Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version But the LORD said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there. If I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” New Living Translation But the LORD told Gideon, “There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not.” English Standard Version And the LORD said to Gideon, “The people are still too many. Take them down to the water, and I will test them for you there, and anyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ shall go with you, and anyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ shall not go.” Berean Standard Bible Then the LORD said to Gideon, “There are still too many people. Take them down to the water, and I will sift them for you there. If I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go. But if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” King James Bible And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go. New King James Version But the LORD said to Gideon, “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. Then it will be, that of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ the same shall go with you; and of whomever I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ the same shall not go.” New American Standard Bible Then the LORD said to Gideon, “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water and I will test them for you there. So it shall be that he of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go with you; but everyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” NASB 1995 Then the LORD said to Gideon, “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water and I will test them for you there. Therefore it shall be that he of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go with you; but everyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” NASB 1977 Then the LORD said to Gideon, “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water and I will test them for you there. Therefore it shall be that he of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go with you; but everyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” Legacy Standard Bible Then Yahweh said to Gideon, “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. And it will be that he of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go with you; but everyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” Amplified Bible Then the LORD said to Gideon, “There are still too many people; bring them down to the water and I will test them for you there. Therefore it shall be that he of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go with you; but everyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” Christian Standard Bible Then the LORD said to Gideon, “There are still too many troops. Take them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. If I say to you, ‘This one can go with you,’ he can go. But if I say about anyone, ‘This one cannot go with you,’ he cannot go.” Holman Christian Standard Bible Then the LORD said to Gideon, “There are still too many people. Take them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. If I say to you, ‘This one can go with you,’ he can go. But if I say about anyone, ‘This one cannot go with you,’ he cannot go.” American Standard Version And Jehovah said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go. Aramaic Bible in Plain English And LORD JEHOVAH said to Gedun: “Still this people is too many. Send them down into the water and I shall test them for you there, and whomever I will tell you, ‘He shall go with you,’ he shall go with you, and whomever I say to you, ‘He shall not go with you’, he shall not go with you” Brenton Septuagint Translation And the Lord said to Gedeon, The people is yet numerous; bring them down to the water, and I will purge them there for thee: and it shall come to pass that of whomsoever I shall say to thee, This one shall go with thee, even he shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I shall say to thee, This one shall not go with thee, even he shall not go with thee. Contemporary English Version "Gideon," the LORD said, "you still have too many soldiers. Take them down to the spring and I'll test them. I'll tell you which ones can go along with you and which ones must go back home." Douay-Rheims Bible And the Lord said to Gedeon: The people are still too many, bring them to the waters, and there I will try them: and of whom I shall say to thee, This shall go with thee, let him go: whom I shall forbid to go, let him return. English Revised Version And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go. GOD'S WORD® Translation The LORD said to Gideon, "There are still too many men. Bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. If I say to you, 'This one will go with you,' he must go with you. And if I say to you, 'This one won't go with you,' he must not go." Good News Translation Then the LORD said to Gideon, "You still have too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will separate them for you there. If I tell you a man should go with you, he will go. If I tell you a man should not go with you, he will not go." International Standard Version "There are still too many soldiers," the LORD told Gideon. "Bring them down to the water and I'll refine them for you there. Therefore when I say to you, 'This one will be going with you,' he'll go with you, but no one may go about whom I tell you, 'This one won't be going with you.'" JPS Tanakh 1917 And the LORD said unto Gideon: 'The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there; and it shall be, that of whom I say to thee: This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee: This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.' Literal Standard Version And YHWH says to Gideon, “The people [are] yet too many; bring them down to the water, and I refine him for you there; and it has been, he of whom I say to you, This goes with you—he goes with you; and any of whom I say to you, This does not go with you—he does not go.” Majority Standard Bible Then the LORD said to Gideon, “There are still too many people. Take them down to the water, and I will sift them for you there. If I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go. But if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” New American Bible The LORD said to Gideon: There are still too many soldiers. Lead them down to the water and I will test them for you there. If I tell you that a certain man is to go with you, he must go with you. But no one is to go if I tell you he must not. NET Bible The LORD spoke to Gideon again, "There are still too many men. Bring them down to the water and I will thin the ranks some more. When I say, 'This one should go with you,' pick him to go; when I say, 'This one should not go with you,' do not take him." New Revised Standard Version Then the LORD said to Gideon, “The troops are still too many; take them down to the water and I will sift them out for you there. When I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go with you; and when I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” New Heart English Bible The LORD said to Gideon, "The people are yet too many; bring them down to the water, and I will try them for you there: and it shall be, that of whom I tell you, This shall go with you, the same shall go with you; and of whoever I tell you, This shall not go with you, the same shall not go. Webster's Bible Translation And the LORD said to Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down to the water, and I will try them for thee there; and it shall be, that of whom I say to thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say to thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go. World English Bible Yahweh said to Gideon, “There are still too many people. Bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. It shall be, that those whom I tell you, ‘This shall go with you,’ shall go with you; and whoever I tell you, ‘This shall not go with you,’ shall not go.” Young's Literal Translation And Jehovah saith unto Gideon, 'Yet are the people too many; bring them down unto the water, and I refine it for thee there; and it hath been, he of whom I say unto thee, This doth go with thee -- he doth go with thee; and any of whom I say unto thee, This doth not go with thee -- he doth not go.' Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Gideon's Army of Three Hundred…3Now, therefore, proclaim in the hearing of the people: ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’ ” So twenty-two thousand of them turned back, but ten thousand remained. 4Then the LORD said to Gideon, “There are still too many people. Take them down to the water, and I will sift them for you there. If I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go. But if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” 5So Gideon brought the people down to the water, and the LORD said to him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues like a dog from those who kneel to drink.”… Cross References Judges 7:5 So Gideon brought the people down to the water, and the LORD said to him, "Separate those who lap the water with their tongues like a dog from those who kneel to drink." 1 Samuel 14:6 Jonathan said to the young man bearing his armor, "Come, let us cross over to the outpost of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps the LORD will work on our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few." Treasury of Scripture And the LORD said to Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down to the water, and I will try them for you there: and it shall be, that of whom I say to you, This shall go with you, the same shall go with you; and of whomsoever I say to you, This shall not go with you, the same shall not go. people Psalm 33:16 There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. I will Genesis 22:1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. 1 Samuel 16:7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. Job 23:10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. Jump to Previous Test Try Water WhomsoeverJump to Next Test Try Water WhomsoeverJudges 7 1. Gideon's army of thirty-two thousand is brought to three hundred9. He is encouraged by the dream and interpretation of the burley cake 16. His plan of trumpets and lamps in pitchers 24. The Ephraimites take Oreb and Zeeb (4) The people are yet too many.--A fresh trial of faith; but small numbers were essential for the method of victory by which God intended that the deliverance should be achieved. Unto the water.--i.e., to the spring of Harod. I will try them.--The LXX. render it (Cod. Vat.), "I will purge them," as gold from dross, and this is the literal sense of the word (Isaiah 1:25; Isaiah 48:10). Hebrew Thenה֚וּא (hū) Pronoun - third person masculine singular Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are the LORD יְהוָ֜ה (Yah·weh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel said וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (way·yō·mer) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 559: To utter, say to אֶל־ (’el-) Preposition Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to Gideon, גִּדְע֗וֹן (giḏ·‘ō·wn) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 1439: Gideon -- a judge of Israel “There are still עוֹד֮ (‘ō·wḏ) Adverb Strong's 5750: Iteration, continuance, again, repeatedly, still, more too many רָב֒ (rāḇ) Adjective - masculine singular Strong's 7227: Much, many, great people. הָעָ֣ם (hā·‘ām) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock Take them down הוֹרֵ֤ד (hō·w·rêḏ) Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular Strong's 3381: To come or go down, descend to אֶל־ (’el-) Preposition Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to the water, הַמַּ֔יִם (ham·ma·yim) Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen and I will sift them וְאֶצְרְפֶ֥נּוּ (wə·’eṣ·rə·p̄en·nū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular | third person masculine singular Strong's 6884: To smelt, refine, test for you לְךָ֖ (lə·ḵā) Preposition | second person masculine singular Strong's Hebrew there. שָׁ֑ם (šām) Adverb Strong's 8033: There, then, thither If אֲשֶׁר֩ (’ă·šer) Pronoun - relative Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that I say אֹמַ֨ר (’ō·mar) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular Strong's 559: To utter, say to you, אֵלֶ֜יךָ (’ê·le·ḵā) Preposition | second person masculine singular Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to ‘This [one] זֶ֣ה ׀ (zeh) Pronoun - masculine singular Strong's 2088: This, that shall go יֵלֵ֣ךְ (yê·lêḵ) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk with you,’ אִתָּ֗ךְ (’it·tāḵ) Preposition | second person masculine singular Strong's 854: Nearness, near, with, by, at, among he shall go. יֵלֵ֣ךְ (yê·lêḵ) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk But if אֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-) Pronoun - relative Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that I say, אֹמַ֜ר (’ō·mar) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular Strong's 559: To utter, say ‘This [one] זֶ֚ה (zeh) Pronoun - masculine singular Strong's 2088: This, that shall not לֹא־ (lō-) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no go יֵלֵ֣ךְ (yê·lêḵ) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk with you,’ עִמָּ֔ךְ (‘im·māḵ) Preposition | second person feminine singular Strong's 5973: With, equally with he ה֖וּא (hū) Pronoun - third person masculine singular Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are shall not לֹ֥א (lō) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no go.� יֵלֵֽךְ׃ (yê·lêḵ) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk Links Judges 7:4 NIVJudges 7:4 NLT Judges 7:4 ESV Judges 7:4 NASB Judges 7:4 KJV Judges 7:4 BibleApps.com Judges 7:4 Biblia Paralela Judges 7:4 Chinese Bible Judges 7:4 French Bible Judges 7:4 Catholic Bible OT History: Judges 7:4 Yahweh said to Gideon The people (Jd Judg. Jdg) |