Judges 7:1-9

Now, the Baal-Fighter (that is, Gideon) and his men rose early and encamped by the Spring of Trembling. The Midianites had encamped in the valley to the north, below Moreh. YAHWEH spoke to Gideon: “You have too many in your army. If I give them victory over the Midianites, they might claim credit for themselves at my expense, thinking that they had won the victory on their own. Announce to your men, ‘All who are trembling and afraid, hurry back home and leave Mount Gilead!’ ” So twenty-two thousand went back home, and only ten thousand stayed with Gideon. Then YAHWEH spoke to Gideon again, “You still have too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. If I tell you a man should go with you, he will go. If I tell you a man should not go with you, he will not go.” So Gideon brought the soldiers down to the water, and YAHWEH said to him, “Separate those who drink from their cupped hands and drink as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.” Of the ten thousand men, only three hundred lapped water from their cupped hands; all the others knelt to drink. Then YAHWEH told Gideon, “I will give you victory over the Midianites with the three hundred men who cupped their hands and drank. Tell everyone else to go home.” So Gideon sent all the Israelites home except the three hundred, who kept the supplies and shofars of those who had left. Now the Midianites were camped down below in the valley. That night YAHWEH commanded Gideon, “Get up and attack the camp; I am giving you victory over the Midianites!