And he divided the three hundred men into three companies and gave each man a ram's horn in one hand and a large jar in the other, containing a torch. And he dividedThe act of dividing the men into groups is strategic and intentional. The Hebrew root for "divided" is "חָלַק" (chalak), which implies a purposeful distribution. This division reflects God's wisdom imparted to Gideon, emphasizing that victory does not come from numbers but from divine strategy. It is a reminder that God often works through what seems foolish to the world to achieve His purposes. the three hundred men
The number three hundred is significant, representing a small, select group chosen by God. Historically, this number is minuscule compared to the Midianite army, highlighting the miraculous nature of the impending victory. It underscores the biblical theme that God often uses a faithful remnant to accomplish His will, demonstrating His power and sovereignty. into three companies
The division into three companies suggests a tactical maneuver, possibly to surround the enemy and create confusion. The number three in biblical terms often symbolizes completeness or divine perfection. This division reflects a complete and divinely inspired plan, reinforcing the idea that God’s strategies are perfect and beyond human understanding. and gave each man a ram’s horn
The ram’s horn, or "shofar" in Hebrew, is a significant instrument in Israelite culture, often used in religious ceremonies and as a call to battle. Its use here symbolizes a call to spiritual warfare, where the battle is the Lord’s. The shofar represents God’s voice and presence, reminding the Israelites that their strength lies in obedience to God’s commands. in one hand
The phrase "in one hand" indicates readiness and the need for each man to be prepared for action. It suggests a balance between faith and works, where the men must hold onto God’s promises (symbolized by the shofar) while being ready to act. This dual readiness is a call for believers to be spiritually vigilant and active in their faith. and a large jar
The large jar, or "pitcher," is a common household item, yet in this context, it becomes a tool for God’s purpose. The jar’s fragility contrasts with the strength of God’s plan, symbolizing how God uses the weak and ordinary to achieve extraordinary outcomes. It serves as a metaphor for believers, who, though fragile, carry the light of God within them. in the other
Holding the jar in the other hand signifies the need for balance and dual focus in spiritual warfare. It represents the believer’s call to hold both the proclamation of God’s word (the shofar) and the light of God’s presence (the torch within the jar). This duality is essential for effective ministry and spiritual victory. with torches inside the jars
The torches inside the jars symbolize the hidden yet powerful presence of God’s light within believers. The Hebrew word for torch, "לַפִּיד" (lapid), signifies a bright, burning light. This imagery points to the light of Christ within us, which, though sometimes hidden, is powerful and transformative. It is a call for believers to let their light shine before others, revealing God’s glory through their lives. Persons / Places / Events 1. GideonThe judge of Israel chosen by God to deliver the Israelites from the Midianites. He is a central figure in this account, demonstrating faith and obedience to God's unconventional battle plan. 2. The Three Hundred MenA select group of warriors chosen by God through Gideon. Their small number highlights God's power and the importance of faith over military might. 3. MidianitesThe oppressive enemy of Israel during this period. Their defeat by Gideon's small army underscores God's deliverance. 4. Ram’s Horn (Shofar)A traditional instrument used in Israelite worship and warfare, symbolizing God's presence and power. 5. Clay Jar and TorchUnconventional weapons that symbolize the light of God breaking through human frailty, as the jars are broken to reveal the torches. Teaching Points Faith Over NumbersTrust in God's power rather than human strength or numbers. Gideon's victory with only 300 men teaches us that God can achieve His purposes through seemingly inadequate means. Obedience to God's PlanGideon's adherence to God's unusual battle strategy highlights the importance of obedience, even when God's ways seem unconventional or counterintuitive. Symbolism of LightThe torches hidden in clay jars symbolize the light of God within us. As believers, we are called to let our light shine, breaking through our human limitations. God's Glory in WeaknessThe breaking of the jars to reveal the light illustrates how God uses our weaknesses to display His strength and glory. Spiritual WarfareThe spiritual battle requires reliance on God's strategies, which may differ from worldly tactics. Prayer, faith, and obedience are our spiritual weapons. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Gideon's account encourage you to trust in God's power rather than your own abilities or resources? 2. In what ways can you apply the principle of obedience to God's plan in your current life situation, even if it seems unconventional? 3. How does the symbolism of the clay jars and torches relate to your personal walk with God and your witness to others? 4. Reflect on a time when God used your weaknesses to demonstrate His strength. How did this experience impact your faith? 5. How can the account of Gideon's victory inspire you to approach spiritual battles in your life with faith and reliance on God's strategies? Connections to Other Scriptures Joshua 6The fall of Jericho, where the Israelites used trumpets (shofars) to bring down the walls, parallels the use of the ram's horn in Gideon's battle, emphasizing faith and obedience to God's instructions. 2 Corinthians 4:7Paul speaks of having treasures in jars of clay, which connects to the symbolism of the clay jars in Gideon's account, representing human weakness and God's power. 1 Corinthians 1:27God choosing the foolish things of the world to shame the wise is reflected in the unconventional strategy of Gideon's battle. 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 Bands, Branch, Companies, Detachments, Divided, Divideth, Empty, Flaming, Hands, Horn, Horns, Hundred, Inside, Jars, Lamps, Man's, Pitchers, Placed, Putteth, Separating, Torches, Trumpet, Trumpets, Vessel, WithinDictionary of Bible Themes Judges 7:16 5445 potters and pottery
8421 equipping, physical 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.
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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 7:16 NIVJudges 7:16 NLTJudges 7:16 ESVJudges 7:16 NASBJudges 7:16 KJV
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