Judges 7:17

17 He said to them, "Look at me and do likewise. And behold, when I come to the outskirts of the camp, do as I do.

Judges 7:17 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 7:17

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 trumpet was not to be blown, nor a pitcher broken, nor a torch held out, nor a word spoken, till just they came to the outside of the camp: and then they were to observe the motions of Gideon, and do as he did.

Judges 7:17 In-Context

15 When Gideon heard the account of the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship. He returned to the camp of Israel and said, "Arise, for the LORD has given the camp of Midian into your hands."
16 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.
17 He said to them, "Look at me and do likewise. And behold, when I come to the outskirts of the camp, do as I do.
18 "When I and all who are with me blow the trumpet, then you also blow the trumpets all around the camp and say, 'For the LORD and for Gideon.' "
19 So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, when they had just posted the watch; and they blew the trumpets and smashed the pitchers that were in their hands.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Lit "it shall come about that just as I do, so you shall do"
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