Gideon’s battle with the Midianites is recorded in Judges 6–8 and highlights God’s power to deliver His people through weak and unlikely means. The Midianites, along with the Amalekites and other eastern peoples, oppressed Israel severely, destroying crops and forcing the Israelites to hide in caves and dens (Judges 6:1–6).
God called Gideon, a man from the least family in the tribe of Manasseh, to deliver Israel. The Angel of the Lord appeared to him while he was threshing wheat in secret and said, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!” (Judges 6:12). Despite his doubts and requests for confirmation, including the sign of the fleece (Judges 6:36–40), Gideon obeyed the Lord.
Gideon assembled an army of 32,000 men, but God reduced it to 300 so that Israel would not boast in its own strength. The men were chosen by how they drank water, those who lapped with their hand to their mouth were selected (Judges 7:5–7). With this small band, Gideon was to confront a massive Midianite army.
God gave Gideon further encouragement by allowing him to overhear a Midianite’s dream that foretold their defeat (Judges 7:13–15). That night, Gideon gave each man a trumpet, a torch inside a pitcher, and instructions to surround the camp. At his signal, they broke the pitchers, revealed the torches, blew the trumpets, and shouted, “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!” (Judges 7:20).
The Lord caused confusion in the Midianite camp, and the enemies turned their swords against one another. The Israelites pursued them and completed the victory. Gideon captured and executed the princes Oreb and Zeeb and later the kings Zebah and Zalmunna (Judges 7–8).
This battle reveals that God saves not by might or numbers but by His power and through obedience and faith. It demonstrates that when God’s people trust Him fully, He delivers in ways that glorify His name alone.
