Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.
Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.
This verse provides crucial military context for Gideon's pursuit. The location Karkor (Qarqor, קַרְקֹר) is uncertain—possibly in the Syrian desert east of the Jordan, a remote refuge where the Midianite kings regrouped. That fifteen thousand men (chamisha-asar elef ish, חֲמִשָּׁה־עָשָׂר אֶלֶף אִישׁ) remained demonstrates the magnitude of God's prior victory. The original force comprised 135,000 warriors (15,000 remaining plus 120,000 casualties equals 135,000 total). Gideon's 300 had routed an army 450 times their size.
The phrase all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east (kol-hannotarim mikkol-machaneh benei-qedem, כָּל־הַנּוֹתָרִים מִכָּל־מַחֲנֵה בְנֵי־קֶדֶם) identifies the enemy coalition. The "children of the east" (benei-qedem, בְּנֵי־קֶדֶם) encompassed Midianites, Amalekites, and other nomadic peoples (Judges 6:3, 33) who periodically raided Israel's harvests. The number an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword (me'ah ve-esrim elef ish sholeif cherev, מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים אֶלֶף אִישׁ שֹׁלֵף חָרֶב) specifies trained warriors (sholeif cherev, "drawing sword"), not including camp followers.
These numbers vindicate God's strategy of reducing Israel's army to 300. Had 32,000 Israelites defeated 135,000 Midianites, they might claim partial credit. But 300 against 135,000 leaves no doubt—this victory was entirely divine. The staggering casualty ratio (400:1) demonstrates supernatural intervention. This foreshadows Christ's victory where one Man defeated all the powers of darkness: "having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it" (Colossians 2:15).
Historical Context
The "children of the east" were Bedouin-style nomadic and semi-nomadic peoples inhabiting regions east and southeast of Canaan—the Syrian desert, Arabian desert, and Transjordan wilderness. These groups practiced camel-based pastoralism and raiding, giving them high mobility. The introduction of domesticated camels for military purposes (Judges 6:5 mentions "camels without number") revolutionized desert warfare, allowing rapid strikes deep into settled territory followed by quick withdrawal into desert refuges.
The number 120,000 casualties is extraordinary but not unprecedented in ancient warfare. The Assyrian king Shalmaneser III claimed to have killed 14,000 enemies at Qarqar (853 BCE); Ramesses II claimed tens of thousands killed at Kadesh. While ancient Near Eastern battle accounts often inflated numbers, the biblical account emphasizes divine intervention making the victory possible. Archaeological evidence confirms violent destructions at numerous sites during the Late Bronze-Iron Age transition, though connecting specific destructions to particular biblical battles remains challenging.
Questions for Reflection
How does the 300 versus 135,000 ratio encourage believers facing overwhelming spiritual opposition or life circumstances?
What does God's insistence on reducing Israel's army teach about the danger of attributing divine victories to human strength or wisdom?
How should Christians respond when God's methods seem to make success less likely from human perspective?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.
This verse provides crucial military context for Gideon's pursuit. The location Karkor (Qarqor, קַרְקֹר) is uncertain—possibly in the Syrian desert east of the Jordan, a remote refuge where the Midianite kings regrouped. That fifteen thousand men (chamisha-asar elef ish, חֲמִשָּׁה־עָשָׂר אֶלֶף אִישׁ) remained demonstrates the magnitude of God's prior victory. The original force comprised 135,000 warriors (15,000 remaining plus 120,000 casualties equals 135,000 total). Gideon's 300 had routed an army 450 times their size.
The phrase all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east (kol-hannotarim mikkol-machaneh benei-qedem, כָּל־הַנּוֹתָרִים מִכָּל־מַחֲנֵה בְנֵי־קֶדֶם) identifies the enemy coalition. The "children of the east" (benei-qedem, בְּנֵי־קֶדֶם) encompassed Midianites, Amalekites, and other nomadic peoples (Judges 6:3, 33) who periodically raided Israel's harvests. The number an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword (me'ah ve-esrim elef ish sholeif cherev, מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים אֶלֶף אִישׁ שֹׁלֵף חָרֶב) specifies trained warriors (sholeif cherev, "drawing sword"), not including camp followers.
These numbers vindicate God's strategy of reducing Israel's army to 300. Had 32,000 Israelites defeated 135,000 Midianites, they might claim partial credit. But 300 against 135,000 leaves no doubt—this victory was entirely divine. The staggering casualty ratio (400:1) demonstrates supernatural intervention. This foreshadows Christ's victory where one Man defeated all the powers of darkness: "having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it" (Colossians 2:15).