God Selects Gideon’s Army

7 Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and everyone who was with him, got up early and camped beside the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them, below the hill of Moreh, in the valley. ² The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many people for Me to hand the Midianites over to you,^[a] or else Israel might brag:^[b] ‘I did it myself.’ ³ Now announce in the presence of the people: ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’”^(A) So 22,000 of the people turned back, but 10,000 remained.

⁴ Then the Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many people. Take them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. If I say to you, ‘This one can go with you,’ he can go. But if I say about anyone, ‘This one cannot go with you,’ he cannot go.” ⁵ So he brought the people down to the water, and the Lord said to Gideon, “Separate everyone who laps water with his tongue like a dog. Do the same with everyone who kneels to drink.” ⁶ The number of those who lapped with their hands to their mouths was 300 men, and all the rest of the people knelt to drink water. ⁷ The Lord said to Gideon, “I will deliver you with the 300 men who lapped and hand the Midianites over to you. But everyone else is to go home.” ⁸ So Gideon sent all the Israelites to their tents but kept the 300, who took^[c] the people’s provisions and their trumpets. The camp of Midian was below him in the valley.