Unsung Heroes: Phurah, The Servant Of Gideon

Introduction: Phurah, Gideon’s servant, is only mentioned twice in the entire Bible—here in this passage—but what he did certainly speaks volumes.

Text, Judges 7:9-11, KJV: 9 And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand. 10 But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host: 11 And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host.

Some background information: Gideon and Phurah lived during a time when Israel had forsaken the One True God. Israel was under severe oppression by the Midianites and the Amalekites (Judges 6:1-6) and after seven years of this finally cried out to God for deliverance.

Gideon was God’s choice to deliver Israel from this oppression, even though he didn’t think he was the man for the job! Judges 6:11 and the following verses detail Gideon’s journey from defeat to doubt to dedication. Eventually he gathered an army and was ready to fight against the enemy forces nearby.

Now here’s where Phurah enters the picture. When he became Gideon’s servant is never specified and we’re told nothing else about him. Even so, when God told Gideon “Take Phurah along if you’re too afraid to go to the Midianite camp by yourself”, Phurah went along with Gideon. If nothing else, this speaks of Phurah’s loyalty to his supervisor.

Then when they got to the Midianite camp, Phurah seems to have stayed behind or perhaps followed behind Gideon. Verse 13 tells that Gideon, not Phurah, heard the dream of the Midianite soldier. When Gideon heard the dream and its meaning, that was enough for Gideon to worship and to proceed with his strategy for the battle.

And the LORD did indeed give victory, for Gideon and for Israel—and for Phurah. This man was faithful, even to the point of spying on the enemy camp. Gideon had to trust him with his very life—Gideon had no way of knowing he would return alive from his “mission”. But Gideon did return, and even though Phurah is never mentioned again, his loyalty and faithfulness are qualities worth following in every generation.

Scripture quotations taken from the King James Version of the Bible (KJV)