שופטים, פרק ח׳, פסוק י׳

The relentless pursuit of the Midianite kings highlights a staggering gap between a small Israelite force and a massive enemy army. Most of the vast Eastern camp had already been destroyed by the Israelites while still on the western side of the Jordan River, yet a substantial military guard remained stationed around the fleeing kings [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The two kings, Zebah and Zalmunna, eventually stopped to camp at a location known as Karkor [רש״י].

Gathered at this camp were approximately fifteen thousand fighters, the sole survivors of the once-massive army [מצודת דוד]. This remaining group stood in sharp contrast to the overwhelming number of casualties already suffered in the campaign. One hundred and twenty thousand heavily armed warriors had fallen in battle. These fallen men were highly trained soldiers, marching with their swords already drawn from their sheaths and fully prepared for immediate combat [מצודת ציון, מצודת דוד].

Despite the overwhelming odds of leading only three hundred men against an army of fifteen thousand, Gideon did not hesitate to confront them. His confidence in the face of such danger stemmed from the enemy's broken psychological state; the remaining soldiers were on the run and consumed by panic. Additionally, the cover of night provided a critical tactical advantage, as the darkness completely prevented the enemy from seeing and evaluating how incredibly small the pursuing Israelite force actually was [רלב״ג].