Judges 7:20

Judges 7:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the jars. They held in their left hands the torches, and in their right hands the trumpets to blow. And they cried out, "A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!"
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers—they held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands for blowing—and they cried, “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!”
• New Living Translation (NLT)Then all three groups blew their horns and broke their jars. They held the blazing torches in their left hands and the horns in their right hands, and they all shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!”

Context of Judges 7:20

18When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.’ ” 19Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars that were in their hands. The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” 21While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled. 22When 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.

Judges 7:20 word by word

וַֽ֠יִּתְקְעוּ שְׁלֹ֨שֶׁת הָרָאשִׁ֥ים בַּשּֽׁוֹפָרוֹת֮ וַיִּשְׁבְּר֣וּ הַכַּדִּים֒ וַיַּחֲזִ֤יקוּ בְיַד־שְׂמאוֹלָם֙ בַּלַּפִּדִ֔ים וּבְיַ֨ד־יְמִינָ֔ם הַשּׁוֹפָר֖וֹת לִתְק֑וֹעַ וַֽיִּקְרְא֔וּ חֶ֥רֶב לַֽיהוָ֖ה וּלְגִדְעֽוֹן׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
• companiesרֹאשׁrô'sh · head: groupH7218
• blewתָּקַעtâqa‛ · to blowH8628
• the trumpetsשֹׁפָרshôphâr shôphâr · trumpetH7782
• and brakeשָׁבַרshâbar · to breakH7665
• the pitchersכַּדkad · jarH3537
• and heldחָזַקchâzaq · to strengthen: holdH2388
• the lampsלַפִּידlappîyd lappid · torchH3940
• in their leftשְׂמֹאלώemô'l ώem'ôl · leftH8040
• handsיָדyâd · handH3027
• in their rightיָמִיןyâmîyn · rightH3225
• and they criedקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call outH7121
• The swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• and of Gideonגִּדְעוֹןgid‛ôn · GideonH1439

Cross-references for Judges 7:20

• Numbers 10:1The Lord said to Moses:
• Joshua 6:4Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets.
• Isaiah 27:13And in that day a great trumpet will sound. Those who were perishing in Assyria and those who were exiled in Egypt will come and worship the Lord on the holy mountain in Jerusalem.
• 1 Corinthians 15:52in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
• 2 Corinthians 4:7But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
• Hebrews 11:4By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.
• 2 Peter 1:15And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.

Commentaries on Judges 7:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers - How astonishing must the effect be, in a dark night, of the sudden glare of three hundred torches, darting their splendor, in the same instant, on the half-awakened eyes of the terrified Midianites, accompanied with the clangour of three hundred trumpets, alternately mingled with the thundering shout of ולגדעון ליהוה חרב chereb layhovah ulegidon, "A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!" Origen, in his ninth homily…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. 17-20Surprise and trickery replaced the need for a large army. The war cry, the sudden sound of 300 trumpets, and the torches lighting up made it seem like there was a big army.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 7:20

• Armies
• Battle
• Courage
• Miracles
• Pitcher
• Strategy
• Sword
• Trumpet

In the dictionaries

• Gideon
• Dream
• Esdraelon
• Harod
• Lamp
• Lap
• Midianite
• Oreb
• Sword
• Abdon (1)

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