When I and all who are with me blow our horns, then you are also to blow your horns from all around the camp and shout, 'For the LORD and for Gideon!'" When I and all who are with meThis phrase sets the stage for a unified action led by Gideon. The Hebrew root for "with me" (אִתִּי, itti) emphasizes companionship and solidarity. Historically, Gideon’s leadership is pivotal, as he is chosen by God to deliver Israel from the Midianites. This unity reflects the biblical principle that God often works through a faithful remnant, highlighting the importance of collective obedience and trust in divine guidance. blow our trumpets
The trumpet, or shofar (שׁוֹפָר, shophar), is a significant instrument in Israelite culture, often used to signal important events or divine intervention. Archaeologically, shofars were made from ram’s horns, symbolizing strength and the presence of God. In this context, the blowing of trumpets signifies a call to battle, but more profoundly, it represents a call to spiritual warfare, where God’s power is made manifest through human action. then you are also to blow your trumpets
This command underscores the importance of obedience and coordination in God’s plan. The repetition of the trumpet blowing by Gideon’s men signifies a harmonious response to divine instruction. It reflects the biblical theme of faith in action, where believers are called to participate actively in God’s deliverance, trusting in His timing and methods. from all around the camp
The strategic positioning "all around the camp" indicates a comprehensive and encompassing approach to the battle. Historically, this tactic would create confusion and fear among the enemy, as seen in ancient warfare. Spiritually, it symbolizes the encircling presence of God’s protection and the completeness of His deliverance, reminding believers that God’s plans are thorough and all-encompassing. and shout
The act of shouting (צָעַק, tsa'aq) is a vocal expression of faith and victory. In biblical times, a shout was often associated with triumph and the presence of God, as seen in the fall of Jericho. This shout is not merely a battle cry but a declaration of trust in God’s power to save, encouraging believers to boldly proclaim their faith in God’s promises. ‘For the LORD and for Gideon!’
This dual declaration acknowledges both divine and human leadership. "For the LORD" places God at the forefront, recognizing His sovereignty and ultimate authority in the battle. "For Gideon" acknowledges the human instrument chosen by God to lead His people. This phrase encapsulates the biblical truth that God often works through chosen individuals to accomplish His purposes, encouraging believers to honor and support godly leadership while ultimately giving glory to God. Persons / Places / Events 1. GideonA judge of Israel chosen by God to deliver the Israelites from the oppression of the Midianites. Known for his initial hesitance and need for reassurance from God, Gideon becomes a mighty warrior through faith and obedience. 2. The MidianitesA nomadic people who oppressed Israel for seven years, leading to the Israelites' impoverishment and desperation. They are the primary antagonists in this account. 3. The TrumpetsInstruments used by Gideon and his men as a signal for battle. The blowing of the trumpets was a strategic move to create confusion and fear among the Midianites. 4. The Camp of IsraelThe location where Gideon and his 300 men prepared for battle against the Midianites. This setting is crucial for understanding the miraculous victory that follows. 5. The LORDThe God of Israel, who orchestrates the victory over the Midianites. His presence and power are central to the account, emphasizing divine intervention and guidance. Teaching Points Obedience to God's InstructionsGideon's victory was contingent upon his obedience to God's specific and seemingly illogical instructions. Believers are called to trust and obey God's guidance, even when it defies human logic. God's Power in WeaknessThe account of Gideon demonstrates that God often chooses the weak and the few to accomplish His purposes, ensuring that the glory belongs to Him alone. This encourages believers to rely on God's strength rather than their own. Faith in ActionGideon's faith was demonstrated through action. Believers are encouraged to put their faith into practice, trusting that God will work through their obedience. The Importance of UnityGideon's men acted in unison, which was crucial for their success. This highlights the importance of unity and cooperation among believers in fulfilling God's purposes. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Gideon's account challenge our understanding of strength and victory in our personal battles? 2. In what ways can we apply the principle of obedience to God's instructions in our daily lives, even when they seem unconventional? 3. How does the concept of God's power being made perfect in weakness encourage you in your current circumstances? 4. What are some practical ways we can foster unity within our church or community to achieve common goals? 5. How can the account of Gideon inspire us to take bold steps of faith in our personal and spiritual lives? Connections to Other Scriptures Joshua 6The fall of Jericho, where trumpets were also used as a divine strategy for victory, highlighting the power of obedience to God's unconventional methods. 1 Samuel 17David's battle with Goliath, illustrating how God uses unlikely individuals and methods to achieve victory, emphasizing faith and reliance on God rather than human strength. 2 Corinthians 12:9Paul's teaching on God's power being made perfect in weakness, paralleling Gideon's account where God's strength is displayed through a small, seemingly weak army. People Abel, Amalek, Amalekites, Asher, Gideon, Israelites, Jerubbaal, Joash, Manasseh, Midianites, Naphtali, Oreb, Phurah, ZeebPlaces Abel-meholah, Beth-barah, Beth-shittah, Harod, Jordan River, Midian, Mount Gilead, Ophrah, Tabbath, ZererahTopics Blow, Blown, Camp, Gideon, Horn, Horns, Round, Shout, Sounded, Sword, Tents, Trumpet, Trumpets, YoursDictionary of Bible Themes Judges 7:15-22 5597 victory, act of God Judges 7:16-21 5608 warfare, strategies Judges 7:16-22 5595 trumpet Library A Great victory
TEXT: "And they stood every man in his place round about the camp, and all the host ran, and cried, and fled."--Judges 7:21. Few things in this world are so inspiring to the traveler and at the same time so depressing as a city or temple in ruins. I remember a delightful experience in passing through the ruins of Karnak and Luxor, on the Nile in Egypt, and later passing through Phylae at Assuan on the Nile; and these two thoughts, each the opposite of the other, kept constantly coming to my mind. …
J. Wilbur Chapman—And Judas IscariotAugust 18. "The Three Hundred Blew the Trumpets" (Judges vii. 22).
"The three hundred blew the trumpets" (Judges vii. 22). We little dream, sometimes, what a hasty word, a thoughtless speech, an imprudent act, or a confession of unbelief and fear may do to hinder our highest usefulness, or turn it aside from some great opportunity which God has been preparing for us. Although the Holy Ghost uses weak men, He does not want them to be weak after He chooses and calls them. Although He uses the foolish things to confound the wise, He does not want us to be foolish after …
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth 'Fit, Though Few'
'Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley. 2. And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against Me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. 3. Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture A Battle Without a Sword
'And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley-bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along. 14. And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host. 15, And it was so, when Gideon heard the …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture The Wyclif of the East --Bible Translation
1801-1832 The Bible Carey's missionary weapon--Other vernacular translators--Carey's modest but just description of his labours--His philological key--Type-cutting and type-casting by a Hindoo blacksmith--The first manufacture of paper and steam-engines in the East--Carey takes stock of the translation work at the opening of 1808--In his workshop--A seminary of Bible translators--William Yates, shoemaker, the Coverdale of the Bengali Bible--Wenger--A Bengali Luther wanted--Carey's Bengali Bible--How …
George Smith—The Life of William Carey The New Convert.
…
John Newton—Olney Hymns Whether Divination by Auguries, Omens, and by Like Observations of External Things is Unlawful?
Objection 1: It would seem that divination by auguries, omens, and by like observations of external things is not unlawful. If it were unlawful holy men would not make use thereof. Now we read of Joseph that he paid attention to auguries, for it is related (Gn. 44:5) that Joseph's steward said: "The cup which you have stolen is that in which my lord drinketh and in which he is wont to divine [augurari]": and he himself afterwards said to his brethren (Gn. 44:15): "Know you not that there is no one …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica Whether Fear is a Mortal Sin?
Objection 1: It seems that fear is not a mortal sin. For, as stated above ([3323]FS, Q[23], A[1]), fear is in the irascible faculty which is a part of the sensuality. Now there is none but venial sin in the sensuality, as stated above ([3324]FS, Q[74], A[4]). Therefore fear is not a mortal sin. Objection 2: Further, every mortal sin turns the heart wholly from God. But fear does not this, for a gloss on Judges 7:3, "Whosoever is fearful," etc., says that "a man is fearful when he trembles at the …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica Appendix 2 Extracts from the Babylon Talmud
Massecheth Berachoth, or Tractate on Benedictions [76] Mishnah--From what time is the "Shema" said in the evening? From the hour that the priests entered to eat of their therumah [77] until the end of the first night watch. [78] These are the words of Rabbi Eliezer. But the sages say: Till midnight. Rabban Gamaliel says: Until the column of the morning (the dawn) rises. It happened, that his sons came back from a banquet. They said to him: "We have not said the Shema.'" He said to them, "If the column …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life Immanuel
Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name IMMANUEL , God with us. T here is a signature of wisdom and power impressed upon the works of God, which evidently distinguishes them from the feeble imitations of men. Not only the splendour of the sun, but the glimmering light of the glow-worm proclaims His glory. The structure and growth of a blade of grass, are the effects of the same power which produced the fabric of the heavens and the earth. In His Word likewise He is …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1 A Cloud of Witnesses.
"By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was a-dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when his end was nigh, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.... By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been compassed about for seven days. By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with them that were disobedient, …
Thomas Charles Edwards—The Expositor's Bible: The Epistle to the Hebrews Thirdly, for Thy Actions.
1. Do no evil, though thou mightest; for God will not suffer the least sin, without bitter repentance, to escape unpunished. Leave not undone any good that thou canst. But do nothing without a calling, nor anything in thy calling, till thou hast first taken counsel at God's word (1 Sam. xxx. 8) of its lawfulness, and pray for his blessings upon thy endeavour; and then do it in the name of God, with cheerfulness of heart, committing the success to him, in whose power it is to bless with his grace …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety Lii. Concerning Hypocrisy, Worldly Anxiety, Watchfulness, and his Approaching Passion.
(Galilee.) ^C Luke XII. 1-59. ^c 1 In the meantime [that is, while these things were occurring in the Pharisee's house], when the many thousands of the multitude were gathered together, insomuch that they trod one upon another [in their eagerness to get near enough to Jesus to see and hear] , he began to say unto his disciples first of all [that is, as the first or most appropriate lesson], Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. [This admonition is the key to the understanding …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel The Wisdom of God
The next attribute is God's wisdom, which is one of the brightest beams of the Godhead. He is wise in heart.' Job 9:9. The heart is the seat of wisdom. Cor in Hebraeo sumitur pro judicio. Pineda. Among the Hebrews, the heart is put for wisdom.' Let men of understanding tell me:' Job 34:44: in the Hebrew, Let men of heart tell me.' God is wise in heart, that is, he is most wise. God only is wise; he solely and wholly possesses all wisdom; therefore he is called, the only wise God.' I Tim 1:17. All …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity The Section Chap. I. -iii.
The question which here above all engages our attention, and requires to be answered, is this: Whether that which is reported in these chapters did, or did not, actually and outwardly take place. The history of the inquiries connected with this question is found most fully in Marckius's "Diatribe de uxore fornicationum," Leyden, 1696, reprinted in the Commentary on the Minor Prophets by the same author. The various views may be divided into three classes. 1. It is maintained by very many interpreters, …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament Judges
For the understanding of the early history and religion of Israel, the book of Judges, which covers the period from the death of Joshua to the beginning of the struggle with the Philistines, is of inestimable importance; and it is very fortunate that the elements contributed by the later editors are so easily separated from the ancient stories whose moral they seek to point. That moral is most elaborately stated in ii. 6-iii. 6, which is a sort of programme or preface to iii. 7-xvi. 31, which constitutes …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Judges 7:18 NIVJudges 7:18 NLTJudges 7:18 ESVJudges 7:18 NASBJudges 7:18 KJV
Judges 7:18 Commentaries
Bible Hub |
