Judges 7:4

4 And the Lord said to Gedeon, The people is yet numerous; bring them down to the water, and I will purge them there for thee: and it shall come to pass that of whomsoever I shall say to thee, This one shall go with thee, he shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I shall say to thee, This one shall not go with thee, he shall not go with thee.

Judges 7:4 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 7:4

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.

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 (wnprua) "defaecabo", Drusius; "eliquabo, seu purgabo", Piscator.

Judges 7:4 In-Context

2 And the Lord said to Gedeon, The people with thee many, so that I may not deliver Madiam into their hand, lest at any time Israel boast against me, saying, My hand has saved me.

3 And now speak in the ears of the people, saying, Who afraid and fearful? let him turn and depart from mount Galaad: and there returned of the people twenty-two thousand, and ten thousand were left.

4 And the Lord said to Gedeon, The people is yet numerous; bring them down to the water, and I will purge them there for thee: and it shall come to pass that of whomsoever I shall say to thee, This one shall go with thee, he shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I shall say to thee, This one shall not go with thee, he shall not go with thee.

5 And he brought the people down to the water; and the Lord said to Gedeon, Whosoever shall lap of the water with his tongue as if a dog should lap, thou shalt set him apart, and whosoever shall bow down upon his knees to drink.

6 And the number of those that lapped with their hand to their mouth was three hundred men; and all the rest of the people bowed upon their knees to drink water.