Judges7
English Standard Version
1Then (that is, ) and the were with him and the spring of . And the of was of them, by the of , in the .
2The Lord to , The you are too for me to the into their , me, , My own has me.
3 in the of the , , is and , let him home and from . Then of the , and .
4And the Lord to , The are too . to the , and I will them for you , and anyone of I to you, one shall with you, shall with you, and of I to you, one shall with you, shall .
5So he the to the . And the Lord to , Every with his , as a , you shall by . Likewise, every to .
6And the of those who , putting their to their , was , but the of the knelt to .
7And the Lord to , With the who I will you and the into your , and let the every to his .
8So the in their , and their . And he the of every to his , but the . And the of was him in the .
9That same the Lord to him, , against the , I have it into your .
10But you are to , to the with your .
11And you shall they , and your shall be to against the . Then he with his to the of the who in the .
12And the and the and the of the along the like in , and their were , as the that is the in .
13When , , a was a to his . And he , , I a , and behold, a of into the of and to the and it so that it and turned it , that the .
14And his , is than the of the of , a of ; has into his and the .
15As soon as the of the and its , he . And he to the of and , , the Lord has the of into your .
16And he the into and into the of of them and , with the .
17And he to them, at me, and . When I to the of the , I .
18When I the , I and are with me, then the on every of the and , For the Lord and for .
19So and the were with him to the of the at the of the , when they had the . And they the and the were in their .
20Then the the and the . They in their the , and in their the to . And they cried , A for the Lord and for !
21Every in his the , and the . They and .
22When they the , the Lord every against his and against the . And the as toward , as the of , .
23And the of were and and , and they .
24 throughout the of , , the and the against them, as , and also the . So the of were , and they the as , and also the .
25And they the of , and . They at the of , and they at the of . Then they , and they the of and to the .
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Judges 7.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Gideon's army reduced. (1–8). Gideon is encouraged. (9–15). The defeat of the Midianites. (16–22). The Ephraimites take Oreb and Zeeb. (23–25).
vv1-8
God provides that the praise of victory may be wholly to himself, by appointing only three hundred men to be employed. Activity and prudence go with dependence upon God for help in our lawful undertakings. When the Lord sees that men would overlook him, and through unbelief, would shrink from perilous services, or that through pride they would vaunt themselves against him, he will set them aside, and do his work by other instruments. Pretences will be found by many, for deserting the cause and escaping the cross. But though a religious society may thus be made fewer in numbers, yet it will gain as to purity, and may expect an increased blessing from the Lord. God chooses to employ such as are not only well affected, but zealously affected in a good thing. They grudged not at the liberty of the others who were dismissed. In doing the duties required by God, we must not regard the forwardness or backwardness of others, nor what they do, but what God looks for at our hands. He is a rare person who can endure that others should excel him in gifts or blessings, or in liberty; so that we may say, it is by the special grace of God that we regard what God says to us, and not look to men what they do.
vv9-15
The dream seemed to have little meaning in it; but the interpretation evidently proved the whole to be from the Lord, and discovered that the name of Gideon had filled the Midianites with terror. Gideon took this as a sure pledge of success; without delay he worshipped and praised God, and returned with confidence to his three hundred men. Wherever we are, we may speak to God, and worship him. God must have the praise of that which encourages our faith. And his providence must be acknowledged in events, though small and seemingly accidental.
vv16-22
This method of defeating the Midianites may be alluded to, as exemplifying the destruction of the devil's kingdom in the world, by the preaching of the everlasting gospel, the sounding that trumpet, and the holding forth that light out of earthen vessels, for such are the ministers of the gospel, 2Co 4:6, 7. God chose the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, a barley-cake to overthrow the tents of Midian, that the excellency of the power might be of God only. The gospel is a sword, not in the hand, but in the mouth: the sword of the Lord and of Gideon; of God and Jesus Christ, of Him that sits on the throne and the Lamb. The wicked are often led to avenge the cause of God upon each other, under the power of their delusions, and the fury of their passions. See also how God often makes the enemies of the church instruments to destroy one another; it is a pity that the church's friends should ever act like them.
Key Words
יְרֻבַּעַל: Jerubbaal, a symbolic name of Gideon
גִּדְעוֹן: Gidon, an Israelite
כֹּל: properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
עַם: a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
אֲשֶׁר: who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
שָׁכַם: literally, to load up (on the back of man or beast), i.e. to start early in the morning
חָנָה: properly, to incline; by implication, to decline (of the slanting rays of evening); specifically, to pitch atent; gen. to encamp (for abode or siege)
עַל: above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
עֵין חֲרֹד: En-Charod, a place in Palestine
מַחֲנֶה: an encampment (of travellers or troops); hence, an army, whether literal (of soldiers) or figurative (of dancers, angels, cattle, locusts, stars; or even the sacred courts)
Cross References
Judges 7Explicit law permitting the fearful to return home, directly applied by Gideon's proclamation.
Supported by JFB
God uses foolish and weak things (like barley cakes and 300 men) to shame the strong.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Theological parallel to lamps in earthen vessels; God's power shining through human weakness.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Direct poetic mention of the slaughter of Midianite princes Oreb and Zeeb.
Prophetic allusion to the historical slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb.
Gideon commended in the Hall of Faith for leading this tiny force in faith.
Supported by JFB
Identifies the same Midianite-Amalekite coalition previously assembled in the valley of Jezreel.
Parallel where God sets the enemy host to destroy one another in confusion.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Thematic parallel: nothing restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few.
Prophetic reference to the crushing of Israel's oppressor 'as in the day of Midian'.
Similar panic where every man's sword was turned against his fellow in the camp.
Direct follow-up where Gideon pacifies Ephraim by highlighting their capture of Oreb and Zeeb.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Identifies Jerubbaal as the surname Gideon received after contending with Baal's altar.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Verbal echo of Gideon's command 'do likewise' repeated later by Abimelech.