Judges 7:9-15

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 7:9-15

Gideon's army being diminished as we have found it was, he must either fight by faith or not at all; God therefore here provides recruits for his faith, instead of recruits for his forces. I. He furnishes him with a good foundation to build his faith upon. Nothing but a word from God will be a footing for faith. He has this as full and express as he can desire, Jdg. 7:9. 1. A word of command to warrant the action, which otherwise seemed rash and indiscreet, and unbecoming a wise general:... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 7:9

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;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 7:10

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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 7:11

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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 7:12

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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 7:13

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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 7:14

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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 7:15

And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof ,.... Or, "the breaking of it" F7 שברו "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... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 7:9

I have delivered it into thine hand - I have determined to do it, and it is as sure as if it were done. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 7:11

Unto the outside of the armed men - No doubt the vast multitudes of Midianites, etc., which came merely for plunder, were wholly unarmed; but they had a guard of armed men, as all the caravans have, and those guards were on the outside of the multitudes; it was to these that Gideon and his servant came. read more

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