And the Lord said to Gideon, the people are yet too
many
Though they were but just the number that Barak had with him,
when he attacked Sisera's army and got the victory, which yet was
ascribed to God, whose hand was manifestly seen in it; but as
these might be supposed to be able men of valour that remained,
they were too many for God to have that glory he intended to
display in this victory:
bring them down unto the water;
from the hill on which they were, to a brook that ran at the
bottom of it, perhaps a stream from the fountain or well of
Harod, ( Judges
7:1 )
and I will try them for thee there,
or "purge them" F1, as silver is purged from dross, so
the word signifies, as Kimchi observes, the righteous from the
wicked, as he thinks; who, with others, suppose that by those who
bowed on their knees to drink, were such as had been used to bow
the knee to Baal, and the rest not, and so one were discerned
from the other; but this trial was only for the sake of Gideon,
to direct him whom he should take with him, and whom not:
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;
by the different manner of his men drinking at the water, later
related, Gideon knew not who should go with him, and who not,
whether they that bowed down to drink, or only lapped the water;
this was determined by the mouth of the Lord, as follows but this
trial was only for the sake of Gideon, to direct him whom he
should take with him, and whom not:
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;
by the different manner of his men drinking at the water, after
related, Gideon knew not who should go with him, and who not,
whether they that bowed down to drink, or only lapped the water;
this was determined by the mouth of the Lord, as follows.