1
Then Yerubba`al, who is Gid`on, and all the people who were with him, rose up early, and encamped beside the spring of Harod: and the camp of Midyan was on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.
2
The LORD said to Gid`on, The people who are with you are too many for me to give the Midyanim into their hand, lest Yisra'el vaunt themselves against me, saying, My own hand has saved me.
3
Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return and depart from Mount Gil`ad. There returned of the people twenty-two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.
4
The LORD said to Gid`on, The people are yet too many; bring them down to the water, and I will try them for you there: and it shall be, that of whom I tell you, This shall go with you, the same shall go with you; and of whoever I tell you, This shall not go with you, the same shall not go.
5
So he brought down the people to the water: and the LORD said to Gid`on, Everyone who laps of the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, him shall you set by himself; likewise everyone who bows down on his knees to drink.
6
The number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down on their knees to drink water.
7
The LORD said to Gid`on, By the three hundred men who lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midyanim into your hand; and let all the people go every man to his place.
8
So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets; and he sent all the men of Yisra'el every man to his tent, but retained the three hundred men: and the camp of Midyan was beneath him in the valley.
9
It happened the same night, that the LORD said to him, Arise, get you down into the camp; for I have delivered it into your hand.