hotter the day, the greater the dew: so the greater your need, the more will be the grace given you, in answer to your believing cry. You will be like the full fleece, amidst the parched and empty world. But ever remember that grace, like the dew, comes wholly from God; and as the Lord Jesus has the fulness of the Spirit, so out of His fulness must we all receive and grace for grace (John i. 16, iii. 34). Moreover, there is great danger of losing the dew. The Lord complains of many professors who had promised well: "Your goodness, as the early dew, goeth away" (Hos. vi. 4). The glare and heat absorb the dew. Therefore shun the world and its temptations. you would retain the dew of grace, keep in the shade. wherever the dew falls. Neglect no private or public means of grace. Secure the morning and evening dew in the closet. If Go (2) The dry fleece amidst the dew-covered ground is a symbol of the sad state of many a one, who remains spiritually dead and lifeless, whilst dews of heavenly blessing are descending on every side. Tidings reach the church of spiritual revivals in all directions, through the outpouring of God's Holy Spirit. Why should any remain barren, and fit only for the burning, when he might have, for the asking, grace given that he may become a tree of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, to bloom in the heavenly paradise? You may be surrounded, like the dry fleece, with the dews of heaven descending through spiritual ordinances, as Bible readings, sermons, and sacraments, and yet all the while remain unblessed in soul yourselves. Put in your claim for a share in God's promise of the Holy Spirit, "Lord, I hear of showers of blessing "Pass me not, O gracious Father, Sinful though my heart may be ; Thou might'st leave me, yet the rather Even me! Then, full of grace yourself, you will diffuse the blessed de to others. God uses weak instruments, like Gideon and h 300 men, to confound the mighty. Only, like him, be "cloth with the Spirit of Jehovah." Put ye on the Lord Jesus Chris Appropriate the thanksgiving: "I will greatly rejoice the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He ha clothed me with the garments of salvation, He hath cover me with the robes of righteousness" (Isa. lxi. 10). So sh you be the honoured instrument of turning many to righteo ness, and of wearing a crown of righteousness, which shall shi hereafter, not as the evanescent though brilliant dewdrop, as the stars for ever and ever. CHAPTER VII. GIDEON'S VICTORY OVER MIDIAN: JEHOVAH'S STRENGTH MADE PERFECT IN WEAKNESS. (1) Then Jerubbaal, who (is) Gideon [see Gen. xxxii. 28; Rev. iii. 12], and all the people that (were) with him, rose up early [so far from becoming slack, his faith is quickened by God's promise], and pitched beside [rather above,' by, for the people came down to the water (ver. 4, 5). Beside the fountain would have been too exposed a position for Gideon's little band] the well of Harod [now Ain Jalud, y, here Gideon plays upon the name (ver. 3): "Whosoever is afraid (hared), let him return." It is a fine spring at the foot of Mount Gilboa, issuing from a cavern, and forming a pool with rushy banks and a pebbly bottom, 100 yards long. Translate 'spring' for 'well.' Beer is a well; but Ain, a spring]; so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh [now Jebel ed Duhy, 'little Hermon;' on the northern side of the valley of Jezreel, and of the height, probably Mount Gilboa, where Gideon's 300 were posted (see 1 Sam. xxix. 1). The interval between Moreh, or Jebel ed Duhy, and Ain Jalud is two or three miles, affording ample space for the hosts of Midian and Amalek], in the valley. (2) And the LORD [JEHOVAH] said unto Gideon, The people that (are) with thee (are) too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves [1 Cor. i. 29] against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me [Deut. viii. 17. Israel's 32,000 (ver. 3) seem few as compared with Midian's 135,000 (ch. viii. 10. In man's judgment, they needed increase, not diminution. But God would show that He can save by them that have no power (2 Chron. xiv. 11), so that the glory may be all His own] (3) Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, say ing, Whosoever (is) fearful and afraid [note, ver. 1], let him re turn and depart early [so Rabbi Levi: Yitzpor, akin to tzaphiral 'morning' (Ezek. vii. 10). But Gesenius and Keil, from an Arabi root, to go in a circle, "let him slink away" in winding by-path from mount Gilead [Deut. xx. 8. As Gideon's army wa stationed west of the Jordan, and was gathered out quarter, the mountain range of Gilead east of the Jorda cannot be here meant. It is probably a familiar designati of the Manassites (representatives of Gideon's whole arm derived from the original settlement of their half tribe east the Jordan, though in the present war the western Manassi alone of the tribe took part (vi. 35). 'Gilboa,' where Gideon was encamped, is the conjecture of Clericus, but MS. or old version warrants it. Lieut. Conder (Tent L Palest., ii. 69) thinks the Mount Gilead here is part of the Gil chain above the river Jalud (see note 'Harod' above). Gil is perhaps a name akin to Jalud]. And there returned of people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thous [less than a third. The nearness of the all-devastating made them fearful']. (4) And the LORD [JEHOVAH] said Gideon, The people (are) yet (too) many; bring them down the water [of the well Harod], and I will try [, mea literally to purify precious metals of their dross: so Isa. i Zech. xiii. 9; compare Jer. xv. 19] them for thee there; an shall be (that) of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go. (5) brought down the people unto the water; and the LORD [JEH said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth [licketh up] of the with his tongue [after having taken the water from the with the hollow of his hand], as a dog lappeth, him shal set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon hi to drink [the former men were the energetic warriors wh not, like the latter, self-indulgently kneel down to freely in the ordinary way, but, remembering the battle them, took only such moderate refreshment as would stre them for it with the least possible delay, and never, even for a laying aside their armour; type time being off their guard or of Messiah's zeal (Ps. cx. 7)]. (6) And the number of them that lapped, (putting) their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men; but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water. [Though the test was a good one for finding out the bravest men, it was one which Gideon would never have practised so as to diminish his army, already so much. reduced, in the face of 135,000 enemies (viii. 10), unless Jehovah Himself had ordered it. The Divine command to Gideon to purge out from his small army all but 300, tested his faith in God's promise, and his obedience. When the victory followed, it could be ascribed to Jehovah alone, who made such a little band successful against such a vast host]. (7) And the LORD [JEHOVAH] said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand [God's promise rewarded Gideon's past obedience, and encouraged him to a further act of obedience required, namely, that he should send away the 9700 to their homes]; and let all the (other) people go every man unto his place. (8) So the people [the 300] took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets [rather, as the Septuagint and the Chaldee versions, "They (the 300) took the victuals of the people that had been sent away and their own war trumpets "]; and he sent all (the rest of) Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those three hundred men [furnished from the dismissed men with a pitcher filled with victuals and a war trumpet apiece]: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley [of Jezreel (vi. 33, vii. 1)]. (9) And it came to pass the same night that the LORD [JEHOVAH] said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host [into' the foe's 'camp,' to smite it]; for I have delivered it into thine hand [in my sure purpose (iv. 14)]. (10) But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to, to, not as in the former clause, into the midst of it, to smite it, but to 'the outside' of it, to reconnoitre] the host ['encampment,' Mahanch]: (11) And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down [into ] the host ['encampment']. Then I |