Joshua 7

1

Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped

at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the

valley near the hill of Moreh.

2

The LORD said to Gideon, "You have too many men for me to deliver

Midian into their hands. In order that Israel may not boast against me

that her own strength has saved her,

3

announce now to the people, 'Anyone who trembles with fear  may

turn back and leave Mount Gilead.' " So twenty-two thousand men

left, while ten thousand remained.

4

But the LORD said to Gideon, "There are still too many men. Take

them down to the water, and I will sift them for you there. If I say,

'This one shall go with you,' he shall go; but if I say, 'This one shall

not go with you,' he shall not go."

5

So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the LORD told

him, "Separate those who lap the water with their tongues like

a dog from those who kneel down to drink."

6

Three hundred men lapped with their hands to their mouths. All the

rest got down on their knees to drink.

7 

The LORD said to Gideon, "With the three hundred men that lapped I

will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the

other men go, each to his own place."

8

So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites to their tents but kept three

hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others.

Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley.

9

During that night the LORD said to Gideon, "Get up, go down against

the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands.

10

If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah

11

and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged

to attack the camp." So he and Purah his servant went down to the

outposts of the camp.

12

The Midianites, the Amalekites and all the other eastern peoples had

settled in the valley, thick as locusts. Their camels could no more be

counted than the sand on the seashore.

13

Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. "I had

a dream," he was saying. "A round of loaf of barley bread came

tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force

that the tent overturned and collapsed."

14

His friend responded, "This can be nothing other than the sword

of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites

and the whole camp into his hands."

15

When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped

God. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, "Get up!

The LORD has given the Midianite camp into your hands."

16

Dividing the three hundred men into three companies, he placed

trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches

inside.

17

"Watch me," he told them. "Follow my lead. When I get to the

edge of the camp, do exactly as I do.

18

When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from

all around the camp blow yours and shout, 'For the LORD and

for Gideon.' "

19

Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of

the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after

they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and

broke the jars that were in their hands.

20

The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. 

Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their

right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted,

"A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!"

21

While each man held his position around the camp, all the

Midianites ran, crying out as they fled.

22

When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the LORD caused the

men throughout the camp turn on each other with their swords.
The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border

of  Abel Meholah near Tabbath.

23

Israelites from Naphtali, Asher and all Manasseh were called out, and

they pursued the Midianites.

24

Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying,

"Come down against the Midianites and seize the waters of the Jordan

ahead of them as far as Beth Barah." So all the men of Ephraim were

called out and they took the waters of the Jordan as far as Beth Barah.

25

They also captured two of the Midianite leaders, Oreb and Zeeb. They

killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb.

They pursued the Midianites and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb

to Gideon, who was by the Jordan.