Judges 7:1-11 ▼

1 THEN Nedo-baal, who is Gideon, and all the people who were with him, rose up early, and encamped beside the spring of Hadar; and the camp of Midian was north of the hill of Gibath, in the valley.

2 And the LORD said to Gideon, The people that are with you are too many for me to deliver the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel should glory in themselves, saying, My own hand has made me victorious.

3 Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him stay behind and return from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty-two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.

4 And the LORD said to Gideon, The people are still too many; bring them down to the water, and I will try them for you there; and it shall be that he of whom I say to you, This one shall go with you, the same shall go with you; and of whomsoever I say to you, This one shall not go with you, the same shall not go.

5 So he brought down the people to the water; and the LORD said to Gideon, All who lap of the water with their tongues, as a dog laps, you shall make them stand together; likewise all who kneel down upon their knees to drink, you shall make them stand together.

6 And the number of those that lapped, putting the hand to the mouth, was three hundred men; but all the rest of the people knelt down upon their knees to drink water.

7 And the LORD said to Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and deliver the Midianites into your hands; and let all the other people go, every man to his place.

8 So the people took their provisions in their hands and their trumpets; and he dismissed all the children of Israel every man to his possession and to his tent, and he relied upon those three hundred men; and the camp of Midian was beneath him in the valley.

9 And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said to him, Arise, go down to the camp, for I have delivered it into your hands.

10 But if you fear to go down, go down with Pera your servant to the army camp;

11 And you shall hear what they say; and afterwards your hands shall be strengthened. So he went down with Pera his servant to a detachment of the armed men that were in the army camp.