John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 2. And the Lord said unto Gideon, the people that are with thee are too many , etc.] It appears, by what follows, that there were 32,000 of them, which was but a small army to engage with one of 100,000 more than they; for such was the army of the Midianites and their associates, (see Judges 8:10) but the people were too many, says the Lord, for me to give the Midianites into their hands ; who would be apt to ascribe the victory to themselves, and not to the Lord; to their number, strength, and valour, and not to the hand of the Lord: lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, mine own hand hath saved me ; or glory over me, take the glory from me, and ascribe it to themselves, boasting that by their power and prowess they had obtained the victory.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-8 - God provides that the praise of victory may be wholly to himself, by appointing only three hundred men to be employed. Activity and prudenc go with dependence upon God for help in our lawful undertakings. When the Lord sees that men would overlook him, and through unbelief, woul shrink from perilous services, or that through pride they would vaun themselves against him, he will set them aside, and do his work by other instruments. Pretences will be found by many, for deserting the cause and escaping the cross. But though a religious society may thu be made fewer in numbers, yet it will gain as to purity, and may expec an increased blessing from the Lord. God chooses to employ such as ar not only well affected, but zealously affected in a good thing. The grudged not at the liberty of the others who were dismissed. In doin the duties required by God, we must not regard the forwardness of backwardness of others, nor what they do, but what God looks for at ou hands. He is a rare person who can endure that others should excel him in gifts or blessings, or in liberty; so that we may say, it is by the special grace of God that we regard what God says to us, and not loo to men what they do.
Original Hebrew ויאמר559 יהוה3068 אל413 גדעון1439 רב7227 העם5971 אשׁר834 אתך854 מתתי5414 את853 מדין4080 בידם3027 פן6435 יתפאר6286 עלי5921 ישׂראל3478 לאמר559 ידי3027 הושׁיעה׃3467
