The Bible In Paintings: GIDEON'S 300 DEFEAT THE MIDIANITES

[Hebrews 11:6]

The Bible In Paintings 2
ENCOURAGEMENT FOR APPRECIATING AND APPLYING GOD'S MESSAGE

J U D G E S
CHAPTER 7

The LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many men. In order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her, announce now to the people, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’ ” So twenty-two thou- sand men left, while ten thousand remained.

But the LORD said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will sift them for you there.”

So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the LORD told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues like a dog from those who kneel down to drink.” Three hundred men lapped with their hands to their mouths. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.

The LORD said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the other men go, each to his own place.” So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites to their tents but kept the three hundred.

1
JOHANN HEINRICH SCHÖNFELD
"Gideon Tests His Army"

2
GUSTAVE DORÉ
"Gideon Choosing His Soldiers"

3
RICK WIENECKE
"Choosing of the Soldier"

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JAMES TISSOT
"Gideon Chooses the Three Hundred"

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"Gideon Choosing His Soldiers"

The LORD said to Gideon, “Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands.”

Gideon worshiped God. He 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 around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the LORD and for Gideon.’ ”

Gideon and the hundred men with him 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 around 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.

15
PETER PAUL RUBENS
"Gideon Overcoming the Midianites"

16
JULIUS SCHNOOR VON CAROLSFELD
"Gideon's Victory against the Midianites"

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NICOLAS POUSSIN
"La Victoire de Gédéon Contre les Madianites"

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GUSTAVE DORÉ
"The Midianites Are Routed"

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"Gideon Fighting against the Midianites"

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"Gideon and His Three Hundred"

→ a n d... f i n a l l y ←

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JAMES TISSOT
"The Valient of Gideon"

New International Version ©1984, Abrdgd, EMPHASES Added
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[Hebrews 11:6]

R E S O U R C E S
Read JUDGES 7 in full
Hear MAX McLEAN reading it
Hear a DRAMATIZATION of it
Read J-F-B's COMMENTARY
BIBLE TIMELINE

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The Bible In Paintings 2
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The Bible In Paintings 1


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[Hebrews 11:6]

J U D G E S
DEBORAH AND BARAK WIN A WAR
JAEL'S TENT-PEG THRU NOGGIN TRICK
GIDEON MEETS THE ANGEL OF THE LORD
GIDEON, THE ALTAR, AND THE FLEECE
GIDEON'S 300 DEFEAT THE MIDIANITES


S A M S O N
SAMSON’S LION
SAMSON KILLS A THOUSAND PHILISTINES
SAMSON’S TROPHIES
REPRISE EASTER THREAD
DELILAH BETRAYS SAMSON
THE PHILISTINES CAPTURE SAMSON
SAMSON'S CAPTIVITY AND REVENGE

[Red Badger]

[Hebrews 11:6]

Wrong 300.

[Jim W N]

What was that “300” about?

[Red Badger]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Thermopylae

[etabeta]

Too many great paintings and illustrations from which to choose. Special mention to Rubens (#15), Carolsfeld (#16), Poussin (#17) and Dore’ (#18).
One question, what was the purpose of breaking the jars? To create more noise to terrify the Midianites?
Thank you as always, Dan!

[Red Badger]

The Battle of Thermopylae was where we get our phrase “MOLON LABE” (Come and take them!).

When the Persians demanded that the Greeks lay down their arms and surrender to their much larger forces, King Leonidas of Sparta responded: COME AND TAKE THEM!...................

[Hebrews 11:6]

Terrifying noise is my guess....

[Jim W N]

Good stuff Hebrews.

The story of Gideon is comforting because God chooses a guy who is found hiding from the Midianites and was afraid of his own household and city. If God can use a fraidy cat like him, there’s hope for me.

:)

[Hebrews 11:6]

How pleasant it is to see you drawing such an important lesson from this interesting story.

[delchiante]

Nice selections.
And for me, one of the more confusing visuals as a bible story, with regards to the way it’s translated from what I picture as lappers like a dog with hand to mouth vs kneeling..

[Hebrews 11:6]

Well, dogs have no hands, but the drinking mechanics are similar. Lappers might have been considered to have been more vigilant by not relaxing their watchfulness while drinking.

[delchiante]

But the part I don’t visualize is the lack of kneeling to get to the water..

The way I read it the 300 stood and drank.
And the others were on their knees..
And some depicted on their bellies..

But it would seem the visual is the 300 bent down gathered water in their hand,then drank upright,not on a knee.

[larrytown]

I’ve heard that explanation before, and it makes sense. But in this context, the actual ‘tactical awareness’ of the soldier really isn’t terribly important - the ‘cut’ to a small number was the goal.

I’ve come to the notion that it must have been a very uncommon way to drink, and so it was a fast way of cutting down to a meager total.

The jar seem to have been a way to carry the fire for the torches, without being seen, until the illusion of being surrounded by a large vocal force was created.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Thanks.

[null and void]

According to Dr. Gene Scott, the 300 were picked because they kept situational awareness. The ones who went face down in the water exposed their backs and had their eyes averted from any risk. They had their weight on their hands.

The cupped water to mouth guys were alert, watching the surroundings, slaking their thirst with one hand while clutching their sword in the other.

See the bronze at #3. THAT'S the guy you want to have your back!

[delchiante]

I was thinking that #4 and #12 would be the visual I had.
Some standing to drink. But the premise is the same.
Situationally aware

[delchiante]

Add to that, if I asked a child to drink like a dog, they’d probably (like me) get down on hands and knees..

But we can see after closer observation that a dog stands to drink.
But a man or child wanted to imitate a dog,it would get on their hands and knees..

I am okay being the only to have thought this way..

:)

That’s why your work of assembling the pictures is valuable.
It puts a visual, even and especially, different perspectives.

[BenLurkin]

bttt