Gideon Reduces the Ranks

7:1 Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and his men1 got up the next morning and camped near the spring of Harod.2 The Midianites3 were camped north of them near the hill of Moreh in the valley. 7:2 The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men for me to hand Midian over to you.4 Israel might brag,5 ‘Our own strength has delivered us.’6 7:3 Now, announce to the men,7 ‘Whoever is shaking with fear8 may turn around and leave Mount Gilead.’ ”9 Twenty-two thousand men10 went home;11 ten thousand remained. 7:4 The Lord spoke to Gideon again, “There are still too many men.12 Bring them down to the water and I will thin the ranks some more.13 When I say, ‘This one should go with you,’ pick him to go;14 when I say,15 ‘This one should not go with you,’ do not take him.”16 7:5 So he brought the men17 down to the water. Then the Lord said to Gideon, “Separate those who lap the water as a dog laps from those who kneel to drink.”18 7:6 Three hundred men lapped;19 the rest of the men20 kneeled to drink water. 7:7 The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men who lapped I will deliver the whole army21 and I will hand Midian over to you.22 The rest of the men should go home.”23 7:8 The men24 who were chosen25 took supplies26 and their trumpets. Gideon27 sent all the men of Israel back to their homes;28 he kept only three hundred men. Now the Midianites29 were camped down below30 in the valley.