Judges 7:2-7 ▼

2 The LORD said to Gideon, |You have too many men with you for me to hand Midian over to you. Israel might brag and say, 'We saved ourselves.'

3 Announce to the troops, 'Whoever is scared or frightened should leave Mount Gilead and go back home.' | So 22,000 men went back home, and 10,000 were left.

4 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.|

5 So Gideon took the men down to the water. The LORD said to him, |Separate those who lap water with their tongues like dogs from those who kneel down to drink.|

6 Three hundred men lapped water with their hands to their mouths. All the rest of the men knelt down to drink water.

7 Then the LORD said to Gideon, |With the 300 men who lapped water I will save you and hand Midian over to you. All the other men should go home.|