Judges 7:1-8
Gideon Reduces the Ranks
1 Jerub Baal (that is, Gideon) and his men ▼▼tn Heb “and all the people who were with him.”
got up the next morning and camped near the spring of Harod. ▼▼sn The name Harod means, ironically, “trembling.”
The Midianites ▼ were camped north of them near the hill of Moreh in the valley. 2The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men for me to hand Midian over to you. ▼▼tn Heb “the people who are with you are too numerous for me to give Midian into their hand.”
Israel might brag, ▼▼tn Heb “might glorify itself against me.”
‘Our own strength has delivered us.’ ▼▼tn Heb “my hand has delivered me.”
3Now, announce to the men, ▼▼tn Heb “call into the ears of the people.”
‘Whoever is shaking with fear ▼▼tn Heb “afraid and shaking.”
may turn around and leave Mount Gilead.’” ▼▼tc Many interpreters reject the MT reading “and leave Mount Gilead” for geographical reasons. A possible alternative, involving rather radical emendation of the Hebrew text, would be, “So Gideon tested them” (i.e., thinned the ranks in this manner).
Twenty-two thousand men ▼ went home; ▼▼tn Or “turned around, back.”
10,000 remained. 4The Lord spoke to Gideon again, “There are still too many men. ▼▼tn Heb “too many people.”
Bring them down to the water, and I will thin the ranks some more. ▼▼tn Heb “test them for you there.”
When I say, ‘This one should go with you,’ pick him to go; ▼▼tn Heb “he should go with you.”
when I say, ▼▼tn Heb also has “about anyone to you.”
‘This one should not go with you,’ do not take him.” ▼▼tn Heb “he should not go.”
5So he brought the men ▼▼tn Heb “the people.”
down to the water. Then the Lord said to Gideon, “Separate those who lap the water as a dog laps from those who kneel to drink.” ▼▼tn Heb “Everyone who laps with his tongue from the water, as a dog laps, put him by himself, as well as the one who gets down on his knees to drink.”
6Only 300 men lapped with their hands to their mouths; ▼▼tc The Hebrew phrase, “with their hands to their mouths.” is difficult in light of v. 5, which distinguishes between dog-like lappers (who would not use their hands to drink) and those who kneel (who would presumably use their hands). The words “with their hands to their mouths” may have been misplaced. They fit better at the end of v. 5 or v. 6. Perhaps these words were originally a marginal scribal note which was later accidentally inserted into the text in the wrong place. But on the other hand since the 300 men were the men selected for the army, lapping with their hands to their mouth would allow them to see their surroundings which would be a good procedure for a soldier. The kneelers were sent away presumably because they made themselves more vulnerable to enemy attack.
the rest of the men ▼▼tn Heb “the people.”
kneeled to drink water. 7The Lord said to Gideon, “With the 300 men who lapped I will deliver the whole army, ▼▼tn Heb “you.” The Hebrew pronoun is masculine plural, probably referring to the entire army.
and I will hand Midian over to you. ▼▼tn The Hebrew pronoun here is singular.
The rest of the men should go home.” ▼▼tn Heb “All the people should go, each to his place.”
8The men ▼▼tn Heb “The people.”
who were chosen ▼▼tn The words “who were chosen” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
took supplies ▼▼tn The Hebrew text has “in their hands.”
and their trumpets. Gideon ▼▼tn Heb “he”; the referent (Gideon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
sent all the men of Israel back to their homes; ▼▼tn Heb “tents.”
he kept only 300 men. Now the Midianites ▼▼tn Heb “Midian.”
were camped down below ▼▼tn The Hebrew text adds “him” (i.e., Gideon).
in the valley.
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