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Judges Chapter Seven

 

Judges 7 Outlines

Gideon’s Valiant Three Hundred (1~25)

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 7

In this chapter we have an account of the army under Gideon gathered out of several tribes which from 32 000 were reduced to three hundred and we are told by what means this was done Judges 7:1 and how he was directed to go into the host of the Midianites where he heard one of them telling his dream to his fellow which greatly encouraged him to believe he should succeed Judges 7:9 also we are told the form and manner in which he disposed of his little army to attack the Midianites and the orders he gave them to observe which had the desired effect and issued in the total rout of that large body of people Judges 7:16 and those that were not destroyed were pursued by persons gathered out of several tribes and the passages of Jordan were taken by the Ephraimites so that those that attempted their escape into their own country there fell into their hands Judges 7:23.

 

Judges 7:1  Then Jerubbaal (that is Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the well of Harod so that the camp of the Midianites was on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley.

   YLT  1And Jerubbaal (he [is] Gideon) riseth early and all the people who [are] with him and they encamp by the well of Harod and the camp of Midian hath been on the south of him on the height of Moreh in the valley.

Then Jerubbaal who is Gideon .... That being the name his father had lately given him Judges 6:32.

and all the people that were with him rose up early; encouraged by the signs and miracles wrought by which he was assured of success; he was eager to be about his work and therefore rose early in the morning and got his army together and marched to engage the enemy:

and pitched beside the well of Harod; which he might choose for the refreshment of his army on occasion; or however so he was directed in Providence here where a trial was to be made of them by water: this well or fountain seems to be the same with that in 1 Samuel 29:1 it signifies fear and trembling and might have its name either from the fear and trembling of the 22 000 Israelites whose hearts were dismayed at the Midianites and they were ordered to return home; or from the fear and trembling of the Midianites who were discomfited here; the former seems to be the true reason see Judges 7:3 so that the Midianites were on the north side of them; which Gideon no doubt judged to be an advantageous post to him:

by the hill of Moreh in the valley; the valley of Jezreel one of the mountains of Gilboa as is supposed; the Targum is "by the hill which looks to the plain;'from whence he could have a view of the Midianitish army and the disposition of it. Some think this hill had its name from the Midianitish archers; but according to Kimchi and Ben Melech from there being a watch here to direct the ways or to give notice to the inhabitants of the valley when an army came against them; though some take it to be a school of some eminent teacher in those daysF26See Weemse's Christian Synagogue l. 1. c. 6. sect. 5. .

 

Judges 7:2  2 And the Lord said to Gideon “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me saying ‘My own hand has saved me.’

   YLT  2And Jehovah saith unto Gideon `Too many [are] the people who [are] with thee for My giving Midian into their hand lest Israel beautify itself against Me saying My hand hath given salvation to me;

And the Lord said unto Gideon the people that are with thee are too many .... It appears by what follows that there were 32 000 of them which was but a small army to engage with one of 100 000 more than they; for such was the army of the Midianites and their associates see Judges 8:10 but the people were too many says the Lord:

for me to give the Midianites into their hands; who would be apt to ascribe the victory to themselves and not to the Lord; to their number strength and valour and not to the hand of the Lord:

lest Israel vaunt themselves against me saying mine own hand hath saved me; or glory over me take the glory from me and ascribe it to themselves boasting that by their power and prowess they had obtained the victory.

 

Judges 7:3  3 Now therefore proclaim in the hearing of the people saying ‘Whoever is fearful and afraid let him turn and depart at once from Mount Gilead.’” And twenty-two thousand of the people returned and ten thousand remained.

   YLT  3and now call I pray thee in the ears of the people saying Whoso [is] afraid and trembling let him turn back and go early from mount Gilead;' and there turn back of the people twenty and two thousand and ten thousand have been left.

Now therefore go to proclaim in the ears of the people .... Such a proclamation as follows was according to the law of God to be made when Israel went out to battle against their enemies Deuteronomy 20:8; though it looks as if Gideon would not have made such proclamation had he not been directed to it by the Lord his army being so small in comparison of the enemy; and perhaps Gideon might understand that law to have respect only to war made for the enlargement of their country and not for defence against invaders:

saying whosoever is fearful and afraid; to engage in battle because of the number of the enemy:

let him return and depart early from Mount Gilead; where it seems they now were being the same with the hill of Moreh or adjoining to it; a mountain in the tribe of Manasseh so called either from its likeness to Mount Gilead on the other side Jordan; or rather in memory of Gilead the son of Machir the son of Manasseh from whence the half tribe sprung which was on this side as well as that on the other; and perhaps this name might be given to the mount to show that they were of the same tribe though separated by Jordan: now the fearful and faint hearted had leave given them by this proclamation to return home directly; and as both armies lay so near and it might reasonably be expected the battle would be the next day they are directed to get away in the morning as early as they could that they might not be seen and so be filled with shame themselves and discourage others. Though some think Mount Gilead on the other side Jordan is meant from whence it is supposed many came to Gideon Judges 6:35 and now are ordered to return back as many as were fearful; and instead of "from" they render the word "to" or "towards" or "beyond" Gilead. Kimchi thinks the word we render "depart early" has the signification of surrounding a diadem being expressed by a word from hence which encompasses the head Isaiah 28:5 and so the sense is that they were ordered to go round about Mount Gilead and so return home; but it rather may signify their hasty departure and speedy flight like that of a bird Psalm 11:1 and there returned of the people 22 000 and there remained 10 000; so that they were in all 32 000: now though these of their own accord came and joined Gideon with an intention and resolution to stand by him and fight the enemy yet when they came and saw what a large host they had to engage with and how small the army was with Gideon their hearts failed them and they were glad to take the advantage of the proclamation.

 

Judges 7:4  4 But the Lord said to Gideon “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water and I will test them for you there. Then it will be that of whom I say to you ‘This one shall go with you ’ the same shall go with you; and of whomever I say to you ‘This one shall not go with you ’ the same shall not go.”

   YLT  4And Jehovah saith unto Gideon `Yet [are] the people too many; bring them down unto the water and I refine it for thee there; and it hath been he of whom I say unto thee This doth go with thee -- he doth go with thee; and any of whom I say unto thee This doth not go with thee -- he doth not go.'

And the Lord said to Gideon the people are yet too many .... Though they were but just the number that Barak had with him when he attacked Sisera's army and got the victory which yet was ascribed to God whose hand was manifestly seen in it; but as these might be supposed to be able men of valour that remained they were too many for God to have that glory he intended to display in this victory:

bring them down unto the water; from the hill on which they were to a brook that ran at the bottom of it perhaps a stream from the fountain or well of Harod Judges 7:1.

and I will try them for thee there or "purge them"F1אצרפנו "defaecabo" Drusius; "eliquabo seu purgabo" Piscator. as silver is purged from dross so the word signifies as Kimchi observes the righteous from the wicked as he thinks; who with others suppose that by those who bowed on their knees to drink were such as had been used to bow the knee to Baal and the rest not and so one were discerned from the other; but this trial was only for the sake of Gideon to direct him whom he should take with him and whom not:

and it shall be that of whom I say unto thee this shall go with thee the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee this shall not go with thee the same shall not go; by the different manner of his men drinking at the water later related Gideon knew not who should go with him and who not whether they that bowed down to drink or only lapped the water; this was determined by the mouth of the Lord as follows but this trial was only for the sake of Gideon to direct him whom he should take with him and whom not:

and it shall be that of whom I say unto thee this shall go with thee the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee this shall not go with thee the same shall not go; by the different manner of his men drinking at the water after related Gideon knew not who should go with him and who not whether they that bowed down to drink or only lapped the water; this was determined by the mouth of the Lord as follows.

 

Judges 7:5  5 So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon “Everyone who laps from the water with his tongue as a dog laps you shall set apart by himself; likewise everyone who gets down on his knees to drink.”

   YLT  5And he bringeth down the people unto the water and Jehovah saith unto Gideon `Every one who lappeth with his tongue of the water as the dog lappeth -- thou dost set him apart; also every one who boweth on his knees to drink.'

So he brought them down to the water .... His whole army of 10 000 men:

and the Lord said unto Gideon everyone that lappeth of the water with his tongue as a dog lappeth him shall thou set by himself; this has led some as particularly Grotius to think of the Egyptian dogs; of whom Aelianus relatesF2Var. Hist. l. 1. c. 4. that they do not drink at once freely and to satiety being afraid of the crocodiles in the river; but run about the bank and by stealth snatch a little here and a little there and so satisfy themselves: but the allusion here is to dogs in common whose usual way it is not to sup in and drink a drought but by putting out their tongues to lick and lap water with them as AristotleF3Hist. Animal. l. 8. c. 6. says all creatures do that have teeth like saws; and the likeness between the drinking of these men to be observed lay not in anything else but in the single action of lapping; for they first took the water in the hollow of their hands out of the stream and then lapped it as in Judges 7:6 whereas a dog does not and cannot take water that way; and this lapping was standing upright whereas dogs in common as Aelianus in the same place suggests bow themselves and lap as much water as will satisfy their thirst; and by this these men were distinguished from those that bowed on their knees to drink; for had they not taken up water in their hands they must have bowed down on their knees to have lapped as well as those did to sup it or take in a large draught of it; now all those that thus lapped were to be set apart by themselves; but whether they were to go with Gideon or not as yet he knew not: likewise everyone that boweth down on his knee to drink; were to be set by themselves also but which of those were to go with him is after related.

 

Judges 7:6  6 And the number of those who lapped putting their hand to their mouth was three hundred men; but all the rest of the people got down on their knees to drink water.

   YLT  6And the number of those lapping with their hand unto their mouth is three hundred men and all the rest of the people have bowed down on their knees to drink water.

And the number of them that lapped putting their hand to their mouth .... That is that took up water in the hollow of their hands which they lifted up to their mouths and so lapped it as the Egyptians about the Nile are saidF4Achilles Tatius l. 4. to do who drank not out of pots and cups but used their hands to drink with:

were three hundred men; only such a number out of 10 000: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water; even 9 700; and it was the custom of some nations as the Ichthyophagy or fish eaters to cast themselves with their face to the ground and drink after the manner of oxenF5Strabo. Geograph. l. 16. p. 532. .

 

Judges 7:7  7 Then the Lord said to Gideon “By the three hundred men who lapped I will save you and deliver the Midianites into your hand. Let all the other people go every man to his place.”

   YLT  7And Jehovah saith unto Gideon `By the three hundred men who are lapping I save you and have given Midian into thy hand and all the people go each to his place.'

And the Lord said unto Gideon by the three hundred men that lapped I will save and deliver the Midianites into thine hand .... It is hard to say what character this action of the three hundred is expressive of whether of weakness or of courage. Some think that those who drank upon their knees were faint and weary and men of intemperance and indulged themselves and were unfit for war while those that only lapped a little water to refresh themselves appeared to be eager and in haste and readiness to engage in it; and so Ben Gersom takes those that bowed to be slothful persons and those that lapped courageous and mighty men and so were ordered to be taken and go along with Gideon; and this agrees with the method before taken to dismiss the fearful and only take those that were men of courage; but JosephusF6Antiqu. l. 5. c. 6. sect. 3. is of opinion that they that drank upon their knees were the men of spirit and courage and those that lapped such who drank hastily with trembling and through fear of the enemy and these were ordered to go with Gideon and not the other: and indeed this most displays the glory of God to save Israel and deliver them from the Midianites by a handful of such poor dispirited creatures. Though it seems that all the 10 000 men were men of courage; and this method was taken not to distinguish those that were the most courageous from those that were the least so but only to reduce the number that should be engaged in this battle; for it being the summer season it may reasonably be supposed that the greater part of the army was very thirsty and would kneel down to take a large draught of water when those that were not so thirsty would be the fewer number and so taken:

and let all the other people go every man to his place; all the rest who bowed on their knees to drink which were 9 700 these were ordered to march homewards; though perhaps before they got home hearing of the victory they returned and joined in the pursuit Judges 7:23.

 

Judges 7:8  8 So the people took provisions and their trumpets in their hands. And he sent away all the rest of Israel every man to his tent and retained those three hundred men. Now the camp of Midian was below him in the valley.

   YLT  8And the people take the provision in their hand and their trumpets and every man of Israel he hath sent away each to his tents; and on the three hundred men he hath kept hold and the camp of Midian hath been by him at the lower part of the valley.

So the people took victuals in their hands and their trumpets .... That is the three hundred took victuals of those that departed as much as was necessary for them and also their trumpets being directed thereunto by Gideon no doubt; perhaps they took all the trumpets they had; however as many as would furnish every man with one. And from hence it appears that these three hundred that were ordered to stay and go with Gideon were unarmed men at least could carry no arms in their hands; for in one hand they carried their victuals and in the other hand their trumpets so that the salvation wrought by them would most clearly appear to be of the Lord:

and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent; not to his tent in the army but to his own house in the tribe and city to which he belonged: and retained these three hundred men; that had lapped water to engage with the Midianites and their associates:

and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley; in the valley of Jezreel; for it seems as if Gideon after he had brought down his men to the water to be tried went up to the hill again with his three hundred men only to wait the divine orders when he should attack the army of Midian below him.

 

Judges 7:9  9 It happened on the same night that the Lord said to him “Arise go down against the camp for I have delivered it into your hand.

   YLT  9And it cometh to pass on that night that Jehovah saith unto him `Rise go down into the camp for I have given it into thy hand;

And it came to pass the same night that the Lord said to him .... The night after there had been so great a reduction of his army from 32 000 to three hundred:

arise get thee down unto the host for I have delivered it into thine hands; that is go down from the hill where he and his little army were to the valley of Jezreel where lay the numerous host of Midian; assuring him that though the disproportion was so very great the army of Midian should be delivered into his hands; and it was enough that the Lord had said it for him to believe it; but in such circumstances that he was it is no wonder that he had his fears and misgivings of heart wherefore it follows;

 

Judges 7:10  10 But if you are afraid to go down go down to the camp with Purah your servant

   YLT  10and if thou art afraid to go down -- go down thou and Phurah thy young man unto the camp

But if thou fear to go down .... With his little army to attack a numerous host in the night then he is directed to take this step first:

go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host; in a private manner; perhaps this man was his aid-de-camp or however a trusty servant in whom he could confide as well as valiant: more it was not proper to take in such a secret expedition and the fewer the better to trust and less liable to the observation of the enemy; and yet it was proper to have one with him being company and animating and who would be a witness with him of what should be heard; in like manner and for like reasons as Diomedes and Ulysses went into the Trojan armyF25Homer. Iliad. 10. ver. 222 &c. .

 

Judges 7:11  11 and you shall hear what they say; and afterward your hands shall be strengthened to go down against the camp.” Then he went down with Purah his servant to the outpost of the armed men who were in the camp.

   YLT  11and thou hast heard what they speak and afterwards are thy hands strengthened and thou hast gone down against the camp.' And he goeth down he and Phurah his young man unto the extremity of the fifties who [are] in the camp;

And thou shalt hear what they shall say .... The Midianites or what shall be said by any of them; for though it was the night season and so not a time for much conversation as it may be supposed to be the dead of the night; yet something would be said and heard which is a clear proof of the prescience of God respecting future contingent events:

and afterwards shall thine hands be strengthened; and his heart encouraged by what he should hear:

to go down into the camp; in an hostile manner with his three hundred men after his return to them:

then went he down with Phurah his servant; first privately only they two leaving his little army on the hill: and came

unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host; the sentinels who were without side the camp and stood complete in armour to guard it; and they came as near to them in as still and private manner as they could without being discovered. The Septuagint version is "to the beginning of the fifty that were in the host;'and the Syriac and Arabic versions "to the captain of the fifty;'these might be a party of the outer guards consisting of fifty men with one at the head of them placed for the safety of the army in the night season and to give notice of any approach to them or attempt on them.

 

Judges 7:12  12 Now the Midianites and Amalekites all the people of the East were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number as the sand by the seashore in multitude.

   YLT  12and Midian and Amalek and all the sons of the east are lying in the valley as the locust for multitude and of their camels there is no number as sand which [is] on the sea-shore for multitude.

And the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east .... The Arabians who with the Amalekites joined the Midianites in this expedition:

lay along in the valley in the valley of Jezreel in their tents which overspread the valley or at least great part of it:

like grasshoppers for multitude; or locusts which usually come in great numbers and cover the air and the sun where they fly and the earth where they light as they did the land of Egypt; this army consisted at least of 135 000 men as is clear from Judges 8:10.

and their camels were without number; as the sand is by the sea side for multitude; an hyperbolical expression setting forth the great number of them which the countries of Midian and Arabia abounded with; and were very proper to bring with them to load and carry off the booty they came for the fruits of the earth; see Judges 6:4.

 

Judges 7:13  13 And when Gideon had come there was a man telling a dream to his companion. He said “I have had a dream: To my surprise a loaf of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian; it came to a tent and struck it so that it fell and overturned and the tent collapsed.”

   YLT  13And Gideon cometh in and lo a man is recounting to his companion a dream and saith `Lo a dream I have dreamed and lo a cake of barley-bread is turning itself over into the camp of Midian and it cometh in unto the tent and smiteth it and it falleth and turneth it upwards and the tent hath fallen.'

And when Gideon was come .... With his servant near and within hearing the talk and conversation of the outer guards or sentinels: there was

a man that told a dream unto his fellow; his comrade that stood next him and was upon guard with him; perhaps it was a dream he had dreamed the night before or this selfsame night being just called up to take his turn in the watch and so it was fresh upon his mind:

and said behold I dreamed a dream and lo; thus it was as I am going to relate; twice he uses the word "behold" or "lo" the dream having rely much struck and impressed his mind and was what he thought worthy of the attention of his comrade:

a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian: barley bread PlinyF26Nat. Hist. l. 18. c. 7. says was the most ancient food; the word for "cake"F1צלול "umbra" vid. Gussetium p. 715. "strepitus" Tigurine version; so Kimchi & Ben Gersom; "subcineritius" V. L. "tostus" Junius & Tremellius Piscator. signifies a "shadow" and may design the appearance of a barley loaf; or something like one to him appeared in the dream: or a "noise"; the noise of it rolling and tumbling so that it seemed to the soldier that he heard a noise as well as saw something he took for a barley loaf. Jarchi observes that it signifies a cake baked upon coals and it seemed to this man as if it came smoking hot from the coals tumbling down an hill such an one where Gideon and his army were and rolling into the host of Midian which lay in a valley:

and came unto a tent; or "the tentF2האהל " the largest and most magnificent in the host; and JosephusF3Antiqu. l. 5. c. 6. sect. 4. calls it expressly the king's tent and the Arabic version the tent of the generals:

and smote it that it fell; which might justly seem strange that a barley loaf should come with such a force against a tent perhaps the largest and strongest in the whole camp which was fastened with cords to stakes and nails driven into the ground so as to cause it to fall: yea it is added:

and overturned it that the tent lay along: turned it topsy-turvy or turned it "upwards"F4למעלה "desuper" Pagninus Montanus; "superne" Tigurine version. as the phrase in the Hebrew text is; it fell with the bottom upwards; it was entirely demolished that there was no raising and setting of it up again.

 

Judges 7:14  14 Then his companion answered and said “This is nothing else but the sword of Gideon the son of Joash a man of Israel! Into his hand God has delivered Midian and the whole camp.”

   YLT  14And his companion answereth and saith `This is nothing save the sword of Gideon son of Joash a man of Israel; God hath given into his hand Midian and all the camp.'

And his fellow answered and said .... As the dream was no doubt from God so the interpretation of it was; it was he that put into the mind of the soldier's comrade to whom he told it to interpret it as follows; or otherwise in all likelihood he would never have thought of it:

this is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash a man of Israel; that is this signifies nothing else and a fit emblem it was of him and his little army. A cake is but a small thing and let it come tumbling as it will can have no force or strength in it equal to overturn a tent; and a cake of barley is mean and contemptible; and a cake baked under ashes or on coals is what is soon and hastily done and fitly represented the smallness and weakness of Gideon's army their meanness and contemptibleness; the Israelites being as JosephusF5Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 6. sect. 4.) represents the soldier saying the vilest of all the people of Asia; and those that were with Gideon were suddenly and hastily got together raw and undisciplined and very unfit to engage the veteran troops of the united forces of Midian Amalek and Arabia. It appears from hence that Gideon's name was well known in the camp of Midian what was his descent and his character as a valiant man which is meant by

a man of Israel; namely a courageous mighty man and the very name of him might strike with terror:

for into his hands hath God delivered Midian and all his host; which the man concluded from this dream and the interpretation of it suggested to him from God and impressed upon his mind; which he speaks of with the greatest assurance and confidence which he was inspired to do for the strengthening of Gideon and the encouragement of him to come down with his army and fall on the host of Midian.

 

Judges 7:15  15 And so it was when Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation that he worshiped. He returned to the camp of Israel and said “Arise for the Lord has delivered the camp of Midian into your hand.”

   YLT  15And it cometh to pass when Gideon heareth the narration of the dream and its interpretation that he boweth himself and turneth back unto the camp of Israel and saith `Rise ye for Jehovah hath given into your hand the camp of Midian.'

And it was so when Gideon heard the telling of the dream and the interpretation thereof .... Or "the breaking of it"F7שברו "fractionem ejus" Vatablus Drusius; "fracturam ejus" Piscator. ; the dream itself being like something closed up and sealed and the interpretation of it was like the breaking of a seal and discovering what is hid under it; or like a nut the kernel of which cannot be come at till the shell is broken:

that he worshipped; bowed his head with an awful reverence of God and a sense of his divine Majesty and worshipped him by sending an ejaculatory prayer and praise to him; and so the Targum "and he praised'praised God for this gracious encouragement he had given the assurance of victory he now had; for he saw clearly the hand of God in all this both in causing one of the soldiers to dream as he did and giving the other the interpretation of it and himself the hearing of both:

and returned into the host of Israel; such an one as it was consisting only of three hundred unarmed men: and said arise; from their sleep and beds it being the night season; and from their tents and descend the hill with him:

for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian; he made now no doubt of it it was as sure to him as if it had been actually done; hence Gideon is renowned for his faith though he sometimes was not without his fits of diffidence; see Hebrews 11:32.

 

Judges 7:16  16 Then he divided the three hundred men into three companies and he put a trumpet into every man’s hand with empty pitchers and torches inside the pitchers.

   YLT  16And he divideth the three hundred men [into] three detachments and putteth trumpets into the hand of all of them and empty pitchers and lamps within the pitchers.

And he divided the three hundred men into three companies .... One hundred in a company partly to make the better figure a show of an army with a right and left wing and partly that they might fall upon the camp of Midian in different parts:

and he put a trumpet in every man's hand; they that returned of the trumpeters having left their trumpets behind them whereby there was a sufficient number for three hundred men; and these were put into their hands that when they blew them together the noise would be very great; and it would seem as if they were an exceeding great army and so very much terrify their enemies:

with empty pitchers and lamps with the pitchers; the pitchers were of earth and so easily broken and would make a great noise when clashed against each other; and these were empty of water or otherwise would not have been fit to put lamps into and the lamps put in them were not of oil; for then when the pitchers were broken the oil would have run out; but were a kind of torches made of rosin wax pitch and such like things; and these were put into the pitcher partly to preserve them from the wind and chiefly to conceal them from the enemy till just they came upon them and then held them out; which in a dark night would make a terrible blaze as before they served to give them light down the hill into the camp.

 

Judges 7:17  17 And he said to them “Look at me and do likewise; watch and when I come to the edge of the camp you shall do as I do:

   YLT  17And he saith unto them `Look at me and thus do; and lo I am coming into the extremity of the camp -- and it hath been -- as I do so ye do;

And he said unto them look on me and do likewise .... Observe what I do and do the same in blowing a trumpet breaking a pitcher and shouting with the words expressed by him:

and behold when I come to the outside of the camp; where the sentinels stood and the watch was set:

it shall be that as I do so shall ye do; and not before; a trumpet was not to be blown nor a pitcher broken nor a torch held out nor a word spoken till just they came to the outside of the camp: and then they were to observe the motions of Gideon and do as he did.

 

Judges 7:18  18 When I blow the trumpet I and all who are with me then you also blow the trumpets on every side of the whole camp and say ‘The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!’”

   YLT  18and I have blown with a trumpet -- I and all who [are] with me and ye have blown with trumpets even ye round about all the camp and have said For Jehovah and for Gideon.'

When I blow with a trumpet I and all that are with me .... He being at the head of one of the three companies Judges 7:19 perhaps the middlemost which might stand for the body of the army; and the other two be one to the right and the other to the left of him and so could more easily discover his motions:

then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp; for it seems they were so disposed as to be around the camp which when the trumpets were blown at once on every side with such a blaze of light and crashing of the pitchers must be very terrifying as if there was no way for them to escape and especially when they should hear the following dreadful sounds:

and say the sword of the Lord and of Gideon; or "for the Lord and for Gideon"; and which may be supplied either the light is for the Lord and for Gideon; or the victory is for the Lord and for Gideon; we supply it from Judges 7:20. The name Jehovah these Heathens had often heard as the God of Israel would now be dreadful to them and the name of Gideon also; whose name as appears by the interpretation of the dream was terrible among them; for which reason Gideon added it and not out of arrogance and vanity; and puts it after the name of the Lord as being only an instrument the Lord thought fit to make use of otherwise all the glory belonged to him.

 

Judges 7:19  19 So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outpost of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch just as they had posted the watch; and they blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers that were in their hands.

   YLT  19And Gideon cometh -- and the hundred men who [are] with him -- into the extremity of the camp [at] the beginning of the middle watch (it hath only just confirmed the watchmen) and they blow with trumpets -- dashing in pieces also the pitchers which [are] in their hand;

So Gideon and the one hundred men that were with him .... Which was one of the three companies his army was divided into and which company he had the command of particularly:

came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; the second watch for the night was divided into three watches; for though in later times there were four watches among the RomansF8Liv. Hist. l. 36. c. 24. "Suidas in. voce" προφνλακη "et in voce" φνλακη and which the Jews received from them; hence in the New Testament we read of the fourth watch; yet in earlier times with the Jews and other eastern nations there were but three watches as affirmed by Jarchi and Kimchi on the place: and very wisely did Gideon fix on this watch for the time of his coming; for had he come at the first watch many as yet might not have been in bed or at least not fallen asleep; and had he come in the third watch many might have been awake out of their sleep and others up; but he took this time a little after midnight in the dead of the night when the whole army was fast asleep:

and they had but newly set the watch; the first watch were just gone off and the second were placed in their room; but since such an observation seems in a good measure unnecessary for as Gideon came in the beginning of the watch it must in course be newly set; rather the words may be rendered "in raising they raised up the watch"F9הקם הקימו את השמרים "suscitando suscitaverunt custodes" Pagninus Montanus. ; that is Gideon and his men did it by their approach; and they might call to them on purpose to give the alarm to the army who upon that would at once hear the sound of the trumpets and the clattering of the pitchers and see the torches burning to their great surprise:

and they blew the trumpets and brake the pitchers that were in their hands; as soon as they came up to the watch and had raised them; this did Gideon and his hundred men.

 

Judges 7:20  20 Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers—they held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands for blowing—and they cried “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!”

   YLT  20and the three detachments blow with trumpets and break the pitchers and keep hold with their left hand on the lamps and with their right hand on the trumpets to blow and they cry `The sword of Jehovah and of Gideon.'

And the three companies blew the trumpets and brake the pitchers .... The other two observing what Gideon and his company did followed their example and at the same time blew their trumpets and broke their pitchers; for that there were four companies three besides Gideon's as Kimchi and Ben Melech suggest there is no reason to believe:

and held the lamps in their left hands; which they took out of the pitchers when they broke them and holding them up in their left hands gave a great blaze of light which must be very surprising to the host of Midian just awaked out of their sleep:

and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal; and which they continued blowing the sound of which must be very dreadful since it might be concluded from such a number of trumpets that there must be a vast army:

and they cried the sword of the Lord and of Gideon; signifying that was drawn against the Midianites and they must expect to be cut in pieces by it since the sword was Jehovah's sent and commissioned by him and was put into the hand of Gideon as an instrument with which execution would be done the Lord helping him. The Targum is "the sword of the Lord and victory by the hand of Gideon'which victory was to be ascribed to the sword and power of God. This was an emblem of the efficacy of the word of God accompanied with his power to the destruction of the kingdom of Satan; the blowing of the trumpets may denote the ministration of the Gospel the great trumpet to be blown by the apostles and ministers of the word; the holding forth the lamps may signify the same the light of the divine word in the ministers of it and the holding forth of it to others; and which is carried in earthen vessels frail mortal men; and done that the excellency of the power may appear to be of God and not of men; and the sword of the Lord is the word of God in the mouths of ministers accompanied by the power of God; for it can only be through God that such weapons of warfare can become mighty to do the execution that is done by them; see 2 Corinthians 4:7 blowing of trumpets and then a cry or shout of the soldiers to terrify the enemy were used in later timesF11"At tuba terribilem sonitum" &c. Virgil Aeneid. 9. .

 

Judges 7:21  21 And every man stood in his place all around the camp; and the whole army ran and cried out and fled.

   YLT  21And they stand each in his place round about the camp and all the camp runneth and they shout and flee;

And they stood every man in his place around the camp .... To see the salvation of God and that it might most clearly appear to be his own doing; and indeed had they gone into it they could have done nothing; they had no weapons in their hands a trumpet in one hand and a lamp in the other; though this their position served to increase the terror of the enemy who might suppose that they stood either to light and introduce a large army at the back of them; or to light the forces already in the midst of them while they destroyed them; which latter seems rather to be the thing their imaginations were possessed with since they fell to slaying their fellows supposing them to be enemies as in the following verse:

and all the host ran and cried and fled; or "were broken"F12רוץ "confracta" Pagninus Montanus Vatablus. ; as some render the first word their lines were broken; they could not put themselves in rank and file but were thrown into the utmost confusion; and cried as being in the utmost danger of their lives and fled for their safety as fast as they could; see Isaiah 27:13.

 

Judges 7:22  22 When the three hundred blew the trumpets the Lord set every man’s sword against his companion throughout the whole camp; and the army fled to Beth Acacia [a] toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah by Tabbath.

   YLT  22and the three hundred blow the trumpets and Jehovah setteth the sword of each against his companion even through all the camp; and the camp fleeth unto Beth-Shittah at Zererath unto the border of Abel-Meholah by Tabbath.

And the three hundred men blew the trumpets .... Kept blowing them to continue and increase the terror of the enemy and still held the lamps in their hands and stood as torch bearers to light the Midianites and their associates to destroy one another as follows:

and the Lord set every man's sword against his fellow throughout the host; and so slew one another; either suspecting treachery as Grotius and so in revenge wrath and indignation drew their swords on each other; or through the terror and amazement they were in at the sounds they heard and the blazing torches dazzling their eyes they knew not what they did or who they fell upon taking their friends for foes supposing the Israelites were got into their camp; and the rather they might be led into this mistake since there were people of different languages among them as JosephusF13Antiqu. l. 5. c. 6. sect. 5. observes; but the thing was of God it was he that took away their reason and judgment from them and infatuated them and filled their imaginations with such strange apprehensions of things; and threw into their minds such terror and amazement and directed them to point their swords at one another:

and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath; that is which was left of it which had not destroyed each other; the first of these places should be read Bethhashittah; and perhaps had its name from the "shittah" or "shittim" trees which might grow near it in plenty or the houses in it might be built of shittim wood; or it may be here stood a temple formerly dedicated to some deity of this name and near it a grove of the above trees. Zererath Kimchi observes is written with two "reshes" or R's to distinguish it from another place called Tzeredah; but where either of these places mentioned were cannot be particularly said; though it is highly probable they were in the tribe of Manasseh and in the way to Jordan whither in all probability the Midianites would steer their course to escape to their own land:

and to the border of Abelmeholah unto Tabbath; the former of these was the birth place of Elisha the prophet 1 Kings 19:16 and it appears very plainly that it was in the tribe of Manasseh being mentioned with other places in that tribe 1 Kings 4:12. JeromeF14De loc. Heb. fol. 88. M. under this word says there was in his time a village in Aulon or the plain ten miles from Scythopolis to the south which was called Bethahula; and the Targum is "to the border of the plain of Abelmeholah;'but of Tabbath we nowhere else read.

 

Judges 7:23  23 And the men of Israel gathered together from Naphtali Asher and all Manasseh and pursued the Midianites.

   YLT  23And the men of Israel are called from Naphtali and from Asher and from all Manasseh and pursue after Midian.

And the men of Israel gathered themselves together .... Not out of all the tribes but out of those which lay nearest and which are particularly mentioned:

out of Naphtali and out of Asher and out of all Manasseh: and these seem to be the same persons out of those tribes who first joined Gideon but were separated from his army; both those that were fearful and those that bowed their knees to drink and who perhaps had not gone far before they heard of the defeat and flight of the Midianites; and therefore though they had not courage to face the enemy at least most of them yet had spirit enough to pursue a flying enemy; wherefore they returned or however directed their course the nearest way where they supposed they fled:

and pursued after the Midianites; and those that were with them.

 

Judges 7:24  24 Then Gideon sent messengers throughout all the mountains of Ephraim saying “Come down against the Midianites and seize from them the watering places as far as Beth Barah and the Jordan.” Then all the men of Ephraim gathered together and seized the watering places as far as Beth Barah and the Jordan.

   YLT  24And messengers hath sent Gideon into all the hill-country of Ephraim saying `Come down to meet Midian and capture before them the waters unto Beth-Barah and the Jordan;' and every man of Ephraim is called and they capture the waters unto Beth-Barah and the Jordan

And Gideon sent messengers throughout all Mount Ephraim .... To raise the inhabitants of it who lay nearer Jordan to which the Midianites would make in order to intercept them in their flight; or however get possession of the fords of Jordan before them and hinder their passage over it:

saying come down against the Midianites; for though he had routed them and they were fled before him yet he had not men enough with him to destroy them; and besides as they had their camels to ride on and he and his men only on foot they could not come up with them:

and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan; namely all the fords and passages over Jordan reaching from the lake of Gennesaret to Bethbarah the same with Bethabara John 1:28 which was a passage over Jordan; or these waters were as Kimchi thinks distinct from those of Jordan; and were waters that lay in the way of the flight of the Midianites before they came to Bethbarah their passage over Jordan; and Jarchi thinks they were waters which divided between Syria and the land of Canaan which is not likely; others think the waters are the same with Jordan and render the words "take the waters" --even JordanF15"Nempe Jordanis aquas" Junius & Tremellius; "nempe Jordanem" Piscator. ; gain the passes over that before them and so prevent their escape to their own land:

then all the men of Ephraim; that is great numbers of them whose hearts were inclined to and whose situation lay best for this service:

gathered themselves together; in a body at some place of rendezvous appointed:

and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan; took possession of all the passes and guarded them as Gideon directed.

 

Judges 7:25  25 And they captured two princes of the Midianites Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb and Zeeb they killed at the winepress of Zeeb. They pursued Midian and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side of the Jordan.

   YLT  25and they capture two of the heads of Midian Oreb and Zeeb and slay Oreb at the rock of Oreb and Zeeb they have slain at the wine-vat of Zeeb and they pursue unto Midian; and the heads of Oreb and Zeeb they have brought in unto Gideon beyond the Jordan.

And they took two princes of the Midianites Oreb and Zeeb .... The one signifies a "raven" and the other a "wolf"; which were either nicknames given them because of their voraciousness and cruelty or which they took themselves or their ancestors before them to make themselves terrible to others; so the Romans had the families of the Corvini &c.

and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb; perhaps they found him in a cave of the rock and dragging him out slew him from whence the rock afterwards had its name. So we read of the rock Corax in HomerF16Odyss. 13. "prope finem". which was in Ithaca and another high mountain of the same name in Aetolia mentioned by LivyF17Hist. l. 36. c. 30. and which signifies the same as Oreb. This is a different rock or mountain from Horeb the same with Sinai from whence the law was given; which always ought to be written with an "H" or "Ch" to distinguish it from this; though that is written Oreb by LactantiusF18De vera Sap. l. 4. c. 17. and so by MiltonF19Paradise Lost l. 1. ver. 7. contrary to the propriety of the language:

and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb; the Targum is the plain of Zeeb which as Kimchi and Ben Gersom suppose was in the form of a winepress having high lips or hills around it and which afterwards took its name from this prince being slain in it:

and pursued Midian; the rest of the Midianites even beyond Jordan those that got over it:

and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan; that is when he had passed over it the next morning as Jarchi remarks; for after this we read of Gideon's going over Jordan Judges 8:4 unless this is said by way of anticipation; though the phrase will bear to be rendered "on this side Jordan" for it signifies both. It seems they cut off the heads of those two princes and presented them to Gideon as it has been usual to bring the heads of enemies to kings and conquerors; see 1 Samuel 17:54.

 

──John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

Footnotes:

  1. Judges 7:22 Hebrew Beth Shittah