Inspired by God to drive the Midianites out of Israel, Gideon recruited an army from among the tribe of Manasseh. But surprisingly, he was told by God that the army was too large. So he whittled it down to just three hundred men, excluding the fearful, and those who drank direct from a stream rather than from cupped hands.

Having crept into the Midianites’ camp, Gideon overheard an enemy soldier say that he had dreamt that Gideon would utterly defeat them next day. So Gideon played on the night-time fears in the camp, and having given his small company of three hundred men lights and trumpets, he frightened the vast Midianite host into a disorderly rout.

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