Gideon's Three Hundred Men

Judges 7

1 Then a Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside b the spring of Harod. And the camp of Midian was north of them, c by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.

2 The Lord said to Gideon, "The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, d lest Israel boast over me, saying, 'My own hand has saved me.' 3 Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, e 'Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home and hurry away from Mount Gilead.'" Then 22,000 of the people returned, and 10,000 remained.

4 And the Lord said to Gideon, "The people are still too many. Take them down to the water, and I will test them for you there, and anyone of whom I say to you, 'This one shall go with you,' shall go with you, and anyone of whom I say to you, 'This one shall not go with you,' shall not go." 5 So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, "Every one who laps the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set by himself. Likewise, every one who kneels down to drink." 6 And the number of those who lapped, putting their hands to their mouths, was 300 men, but all the rest of the people knelt down to drink water. 7 And the Lord said to Gideon, f "With the 300 men who lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hand, and let all the others go every man to his home." 8 So the people took provisions in their hands, and their trumpets. And he sent all the rest of Israel every man to his tent, but retained the 300 men. And the camp of Midian was below him g in the valley.

9 That same h night the Lord said to him, "Arise, go down against the camp, i for I have given it into your hand. 10 But if you are afraid to go down, go down to the camp with Purah your servant. 11 j And you shall hear what they say, and afterward your hands shall be strengthened to go down against the camp." k Then he went down with Purah his servant to the outposts of the armed men who were in the camp. 12 And the Midianites and the Amalekites and l all the people of the East lay along the valley like locusts in abundance, and their camels were without number, m as the sand that is on the seashore in abundance. 13 When Gideon came, behold, a man was telling a dream to his comrade. And he said, "Behold, I dreamed a dream, and behold, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian and came to the tent and struck it so that it fell and turned it upside down, so that the tent lay flat." 14 And his comrade answered, "This is no other than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel; God has given into his hand Midian and all the camp."

15 As soon as Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped. And he returned to the camp of Israel and said, "Arise, for the Lord has given the host of Midian into your hand." 16 And he divided the 300 men into three companies and put trumpets into the hands of all of them and empty jars, with n torches inside the jars. 17 And he said to them, "Look at me, and do likewise. When I come to the outskirts of the camp, do as I do. 18 When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then blow the trumpets also on every side of all the camp and shout, o 'For the Lord and for Gideon.'"

  1. Cross References
    Judges 6:32
    Therefore on that day Gideon was called Jerubbaal, that is to say, "Let Baal contend against him," because he broke down his altar.
  2. Cross References
    1 Samuel 29:1
    Now the Philistines had gathered all their forces at Aphek. And the Israelites were encamped by the spring that is in Jezreel.
  3. Cross References
    Genesis 12:6
    Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land.
    Deuteronomy 11:30
    Are they not beyond the Jordan, west of the road, toward the going down of the sun, in the land of the Canaanites who live in the Arabah, opposite Gilgal, beside the oak of Moreh?
  4. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 8:17
    Beware lest you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.
    Isaiah 10:13
    For he says: "By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, for I have understanding; I remove the boundaries of peoples, and plunder their treasures; like a bull I bring down those who sit on thrones.
  5. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 20:8
    And the officers shall speak further to the people, and say, 'Is there any man who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go back to his house, lest he make the heart of his fellows melt like his own.
  6. Cross References
    1 Samuel 14:6
    Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, "Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the Lord will work for us, for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few.
    2 Chronicles 14:11
    And Asa cried to the Lord his God, "O Lord, there is none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. O Lord, you are our God; let not man prevail against you.
  7. Cross References
    Judges 7:1
    Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the spring of Harod. And the camp of Midian was north of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.
  8. Cross References
    Genesis 46:2 - 3
    And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, "Jacob, Jacob." And he said, "Here am I.
    1 Kings 3:5
    At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, "Ask what I shall give you.
  9. Cross References
    Judges 3:28
    And he said to them, "Follow after me, for the Lord has given your enemies the Moabites into your hand." So they went down after him and seized the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites and did not allow anyone to pass over.
  10. Cross References
    Judges 7:13 - 15
    When Gideon came, behold, a man was telling a dream to his comrade. And he said, "Behold, I dreamed a dream, and behold, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian and came to the tent and struck it so that it fell and turned it upside down, so that the tent lay flat.
  11. Cross References
    1 Samuel 14:9 - 10
    If they say to us, 'Wait until we come to you,' then we will stand still in our place, and we will not go up to them.
  12. Cross References
    Judges 6:3
    For whenever the Israelites planted crops, the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them.
  13. Cross References
    Joshua 11:4
    And they came out with all their troops, a great horde, in number like the sand that is on the seashore, with very many horses and chariots.
  14. Cross References
    Judges 15:4
    So Samson went and caught 300 foxes and took torches. And he turned them tail to tail and put a torch between each pair of tails.
    Genesis 15:17
    When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces.
  15. Cross References
    Exodus 14:13 - 14
    And Moses said to the people, "Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.
    2 Chronicles 20:17
    You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.' Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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