Judges 7:19-22

Gideon’s initial victory 7:19-22

Gideon commenced his "attack" at the beginning of the middle watch, which was evidently midnight. [Note: Bush, p. 104; Keil and Delitzsch, p. 347. Lindsey, p. 394, wrote that it was 10:00 p.m.] Many of the Midianites would have been sound asleep and upon awakening would have felt confused by the sights and sounds of their enemies. The movements of their own men milling around the camp as a result of the recent watch change would have disoriented them further. Perhaps the camels stampeded because of the torch fire and general confusion, giving the waking Midianites the impression that mounted soldiers had invaded their camp.

The Midianites felt so bewildered by this "surprise attack" that they slaughtered their fellow soldiers in the confusion and fled for home as fast as they could go (cf. Judges 4:15-16). The towns mentioned (Judges 7:22) were at the southeast end of the Harod (lit. trembling) Valley. The Harod Valley is an eastern extension of the Jezreel Valley, and it connects the Jezreel Valley with the Jordan Valley. These towns stood on either side of the Jordan River. Zererah (or Zerethan, Judges 7:22) was about five miles southwest of Succoth and Penuel. [Note: The Macmillan Bible Atlas, map 76, p. 54.] Thus God accomplished again what amounts to another exodus for Israel.