Judges 7

1 Early [at the break of day, before sunrise] in the morning Jerubbaal [let Baal contend, Gideon’s name after destroying an altar] (that is, Gideon [hewer, a judge of Israel]) and all [every single one, the entire group] the men with [near, in close relationship to] him camped [set up their tents, pitched their army] beside [near, adjacent to] the spring [source of water, fountain] of Harod [En-harod, a place of gathering]. And the camp [army, group of people] of Midian [a son of Abraham, a tribe in the desert] was north [toward the north, in the direction of Zaphon] of them in the valley [lowland area, a place of humility] near [close to, adjacent to] the hill [small elevation] of Moreh [a place of teaching, a hill where Gideon fought]. word study 2 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said to Gideon, “You have too many people [a multitude, a large army] for Me to deliver Midian [the Midianites, a tribe that lived in the desert] into their hands, lest [in order that not, so that not] Israel [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] glorify [boast, praise] themselves over Me, saying, ‘My own hand [my strength, my power] has saved me [delivered me, rescued me].’ word study 3 Now [at this time], therefore, proclaim [declare, announce] in the hearing [in the presence, to the ears] of the people [nation, community]: ‘Whoever [anyone who, whosoever] is fearful [afraid, filled with dread] and trembling [shaking with fear, anxious] may turn back [return, go back] and leave [depart, go away from] Mount [hill, mountain] Gilead [rocky region, Gilead mountain].’” So twenty-two thousand [two and twenty thousand] of them turned back [returned, went back], but ten thousand [ten] remained [stayed, were left]. word study 4 Then the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] said to Gideon, “There are still [continuing, remaining] too many people [a large multitude, a great nation]. Take them down [to go down, to descend] to the water [a source of refreshment, a place of testing], and I will sift [refine, purify] them for you there [in that place, at that time]. If I say [command, speak] to you, ‘This one shall go [walk, proceed] with you [together, in company],’ he shall go [proceed, depart]. But if I say [command, speak], ‘This one shall not go [not proceed, not depart] with you [together, in company],’ he shall not go [not proceed, not depart].” word study 5 So Gideon brought the people [down to the water’s edge] down to the water, and the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] said to him, “Separate those who lap [with their tongues, as a dog licks] the water with their tongues [an instrument of speech and taste] like a dog [a lowly or despised creature] from those who kneel [in reverence, bowing down] to drink [to swallow, to satisfy thirst].” word study 6 And the number [quantity, multitude] of those who lapped [licked, drank quickly] the water with their hands [by putting their hand to their mouth] to their mouths [lips, edge] was three hundred men [individuals, warriors]; all [the entire remainder] the others [rest of the people] knelt [bowed down, sank down] to drink [consume, swallow]. word study 7 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men [a select group, chosen for their faith] who lapped [quickly drinking, as a dog laps water] the water I will save [rescue, deliver from danger] you and deliver [give victory over, hand over to] the Midianites [a tribe that lived in the desert north of Israel] into your hand [under your power, in your control]. But all [every single one, the entire group] the others are to go home [return to their place, depart to their own location].” word study 8 So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites [every man] to their tents [nomadic homes, places of dwelling] but kept the three hundred men [a select group, chosen few], who took charge of the provisions [food, victuals, supplies] and rams’ horns [trumpets, signaling instruments] of the others. And the camp [army, military encampment] of Midian [a nation, descended from Abraham] lay below him [underneath, in a lower position] in the valley [a lowland area, a place of vulnerability]. word study 9 That night [of darkness and adversity] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said to Gideon, “Get up [rise, stand firm] and go down [descend, to a lower place] against the camp [army, group of people], for I have delivered [given, put] it into your hand [power, direction, strength]. word study 10 But if you [are filled with fear, have apprehension] are afraid [fearful, lacking courage] to do so, then go down [descend, proceed to a lower place] to the camp [army, group of people] with your servant [attendant, helper] Purah [your armor-bearer, young man] word study 11 and listen [hear and obey, give attention to] to what they are saying [speaking, communicating]. Then your hands [strength, power] will be strengthened [made courageous, empowered] to attack [go down to, overcome] the camp [army, military encampment].” So he went [descended, proceeded] with Purah [armor-bearer] his servant to the outposts [outermost part, edge] where armed [strong, able-bodied] men were guarding [watching, protecting] the camp [military encampment, army]. word study 12 Now the Midianites [a tribe that lived in the desert north], Amalekites [enemies of the Israelites], and all [every single one] the other people of the east [the region of the rising sun] had settled in the valley [a lowland area] like a swarm of locusts [rapidly multiplying, devouring everything], and their camels [beasts of burden] were as countless [innumerable, without number] as the sand [small, whirling particles] on the seashore [the edge of the great body of water]. word study 13 And as Gideon [the judge of Israel, a leader] arrived, a man [a person, an individual] was telling his friend [neighbor, companion] about a dream [a vision, a prophetic message]. “Behold [look, see], I had a dream [a vision, a revelation],” he said, “and I saw a loaf [a round cake, a bun] of barley bread [food made from barley, a staple grain] come tumbling [falling, rolling] into the Midianite [the enemy’s] camp [a group of people, an army]. It struck [hit, smote] the tent [a dwelling, a shelter] so hard that the tent overturned [turned upside down, collapsed] and collapsed [fell, was destroyed].” word study 14 His friend replied: “This [nothing else, nothing less] is nothing less than the sword [a knife or cutting tool] of Gideon [hewer, mighty warrior] son of Joash [given by the Lord], the Israelite [descendant of Jacob, child of God’s covenant]. God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] has delivered Midian [a tribe in the desert north of Israel] and the whole camp [entire army, all the forces] into his hand [power, authority, control].” word study 15 When Gideon [the mighty warrior, judge of Israel] heard the dream [a prophetic vision, a message from God] and its interpretation [the meaning, the understanding], he bowed in worship [prostrated himself, gave reverence]. He returned to the camp [the army, the company] of Israel and said, “Get up [rise, stand], for the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] has delivered [given, placed] the camp [the army, the host] of Midian into your hand [your power, your control].” word study 16 And he divided [separated into parts, cut off] the three hundred men into three companies [detachments, bands] and gave each man a ram’s horn [trumpet] in one hand and a large jar [empty pitcher, clay vessel] in the other, containing [holding within, midst of] a torch [lamp, burning flame]. word study 17 “Watch me [look on, observe closely] and do as I do [follow my example, do likewise],” Gideon said [declared, spoke]. “When I come [approach, draw near] to the outskirts [outermost part, edge] of the camp [army, encampment], do exactly [precisely, in the same manner] as I do [as I shall do, in like manner]. word study 18 When I [as the leader] and all [everything] who are with me [in close proximity] blow our horns [trumpets], then you [addressed directly] are also [too] to blow your horns [trumpets] from all around [encompassing] the camp [army] and shout, ‘For the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] and for Gideon [the judge]!’” word study 19 Gideon [the hewer, a judge of Israel] and the hundred men [a company of warriors] with him reached the outskirts [the edge, the border] of the camp [the army’s encampment, the military base] at the beginning [the start, the initial point] of the middle watch [the second of three night watches, a period of vigilance], just after [immediately following, when they had newly set] the changing of the guard [the relief of the watchmen, the exchange of sentries]. They blew [sounded, trumpeted] their horns [the shofars, ram’s horn trumpets] and broke [shattered, smashed] the jars [the clay vessels, pitchers] that were in their hands [their grasp, their possession]. word study 20 The three [triple, thrice] companies blew their horns [ram’s horn trumpets] and shattered [broke, smashed] their jars [clay containers]. Holding the torches [lamps, burning flames] in their left [north, sinister] hands and the horns [trumpets, cornets] in their right [Benjamin, strong] hands, they shouted, “A sword [cutting instrument, knife] for the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] and for Gideon [hewer, warrior]!” word study 21 Each Israelite [every man, individual warrior] took his position [stood firmly, in readiness] around [surrounding, encircling] the camp [army, military encampment], and the entire [whole, all] Midianite army [host, military force] fled [ran away quickly, in panic], crying out [shouting, making a loud noise] as they ran [rushed, fled in haste]. word study 22 And when the three hundred [me’ot, a multitude] rams’ horns [a trumpet made from a ram’s horn] sounded, the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] set all the men in the camp [a group of people or an army] against one another [each man’s sword against his neighbor, a state of confusion and strife] with their swords [a cutting instrument]. The army [a multitude of soldiers] fled to Beth-shittah [a place of acacia trees] toward Zererah [a town of oppression] as far as [till, up to the point of] the border [the edge or boundary] of Abel-meholah [a city in the region of Issachar, a place of mourning] near Tabbath [a place east of the Jordan River]. word study 23 Then the men [soldiers, individuals] of Israel [Jacob’s descendants, God’s chosen people] were called out [gathered together, summoned] from Naphtali [one of the twelve tribes], Asher [a son of Jacob], and all [the entire tribe] Manasseh [a grandson of Jacob], and they pursued [chased after, followed] the Midianites [a tribe descended from Midian, a son of Abraham]. word study 24 Gideon [a judge of Israel, a leader] sent messengers [representatives] throughout the hill country [mountainous region] of Ephraim [a tribe of Israel, doubly fruitful] to say, “Come down [descend, go down] against the Midianites [a desert tribe, enemies of Israel] and seize [capture, take control of] the waters [sources of refreshment, liquid] of the Jordan [a key river, a boundary] ahead of them as far as [until, up to] Beth-barah [house of the ford, a crossing point].” So all [every, the whole] the men of Ephraim [the tribe, the people] were called out [gathered, summoned], and they captured [seized, took control of] the waters [sources of refreshment, liquid] of the Jordan [a key river, a boundary] as far as [until, up to] Beth-barah [house of the ford, a crossing point]. word study 25 They also captured [seized, took hold of] Oreb and Zeeb, the two [a pair, dual] princes [rulers, leaders] of Midian [a son of Abraham, his country, and descendants]; and they killed [slew, put to death] Oreb at the rock [boulder, stone] of Oreb and Zeeb at the winepress [place of grape-crushing] of Zeeb. So they pursued [chased, followed after] the Midianites and brought the heads [the topmost part of the body] of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon [hewer, cutter] on the other side [beyond, across] of the Jordan [the river running from Lebanon to the Dead Sea]. word study