Chapter 7

Then Jerubbaal, who [is] Gideon, and all the people that [were] with him, rose up early,⁵⁵ and pitched⁴ beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.

And the LORD said⁴ unto Gideon, The people that [are] with thee [are] too many for me to give² the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt¹⁰¹ themselves against me, saying,² Mine own hand hath saved⁵² me.

Now therefore go to, proclaim³ in the ears of the people, saying,² Whosoever [is] fearful and afraid, let him return⁴ and depart early⁴ from mount Gilead. And there returned⁴ of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained⁸ ten thousand.

And the LORD said⁴ unto Gideon, The people [are] yet [too] many; bring them down⁵⁴ unto the water, and I will try⁴ them for thee there: and it shall be, [that] of whom I say⁴ unto thee, This shall go⁴ with thee, the same shall go⁴ with thee; and of whomsoever I say⁴ unto thee, This shall not go⁴ with thee, the same shall not go.⁴

So he brought down⁵⁵ the people unto the water: and the LORD said⁴ unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth⁴ of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth,⁴ him shalt thou set⁵⁵ by himself; likewise every one that boweth down⁴ upon his knees to drink.²

And the number of them that lapped,¹⁸ [putting] their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down¹ upon their knees to drink² water.

And the LORD said⁴ unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped¹⁸ will I save⁵⁵ you, and deliver¹ the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the [other] people go⁴ every man unto his place.

So the people took⁴ victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he sent¹⁴ all [the rest of] Israel every man unto his tent, and retained⁵² those three hundred men: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley.

And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said⁴ unto him, Arise,³ get thee down³ unto the host; for I have delivered¹ it into thine hand.

But if thou fear to go down,² go thou with Phurah thy servant down³ to the host:

And thou shalt hear¹ what they say;¹⁷ and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened⁴ to go down¹ unto the host. Then went he down⁴ with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that [were] in the host.

And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay⁶ along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels [were] without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude.

And when Gideon was come,⁴ behold, [there was] a man that told¹⁸ a dream unto his fellow, and said,⁴ Behold, I dreamed¹ a dream, and, lo, a cake ⁶⁷⁴² of barley bread tumbled¹⁰² into the host of Midian, and came⁴ unto a tent, and smote⁵⁵ it that it fell,⁴ and overturned⁴ it, that the tent lay along.¹

And his fellow answered⁴ and said,⁴ This [is] nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: [for] into his hand hath God delivered¹ Midian, and all the host.

And it was [so], when Gideon heard² the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped,¹⁰¹ and returned⁴ into the host of Israel, and said,⁴ Arise;³ for the LORD hath delivered¹ into your hand the host of Midian.

And he divided⁴ the three hundred men [into] three companies, and he put⁴ a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.

And he said⁴ unto them, Look⁴ on me, and do⁴ likewise: and, behold, when I come⁶ to the outside of the camp, it shall be [that], as I do,⁴ so shall ye do.⁴

When I blow¹ with a trumpet, I and all that [are] with me, then blow¹ ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say,¹ [The sword] of the LORD, and of Gideon.

So Gideon, and the hundred men that [were] with him, came⁴ unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly⁵³ set⁵² the watch:⁶ and they blew⁴ the trumpets, and brake² the pitchers that [were] in their hands.

And the three companies blew⁴ the trumpets, and brake⁴ the pitchers, and held⁵⁵ the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow² [withal]: and they cried,⁴ The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.

And they stood⁴ every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran,⁴ and cried,⁵⁵ and fled.^{4 5127 55}

And the three hundred blew⁴ the trumpets, and the LORD set⁴ every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled⁴ to Bethshittah in Zererath, [and] to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath.

And the men of Israel gathered themselves together¹¹ out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued⁴ after the Midianites.

And Gideon sent¹ messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying,² Come down³ against² the Midianites, and take³ before them the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together,¹¹ and took⁴ the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan.

And they took⁴ two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew⁴ Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew¹ at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued⁴ Midian, and brought⁵² the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.