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JUDGES 6,7
The Israelites settled in the land of Canaan. Soon they forgot all the wonderful things God had done for them. They worshiped other gods. The Lord allowed them to be ruled by other nations, because they had not been true to him.
The Midianites went to war
against the Israelites. Soon God’s people cried out, “Lord, help us!” The
Lord chose a man named Gideon to lead the people. An angel appeared to him
and said, “Gideon, the Lord is with you. You are a mighty warrior.”
Gideon said to the angel, “I am a weak man. How can I lead the people?” The Lord said to Gideon, “I will be with you, and you will strike down the Midianites.” So Gideon gathered an army, thirty-two thousand strong. “You have too many men,” the Lord said. Too many men to fight the Midianites? But Gideon did not doubt the Lord. “If anyone is afraid to fight,” Gideon said, “he may go home.” Twenty-two thousand soldiers left. “Still too many,” the Lord said. So Gideon took the men to the water to get a drink. Three hundred men cupped the water in their hands and brought it to their mouths. The rest knelt down to drink. “Take the three hundred men into battle against the Midianites,” the Lord said. Gideon obeyed the Lord. Gideon gave each of the three hundred men a flaming torch, covered by a clay jar, and a trumpet. At about midnight, they quietly surrounded the enemy camp. At Gideon’s signal the men blew a loud blast on their trumpets and then smashed the jars so their torches blazed in the dark. They shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” The Midianites were so terrified by the sudden noise and the lights surrounding them that they panicked. They became confused and attacked each other! The Midianites fled, and the Lord gave the Israelites the victory.
(From Classic Bible
Stories, A Family Treasury retold by Lise Caldwell (c) 1998 Standard
Publishing. Used by permission. This book may be purchased at your local
Christian Bookstore or from Standard Publishing (800-543-1301).
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