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Sudije 7

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1 I urani Jeroval, to je Gedeon, i sav narod što beše s njim, i stadoše u logor kod izvora Aroda; a vojska madijanska beše mu sa severa kraj gore Moreha u dolini.

2 A Gospod reče Gedeonu: Mnogo je naroda s tobom, zato im neću dati Madijane u ruke, da se ne bi hvalio Izrailj suprot meni govoreći: Moja me ruka izbavi.

3 Nego sada oglasi da čuje narod i reci: Ko se boji i koga je strah, neka se vrati i nek ide odmah ka gori Galadu. I vrati se iz naroda dvadeset i dve hiljade; a deset hiljada osta.

4 Opet reče Gospod Gedeonu: Još je mnogo naroda; svedi ih na vodu, i onde ću ti ih prebrati; za kog ti god kažem: Taj neka ide s tobom, neka ide s tobom; a za koga ti god kažem: Taj neka ne ide s tobom, neka ne ide.

5 I svede narod na vodu; a Gospod reče Gedeonu: Koji stane laptati jezikom vodu, kao što lapće pas, metni ga na stranu; tako i svakog koji klekne na kolena da pije.

6 I onih koji laptaše, rukom svojom k ustima prinesavši vodu, beše tri stotine ljudi; a sav ostali narod kleče na kolena svoja da piju vode.

7 Tada reče Gospod Gedeonu: S tih trista ljudi koji laptaše vodu izbaviću vas i predaću ti u ruke Madijane; neka dakle odlazi sav ovaj narod svako na svoje mesto.

8 I narod uze brašnjenice i trube; i Gedeon otpusti sve ljude Izrailjce da idu svaki u svoj šator, a onih trista ljudi zadrža. A logor madijanski beše niže njega u dolini.

9 I onu noćreče mu Gospod: Ustani, siđi u logor, jer ti ga dadoh u ruke.

10 Ako li se bojiš sam sići, siđi u logor sa Furom momkom svojim,

11 I čućeš šta govore, pa će ti osiliti ruke i udarićeš na logor. I siđe on i Fura momak njegov do kraja vojske koja beše u logoru.

12 A Madijani i Amalici i sav narod istočni ležahu po dolini kao skakavci, tako ih beše mnogo; i kamilama njihovim ne beše broja; beše ih mnogo kao peska po bregu morskom,

13 I kad dođe Gedeon, a to jedan pripovedaše drugu svom san i govoraše: Gle usnih, a to pečen hleb ječmen kotrljaše se k logoru madijanskom i dođe do šatora i stade udarati o njih, te padahu, i ispremeta ih, i popadaše šatori.

14 A drug mu odgovori i reče: To nije drugo nego mač Gedeona sina Joasovog čoveka Izrailjca; predao mu je u ruke Bog Madijane i sav ovaj logor.

15 I kad Gedeon ču kako onaj pripovedi san i kako ga ovaj istumači, pokloni se i vrati se u logor izrailjski i reče: Ustajte, jer vam dade Gospod u ruke logor madijanski.

16 Potom razdeli trista ljudi u tri čete, i dade svakome po trubu u ruku i po prazan žban i po luč u žban.

17 I reče im: Na mene gledajte, pa tako činite; gle, je ću doći na kraj logora, pa šta ja uščinim, to činite.

18 Kad ja zatrubim u trubu i svi koji budu sa mnom, tada i vi zatrubite u trube oko svega logora, i vičite: Mač Gospodnji i Gedeonov.

19 I dođe Gedeon i sto ljudi što behu s njim na kraj logora, u početak srednje straže, istom behu promenili stražu; a oni zatrubeše u trube i polupaše žbanove koje imahu u rukama.

20 Tako tri čete zatrubiše u trube i polupaše žbanove, i držahu u levoj ruci lučeve a u desnoj trube trubeći, i povikaše: Mač Gospodnji i Gedeonov.

21 I stadoše svaki na svom mestu oko vojske; a sva se vojska smete i stadoše vikati i bežati.

22 A kad zatrubiše u trube onih tri stotine, Gospod obrati mač svakome na druga njegovog po svemu logoru, te pobeže vojska do Vet-Asete, u Zererat, do obale avel-meolske kod Tavata.

23 A Izrailjci iz plemena Neftalimovog i Asirova i iz svega plemena Manasijinog stekoše se i goniše Madijane.

24 I Gedeon posla glasnike po svoj gori Jefremovoj govoreći: Siđite pred Madijane i uhvatite im vode do Vetvare duž Jordana. I stekoše se svi ljudi iz plemena Jefremovog i uhvatiše vode do Vetvare duž Jordana.

25 I uhvatiše dva kneza madijanska, Oriva i Ziva, i ubiše Oriva na steni Orivovoj, a Ziva ubiše kod tesnaca Zivovog; i goniše Madijane, i donesoše glavu Orivovu i Zivovu ka Gedeonu preko Jordana.

   

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Exploring the Meaning of Judges 7

Napsal(a) New Christian Bible Study Staff, Julian Duckworth

Judges 7: Gideon’s valiant three hundred men.

Gideon and all his men camped by the well of Harod, which can mean “eager”, and also “trembling.” The Lord told Gideon that his army was too large, which could lead Israel to boast that they won by their own efforts (rather than the Lord’s power). Gideon was instructed to send away anyone who was afraid; 22,000 went home, leaving 10,000.

Even still, the Lord said the army was too large, so Gideon tested the men by taking them down to the water to drink. The Lord directed Gideon to call out those who lapped water from out of their hands rather than kneeling down to drink with their mouths. Three hundred men were chosen by this method of selection.

The Lord then commanded Gideon to go down to the Midianite camp, and if he was afraid, to take his servant, Phurah. There, Gideon overheard one of the soldiers telling his companion that he’d had a dream, in which a loaf of bread came tumbling into the camp and struck one of the tents so that it collapsed. The other soldier said that this meant the Lord would give victory to Gideon.

Gideon gave each of his men a trumpet, and a pitcher containing a lit torch. They surrounded the Midianite camp, and at the command of Gideon, they blew their trumpets, broke their pitchers to show the torches, and shouted, “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!” This caused panic in the camp, and every Midianite drew his sword against another, and many fled. Then Gideon ordered the capture and killing of the two Midianite princes, whose heads were brought to him.

*****

We must give glory to the Lord for successes that we seem to earn, as He alone does what is good. The Lord told Gideon to reduce the size of his army, to avoid the dangers of growing too proud. Since we live our lives as if we do everything ourselves, this is a constant threat. The fact that about two-thirds of Gideon’s army were afraid and went home shows the reality of our nature (see Swedenborg’s work, True Christian Religion 442).

Lapping water from the hand reflects our need to see and examine what we take into our minds. Water stands for truth, but it can also stand for false ideas. If we drink directly from the water, we accept indiscriminately and examine nothing. Cupping and holding the water in our hands means that we can see how to apply this truth through our attitudes and actions (see Swedenborg’s work, Arcana Caelestia 6047[2]).

Gideon’s army of only three hundred men was all it took to defeat the Midianites. The number ‘three’ stands for something which is complete or full in itself. Some spiritual examples include mind, body and soul, as well as celestial, spiritual and natural (see Swedenborg’s Apocalypse Explained 435[3] and 532[2]).

The dream Gideon overheard stands for the power of good (the bread) to break down the apparent power of what is evil and false (the tent) (Arcana Caelestia 4247[3]). The name of Gideon’s servant, Phurah, means “fruitfulness”, or “a winepress”, which is where Gideon was first called by the angel of the Lord.

The trumpet and the torch both stand for the power of truth to overcome evil and false ideas, the trumpet by its penetrating sound, and the torch by its illuminating light. There is no mention of swords for the army of Israel.

Finally, the oppression by the Midianites represents knowing what is true, but living a life governed by our own desires. This leads us increasingly further away from obeying the Lord. Of course, this must be addressed. The Midianites destroyed each other in their panic, meaning what is disorderly and against the Lord holds no validity, and eventually destroys itself (Arcana Caelestia 9320).