put His Holy Spirit within us to guide us into all truth and give us the ability to be involved in His work of salvation throughout the world. (See John 3:16)

Next time we learn how the people of Ephraim, “took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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