Judges 7:16

Judges 7:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man’s hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.
• New International Version (NIV)Dividing the three hundred men into three companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he divided the 300 men into three companies and put trumpets into the hands of all of them and empty jars, with torches inside the jars.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet into every man’s hand, with empty pitchers, and torches inside the pitchers.

Context of Judges 7:16

14The other soldier replied, ‘This dream is telling us about Joash's son Gideon, the leader of the Israelites. It shows us that he has the power to kill us. God has put Midian and all our army under his power!’ 15When Gideon heard this news about the dream and its meaning, he praised God. He returned to the Israelites' camp. He shouted to his men, ‘Get up now! The Lord has put Midian's army under your power!’ He divided his 300 men into three separate groups. He gave a trumpet and an empty pot to each soldier. Each man put a burning branch into his pot. 17Gideon said to his men, ‘Watch me carefully. When we get near to the enemy's camp, you must do the same thing that I do. 18You will be all around the camp. I and my group of men will make a noise with our trumpets. Then you must also make a noise with your trumpets. Then shout, “We are fighting for the Lord and for Gideon!” ’

Judges 7:16 word by word

וַיַּ֛חַץ אֶת־שְׁלֹשׁ־מֵא֥וֹת הָאִ֖ישׁ שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה רָאשִׁ֑ים וַיִּתֵּ֨ן שׁוֹפָר֤וֹת בְּיַד־כֻּלָּם֙ וְכַדִּ֣ים רֵקִ֔ים וְלַפִּדִ֖ים בְּת֥וֹךְ הַכַּדִּֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And he dividedחָצָהchâtsâh · to divideH2673
• the threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
• hundredמֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967
• menאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• companiesרֹאשׁrô'sh · head: groupH7218
• and he putנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
• a trumpetשֹׁפָרshôphâr shôphâr · trumpetH7782
• in every man’s handיָדyâd · handH3027
• with emptyרֵיקrêyq rêq · worthlessH7386
• pitchersכַּדkad · jarH3537
• and lampsלַפִּידlappîyd lappid · torchH3940
• withinתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432

Cross-references for Judges 7:16

• 2 Corinthians 4:7God has given to us the gift to speak his message. But we ourselves are very weak. It is like we are keeping his valuable gift in clay pots. So it is clear that the great power of God's message comes from God himself. It does not come from us.

Commentaries on Judges 7:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16He divided the three hundred men - Though the victory was to be from the Lord, yet he knew that he ought to use prudential means; and those which he employed on this occasion were the best calculated to answer the end. If he had not used these means, it is not likely that God would have delivered the Midianites into his hands. Sometimes, even in working a miracle, God will have natural means used: Go, dip thyself seven times in Jordan. Go, wash in the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Gideon himself took the command of one company, and sent the other two under their respective captains to different sides of the camp Judges 7:18, Judges 7:21.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-22Verses 16-22 This method of defeating the Midianites may be alluded to, as exemplifying the destruction of the devil's kingdom in the world, by the preaching of the everlasting gospel, the sounding that trumpet, and the holding forth that light out of earthen vessels, for such are the ministers of the gospel, 2Co 4:6, 7. God chose the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, a barley-cake to overthrow the tents of Midian, that the excellency of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16Splitting the small band into three groups made it seem like a much larger force.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 16-2416-22. he divided the three hundred men into three companies--The object of dividing his forces was, that they might seem to be surrounding the enemy. The pitchers were empty to conceal the torches, and made of earthenware, so as to be easily broken; and the sudden blaze of the held-up lights--the loud echo of the trumpets, and the shouts of Israel, always terrifying (Nu 23:21), and now more terrible than ever by the use of such striking words, broke…Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 7:16

• Armies
• Courage
• Miracles
• Pitcher
• Strategy
• Trumpet

In the dictionaries

• Barrel
• Dream
• Esdraelon
• Fire
• Gideon
• Harod
• Lamp
• Lap
• Midianite
• Music, Instrumental

Commentaries on Judges 7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings