Taking Victuals and Trumpets - Judges 7:8

In the book of Judges we learned how the LORD told Gideon, “the people are yet too many; … and the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into your hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place”, and in chapter seven and verse eight of Judges, we learn how, “the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets” where we read,

So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets:

And he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those three hundred men:

And the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley.

The verse reads, “So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets:” The writer began with the words, “so the people took victuals” which means “therefore, then and wherefore the human beings fetched, lay hold of and seized meat and provisions” “in their hand” or “within their, the people’s, physical hands”, “and their trumpets” which means “and their, the people’s, curved horns or cornets”. The writer shared how Gideon lay hold of the provisions and curved horns possessed by the other “people”. 

The verse continues, “And he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those three hundred men:” The writer added the words, “and he sent all the rest of Israel” which means “and he, Gideon, released and dispatched each, every and the whole of the other people of Israel whose name means ‘God prevails’ and is the name of the descendants and the nation of the descendants of Jacob “every man unto his tent” or “each and the whole of the people of Israel to their temporary and transient dwelling place”, “and retained those three hundred men” which means “and kept the three hundred men who licked up the water like a dog”. The writer shared how “Gideon” released the other people of Israel who had gathered with him to their homes.

Finally the verse says, “And the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley.” The writer concluded this verse with the words, “and the host of Midian” which means “and the encampment or army camp belonging to Midian whose name means ‘strife’ and was the son of Abraham by Keturah and progenitor of the tribe of Midianites or Arabians” “was beneath him in the valley” or “existed under him, Gideon, within the vale, lowland and open country”. The writer ended this verse by sharing how the army of “Midian” was encamped in the lowland under the location where “Gideon and the three hundred men” were stationed. 

When we think through the words in this verse, we can imagine the people other than the “three hundred men” gathering together their provisions including curved horns and leaving the camp of “Gideon” in keeping with God’s command. God was to win this victory through “Gideon” and the three hundred men, and all the others were to leave. God’s plan was working out, and when He makes a decision, we do best when we follow and obey Him. God sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind, and He raised Him from the dead after three days so when we put our faith and trust in Him 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 help us follow Him and the ways He chooses to use us in His Kingdom. (See Matthew 6:33; John 3:16; Acts 1:8)

Next time we learn how Jehovah God said to Gideon, “arise, get you down unto the host”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".