Judges 7 · Verse 12

Judges 7:12

And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude.
Judges 7:12, King James Version

Judges 7:12 in other translations

BSBNow the Midianites, Amalekites, and all the other people of the east had settled in the valley like a swarm of locusts, and their camels were as countless as the sand on the seashore.
WEBThe Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like locusts for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand which is on the seashore for multitude.
ASVAnd the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like locusts for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand which is upon the sea-shore for multitude.
YLTand Midian and Amalek, and all the sons of the east are lying in the valley, as the locust for multitude, and of their camels there is no number, as sand which is on the sea-shore for multitude.
DARBYAnd Midian and Amalek and all the children of the east lay along in the valley as locusts for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand upon the sea-shore for multitude.
BBENow the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the people of the east were covering the valley like locusts; and their camels were like the sand by the seaside, without number.
WebsterAnd the Midianites, and the Amalekites, and all the children of the east, lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude.

What does Judges 7:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
12. the Midianites and the Amalekites ... lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number--a most graphic description of an Arab encampment. They lay wrapt in sleep, or resting from their day's plunder, while their innumerable camels were stretched round about them.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Judges 7:9-15

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…

Read the full comment on Judges 7:9-15 →

Judges 7:12 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וּמִדְיָ֨ןu.mid.Yanand MidianH4080
וַעֲמָלֵ֤קva.'a.ma.Lekand AmalekH6002
וְכָל\־ve.kholand allH3605
בְּנֵי\־be.nei-[the] people ofH1121
קֶ֙דֶם֙ke.dem[the] eastH6924
נֹפְלִ֣יםno.fe.Lim[were] lyingH5307
בָּעֵ֔מֶקba.'E.mekin the valleyH6010
כָּאַרְבֶּ֖הka.'ar.Behlike <the> locust[s]H697
לָרֹ֑בla.Rofor multitudeH7230
וְלִגְמַלֵּיהֶם֙ve.lig.ma.lei.Hemand [belonged] to camels theirH1581
אֵ֣ין'einnotH369
מִסְפָּ֔רmis.ParnumberH4557
כַּח֛וֹלka.Chollike the sandH2344
שֶׁעַל\־she.'al-that [is] onH5921
שְׂפַ֥תse.Fat[the] shore ofH8193
הַיָּ֖םhai.Yamthe seaH3220
לָרֹֽב\׃la.Rofor multitudeH7230

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Judges 7:12

  • Judges 6:5

    For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it.

  • Judges 8:10

    Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.

  • Judges 6:3

    And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them;

  • Isaiah 8:9-10

    Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces. Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.

  • Joshua 11:4

    And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many.

  • Psalms 3:1

    A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son. Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me.

  • Psalms 33:16

    There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.

  • Psalms 118:10-12

    All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the Lord will I destroy them. They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about: but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them. They compassed me about like bees; they are quenched as the fire of thorns: for in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.

  • 2 Chronicles 14:9-12

    And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto Mareshah. Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. And Asa cried unto the Lord his God, and said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O Lord our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O Lord, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee. So the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled.

  • Judges 6:33

    Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel.

  • 1 Kings 4:30

    And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the Midianites.
6:3,5,33; 1Ki 4:30
grasshoppers.
8:10; 2Ch 14:9-12; Ps 3:1; 33:16; 118:10-12; Isa 8:9,10

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Judges 7:11

    And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host.

  • Judges 7:12

    And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude.

  • Judges 7:13

    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.

Read all of Judges 7

Judges 7:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y Madián, y Amalec, y todos los orientales, estaban tendidos en el valle como langostas en muchedumbre, y sus camellos eran innumerables, como la arena que está á la ribera de la mar en multitud.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et Madian et Amalek et tous les fils de l’orient s’étendaient dans la vallée, nombreux comme des sauterelles; et leurs chameaux étaient sans nombre, en multitude comme le sable qui est sur le bord de la mer.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und Midian und Amalek und alle Söhne des Ostens lagen im Tale, wie die Heuschrecken an Menge; und ihrer Kamele war keine Zahl, wie der Sand, der am Ufer des Meeres ist, an Menge.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Madian autem et Amalec, et omnes orientales populi, fusi jacebant in valle, ut locustarum multitudo: cameli quoque innumerabiles erant, sicut arena quæ jacet in littore maris.