1. Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him rose up early and pitched camp beside the well of Harod so that the camp of the Midianites was on the north, on the other side of the hill of Moreh, in the valley.
2. And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, My own hand has saved me.
3. Now, therefore, cause it to be proclaimed in the ears of the people, saying, Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return and depart early from Mount Gilead. And twenty-two thousand of the people returned, and ten thousand remained.
4. 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 one shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whoever I say unto thee, This one shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.
5. So he brought the people down unto the water, and the Lord said unto Gideon, Every one that laps of the water with his tongue as a dog laps, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that bows down upon his knees to drink.
6. And the number of those 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 the water.
7. Then the Lord said unto Gideon, With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and deliver the Midianites into thy hand; and let all the other people go each one to his place.
8. And having taken provision for the people in his hands with their shofarot; he sent all the other Israelites each one to his tent and retained those three hundred men, and the camp of Midian was beneath him in the valley.
9. And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him, Arise and descend to the camp, for I have delivered it in thy hands.
10. But if thou art afraid to go down, go with Phurah thy servant down to the camp,