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God's actions. In the rest of the narrative, we will see whether Gideon
lives up to this expectation.

Shared Focus

The second narrative movement acts as a transition, in that Gideon
and God are sharing the spotlight. The movement starts off well when
Gideon acts like a true YHWH worshipper and piously worships God. In
7:15 he gives the right answer: God will give the enemy into their hands.
One almost feels relieved. It seems as if God's plan is going to work, but
then something starts to go askew. With his newly found confidence,
Gideon commands his army to follow his lead and do everything he
does. Something seems amiss when we hear the battle cry, which the
"
soldiers should cry out when attacking: "For YHWH and for Gideon!"
(7:18). We find here a Gideon who no longer thinks of himself as the
lowliest in his clan (6:15). As Olson has remarked: "In this shout Gideon
claims a piece of the spotlight along with God."29 The fact that Gideon
adds his own name raises the first uncertainty about whether Gideon
and Israel will recognize what God is doing. Klein argues that Gideon's
army follows its leader's instructions to perfection as they put up an
impressive "sound-and-light show. "30 However, their battle cry becomes
significant in understanding how much they recognize what is happen-
. ing. They change the battle cry in 7:20 to: "A sword for YHWH and for
Gideon!" It seems that the battle cry indeed signifies a shared focus
between God and Gideon. The soldiers appear to be dedicating their
swords in the coming battle to both God and Gideon. The focus is already
departing from God alone. The sound-and-light spectacle of Gideon's
army creates confusion and panic in the camp of the enemy, but it is not
what causes the victory. Judges 7:22 says explicitly that it is God who
puts (Olt7) the sword of the one soldier against his neighbor. Thus, the
victory belongs exclusively to God. The question remains whether Israel
will recognize this.

2901son, "Judges," 803.
3°Klein, Judges, 55.