Chapter 7. Gideon Smites the Midianite Confederacy.
In this chapter we have an account of the army gathered out of several tribes under Gideon, which were finally reduced under God's instructions from thirty two large units to three hundred men, and we are told by what means this was done, and how Gideon was directed to himself go among the host of the Midianites, where he heard one of them telling his dream to his fellow, which greatly encouraged Gideon to believe that he would succeed. Also we are told of the way in which he disposed of his reduced army in order to attack the Midianites, and the orders that he gave them, which had the desired effect, and issued in the total rout of that huge army. Those who were not destroyed were pursued by Israelites gathered out of several tribes, and the passages of Jordan were taken by the Ephraimites, so that those who attempted to escape into their own country there fell into their hands.