Blowing Trumpets and Braking Pitchers - Judges 7:19

In the book of Judges we learned how Gideon, “divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers. And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall you do. When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow you the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon”, and in chapter seven and verse nineteen of Judges, we learn how Gideon and his three hundred men, “blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands”, where we read,

So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands.

The verse reads, “So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch;” The writer began with the words, “so Gideon” which means “wherefore, then and on this account Gideon whose name means ‘hewer’ and was the youngest son of Joash of the Abiezrites, fifth judge of Israel who led the Israelites against the Midianites”, “and the hundred men that were with him” or “and the one hundred male human beings who accompanied him, Gideon”, “came unto the outside of the camp” which means “entered, attained and arrived at the borders, outskirts and extremities belonging to the war encampment” “in the beginning of the middle watch” or “within the upper, front and initial part of the central or mid-most time of guarding and observance”. The writer shared how one hundred of the men went alongside “Gideon” and they arrived at the outskirts of the army encampment of the Midianites at the start of the middle or “mid-night” guard for the camp.

The verse goes on to say, “and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands.” The writer continued with the words, “and they had but newly set the watch” which means “and they, the Midianites, had just changed the guards to “watch” over the camp”: “and they blew the trumpets” or “and they, Gideon and the one hundred men who were with him, gave a loud sound, thrust and blast by the use of a curved horn or cornet”, “and brake the pitchers that were in their hands” which means “and shattered and dashed in pieces the large worthless jars which were within their physical hands”. The writer shared how “Gideon” and the one hundred men who accompanied him came to the camp of the “Midianites” at mid-night just after the changing of the guard, and they gave a blast on their curved horns or cornets and broke the large jars within their physical hands. 

When we think through the words in this verse, we learn how “Gideon” took charge over one hundred of the three hundred men who surrounded the army camp of the “Midianites”, and they arrived at the edge of the camp just after the midnight change of the guards who watched over the Midianite army. They raised their curved horns or cornets, gave a blasting sound upon them and broke the large jars that were within their other hand. This must have been an awesome sight to see and hear, and we shall learn more about it in our next verse. For now, let us consider that Jehovah God developed this plan for delivering the people of Israel thru “Gideon”, and now His plan was coming together. God has a plan for our lives as well, and it includes as a priority that we surrender to His Son Jesus as our “Savior and Lord” because died on the cross for the sins of all mankind and was raised from the dead after three days. When we submit to Him, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put His Holy Spirit within us to guide us into all truth and help us understand that He has a plan and He is going to work it out whether it be by trumpet blasts, broken jars or great shouting of praise to His name. (See John 3:16; Psalm 47:1)

Next time we learn how, “the three companies … blew the trumpets, brake the pitchers and cried” loudly, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".