should be saved for thy sake." (96)

An angel appeared, and Gideon begged him for a sign, that he
would achieve the deliverance of Israel. He excused his petition
with the precedent of Moses, the first prophet, who likewise has
asked for a sign. The angel bade him pour water on the rock, and
then gave him the choice of how he would have the water
transformed. Gideon desired to see one-half changed into blood,
and one-half into fire. Thus it happened. The blood and the fire
mingled with each other, yet the blood did not quench the fire, nor
did the fire dry out the blood. Encouraged by this and other signs,
(97) Gideon undertook to carry on the war against the Midianites
with a band of three hundred God-fearing men, and he was
successful. Of the enemy one hundred and twenty thousand
corpses covered the field, and all the rest fled precipitately. (98)

Gideon enjoyed the privilege of bringing salvation to Israel
because he was a good son. His old father feared to thresh his grain
on account of the Midianites, and Gideon once went out to him in
the field and said: "Father, thou art too old to do this work; go thou
home, and I shall finish thy task for thee. If the Midianites should
surprise me out here, I can run away, which thou canst not do, on
account of thy age." (99)

The day on which Gideon gained his great victory was during the
Passover, and the cake of barley bread that turned the camp of the
enemy upside down, of which the Midianite dreamed, was a sign
that God would espouse the cause of His people to reward them
for bringing a cake of barley bread as an 'Omer offering. (100)