And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up,
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George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Sun-rising. It would seem as if all these exploits had been performed between midnight and sun-rising, in the month of May, which is quite incredible; and hence many translate, "the sun being up. "Septuagint and Theodotion, "from the height or ascent of Hares "(the situation of which we know not,) or "of the mountains "(Aquila) or "woods "(Symmachus) or perhaps "from the eastward. "(Calmet)
The Scripture does not, however, specify that all this took place in the space of six or seven hours, or of one night, but only that Gedeon came to Soccoth so early, as to take the magistrates unawares, being informed by a young man where they lived. This might probably happen on the second morning, after he had surprised the camp of the Madianites, at Jezrael. Protestants and Chaldean agree with the Vulgate, "before the sun was up. "The other translations explain chares, as if it denoted the place or situation from which Gedeon was returning. (Haydock)
Described. The text may signify either that the boy marked them out, or that Gedeon took down a memorandum of their names. (Calmet)
He would not punish the innocent with the guilty. (Menochius)
