The Camp of the Midianites

The hill of Moreh is mentioned only once in the Bible, as the place of two military camps: that of the Israelites under Gideon and that of the Midianites. Gideon set up his camp south of the hill of Moreh, at the spring of Harod. The Midianites camped to the north, at the foot of the hill. In this way, God could prepare the army of his people out of sight of the Midianites. God counseled Gideon to sneak into the camp of the Midianites at night to gauge the mood of the enemy. There, he overheard a Midianite soldier telling his comrade about a dream depicting the victory of the Israelites. Thanking God, Gideon had an idea for a surprise attack using the panic among the Midianites to his advantage. Today, there is a small oasis with date palms, willow trees, and reeds.

Bible Passage: Judges 7:9-22
During that night the Lord said to Gideon, ‘Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands. If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah and listen to what they are saying. Afterwards, you will be encouraged to attack the camp.’ So he and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp. The Midianites, the Amalekites and all the other eastern peoples had settled in the valley, thick as locusts. Their camels could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore. Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. ‘I had a dream,’ he was saying. ‘A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed.’ His friend responded, ‘This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands.’ When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed down and worshipped. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, ‘Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands.’ Dividing the three hundred men into three companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside. ‘Watch me,’ he told them. ‘Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all round the camp blow yours and shout, “For the Lord and for Gideon.” ’ Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars that were in their hands. The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, ‘A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!’ While each man held his position round the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled. When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the Lord caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled to Beth Shittah towards Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath.

Prayer: „God, grant me wisdom for my decisions, grant me answers to my questions, and grant me light on my path.”