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Sunday, September 14th, 2025
the Week of Proper 19 / Ordinary 24
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Read the Bible

Green's Literal Translation

Judges 7:16

And he divided the three hundred men into three companies. And he put a ram's horn in the hand of all of them, and empty jars, and torches inside the jars.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Armies;   Courage;   Miracles;   Pitcher;   Strategy;   Trumpet;   Thompson Chain Reference - Bible Stories for Children;   Children;   Gideon;   Home;   Jerubbaal;   Pitchers;   Pleasant Sunday Afternoons;   Religion;   Stories for Children;   Strategy;   Torches;   War;   War-Peace;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Armies of Israel, the;   Lamps;   Midianites;   Miracles Wrought through Servants of God;   Trumpet;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Miracle;   Potter;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Gideon;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Barrel;   Esdraelon;   Fire;   Lamp;   Music, Instrumental;   Pitcher;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Army;   Lamp;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Judges, Book of;   Lamps, Lighting, Lampstand;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Lamp;   Levi;   Midian, Mtdianites;   Number;   Ophrah;   War;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Pitcher ;   Torch;   Waterpot ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Jerubbaal;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Armageddon;   Gideon;   Harod;   Midian;   War;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Lamp;   Pitcher;   War;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Lamp;   Pitcher;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Trumpet;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Reign of the Judges;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Army;   Company;   Firebrand;   Number;   Pitcher;   Potter;   Torch;   War;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then he divided the three hundred men into three companies and gave each of the men a trumpet in one hand and an empty pitcher with a torch inside it in the other hand.
Hebrew Names Version
He divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put into the hands of all of them trumpets, and empty pitchers, with torches within the pitchers.
King James Version
And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.
Lexham English Bible
He divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put trumpets and empty jars in everyone's hand, with torches inside the jars.
English Standard Version
And he divided the 300 men into three companies and put trumpets into the hands of all of them and empty jars, with torches inside the jars.
New Century Version
Gideon divided the three hundred men into three groups. He gave each man a trumpet and an empty jar with a burning torch inside.
New English Translation
He divided the three hundred men into three units. He gave them all trumpets and empty jars with torches inside them.
Amplified Bible
He divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put trumpets and empty pitchers into the hands of all of them, with torches inside the pitchers.
New American Standard Bible
And he divided the three hundred men into three units, and he put trumpets and empty pitchers into the hands of all of them, with torches inside the pitchers.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And hee deuided the three hundreth men into three bandes, and gaue euery man a trumpet in his hande with emptie pitchers, and lampes within the pitchers.
Legacy Standard Bible
These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; and their mouth speaks arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of their own benefit.
Contemporary English Version
Gideon divided his little army into three groups of one hundred men, and he gave each soldier a trumpet and a large clay jar with a burning torch inside.
Complete Jewish Bible
He divided the three hundred men into three companies. He put in the hands of all of them shofars and empty pitchers with torches in them.
Darby Translation
And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, and empty pitchers, and torches within the pitchers.
Easy-to-Read Version
Then Gideon divided the 300 men into three groups. He gave each man a trumpet and an empty jar with a burning torch inside it.
George Lamsa Translation
And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every mans hand, with empty pitchers, and torches inside the pitchers.
Good News Translation
He divided his three hundred men into three groups and gave each man a trumpet and a jar with a torch inside it.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And he deuyded the thre hundreth men in to thre partes, and gaue euery one a trompet in his hande, and emptye pytchers, and lampes therin,
American Standard Version
And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put into the hands of all of them trumpets, and empty pitchers, with torches within the pitchers.
Bible in Basic English
Then separating the three hundred men into three bands, he gave every man a horn, and a vessel in which was a flaming branch.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he deuided the three hundred men into three companies, and gaue euery man a trumpet in his hande, with emptie pytchers, and lampes therin.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put into the hands of all of them horns, and empty pitchers, with torches within the pitchers.
King James Version (1611)
And he diuided the three hundred men into three companies, and hee put a trumpet in euery mans hand, with empty pitchers, and lampes within the pitchers,
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and put horns in the hands of all, and empty pitchers, and torches in the pitchers:
English Revised Version
And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put into the hands of all of them trumpets, and empty pitchers, with torches within the pitchers.
Berean Standard Bible
And he divided the three hundred men into three companies and gave each man a trumpet in one hand and a large jar in the other, containing a torch.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he departide thre hundrid men in to thre partis, and he yaf trumpis in her hondis, and voyde pottis, and laumpis in the myddis of the pottis.
Young's Literal Translation
And he divideth the three hundred men [into] three detachments, and putteth trumpets into the hand of all of them, and empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.
Update Bible Version
And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put into the hands of all of them trumpets, and empty pitchers, with torches inside the pitchers.
Webster's Bible Translation
And he divided the three hundred men [into] three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.
World English Bible
He divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put into the hands of all of them trumpets, and empty pitchers, with torches within the pitchers.
New King James Version
Then he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet into every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and torches inside the pitchers.
New Living Translation
He divided the 300 men into three groups and gave each man a ram's horn and a clay jar with a torch in it.
New Life Bible
He divided the 300 men into three groups. He gave horns and empty pots with fire sticks inside to each of them.
New Revised Standard
After he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and put trumpets into the hands of all of them, and empty jars, with torches inside the jars,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And he divided the three hundred men, into three companies, - and put horns into the hands of them all, with empty pitchers, and torches inside the pitchers.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he divided the three hundred men into three parts, and gave them trumpets in their hands, and empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.
Revised Standard Version
And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and put trumpets into the hands of all of them and empty jars, with torches inside the jars.
THE MESSAGE
He divided the three hundred men into three companies. He gave each man a trumpet and an empty jar, with a torch in the jar. He said, "Watch me and do what I do. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly what I do. When I and those with me blow the trumpets, you also, all around the camp, blow your trumpets and shout, ‘For God and for Gideon!'"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
He divided the 300 men into three companies, and he put trumpets and empty pitchers into the hands of all of them, with torches inside the pitchers.

Contextual Overview

16 And he divided the three hundred men into three companies. And he put a ram's horn in the hand of all of them, and empty jars, and torches inside the jars. 17 And he said to them, Look at me, and do this; even behold, I am coming to the edge of the camp. And it shall be, as I do, so you shall do. 18 And I shall blow with a ram's horn, I and all who are with me. And you shall blow with the ram's horns, you also all around the camp, and shall shout, For Jehovah and for Gideon! 19 And Gideon came, and the hundred men with him, to the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch. Only newly rising up they had made rise the watching ones . And they blew with the ram's horns, and shattered the jars in their hand. 20 And the three companies blew with their ram's horns, and broke the jars, and held the torches in their left hand; and in their right hand the ram's horns, and they cried out, A sword for Jehovah and for Gideon! 21 And they each one stood in his place, all around the army. And all the army ran, and they shouted, and they fled. 22 And the three hundred blew the ram's horns, and Jehovah set a man's sword against his companion even in all the army. And the army fled to Beth-shittah, at Zererath, to the border of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

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: 2 Corinthians 4:7

lamps: or, fire-brands, or torches

Reciprocal: Numbers 10:9 - oppresseth Judges 7:19 - brake Judges 15:15 - slew 1 Samuel 11:11 - in three 1 Samuel 17:40 - staff 2 Samuel 18:2 - a third part 1 Kings 20:14 - young men 1 Kings 20:15 - two hundred 1 Corinthians 14:8 - General

Cross-References

Genesis 7:1
And Jehovah said to Noah, You and all your house come into the ark, for I have seen you righteous before Me in this generation.
Genesis 7:2
You shall take to yourself from every clean animal by sevens, male and female, and from the animal that is not clean by two, male and female.
Genesis 7:3
And take of the fowl of the heavens by sevens, male and female, to keep alive seed on the face of the earth.
Genesis 7:4
For after seven more days I will cause it to rain on the earth forty days and forty nights and will wipe away every living substance that I have made from off the face of the earth.
Genesis 7:5
And Noah did according to all that Jehovah commanded him.
Genesis 7:10
And it was after the seven days, the waters of the flood came into being on the earth.
Deuteronomy 33:27
The God of old is a refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. And He shall cast the enemy out from before you, and shall say, Destroy!
Psalms 46:2
On account of this we will not fear when the earth changes and when mountains are slipping into the heart of the seas.
Proverbs 3:23
then you shall walk in your way safely, and your foot shall not stumble.
Matthew 25:10
But they going away to buy, the bridegroom came. And those ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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 trumpets behind them, whereby there was a sufficient number for three hundred men; and these were put into their hands, that when they blew them together, the, noise would be very great; and it would seem as if they were an exceeding great army, and so very much terrify their enemies:

with empty pitchers, and lamps with the pitchers; the pitchers were of earth, and so easily broken, and would make a great noise when clashed against each other; and these were empty of water, or otherwise would not have been fit to put lamps into, and the lamps put in them were not of oil; for then, when the pitchers were broken, the oil would have run out; but were a kind of torches, made of rosin, wax, pitch, and such like things; and these were put into the pitcher, partly to preserve them from the wind, and chiefly to conceal them from the enemy, till just they came upon them, and then held them out; which in a dark night would make a terrible blaze, as before they served to give them light down the hill into the camp.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Gideon himself took the command of one company, and sent the other two under their respective captains to different sides of the camp Judges 7:18, Judges 7:21.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Judges 7:16. He divided the three hundred men — Though the victory was to be from the Lord, yet he knew that he ought to use prudential means; and those which he employed on this occasion were the best calculated to answer the end. If he had not used these means, it is not likely that God would have delivered the Midianites into his hands. Sometimes, even in working a miracle, God will have natural means used: Go, dip thyself seven times in Jordan. Go, wash in the pool Siloam.


 
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