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Judges 7:19

And Gedeon, and the three hundred men that were with him, went into part of the camp, at the beginning of the midnight watch, and the watchmen being alarmed, they began to sound their trumpets, and to clap the pitchers one against another.

Challoner: Their trumpetsIn a mystical sense, the preachers of the gospel, in order to spiritual conquests, must not only sound with the trumpet of the word of God, but must also break their earthen pitchers, by the mortification of the flesh and its passions, and carry lamps in their hands by the light of their virtues.

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In the palace

InterpretiveGedeon's Broken Pitchers and the Light in Earthen Vessels

The verse in its languages

Vulgate (Clementine): Ingressusque est Gedeon, et trecenti viri qui erant cum eo, in partem castrorum, incipientibus vigiliis noctis mediæ : et custodibus suscitatis, cœperunt buccinis clangere, et complodere inter se lagenas.
Septuagint (Swete): Καὶ εἰσῆλθεν Γεδεὼν καὶ οἱ ἑκατὸν ἄνδρες οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐν ἀρχῇ τῆς παρεμβολῆς ἐν ἀρχῇ τῆς φυλακῆς μέσης· καὶ ἐγείροντες ἤγειραν τοὺς φυλάσσοντας, καὶ ἐσάλπισαν ἐν ταῖς κερατίναις, καὶ ἐξετίναξαν τὰς ὑδρείας τὰς ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτῶν.
Hebrew (WLC): וַיָּבֹ֣א גִ֠דְעוֹן וּמֵאָה אִ֨ישׁ אֲשֶׁר אִתּ֜וֹ בִּקְצֵ֣ה הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֗ה רֹ֚אשׁ הָאַשְׁמֹ֣רֶת הַתִּֽיכוֹנָ֔ה אַ֛ךְ הָקֵ֥ם הֵקִ֖ימוּ אֶת הַשֹּֽׁמְרִ֑ים וַֽיִּתְקְעוּ֙ בַּשּׁ֣וֹפָר֔וֹת וְנָפ֥וֹץ הַכַּדִּ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּיָדָֽם

Haydock's commentary

Watch. This was the second of the three watches known to the ancient Hebrews: in the New Testament, they followed the Roman discipline, and admitted four, Matthew xiv. 25. (Calmet)

Menochius thinks they did the same at this time. (Haydock)

Alarmed. They were not asleep. (Menochius)

We read of similar stratagems in the Roman history. The Falisci threw the Romans into consternation, by appearing among them in mourning weeds; (Calmet) others read in priestly attire, (Haydock) with flambeaux and serpents; as those of Veii did by means of burning torches. (Grotius; Fontin., Strat, ii. 4, &c.) (Calmet)

Trumpets. In a mystical sense, the preachers of the gospel, in order to spiritual conquests, must not only sound with the trumpet of the word of God, but must also break the earthen pitchers, by the mortification of the flesh and its passions, and carry lamps in their hands by the light of their virtues. (Challoner)

These lamps denote the virtues and miracles of the martyrs. (Ven. Bede, c. 5.) The things which would seem ridiculous, fill the enemy with terror and dismay. (ibid.[Ven. Bede, c. 5.]) (Worthington)

From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.

The Fathers on this verse

St Ephrem the Syrian Ephraim Syrus: The Nisibene Hymns, Hymn LIX

1. Lo! Death for us on Satan, inflicts vengeance: come let us hear his shame and rejoice, for he rejoiced in our shame. 2. R., To Thee be glory from Thy flock, from Thee: are subdued both Death and Satan, under Thy Feet! 3. D ., Evil ones shall be hung upright, but thou, head downward: for, reversely, thou crucifiedst, Simon on the tree. 4. S ., Touching all else I am silent, Death, for my time wanes: Simon himself conjured me, “Crucify me thus.”, 5. Were it the just that cursed me, I had not grieved: the curse of Death unto me, is worse than hell. 6. D ., The shame of our Lord I have not spoken of, it is too great for my mouth: that I should weigh and compare His Passion, with Thy torment. 7. Twelve judgment thrones shall He set, for His Twelve: for by the twelve tribes thou, even thou, shall be condemned. 8. …