Judges 7:16
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.
Judges 7:16 in other translations
| BSB | And he divided the three hundred men into three companies and gave each man a ram’s horn in one hand and a large jar in the other, containing a torch. |
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| WEB | He divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put into the hands of all of them trumpets and empty pitchers, with torches within the pitchers. |
| ASV | And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put into the hands of all of them trumpets, and empty pitchers, with torches within the pitchers. |
| YLT | And he divideth the three hundred men into three detachments, and putteth trumpets into the hand of all of them, and empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers. |
| DARBY | And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, and empty pitchers, and torches within the pitchers. |
| BBE | Then separating the three hundred men into three bands, he gave every man a horn, and a vessel in which was a flaming branch. |
| Webster | 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. |
What does Judges 7:16 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Judges 7:16-22
Jud 7:16-24. His Stratagem against Midian.
16-22. 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 through the stillness of the midnight air. The sleepers started from their rest; not a blow was dealt by the Israelites; but the enemy ran tumultuously, uttering the wild, discordant cries peculiar to the Arab race. They fought indiscriminately, not knowing friend from foe. The panic being universal, they soon precipitately fled, directing their flight down to the Jordan, by the foot of the mountains of Ephraim, to places known as the "house of the acacia" [Beth-shittah], and "the meadow of the dance" [Abel-meholah].Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 16 He 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 pool Siloam.
Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Judges 7:16-22
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 the power might be of God only. The gospel is a sword, not in the hand, but in the mouth: the sword of the Lord and of Gideon; of God and Jesus Christ, of Him that sits on the throne and the Lamb. The wicked are often led to avenge the cause of God upon each other, under the power of their delusions, and the fury of their passions. See also how God often makes the enemies of the church instruments to destroy one another; it is a pity that the church's friends should ever act like them.
Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain
Judges 7:16 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.
Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for Judges 7:16
- 2 Corinthians 4:7
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
three companies.This small number of men, thus divided, would be able to
encompass the whole camp of the Midianites. Concealing the
lamps in the pitchers, they would pass unobserved to their
appointed stations; then, in the dead of the night, when most
of the enemy were fast asleep, all at once breaking their
pitchers one against another, with as much noise as they
could, and blowing the trumpets and shouting; they would
occasion an exceedingly great alarm. The obedience of faith
alone could have induced such an expedient, which no doubt God
directed Gideon to employ.--Scott.
a trumpet. Heb. trumpets in the hand of all of them. empty.
2Co 4:7
lamps. or, fire-brands, or torches.
a trumpet. Heb. trumpets in the hand of all of them. empty.
2Co 4:7
lamps. or, fire-brands, or torches.
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain
Context
- Judges 7:15
And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.
- Judges 7:16
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.
- Judges 7:17
And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do.
Judges 7:16 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Y repartiendo los trescientos hombres en tres escuadrones, dió á cada uno de ellos bocinas en sus manos, y cántaros vacíos con teas ardiendo dentro de los cántaros. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Et il divisa les 300 hommes en trois corps, et il leur mit à tous des trompettes à la main, et des cruches vides, et des torches dans les cruches. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Und er teilte die dreihundert Mann in drei Haufen und gab ihnen allen Posaunen in die Hand und leere Krüge, und Fackeln in die Krüge. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Divisitque trecentos viros in tres partes, et dedit tubas in manibus eorum, lagenasque vacuas, ac lampades in medio lagenarum. |