New English Translation
Judges 7:13
13When Gideon arrived, he heard a man telling another man about a dream he had. The man said, “Look! I had a dream. I saw a stale cake of barley bread rolling into the Midianite camp. It hit a tent so hard it knocked it over and turned it upside down. The tent just collapsed.”
Judges 7:13 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. “I had a dream,” he was saying. “A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)When Gideon came, behold, a man was telling a dream to his comrade. And he said, "Behold, I dreamed a dream, and behold, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian and came to the tent and struck it so that it fell and turned it upside down, so that the tent lay flat."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And when Gideon had come, there was a man telling a dream to his companion. He said, “I have had a dream: To my surprise, a loaf of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian; it came to a tent and struck it so that it fell and overturned, and the tent collapsed.”
Context of Judges 7:13
11and listen to what they are saying. Then you will be brave and attack the camp.” So he went down with Purah his servant to where the sentries were guarding the camp. 12Now the Midianites, Amalekites, and the people from the east covered the valley like a swarm of locusts. Their camels could not be counted; they were as innumerable as the sand on the seashore. When Gideon arrived, he heard a man telling another man about a dream he had. The man said, “Look! I had a dream. I saw a stale cake of barley bread rolling into the Midianite camp. It hit a tent so hard it knocked it over and turned it upside down. The tent just collapsed.” 14The other man said, “Without a doubt this symbolizes the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God is handing Midian and all the army over to him.” 15When Gideon heard the report of the dream and its interpretation, he praised God. Then he went back to the Israelite camp and said, “Get up, for the Lord is handing the Midianite army over to you!”
Read all of Judges 7Judges 7:13 word by word
וַיָּבֹ֣א גִדְע֔וֹן וְהִ֨נֵּה־אִ֔ישׁ מְסַפֵּ֥ר לְרֵעֵ֖הוּ חֲל֑וֹם וַיֹּ֜אמֶר הִנֵּ֧ה חֲל֣וֹם חָלַ֗מְתִּי וְהִנֵּ֨ה צְלִ֜יל לֶ֤חֶם שְׂעֹרִים֙ מִתְהַפֵּךְ֙ בְּמַחֲנֵ֣ה מִדְיָ֔ן וַיָּבֹ֣א עַד־הָ֠אֹהֶל וַיַּכֵּ֧הוּ וַיִּפֹּ֛ל וַיַּהַפְכֵ֥הוּ לְמַ֖עְלָה וְנָפַ֥ל הָאֹֽהֶל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And when Gideonגִּדְעוֹןgid‛ôn · GideonH1439
- was comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- that toldסָפַרsâphar · to recountH5608
- a dreamחֲלוֹםchălôm chălôm · dreamH2472
- unto his fellowרֵעַrêa‛ rêya‛ · neighborH7453
- and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Behold, I dreamedחָלַםchâlam · to dreamH2492
- and, lo, a cakeצְלִילtselûl · cakeH6742
- of barleyשְׂעֹרָהώe‛ôrâh ώe‛ôrâh ώe‛ôr ώe‛ôr · barleyH8184
- breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
- tumbledהָפַךְhâphak · to overturnH2015
- into the hostמַחֲנֶהmachăneh · campH4264
- of Midianמִדְיָןmidyân · MidianH4080
- unto a tentאֹ֫הֶל'ôhel · tentH168
- and smoteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- it that it fellנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
- and overturnedמַ֫עַלma‛al · aboveH4605
Cross-references for Judges 7:13
- Judges 3:15When the Israelites cried out for help to the Lord, he raised up a deliverer for them. His name was Ehud son of Gera the Benjaminite, a left-handed man. The Israelites sent him to King Eglon of Moab with their tribute payment.
- Judges 4:9She said, “I will indeed go with you. But you will not gain fame on the expedition you are undertaking, for the Lord will turn Sisera over to a woman.” Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh.
- Judges 6:15Gideon said to him, “But Lord, how can I deliver Israel? Just look! My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my family.”
- Isaiah 41:14Don’t be afraid, despised insignificant Jacob, men of Israel. I am helping you,” says the Lord, your protector, the Holy One of Israel.
- 1 Corinthians 1:27But God chose what the world thinks foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks weak to shame the strong.
Commentaries on Judges 7:13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13Told a dream - Both the dream and the interpretation were inspired by God for the purpose of increasing the confidence of Gideon, and appalling his enemies.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13A cake of barley bread - i. e. such a cake as could hardly be eaten by men, it was so vile: a term expressive of the contempt of the Midianites for the people of Israel. A tent - The tent, meaning, probably, the tent of the king of Midian, or of the captain of the host.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-15Verses 9-15 The dream seemed to have little meaning in it; but the interpretation evidently proved the whole to be from the Lord, and discovered that the name of Gideon had filled the Midianites with terror. Gideon took this as a sure pledge of success; without delay he worshipped and praised God, and returned with confidence to his three hundred men. Wherever we are, we may speak to God, and worship him. God must have the praise of that which encourages…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13-14People in Egypt and Babylonia often talked about dreams and their meanings. The Old Testament says God inspires dreams, and they are best understood through his guidance (see Genesis 41:15–16, 25; Daniel 2:28). The message of this dream is clear: Gideon's group, symbolized by a round loaf of barley bread, would roll down and defeat the Midianite camp.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian--This was a characteristic and very expressive dream for an Arab in the circumstances. The rolling down the hill, striking against the tents, and overturning them, naturally enough connected it in his mind with the position and meditated attack of the Israelitish leader. The circumstance of the cake, too, was very significant. Barley was usually the food of the poor…Read the comment
Topics related to Judges 7:13
In the dictionaries
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
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