Judges 7:18 - Printer Friendly

ESV: When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then blow the trumpets also on every side of all the camp and shout, ‘For the LORD and for Gideon.’”

NIV: When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, 'For the LORD and for Gideon.''

NASB: When I and all who are with me blow the trumpet, then you also blow the trumpets around the entire camp and say, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon!’?'

CSB: When I and everyone with me blow our ram's horns, you are also to blow your ram's horns all around the camp. Then you will say, 'For the Lord and for Gideon! ' "

NLT: As soon as I and those with me blow the rams’ horns, blow your horns, too, all around the entire camp, and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon!’'

KJV: When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.

NKJV: When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then you also blow the trumpets on every side of the whole camp, and say, ‘ The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!’ ”

Convinced the Lord will give the Midianite army into his hands (Judges 7:9–17), Gideon launches his strike. The "attack," such as it is, comes in the form of psychological warfare. Gideon is giving instructions to his 300 men (Judges 7:2–8). He has given each of them a ram's horn trumpet and a clay pitcher with a torch in it. He has shown them what to do with these items.

Gideon will approach the edge of the enemy camps, break his clay jar to expose a torch, blow his trumpet, and shout. The others are to do the same, scattered around the enemy tents. Their cry is to echo the prophetic words of the Midianite soldier overheard earlier that evening: referring to both God and to Gideon.

Obviously, this is not traditional warfare by any measure. Gideon's plan may have sounded completely absurd to his men. They are outnumbered something like 450-to-1 (Judges 8:10). And yet, they were all willing volunteers and ready to act on Gideon's command. The only viable way for this to work is if God gives them the victory. That's exactly what God wants every person to understand.

As it happens, Gideon's approach contains a clever sense of strategy. In a typical attack, only a few soldiers would have carried trumpets, and only a few torches. Surprising the enemy this way will make it appear as if the Israeli force is much larger. Further, Gideon times the attack just after the changing of the guard. At the moment the attack is announced, the prior group of guards will be walking back into the camp—in the dark, armed, and likely to be mistaken for invading troops.

The following passage shows the devastating effects of this ruse (Judges 7:19–23).

Judges 7:1–18 begins with Gideon and his large company of Israelite volunteers setting up camp in the hills just a few miles from the Midianite camp in the valley below. God gives Gideon two tests to reduce the number of his troops until only 300 are left. God tells Gideon to spy on the Midianite camp, where he overhears a conversation which bolsters his faith. Gideon returns to his camp and prepares for the attack that night. He gives his men torches concealed in clay jars, as well as trumpets.

Gideon and his 32,000–man army of volunteer Israelites camp in the hills above the Midianite invaders in the valley. The Lord tells Gideon to reduce his troops until only 300 remain. God allows Gideon to overhear the interpretation of a Midianite dream, an event that strengthens his faith. Gideon and his 300 men take positions around the Midianite camp and blow trumpets, hold up torches, and shout battle cries. Those in the camp panic and begin attacking each other. The survivors flee toward the Jordan but are eventually cut off.

Despite a miraculous calling from God, and success in his first actions, Gideon still expressed doubt (Judges 6). After seeing two custom-requested miracles, Gideon prepares to attack the Midianite invaders. He winnows his army down to only 300 men and overhears an encouraging conversation. Gideon and his men surprise the enemy after nightfall with trumpets and torches, sparking a panic. This begins a rout of the enemy. In the next chapter, Gideon succeeds further despite stubbornness from his own people (Judges 8).

The Book of Judges describes Israel's history from the death of Joshua to shortly before Israel's first king, Saul. Israel fails to complete God's command to purge the wicked Canaanites from the land (Deuteronomy 7:1–5; 9:4). This results in a centuries-long cycle where Israel falls into sin and is oppressed by local enemies. After each oppression, God sends a civil-military leader, labeled using a Hebrew word loosely translated into English as "judge." These appointed rescuers would free Israel from enemy control and govern for a certain time. After each judge's death, the cycle of sin and oppression begins again. This continues until the people of Israel choose a king, during the ministry of the prophet-and-judge Samuel (1 Samuel 1—7).