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Then Jerubbaal, which also is Gideon, rose by night, and all the people with him, and came to the well which is called Harod. And the tents of Midian were in the valley, at the north coast of the high hill. (Then Jerubbaal, that is Gideon, and all the people with him, rose up early, and they came to the well which is called Harod. And the tents of the Midianites were pitched in the valley to the north of Mount Moreh.)

And the Lord said to Gideon, (Too) Much people is with thee, and Midian shall not be betaken into the hands thereof, lest Israel have glory against me, and say, I am delivered by my strengths. (And the Lord said to Gideon, Too many people be with thee, and the Midianites shall not be delivered into their hands, lest the people of Israel take the glory from me, and say, We were saved by our own strength.)

Speak thou to the people, and preach thou, while all men hear, (and say,) He that is fearedful, and dreadful, turn again. And (so) they (who were afraid) went away from the hill of Gilead, and (in all) two and twenty thousand of men turned again from the people; and only ten thousand (still) dwelled (there).

And the Lord said to Gideon, Yet the people is (too) much; lead thou them to the waters, and there I shall prove them, and he (shall) go with thee, of whom I shall say, that he (should) go; and turn he again, whom I shall forbid to go.

And when the people had gone down to the waters, the Lord said to Gideon, Thou shalt separate them by themselves that lap (up the) waters with hand and tongue, as dogs be wont to lap (it up); and those, that drink with knees bowed, shall be in the tother part.

And so the number of them, that lapped (up the) waters, by the hand casting (it) to the mouth, was three hundred men; and all the tother multitude drank kneeling.

And the Lord said to Gideon, In three hundred men, that lapped waters, I shall deliver you, and I shall betake Midian in thine hand; and all the tother multitude turn again into their place. (And the Lord said to Gideon, With the three hundred men who lapped up the water, I shall save you, and I shall deliver the Midianites into thy hands; and all the other multitude should return to their homes.)

And [so] when they had taken meats and trumps for the number of them, he commanded all the tother multitude to go (back) to their tabernacles; and Gideon, with (those) three hundred men, gave himself to [the] battle. And the tents of Midian were beneath in the valley (And the tents of the Midianites were pitched below him in the valley).

In the same night the Lord said to him, Rise thou (up), and go down into their tents, for I have betaken them in thine hand (for I have delivered them into thy hands);

10 and if thou dreadest to go alone, Phurah, thy servant, go down with thee. (and if thou fearest to go down alone, let thy servant Phurah go down with thee.)

11 And when thou shalt hear what they speak, then thine hands shall be strengthened, and thou shalt go down securer to the tents of [the] enemies. Therefore he went down, and Phurah, his servant (And so he, and his servant Phurah, went down), into the part of [the] tents, where the watches of (the) armed men were.

12 And Midian, and Amalek, and all the peoples of the east lay spread abroad in the valley, as the multitude of locusts; and the camels were unnumberable, as gravel that lieth in the brink of the sea. (And the Midianites, and the Amalekites, and all the peoples of the east lay spread abroad in the valley, like a multitude of locusts; and their camels were innumerable, like the gravel, or the sand, that lieth at the seashore.)

13 And when Gideon had come down, a man told (of) a dream to his neighbour, and he told by this manner that, that he had seen, (saying,) I saw a dream, and it seemed to me, that as a barley loaf, baken under ashes, was wallowed, and it came down into the tents of Midian; and when it had come to a tabernacle, it smote it, and destroyed it, and made it even utterly to the earth. (And when Gideon had come down, a man told his neighbour about a dream that he had, and he told in this manner what he had seen, saying, I had a dream, and it seemed to me, that a barley loaf, baked under ashes, was rolled down into the tents of the Midianites; and when it came to a tent, it struck it, and destroyed it, and made it utterly even to the ground.)

14 That man answered, to whom he spake (And that man to whom he spoke, answered), This is none other thing, no but the sword of Gideon, [the] son of Joash, a man of Israel; for the Lord God hath betaken Midian, and all [the] tents thereof, into the hands of Gideon.

15 And when Gideon had heard the dream, and the interpreting thereof, he worshipped the Lord, and turned again to the tents of Israel, and said, Rise ye (up); for the Lord hath betaken into our hands the tents of Midian (for the Lord hath delivered the host, or the army, of the Midianites into our hands).

16 And he parted the three hundred men into three parts, and he gave them trumps in their hands, and empty pots, and lamps (with lamps), that is, (with) burning brands, either torches, that might not lightly be quenched, in the midst of the pots.

17 And he said to them, Do ye this thing which ye see me do; I shall enter into a part of the tents, and follow ye that, that I do.

18 When the trump in my hand shall sound, sound ye also all about the tents, and cry ye together, To the Lord, and to Gideon.

19 And Gideon entered, and the three hundred men that were with him, into a part of the tents, when the watches of midnight began; and when the keepers were raised, they began to sound with trumps, and to beat together the pots among themselves (and after the guards had changed, they began to sound with the trumpets, and to beat the pots together).

20 And when they sounded in three places by compass, and had broken the pots, they held [the] lamps in their left hands, and [the] sounding trumps in their right hands; and they cried, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon;

21 and they stood all in their place, about the tents of their enemies. And so all the tents were troubled; and they cried [out], and yelled, and fled; (and they all stood in their places, about the tents of their enemies. And all the army was troubled, and many of the enemies cried out, and yelled, and fled away;)

22 and nevertheless the three hundred men continued, sounding with trumps. And the Lord sent sword in all the tents, and they killed themselves by death each other; and they (who were left) fled till to Bethshittah, (in Zererath), and by the side, from Abelmeholah into Tabbath. (but the three hundred men continued sounding with the trumpets. And the Lord set each man in the camp against his neighbour, and they killed each other with their swords; and those who were left fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to Abelmeholah Ridge by Tabbath.)

23 And men of Israel cried together, of Naphtali, and of Asher, and of all Manasseh, and they pursued Midian; and the Lord gave victory to the people of Israel in that day. (Then the men of Israel from Naphtali, and Asher, and from both parts of Manasseh, were called out, and they pursued the Midianites; and the Lord gave victory to the people of Israel on that day.)

24 And Gideon sent messengers into all the hill (country) of Ephraim, and said, Come ye down against the coming of Midian, and occupy ye the waters till to Bethbarah and (the) Jordan. And all Ephraim cried (And all the men of Ephraim were called out), and before-occupied the waters of the Jordan until Bethbarah.

25 And Ephraim killed two chief men of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb; he killed Oreb in the stone of Oreb, and Zeeb in the presser of Zeeb; and Ephraim pursued Midian, and they bare the heads of Oreb and of Zeeb to Gideon, over the floods of Jordan. (And the Ephraimites killed the two chief men of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; they killed Oreb at the stone of Oreb, and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb; and they pursued the Midianites, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, on the other side of the Jordan River.)

Gideon Defeats the Midianites

Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal(A) (that is, Gideon(B)) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod.(C) The camp of Midian(D) was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh.(E) The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength(F) has saved me.’ Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.(G)’” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.

But the Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many(H) 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.”

So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.” Three hundred of them(I) drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.

The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands.(J) Let all the others go home.”(K) So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites home but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others.

Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley. During that night the Lord said to Gideon, “Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands.(L) 10 If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah 11 and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp.” So he and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp. 12 The Midianites, the Amalekites(M) and all the other eastern peoples had settled in the valley, thick as locusts.(N) Their camels(O) could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore.(P)

13 Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. “I had a dream,” he was saying. “A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed.”

14 His friend responded, “This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash,(Q) the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands.”

15 When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed down and worshiped.(R) He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, “Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands.”(S) 16 Dividing the three hundred men(T) into three companies,(U) he placed trumpets(V) and empty jars(W) in the hands of all of them, with torches(X) inside.

17 “Watch me,” he told them. “Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. 18 When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets,(Y) then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.’”

19 Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars(Z) that were in their hands. 20 The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches(AA) in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, “A sword(AB) for the Lord and for Gideon!” 21 While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled.(AC)

22 When the three hundred trumpets sounded,(AD) the Lord caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other(AE) with their swords.(AF) The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah(AG) near Tabbath. 23 Israelites from Naphtali, Asher(AH) and all Manasseh were called out,(AI) and they pursued the Midianites.(AJ) 24 Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against the Midianites and seize the waters of the Jordan(AK) ahead of them as far as Beth Barah.”

So all the men of Ephraim were called out and they seized the waters of the Jordan as far as Beth Barah. 25 They also captured two of the Midianite leaders, Oreb and Zeeb(AL). They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb,(AM) and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. They pursued the Midianites(AN) and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, who was by the Jordan.(AO)

Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched 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 said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.

Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.

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.

So he brought down the people unto the water: and the Lord said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.

And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.

And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.

So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained 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 said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand.

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

11 And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host.

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

13 And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along.

14 And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.

15 And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.

16 And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.

17 And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do.

18 When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.

19 So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands.

20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.

21 And they stood every man in his place round about the camp; and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.

22 And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the Lord set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath.

23 And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites.

24 And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan.

25 And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.