Judges 7:18

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 7:18

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... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 7:18

The sword of the Lord , and of Gideon - The word חרב chereb , "sword," is not found in this verse, though it is necessarily implied, and is found in Judges 7:20 . But it is found in this place in the Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic, and in eight of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS. The reading appears to be genuine. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 7:17-18

Judges 7:17-18. He said to them, Look on me For though two hundred of his men were placed on other sides of the camp, yet they were so disposed, that some persons, set as watchmen, might see what was done, and give notice to the rest to follow the example. The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon He mentions his own name, together with God’s, not out of arrogance, as if he would equal himself with God, but from prudent policy, because his name was grown formidable to them, and so was likely... 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

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Judges 7:18

The sword. These words are supplied by Figure of speech Ellipsis from Judges 7:20 . But some codices, with Aram, and Syriac, read these words in the text. Literally "For Jehovah and for Gideon". read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Judges 7:18

Judges 7:18. The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon— Though the word sword is not in the Hebrew in this place, yet, as it is read in the 20th verse, our translators have very properly added it. It is evident, says Houbigant, that in these words Gideon alludes to the interpretation of the dream given in the 14th verse. As the three hundred men were divided into three companies, detached to different parts of the Midianitish camp, Gideon, as appears from the next verse, was attended only by one... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Judges 7:15-18

The mobilizing of Gideon’s band in faith 7:15-18Upon hearing this interpretation Gideon received courage to believe that God would indeed grant him victory (Judges 7:15)."No character in the book receives more divine assurance than Gideon and no one displays more doubt. Gideon is, significantly, the only judge to whom God speaks directly, though this privilege does not allay his faintheartedness." [Note: Exum, p. 416.] Gideon’s strategy was so effective that the Lord must have revealed it to... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 7:1-25

The Rout of Midian1-7. Gideon’s choice of his Followers.1. The sites here mentioned are doubtful. Moreh] said to be near Shechem (Genesis 12:6; Deuteronomy 11:30). After the battle Gideon crosses the Jordan by the fords one would take if travelling from Shechem eastwards. 3. Gilead] is E. of the Jordan: some other locality must be meant. For the return of the timid, cp. Deuteronomy 20:8.5. Probably an arbitrary test. It is as easy to find abstract reasons for choosing those who stooped down as... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Judges 7:18

(18) The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.—Literally, for Jehovah and for Gideon (LXX., Τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ τῷ Γεδεων; Vulg., clangite et conclamate Domino et Gedeoni), but the particle le often has the meaning of, as in “a Psalm to David,” which is found at the beginning of many Psalms. Our version here understands the word “sword” (chereb) from Judges 6:20, as is also done in some MSS. of the LXX. It is better to omit it. The watchword and war-cry, then, resembles that given by Cyrus to his... read more

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