Judges 7:19--8:21
beginning <07218> [in the beginning.]
blew <08628> [they blew.]
broke <05310> [brake.]
blew ..................... right <08628> [blew.]
How astonishing and overwhelming must the effect be, in a dark night, of the sudden glare of 300 torches, darting their splendour in the same instant on the half-awakened eyes of the terrified Midianites; accompanied with the clangor of 300 trumpets, alternately mingled with the thundering shout of {cherav yehovah oolegidon,} "The sword of Jehovah and of Gideon!"
broke <07665> [brake.]
stood <05975> [stood.]
camp .... army <04264> [all the host.]
blew <08628> [blew.]
Lord <03068> [the Lord.]
Zererah <06888> [in. or, toward. Zererath.]
Probably the same as Zartanah.
border <08193> [border. Heb. lip. Abelmeholah.]
Situated, according to Eusebius 16 miles south from Scythopolis, or Bethshan.
Tabbath <02888> [Tabbath.]
Probably the town of [O‚b‚d,] mentioned by Eusebius, 13 miles from Neapolis, or Shechem, towards Scythopolis.
sent <07971> [sent.]
Take control .... fords of the streams ................... took control .... fords <03920 04325> [take before.]
Beth Barah ...................... Beth Barah <01012> [Beth-barah.]
Probably the same as Betha-bara, beyond Jordan, and at the ford where the Hebrews passed under the direction of Joshua.
two ... generals <08147 08269> [two princes.]
rock <06697> [rock.]
Oreb ...... Oreb ...... Oreb .................. Oreb <06159> [Oreb.]
Eusebius and Jerome speak of a small place called Araba, three miles west from Scythopolis, which is supposed by some to have had its name from Oreb.
brought <0935> [and brought.]
Among ancient nations, the head of the conquered chief was usually brought to the conqueror. Thus Pompey's head was brought to C‘sar, Cicero's head to Mark Anthony, and the heads of Ahab's children to Jehu. These barbarities are seldom practised now, except among the Mahommedans, or the savages of Africa and America; and for the credit of human nature, it is to be wished that such atrocities had never been committed.
side <05676> [on the other side.]
The words {maiaiver lyyarden,} may denote at the passage of Jordan, or from beyond Jordan. Gideon does not appear to have yet passed the Jordan.
Ephraimites <0376> [the men.]
Why <04100> [Why, etc. Heb. What thing is this thou hast done unto us? sharply. Heb. strongly.]
accomplished <06213> [What.]
leftover grapes <05955> [Is not the.]
That is, the Ephraimites have performed more important services than Gideon and his men had achieved.
Abiezer's <044> [Abiezer.]
God <0430> [God.]
<07307> [Then.]
<07307> [anger. Heb. spirit.]
exhausted <05889> [faint.]
Succoth <05523> [Succoth.]
loaves <03603> [loaves.]
thresh <01758> [tear. Heb. thresh.]
return <07725> [I come.]
tear <05422> [I will break.]
Karkor <07174> [Karkor.]
If this were the name of a place, it is no where else mentioned. Some contend that {karkor} signifies rest; and the Vulgate renders it {requiescebant,} "rested". This seems the most likely; for it is said (ver. 11) that Gideon "smote the host: for the host was secure."
peoples <01121> [children.]
peoples ... hundred <03967 05307> [fell an hundred, etc. or, an hundred and twenty thousand, every one drawing a sword]
Nobah <05025> [Nobah.]
Nobah took its name from an Israelite who conquered it; and is said by Eusebius to have been, in his time, a forsaken place eight miles south from Heshbon. Jogbehah was probably near it.
surprised <0983> [secure.]
captured <03920> [took.]
surprised <02729> [discomfited. Heb. terrified.]
pass <04608> [before.]
The words {milm„ƒleh haichaires} should, most probably be rendered "from the ascent of Chares;" which is the reading of the LXX. Syriac, Arabic, and Houbigant.
captured <03920> [caught.]
wrote down <03789> [described. Heb. writ.]
insulted <02778> [upbraid.]
leaders <02205> [the elders.]
thorns <06975> [thorns.]
threshed <03045> [taught. Heb. made to know.]
Instead of {wyyodÆ’,} Houbigant, Le Clerc, and others read {wyyadosh,} "and he tore or threshed;" and this is not only agreeable to what Gideon threatened (ver. 7), but is supported by the LXX. Vulgate, Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic. The Hebrew text might easily have been corrupted simply by the change of [ShÅ’yn,] {shin,} into ['Ayin,] {ayin,} letters very similar to each other.
Tabor <08396> [Tabor.]
like ... Each one <03644 0259> [As thou art.]
looked like <08389> [resembled. Heb. according to the form of, etc.]
Gideon ..... strike ........... So <06965 06293> [Rise thou.]
It was disgraceful to fall by the hands of a child; and death by the blows of such a person must be much more lingering and tormenting. Some have employed children to dispatch captives.
killed <02026> [slew.]
crescent-shaped ornaments <07720> [ornaments. or, ornaments like the moon.]
