20 When the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers , they held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands for blowing , and cried , "A sword for the Lord and for Gideon !" 21 Each stood in his place around the camp ; and all the army ran , crying out as they fled . 22 When they blew 300 e trumpets , the Lord set the sword of one against another even throughout the whole army ; and the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah , as far as the edge of Abel-meholah , by Tabbath .
23 The men of Israel were summoned from Naphtali and Asher and all Manasseh , and they pursued Midian . 24 Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim , saying , "Come down against Midian and take the waters before them, as far as Beth-barah and the Jordan ." So all the men of Ephraim were summoned and they took the waters as far as Beth-barah and the Jordan . 25 They captured the two leaders of Midian , Oreb and Zeeb , and they killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb , and they killed Zeeb at the wine press of Zeeb , while they pursued Midian ; and they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon from across the Jordan .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Judges 7:20-25
Commentary on Judges 7:16-22
(Read Judges 7:16-22)
This method of defeating the Midianites may be alluded to, as exemplifying the destruction of the devil's kingdom in the world, by the preaching of the everlasting gospel, the sounding that trumpet, and the holding forth that light out of earthen vessels, for such are the ministers of the gospel, 2 Corinthians 4:6,7. God chose the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, a barley-cake to overthrow the tents of Midian, that the excellency of the power might be of God only. The gospel is a sword, not in the hand, but in the mouth: the sword of the Lord and of Gideon; of God and Jesus Christ, of Him that sits on the throne and the Lamb. The wicked are often led to avenge the cause of God upon each other, under the power of their delusions, and the fury of their passions. See also how God often makes the enemies of the church instruments to destroy one another; it is a pity that the church's friends should ever act like them.
Commentary on Judges 7:23-25
(Read Judges 7:23-25)
Two chief commanders of the host of Midian were taken and slain by the men of Ephraim. It were to be wished that we all did as these did, and that where help is needed, that it were willingly and readily performed by another. And that if there were any excellent and profitable matter begun, we were willing to have fellow-labourers to the finishing and perfecting the same, and not, as often, hinder one another.