Judges 7:2-7 ▼

2 The LORD told Gideon, |You have too many soldiers with you for me to drop Midian into their hands, because Israel would become arrogant and say, 'It was my own abilities that delivered me.'

3 That's why you're to ask in full view of the soldiers, |Whoever is afraid or is trembling may go back from Mount Gilead and return home.| So 22,000 soldiers left and 10,000 remained.

4 |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.'|

5 So he brought his soldiers down to the water, and the LORD told Gideon, |You are to cull out everyone who laps up water with his tongue like a dog from everyone who kneels to drink.|

6 The contingent of soldiers who lapped water with their hands to their mouths numbered 300 men, but everyone else kneeled to drink water.

7 Then the LORD told Gideon, |I'm going to deliver you with the 300 soldiers who lapped by giving the Midianites into your control. Send everyone else back to their own homes.|