Judges 7:20 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the jars. They held in their left hands the torches, and in their right hands the trumpets to blow. And they cried out, “A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!”

NIV: The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, 'A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!'

NASB: When the three units blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers, they held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands for blowing, and shouted, 'A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!'

CSB: The three companies blew their ram's horns and shattered their pitchers. They held their torches in their left hands and their ram's horns to blow in their right hands, and they shouted, "A sword for the Lord and for Gideon! "

NLT: Then all three groups blew their horns and broke their jars. They held the blazing torches in their left hands and the horns in their right hands, and they all shouted, 'A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!'

KJV: 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.

NKJV: Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers—they held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands for blowing—and they cried, “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!”

Gideon's attack against the Midianites (Judges 7:9) has begun. His three groups of one hundred men each have taken their places around the perimeter of the enemy camp. Gideon and his group blew loudly on their ram's horn trumpets and smashed their clay pitchers. Hearing the noise, the other two groups now immediately do the same thing (Judges 7:15–18).

The smashing of the clay jars not only added a loud, unexpected noise, it also exposed the reed-style torches inside them to the air, causing the flames to burn bright. Gideon and each of his 300 soldiers held their torches high with their left hands and continued to hold their trumpets with their right hands. They also kept shouting out, "A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!"

Of course, the sword of the Lord against the Midianites did not include any swords. In fact, the Israelites did not "attack" with any weapons other than noise and light and the confusion they produced in the Midianite camp. That confusion would have been considerable. The presence of so many torches and trumpets would have given the appearance of a much-larger army. Further, Israel is attacking while most of the enemy are asleep, and armed guards are just returning from their watch (Judges 7:19). In the chaos and confusion, some of those returning Midianites were likely mistaken for enemy invaders, and attacked, starting a chain reaction of absolute mayhem (Judges 7:21–23).

Judges 7:19–25 describes the Lord's victory over the Midianites through Gideon and his 300 men. The Israelites take positions around the Midianite camp well after dark. They choose a strategic moment to attack: just after the changing of the guard. Nearly in unison, the Israelite soldiers blow trumpets and shout battle cries while exposing torches. The Midianites panic, assuming the enemy force is massive. In the dark, and in a panic, they begin attacking each other. The chaos leads them to flee toward the Jordan River. Gideon calls for men from several tribes to join him in chasing them down. He sends messengers to Ephraim to tell them to cut off the fleeing enemy at the Jordan River. The Midianites do not escape.

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).