Bible Strands
Judges 7:11
and listen to what they are saying. Then your hands will be strengthened to attack the camp.” So he went with Purah his servant to the outposts where armed men were guarding the camp.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — God speaks to Gideon at the edge of the enemy valley, instructing him to infiltrate the Midianite camp with his servant Purah before the battle begins.
The words — תֶּחֱזַקְנָה (te.che.Zak.nah) = they will be strong and יָדֶ֔י/ךָ (ya.Dei./kha) = your hands, forming the phrase where physical readiness is linked to prior auditory intelligence.
The thread — The motif of divine strengthening for action recurs in 2 Corinthians 12:9, Ephesians 6:10, and Philippians 4:13, where human weakness or effort is met with God's empowering presence.
Why it lands — The text commands Gideon to gather intelligence first, then promises strengthened hands for the assault, requiring the reader to act on received information rather than rely on untested courage.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host.
Cross-references
- 2 Corinthians 12:9 But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.
- Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
- Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
- Genesis 24:14 Now may it happen that the girl to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who responds, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels as well’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. By this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.”
- Exodus 13:18 So God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the Israelites left the land of Egypt arrayed for battle.
- Judges 7:13 And as Gideon arrived, a man was telling his friend about a dream. “Behold, I had a dream,” he said, “and I saw a loaf of barley bread come tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent so hard that the tent overturned and collapsed.”
- 1 Samuel 14:8 “Very well,” said Jonathan, “we will cross over toward these men and show ourselves to them.
- 1 Samuel 23:16 And Saul’s son Jonathan came to David in Horesh and strengthened his hand in God,
- Ezra 6:22 For seven days they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread with joy, because the LORD had made them joyful and turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them to strengthen their hands in the work on the house of the God of Israel.
- Isaiah 35:3 Strengthen the limp hands and steady the feeble knees!