Judges 7:13

Authorized King James Version

And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along.

Word-by-Word Analysis
#1
וַיָּבֹ֣א
and came
to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
#2
גִדְע֔וֹן
And when Gideon
gidon, an israelite
#3
וְהִ֨נֵּה
lo!
#4
אִ֔ישׁ
behold there was a man
a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
#5
מְסַפֵּ֥ר
that told
properly, to score with a mark as a tally or record, i.e., (by implication) to inscribe, and also to enumerate; intensively, to recount, i.e., celebra
#6
לְרֵעֵ֖הוּ
unto his fellow
an associate (more or less close)
#7
חֲל֣וֹם
a dream
a dream
#8
וַיֹּ֜אמֶר
and said
to say (used with great latitude)
#9
הִנֵּ֧ה
lo!
#10
חֲל֣וֹם
a dream
a dream
#11
חָלַ֗מְתִּי
Behold I dreamed
properly, to bind firmly, i.e., (through the figurative sense of dumbness) to dream
#12
וְהִנֵּ֨ה
lo!
#13
צְלִ֜וֹל
and lo a cake
a (round or flattened) cake
#14
לֶ֤חֶם
bread
food (for man or beast), especially bread, or grain (for making it)
#15
שְׂעֹרִים֙
of barley
barley (as villose)
#16
וַיַּֽהַפְכֵ֥הוּ
and overturned
to turn about or over; by implication, to change, overturn, return, pervert
#17
בְּמַֽחֲנֵ֣ה
into the host
an encampment (of travellers or troops); hence, an army, whether literal (of soldiers) or figurative (of dancers, angels, cattle, locusts, stars; or e
#18
מִדְיָ֔ן
of Midian
midjan, a son of abraham; also his country and (collectively) his descendants
#19
וַיָּבֹ֣א
and came
to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
#20
עַד
as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with)
#21
הָאֹֽהֶל׃
it that the tent
a tent (as clearly conspicuous from a distance)
#22
וַיַּכֵּ֧הוּ
and smote
to strike (lightly or severely, literally or figuratively)
#23
וְנָפַ֥ל
it that it fell
to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative)
#24
וַיַּֽהַפְכֵ֥הוּ
and overturned
to turn about or over; by implication, to change, overturn, return, pervert
#25
לְמַ֖עְלָה
properly,the upper part, used only adverbially with prefix upward, above, overhead, from the top, etc
#26
וְנָפַ֥ל
it that it fell
to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative)
#27
הָאֹֽהֶל׃
it that the tent
a tent (as clearly conspicuous from a distance)

Analysis

The salvation theme here intersects with the metanarrative of redemption running from Genesis to Revelation. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of a unified storyline from the promise in Genesis 3:15 to its fulfillment in Christ. The phrase emphasizing divine revelation contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's saving work from the Exodus to the cross.

Historical Context

The literary and historical milieu of the literary conventions and historical circumstances of biblical literature shapes this text's meaning. The historical development of salvation within the theological tradition of Judges Understanding the ancient worldview that shaped the author's theological expression helps modern readers appreciate why the author emphasizes divine revelation in this particular way.

Questions for Reflection

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