Judges Chapter 7 · Verse 21
And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.
Original Language Analysis
וַיַּֽעַמְדוּ֙
And they stood
H5975
וַיַּֽעַמְדוּ֙
And they stood
Strong's:
H5975
Word #:
1 of 10
to stand, in various relations (literal and figurative, intransitive and transitive)
אִ֣ישׁ
every man
H376
אִ֣ישׁ
every man
Strong's:
H376
Word #:
2 of 10
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)
תַּחְתָּ֔יו
H8478
תַּחְתָּ֔יו
Strong's:
H8478
Word #:
3 of 10
the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc
סָבִ֖יב
in his place round about
H5439
סָבִ֖יב
in his place round about
Strong's:
H5439
Word #:
4 of 10
(as noun) a circle, neighbour, or environs; but chiefly (as adverb, with or without preposition) around
הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֛ה
and all the host
H4264
הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֛ה
and all the host
Strong's:
H4264
Word #:
5 of 10
an encampment (of travellers or troops); hence, an army, whether literal (of soldiers) or figurative (of dancers, angels, cattle, locusts, stars; or e
כָּל
H3605
כָּל
Strong's:
H3605
Word #:
7 of 10
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֛ה
and all the host
H4264
הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֛ה
and all the host
Strong's:
H4264
Word #:
8 of 10
an encampment (of travellers or troops); hence, an army, whether literal (of soldiers) or figurative (of dancers, angels, cattle, locusts, stars; or e
Historical Context
Military history records numerous instances of armies panicking and destroying themselves—the Syrians fleeing from phantom chariot sounds (2 Kings 7:6-7), the Philistines slaughtering each other when confused (1 Samuel 14:20), even the Canaanite forces at Sisera's defeat (Judges 4:15). Nighttime confusion, inability to distinguish friend from foe in darkness, and perception of overwhelming attack all contributed to catastrophic morale collapse. The Midianite coalition's multi-ethnic composition (Midianites, Amalekites, eastern peoples) complicated coordination during crisis.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the 300 merely standing in place while God wins the battle illustrate Exodus 14:13-14's command to 'stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD'?
- What does the enemy's self-destruction teach about how God can turn enemies against themselves?
- When has God fought your battles while you simply maintained faithful obedience to His commands?
Analysis & Commentary
The 300 maintained their positions: 'they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.' The Israelites didn't even need to fight—they simply stood with their torches and trumpets while the enemy self-destructed. The Midianite camp erupted in chaos—'ran, and cried, and fled'—describing panic-driven confusion. The threefold verbs emphasize the complete breakdown of order: running in fear, crying out in terror, fleeing in disorder. This was supernatural panic induced by God.