Judges 7:23
in Judges 7Then the men of Israel were called out from Naphtali, Asher, and all Manasseh, and they pursued the Midianites.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the men of Israel were gathered together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after Midian.
KJV
And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites.
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This verse in Judges 7
Commentary
5 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
when the three hundred rams’ horns sounded
on Judges 7:22-23
The only sword work in the chapter is Midian's own, as at 1 Samuel 14:20 with the Philistines and 2 Chronicles 20:23 with Ammon and Moab. Verse 23 names Naphtali, Asher and Manasseh, three of the four summoned at 6:35, so the men sent home return for the pursuit. The battle is won by three hundred and the chase is worked by the nation.
This site's exposition
the men of Israel were called out
Adam Clarke thinks these were men Gideon had sent home the day before, who set out as soon as they heard of the rout. They follow a flight that verse 22 traces as far as the border of Abel-meholah. Ephraim follows at verse 24.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 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 men of Israel gathered themselves together,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
The men of Israel gathered - It is very likely that these were some persons whom Gideon had sent home the day before, who now hearing that the Midianites were routed, went immediately in pursuit.
The words behind it
12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּצָּעֵ֧ק | vaiyitzaek | and it was summoned | H6817 → | 55 times |
| אִֽישׁ־ | ʾish- | [the] man of | H376 → | 1663 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| מִנַּפְתָּלִ֥י | minaftali | from Naphtali | H5321 → | 51 times |
| וּמִן־ | umin- | and from | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| אָשֵׁ֖ר | ʾasher | Asher | H836 → | 43 times |
| וּמִן־ | umin- | and from | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה | menasheh | Manasseh | H4519 → | 146 times |
| וַֽיִּרְדְּפ֖וּ | vaiyirdefu | and they pursued | H7291 → | 143 times |
| אַחֲרֵ֥י | ʾacharei | after | H310 → | 715 times |
| מִדְיָֽן׃ | midyan | Midian | H4080 → | 59 times |
וַיִּצָּעֵ֧קand it was summoned
vaiyitzaekH6817 →55 times
אִֽישׁ־[the] man of
ʾish-H376 →1663 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֛לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
מִנַּפְתָּלִ֥יfrom Naphtali
minaftaliH5321 →51 times
וּמִן־and from
umin-H4480 →1188 times
אָשֵׁ֖רAsher
ʾasherH836 →43 times
וּמִן־and from
umin-H4480 →1188 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
מְנַשֶּׁ֑הManasseh
menashehH4519 →146 times
וַֽיִּרְדְּפ֖וּand they pursued
vaiyirdefuH7291 →143 times
אַחֲרֵ֥יafter
ʾachareiH310 →715 times
מִדְיָֽן׃Midian
midyanH4080 →59 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
2 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
Judges 6:35Calling them to arms, Gideon sent messengers throughout Manasseh, as well as Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, so that they came up to meet him.
it leads to
- Judges 4:6
She summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “Surely the LORD, the God of Israel, is commanding you: ‘Go and march to Mount Tabor, taking with you ten…
- 2 Chronicles 30:6–12
So the couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with letters from the king and his officials, which read: “Children of Israel, return to the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, so that…
- Judges 4:6
Where this verse is studied
About Judges
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the 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.