48443 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And God did so that night,.... The night following, the night being the season in which the dew falls: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground; and this might signify, that not Gideon only, as before, should partake of the divine favour, but all the Israelites, who would share in the salvation wrought by him. Many...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO Judges 7 In this chapter we have an account of the army under Gideon gathered out of several tribes, which from 32,000 were reduced to three hundred, and we are told by what means this was done, Judges 7:1 and how he was directed to go into the host of the Midianites, where he heard one of them telling his dream to his fellow,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon,.... That being the name his father had lately given him, Judges 6:32 and all the people that were with him, rose up early; encouraged by the signs and miracles wrought, by which he was assured of success; he was eager to be about his work, and therefore rose early in the morning, and got his army together, and...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
This chapter presents us with Gideon in the field, commanding the army of Israel, and routing the army of the Midianites, for which great exploit we found in the former chapter how he was prepared by his converse with God and his conquest of Baal. We are here told, I. What direction God gave to Gideon for the modelling of his army, by which it was...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the Lord said unto Gideon, the people that are with thee are too many,.... It appears, by what follows, that there were 32,000 of them, which was but a small army to engage with one of 100,000 more than they; for such was the army of the Midianites and their associates, see Judges 8:10 but the people were too many, says the Lord, for me to...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people,.... Such a proclamation as follows, was, according to the law of God, to be made when Israel went out to battle against their enemies, Deuteronomy 20:8; though it looks as if Gideon would not have made such proclamation, had he not been directed to it by the Lord, his army being so small in...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the Lord said to Gideon, the people are yet too many,.... Though they were but just the number that Barak had with him, when he attacked Sisera's army and got the victory, which yet was ascribed to God, whose hand was manifestly seen in it; but as these might be supposed to be able men of valour that remained, they were too many for God to...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
So he brought them down to the water,....] His whole army of 10,000 men: and the Lord said unto Gideon, everyone that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shall thou set by himself; this has led some, as particularly Grotius, to think of the Egyptian dogs; of whom Aelianus relates (b), that they do not drink at once freely,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth,.... That is, that took up water in the hollow of their hands, which they lifted up to their mouths, and so lapped it, as the Egyptians about the Nile are said (d) to do, who drank not out of pots and cups, but used their hands to drink with: were three hundred men; only such a...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the Lord said unto Gideon, by the three hundred men that lapped I will save and deliver the Midianites into thine hand,.... It is hard to say what character this action of the three hundred is expressive of, whether of weakness or of courage. Some think that those who drank upon their knees were faint and weary, and men of intemperance, and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
So the people took victuals in their hands and their trumpets,.... That is, the three hundred took victuals of those that departed, as much as was necessary for them, and also their trumpets, being directed thereunto by Gideon, no doubt; perhaps they took all the trumpets they had; however, as many as would furnish every man with one. And from...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And it came to pass the same night that the Lord said to him,.... The night after there had been so great a reduction of his army, from 32,000 to three hundred: arise, get thee down unto the host, for I have delivered it into thine hands; that is, go down from the hill where he and his little army were, to the valley of Jezreel, where lay the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But if thou fear to go down,.... With his little army, to attack a numerous host in the night, then he is directed to take this step first: go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host; in a private manner; perhaps this man was his aid-de-camp, or however a trusty servant in whom he could confide, as well as valiant: more it was not proper to...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And thou shalt hear what they shall say,.... The Midianites, or what shall be said by any of them; for though it was the night season, and so not a time for much conversation, as it may be supposed to be the dead of the night; yet something would be said and heard, which is a clear proof of the prescience of God respecting future contingent...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the Midianites and the Amalekites, and the children of the east,.... The Arabians, who with the Amalekites joined the Midianites in this expedition: lay along in the valley in the valley of Jezreel, in their tents, which overspread the valley, or at least great part of it: like grasshoppers for multitude; or locusts, which usually come in...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And when Gideon was come,.... With his servant, near and within hearing the talk and conversation of the outer guards or sentinels: there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow; his comrade that stood next him, and was upon guard with him; perhaps it was a dream he had dreamed the night before or this selfsame night, being just called up to...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And his fellow answered and said,.... As the dream was no doubt from God, so the interpretation of it was; it was he that put into the mind of the soldier's comrade to whom he told it to interpret it as follows; or otherwise in all likelihood he would never have thought of it: this is nothing else save the sword of Gideon, the son of Joash, a man...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof,.... Or, "the breaking of it" (g); the dream itself being like something closed up and sealed, and the interpretation of it was like the breaking of a seal, and discovering what is hid under it; or like a nut, the kernel of which cannot be come at till the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he divided the three hundred men into three companies,.... One hundred in a company, partly to make the better figure, a show of an army, with a right and left wing, and partly that they might fall upon the camp of Midian in different parts: and he put a trumpet in every man's hand; they that returned of the trumpeters having left their...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he said unto them, look on me, and do likewise,.... Observe what I do, and do the same, in blowing a trumpet, breaking a pitcher, and shouting with the words expressed by him: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp; where the sentinels stood, and the watch was set: it shall be, that as I do, so shall ye do; and not before; a...