Judges 7:22
in Judges 7And when the three hundred rams’ horns sounded, the LORD set all the men in the camp against one another with their swords. The army fled to Beth-shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And they blew the three hundred trumpets, and Jehovah set every man’s sword against his fellow, and against all the host; and the host fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath.
KJV
And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the Lord set every man’s sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Beth–shittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abel–meholah, unto Tabbath.
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This verse in Judges 7
Commentary
7 notes on this verseFled to Beth-shittah - This is no where else mentioned in Scripture. Zererath - This and Tabbath are nowhere else to be found. Abel-meholah - This was the birth-place of the prophet Elisha, 1Ki 19:16. It was beyond Jordan, in the tribe of Manasseh, 1Ki 4:12. The Zartanah, mentioned in this last quoted verse, was probably the same as Zererath. Its situation corresponds well with Abel-meholah.
This site's exposition
the three hundred blew the
on Judges 7:22-23
The only sword work in the chapter is Midian's own, and the same thing is recorded at 1 Samuel 14:20 when the Philistine host turns on itself and at 2 Chronicles 20:23 when Ammon and Moab destroy each other. The tribes named in verse 23 are Naphtali, Asher and Manasseh, three of the four Gideon had summoned at 6:35, so the men sent home in verses 3 and 7 come back for the pursuit. The battle is won by three hundred and the chase is worked by the nation.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
2 And the L ORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. 3 Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:97%@v2-3
And the three hundred men blew the trumpets,....
It is our interest to preserve such a command of our own spirits as never to be afraid with any amazement, for we cannot conceive what mischiefs we thereby plunge ourselves into. See also how God often makes the enemies of his church instruments to destroy one another; it is a pity the church's friends should ever be thus infatuated.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
The sleepers started from their rest; not a blow was dealt by the Israelites; but the enemy ran tumultuously, uttering the wild, discordant cries peculiar to the Arab race.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Beth-shittah - - “House of the acacias,” the same trees which gave their name to “Shittim” Num 33:49 in the plains of Maab, and which grew plentifully also, in the peninsula of Sinai Exo 25:5 perhaps “Shuttah”, in the valley of Jezreel; or it may be another name of Scythopolis, or Beth-shan (compare 1Ki 4:12). “Zererath or Zeredath”, near Succoth Jdg 8:5, the same as “Zeredah” in Ephraim the birth-place of Jeroboam 1Ki 11:26, and “Zartauah” 1Ki 4:12. “Abel-meholah” (field of the dance), the birth-place of Elisha 1Ki 19:16 is in the Jordan valley, 10 miles from Scythopolis, if identified with Bethmaela: if the same as Abelmea, it lay between Nablous and Scythopolis. (But see 1Ki 19:16 note.) “Tabbath” was apparently lower down the Jordan valley, i. e. further south.
The words behind it
24 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַֽיִּתְקְעוּ֮ | vaiyitkeu | and they gave a blast | H8628 → | 69 times |
| שְׁלֹשׁ־ | shelosh- | [the] three | H7969 → | 432 times |
| מֵא֣וֹת | meot | <the> hundred<s> | H3967 → | 581 times |
| הַשּׁוֹפָרוֹת֒ | hashofarot | the trumpets | H7782 → | 72 times |
| וַיָּ֣שֶׂם | vaiyasem | and he set | H7760 → | 584 times |
| יְהוָ֗ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֵ֣ת | ʾet | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| חֶ֥רֶב | cherev | [the] sword of | H2719 → | 413 times |
| אִ֛ישׁ | ʾish | each | H376 → | 1663 times |
| בְּרֵעֵ֖הוּ | bereehu | on neighbor his | H7453 → | 188 times |
| וּבְכָל־ | uvekhol- | and on all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה | hamachaneh | the army | H4264 → | 215 times |
| וַיָּ֨נָס | vaiyanos | and it fled | H5127 → | 159 times |
| הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֜ה | hamachaneh | the army | H4264 → | 215 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | to | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| בֵּ֤ית | beit | Beth | H1029 → | |
| הַשִּׁטָּה֙ | hashitah | <of the> Shittah | H1029 → | |
| צְֽרֵרָ֔תָה | tzereratah | towards Zererah | H6888 → | |
| עַ֛ד | ʾad | to | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| שְׂפַת־ | sefat- | [the] border of | H8193 → | |
| אָבֵ֥ל | ʾavel | Abel | H65 → | |
| מְחוֹלָ֖ה | mecholah | Meholah | H65 → | |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | at | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| טַבָּֽת׃ | tabat | Tabbath | H2888 → |
וַֽיִּתְקְעוּ֮and they gave a blast
vaiyitkeuH8628 →69 times
שְׁלֹשׁ־[the] three
shelosh-H7969 →432 times
מֵא֣וֹת<the> hundred<s>
meotH3967 →581 times
הַשּׁוֹפָרוֹת֒the trumpets
hashofarotH7782 →72 times
וַיָּ֣שֶׂםand he set
vaiyasemH7760 →584 times
יְהוָ֗הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֵ֣ת<obj.>
ʾetH853 →10935 times
חֶ֥רֶב[the] sword of
cherevH2719 →413 times
אִ֛ישׁeach
ʾishH376 →1663 times
בְּרֵעֵ֖הוּon neighbor his
bereehuH7453 →188 times
וּבְכָל־and on all
uvekhol-H3605 →5413 times
הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑הthe army
hamachanehH4264 →215 times
וַיָּ֨נָסand it fled
vaiyanosH5127 →159 times
הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֜הthe army
hamachanehH4264 →215 times
עַד־to
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
בֵּ֤יתBeth
beitH1029 →
הַשִּׁטָּה֙<of the> Shittah
hashitahH1029 →
צְֽרֵרָ֔תָהtowards Zererah
tzereratahH6888 →
עַ֛דto
ʾadH5704 →1261 times
שְׂפַת־[the] border of
sefat-H8193 →
אָבֵ֥לAbel
ʾavelH65 →
מְחוֹלָ֖הMeholah
mecholahH65 →
עַל־at
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
טַבָּֽת׃Tabbath
tabatH2888 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Joshua 6:4Have seven priests carry seven rams’ horns in front of the ark. Then on the seventh day, march around the city seven times, while the priests blow the horns.
it leads to
- Revelation 16:1
Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go, pour out on the earth the seven bowls of God’s wrath.”
- 2 Chronicles 20:17
You need not fight this battle. Take up your positions, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out…
- Revelation 8:2
And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and they were given seven trumpets.
- 1 Kings 18:43
“Go and look toward the sea,” he said to his servant. So the servant went and looked, and he said, “There is nothing there.” Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.”
- Revelation 16:1
Through
2 Chronicles 20:23The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction. And when they had made an end to the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 14:20
Then Saul and all his troops assembled and marched to the battle, and they found the Philistines in total confusion, with each man wielding the sword against his neighbor.
- 1 Samuel 14:20
Through
1 Kings 4:12Baana son of Ahilud in Taanach, in Megiddo, and in all of Beth-shean next to Zarethan below Jezreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah and on past Jokmeam;
it leads to
- Joshua 17:11
Within Issachar and Asher, Manasseh was assigned Beth-shean, Ibleam, Dor (that is, Naphath), Endor, Taanach, and Megiddo, each with their surrounding settlements.
- Joshua 17:11
Through
Joshua 6:16After the seventh time around, the priests blew the horns, and Joshua commanded the people, “Shout! For the LORD has given you the city!
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 13:15
and the men of Judah raised the battle cry. And when they raised the cry, God routed Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.
- 2 Chronicles 13:15
Through
1 Kings 19:16You are also to anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel-meholah to succeed you as prophet.
it leads to
- 1 Kings 19:19–21
So Elijah departed and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve teams of oxen, and he was with the twelfth team. Elijah passed by him and threw his cloak around him.
- 1 Kings 19:19–21
Where this verse is studied
About Judges
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.