Judges 7

Gideon Defeats the Midianites

7So Jerub-baal (that is, Gideon) and his army got up early and went as far as the spring of Harod. The armies of Midian were camped north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh.H3378H1439H5971H7925H2583H5878H4264H4080H6828H1389H4176H60102The LORD said to Gideon, "You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength.H3068H559H1439H5971H7227H5414H4080H3027H3478H6286H559H3027H34673Therefore, tell the people, 'Whoever is timid or afraid may leave this mountain

and go home.'" So 22,000 of them went home, leaving only 10,000 who were willing to fight.H4994H7121H241H5971H559H3373H2730H7725H6852H2022H1568H7725H5971H6242H8147H505H7604H6235H5054But the LORD told Gideon, "There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not."H3068H559H1439H5971H7227H3381H4325H6884H559H3212H3212H559H3212H32125When Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the LORD told him, "Divide the men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream."H3381H5971H4325H3068H559H1439H3952H4325H3956H3611H3952H3322H3766H1290H83546Only 300 of the men drank from their hands. All the others got down on their knees and drank with their mouths in the stream.H4557H3952H3027H6310H7969H3967H376H3499H5971H3766H1290H8354H43257The LORD told Gideon, "With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home."H3068H559H1439H7969H3967H376H3952H3467H5414H4080H3027H5971H3212H376H47258So Gideon collected the provisions and rams' horns of the other warriors and sent them home. But he kept the 300 men with him. The Midianite camp was in the valley just below Gideon.H5971H3947H6720H3027H7782H7971H376H3478H376H168H2388H7969H3967H376H4264H4080H60109That night the LORD said, "Get up! Go down into the Midianite camp, for I have given you victory over them!H3915H3068H559H6965H3381H4264H5414H302710But if you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah.H3373H3381H3381H6513H5288H3381H426411Listen to what the Midianites are saying, and you will be greatly encouraged. Then you will be eager to attack." So Gideon took Purah and went down to the edge of the enemy camp.H8085H1696H310H3027H2388H3381H4264H3381H6513H5288H7097H2571H426412The armies of Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east had settled in the valley like a swarm of locusts. Their camels were like grains of sand on the seashore—too many to count!H4080H6002H1121H6924H5307H6010H697H7230H1581H4557H2344H3220H8193H723013Gideon crept up just as a man was telling his companion about a dream. The man said, "I had this dream, and in my dream a loaf of barley bread came tumbling down into the Midianite camp. It hit a tent, turned it over, and knocked it flat!"H1439H935H376H5608H2472H7453H559H2492H2472H6742H6742H8184H3899H2015H4264H4080H935H168H5221H5307H2015H4605H168H530714His companion answered, "Your dream can mean only one thing—God has given Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite, victory over Midian and all its allies!"H7453H6030H559H2719H1439H1121H3101H376H3478H3027H430H5414H4080H426415When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship before the LORD

. Then he returned to the Israelite camp and shouted, "Get up! For the LORD has given you victory over the Midianite hordes!"H1439H8085H4557H2472H7667H7812H7725H4264H3478H559H6965H3068H5414H3027H4264H408016He divided the 300 men into three groups and gave each man a ram's horn and a clay jar with a torch in it.H2673H7969H3967H376H7969H7218H5414H7782H3027H7386H3537H3940H8432H353717Then he said to them, "Keep your eyes on me. When I come to the edge of the camp, do just as I do.H559H7200H6213H935H7097H4264H6213H621318As soon as I and those with me blow the rams' horns, blow your horns, too, all around the entire camp, and shout, 'For the LORD and for Gideon!'"H8628H7782H8628H7782H5439H4264H559H3068H143919It was just after midnight

, after the changing of the guard, when Gideon and the 100 men with him reached the edge of the Midianite camp. Suddenly, they blew the rams' horns and broke their clay jars.H1439H3967H376H935H7097H4264H7218H8484H821H389H6965H6965H8104H8628H7782H5310H3537H302720Then all three groups blew their horns and broke their jars. They held the blazing torches in their left hands and the horns in their right hands, and they all shouted, "A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!"H7969H7218H8628H7782H7665H3537H2388H3940H8040H3027H7782H3225H3027H8628H7121H2719H3068H143921Each man stood at his position around the camp and watched as all the Midianites rushed around in a panic, shouting as they ran to escape.H5975H376H5439H4264H4264H7323H7321H5127H512722When the 300 Israelites blew their rams' horns, the LORD caused the warriors in the camp to fight against each other with their swords. Those who were not killed fled to places as far away as Beth-shittah near Zererah and to the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath.H7969H3967H8628H7782H3068H7760H376H2719H7453H4264H4264H5127H1029H6888H8193H65H288823Then Gideon sent for the warriors of Naphtali, Asher, and Manasseh, who joined in chasing the army of Midian.H376H3478H6817H5321H836H4519H7291H310H408024Gideon also sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying, "Come down to attack the Midianites. Cut them off at the shallow crossings of the Jordan River at Beth-barah." So all the men of Ephraim did as they were told.H1439H7971H4397H2022H669H559H3381H7125H4080H3920H4325H1012H3383H376H669H6817H3920H4325H1012H338325They captured Oreb and Zeeb, the two Midianite commanders, killing Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. And they continued to chase the Midianites. Afterward the Israelites brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, who was by the Jordan River.H3920H8147H8269H4080H6159H2062H2026H6159H6697H6159H2062H2026H3342H2062H7291H4080H935H7218H6159H2062H1439H5676H3383