Judges 7:3

Judges 7:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.
• New International Version (NIV)Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’ ” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, 'Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home and hurry away from Mount Gilead.'" Then 22,000 of the people returned, and 10,000 remained.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now therefore, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and afraid, let him turn and depart at once from Mount Gilead.’ ” And twenty-two thousand of the people returned, and ten thousand remained.

Context of Judges 7:3

1Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the troops with him got up early and camped above En Harod. Midian’s camp was north of him at the hill of Moreh in the valley. 2The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men with you for me to hand Midian over to you. Israel might brag and say, ‘We saved ourselves.’ Announce to the troops, ‘Whoever is scared or frightened should leave Mount Gilead and go back home.’ ” So 22,000 men went back home, and 10,000 were left. 4The Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. If I say to you, ‘This one will go with you,’ he must go with you. And if I say to you, ‘This one won’t go with you,’ he must not go.” 5So Gideon took the men down to the water. The Lord said to him, “Separate those who lap water with their tongues like dogs from those who kneel down to drink.”

Judges 7:3 word by word

וְעַתָּ֗ה קְרָ֨א נָ֜א בְּאָזְנֵ֤י הָעָם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר מִֽי־יָרֵ֣א וְחָרֵ֔ד יָשֹׁ֥ב וְיִצְפֹּ֖ר מֵהַ֣ר הַגִּלְעָ֑ד וַיָּ֣שָׁב מִן־הָעָ֗ם עֶשְׂרִ֤ים וּשְׁנַ֙יִם֙ אֶ֔לֶף וַעֲשֶׂ֥רֶת אֲלָפִ֖ים נִשְׁאָֽרוּ׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Now therefore go toנָאnâ' · pleaseH4994
• proclaimקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call outH7121
• in the earsאֹ֫זֶן'ôzen · ear: to earsH241
• of the peopleעַם‛am · people: soldiersH5971
• sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• fearfulיָרֵאyârê' · afraidH3373
• and afraidחָרֵדchârêd · tremblingH2730
• let him returnשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• and depart earlyצָפַרtsâphar · to departH6852
• from mountהַרhar · mountain: mountH2022
• Gileadגִּלְעָדgil‛âd · (Mount) GileadH1568
• twentyעֶשְׂרִים‛eώrîym · twentyH6242
• and twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
• thousandאֶ֫לֶף'eleph · thousandH505
• and there remainedשָׁאַרshâ'ar · to remainH7604
• tenעֶשֶׂר‛eώer ‛ăώârâh · tenH6235

Cross-references for Judges 7:3

• Deuteronomy 20:8The officers should also tell the troops, “If you are afraid or have lost your courage, you may go home. Then you won’t ruin the morale of the other Israelites.”
• Matthew 13:21Since he doesn’t have any root, he lasts only a little while. When suffering or persecution comes along because of the word, he immediately falls ⌞from faith⌟.
• Luke 14:25Large crowds were traveling with Jesus. He turned to them and said,
• Revelation 17:14They will go to war against the lamb. The lamb will conquer them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings. Those who are called, chosen, and faithful are with him.”
• Revelation 21:8But cowardly, unfaithful, and detestable people, murderers, sexual sinners, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars will find themselves in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
• Matthew 20:16“In this way the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

Commentaries on Judges 7:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return - from Mount Gilead - Gideon was certainly not at Mount Gilead at this time, but rather near Mount Gilboa. Gilead was on the other side of Jordan. Calmet thinks there must either have been two Gileads, which does not from the Scripture appear to be the case, or that the Hebrew text is here corrupted, and that for Gilead we should read Gilboa. This reading, though adopted by Houbigant, is not countenanced by…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3The proclamation was in accordance with the Law (see the marginal reference). No mountain of the name of Gilead is known in this locality, and it has been conjectured that the right reading is Gilboa. Others think that this may be a form of proclamation customary in Manasseh.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3The first reduction identified those who were initially enthusiastic but later reconsidered.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. Now therefore ..., proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful ... let him return--This proclamation was in terms of an established law (De 20:8).Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 7:3

• Armies
• Cowardice
• Gilead
• Soldiers

In the dictionaries

• Gilead
• Dream
• Esdraelon
• Gideon
• Harod
• Lap
• Midianite
• Moreh, the Hill of
• Abdon (1)
• Deuteronomy

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