Lives of Scripture

Purah was Gideon's personal servant, present at one of the more understated but pivotal moments in the story of Gideon's victory over Midian. After God had already reduced Gideon's army from thousands down to just three hundred men, He told Gideon, 'if you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with Purah your servant' to hear what the enemy was saying, promising that this would strengthen Gideon's resolve (Judges 7:9-11). Gideon took Purah and crept to the outskirts of the vast Midianite camp, arriving just as one soldier was telling another about a dream: a loaf of barley bread tumbling into the camp and striking a tent so hard it collapsed. The second soldier interpreted it as nothing less than 'the sword of Gideon,' by which God would hand Midian over to Israel (7:12-14). Hearing the enemy's own fear spoken aloud, Gideon worshiped God on the spot, returned to camp, and immediately rallied his three hundred men for the attack that routed Midian (7:15-25). Purah himself says and does nothing beyond accompanying Gideon on this reconnaissance, but his quiet presence at Gideon's side, exactly when God had promised reassurance would come, is part of how God turned a fearful commander into a confident one.