Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 7:21
And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.
21. The three bands of Israelites stood still while the Midianites were thrown into a panic by the startling noises and the sudden lights.
ran ] The expression is somewhat weak. A slight correction, proposed by Moore and generally accepted, greatly improves the narrative, woke up.
and they shouted, and fled ] So Verss.; the subject of both verbs is the host. They shouted means sounded the alarm; see Hos 5:8, Joe 2:1, cf. Isa 15:4.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The effect to the Midianites would be, that they were surrounded by a mighty host. Their own camp being in darkness, as soon as the confusion of flight began they would mistake friends for foes, and fleers for pursuers. When once fighting had begun by the first casual mistake, the clashing of swords and the shouts of the combatants in the camp, accompanied by the continuous blowing of Gideons trumpets outside, would make it appear that the whole of the enemy was in the camp. Suspicion of treachery on the part of their allies would also be likely to arise in the minds of Midianites, Amalekites, and Arabs. Compare a similar scene in marginal references.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 21. They stood every man in his place] Each of the three companies kept its station, and continued to sound their trumpets. The Midianites seeing this, and believing that they were the trumpets of a numerous army which had then penetrated their camp, were thrown instantly into confusion; and supposing that their enemies were in the midst of them, they turned their swords against every man they met, while at the same time they endeavoured to escape for their lives. No stratagem was ever better imagined, better executed, or more completely successful.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Every man in his place; as if they had only been torchbearers to the several companies.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And they stood every man in his place around the camp,…. To see the salvation of God, and that it might most clearly appear to be his own doing; and indeed, had they gone into it, they could have done nothing; they had no weapons in their hands, a trumpet in one hand, and a lamp in the other; though this their position served to increase the terror of the enemy, who might suppose that they stood either to light and introduce a large army at the back of them; or to light the forces already in the midst of them, while they destroyed them; which latter seems rather to be the thing their imaginations were possessed with, since they fell to slaying their fellows, supposing them to be enemies, as in the following verse:
and all the host ran, and cried, and fled; or “were broken” l; as some render the first word, their lines were broken; they could not put themselves in rank and file, but were thrown into the utmost confusion; and cried as being in the utmost danger of their lives, and fled for their safety as fast, as they could; see Isa 27:13.
l “confracta”, Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(21) Ran, and cried, and fled.They ran about to discover the meaning of the trumpet-blast. Their cries were either the wail of despair (Vulg., ululantes), or a number of confused shouts and words of command (LXX., esmainan); their flight would be a natural result of the hopeless terror and confusion which prevailed. The word, however, in the Kethibh, or written text, is yansoo, which means caused to flyi.e., carried off their tents, &c.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
21. They stood They did not rush in among the Midianites, but kept their station on the outside of the camp, blowing their trumpets and leaving the enemy to fight in confusion among themselves.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And they blew the three hundred ram’s horns, and Yahweh set every man’s sword against his fellow and against all the host.’
The three hundred continued to blow as they watched the disorder revealed in the camp, by cries, and clashes of steel, and moving torches, and Yahweh fed the panic until it became a rout, with men slaughtering each other. For once the escape began the three allied forces would be intermingled and recognition would totally have gone. Every man would be seen as an enemy, and everyone thought the other was an enemy, for who was to know? Note the stress on the fact of Yahweh’s direct involvement. This was Yahweh’s doing.
“And the host fled to Bethshittah toward Zererath, as far as the border (‘lip, bank”) of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath.’
The places are unknown to us but ‘bank’ suggests either a wadi leading down to the Jordan or even the Jordan itself. Abel-meholah later became part of Solomon’s fifth district (1Ki 4:12) and was Elisha’s birthplace (1Ki 19:16). It is usually seen as sited in the Jordan valley, south of Beth-shean. Some place Zererah as south of Jabesh Gilead. So they fled towards the Jordan rift, heading for ‘home’.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jdg 7:21. They stood every man in his place round about the camp Not one of the three hundred men stirred a foot from his place, but stood still without striking a blow, as if they had been only torch-bearers to give light to the army to see their way to the camp, and to do execution. The work was the Lord’s; the stratagem had been in vain without his concurrence. He can make the meanest and most unlikely instruments subservient to the welfare of his people, and productive of the desolation of their enemies.
REFLECTIONS.We have here an account,
1. Of the manner in which Gideon made the attack upon the Midianites. His little army is divided into three companies, each of an hundred men, armed not with sword or bow, but with a trumpet in one hand, and lamps concealed in pitchers, in the other. A little past midnight they advanced, just as the watch was set, to give the speedier alarm; and the order is, to follow Gideon’s example: when lo! in an instant, the trumpets are blown, the pitchers broken, the lights blazing on every side, and they shout aloud, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon! Note; (1.) By the trumpet of the everlasting gospel, and the light held forth from the earthen vessels of faithful ministers, the powers of Satan’s kingdom are shaken. (2.) Though the work be of men, the excellency of power is of God; if Gideon has the honour to wield the sword, it is God who tempers its edge, and directs its point. (3.) If these pitchers, trumpets, and shoutings, thus dismayed the hosts of Midian, how much greater terrors will overwhelm the sleeping sinner, when startled with the midnight cry, the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God, he shall, astonished, behold the sword of justice drawn, and stand unable to escape amidst the flames of dissolving elements, before the dread tribunal of an offended God.
2. The Midianites awake affrighted, apprehending, no doubt, the army of Israel in their camp, and seized with panic fears, they cry out, and run they know not whither; but in their haste to fly, counting every one they meet a foe, each man’s sword is set against his fellow, and Gideon and his army have only to stand still, and see the great salvation of God; the few who escape, hurry on to a place of safety, as if the sword of Gideon was at their heels. Note; (1.) The wicked fleeth when no man pursueth. (2.) In violent frights the exercise of reason is, for a time, suspended, and men act in direct opposition to their own preservation. (3.) God often sets his people’s enemies at variance, and punishes them by their own hands. (4.) Though now there is hope to escape from the sword of the Lord, if we fly to Jesus, our true city of refuge; yet if the present moment be lost, in the next it may be too late.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Jdg 7:21 And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.
Ver. 21. And they stood every man in his place. ] As if they had been trumpeters and torch bearers to a formidable army at the heels of them.
And all the host ran, and cried, and fled.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
stood: Exo 14:13, Exo 14:14, 2Ch 20:17, Isa 30:7, Isa 30:15
all the host: Exo 14:25, 2Ki 7:6, 2Ki 7:7, Job 15:21, Job 15:22, Pro 28:1
Reciprocal: 1Sa 14:15 – there was trembling
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jdg 7:21-22. They stood As if they had been torch-bearers to the several companies. Every mans sword against his fellow They slew one another, because they suspected treachery, and so fell upon those they first met with; which they might more easily do, because they consisted of several nations, because the darkness of the night made them unable to distinguish friends from foes, because the suddenness of the thing struck them with horror and amazement, and because God had infatuated them, as he had done many others.