Judges 7:12

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.

Judges 7:12 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 7:12

And the Midianites and the Amalekites, and the children of the
east
The Arabians, who with the Amalekites joined the Midianites in this expedition:

lay along in the valley
in the valley of Jezreel, in their tents, which overspread the valley, or at least great part of it:

like grasshoppers for multitude;
or locusts, which usually come in great numbers, and cover the air and the sun where they fly, and the earth where they light, as they did the land of Egypt; this army consisted at least of 135,000 men, as is clear from ( Judges 8:10 )

and their camels were without number; as the sand is by the sea side
for multitude;
an hyperbolical expression, setting forth the great number of them which the countries of Midian and Arabia abounded with; and were very proper to bring with them, to load and carry off the booty they came for, the fruits of the earth; see ( Judges 6:4 Judges 6:5 ) .

Judges 7:12 In-Context

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.

14 And his friend in answer said, This is certainly the sword of Gideon, the son of Joash, the men of Israel: into their hands God has given up all the army of Midian.