When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.

JUDGES 7:18KJV
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Judges 7:18 (KJV)

What does Judges 7:18 mean?

Judges 7:18 describes Gideon’s instructions to his men for a surprise attack: when Gideon blows his trumpet, everyone with him should do the same, surrounding the enemy camp and shouting, “The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.” This signal was meant to create confusion and fear among their enemies.

In this verse, Gideon is speaking to his 300 chosen warriors just before their nighttime assault on the Midianite camp. The plan relies on unity and timing—everyone acts together at Gideon’s signal. The shout combines God’s name (the LORD) and Gideon’s, showing that the victory is credited both to God’s power and Gideon’s leadership.

The Hebrew behind Judges 7:18

  • “Trumpet” (שׁוֹפָר, shofar): This refers to a ram’s horn, often used in ancient Israel for signaling in battle or religious events. Its sound would have been loud and startling, especially at night.
  • “Camp” (מַחֲנֶה, machaneh): This word means an encampment or army camp. The instruction to surround “all the camp” highlights the strategy of encircling the enemy to maximize surprise and panic.
  • “LORD” (יְהוָה, YHWH): This is the personal name of Israel’s God, emphasizing that the coming victory is attributed to divine intervention, not just human effort.

Why Judges 7:18 matters

  • This verse clarifies that the victory over Midian was not by military might but by following God’s unusual instructions, highlighting faith and obedience.
  • The combined shout, “The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon,” shows the partnership between God and human leaders in the story, which is a key theme in Judges.
  • Understanding the use of the shofar and the coordinated action helps readers see how psychological tactics, not just weapons, played a role in ancient battles.

Where else these words appear

“Gideon” Hebrew H1439 · used in 37 verses

  • Judges 6:11 And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.
  • Judges 7:4 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.
  • Judges 8:11 And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host: for the host was secure.

“blow” Hebrew H8628 · used in 62 verses

  • Genesis 31:25 Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead.
  • Judges 7:20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.
  • Proverbs 6:1 My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,

“trumpet” Hebrew H7782 · used in 63 verses

  • Exodus 19:16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.
  • 2 Samuel 2:28 So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.
  • Isaiah 27:13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem.