After giving directions to all the Israelite soldiers, Gideon moves out with his group of them toward the enemy camp. The mention of Gideon by name and the long phrase, the hundred men who were with him, seem to indicate a break in the narrative, so many versions begin a new paragraph here (Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New International Version, Revised English Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh).

So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp …: So renders the Hebrew waw conjunction, which many versions omit (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New International Version, Revised English Bible). The hundred men who were with him refers to one of the three military companies that Gideon formed (verse 7.16). Despite the fact that there is no definite marker here in Hebrew, most translations will use a definite article such as the, since this group has already been mentioned. The generic Hebrew word for men may be rendered “warriors” or “soldiers” here. As Gideon had done earlier (verse 7.11), he and his men came to the outskirts of the camp, to the edge of the Midianite camp (see verse 7.17).

At the beginning of the middle watch, when they had just set the watch: These words set the time when Gideon’s group arrived at the edge of the Midianite camp. The time is set according to the watch periods of the guards. Gideon’s men arrived at the beginning of the middle watch (literally “[at] the head of the middle watch”). Some scholars think the night was divided into three watch periods, while others think there were four. Speaking about a middle watch seems to suggest that there were three. Some think the first watch began at sunset, so the second one would begin around 10 P.M. Good News Translation renders at the beginning of the middle watch as “a while before midnight,” and Contemporary English Version says “a few hours after dark.” Since the exact time is not known, it may be best to keep closer to the text, as in Revised Standard Version. When they had just set the watch means that Gideon and his men arrived just as or just after the new guards had come on duty. The importance of this clause is that the guards were fresh, and so would be more vigilant than those who had been on duty a long time. Thus the danger for Gideon and his men was greater. The Hebrew for this clause is emphatic, literally “only setting they set the guards.” The pronoun they probably refers to the guards’ commanders or superiors. The causative form of the key Hebrew verb meaning “arise” (qum) occurs here twice, first as an infinitive and then as a finite verb, expressing emphasis. There may also be some irony here, since normally it is the heroes of Israel who “arise.” Here the enemies attempt to “arise,” but will fail. It will be difficult in most translations to convey all the nuances of the Hebrew here. Translators should try to find an expression that conveys the main idea, for example, “just after the guard had been changed” (Good News Translation) or “just after the new guards had come on duty” (Contemporary English Version). We may also say “The Midianites had just changed the guard.”

And they blew the trumpets: Here the pronoun they no longer refers to the Midianites, but to Gideon and his group. Earlier, Gideon said he and his group would be the first ones to blow their trumpets as a signal, and the other two groups were to follow their example (see verse 7.18). In the next verse the other groups follow their lead.

And smashed the jars that were in their hands: And renders the Hebrew waw conjunction, so this action of smashing the jars could have taken place after the trumpets were blown, but it seems more likely that the two actions happened simultaneously. The text does not say how the Israelite soldiers smashed the jars. They could have smashed them on the ground or against their trumpets. Smashed may be rendered “shattered” or “caused to break in little pieces.” For jars see verse 7.16. This clause gives another example of the keyword hand being used at a time of victory for the Israelites. However, here it has a literal sense, not a figurative one.

Translation models for this verse are:

• Gideon and the hundred warriors who were in his group reached the edge of the Midianite camp just before midnight. The Midianites had just changed the guard. At his signal, Gideon and his men blew their trumpets and smashed the jars they held in their hands.

• Gideon and his hundred soldiers arrived at the outskirts of the enemy camp in the middle of the night, just after they had changed the guards. Then Gideon and his men blew their trumpets and smashed the jars each one held in his hand.

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 .