What does Judges 7:21 mean?
"And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled." - Judges 7:21
The verse Judges 7:21 from the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible reads, "And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled." This verse is taken from the book of Judges, which is part of the Old Testament and focuses on the time period of the Israelites after the death of Joshua, when they were ruled by a series of judges.
In this particular verse, we find the Israelites engaged in battle against the Midianites. Gideon, who is one of the judges chosen by God to lead the Israelites, has gathered an army to fight against the Midianites, but God tells him that he has too many men. God instructs Gideon to thin out his army by dismissing those who are afraid, and by selecting only those who drink water from a stream in a certain manner. As a result, Gideon is left with only 300 men to face a massive Midianite army.
As the battle begins, Gideon divides his 300 men into three groups, and they surround the Midianite camp during the night. At a signal from Gideon, each man blows a trumpet, breaks a pitcher, and holds a torch inside the pitcher. The sudden noise, light, and confusion cause the Midianites to panic and turn on each other, resulting in a great victory for the Israelites.
The verse in question, Judges 7:21, describes the chaos and fear that the Israelites instilled in the Midianite camp. It states that every man stood in his place around the camp, and when the Israelite army ran, cried, and fled, the Midianites followed suit. This demonstrates the effectiveness of Gideon's plan, as the Midianite army was thrown into disarray and ultimately defeated.
One of the key themes of this verse is the power of God and His ability to work through the weakness of man. By reducing Gideon's army to a mere 300 men, God demonstrated that it is not by human strength or might that battles are won, but by His divine intervention. This theme is echoed throughout the Bible, as God often chooses the weak and unlikely to accomplish His purposes, so that He alone may receive the glory.
Another important theme in this verse is the concept of obedience and trust in God. Despite being outnumbered and facing a formidable enemy, Gideon obeyed God's instructions and trusted in His plan. As a result, God was able to work through Gideon and his small army to achieve a great victory. This serves as a powerful reminder to believers that God's ways are higher than our ways, and that obedience and faith in Him are crucial to experiencing His miraculous provision and deliverance.
In terms of symbolism, the breaking of the pitchers and the shining of the torches can be seen as a metaphor for the power of God shining through the weaknesses of His people. The broken pitchers represent human frailty and insufficiency, while the torches represent the light of God's truth and power. This imagery mirrors the New Testament concept of believers being vessels of clay that contain the treasure of God's glory (2 Corinthians 4:7), and reflects the idea that God's strength is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).
In conclusion, Judges 7:21 from the King James Version of the Bible captures a pivotal moment in the story of Gideon and the Israelites, and conveys important themes of God's power, obedience, and the symbolism of His strength being made perfect in weakness. This verse serves as an encouragement to believers to trust in God, follow His commands, and rely on His strength to overcome the challenges and battles they face in life.
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Judges 7:21 - "And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled."
"And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled." - Judges 7:21
Judges 21:7 - "How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?"
Judges 5:7
Matthew 7:1 - "Judge not, that ye be not judged."
Judges 21:20 - "Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards;"
Judges 21:9 - "For the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead there."
John 7:24 - "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment."
Judges 18:21 - "So they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle and the carriage before them."
Judges 21:17 - "And they said, There must be an inheritance for them that be escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel."
Matthew 7:1-2 - "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
"Judge not, that ye be not judged." - Matthew 7:1
Judges 9:21 - "And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother."
"How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?" - Judges 21:7
Judges 21:15 - "And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel."
Judges 21:25 - "In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes."
Judges 21:21 - "And see, and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin."
Hosea 7:7 - "They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me."
Judges 21:4 - "And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings."
Judges 13:21 - "But the angel of the LORD did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the LORD."
Judges 21:6 - "And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day."
Judges 21:2 - "And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore;"
Judges 21:13 - "And the whole congregation sent some to speak to the children of Benjamin that were in the rock Rimmon, and to call peaceably unto them."
Judges 12:7 - "And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead."
Judges 14:7 - "And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well."
Judges 19:21 - "So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink."
Judges 21:16 - "Then the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?"
Judges 21:3 - "And said, O LORD God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel?"
Judges 1:21 - "And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem unto this day."
Judges 20:21 - "And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men."