Judges 7

Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.

Gideon, also known as Jerubbaal, along with his followers, woke up at dawn and set up camp near Harod's well. They positioned themselves strategically, with the Midianite army to their north, near Moreh hill in the valley.

And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.

The Lord told Gideon, "You have too many people with you for me to let you defeat the Midianites. I don't want Israel to think they won by their own strength, forgetting it was me who saved them."

Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.

Go now, tell everyone, if anyone is scared, let them leave Mount Gilead early. After this, 22,000 people left, leaving only 10,000 behind.

And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try 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.

God told Gideon, "There are still too many people. Take them to the water, and I'll test them for you. Whoever I choose will join you, and whoever I don't, won't."

So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.

He led the people to the water. God told Gideon, "Those who drink the water like a dog with their tongues, set them apart. The same goes for those who kneel to drink."

And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.

Only three hundred men scooped water with their hands to drink, while the rest knelt down to quench their thirst.

And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.

With a firm voice, the LORD assured Gideon, "With just the three hundred men who lapped water, I will rescue you. I will hand over the Midianites to you. Everyone else can return home."

So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those three hundred men: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley.

The people gathered their food and trumpets, ready for battle. All but three hundred men were sent home. These chosen few stayed, overlooking the enemy camp in the valley below.

And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand.

That very night, the LORD spoke to him with a commanding voice, "Get up, go down to the army. Don't worry, I've already given you victory."

But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host:

If you're scared to go down against them, take your servant Phurah with you down to the enemy camp.

And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host.

Listen carefully to their words; this will give you the courage to face the enemy. Then, he and his servant Phurah bravely approached the outskirts of the enemy camp.

And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude.

The Midianites, Amalekites, and all eastern tribes filled the valley, countless as a swarm of locusts. Their camels, too, were innumerable, as plentiful as grains of sand on a seashore.

And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along.

When Gideon arrived, he found a man sharing a dream with his friend. He said, "In my dream, a loaf of barley bread rolled into the Midianite camp, hit a tent, and knocked it flat."

And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.

His companion replied with certainty, "This can only be Gideon's sword, Joash's son, a true Israeli. God has entrusted him with the defeat of Midian and its entire army."

And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.

When Gideon understood the dream and its meaning, he was filled with awe and reverence. He hurried back to his fellow Israelites, his heart pounding with hope. "Get up," he urged them, "God has given us victory over the Midianites."

And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man’s hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.

He split the three hundred men into three groups, each man armed with a trumpet and an empty jar, a lamp hidden within. The anticipation was palpable, their hearts pounding with courage and fear.

And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do.

He told them, "Follow my lead, mirror my actions. When I reach the edge of the enemy camp, do as I do."

When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.

When I sound the trumpet, along with those with me, you too should echo it throughout the camp. Proclaim, "The strength of the Lord, and of Gideon, is with us!"

So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands.

Gideon and his hundred men approached the edge of the camp under the cloak of night. They were just in time, as the guards had only just started their watch. With a burst of courage, they sounded their trumpets and shattered the pitchers they held, their hearts pounding with anticipation.

And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.

The three groups sounded their trumpets, shattered their jars, and held high their lamps in their left hands, trumpets ready in their right. They shouted, "For the Lord and for Gideon, we fight!"

And they stood every man in his place round about the camp; and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.

Each man held his ground around the camp. Suddenly, the entire enemy army started running, shouting, and escaping in fear.

And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man’s sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath.

The three hundred sounded their trumpets, causing a divine chaos. God made each man turn his sword against his brother, spreading fear and confusion among them. They all fled in terror, seeking refuge in Bethshittah, Zererath, and as far as the edge of Abelmeholah, even unto Tabbath.

And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites.

Men from Israel, hailing from Naphtali, Asher, and Manasseh, united with fervor and determination, chasing relentlessly after the Midianites.

And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan.

Gideon urgently called out to the people of Mount Ephraim, "Join us in our fight against the Midianites! Secure the waters of Bethbarah and Jordan before they do!" Stirred by his plea, the men of Ephraim united and swiftly took control of the waters at Bethbarah and Jordan.

And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.

They captured two Midianite leaders, Oreb and Zeeb. With heavy hearts, they killed Oreb on a rock named after him, and Zeeb met his end at his own winepress. They relentlessly chased the Midianites, and with a grim sense of duty, brought the severed heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, across the Jordan.