Shofetim 7:17

17 And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise; and, hinei, when I come to the edge of the machaneh, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do.

Shofetim 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.

Shofetim 7:17 In-Context

15 And it was so, when Gid’on heard the telling of the chalom, and the shever (breaking [of a dream, i.e., its interpretation]) thereof, that he worshiped, and returned into the machaneh Yisroel, and said, Arise; for Hashem hath delivered into your yad the Machaneh Midyan.

16 And he divided the three hundred haIsh into three companies, and he put a shofar in every man’s yad, with empty jars, and torches within the jars.

17 And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise; and, hinei, when I come to the edge of the machaneh, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do.

18 When I blow the shofar, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the shofarot also on every side of all the machaneh, and say, "For Hashem, and for Gid’on."

19 So Gid’on, and the hundred ish that were with him, came unto the outside of the machaneh in the beginning of the ashmoret hatikhonah (middle watch); and they had just set the shomrim; and they blew the shofar, and broke the jars that were in their hands.