16 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. 17 And he saith unto them, 'Look at me, and thus do; and lo, I am coming into the extremity of the camp—and it hath been—as I do so ye do; 18 and I have blown with a trumpet—I and all who 'are' with me, and ye have blown with trumpets, even ye, round about all the camp, and have said, For Jehovah and for Gideon.' 19 And Gideon cometh—and the hundred men who 'are' with him—into the extremity of the camp, 'at' the beginning of the middle watch (it hath only just confirmed the watchmen), and they blow with trumpets—dashing in pieces also the pitchers which 'are' in their hand; 20 and the three detachments blow with trumpets, and break the pitchers, and keep hold with their left hand on the lamps, and with their right hand on the trumpets to blow, and they cry, 'The sword of Jehovah and of Gideon.' 21 And they stand each in his place, round about the camp, and all the camp runneth, and they shout, and flee; 22 and the three hundred blow the trumpets, and Jehovah setteth the sword of each against his companion, even through all the camp; and the camp fleeth unto Beth-Shittah, at Zererath, unto the border of Abel-Meholah, by Tabbath.
23 And the men of Israel are called from Naphtali, and from Asher, and from all Manasseh, and pursue after Midian. 24 And messengers hath sent Gideon into all the hill-country of Ephraim, saying, 'Come down to meet Midian, and capture before them the waters unto Beth-Barah, and the Jordan;' and every man of Ephraim is called, and they capture the waters unto Beth-Barah, and the Jordan,
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Judges 7:16-24
Commentary on Judges 7:16-22
(Read Judges 7:16-22)
This method of defeating the Midianites may be alluded to, as exemplifying the destruction of the devil's kingdom in the world, by the preaching of the everlasting gospel, the sounding that trumpet, and the holding forth that light out of earthen vessels, for such are the ministers of the gospel, 2 Corinthians 4:6,7. God chose the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, a barley-cake to overthrow the tents of Midian, that the excellency of the power might be of God only. The gospel is a sword, not in the hand, but in the mouth: the sword of the Lord and of Gideon; of God and Jesus Christ, of Him that sits on the throne and the Lamb. The wicked are often led to avenge the cause of God upon each other, under the power of their delusions, and the fury of their passions. See also how God often makes the enemies of the church instruments to destroy one another; it is a pity that the church's friends should ever act like them.
Commentary on Judges 7:23-25
(Read Judges 7:23-25)
Two chief commanders of the host of Midian were taken and slain by the men of Ephraim. It were to be wished that we all did as these did, and that where help is needed, that it were willingly and readily performed by another. And that if there were any excellent and profitable matter begun, we were willing to have fellow-labourers to the finishing and perfecting the same, and not, as often, hinder one another.