Judges 7:11

11 And after hearing what they are saying, you will get strength to go down against the army. So he went down with his servant Purah to the outer line of the tents of the armed men.

Judges 7:11 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 7:11

And thou shalt hear what they shall say
The Midianites, or what shall be said by any of them; for though it was the night season, and so not a time for much conversation, as it may be supposed to be the dead of the night; yet something would be said and heard, which is a clear proof of the prescience of God respecting future contingent events:

and afterwards shall thine hands be strengthened;
and his heart encouraged by what he should hear:

to go down into the camp;
in an hostile manner, with his three hundred men, after his return to them:

then went he down with Phurah his servant;
first privately, only they two, leaving his little army on the hill: and came

unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host;
the sentinels, who were without side the camp, and stood complete in armour to guard it; and they came as near to them, in as still and private manner as they could, without being discovered. The Septuagint version is,

``to the beginning of the fifty that were in the host;''

and the Syriac and Arabic versions,

``to the captain of the fifty;''

these might be a party of the outer guards, consisting of fifty men, with one at the head of them, placed for the safety of the army in the night season, and to give notice of any approach to them, or attempt on them.

Judges 7:11 In-Context

9 The same night the Lord said to him, Up! go down now against their army, for I have given them into your hands.

10 But if you have fear of going down, take your servant Purah with you and go down to the tents;

11 And after hearing what they are saying, you will get strength to go down against the army. So he went down with his servant Purah to the outer line of the tents of the armed men.

12 Now the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the people of the east were covering the valley like locusts; and their camels were like the sand by the seaside, without number.

13 When Gideon came there, a man was giving his friend an account of his dream, saying, See, I had a dream about a cake of barley bread which, falling into the tents of Midian, came on to the tent, overturning it so that it was stretched out flat on the earth.