Spring of Harod

Biblical Text

The Spring of Harod appears only once, in chapter 7 of Judges. According to Judges 7:1, Gideon, also called Jerubbaal, and the people with him rose early and "pitched beside the well of Harod." The camp of Midian lay to the north of them, "by the hill of Moreh, in the valley."

In the passage that follows, God tells Gideon that his army is too large, because Israel might boast that it had won the victory by its own strength (Judges 7:2).

• When Gideon told those who were "fearful and afraid" to return, twenty-two thousand went back and ten thousand remained (Judges 7:3).
• The remaining men were brought down to the water and divided according to how they drank. Only the three hundred who lapped, "putting their hand to their mouth," were kept, and the rest were sent home (Judges 7:4–7).

The text does not explicitly identify this water as the Spring of Harod, but the context is generally taken to indicate the same place.

Background

In Hebrew the name is Ein Harod; ein means "spring." Harod shares its sound and root with a word meaning "to tremble, to be afraid." A widely known interpretation therefore sees a wordplay with "whosoever is fearful and afraid" in Judges 7:3.

The site is traditionally identified with a spring (Arabic ʿAin Jalud) that rises at the northwestern foot of Mount Gilboa, on the southern side of the Jezreel Valley. Because this location faces the hill of Moreh to the north, it fits well with the topography described in the text. This identification, however, is an inference based on terrain and tradition.

Broader Biblical Significance

The focus of the Harod narrative is less the location than the reduction of the army. The theme of a small force defeating a great multitude, showing that salvation belongs to God, also appears in the words of Jonathan in 1 Samuel 14:6. In the New Testament, Hebrews 11:32 names Gideon among those who triumphed through faith.

2 Samuel 23:25 lists a "Harodite" among the mighty men of David. Whether this name is related to a place near the Spring of Harod is uncertain. Some also identify "a fountain which is in Jezreel" (1 Samuel 29:1), where Saul encamped before his final battle, with the Spring of Harod, though the text does not say so.

Interpretations and Issues

• The criterion for choosing the three hundred: Many sermons explain that those who drank from their hands were warriors who remained alert. The only reason the text itself gives, however, is to reduce the numbers so that Israel could not boast in itself (Judges 7:2). Some interpreters therefore attach no special significance to the method of selection.
• The manner of drinking: The account mentions both "as a dog lappeth" (Judges 7:5) and "putting their hand to their mouth" (Judges 7:6). For this reason, commentators differ on the exact posture of the two groups.
• The problem of Mount Gilead: "Mount Gilead" in Judges 7:3 is a place east of the Jordan and does not fit the area around the Spring of Harod, west of the river. Proposed explanations include that it refers to a different place nearby or that it reflects a problem in the manuscript tradition.

In the Korean Church

As the setting of the story of "Gideon's three hundred warriors," the Spring of Harod is frequently discussed in sermons and Sunday school lessons. It is usually presented in terms of faith that relies on God rather than on numbers, and of obedience that overcomes fear.