7Early 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.H3378H1439H5971H7925H2583H5878H4264H4080H6828H1389H4176H60102The LORD said to Gideon, "You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, 'My own strength has saved me.'H3068H559H1439H5971H7227H5414H4080H3027H3478H6286H559H3027H34673Now announce to the army, 'Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.' " So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.H4994H7121H241H5971H559H3373H2730H7725H6852H2022H1568H7725H5971H6242H8147H505H7604H6235H5054But 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."H3068H559H1439H5971H7227H3381H4325H6884H559H3212H3212H559H3212H32125So 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."H3381H5971H4325H3068H559H1439H3952H4325H3956H3611H3952H3322H3766H1290H83546Three hundred of them lapped with their hands to their mouths. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.H4557H3952H3027H6310H7969H3967H376H3499H5971H3766H1290H8354H43257The 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 others go, each to his own place."H3068H559H1439H7969H3967H376H3952H3467H5414H4080H3027H5971H3212H376H47258So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites to their tents but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others. Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley.H5971H3947H6720H3027H7782H7971H376H3478H376H168H2388H7969H3967H376H4264H4080H60109During that night the LORD said to Gideon, "Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands.H3915H3068H559H6965H3381H4264H5414H302710If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant PurahH3373H3381H3381H6513H5288H3381H426411and 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.H8085H1696H310H3027H2388H3381H4264H3381H6513H5288H7097H2571H426412The 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.H4080H6002H1121H6924H5307H6010H697H7230H1581H4557H2344H3220H8193H723013Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. "I had a dream," he was saying. "A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed."H1439H935H376H5608H2472H7453H559H2492H2472H6742H6742H8184H3899H2015H4264H4080H935H168H5221H5307H2015H4605H168H530714His 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."H7453H6030H559H2719H1439H1121H3101H376H3478H3027H430H5414H4080H426415When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed down and worshiped. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, "Get up! The LORD has given the Midianite camp into your hands."H1439H8085H4557H2472H7667H7812H7725H4264H3478H559H6965H3068H5414H3027H4264H408016Dividing the three hundred men into three companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside.H2673H7969H3967H376H7969H7218H5414H7782H3027H7386H3537H3940H8432H353717"Watch me," he told them. "Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do.H559H7200H6213H935H7097H4264H6213H621318When 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.' "H8628H7782H8628H7782H5439H4264H559H3068H143919Gideon 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.H1439H3967H376H935H7097H4264H7218H8484H821H389H6965H6965H8104H8628H7782H5310H3537H302720The 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!"H7969H7218H8628H7782H7665H3537H2388H3940H8040H3027H7782H3225H3027H8628H7121H2719H3068H143921While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled.H5975H376H5439H4264H4264H7323H7321H5127H512722When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the LORD caused the men throughout the camp to 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.H7969H3967H8628H7782H3068H7760H376H2719H7453H4264H4264H5127H1029H6888H8193H65H288823Israelites from Naphtali, Asher and all Manasseh were called out, and they pursued the Midianites.H376H3478H6817H5321H836H4519H7291H310H408024Gideon 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 seized the waters of the Jordan as far as Beth Barah.H1439H7971H4397H2022H669H559H3381H7125H4080H3920H4325H1012H3383H376H669H6817H3920H4325H1012H338325They 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.H3920H8147H8269H4080H6159H2062H2026H6159H6697H6159H2062H2026H3342H2062H7291H4080H935H7218H6159H2062H1439H5676H3383