300 With Trumpets, Clay Pots And Torches Conquer Midian Armies

Biblical warfare stories prompt us to ask how does 300 with trumpets, clay pots and torches conquer Midian armies. The stage is set when Israel backslides from Yehovah and is consequently oppressed by Midian for seven years. The Israelites begin to cry out to God; and in his mercy, he laments his prior inaction on their behalf, and provides a remedy for their oppression.

The remedy provided was an angel of Yehovah visiting Gideon threshing wheat by the winepress in an attempt to hide from the Midianites. Although he was hiding to prevent Midianite robbers from confiscating his grain, the angel of the Lord addressed him as the Mighty Man of Valor. The Lord instructed him to go in strength and save Israel from the hand of the Midianites.

Gideon, in his doubt, asked Yehovah for a sign to prove that God was with him in amassing a force to fight against the armies of Midian. Only after God had shown him signs, wet fleece on dry ground and dry fleece on wet ground, did Gideon gain assurance to gather his people together and pitch beside the well of Harod against the host of the Midianites. Even so, the Lord proclaimed that Gideon had too many people with him. After pairing out the fearful, he got down to twenty-two thousand; however, for the purpose of God’s glory, that was still too many.

Gideon is instructed by Yehovah to bring the people down to the water to test them. only those who drank from the water holding their hand to their mouth and lapping with their tongue as a dog shall be selected to join the battle against Midian. Three hundred were left to fight and deliver Israel from their oppressors. Three hundred men with food and trumpets go down in the valley to conquer the Midianites.

Upon hearing a providential dream interpreted in the camp of the enemy, Gideon assembled his 300 with trumpets, clay pots and torches to conquer Midian. He divided the three hundred into three companies; a trumpet, a pot with a torch within in every man’s hand. At his signal during the middle watch all of the men blew their trumpets, broke their pots and held up the torches that were within. Seeing the torches light surrounding their camp and hearing the 300 shout, “The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon”, the Midianites began to flee and fight against one another.

Midianite troops being routed by their own fears, Gideon called in reserves from all the men of Ephraim along with Asher, Naphtali, and Manasseh to finish the mop up operation. They captured and killed all the kings of Midian, divesting them of all their royal robes and riches. Israel had rest from Midian who would never rise up against them again. As a result of the 300 with trumpets, clay pots and torches conquering Midian armies, Gideon became ruler over Israel.