1Then Ierubbaal (who is Gideon) rose vp early, and all the people that were with him, and pitched beside the well of Harod, so that the hoste of the Midianites was on the Northside of them in the valley by the hill of Moreh.
2And the Lord said vnto Gideon, The people that are with thee, are too many for me to giue the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel make their vaunt against me, and say, Mine hand hath saued mee.
3Now therefore proclaime in the audience of the people, and say, Who so is timerous or fearefull, let him returne, and depart earely from mount Gilead; there returned of the people which were at mount Gilead, two and twentie thousand: so ten thousand remayned.
4And the Lord said vnto Gideon, The people are yet too many: bring them downe vnto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and of whome I say vnto thee, This man shal goe with thee, the same shal go with thee: and of whomsoeuer I say vnto thee, This man shal not goe with thee, the same shal not go.
5So he brought downe the people vnto the water; the Lord sayd vnto Gideon, As many as lap the water with their tongues, as a dog lappeth, them put by themselues, and euery one that shal bow downe his knees to drinke, put apart.
6And the nomber of them that lapped by putting their handes to their mouthes, were three hundreth men: but all the remnant of the people kneeled downe vpo their knees to drinke water.
7Then the Lorde sayde vnto Gideon, By these three hundreth men that lapped, will I saue you, and deliuer the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go euery man vnto his place.
8So the people tooke vitailes with them, & their trumpets: and he sent all the rest of Israel, euery man vnto his tent, and reteined the three hundreth men: and the hoste of Midian was beneath him in a valley.
9And the same night the Lord sayde vnto him, Arise, get thee downe vnto the hoste: for I haue deliuered it into thine hand.