Judges 7:22
New International Version
When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the LORD caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath.

New Living Translation
When the 300 Israelites blew their rams’ horns, the LORD caused the warriors in the camp to fight against each other with their swords. Those who were not killed fled to places as far away as Beth-shittah near Zererah and to the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath.

English Standard Version
When they blew the 300 trumpets, the LORD set every man’s sword against his comrade 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.

Berean Standard Bible
And when the three hundred rams’ horns sounded, the LORD set all the men in the camp against one another with their swords. The army fled to Beth-shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath.

King James Bible
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 Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath.

New King James Version
When the three hundred blew the trumpets, the LORD set every man’s sword against his companion throughout the whole camp; and the army fled to Beth Acacia, toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel Meholah, by Tabbath.

New American Standard Bible
And when they blew the three hundred trumpets, the LORD set the sword of one against another even throughout the entire army; and the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the edge of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath.

NASB 1995
When they blew 300 trumpets, the LORD set the sword of one against another even throughout the whole army; and the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the edge of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath.

NASB 1977
And when they blew 300 trumpets, the LORD set the sword of one against another even throughout the whole army; and the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the edge of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath.

Legacy Standard Bible
So they blew 300 trumpets. And Yahweh set the sword of one against another even throughout the whole camp. And the camp fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the edge of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath.

Amplified Bible
When Gideon’s men blew the three hundred trumpets, the LORD set the sword of one [Midianite] against another even throughout the whole army; and the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath.

Christian Standard Bible
When Gideon’s men blew their three hundred ram’s horns, the LORD caused the men in the whole army to turn on each other with their swords. They fled to Acacia House in the direction of Zererah as far as the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When Gideon’s men blew their 300 trumpets, the LORD set the swords of each man in the army against each other. They fled to Beth-shittah in the direction of Zererah as far as the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath.

American Standard Version
And they blew the three hundred trumpets, and Jehovah set every man's sword against his fellow, and against all the host; and the host fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath.

Contemporary English Version
and blew their trumpets again. As they did, the LORD made the enemy soldiers pull out their swords and start fighting each other. The enemy army tried to escape from the camp. They ran to Acacia Tree Town, toward Zeredah, and as far as the edge of the land that belonged to the town of Abel-Meholah near Tabbath.

English Revised Version
And they blew the three hundred trumpets, and the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, and against all the host: and the host fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The 300 men kept on blowing their rams' horns, and the LORD caused the whole camp of Midian to fight among themselves. They fled as far as Beth Shittah, toward Zererah, and as far as the bank of the stream at Abel Meholah near Tabbath.

Good News Translation
While Gideon's men were blowing their trumpets, the LORD made the enemy troops attack each other with their swords. They ran toward Zarethan as far as Beth Shittah, as far as the town of Abel Meholah near Tabbath.

International Standard Version
As the 300 trumpets were being sounded, the LORD turned the swords of the Midianite soldiers against one another throughout the entire army, and the army ran away as far as Beth-shittah in the direction of Zererah. They got as far as the outskirts of Abel-meholah, near Tabbath.

Majority Standard Bible
And when the three hundred rams’ horns sounded, the LORD set all the men in the camp against one another with their swords. The army fled to Beth-shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath.

NET Bible
When the three hundred men blew their trumpets, the LORD caused the Midianites to attack one another with their swords throughout the camp. The army fled to Beth Shittah on the way to Zererah. They went to the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath.

New Heart English Bible
They blew the three hundred trumpets, and the LORD 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.

Webster's Bible Translation
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 Zereroth, and to the border of Abel-meholah, to Tabbath.

World English Bible
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.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and the three hundred blow the horns, and YHWH sets the sword of each against his companion, even through all the camp; and the camp flees to Beth-Shittah, at Zererath, to the border of Abel-Meholah, by Tabbath.

Young's Literal Translation
and the three hundred blow the trumpets, and Jehovah setteth the sword of each against his companion, even through all the camp; and the camp fleeth unto Beth-Shittah, at Zererath, unto the border of Abel-Meholah, by Tabbath.

Smith's Literal Translation
And the three hundred will clang the trumpets, and Jehovah will set the sword of a man against his neighbor and in all the camp: and the camp fled even to the House of Acacia of Zererath, even to the lip of Abel-Meholah, to Tabbath.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the three hundred men nevertheless persisted sounding the trumpets. And the Lord sent the sword into all the camp, and they killed one another,

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the three hundred men nevertheless continued sounding the trumpets. And the Lord sent the sword into the entire camp, and they maimed and cut down one another,

New American Bible
When they blew the three hundred horns, the LORD set the sword of one against another throughout the camp, and they fled as far as Beth-shittah in the direction of Zeredah, near the border of Abel-meholah at Tabbath.

New Revised Standard Version
When they blew the three hundred trumpets, the LORD 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.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And when the three hundred blew the trumpets, the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the army; and the whole army fled as far as Beth-shabtey and Zeddath, and as far as the border of Abel-meholah, which is by Jatbath.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they sounded out the three hundred horns and LORD JEHOVAH put the sword of a man against his fellow man in all the camp and all the camp fled unto Bayth Shabtay and to Tsedrath and unto the edge of Abel Mekhula that reaches unto Yatbath
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
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.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And they sounded with the three hundred horns; and the Lord set every man's sword in all the host against his neighbour.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Gideon Defeats Midian
21Each Israelite took his position around the camp, and the entire Midianite army fled, crying out as they ran. 22And when the three hundred rams’ horns sounded, the LORD set all the men in the camp against one another with their swords. The army fled to Beth-shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath. 23Then the men of Israel were called out from Naphtali, Asher, and all Manasseh, and they pursued the Midianites.…

Cross References
2 Chronicles 20:22-24
The moment they began their shouts and praises, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir who had come against Judah, and they were defeated. / The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction. And when they had finished off the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another. / When the men of Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked for the vast army, but there were only corpses lying on the ground; no one had escaped.

1 Samuel 14:20
Then Saul and all his troops assembled and marched to the battle, and they found the Philistines in total confusion, with each man wielding the sword against his neighbor.

Exodus 14:24-25
At morning watch, however, the LORD looked down on the army of the Egyptians from the pillar of fire and cloud, and He threw their camp into confusion. / He caused their chariot wheels to wobble, so that they had difficulty driving. “Let us flee from the Israelites,” said the Egyptians, “for the LORD is fighting for them against Egypt!”

2 Kings 7:6-7
For the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots, horses, and a great army, so that they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel must have hired the kings of the Hittites and Egyptians to attack us.” / Thus the Arameans had arisen and fled at twilight, abandoning their tents and horses and donkeys. The camp was intact, and they had run for their lives.

Joshua 10:10
And the LORD threw them into confusion before Israel, who defeated them in a great slaughter at Gibeon, pursued them along the ascent to Beth-horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah.

Isaiah 19:2
“So I will incite Egyptian against Egyptian; brother will fight against brother, neighbor against neighbor, city against city, and kingdom against kingdom.

1 Samuel 17:47
And all those assembled here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give all of you into our hands.”

Psalm 83:9-11
Do to them as You did to Midian, as to Sisera and Jabin at the River Kishon, / who perished at Endor and became like dung on the ground. / Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, and all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,

2 Kings 19:7
Behold, I will put a spirit in him so that he will hear a rumor and return to his own land, where I will cause him to fall by the sword.’”

Isaiah 37:7
Behold, I will put a spirit in him so that he will hear a rumor and return to his own land, where I will cause him to fall by the sword.’”

2 Chronicles 32:21
and the LORD sent an angel who annihilated every mighty man of valor and every leader and commander in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he withdrew to his own land in disgrace. And when he entered the temple of his god, some of his own sons struck him down with the sword.

2 Samuel 5:24
As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move quickly, because this will mean that the LORD has gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.”

Psalm 35:5-6
May they be like chaff in the wind, as the angel of the LORD drives them away. / May their path be dark and slick, as the angel of the LORD pursues.

Isaiah 10:26
And the LORD of Hosts will brandish a whip against them, as when He struck Midian at the rock of Oreb. He will raise His staff over the sea, as He did in Egypt.

Matthew 24:6-7
You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come. / Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.


Treasury of Scripture

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 Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, to Tabbath.

blew

Joshua 6:4,16,20
And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets…

2 Corinthians 4:7
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

the Lord

1 Samuel 14:16-20
And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down one another

2 Chronicles 20:23
For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.

Psalm 83:9
Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison:

in.

1 Kings 4:12
Baana the son of Ahilud; to him pertained Taanach and Megiddo, and all Bethshean, which is by Zartanah beneath Jezreel, from Bethshean to Abelmeholah, even unto the place that is beyond Jokneam:

border.

1 Kings 4:12
Baana the son of Ahilud; to him pertained Taanach and Megiddo, and all Bethshean, which is by Zartanah beneath Jezreel, from Bethshean to Abelmeholah, even unto the place that is beyond Jokneam:

1 Kings 19:16
And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.

Tabbath.

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Abel Abelmeholah Abel-Meholah Army Beth Blew Border Horns Host Hundred Meholah Shittah Sword Three Throughout Trumpets
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Abel Abelmeholah Abel-Meholah Army Beth Blew Border Horns Host Hundred Meholah Shittah Sword Three Throughout Trumpets
Judges 7
1. Gideon's army of thirty-two thousand is brought to three hundred
9. He is encouraged by the dream and interpretation of the burley cake
16. His plan of trumpets and lamps in pitchers
24. The Ephraimites take Oreb and Zeeb














When the three hundred trumpets sounded
This phrase marks a pivotal moment in the narrative of Gideon's battle against the Midianites. The number "three hundred" is significant, as it represents the small, divinely chosen group of warriors who were selected by God to deliver Israel. The use of "trumpets" (Hebrew: שׁוֹפָרוֹת, shofarot) is symbolic of divine intervention and warfare. In ancient Israel, the shofar was used to signal the presence of God and to call the people to battle or worship. The sounding of the trumpets here signifies the beginning of God's miraculous intervention.

the LORD set the sword of one against another throughout the camp
This phrase highlights the divine orchestration of chaos within the Midianite camp. The "LORD" (Hebrew: יְהוָה, Yahweh) is the covenant name of God, emphasizing His personal involvement and faithfulness to Israel. The phrase "set the sword of one against another" indicates a supernatural confusion and panic induced by God, causing the Midianites to turn on each other. This reflects the biblical theme that victory comes not by human might, but by the power of God (Zechariah 4:6).

and the army fled to Beth-shittah toward Zererah
The mention of specific locations such as "Beth-shittah" and "Zererah" provides historical and geographical context. These places were likely situated in the Jezreel Valley, a strategic location in ancient Israel. The flight of the Midianite army to these locations underscores their complete disarray and defeat. Archaeological evidence suggests that this region was a frequent battleground, adding historical credibility to the narrative.

as far as the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath
The reference to "Abel-meholah" and "Tabbath" further delineates the extent of the Midianite retreat. Abel-meholah is known as the birthplace of the prophet Elisha (1 Kings 19:16), indicating its significance in Israel's history. The mention of these locations not only provides a geographical boundary for the narrative but also serves to highlight the totality of the Midianite defeat. This complete rout is a testament to God's deliverance and the fulfillment of His promise to Gideon.

(22) Blew the trumpets.--They continued to blow incessantly, to add to the panic.

The Lord set every man's sword against his fellow.--We have an exact parallel to this in the mutual slaughter of the Ammonites, Moabites, and Edomites, when stricken with a similar panic before the army of Jehoshaphat, in 2Chronicles 20:21-22; and on a smaller scale in the camp of the Philistines at Gibeah (1 Samuel 14). The tremendous tragedy of their flight can only be appreciated by the vivid impression which it made on the national imagination (Isaiah 9:4; Isaiah 10:26). In Psalm 83:13-14, it is compared to the whirling flight of dry weeds before a rush of flame and wind, recalling the Arab imprecation, "May you be whirled like the akukb ('wild artichoke,' 'a wheel,' 'a rolling thing') before the wind, until you are caught in the thorns or plunged into the sea" (Thomson, Land and Book, Judges 36).

Beth-shittah.--It should be rather, Beth hash-shit-tah, "the house of the acacia"--a place named from the trees which are still abundant in that neighbourhood, just as we have such names as Burntash, Seven-oaks, Nine Elms, &c. (Comp. Abel-Shittim, Numbers 33:49; Joshua 21.) If Beth hash-shittah was the village Shultah, with which Robinson (Bibl. Reg., 3:219) identifies it, some of the host must have fled northwards. It is improbable that it was another name for Beth-shean, though the LXX. have Bethsead in some MSS. It is, however, by no means unlikely that some of the marauders would fly towards the fords of the Jordan near Bethshean (comp. Jos. Antt. v. 6, ? 5), as others fled south to the fords near Succoth, which lay to the south of the Jabbok. . . .

Verse 22. - Blew the trumpets, etc. Hearing the confusion, the three companies blew their trumpets, probably more loudly than before, to give the impression of a hot pursuit being at hand. The Midianites, thinking the enemy were upon them, and not being able in the dark to distinguish friend from foe, mistook their flying comrades for pursuing Israelites, and fell upon and slew one another. In like manner the Philistines had done when attacked by Jonathan and his armour-bearer (1 Samuel 14:20), and the Ammonites, Moabites, and Edomites when attacked by Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20:23). Beth-shittah. House of acacias. The exact situation of it, and of Zererath and Tabbath, is unknown. They must have been villages lying on the route from the plain of Esdraelon to the banks of Jordan, probably between Little Hermon on the north and Mount Gilboa on the south, where there was a very ancient high road from Jezreel to the Jordan by Beth-sham Indeed it is highly probable that Shuta, a village mentioned by Robinson, marks the site, as it retains the name of Beth-shittah. For Zererath some read, with some of the old versions and manuscripts, Zeredath (r and d being scarcely distinguishable in Hebrew), and identify it with Zarthan near Succoth, mentioned Joshua 3:16 and 1 Kings 4:12; 1 Kings 7:46. Abel-meholah (the meadow of the dance) was the birthplace of Elisha (1 Kings 19:16), and is mentioned in conjunction with Beth-shan, Jezreel, and Zartana in 1 Kings 4:12. Eusebius tells us that in his time Abel-meholah was called Beth-maiela, and situated ten miles below Beth-shan, or Scy-thopolis. There was also, he says, close by an Abel-maiela.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And when the three
שְׁלֹשׁ־ (šə·lōš-)
Number - feminine singular construct
Strong's 7969: Three, third, thrice

hundred
מֵא֣וֹת (mê·’ō·wṯ)
Number - feminine plural
Strong's 3967: A hundred

trumpets
הַשּׁוֹפָרוֹת֒ (haš·šō·w·p̄ā·rō·wṯ)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 7782: A cornet, curved horn

sounded,
וַֽיִּתְקְעוּ֮ (way·yiṯ·qə·‘ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 8628: To clatter, slap, clang, to drive, to become bondsman

the LORD
יְהוָ֗ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

set
וַיָּ֣שֶׂם (way·yā·śem)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set

the swords
חֶ֥רֶב (ḥe·reḇ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword

of every man
אִ֛ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

in the camp
הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה (ham·ma·ḥă·neh)
Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 4264: An encampment, an army

against each other.
בְּרֵעֵ֖הוּ (bə·rê·‘ê·hū)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7453: Friend, companion, fellow

The army
הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֜ה (ham·ma·ḥă·neh)
Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 4264: An encampment, an army

fled
וַיָּ֨נָס (way·yā·nās)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5127: To flit, vanish away

to
עַד־ (‘aḏ-)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

Beth-shittah
הַשִּׁטָּה֙ (haš·šiṭ·ṭāh)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 1029: Beth-shittah -- 'place of the acacia', a place in Palestine

toward Zererah
צְֽרֵרָ֔תָה (ṣə·rê·rā·ṯāh)
Noun - proper - feminine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 6888: Zererah -- a city toward which Gideon's enemies fled

as
עַ֛ד (‘aḏ)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

far as the border
שְׂפַת־ (śə·p̄aṯ-)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 8193: The lip, language, a margin

of Abel-meholah
מְחוֹלָ֖ה (mə·ḥō·w·lāh)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 65: Abel-Mecholah

near
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

Tabbath.
טַבָּֽת׃ (ṭab·bāṯ)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 2888: Tabbath -- a place of refuge of the Midianites


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OT History: Judges 7:22 They blew the three hundred trumpets (Jd Judg. Jdg)
Judges 7:21
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