Shofetim 7:6

6 And the number of the ones lapping, putting their yad to their mouth, were three hundred ish; but all the rest of haAm kneeled down upon their knees to drink mayim.

Shofetim 7:6 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 7:6

And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to
their mouth
That is, that took up water in the hollow of their hands, which they lifted up to their mouths, and so lapped it, as the Egyptians about the Nile are said ^F4 to do, who drank not out of pots and cups, but used their hands to drink with:

were three hundred men;
only such a number out of 10,000: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water; even 9,700; and it was the custom of some nations, as the Ichthyophagy, or fish eaters, to cast themselves with their face to the ground, and drink after the manner of oxen ^F5.

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 Achilles Tatius, l. 4.
F5 Strabo. Geograph. l. 16. p. 532.

Shofetim 7:6 In-Context

4 And Hashem said unto Gid’on, HaAm are yet too many; bring them down unto the mayim, and I will sift 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.

5 So he brought down haAm unto the mayim; and Hashem said unto Gid’on, Every one that laps the mayim with his leshon, as a kelev laps, him shalt thou separate by himself; likewise every one that kneels down upon his knees to drink.

6 And the number of the ones lapping, putting their yad to their mouth, were three hundred ish; but all the rest of haAm kneeled down upon their knees to drink mayim.

7 And Hashem said unto Gid’on, By the three hundred ish that lapped will I save you, and deliver Midyan into thine yad; and let all the other people go every ish unto his makom (place, home).

8 So the [retained] people took provision in their yad, and their shofarot; and he sent kol ish Yisroel every ish unto his ohel, but retained those three hundred haIsh; and the Machaneh Midyan was below him in the valley.