Judges 7 19

Judges 7:19 kjv

So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands.

Judges 7:19 nkjv

So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outpost of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just as they had posted the watch; and they blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers that were in their hands.

Judges 7:19 niv

Gideon 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.

Judges 7:19 esv

So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, when they had just set the watch. And they blew the trumpets and smashed the jars that were in their hands.

Judges 7:19 nlt

It was just after midnight, after the changing of the guard, when Gideon and the 100 men with him reached the edge of the Midianite camp. Suddenly, they blew the rams' horns and broke their clay jars.

Judges 7 verses

Judges 7 19 Meaning

Judges 7:19 describes the precise moment and actions that initiated Gideon's decisive attack against the Midianite camp. Gideon and his chosen force of 300 men, divided into three companies of one hundred, arrived at the perimeter of the vast enemy encampment at a meticulously chosen time: the "beginning of the middle watch." This was a period when the camp was at its least vigilant due to deep sleep and the transition of guards. Upon arrival, the men simultaneously executed two key commands: they blew their shofars (trumpets) and shattered the earthen jars they carried, revealing the torches hidden within. This combined act created an overwhelming sensory assault of sudden, loud noise and bright, unexpected light, plunging the unsuspecting Midianite army into panic and disarray.

Judges 7 19 Context

Judges chapter 7 details God's pruning of Gideon's army from 32,000 to a mere 300 men, demonstrating that victory comes solely from the Lord, not from human might or numbers (Judg 7:2-7). This drastic reduction serves as the immediate backdrop to verse 19. Gideon, empowered by the Spirit and confirmed by God through a dream interpretation (Judg 7:9-15), organizes his small force into three companies, equipping each man not with a sword, but with a shofar and a torch concealed within an empty clay jar. Judges 7:19 specifically describes the simultaneous execution of this divinely inspired strategy by one of these companies (led by Gideon himself) at the precise moment that maximized its psychological impact on the Midianite camp. Historically, this event took place during a period of severe Midianite oppression over Israel, approximately 11th-12th century BC, following the conquest of Canaan and before the monarchy. The Midianite and Amalekite forces, along with "the sons of the East," were so numerous that they covered the valley like locusts (Judg 6:5, 7:12). Gideon's unusual warfare tactic stood in stark contrast to conventional military engagement, underscoring Israel's utter reliance on God for deliverance rather than a direct military confrontation of strengths.

Judges 7 19 Word analysis

• So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him: This highlights Gideon's leadership of one of the three designated companies of 100 men each, a direct result of God's earlier reduction of his army to ensure God received all credit for the victory. It sets the scene by identifying the active party.
• came to the outskirt of the camp: Hebrew: `qetseh ham-maḥaneh` (קְצֵה הַמַּחֲנֶה). `qetseh` means "edge," "extremity." This signifies approaching the camp's boundary, indicating a precise and close positioning crucial for the effectiveness of the strategy, ensuring that the sound and light would immediately permeate the sleeping encampment.
• at the beginning of the middle watch: Hebrew: `bir'ōsh ha'ashmōret hat-tîkōnāh` (בִּרְאשׁ הָאַשְׁמֹרֶת הַתִּיכוֹנָה).
  • `re'sh` (ראשׁ) means "head" or "beginning," emphasizing the initial phase.
  • `ashmōret` (אַשְׁמֹרֶת) refers to a "night watch," a division of the night. Ancient Israel often divided the night into three watches (evening, middle, morning), approximately 6 PM-10 PM, 10 PM-2 AM, and 2 AM-6 AM respectively.
  • `tîkōnāh` (תִּיכוֹנָה) means "middle."
  • This timing was exquisitely strategic: it was generally considered the period of deepest sleep, when guards might be at their least alert and a sudden awakening would cause maximum disorientation and terror among the enemy.
• when they had just set the watch: Hebrew: `haqem shomerim` (הָקֵם שֹׁמְרִים). `haqem` (Hiphal of `qum`) implies causing to stand or establish, and `shomerim` means "guards" or "watchmen." This signifies a moment of transition—the new shift of guards had just been put in place. At such a juncture, vigilance could be at its lowest point, with incoming guards settling and outgoing ones leaving, making the camp momentarily more vulnerable and unprepared for sudden chaos.
• and they blew the trumpets: Hebrew: `vay-yitq'ū ba-shōfarōt` (וַיִּתְקְעוּ בַּשּׁוֹפָרוֹת).
  • `taqa'` (תקע) describes a forceful, sharp action, such as driving or thrusting, implying a loud and decisive blowing.
  • `shōfarōt` (שׁוֹפָרוֹת) refers to shofars or rams' horns, used as ancient battle instruments for signaling, alarm, or declaration. The simultaneous blowing of 300 shofars would have created an incredibly sudden, piercing, and deafening sound that would reverberate through the sleeping camp, evoking immediate terror.
• and smashed the jars that were in their hands: Hebrew: `vay-yishberū hak-kaddim 'asher b'yādām` (וַיִּשְׁבְּרוּ הַכַּדִּים אֲשֶׁר בְּיָדָם).
  • `shavar` (שבר) means "to break" or "shatter." The jars were common earthen or clay pitchers used to conceal torches. The synchronized shattering of 300 ceramic jars would have added another layer of jarring noise to the shofar blasts.
  • `kaddim` (כַּדִּים) are ceramic jars or pitchers. Hidden within these fragile vessels were torches (Judg 7:16). The breaking of the jars instantly revealed hundreds of flickering lights, suddenly dispelling the darkness and creating an optical illusion of a vast army, amplifying the sense of surprise and panic.

Judges 7 19 Bonus section

The strategic genius of Judges 7:19 lies not only in the specific actions but in their synchronicity and psychological impact. The Midianite forces, vast and presumably confident, were likely settled into a routine that made them vulnerable to the unexpected. The sudden, chaotic assault bypassed a physical confrontation, turning the enemy's numbers against themselves as panic led to friendly fire. The combination of intense sound and sudden light from 300 individual points, coupled with a terrifying shout ("A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!"), simulated a massive, invisible force, amplifying their terror. This event profoundly influenced the concept of relying on God's chosen methods, however unusual, over human might. The Midianites, who trusted in their numerous camels and men, were undone by something as simple as jars, shofars, and torches—tools of light and sound—not weapons of war, profoundly illustrating God's power over human pride.

Judges 7 19 Commentary

Judges 7:19 encapsulates the climax of God's unconventional warfare strategy. It reveals the deliberate, precise, and psychologically devastating nature of the attack orchestrated by divine wisdom. The choice of the "beginning of the middle watch" indicates a masterstroke of timing, exploiting the enemy's deepest state of slumber and the potential vulnerability of a guard change. The actions—the sudden, deafening sound of 300 shofars and 300 smashing jars combined with the abrupt appearance of 300 lights from darkness—were not random. They constituted a powerful sensory overload, designed to generate overwhelming confusion, fear, and internal chaos among the vastly superior Midianite forces. This method of victory completely bypasses traditional military strength and tactical engagement, emphasizing God's omnipotence and faithfulness to deliver His people. It demonstrates that divine power often works through means that seem utterly inadequate or foolish by human standards, ensuring that all glory redounds to Him alone. The fragile jars holding light metaphorically foreshadow believers as "jars of clay" carrying the divine light of Christ, whose "breaking" or vulnerability allows God's glory and power to be revealed through them (2 Cor 4:7). The outcome highlights that obedience to God's peculiar instructions, however illogical they may appear, brings supernatural results.