וַֽ֠יִּתְקְעוּ שְׁלֹ֨שֶׁת הָרָאשִׁ֥ים בַּשֹּֽׁופָרֹות֮ וַיִּשְׁבְּר֣וּ הַכַּדִּים֒ וַיַּחֲזִ֤יקוּ בְיַד־שְׂמאֹולָם֙ בַּלַּפִּדִ֔ים וּבְיַ֨ד־יְמִינָ֔ם הַשֹּׁופָרֹ֖ות לִתְקֹ֑ועַ וַֽיִּקְרְא֔וּ חֶ֥רֶב לַֽיהוָ֖ה וּלְגִדְעֹֽון׃
(Judges 7:20)
Strategic Word Order and Emphatic Actions
This verse vividly depicts the synchronized attack of Gideon’s 300 men through a sequence of tightly packed verbal clauses. The syntax mirrors the rapidity and coordination of the ambush:
- וַיִּתְקְעוּ (“and they blew”) – initiates the clause with immediate action.
- וַיִּשְׁבְּרוּ (“and they broke”) – continues the rapid progression.
- וַיַּחֲזִ֤יקוּ (“and they grasped”) – introduces the detailed tactics with marked agency.
These initial wayyiqtol (וַיִּקטֹל) forms maintain chronological narrative flow, reinforcing action and urgency. Each verb leads directly into a coordinated movement.
Clause Structure and Parallel Phrasing
The clause structure demonstrates the flexibility of Hebrew word order, often placing key elements for poetic and visual effect:
- וַיַּחֲזִ֤יקוּ בְיַד־שְׂמאֹולָם֙ בַּלַּפִּדִ֔ים – “and they held in their left hands the torches”
- וּבְיַ֨ד־יְמִינָ֔ם הַשֹּׁופָרֹ֖ות לִתְקֹ֑ועַ – “and in their right hands the trumpets to blow”
The mirrored structure of left hand/right hand creates a syntactic balance that reinforces the dual-wielding strategy of torch and trumpet. The choice to describe the hands before the instruments foregrounds the human subject’s coordination.
Nominal Phrases and Military Focus
The clause חֶ֥רֶב לַֽיהוָ֖ה וּלְגִדְעֹֽון (“a sword for YHWH and for Gideon”) functions nominally as a cry or slogan. It is verbless, yet highly emphatic. Its fronted noun חֶרֶב sets a militaristic tone, followed by a two-part prepositional phrase:
- לַֽיהוָ֖ה – “for YHWH”
- וּלְגִדְעֹֽון – “and for Gideon”
The coordination by וּ affirms dual allegiance, linking divine sanction with human leadership. This compact phrase shifts the syntax from descriptive narrative to declarative chant, functioning as both cry and battle theology.
Coordination and Sequential Syntax
Wayyiqtol forms dominate the verse, forming a sequential narrative chain:
- וַיִּתְקְעוּ… וַיִּשְׁבְּרוּ… וַיַּחֲזִ֤יקוּ… וַיִּקְרְא֔וּ
Each verb carries a new phase of the battle:
- Sound (trumpets),
- Disruption (jars),
- Visibility (torches),
- Audibility (battle cry).
The structure accelerates with each clause, maintaining temporal logic while evoking cinematic sequencing.
Discourse Flow and Syntactic Climax
The verse’s progression builds from silent setup (hidden jars) to auditory assault (trumpets and shout), following a narrative crescendo. The syntax reflects this arc:
- Early clauses are instrumental (what they do).
- Middle clauses are descriptive (how they held things).
- Final clause is thematic (what they cried).
This movement from action to meaning is syntactically encoded—verbs initiate, prepositional phrases add detail, and nominal phrases deliver the climax.
Trumpets, Torches, and Triumph
Judges 7:20 employs a finely tuned syntax that mirrors tactical precision. The sequence of wayyiqtol verbs, mirrored hand imagery, and dramatic noun phrases simulate the surprise, unity, and theological purpose of Gideon’s strategy. It is not merely narrative—it is battle choreography rendered in Biblical Hebrew.