1Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people with him, rose early and camped beside the well of Harod, so the Midianite army was on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.
2And the LORD said to Gideon, The people with you are too many for me to hand the Midianites over to you, lest Israel boast against me, saying, My own hand has saved me.
3Now therefore, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from Mount Gilead. And twenty-two thousand of the people returned; and ten thousand remained.
4And the LORD said to Gideon, The people are still too many; bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. It shall be that of whom I say to you, This one shall go with you, the same shall go with you; and of whomever I say to you, This one shall not go with you, the same shall not go.
5So he brought the people down to the water, and the LORD said to Gideon, Everyone who laps the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set by himself; likewise everyone who bows down on his knees to drink.
6And the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men; but all the rest of the people bowed down on their knees to drink water.
7And the LORD said to Gideon, By the three hundred men who lapped I will save you and deliver the Midianites into your hand; let all the other people go every man to his place.
8So the people took provisions in their hands, and their trumpets, and he sent all the rest of Israel, every man to his tent, and retained those three hundred men; and the Midianite army was below him in the valley.
9And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said to him, Arise, go down to the army, for I have delivered it into your hand.