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1. Early in the morning Jerub Baal (Gideon) and all his men set up their camp at the spring of Harod. The Midianites were camped in the valley at the bottom of the hill called Moreh, north of Gideon and his men.
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1. Then Jerubbaal H3378 , who H1931 is Gideon H1439 , and all H3605 the people H5971 that H834 were with H854 him , rose up early H7925 , and pitched H2583 beside H5921 the well H5878 of Harod H5878 : so that the host H4264 of the Midianites H4080 were H1961 on the north side H4480 H6828 of them , by the hill H4480 H1389 of Moreh H4176 , in the valley H6010 .
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2. Then the Lord said to Gideon, "I am going to help your men defeat the Midianites, but you have too many men for the job. I don't want the Israelites to forget me and brag that they saved themselves.
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2. And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto H413 Gideon H1439 , The people H5971 that H834 are with H854 thee are too many H7227 for me to give H5414 H853 the Midianites H4080 into their hands H3027 , lest H6435 Israel H3478 vaunt themselves H6286 against H5921 me, saying H559 , Mine own hand H3027 hath saved H3467 me.
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3. So make an announcement to your men. Tell them, 'Anyone who is afraid may leave Mount Gilead and go back home.'" At that time 22,000 men left Gideon and went back home, but 10,000 still remained.
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3. Now H6288 therefore go to H4994 , proclaim H7121 in the ears H241 of the people H5971 , saying H559 , Whosoever H4310 is fearful H3373 and afraid H2730 , let him return H7725 and depart early H6852 from mount H4480 H2022 Gilead H1568 . And there returned H7725 of H4480 the people H5971 twenty H6242 and two H8147 thousand H505 ; and there remained H7604 ten H6235 thousand H505 .
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4. Then the Lord said to Gideon, "There are still too many men. Take the men down to the water, and I will test them for you there. If I say, 'This man will go with you,' he will go. But if I say, 'That one will not go with you,' then he will not go."
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4. And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto H413 Gideon H1439 , The people H5971 are yet H5750 too many H7227 ; bring them down H3381 H853 unto H413 the water H4325 , and I will try H6884 them for thee there H8033 : and it shall be H1961 , that of whom H834 I say H559 unto H413 thee, This H2088 shall go H1980 with H854 thee , the same H1931 shall go H1980 with H854 thee ; and of whomsoever H3605 H834 I say H559 unto H413 thee, This H2088 shall not H3808 go H1980 with H5973 thee , the same H1931 shall not H3808 go H1980 .
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5. So Gideon led the men down to the water and the Lord said to him, "Separate the men like this: Those who drink the water by using their tongue to lap it up like a dog will be in one group. And those who bend down to drink will be in the other group."
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5. So he brought down H3381 H853 the people H5971 unto H413 the water H4325 : and the LORD H3068 said H559 unto H413 Gideon H1439 , Every one H3605 that H834 lappeth H3952 of H4480 the water H4325 with his tongue H3956 , as H834 a dog H3611 lappeth H3952 , him shalt thou set H3322 by himself H905 ; likewise every one H3605 that H834 boweth down H3766 upon H5921 his knees H1290 to drink H8354 .
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6. There were 300 men who used their hands to bring water to their mouth and lapped it like a dog does. All the other people bent down and drank the water.
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6. And the number H4557 of them that lapped H3952 , putting their hand H3027 to H413 their mouth H6310 , were H1961 three H7969 hundred H3967 men H376 : but all H3605 the rest H3499 of the people H5971 bowed down H3766 upon H5921 their knees H1290 to drink H8354 water H4325 .
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7. The Lord said to Gideon, "I will use the 300 men who lapped the water like a dog. I will use them to save you, and I will allow you to defeat the Midianites. Let the other men go home."
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7. And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto H413 Gideon H1439 , By the three H7969 hundred H3967 men H376 that lapped H3952 will I save H3467 you , and deliver H5414 H853 the Midianites H4080 into thine hand H3027 : and let all H3605 the other people H5971 go H1980 every man H376 unto his place H4725 .
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8. So Gideon sent the other men of Israel home. He kept the 300 men with him. Those 300 men kept the supplies and the trumpets of the other men who went home. The Midianites were camped in the valley below Gideon's camp.
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8. So the people H5971 took H3947 H853 victuals H6720 in their hand H3027 , and their trumpets H7782 : and he sent H7971 all H3605 the rest of Israel H3478 every man H376 unto his tent H168 , and retained H2388 those three H7969 hundred H3967 men H376 : and the host H4264 of Midian H4080 was H1961 beneath H4480 H8478 him in the valley H6010 .
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9. During the night the Lord spoke to Gideon and said, "Get up. I will let you defeat the Midianite army. Go down to their camp.
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9. And it came to pass H1961 the same H1931 night H3915 , that the LORD H3068 said H559 unto H413 him, Arise H6965 , get thee down H3381 unto the host H4264 ; for H3588 I have delivered H5414 it into thine hand H3027 .
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10. If you are afraid to go alone, take your servant Purah with you. Go into the camp of the Midianites.
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10. But if H518 thou H859 fear H3372 to go down H3381 , go H3381 thou H859 with Phurah H6513 thy servant H5288 down H3381 to H413 the host H4264 :
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11. Listen to what they are saying. After that you will not be afraid to attack them." So Gideon and his servant Purah went down to the edge of the enemy camp.
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11. And thou shalt hear H8085 what H4100 they say H1696 ; and afterward H310 shall thine hands H3027 be strengthened H2388 to go down H3381 unto the host H4264 . Then went he down H3381 with Phurah H6513 his servant H5288 unto H413 the outside H7097 of the armed men H2571 that H834 were in the host H4264 .
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12. The Midianites, the people of Amalek, and all the other people from the east were camped in that valley. There were so many people that they seemed like a swarm of locusts. It seemed like they had as many camels as there are grains of sand on the seashore.
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12. And the Midianites H4080 and the Amalekites H6003 and all H3605 the children H1121 of the east H6924 lay H5307 along in the valley H6010 like grasshoppers H697 for multitude H7230 ; and their camels H1581 were without H369 number H4557 , as the sand H2344 by H7945 H5921 the sea H3220 side H8193 for multitude H7230 .
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13. Gideon came to the enemy camp, and he heard a man talking. That man was telling his friend about a dream that he had. He was saying, "I dreamed that a round loaf of bread came rolling into the camp of the Midianites. That loaf of bread hit the tent so hard that the tent turned over and fell flat."
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13. And when Gideon H1439 was come H935 , behold H2009 , there was a man H376 that told H5608 a dream H2472 unto his fellow H7453 , and said H559 , Behold H2009 , I dreamed H2492 a dream H2472 , and, lo H2009 , a cake H6742 of barley H8184 bread H3899 tumbled H2015 into the host H4264 of Midian H4080 , and came H935 unto H5704 a tent H168 , and smote H5221 it that it fell H5307 , and overturned H2015 H4605 it , that the tent H168 lay along H5307 .
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14. The man's friend knew the meaning of the dream. He said, "Your dream can only have one meaning. Your dream is about that man from Israel. It is about Gideon son of Joash. It means that God will let Gideon defeat the whole army of Midian."
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14. And his fellow H7453 answered H6030 and said H559 , This H2063 is nothing else H369 save H1115 H518 the sword H2719 of Gideon H1439 the son H1121 of Joash H3101 , a man H376 of Israel H3478 : for into his hand H3027 hath God H430 delivered H5414 H853 Midian H4080 , and all H3605 the host H4264 .
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15. After he heard the men talking about the dream and what it meant, Gideon bowed down to God. Then Gideon went back to the camp of the Israelites and called out to the people, "Get up! The Lord will help us defeat the Midianites."
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15. And it was H1961 so , when Gideon H1439 heard H8085 H853 the telling H4557 of the dream H2472 , and the interpretation H7667 thereof , that he worshiped H7812 , and returned H7725 into H413 the host H4264 of Israel H3478 , and said H559 , Arise H6965 ; for H3588 the LORD H3068 hath delivered H5414 into your hand H3027 H853 the host H4264 of Midian H4080 .
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16. Then Gideon divided the 300 men into three groups. He gave each man a trumpet and an empty jar with a burning torch inside it.
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16. And he divided H2673 H853 the three H7969 hundred H3967 men H376 into three H7969 companies H7218 , and he put H5414 a trumpet H7782 in every man H3605 's hand H3027 , with empty H7386 pitchers H3537 , and lamps H3940 within H8432 the pitchers H3537 .
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17. Then Gideon told the men, "Watch me and do what I do. Follow me to the edge of the enemy camp. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly what I do.
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17. And he said H559 unto H413 them, Look H7200 on H4480 me , and do H6213 likewise H3651 : and, behold H2009 , when I H595 come H935 to the outside H7097 of the camp H4264 , it shall be H1961 that , as H834 I do H6213 , so H3651 shall ye do H6213 .
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18. You men surround the enemy camp. I and all the men with me will blow our trumpets. When we blow our trumpets, you blow your trumpets too. Then shout these words: 'For the Lord and for Gideon!'"
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18. When I blow H8628 with a trumpet H7782 , I H595 and all H3605 that H834 are with H854 me , then blow H8628 ye H859 the trumpets H7782 also H1571 on every side H5439 of all H3605 the camp H4264 , and say H559 , The sword of the LORD H3068 , and of Gideon H1439 .
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19. So Gideon and the 100 men with him went to the edge of the enemy camp. They came there just after the enemy changed guards. It was during the middle watch of the night. Gideon and his men blew their trumpets and smashed their jars.
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19. So Gideon H1439 , and the hundred H3967 men H376 that H834 were with H854 him, came H935 unto the outside H7097 of the camp H4264 in the beginning H7218 of the middle H8484 watch H821 ; and they had but H389 newly set H6965 H6965 H853 the watch H8104 : and they blew H8628 the trumpets H7782 , and broke H5310 the pitchers H3537 that H834 were in their hands H3027 .
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20. Then all three groups of Gideon's men blew their trumpets and smashed their jars. The men held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands. As they blew their trumpets, they shouted, "A sword for the Lord and a sword for Gideon!"
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20. And the three H7969 companies H7218 blew H8628 the trumpets H7782 , and broke H7665 the pitchers H3537 , and held H2388 the lamps H3940 in their left H8040 hands H3027 , and the trumpets H7782 in their right H3225 hands H3027 to blow H8628 withal : and they cried H7121 , The sword H2719 of the LORD H3068 , and of Gideon H1439 .
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21. Gideon's men stayed where they were. But inside the camp, the men of Midian began shouting and running away.
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21. And they stood H5975 every man H376 in his place H8478 round about H5439 the camp H4264 : and all H3605 the host H4264 ran H7323 , and cried H7321 , and fled H5127 .
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22. When Gideon's 300 men blew their trumpets, the Lord caused the men of Midian to kill each other with their swords. The enemy army ran away to the city of Beth Shittah, which is toward the city of Zererah. They ran as far as the border of the city of Abel Meholah, which is near the city of Tabbath.
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22. And the three H7969 hundred H3967 blew H8628 the trumpets H7782 , and the LORD H3068 set H7760 H853 every man H376 's sword H2719 against his fellow H7453 , even throughout all H3605 the host H4264 : and the host H4264 fled H5127 to H5704 Beth H1029 -shittah in Zererath H6888 , and to H5704 the border H8193 of Abel H65 -meholah, unto H5921 Tabbath H2888 .
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23. Then soldiers from the tribes of Naphtali, Asher, and all of Manasseh were told to chase the Midianites.
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23. And the men H376 of Israel H3478 gathered themselves together H6817 out of Naphtali H4480 H5321 , and out of H4480 Asher H836 , and out of H4480 all H3605 Manasseh H4519 , and pursued H7291 after H310 the Midianites H4080 .
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24. Gideon sent messengers through all the hill country of Ephraim. The messengers said, "Come down and attack the Midianites. Take control of the river as far as Beth Barah and the Jordan River. Do this before the Midianites get there." So they called all men from the tribe of Ephraim. They took control of the river as far as Beth Barah.
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24. And Gideon H1439 sent H7971 messengers H4397 throughout all H3605 mount H2022 Ephraim H669 , saying H559 , Come down H3381 against H7125 the Midianites H4080 , and take H3920 before them H853 the waters H4325 unto H5704 Beth H1012 -barah and Jordan H3383 . Then all H3605 the men H376 of Ephraim H669 gathered themselves together H6817 , and took H3920 H853 the waters H4325 unto H5704 Beth H1012 -barah and Jordan H3383 .
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25. The men of Ephraim caught two of the Midianite leaders named Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at a place named the Rock of Oreb and Zeeb at a place named the Winepress of Zeeb. They continued chasing the Midianites, but first they cut off the heads of Oreb and Zeeb and took the heads to Gideon. Gideon was at the place where people cross the Jordan River.
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25. And they took H3920 two H8147 princes H8269 of the Midianites H4080 , H853 Oreb H6159 and Zeeb H2062 ; and they slew H2026 H853 Oreb H6159 upon the rock H6697 Oreb H6159 , and Zeeb H2062 they slew H2026 at the winepress H3342 of Zeeb H2062 , and pursued H7291 H413 Midian H4080 , and brought H935 the heads H7218 of Oreb H6159 and Zeeb H2062 to H413 Gideon H1439 on the other side H4480 H5676 Jordan H3383 .
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