At a signal from Gideon, all three companies gave a blast of their trumpets to awaken the sleeping enemy. Then they broke the pitchers and let their torches flame up, and gave the battle cry,—"The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon." To the Midianites it appeared that they were surrounded by a great army.
In their fear they fled for life. They mistook their own companions for enemies, and killed one another. The news of the victory spread, and thousands of Israel joined in pursuit of their retreating foes, and the great army of Midianites was utterly destroyed.
The strongest and most wonderful Judge of Israel was Samson. According to instruction given his mother from the Lord, he was a "Nazarite" from his birth. This meant that he was to drink no wine, and the hair of his head was never to be cut.
As he grew up, the Lord gave him wonderful strength. One day as he was passing through a vineyard of the Philistines, a young lion met him. He had no weapons with him, but with his bare hands he tore the lion and killed him.
Soon after this a great army of Philistines came out against Israel. "And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon Samson." His only weapon was the jaw bone of an ass; but with this he defeated the whole army of the Philistines, and slew a thousand of them.
Samson Carrying the Gates of Gaza.
Here was another lesson of what the Lord could do for His people. Gideon had three hundred men when he fought the hosts of Midian; but at this time one man alone won the battle against an army of the Philistines.