1Then Jerubbaal(that is, Gideon)and allthe peoplewhowere with him, roseearlyand campedbesidethe springof Harod;and the campof Midianwas on the northsideof them by the hillof Morehin the valley.
2The LORDsaidto Gideon,"The peoplewhoare with you are toomanyfor Me to giveMidianinto their hands,for Israelwould becomeboastful,saying,My own powerhas deliveredme.'3"Nowtherefore come,proclaimin the hearingof the people,saying,Whoeveris afraidand trembling,let him returnand departfrom MountGilead.'"So 22,000peoplereturned,but 10,000remained.
4Then the LORDsaidto Gideon,"The peopleare stilltoo many;bringthem downto the waterand I will testthem for you there.Therefore it shall be that he of whomI sayto you, 'Thisoneshall gowith you,' he shall gowith you; but everyoneof whomI sayto you, 'Thisoneshall not gowith you,' he shall not go."5So he broughtthe peopledownto the water.And the LORDsaidto Gideon,"You shall separateeveryonewholapsthe waterwith his tongueas a doglaps,as well as everyonewhokneelsto drink."6Now the numberof those who lapped,putting their handto their mouth,was 300men;but allthe restof the peoplekneeledto drinkwater.7The LORDsaidto Gideon,"I will deliveryou with the 300menwho lappedand will givethe Midianitesinto your hands;so let allthe [other] peoplego,eachmanto his home."8So the 300 men tookthe people'sprovisionsand their trumpetsinto their hands.And Gideon sentallthe [other] menof Israel,eachto his tent,but retainedthe 300men;and the campof Midianwas belowhim in the valley.
9Now the samenightit cameabout that the LORDsaidto him, "Arise,godownagainst the camp,for I have givenit into your hands.10"But ifyou are afraidto godown,gowith Purahyour servantdownto the camp,11and you will hearwhatthey say;and afterwardyour handswill be strengthenedthat you may godownagainst the camp."So he wentwith Purahhis servantdownto the outpostsof the armythat was in the camp.12Now the Midianitesand the Amalekitesand allthe sonsof the eastwere lyingin the valleyas numerousas locusts;and their camelswere withoutnumber,as numerousas the sandon the seashore.13When Gideoncame,behold,a manwas relatinga dreamto his friend.And he said,"Behold,I hada dream;a loafof barleybreadwas tumblinginto the campof Midian,and it cameto the tentand struckit so that it fell,and turnedit upsidedownso that the tentlayflat."14His friendreplied,"Thisis nothinglessthanthe swordof Gideonthe sonof Joash,a manof Israel;Godhas givenMidianand allthe campinto his hand."
15When Gideonheardthe accountof the dreamand its interpretation,he bowedin worship.He returnedto the campof Israeland said,"Arise,for the LORDhas giventhe campof Midianinto your hands."16He dividedthe 300meninto threecompanies,and he puttrumpetsand emptypitchersinto the handsof allof them, with torchesinsidethe pitchers.17He saidto them, "Lookat me and dolikewise.And behold,when I cometo the outskirtsof the camp,doas I do.18"When I and allwhoare with me blowthe trumpet,then you alsoblowthe trumpetsallaroundthe campand say,'For the LORDand for Gideon.'"
19So Gideonand the hundredmenwhowere with him cameto the outskirtsof the campat the beginningof the middlewatch,whenthey had justpostedthe watch;and they blewthe trumpetsand smashedthe pitchersthat were in their hands.20When the threecompaniesblewthe trumpetsand brokethe pitchers,they heldthe torchesin their lefthandsand the trumpetsin their righthandsfor blowing,and cried,"A swordfor the LORDand for Gideon!"21Eachstoodin his placearoundthe camp;and allthe armyran,cryingout as they fled.22When they blew300trumpets,the LORDsetthe swordof oneagainst anothereven throughoutthe wholearmy;and the armyfledas faras Beth-shittahtoward Zererah,as faras the edgeof Abel-meholah,by Tabbath.23The menof Israelwere summonedfrom Naphtaliand Asherand allManasseh,and they pursuedMidian.
24Gideonsentmessengersthroughoutallthe hillcountryof Ephraim,saying,"ComedownagainstMidianand takethe watersbefore them, as faras Beth-barahand the Jordan."So allthe menof Ephraimwere summonedand they tookthe watersas faras Beth-barahand the Jordan.25They capturedthe twoleadersof Midian,Oreband Zeeb,and they killedOrebat the rockof Oreb,and they killedZeebat the winepressof Zeeb,while they pursuedMidian;and they broughtthe headsof Oreband Zeebto Gideonfrom acrossthe Jordan.
