Back to Judges 7

Judges 7:19-23

So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outermost part of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch, when they had but newly set the watch. Then they blew the trumpets and broke in pieces the pitchers that were in their hands. The three companies blew the trumpets, broke the pitchers, and held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands with which to blow; and they shouted, “The sword of Yahweh and of Gideon!” They each stood in his place around the camp, and all the army ran; and they shouted, and put them to flight. They blew the three hundred trumpets, and Yahweh set every man’s sword against his fellow and against all the army; and the army fled as far as Beth Shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel Meholah, by Tabbath. The men of Israel were gathered together out of Naphtali, out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued Midian.

World English Bible · Public Domain
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Judges 7:19-23 sits inside this longer paragraph.

So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outermost part of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch, when they had but newly set the watch. Then they blew the trumpets and broke in pieces the pitchers that were in their hands. The three companies blew the trumpets, broke the pitchers, and held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands with which to blow; and they shouted, “The sword of Yahweh and of Gideon!” They each stood in his place around the camp, and all the army ran; and they shouted, and put them to flight. They blew the three hundred trumpets, and Yahweh set every man’s sword against his fellow and against all the army; and the army fled as far as Beth Shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel Meholah, by Tabbath. The men of Israel were gathered together out of Naphtali, out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued Midian. Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against Midian and take the waters before them as far as Beth Barah, even the Jordan!” So all the men of Ephraim were gathered together and took the waters as far as Beth Barah, even the Jordan. They took the two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at Oreb’s rock, and Zeeb they killed at Zeeb’s wine press, as they pursued Midian. Then they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon beyond the Jordan.

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Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outermost part of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch, when they had but newly set the watch. Then they blew the trumpets and broke in pieces the pitchers that were in their hands.

    The three companies blew the trumpets, broke the pitchers, and held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands with which to blow; and they shouted, “The sword of Yahweh and of Gideon!”

    They each stood in his place around the camp, and all the army ran; and they shouted, and put them to flight.

    They blew the three hundred trumpets, and Yahweh set every man’s sword against his fellow and against all the army; and the army fled as far as Beth Shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel Meholah, by Tabbath.

    The men of Israel were gathered together out of Naphtali, out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued Midian.

  • KJV King James Version

    So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands.

    And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.

    And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.

    And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man’s sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Beth-shittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abel-meholah, unto Tabbath.

    And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites.

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  • JPS JPS Tanakh (1917)

    So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outermost part of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch, when they had but newly set the watch; and they blew the horns, and broke in pieces the pitchers that were in their hands.

    And the three companies blew the horns, and broke the pitchers, and held the torches in their left hands, and the horns in their right hands wherewith to blow; and they cried: 'The sword for the LORD and for Gideon!'

    And they stood every man in his place round about the camp; and all the host ran; and they shouted, and fled.

    And they blew the three hundred horns, and the LORD set every man's sword a against his fellow, even throughout all the host; and the host fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath.

    And the men of Israel were gathered together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after Midian.

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Cross-references (38)

  • 1 Kings 4:12 (v22) Baana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth Shean which is beside Zarethan, beneath Jezreel, from Beth Shean to Abel…
  • Joshua 6:4 (vv20, 22) Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day, you shall march around the city seven times, and…
  • Joshua 6:16 (vv20, 22) At the seventh time, when the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “Shout, for Yahweh has given you the city!
  • Joshua 6:20 (vv20, 22) So the people shouted and the priests blew the trumpets. When the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great…
  • Exodus 14:24 (v19) In the morning watch, Yahweh looked out on the Egyptian army through the pillar of fire and of cloud, and confused the Egyptian army.
Show all 34 cross-references
  • Judges 6:35 (v23) He sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, and they also were gathered together to follow him. He sent messengers to Asher, and to…
  • 1 Kings 19:16 (v22) Anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi to be king over Israel; and anoint Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah to be prophet in your place.
  • 2 Chronicles 20:23 (v22) For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. When they had finished…
  • Psalms 2:9 (v19) You shall break them with a rod of iron. You shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
  • Psalms 83:9 (v22) Do to them as you did to Midian, as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the river Kishon;
  • Proverbs 28:1 (v21) The wicked flee when no one pursues; but the righteous are as bold as a lion.
  • Isaiah 9:4 (v22) For the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as in the day of Midian.
  • Isaiah 19:2 (v22) I will stir up the Egyptians against the Egyptians, and they will fight everyone against his brother, and everyone against his neighbor;…
  • Isaiah 27:13 (v20) It will happen in that day that a great trumpet will be blown; and those who were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and those who…
  • 1 Corinthians 15:52 (v20) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we…
  • 2 Corinthians 4:7 (vv20, 22) But we have this treasure in clay vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves.
  • Exodus 14:13-14 (v21) Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of Yahweh, which he will work for you today; for you will…
  • Exodus 14:25 (v21) He took off their chariot wheels, and they drove them heavily; so that the Egyptians said, “Let’s flee from the face of Israel, for Yahweh…
  • 2 Kings 7:6-7 (v21) For the Lord had made the army of the Syrians to hear the sound of chariots, and the sound of horses, even the noise of a great army; and…
  • 2 Chronicles 20:17 (v21) You will not need to fight this battle. Set yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of Yahweh with you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Don’t…
  • Revelation 16:15 (v19) “Behold, I come like a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his clothes, so that he doesn’t walk naked, and they see his shame.”
  • Numbers 10:1-10 (v20) Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “Make two trumpets of silver. You shall make them of beaten work. You shall use them for the calling of the…
  • Judges 7:16 (v19) He divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put into the hands of all them trumpets and empty pitchers, with torches…
  • 1 Samuel 14:16-20 (v22) The watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and behold, the multitude melted away and scattered. Then Saul said to the people who…
  • 1 Samuel 14:21-22 (v23) Now the Hebrews who were with the Philistines before, and who went up with them into the camp, from all around, even they also turned to be…
  • Job 15:21-22 (v21) A sound of terrors is in his ears. In prosperity the destroyer will come on him. He doesn’t believe that he will return out of darkness. He…
  • Isaiah 30:7 (v21) For Egypt helps in vain, and to no purpose; therefore I have called her Rahab who sits still.
  • Isaiah 30:15 (v21) For thus said the Lord Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel, “You will be saved in returning and rest. Your strength will be in quietness and in…
  • Jeremiah 13:13-14 (v19) Then tell them, ‘Yahweh says, “Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings who sit on David’s throne, the priests,…
  • Jeremiah 19:1-11 (v19) Thus said Yahweh, “Go, and buy a potter’s earthen container, and take some of the elders of the people, and of the elders of the priests;…
  • Matthew 25:6 (v19) But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Behold! The bridegroom is coming! Come out to meet him!’
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:2 (v19) For you yourselves know well that the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night.
  • 1 Thessalonians 4:16 (v20) For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with God’s trumpet. The dead in Christ will…
  • Hebrews 11:4 (v20) By faith, Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had testimony given to him that he was righteous, God…

34 distinct cross-references across this passage (38 total citations).

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

Explain this passage (16 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv20–22 Shall destroy the enemies.

Shall destroy the enemies.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.

John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv19–23 Jdg 7:19 So Gideon, and the hundred men that…
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv19–22 Of the middle watch, i.e. of the second watch;…
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain On v23 We have here the prosecution of this glorious victory.…
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv19–23 So Gideon, and the one hundred men that were…
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv19, 21, 22 Middle watch - That is, of the second watch;…
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv20–23 Verse 20. Blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers]…
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv19, 21, 23 Jdg 7:19. Middle watch — That is, of the…
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv19, 21, 22 The middle watch - The old Jewish division of…
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv19, 21, 23 Watch. This was the second of the three watches…
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On v23 the men of Israel gathered themselves together--These were evidently…
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv19–23 19. The beginning of the middle watch — At…
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv19–23 19. the middle watch] The night was therefore divided…
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv19–23 (19) The middle watch.—The Jews anciently divided the night,…
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv19, 21, 22 The middle watch. The ancient Israelites divided the night…
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv19, 20, 22 hundred men
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