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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 7:16-22

Here is, I. The alarm which Gideon gave to the hosts of Midian in the dead time of the night; for it was intended that those who had so long been a terror to Israel, and had so often frightened them, should themselves be routed and ruined purely by terror. 1. The attack here made was, in many circumstances, like that which Abraham made upon the army that had taken Lot captive. The number of men was much the same: Abraham had 318, Gideon 300; they both divided their forces, both made their... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 7:23-25

We have here the prosecution of this glorious victory. 1. Gideon's soldiers that had been dismissed, and perhaps had begun to disperse themselves, upon notice of the enemies? flight got together again, and vigorously pursued those whom they had not courage to face. The men of Israel out of Naphtali and Asher who did this (Jdg. 7:23) were not such as now came from those distant countries, but the same that had enlisted themselves (Jdg. 6:35), but had been cashiered. Those who were fearful and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 7:22

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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 7:23

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... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 7:22

Fled to Beth-shittah - This is no where else mentioned in Scripture. Zererath - This and Tabbath are nowhere else to be found. Abel-meholah - This was the birth-place of the prophet Elisha, 1 Kings 19:16 . It was beyond Jordan, in the tribe of Manasseh, 1 Kings 4:12 . The Zartanah, mentioned in this last quoted verse, was probably the same as Zererath. Its situation corresponds well with Abel-meholah. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 7:23

The men of Israel gathered - It is very likely that these were some persons whom Gideon had sent home the day before, who now hearing that the Midianites were routed, went immediately in pursuit. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Judges 7:22

Beth-shittah - - “House of the acacias,” the same trees which gave their name to “Shittim” Numbers 33:49 in the plains of Maab, and which grew plentifully also, in the peninsula of Sinai Exodus 25:5 perhaps “Shuttah”, in the valley of Jezreel; or it may be another name of Scythopolis, or Beth-shan (compare 1 Kings 4:12). “Zererath or Zeredath”, near Succoth Judges 8:5, the same as “Zeredah” in Ephraim the birth-place of Jeroboam 1 Kings 11:26, and “Zartauah” 1 Kings 4:12. “Abel-meholah” (field... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 7:21-22

Judges 7:21-22. They stood As if they had been torch-bearers to the several companies. Every man’s sword against his fellow They slew one another, because they suspected treachery, and so fell upon those they first met with; which they might more easily do, because they consisted of several nations, because the darkness of the night made them unable to distinguish friends from foes, because the suddenness of the thing struck them with horror and amazement, and because God had infatuated... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 7:23-24

Judges 7:23-24. The men of Israel gathered themselves together Upon advice of this flight of the Midianites, by swift messengers sent on purpose, the Israelites immediately poured down from all parts, to intercept them in their flight. Take before them the waters That is, the passes over those waters to which they are likely to come; unto Beth-barah and Jordan The fords of Jordan, which they must pass over into their own country. read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Judges 7:1-25

Deliverance under Gideon (7:1-8:35)God allowed Gideon only three hundred men to launch the attack against the Midianites, so that Israel might know that victory was not by military power but by God’s power (7:1-8). A Midianite soldier’s dream showed that an unnatural fear had come upon the Midianites. When he dreamt that a poor man’s loaf of barley overthrew a rich man’s tent, he thought that poverty-stricken Israel would overthrow Midian’s army. The Midianites could, in fact, have wiped out... read more

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