שופטים, פרק ז׳, פסוק כ׳

At the climax of the night, a coordinated surprise attack shatters the silence, designed to strike terror and absolute confusion into the heart of the sleeping Midianite camp.

The assault begins with the sounding of the horns, though there are different understandings of exactly how this unfolds. One approach suggests that the three commanders, standing at the head of their respective hundred-man companies, initiate the blast. Upon seeing their leaders act, the rest of the fighters follow suit, exactly as Gideon had previously instructed [אברבנאל, ביאור שטיינזלץ, מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם]. Alternatively, the action may not refer to the commanders alone, but rather indicates that all the fighters across the three separate companies sound their horns simultaneously [רד״ק].

As the horns sound, the fighters smash their clay pitchers. They stand holding blazing torches in their left hands and the horns in their right. This terrifying visual of sudden fire, combined with the preparation for the horn blasts, triggers massive panic within the enemy camp. In fact, even before all the men can finish sounding their horns, they begin to shout their battle cry [מלבי״ם].

What makes this attack highly unusual is the physical position of the fighters. Instead of charging forward into the enemy camp, they remain frozen in place. Standing completely still on all sides of the camp, the surrounding ring of loud crashes, horn blasts, and sudden fire creates an overwhelming sensory assault. This static formation is precisely what amplifies the enemy's disorientation, causing the panicked Midianites to scatter and run for their lives [אברבנאל].

Their loud declaration of a sword for God and for Gideon serves a specific purpose. It announces to all that the victory belongs first and foremost to God, and that this divine salvation is being brought into the world and carried out through His appointed messenger, Gideon [מצודת דוד].