Judges 7
1 Gideon's army of two and thirty thousand is brought to three hundred.9 He is encouraged by the dream and interpretation of the burley cake.16 His stratagem of trumpets and lamps in pitchers.24 The Ephraimites take Oreb and Zeeb. Jerubbaal.It appears that Jerubbaal had now become the surname of Gideon. He is mentioned by Sanchoniathon, quoted by Eusebius, who lived in the reign of Ithobal, king of Tyre, and consequently a little after the time of Gideon, by the name of Jerombalus, a priest of Jeuo or Jao. 6:32rose up.Ge 22:3; Jos 3:1; 6:12; Ec 9:10Moreh.Ge 12:6 too many.1Sa 14:6; 2Ch 14:11; Zec 4:6; 12:7; 1Co 1:27-29; 2:4,5; 2Co 4:72Co 10:4,5Israel.De 32:27; Isa 2:11,17; Jer 9:23; Ro 3:27; 11:18; 1Co 1:29; Eph 2:9Jas 4:6Mine own.De 8:17; Isa 10:13; Eze 28:2,17; Da 4:30; Hab 1:16 Whosoever.De 20:8; Mt 13:21; Lu 14:25-33; Re 17:14; 21:8mount Gilead.Gideon was certainly not at mount Gilead, east of Jordan at this time; but rather near mount Gilboa, west of Jordan. Calmet thinks there must either have been two Gileads, which does not appear from Scripture to have been the case, or that the Hebrew text is corrupt, and that for Gilead we should read Gilboa. This reading, though adopted by Houbigant, is not confirmed by an MS. or version. Dr. Hales endeavours to reconcile the whole, by the supposition that in Gideon's army there were many eastern Manassites from mount Gilead, near the Midianites; and therefore proposes to read, "Whosoever from mount Gilead is fearful and afraid, let him return (home) and depart early." twenty.Mt 20:16 people.Ps 33:16I will.Ge 22:1; 1Sa 16:7; Job 23:10; Ps 7:9; 66:10; Jer 6:27-30; Mal 3:2,3 lappeth.The original word {yalok,} is precisely the sound which the dog makes in lapping. It appears that it is not unusual for the Arabs to drink water out of the palms of their hands; and, from this account, we learn that the Israelites did so occasionally. Dr. A. Clarke, in his edition of Harmer, has presented us with the following curious MS. note from Dr. Russell. "When they take water with the palms of their hands, they naturally place themselves on their hams, to be nearer the water; but when they drink from a pitcher or gourd, fresh filled, they do not sit down on purpose to drink, but drink standing, and very often put the sleeve of their shirt over the mouth of the vessel, by way of strainer, lest small leeches might have been taken up with the water. For the same reason they often prefer taking the water with the palm of the hand to lapping it from the surface." From the letters of Busbequius we learn, that the Eastern people are not in the habit of drinking standing. The 300 men, who satisfied their thirst in the most expeditious manner, by this sufficiently indicated their spirit, and alacrity to follow Gideon in his dangerous enterprise; while the rest shewed their love of ease, self-indulgence, effeminacy, and want of courage. 5 6 18-22; 1Sa 14:6; Isa 41:14-16 trumpets.3:27; Le 23:24; 25:9; Nu 10:9; Jos 6:4,20; Isa 27:13; 1Co 15:52in the valley.6:33 the same.Ge 46:2,3; Job 4:13; 33:15,16; Mt 1:20; 2:13; Ac 18:9,10; 27:23Arise.Jos 1:5-9; Isa 41:10-16; 43:1,2I have delivered.3:10,28; 4:14,15; 2Ch 16:8,9; 20:17 4:8,9; Ex 4:10-14 thou shalt.13-15; Ge 24:14; 1Sa 14:8,12thine hands.1Sa 23:16; Ezr 6:22; Ne 6:9; Isa 35:3,4; 2Co 12:9,10; Eph 3:16Eph 6:10; Php 4:13armed men. or, ranks by five.Ex 13:18; *marg: the Midianites.6:3,5,33; 1Ki 4:30grasshoppers.8:10; 2Ch 14:9-12; Ps 3:1; 33:16; 118:10-12; Isa 8:9,10 lo, a cake.3:15,31; 4:9,21; 6:15; Isa 41:14,15; 1Co 1:27 his fellow.Nu 22:38; 23:5,20; 24:10-13; Job 1:10into his hand.Ex 15:14,15; Jos 2:9,24; 5:1; 2Ki 7:6,7 interpretation thereof. Heb. breaking thereof.Ge 40:8; 41:11worshipped.Ge 24:26,27,48; Ex 4:30,31; 2Ch 20:18,19Arise.4:14; 2Co 10:4-6 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 4:7lamps. or, fire-brands, or torches. 9:48; Mt 16:24; 1Co 11:1; Heb 13:7; 1Pe 5:3 blow ye.20the sword.The word {cherev,} "sword," necessarily implied, and rightly supplied by our venerable translators from ver. 20, is found in this place, in the Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic, and in eight MSS.; and evidently appears to be genuine. 1Sa 17:47; 2Ch 20:15-17 in the beginning.Ex 14:24; Mt 25:6; 1Th 5:2; Re 16:15they blew.8brake.16; Ps 2:9; Jer 13:13,14; 19:1-11 blew.How astonishing and overwhelming must the effect be, in a dark night, of the sudden glare of 300 torches, darting their splendour in the same instant on the half-awakened eyes of the terrified Midianites; accompanied with the clangor of 300 trumpets, alternately mingled with the thundering shout of {cherav yehovah oolegidon,} "The sword of Jehovah and of Gideon!" Nu 10:1-10; Jos 6:4,16,20; Isa 27:13; 1Co 15:52; 1Th 4:16brake.2Co 4:7; Heb 11:4; 2Pe 1:15 stood.Ex 14:13,14; 2Ch 20:17; Isa 30:7,15all the host.Ex 14:25; 2Ki 7:6,7; Job 15:21,22; Pr 28:1 blew.Jos 6:4,16,20; 2Co 4:7the Lord.1Sa 14:16-20; 2Ch 20:23; Ps 83:9; Isa 9:4; 19:2in. or, toward. Zererath.Probably the same as Zartanah. 1Ki 4:12border. Heb. lip. Abelmeholah.Situated, according to Eusebius 16 miles south from Scythopolis, or Bethshan. 1Ki 4:12; 19:16Tabbath.Probably the town of [Oébéd,] mentioned by Eusebius, 13 miles from Neapolis, or Shechem, towards Scythopolis. 6:35; 1Sa 14:21,22 sent.3:27; Ro 15:30; Php 1:27take before.3:28; 12:5Beth-barah.Probably the same as Betha-bara, beyond Jordan, and at the ford where the Hebrews passed under the direction of Joshua. Joh 1:28 two princes.8:3; Ps 83:11,12rock.Jos 7:26; Isa 10:26Oreb.Eusebius and Jerome speak of a small place called Araba, three miles west from Scythopolis, which is supposed by some to have had its name from Oreb. and brought.Among ancient nations, the head of the conquered chief was usually brought to the conqueror. Thus Pompey's head was brought to Cæsar, Cicero's head to Mark Anthony, and the heads of Ahab's children to Jehu. These barbarities are seldom practised now, except among the Mahommedans, or the savages of Africa and America; and for the credit of human nature, it is to be wished that such atrocities had never been committed. on the other side.The words {maiaiver lyyarden,} may denote at the passage of Jordan, or from beyond Jordan. Gideon does not appear to have yet passed the Jordan. 8:4 Judges 8:4-10
faint.1Sa 14:28,29,31,32; 30:10; 2Co 4:8,9,16; Ga 6:9; Heb 12:1-4 Succoth.Ge 33:17; Ps 60:6loaves.Ge 14:18; De 23:4; 1Sa 25:18; 2Sa 17:28,29; 3Jo 1:6-8 5:23; Ge 25:13; 37:25,28; 1Sa 25:10,11; 1Ki 20:11; 2Ki 14:9Pr 18:23; Php 2:21 tear. Heb. thresh.16 Ge 32:30,31; 1Ki 12:25 I come.1Ki 22:27,28I will break.17 Karkor.If this were the name of a place, it is no where else mentioned. Some contend that {karkor} signifies rest; and the Vulgate renders it {requiescebant,} "rested". This seems the most likely; for it is said (ver. 11) that Gideon "smote the host: for the host was secure." children.7:12fell an hundred, etc. or, an hundred and twenty thousand,every one drawing a sword 7:22; 20:2,15,17,25,35,46; 2Ki 3:26; 2Ch 13:17; 28:6,8; Isa 37:36
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