Judges 7 14

Judges 7:14 kjv

And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.

Judges 7:14 nkjv

Then his companion answered and said, "This is nothing else but the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel! Into his hand God has delivered Midian and the whole camp."

Judges 7:14 niv

His friend responded, "This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands."

Judges 7:14 esv

And his comrade answered, "This is no other than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel; God has given into his hand Midian and all the camp."

Judges 7:14 nlt

His companion answered, "Your dream can mean only one thing ? God has given Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite, victory over Midian and all its allies!"

Judges 7 verses

Judges 7 14 Meaning

Judges 7:14 records the terrified interpretation of a Midianite soldier concerning his companion's dream. The dream depicted a humble barley loaf overturning the Midianite tent, which the soldier immediately understood to symbolize the overwhelming power of Gideon's sword, not through human strength, but because the Almighty God had already decreed and delivered the entire Midianite army into Gideon's hand. This confession by the enemy demonstrates their divinely instilled fear and the certainty of God's imminent victory.

Judges 7 14 Context

Judges chapter 7 describes the crucial moment in Gideon's campaign against the Midianites, who had oppressed Israel for seven years, raiding their crops and livestock. Earlier, God had commanded Gideon to reduce his army from 32,000 to a mere 300 men, lest Israel boast that they had saved themselves by their own strength. To further encourage Gideon and provide him absolute assurance of victory, God instructed him to visit the Midianite camp with his servant Purah. While there, Gideon overheard two Midianite soldiers discussing a dream and its interpretation. Verse 13 details the dream itself—a meager barley cake tumbling down, striking a tent, and overturning it. Verse 14 is the fellow soldier's profound interpretation, signifying the crushing defeat of Midian by Gideon's hand, attributed not to Gideon's power but to God's definitive act of delivering Midian to him. This divine revelation to the enemy validates God's promises to Gideon and instilled panic in the Midianite host before any battle had even begun.

Judges 7 14 Word analysis

• And his fellow answered and said:

  • This phrase indicates an immediate and confident response. The soldier who heard the dream offers a definitive and alarming interpretation, reflecting deep insight and understanding, possibly supernaturally imparted. The Hebrew words vayyaʿan (and he answered) and vayyōʾmer (and he said) show a direct, forceful declaration.

• This is nothing else save:

  • The Hebrew ein kî ʾim conveys an emphatic certainty, a definite exclusion of any other possibility. It means "surely" or "only this and nothing more." It signifies the final and undisputed truth about the dream's meaning. This lack of ambiguity contributes to the panic of the Midianites.

• the sword of Gideon:

  • חֶרֶב (ḥerev): Hebrew for "sword." Here, it represents Gideon's fighting power and the destructive force associated with him. However, it's a metaphor for divine action working through Gideon.
  • גִּדְעוֹן (Giḏʿōn): "Gideon." His name itself means "hewer" or "feller" (of trees/opponents), which makes the dream's interpretation of a "sword" of Gideon fitting. This interpretation by an enemy soldier, acknowledging the power linked to his name, functions as a direct confirmation of God's earlier commissioning of Gideon. It speaks to God's plan being worked out even through the enemy's recognition.

• the son of Joash:

  • Identifies Gideon specifically, linking him to his father Joash. This highlights his known identity within the Israelite context and provides a clear referent for the Midianite.

• for into his hand hath God delivered Midian:

  • This is the pivotal statement. The Hebrew reads bəyāḏō nāṯan hāʾĕlōhîm Midyān.
  • נָתַן (nāṯan): Hebrew for "given" or "delivered." This verb emphasizes God's active, sovereign role in handing over the enemy. It is a divine, predetermined act, not a human achievement. The past tense of "delivered" suggests the victory is already accomplished in God's eyes and therefore inevitable.
  • הָאֱלֹהִים (hāʾĕlōhîm): "God" (with the definite article), refers to the true God. The Midianite implicitly recognizes the God of Israel as the one who has authority over the battle. This acknowledgment from an enemy combatant serves as a powerful validation of YHWH's supremacy.
  • This phrase shifts the credit entirely from human strength to divine intervention. Gideon is merely the instrument, God is the agent.

• and all the host thereof:

  • The Hebrew wəḵol maḥănēhū emphasizes the totality of the defeat. "Host" refers to the entire military camp or army. It signifies complete and utter destruction, not just a partial victory, leaving no doubt about the overwhelming nature of God's judgment against Midian.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon": This entire clause demonstrates immediate, unequivocal understanding. The interpretive power here points to divine influence, as a human interpretation alone is unlikely to be so precisely prophetic. The "sword of Gideon" acts as a symbolic representation of Gideon as God's chosen instrument.
  • "for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host thereof": This declares the theological foundation of the interpretation. It reveals the ultimate agent of victory: God. The entire Midianite army, despite its immense size, is viewed as already "delivered" by God, indicating a fixed decree and an impending, total triumph orchestrated by the Divine.

Judges 7 14 Bonus section

The significance of the dream and its interpretation coming from the enemy camp cannot be overstated. It serves as an unchallengeable, external validation of God's word to Gideon. This adds another layer to God's encouraging provision for Gideon, similar to God allowing Rahab in Jericho to declare her knowledge of YHWH's power to the Israelite spies (Josh 2:9-11). It bypasses any potential for Gideon to doubt or attribute victory to himself. This psychological warfare, instigated by God, already secured the victory before a single trumpet was blown or a jar broken. The barley cake, a food for the poor, contrasts starkly with Midian's might, prophetically highlighting that God would use what was lowly to humble the mighty.

Judges 7 14 Commentary

Judges 7:14 is a profound declaration of God's absolute sovereignty and His ability to achieve victory through unlikely means. The verse pivots the narrative from Gideon's human struggles and reliance on God's signs to the actual realization of divine fear in the enemy camp. The Midianite soldier, likely unawares of Gideon's army reduction, recognizes the dream as a direct oracle from the God who has already decided the outcome. This is a terrifying revelation for the enemy, and an immense encouragement for Gideon, as it validates God's promises directly from the mouths of those opposing Him. The "sword of Gideon" symbolizes the destructive power unleashed by God through Gideon, confirming that the impending defeat of the vast Midianite host is a foregone conclusion determined by the Almighty, not by human might. This moment transforms the fear of the Midianites into utter panic, setting the stage for their chaotic self-destruction, demonstrating that true victory belongs to God.

• Practical Usage Example: When facing overwhelming odds or daunting tasks, we are reminded that true success comes not from our strength or resources, but from God's power. Even in situations where success seems impossible by human standards, God can instil conviction in the 'enemy' and pave the way for victory. It is a call to trust in God's power, not human might.