Q5. Lappers and Kneelers

[Seeking His Face]

Q5. (Judges 7:5-6) What significance, if any, do you see in selecting the "lappers" from the "kneelers"?

The lappers are more aware of there surroundings, ready to move if need be. The ones on the knee are paying more attention to the water and there drinking of it.

[hanks]

Q5. (Judges 7:5-6)

What significance, if any, do you see in selecting the "lappers" from the "kneelers"?

I don

[Old Jerry]

I don’t see any significance in selecting the “lappers” from the “kneelers”. I think it was just God’s way of picking those He wanted to do the battle for Him.

[wifee]

5a)I would have thought that kneelers, were submitting to a leader.But lappers were selected maybe because they were able to see with their eyes alert,whilst receiving water,&able to stand quicker. God used it mainly as a means of sifting the army numbers &reducing in size.

[robertprice]

God's way of reducing the troops seems quite arbitrary. Maybe the lappers would have been aware of their surroundings in ways that those who inclined to the waters could not. So perhaps the eventual forces were composed of 'soldierly' types. Only God knows for sure !

[DebLam3teach]

I don't find much significance in the passage between a kneeler and a lapper!  However, my opinion is that the kneelers would be more aware of their surroundings as they would see an approaching enemy.  The lappers, on the other hand, maybe drank the water more quickly.  In any case, Gideon was able to easily identify the 300 warriors that God wanted to use.  Gideon did not question God's method; he just obeyed God.

[haar]

Q5. (Judges 7:5-6)

 

Q. What significance, if any, do you see in selecting the "lappers" from the "kneelers"?

A. Selecting lappers from kneelers might have not made sense to the human mind yet, it was the directive given by God and it served to achieve the purpose of trimming down the number of the soldiers to a smaller number.

 

[Jesus Follower]

Only as a way to separate the people. To make sure just a few remain to fight.

[Jonathan Edwards]

It was clearly God's doing in this situation. Gideon didn't have access to the urim and thummin.   The lappers chosen by divine providence.   It looked like they were more astute, more aware of their surroundings as they drank water.  The kneeled couldn't get  a more circumspect view kneeling down.

 

 

 

[Irmela]

Q5. (Judges 7:5-6) What significance, if any, do you see in selecting the "lappers" from the "kneelers"? 

I understand that one is more alert of the surroundings and immediately at the ready to move when needing to.  

I do feel that God allows us free choice.  This was His way of selecting the fewer men with which He would continue His operation against the enemy.   

[ShariRose]

Obedience to God is important.  But, I see that the "lappers" were more alert.  Those with their faces down would not see danger coming.  The lappers were probably better soldiers.

[JanSumi]

Maybe the lappers were chosen instead of the kneelers because they could have stood upright more quickly than the kneelers. I have heard suggestions that the lappers were more ready to fight immediately, but I have never before considered that it might not make any difference. God would win this battle, not the men. What matters is that the army's numbers were culled so that Gideon's army was so small that the glory and credit had to be attributed to God. It's interesting that out of the 10,000 men, the Lord chose the least number to remain: 300. He sent away 9,700 men. I think what's important is that God had sent away the majority of the men and left Gideon with a small number who could not possibly win the coming battle. He wanted Israel to be looking to Him, not men or themselves.