Judges 7:16-22

16 Dividing the three hundred men into three companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside.

17 “Watch me,” he told them. “Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do.

18 When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the LORD and for Gideon.’ ”

19 Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars that were in their hands.

20 The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, “A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!”

21 While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled.

22 When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the LORD caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath.

Judges 7:16-22 Meaning and Commentary

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, Jud 7:1-8 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, Jud 7:9-15 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, Jud 7:16-22 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, Jud 7:23-25.

Cross References

• 1. Genesis 14:15
• 2. Judges 9:43; 1 Samuel 11:11; 2 Samuel 18:2
• 3. S Leviticus 25:9
• 4. ver 19; Genesis 24:14
• 5. S Genesis 15:17
• 6. S Judges 3:27
• 7. S ver 16
• 8. S Genesis 15:17
• 9. S Deuteronomy 32:41; ver 14
• 10. 2 Kings 7:7
• 11. S Joshua 6:20
• 12. 1 Samuel 14:20; 2 Chronicles 20:23; Isaiah 9:21; Isaiah 19:2; Ezekiel 38:21; Haggai 2:22; Zechariah 14:13
• 13. Habakkuk 3:14
• 14. 1 Samuel 18:19; 1 Kings 4:12; 1 Kings 19:16