124 BATTLES OF THE BIBLE.

try season when men after marching were told to drink,
there were few who would not drink heartily. That
night the Lord again spoke to Gideon, telling him to go
down to the enemy’s host and take possession. But if
he hesitated about taking down his three hundred men,
he might go down first with only his servant, and listen
to what the Midianites were saying; what he heard
would strengthen him for the work that was before him.
Gideon and his servant arrived in time to hear a dream
that one of the Midianite soldiers was telling another.
He had dreamed that he saw a cake of barley bread
tumble into the host of Midian, strike upon a tent, and
overturn it entirely,—a strange dream certainly, and
one with little meaning in it, as we would think ; but
“interpretations belong to God,” and he put into the
mind of the Midianite to whom it was told to interpret
it in a way more remarkable than the dream itself.
“This is nothing else,” said the interpreting soldier, “save
the sword of Gideon, the son of J oash, a man of Israel ;
for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all
the host.” You may easily suppose how encouraging this
was to Gideon. He devoutly praised the Lord for causing
the man to say it, and for permitting him to hear it.
He then returned to his three hundred and said, “ Arise,
for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of
Midian.” The three hundred obeyed, and were divided
by their commander into three companies ; every man
took a trumpet in one hand, and in the other empty
pitchers to carry their lamps in. In the beginning of the