Gideon’s 300 Chosen Men

Then (A)Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him, rose early and camped beside [a]the spring of Harod; and the camp of Midian was on the north side of [b]them by the hill of (B)Moreh in the valley.

The Lord said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands, (C)for Israel [c]would become boastful, saying, ‘My own [d]power has delivered me.’ Now therefore [e]come, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘(D)Whoever is afraid and trembling, let him return and depart from Mount Gilead.’” So 22,000 people returned, but 10,000 remained.

(E)Then the Lord said to Gideon, “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water and I will test them for you there. Therefore it shall be that he of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go with you; but everyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, “You shall separate everyone who laps the water with his tongue as a dog laps, as well as everyone who kneels to drink.” Now the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was 300 men; but all the rest of the people kneeled to drink water. The Lord said to Gideon, “I will deliver you (F)with the 300 men who lapped and will give the Midianites into your hands; so let all the other people go, each man to his [f]home.” So [g]the 300 men took the people’s provisions and their trumpets into their hands. And [h]Gideon sent all the other men of Israel, each to his tent, but retained the 300 men; and the camp of Midian was below him in the valley.

Now the same night it came about that the Lord said to him, “Arise, go down against the camp, (G)for I have given it into your hands. 10 But if you are afraid to go down, go with Purah your servant down to the camp, 11 and you will hear what they say; and (H)afterward your hands will be strengthened that you may go down against the camp.” So he went with Purah his servant down to the [i]outposts of the army that was in the camp. 12 Now the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the sons of the east were lying in the valley (I)as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, (J)as numerous as the sand on the seashore. 13 When Gideon came, behold, a man was relating a dream to his friend. And he said, “Behold, I [j]had a dream; [k]a loaf of barley bread was tumbling into the camp of Midian, and it came to the tent and struck it so that it fell, and turned it [l]upside down so that the tent lay flat.” 14 His friend replied, “This is nothing less than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel; God has given Midian and all the camp (K)into his hand.”

15 When Gideon heard the account of the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship. He returned to the camp of Israel and said, “Arise, for the Lord has given the camp of Midian into your hands.” 16 He divided the 300 men into three [m]companies, and he put trumpets and empty pitchers into the hands of all of them, with torches inside the pitchers. 17 He said to them, “Look at me and do likewise. And behold, when I come to the outskirts of the camp, [n]do as I do. 18 When I and all who are with me blow the trumpet, then you also blow the trumpets all around the camp and say, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.’”

Confusion of the Enemy

19 So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, when they had just posted the watch; and they blew the trumpets and smashed the pitchers that were in their hands. 20 When the three [o]companies blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers, they held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands for blowing, and cried, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” 21 Each stood in his place around the camp; and (L)all the [p]army ran, crying out as they fled. 22 When they blew 300 trumpets, the (M)Lord set the sword of one against another even throughout the whole [q]army; and the [r]army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the edge of (N)Abel-meholah, by Tabbath. 23 The men of Israel were summoned from (O)Naphtali and Asher and all Manasseh, and they pursued Midian.

24 Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down [s]against Midian and (P)take the waters before them, as far as Beth-barah and the Jordan.” So all the men of Ephraim were summoned and they took the waters as far as Beth-barah and the Jordan. 25 They captured the two leaders of Midian, (Q)Oreb and Zeeb, and they killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and they killed Zeeb at the wine press of Zeeb, while they pursued Midian; and they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon (R)from across the Jordan.

Footnotes

  1. Judges 7:1 Or En-Harod
  2. Judges 7:1 Lit him
  3. Judges 7:2 Lit glorify itself against me
  4. Judges 7:2 Lit hand
  5. Judges 7:3 Or please
  6. Judges 7:7 Lit place
  7. Judges 7:8 Lit they
  8. Judges 7:8 Lit he
  9. Judges 7:11 Lit extremity of the battle array
  10. Judges 7:13 Lit dreamed
  11. Judges 7:13 Lit and behold, a loaf
  12. Judges 7:13 Lit upwards
  13. Judges 7:16 Lit heads
  14. Judges 7:17 Lit it shall come about that just as I do, so you shall do
  15. Judges 7:20 Lit heads
  16. Judges 7:21 Or camp
  17. Judges 7:22 Or camp
  18. Judges 7:22 Or camp
  19. Judges 7:24 Lit to meet

Gideon Defeats the Midianites

Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal(A) (that is, Gideon(B)) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod.(C) The camp of Midian(D) was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh.(E) The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength(F) has saved me.’ Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.(G)’” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.

But the Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many(H) men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there. If I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.”

So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.” Three hundred of them(I) drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.

The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands.(J) Let all the others go home.”(K) So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites home but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others.

Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley. During that night the Lord said to Gideon, “Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands.(L) 10 If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah 11 and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp.” So he and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp. 12 The Midianites, the Amalekites(M) and all the other eastern peoples had settled in the valley, thick as locusts.(N) Their camels(O) could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore.(P)

13 Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. “I had a dream,” he was saying. “A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed.”

14 His friend responded, “This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash,(Q) the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands.”

15 When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed down and worshiped.(R) He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, “Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands.”(S) 16 Dividing the three hundred men(T) into three companies,(U) he placed trumpets(V) and empty jars(W) in the hands of all of them, with torches(X) inside.

17 “Watch me,” he told them. “Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. 18 When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets,(Y) then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.’”

19 Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars(Z) that were in their hands. 20 The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches(AA) in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, “A sword(AB) for the Lord and for Gideon!” 21 While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled.(AC)

22 When the three hundred trumpets sounded,(AD) the Lord caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other(AE) with their swords.(AF) The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah(AG) near Tabbath. 23 Israelites from Naphtali, Asher(AH) and all Manasseh were called out,(AI) and they pursued the Midianites.(AJ) 24 Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against the Midianites and seize the waters of the Jordan(AK) ahead of them as far as Beth Barah.”

So all the men of Ephraim were called out and they seized the waters of the Jordan as far as Beth Barah. 25 They also captured two of the Midianite leaders, Oreb and Zeeb(AL). They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb,(AM) and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. They pursued the Midianites(AN) and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, who was by the Jordan.(AO)

12 When they were only a (A)few men in number,
Very few, and (B)strangers in it.
13 And they wandered about from nation to nation,
From one kingdom to another people.
14 He (C)permitted no man to oppress them,
And He (D)reproved kings for their sakes:
15 (E)Do not touch My anointed ones,
And do My prophets no harm.”

16 And He (F)called for a famine upon the land;
He (G)broke the whole staff of bread.
17 He (H)sent a man before them,
Joseph, who was (I)sold as a slave.
18 They afflicted his (J)feet with fetters,
[a]He himself was laid in irons;
19 Until the time that his (K)word came to pass,
The word of the Lord [b](L)tested him.
20 The (M)king sent and released him,
The ruler of peoples, and set him free.
21 He (N)made him lord of his house
And ruler over all his possessions,
22 To [c]imprison his princes [d](O)at will,
That he might teach his elders wisdom.
23 (P)Israel also came into Egypt;
Thus Jacob (Q)sojourned in the land of Ham.
24 And He (R)caused His people to be very fruitful,
And made them stronger than their adversaries.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 105:18 Lit His soul came into
  2. Psalm 105:19 Or refined
  3. Psalm 105:22 Lit bind
  4. Psalm 105:22 Lit at his

12 When they were but few in number,(A)
    few indeed, and strangers in it,(B)
13 they wandered from nation to nation,(C)
    from one kingdom to another.
14 He allowed no one to oppress(D) them;
    for their sake he rebuked kings:(E)
15 “Do not touch(F) my anointed ones;
    do my prophets(G) no harm.”

16 He called down famine(H) on the land
    and destroyed all their supplies of food;
17 and he sent a man before them—
    Joseph, sold as a slave.(I)
18 They bruised his feet with shackles,(J)
    his neck was put in irons,
19 till what he foretold(K) came to pass,
    till the word(L) of the Lord proved him true.
20 The king sent and released him,
    the ruler of peoples set him free.(M)
21 He made him master of his household,
    ruler over all he possessed,
22 to instruct his princes(N) as he pleased
    and teach his elders wisdom.(O)

23 Then Israel entered Egypt;(P)
    Jacob resided(Q) as a foreigner in the land of Ham.(R)
24 The Lord made his people very fruitful;
    he made them too numerous(S) for their foes,

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Reaffirm Your Love

But I determined this [a]for my own sake, that I (A)would not come to you in sorrow again. For if I (B)cause you sorrow, who then makes me glad but the one whom I made sorrowful? This is the very thing I (C)wrote you, so that (D)when I came, I would not have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice; having (E)confidence in you all that my joy would be the joy of you all. For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I (F)wrote to you with many tears; not so that you would be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have especially for you.

But (G)if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not to me, but in some degree—[b]in order not to say too much—to all of you. Sufficient for such a one is (H)this punishment which was inflicted by the majority, so that on the contrary you should rather (I)forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. Wherefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him. For to this end also (J)I wrote, so that I might [c](K)put you to the test, whether you are (L)obedient in all things. 10 But one whom you forgive anything, I forgive also; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes (M)in the presence of Christ, 11 so that no advantage would be taken of us by (N)Satan, for (O)we are not ignorant of his schemes.

12 Now when I came to (P)Troas for the (Q)gospel of Christ and when a (R)door was opened for me in the Lord, 13 I (S)had no rest for my spirit, not finding (T)Titus my brother; but (U)taking my leave of them, I went on to (V)Macedonia.

14 (W)But thanks be to God, who always (X)leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the (Y)sweet aroma of the (Z)knowledge of Him in every place. 15 For we are a (AA)fragrance of Christ to God among (AB)those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; 16 (AC)to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is (AD)adequate for these things? 17 For we are not like many, [d](AE)peddling the word of God, but (AF)as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ (AG)in the sight of God.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 2:1 Or as far as I am concerned
  2. 2 Corinthians 2:5 Lit so that I not be burdensome
  3. 2 Corinthians 2:9 Lit know the proof of you
  4. 2 Corinthians 2:17 Or corrupting

So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you.(A) For if I grieve you,(B) who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved? I wrote as I did,(C) so that when I came I would not be distressed(D) by those who should have made me rejoice. I had confidence(E) in all of you, that you would all share my joy. For I wrote you(F) out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you.

Forgiveness for the Offender

If anyone has caused grief,(G) he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent—not to put it too severely. The punishment(H) inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him,(I) so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. Another reason I wrote you(J) was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything.(K) 10 Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, 11 in order that Satan(L) might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.(M)

Ministers of the New Covenant

12 Now when I went to Troas(N) to preach the gospel of Christ(O) and found that the Lord had opened a door(P) for me, 13 I still had no peace of mind,(Q) because I did not find my brother Titus(R) there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.(S)

14 But thanks be to God,(T) who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma(U) of the knowledge(V) of him everywhere. 15 For we are to God the pleasing aroma(W) of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.(X) 16 To the one we are an aroma that brings death;(Y) to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?(Z) 17 Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit.(AA) On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity,(AB) as those sent from God.(AC)