Gideon’s arrival at the camp and the sudden appearance of a new character could be marked as a new paragraph here. This is a high point in the narration, which the storyteller marks in several different ways. First, the Hebrew word hinneh, which is an attention-getter, occurs three times (rendered behold twice and lo once). Second, several Hebrew roots are repeated in quick succession: ch-l-m rendered dream and dreamed, h-f-k rendered tumbled and turned, and n-f-l rendered fell and lay flat. These features combine together to mark this verse as one of the climaxes in this episode.

When Gideon came refers back to verse 7.11, when Gideon and his servant head toward the enemy camp. The Hebrew text has an independent clause here, literally “And Gideon came.” However, like Revised Standard Version, many other versions render it as a time clause, for example, “When Gideon arrived” (Good News Translation) and “As Gideon came close” (Revised English Bible).

Behold, a man was telling a dream to his comrade: The word behold (Hebrew hinneh) indicates surprise as Gideon and his servant discover a soldier in the enemy camp telling a dream. It also shows the importance or pertinence of the information to follow. This word and the previous clause may be rendered “Just as Gideon [and his servant] arrived” or “Just as Gideon reached the Midianite camp.” A man renders the Hebrew literally, but some translators will prefer to say “a soldier.” Contemporary English Version goes even farther with “one enemy guard.” Telling renders the Hebrew participle mesapper. The Hebrew word for behold is often followed by a participle. The rather unusual verb mesapper is probably used here as a play on words with the Hebrew word mispar, rendered “number” in the previous verse. The participial form telling shows that Gideon comes upon the soldier while he is recounting his dream. In most languages a progressive form can be used by beginning this verse with “As Gideon and his servant arrived, they were surprised to find a man in the process of telling….” Most languages will have an appropriate term for dream, which is not to be confused with a vision. Though dreams are extremely common in Old Testament texts, this is the first and only time in the book of Judges that a dream is recounted. It seems significant and even ironic that the dream is given to the enemy and not to an Israelite. Nevertheless, this dream is a sign sent from God to reassure Gideon. Comrade renders a common Hebrew word meaning “friend” or “neighbor.” It is clear from the context that this person is a fellow soldier. Some versions simply say “another” (Contemporary English Version, New American Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Revised English Bible says “his comrades,” but there is no reason to think there are more than these two soldiers, standing and talking together during their night watch.

And he said: The pronoun he refers to the soldier telling the dream. Translators should ensure that readers do not understand Gideon as the referent here.

Behold, I dreamed a dream; and lo … is literally “Behold a dream I dreamed, and behold….” Both Behold and lo render the Hebrew word hinneh. Repetition of this word expresses the very strong emotion that the soldier feels as he recounts his dream. It shows the content of the dream has upset him greatly or has left him perplexed. The Hebrew here uses an emphatic expression where the verb dreamed and the object dream come from the same root, which some languages may imitate. Translators should look for strong expressions or ideophones to express the emotion here. In some African languages the soldier might begin with “Ho-po [or, Hey-key], I dreamed a dream last night!” The use of an exclamation point may be appropriate here. Other possible models are “I had an incredible dream last night” and “You can’t believe what I dreamed last night.”

Lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian …: Lo (hinneh) introduces the content of the dream, and here it may be rendered by a demonstrative expression, such as “this is what I saw” or “here is what I dreamed.” A cake of barley bread is not the same kind of bread that Gideon prepared for the angel of the LORD (verse 6.19). There the bread was flat, while here it is a round loaf of bread made from barley flour. Barley is a grain crop that is unknown in many parts of the world. It grows like wheat or rice, but gives a rounder grain. The mention of barley may be omitted in many languages, since bread is almost always made out of grain. Translators can use the normal word for bread. New International Version says “A round loaf of barley bread,” which is a good model to follow because bread was usually round and this detail helps readers understand what really happened in the dream. The Hebrew verb rendered tumbled is the same one translated turned near the end of this verse. Here it is clear the bread “rolled” into the camp, as a loose wheel would roll. The phrase the camp of Midian poses a problem, since it is a Midianite soldier who is speaking. Normally, he would not speak of his own camp in this way. We can retain the text or simply say “our camp” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version). New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh offers a good model: “a loaf of barley bread was whirling through the Midianite camp.” Revised English Bible has “a barley loaf rolling over and over through the Midianite camp.”

And came to the tent, and struck it so that it fell: These details show that the soldier is deeply affected by the dream. They will play an important role in the interpretation of the dream as well. The verbs came, struck and fell show quickness of action, but also create suspense, as the audience waits for the tent to crash. And renders the Hebrew waw conjunction. Here it introduces what happened next in a series of events. Came to the tent means the rolling bread came toward and arrived near a tent. The tent has a definite article in Hebrew, implying this tent was known to the two soldiers. Good News Translation‘s “a tent” seems incorrect. We might say “our tent” (New American Bible) or even “the headquarters tent” (Contemporary English Version). For tent see verse 4.17.

And struck it so that it fell means the rolling bread hit the tent and knocked it over. Here the storyteller’s skill is once again seen, since the same verbs used in previous stories occur here. The Hebrew verb rendered struck (nakah) is the typical word translated “defeat” in the context of a battle (see verse 1.4), while the Hebrew verb for fell (nafal) is the same one used to describe King Eglon and General Sisera sprawled out on the ground—dead (verse 3.25; verse 4.22). In some languages it may be easier to combine these verbs by saying “knocked it over,” but keeping the two key verbs struck and fell will effectively preserve the literary style of the book. Revised Standard Version presents the fall of the tent as the result of the bread striking it by saying so that it fell, but the Hebrew text simply says “and it fell.”

And turned it upside down: As noted above, the Hebrew verb rendered turned is the same one translated tumbled. Here it has a slightly different meaning since it refers to turning the tent upside down. Translators can use an idiomatic expression to describe this action. Contemporary English Version says “the tent flipped over,” which seems closer to the real meaning than Good News Translation‘s “The tent collapsed.”

So that the tent lay flat is literally “and the tent fell.” We could also say “The tent fell flat” or “… collapsed.” In some languages this clause may be too repetitive. Since the tent turned upside down, it already fell. The whole string of verbs in this verse may be communicated by fewer verbs or by serial verbs. In some languages an ideophone (for example, “Kpaang!” or “Kirplunk!”) would be a very effective way to express the meaning here. The phrase the tent occurs twice in this verse in full nominal form. Its repetition here at the end of this verse may express finality. However, it is common in many languages for the “props” in the story to appear in full form rather than as pronouns.

A translation model for this verse is:

• Just as Gideon got close to the camp, he heard one of the soldiers telling his comrade about a dream he had. He said, “I dreamed about a round loaf of barley bread. It came rolling down into our camp, knocked over our tent, and turned it upside down. The tent fell flat.”

Quoted with permission from Zogbo, Lynell and Ogden, Graham S. A Handbook on Judges. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .