This verse from Judges 7:19 describes a key moment in Gideon's attack against the Midianite army. Let's break it down:
"So Gideon, and the hundred men who were with him, came to the outermost part of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch..." This establishes the setting and the participants. Gideon, with his small force of 100 men, approached the edge of the sleeping Midianite camp. The "middle watch" refers to a specific period of the night when watchmen changed shifts. The "beginning of the middle watch" is significant because it implies the Midianite guards were likely sleepy and potentially less alert, having just begun their shift.
"...when they had but newly set the watch." This reinforces the point about the Midianite guards being vulnerable. Having just taken their posts, they would have been less attentive and perhaps not fully awake.
"Then they blew the trumpets, and broke in pieces the pitchers that were in their hands." This describes the sudden and coordinated action that caused chaos and confusion in the Midianite camp. Each of Gideon's men had a trumpet hidden inside a clay pitcher. By simultaneously blowing the trumpets and smashing the pitchers, they created a deafening noise and an impression of a much larger attacking force.
In summary, the verse depicts a calculated surprise attack by Gideon and his men. The timing was crucial. They approached the enemy camp when the new watch had just started, catching the guards at their most vulnerable. Then, they unleashed a coordinated barrage of noise with trumpets and the smashing of pitchers, designed to create panic and the illusion of a massive assault.
This tactic was divinely inspired and played a crucial role in Gideon's eventual victory over the much larger Midianite army. It highlights the importance of faith, courage, and strategic planning, even when facing overwhelming odds. The element of surprise and the creation of confusion were key to Gideon's success.
This verse from Judges 7:19 describes a key moment in Gideon's attack against the Midianite army. Let's break it down:
"So Gideon, and the hundred men who were with him, came to the outermost part of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch..." This establishes the setting and the participants. Gideon, with his small force of 100 men, approached the edge of the sleeping Midianite camp. The "middle watch" refers to a specific period of the night when watchmen changed shifts. The "beginning of the middle watch" is significant because it implies the Midianite guards were likely sleepy and potentially less alert, having just begun their shift.
"...when they had but newly set the watch." This reinforces the point about the Midianite guards being vulnerable. Having just taken their posts, they would have been less attentive and perhaps not fully awake.
"Then they blew the trumpets, and broke in pieces the pitchers that were in their hands." This describes the sudden and coordinated action that caused chaos and confusion in the Midianite camp. Each of Gideon's men had a trumpet hidden inside a clay pitcher. By simultaneously blowing the trumpets and smashing the pitchers, they created a deafening noise and an impression of a much larger attacking force.
In summary, the verse depicts a calculated surprise attack by Gideon and his men. The timing was crucial. They approached the enemy camp when the new watch had just started, catching the guards at their most vulnerable. Then, they unleashed a coordinated barrage of noise with trumpets and the smashing of pitchers, designed to create panic and the illusion of a massive assault.
This tactic was divinely inspired and played a crucial role in Gideon's eventual victory over the much larger Midianite army. It highlights the importance of faith, courage, and strategic planning, even when facing overwhelming odds. The element of surprise and the creation of confusion were key to Gideon's success.