Judges 7:6 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And the number of those who lapped, putting their hands to their mouths, was 300 men, but all the rest of the people knelt down to drink water.

NIV: Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.

NASB: Now the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men; but all the rest of the people kneeled down to drink water.

CSB: The number of those who lapped with their hands to their mouths was three hundred men, and all the rest of the troops knelt to drink water.

NLT: Only 300 of the men drank from their hands. All the others got down on their knees and drank with their mouths in the stream.

KJV: And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.

NKJV: And the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men; but all the rest of the people got down on their knees to drink water.

The Lord has given Gideon some very odd instructions. The Old Testament provided precedent for sending fearful soldiers back home (Deuteronomy 20:5–8; Judges 7:3). Yet the remaining forces were still too large for God's purposes. God wants all the credit for the coming victory over the Midianite horde. He's not merely defeating an enemy; He is also sending a message to His chosen people. A signal is being given to the Midianites, who at this point are aware of the Israeli forces mustering nearby (Judges 7:14). For all those reasons, He wants Gideon's force to be even smaller.

To determine who should stay and who should go, God directed Gideon to take the men to a water source and divide them according to how they drank. Those who kneel—likely meaning they put their mouths in the water directly—should be put in one group. Those who lap the water out of their hands should be put in the other group.

Here, the results are reported. Only 300 men used their hands, while thirty times that many knelt to drink. Gideon, presumably, knows which group he'd prefer to lead into battle. However, God has created this imbalance for a good reason (Judges 7:7).

Judges 7:1–18 begins with Gideon and his large company of Israelite volunteers setting up camp in the hills just a few miles from the Midianite camp in the valley below. God gives Gideon two tests to reduce the number of his troops until only 300 are left. God tells Gideon to spy on the Midianite camp, where he overhears a conversation which bolsters his faith. Gideon returns to his camp and prepares for the attack that night. He gives his men torches concealed in clay jars, as well as trumpets.

Gideon and his 32,000–man army of volunteer Israelites camp in the hills above the Midianite invaders in the valley. The Lord tells Gideon to reduce his troops until only 300 remain. God allows Gideon to overhear the interpretation of a Midianite dream, an event that strengthens his faith. Gideon and his 300 men take positions around the Midianite camp and blow trumpets, hold up torches, and shout battle cries. Those in the camp panic and begin attacking each other. The survivors flee toward the Jordan but are eventually cut off.

Despite a miraculous calling from God, and success in his first actions, Gideon still expressed doubt (Judges 6). After seeing two custom-requested miracles, Gideon prepares to attack the Midianite invaders. He winnows his army down to only 300 men and overhears an encouraging conversation. Gideon and his men surprise the enemy after nightfall with trumpets and torches, sparking a panic. This begins a rout of the enemy. In the next chapter, Gideon succeeds further despite stubbornness from his own people (Judges 8).

The Book of Judges describes Israel's history from the death of Joshua to shortly before Israel's first king, Saul. Israel fails to complete God's command to purge the wicked Canaanites from the land (Deuteronomy 7:1–5; 9:4). This results in a centuries-long cycle where Israel falls into sin and is oppressed by local enemies. After each oppression, God sends a civil-military leader, labeled using a Hebrew word loosely translated into English as "judge." These appointed rescuers would free Israel from enemy control and govern for a certain time. After each judge's death, the cycle of sin and oppression begins again. This continues until the people of Israel choose a king, during the ministry of the prophet-and-judge Samuel (1 Samuel 1—7).