1/17/2026

 

Samuel Clifford

 

Introduction: This is a study of one of the twelve tribes of Israel, called the Tribe of Manasseh. Before reading, it would be helpful to read Genesis 48; Numbers 1; 2; 26; 32; and Judges 6-8 to understand the context of this study.

 

What Was The Tribe of Manasseh And Who Did They Derive From?

 

The Tribe of Manasseh was one of the twelve tribes of Israel that were named after Jacob’s children, or, in the case of Manasseh (and Ephraim), his grandchildren. Manasseh, Jacob’s grandson, for whom the tribe was named, was born in Egypt; shortly after his birth, the seven years of abundance end, and the seven years of famine begin. (Genesis 41:50-51). Manasseh’s father was Joseph, the son of Jacob and Rachel, and his mother was Asenath, the Egyptian daughter of Potiphera (Genesis 41:45). Manasseh, Joseph’s firstborn, means, “one who causes me to forget'' indicating how Manasseh’s birth had caused Joseph to forget his toil (“And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house.” Genesis 41:51 KJV). Manasseh, the son of Joseph, should not be confused with Manasseh, the king who reigned over Judah late in the period of Assyria’s rule over Israel. The children of Manasseh are named Asriel and Machir, who were born through an Aramean concubine (1 Chronicles 7:14).

 

Manasseh’s Blessing:

When Joseph brought his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, to his father for his blessing, Jacob adopted them as his own, placing them on an equality with his own sons as progenitors of separate tribes (Genesis 48:5). 

 

(“And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.” Genesis 48:5 KJV)

 

“They shall be mine” has been interpreted as a form of adoption on the part of Israel (Jacob) in relation to Joseph’s children. The purpose of this was likely to give an inheritance to someone who was not automatically qualified, even though the father already had heirs of his own. However, the term “they shall be mine” may mean nothing more than the grandfather welcomed the two latest additions into the clan of which he was the head. Or, it may mean that the passage was concerned simply with inheritance, as verse 6 indicates. In that case, Jacob was using his paternal authority to enable Joseph’s sons to inherit directly from their grandfather, rather than Joseph. Something often overlooked in this statement is that Jacob, adopting Manasseh and Ephraim, knew that if they did not live with him, and instead lived with Joseph and his Egyptian wife, would be raised in Egyptian culture and they would have been taught Egyptian language and writing.

(“And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near unto him. And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn. And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day, The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth. And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head. And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head. And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations. And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.” Genesis 48:13-20 KJV)

In blessing the two boys, Jacob subordinated Manasseh, the elder, to Ephraim, the younger, who thus inherited the position of privilege, the blessing of the firstborn (Genesis 48). Notwithstanding his subordination in the inheritance, Manasseh was to be blessed by “the angel who has redeemed” Jacob “from all evil” and was to become a great people (Genesis 48:16, 19). Jacob’s statement, “By you Israel will pronounce blessings, saying, ‘God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh’” (48:20), is the basis of the benediction Jewish parents pronounce upon their sons on the Sabbath and holy days. When Jacob blessed Ephraim as the first-born in verse 18, he startled Joseph. Jacob assured Joseph that Manasseh would also be a great nation, and the blessing of Jacob on Ephraim became evident during the time of the judges. By this time, it had increased in number and power so that it exercised leadership among the ten northern tribes. Later, the name Ephraim became equal to the name Israel (See Isaiah 7:2; Hosea 4:17; 13:1). 

 

The Census of Manasseh:

(“And the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying, Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls; From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies.” Numbers 1:1-3 KJV)

 

The order to take a census was given one month after the tabernacle was set up (Exodus 40:2, 17), and is likely the same as the one mentioned in Exodus 30:12 and 38:21. It seems to be the completion of the earlier one. This is concluded on the basis that the figures mentioned in Exodus 38:26 and Numbers 1:46 are identical (603,550 males from twenty years old and upward). This is the first of three Israelite censuses taken in the Old Testament. 

 

(“Of the children of Manasseh, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Manasseh, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred.” Numbers 1:34-35 KJV)

(“And by him shall be the tribe of Manasseh: and the captain of the children of Manasseh shall be Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred.” Numbers 2:20-21 KJV)

 

The tribe of Manasseh was associated with that of Ephraim and Benjamin during the wanderings in the wilderness. Their encampment was located on the west side of the tabernacle with Ephraim and Benjamin (Numbers 2:18-24). Manasseh was the smallest of the twelve tribes, numbering 32,200. The head of the tribe was named Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, which means "God is my reward/recompense.” 

 

(“These are the families of Manasseh, and those that were numbered of them, fifty and two thousand and seven hundred.” Numbers 26:34 KJV)

 

Forty years after the initial census, Manasseh’s numbers had increased to 52,700. Manasseh now had the greater increase, though he had but one son, Machir. Of whom was the family of the Machirites, and a grandson, whose name was Gilead. From whom was the family of the Gileadites, and who had six sons. Of whom were the families of the Jeezerites, Helekites, Asrielites, Shechemites, Shemidaites, and Hepherites. Hepher, of whom was the last, had a son named Zelophehad. But he had no son, only five daughters, whose names are given. The number of men in this tribe, of twenty years old and upwards, who were fit for war, was 52,700. So, the increase was 20,500; a large increase indeed. At the time of the entrance into Canaan, Manasseh was sixth in the numerical strength of the twelve tribes, being surpassed by Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Dan, and Asher. The tribe of Manasseh was represented by Gaddi, son of Susi when Moses sent the twelve spies to survey the land of Canaan (Numbers 13:11).

 

The Tribe of Manasseh’s Part In The Israelites Wars:

(“And the children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead, and took it, and dispossessed the Amorite which was in it.” Numbers 32:39 KJV)

 

Machir, son of Manasseh, along with the Tribe of Manasseh, wasted no time and immediately conquered the Amorites and took Gilead.

 

(“And Jair the son of Manasseh went and took the small towns thereof, and called them Havothjair.” Numbers 32:41 KJV)

 

(“Jair the son of Manasseh took all the country of Argob unto the coasts of Geshuri and Maachathi; and called them after his own name, Bashanhavothjair, unto this day.” Deuteronomy 3:14 KJV)

(“The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow, and skilful in war, were four and forty thousand seven hundred and threescore, that went out to the war. And they made war with the Hagarites, with Jetur, and Nephish, and Nodab. And they were helped against them, and the Hagarites were delivered into their hand, and all that were with them: for they cried to God in the battle, and he was intreated of them; because they put their trust in him. And they took away their cattle; of their camels fifty thousand, and of sheep two hundred and fifty thousand, and of asses two thousand, and of men an hundred thousand. For there fell down many slain, because the war was of God. And they dwelt in their steads until the captivity.” 1 Chronicles 5:18-22 KJV)

Jair the Manassite took the whole region of Bashan and called the villages Havvoth-jair after his own name. The time of the battle in 1 Chronicles 5:18-22 is not stated. Compare the number of valiant men with the number of eligible men (Numbers 26:7, 18, 34) and those who assisted Joshua in the conquest (Joshua 4:13). The Hagarites were assisted by the related peoples of Jetur, Nephish, and Nodab, who were apparently descendants of Hagar’s son Ishmael (Genesis 25:15). All credit for success was attributed to God. These tribes occupied the land they acquired until the captivity, i.e. the Exile. 

(“And Nobah went and took Kenath, and the villages thereof, and called it Nobah, after his own name.” Numbers 32:42 KJV)

Who this Nobah was is not certain. Very probably a descendant of Manasseh. It is said he was among those that were born in Egypt, died after the death of Moses, and was buried beyond Jordan. As it is said, also did Machir and Jair, so that there were none left but Caleb and Joshua.

 

Troops of the tribe of Manasseh crossed to the W bank of the Jordan and contributed effectively to the victories of the conquest under the leadership of Joshua (Joshua 22:1, 7). At the conclusion of the fighting, the tribe of Manasseh cooperated with the Reubenites and the Gadites in building an altar by the Jordan, which nearly led to civil war in Israel because it was misinterpreted by the other tribes (Joshua 22:10-34).

 

When David was made king at Hebron, 18,000 men came from the western half-tribe of Manasseh to join the movement (1 Chron 12:31), while eastern Manasseh was represented in the 120,000 troops who came together with the men of Reuben and Gad. When David organized his administration under the leadership of “men of great ability” (1 Chron 26:31), he found in western Manasseh, Joel, son of Pedaiah, and in eastern Manasseh, Iddo, son of Zechariah (1 Chron 27:20, 21). In spite of it being a part of the northern kingdom of Israel, Manasseh participated in the revival and reform movements in the southern kingdom. Men of Manasseh were involved in the revival under Asa, in the Passover celebration in the reign of Hezekiah, and in his attack upon idolatry. They were also involved in the reform of Josiah and the restoration of the Temple (2 Chronicles 15:9; 30:1, 10, 11, 18; 31:1; 34:6, 9). The eastern tribe of Manasseh was more exposed to the attacks of the Syrians and Assyrians than other parts of the country. Manasseh suffered the same fate as the other northern tribes in the deportations by Tiglath-pileser III, and later by Sargon at the time of the fall of Samaria in 722 b.c.

 

The Territory of Manasseh:

Manasseh is commonly referred to as the “half-tribe” of Manasseh. This is due to the choice made by some of the tribe to reside east of the Jordan River.

 

(“And Moses gave unto them, even to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and unto half the tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land, with the cities thereof in the coasts, even the cities of the country round about.” Numbers 32:33 KJV)

 

(“And Moses gave inheritance unto the half tribe of Manasseh: and this was the possession of the half tribe of the children of Manasseh by their families. And their coast was from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair, which are in Bashan, threescore cities: And half Gilead, and Ashtaroth, and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were pertaining unto the children of Machir the son of Manasseh, even to the one half of the children of Machir by their families.” Joshua 13:29-31 KJV)

 

The territory occupied by Manasseh lay on both banks of the Jordan River. On the East bank, its territory was farthest North adjacent to Syria and specially adapted for the raising of cattle. On the West bank, it was on the northern and most fruitful area of the mountain of Ephraim. The boundaries of the two sections of Manasseh cannot be drawn with exactness. Eastern Manasseh seems to have extended from the Jabbok to Mount Hermon in the North, while western Manasseh lay North of Ephraim extending to the slopes of Mount Carmel (cf. Joshua 17:15). Thirteen cities in the eastern area of Manasseh were assigned to the Levites, and ten in the western section (21:5, 6). Golan, a city of refuge, was in the eastern area of Manasseh. Although Manasseh was numerically larger than Ephraim about the time of the conquest of Canaan, in later times Ephraim surpassed Manasseh in population, wealth, and power. Western Manasseh apparently was never able to completely dominate the Canaanites in its area (17:12; Judges 1:27). 

 

The Judges of Manasseh:

One of the most prominent leaders from Manasseh is the judge Gideon, who with a small army defeated the Midianites.

 

(“And there came an angel of the Lord, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house. And the Lord said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.” Judges 6:11-16 KJV)

 

The Angel of the Lord in Judges 6:11 is none other than Christ Himself. Almost all commentators agree that this was a “theophany,” that is, an appearance of God in human form as the angel of Yahweh. The location of Ophrah is uncertain, but the fact that Gideon’s father is referred to as Joash the Abiezrite would indicate that they were a part of the sub-tribe of Abiezer, belonging to the western part of Manasseh, near the border of Ephraim. It was here that Gideon threshed wheat by, or in, the winepress. He threshed the wheat by, or in, the winepress to hide it from the Midianites. The Midianites were the oppressors of Israel for seven years; their oppression was so severe that it had caused the Israelites to hide in the mountains and caves (Judges 6:1-2). It cannot be denied that Gideon became a man of great faith who led his people to victory, however, it should be noted that fear ran a red thread throughout the story of Gideon’s life. Gideon started out being afraid of the Midianites; he doubted the promise of the angel of the Lord; he constantly asked for signs and fleeces; he was afraid to throw down the altar of Baal, so he did it by night; he sent home the fearful in his army, but, nevertheless, ended up with an army of cowards and ultimately discovered that the enemy was more afraid of him than he was of the enemy; and, finally, he scared the Midianites into a fear so great that they destroyed themselves. When the angel of the Lord spoke to Gideon, saying, “thou mighty man of valor,’ it was received by Gideon as if it were a joke. He reminded the angel that if the Lord was with them, “why then is all this befallen us?” This generation had not seen God’s miracles in the past. It is very easy to question the genuineness of a miracle when one has not seen it for himself. The angel of the Lord then reminded Gideon that he would save Israel, or, in other words, Gideon would be the next judge-deliverer. However, Gideon immediately began to make excuses for himself. Gideon objected that his family in Manasseh was poor, and that he was “least in my father’s house” (i.e., he was the youngest son of his family, and they were an insignificant family from a military impoverished tribe). In essence, he was saying that he was not qualified for the task presented, neither was his family, and neither was his tribe. Nevertheless, the Lord promised that He would be with him and that “thou shall smite the Midianites as one man. 

 

(“And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me. Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again. And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it.” Judges 6:17-19 KJV)

 

In spite of the angel of the Lord’s promise, Gideon still asked for a sign to confirm the angel’s message. Gideon was requesting a supernatural event to confirm the fact that this was no mere angelic being, but an appearance of God Himself. Cundall notes that the ephah of flour weighed over thirty pounds and was certainly a considerable gift to be given in the time of scarcity (p. 106). 

 

(“And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so. Then the angel of the Lord put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the Lord departed out of his sight. And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the Lord, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord God! for because I have seen an angel of the Lord face to face. And the Lord said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die. Then Gideon built an altar there unto the Lord, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.” Judges 6:20-24 KJV)

 

The food was laid upon a rock that served as an impoverished altar. It was placed according to the directions given by the angel, who told him to lay them out in order and pour out the broth as a libation unto the Lord. Then the angel reached forth his staff (rod) and touched the offering, and there rose fire out of the rock, miraculously consuming the entire offering. In the flame, the angel departed out of Gideon’s sight. Shocked by this experience, Gideon prayed for mercy because he had seen an angel of the Lord face to face. The Jews commonly believed that seeing God would bring about their death. Therefore, the Lord reassured him verbally: “peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.” This promise left such an impression upon Gideon that he built an altar on the spot where the theophany had appeared to him and called it Jehovah-shalom (the Lord is peace). The statement that this altar was still in Ophrah unto this day means that it was still standing in the day of the author of the book of Judges. 

 

(“And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him, Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it: And build an altar unto the Lord thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down. Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the Lord had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father's household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night. And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built. And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they enquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing. Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it.  And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar. Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.” Judges 6:25-32 KJV)

 

Having convinced Gideon of His power, God now instructed him to sacrifice his father’s young bullock unto the Lord Jehovah. In addition, he was to throw down the altar of Baal that belonged to his father. This incident reveals the strange and inconsistent situation that prevailed in Israel. Though they claimed to worship the Lord, they had mixed the true religion of Yahweh with the cultic religion of the Canaanites. Gideon’s father’s name, Joash, means Yahweh has given. Yet, he was apparently a priest of Baal, since he maintained a Baal altar as well as the grove (probably a mistranslation of Asherah, the Canaanites female deity). This situation gives us a glimpse into the terrible spiritual condition of the people of Israel, just one century after entering the Promised Land. They were not only willing to compromise with pagan religion but now their own religion had become confused with it. Gideon was ordered by God to tear down both the altar to Baal and the pillar of Asherah, and to replace it with an altar unto the Lord thy God in the ordered place, i.e., with stones laid in due order. In order to accomplish this task, Gideon took ten men of his servants, indicating that he was a man of some position and, perhaps, wealth. Working together, they obeyed the command by night because he feared the reprisal of the people of the community. This would indicate that his father was the custodian of the Baal cult-center serving the entire town and that most of the people resorted there for worship. Thus, when the people awoke the next morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, the grove was cut down, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar of the Lord. Naturally, the people were extremely upset when they discovered what had happened. The bullock had been offered, the Asherah pole had been cut up and used for the wood to burn the sacrifice, and the altar itself had been destroyed. In its place stood an altar to the Lord God of Israel. When they inquired about who had done this thing, they were told, Gideon the son of Joash. Thereupon, the men came to his father and demanded that Gideon be put to death for what he had dared to do. However, his father, taking note of his son’s unusual (and perhaps unexpected) act of bravery, defended his son by asking the townspeople if they would plead for Baal. By asking, “will ye save him,” he was implying that Baal, if he really was a god, should be capable of saving himself. The passages make it clear that Joash was convicted and challenged by his son’s action; and, therefore, he called him Jerubbaal, meaning “let Baal plead.” The idea is that Baal ought to be able to plead for himself and that the men of the city were not capable of pleading on behalf of a god. The fact that Baal had been unable to stop Gideon’s action implies that his father no longer believed that he was a god. The fact that Gideon was not put to death by the men of the city must mean that his father successfully defended him and turned the city to rally behind this surprising new leader. 

 

(“Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel. But the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him. And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; who also was gathered after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them. And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said, Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said. And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water. And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew. And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.” Judges 6:33-40 KJV)

 

In the meantime, the Midianite-Amalekite-Arab alliance moved into the area with renewed aggression and pitched their tents in the valley of Jezreel, extending from Mount Carmel to the Jordan Valley. In response to this challenge, the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, and he rallied the men of Abiezer, his hometown, and the men of Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali joined with them. In spite of all that had happened, Gideon still revealed his personal hesitation in the incident involving the fleece of wool. His question as to whether or not God would save Israel by his hand implies that he was still afraid to fully trust God’s promise. Thus, he prayed that the fleece would be wet and the ground would be dry. Then he reversed the condition, asking that the ground be wet and the fleece be dry. As an encouragement to the fearful leader, God answered his request. 

 

(“Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley. And the Lord 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 against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand. And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go. So he brought down the people unto the water: and the Lord said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink. 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. And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place. So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those three hundred men: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley.” Judges 7:1-8 KJV)

 

The famous story of Gideon’s three hundred men follows in these verses. Gideon is told by God that he has too many men with him to bring about the kind of victory that God intends. Therefore, the total number will have to be cut down. The details of the story are significant, in that Gideon and his men encamped beside the well of Harod (spring of trembling), perhaps Ain Jalut near the foot of Mount Gilboa. The Midianites were across the valley to the north, by the hill of Moreh, some four miles away. Thus, the scene is set for the famous incident that follows. 

 

Fearful and trembling, Gideon, who must obey at night, under cover of darkness, and be constantly reassured by signs and fleeces, now arrives at the well of trembling. On his behalf, it should be remembered that he had never led an army and that the vast majority of his soldiers were untrained and inexperienced. However, God’s main reason for cutting down the size of the army was “lest Israel vaunt themselves against me” by assuming that they had won the victory through their own strength. Thus, the Lord told Gideon that “the people... are too many for me.” The process of elimination may seem strange until one understands what was actually happening. First, he asked, “whosoever is fearful and afraid” to return home; and twenty-two thousand left, leaving only ten thousand men. Anyone who has ever been in a battle will honestly admit that he or she was afraid. Therefore, it would be improper to suggest that those who went home were the wisest and the most honest of the group. Of the ten thousand that remained, there were still too many. Gideon, therefore, was instructed to bring them down unto the water where God would try them. There are two basic views on the water trial. Most commentators assume that those who lapped were those who drank water while crouching or standing, lapping it from their cupped hands and readily watching for the enemy. However, ancient Jewish interpretation, as reflected by Josephus (Antiquities V; 6:3), prefers to interpret the passage in a directly opposite manner. The men selected by Gideon who lapped water out of their hands and were looking about where they were, in reality, were the ones who were most afraid. While the correct interpretation may never be settled, the details and context of the story give it great credibility. Nearly ten thousand men were sent away, and only three hundred remained to help Gideon defeat the Midianites.

 

(“And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand. But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host: And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host. And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude. And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along. And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.” Judges 7:9-14 KJV)

 

God ordered Gideon to get thee down unto the host and spy on the Midianite encampment. This is followed by the statement, “if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant”. The fact that he went down with Phurah indicates that indeed he was afraid to go alone. There can be no doubt that the element of fear is deliberately woven throughout the entire story by the narrator. Even Phurah’s name means foliage, indicating that Gideon was hiding behind his armor-bearer. The significance of the spying incident was the dream that he heard and its suggested interpretation.

 

Having observed the multitude of the enemy’s encampment, Gideon must have become more fearful than ever until he overheard the guards talking to each other. The first said that he had dreamed about a cake of barley bread, which tumbled into the host of Midian and knocked over his tent. Unable to understand the meaning of the dream, he asked his friend for a suggested interpretation, to which his friend replied, “This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon ... for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.” Nothing will encourage a coward more than discovering that his enemy is afraid of him. The significance of the dream was to convince Gideon (the barley thresher) that the Midianites were more afraid of him than he was of them. Thus, God would use an encouraged coward to frighten the enemy away. 

 

(“And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian. And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers. And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do. When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon. So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands. And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon. And they stood every man in his place round about the camp; and all the host ran, and cried, and fled. And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the Lord set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath. And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites. And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.” Judges 7:15-25 KJV)

 

The discovery of his enemy’s fear gave Gideon renewed courage, and upon hearing the interpretation, he worshiped God for giving him this renewed assurance of victory. With revived confidence, he came back and rallied the host of Israel. Instead of a direct assault, however, Gideon divided the three hundred men into three companies so that they might surround the enemy. The three companies were to carry trumpets and empty pitchers containing lamps (i.e. torches). They were to conceal the torches within the open-topped pitchers until the last possible minute, when they would break the pitchers, wave the torches, and blow the trumpets, giving the enemy the impression that a great host was coming down upon them. 

 

The noisy assault began at midnight during the middle watch. The sound of the horns would signal the call to battle, and the breaking of the pitchers would simulate the clash of arms. The awaking Midianites assumed that the battle had already begun and that they were outnumbered. The battle cry, the sword of the Lord and of Gideon, would strike fear in the minds of the confused Midianites and their allies. Since the invaders were a combination of at least three different language dialects, they began to attack one another in the confusion of the night. Thus, the Lord set man's sword against his fellow. The enemy literally put itself to rout by attacking one another. The Israelites subsequently pursued after the Midianites and called upon the men of Ephraim to help them. They cut off the escape routes leading toward the Jordan River at Beth-barah, near Wadi Fara’a. The Israelite army captured Oreb and Zeeb and brought their heads back as trophies of victory back to Gideon on the other side of the Jordan.

 

(“And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.” Judges 8:32 KJV)

 

The statement that Gideon died in a “good old age” indicates that he lived a peaceful life in semi-retirement until his death.

 

Another Judge from the Tribe of Manasseh includes Abimelech, son of Gideon, who maintained himself at the head of a short-lived kingdom in the territory of Manasseh (Judges 9). Jephthah was also from the tribe of Manasseh and defeated the Ammonites (Judges 11).

 

The Destruction and Future of Manasseh:

Manasseh eventually lost its identity in becoming assimilated with the people of the new environment after the destruction of the northern kingdom, whose gods the Manassites came to worship. The Biblical account emphasizes that the children of Manasseh “transgressed against the God of their fathers, and played the harlot after the gods of the peoples of the land” (1 Chronicles 5:25).

 

In Psalms 4:7 and 108:8, Manasseh is called a most precious possession of God. Ezekiel has a place for the tribe of Manasseh in his picture of the future (Ezekiel 48:4), and John includes the tribe in his vision described in Revelation 7:6.