שופטים, פרק ז׳, פסוק י״א

Gideon embarks on a secret scouting mission into the enemy encampment. His objective is to listen to the conversations of the Midianite soldiers, an experience intended to give him the final surge of confidence needed for battle. God promises Gideon that hearing the enemy's own words will fill him with courage. Once this happens, he will have the strength to lead the attack against the camp [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Following this guidance, Gideon and his servant, Purah, slip quietly toward the edges of the enemy camp [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. They make their way specifically toward the armed soldiers stationed at the perimeter [מצודת ציון]. It was standard military practice to position these armed guards around the borders of a camp during the night [מצודת דוד]. Although the Midianites felt highly secure in their position and did place guards at the camp's edge, their security was surprisingly relaxed. The watch was not maintained well enough to provide real protection against infiltration, allowing Gideon and his servant to get close undetected [ביאור שטיינזלץ].