Judges

Judges 7:4–8

4Then the LORD said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will sift them for you there. If I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go. But if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.”

5So Gideon brought the men down to the water, and the LORD said to him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues like a dog from those who kneel to drink.” 6And the number of those who lapped the water with their hands to their mouths was three hundred men; all the others knelt to drink.

7Then the LORD said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men who lapped the water I will save you and deliver the Midianites into your hand. But all the others are to go home.”

8So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites to their tents but kept the three hundred men, who took charge of the provisions and rams’ horns of the others. And the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley.

Read all of Judges 7

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Judges 7:4

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Then the LORDיְהוָ֜הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
saidוַיֹּ֨אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
Gideonגִּדְע֗וֹןgiḏ·‘ō·wnNoun - proper - masculine singularH1439 Gidon
There are stillעוֹד֮‘ō·wḏAdverbH5750 a going round, continuance
too manyרָב֒rāḇAdjective - masculine singularH7227 much, many, great
menהָעָ֣םhā·‘āmArticle; Noun - masculine singularH5971 people
Take them downהוֹרֵ֤דhō·w·rêḏVerb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singularH3381 come or go down, descend
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
the waterהַמַּ֔יִםham·ma·yimArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH4325 water, juice, urine
and I will sift themוְאֶצְרְפֶ֥נּוּwə·’eṣ·rə·p̄en·nūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular; third person masculine singularH6884 smelt, refine, test
for youלְךָ֖lə·ḵāPreposition; second person masculine singular
thereשָׁ֑םšāmAdverbH8033 there, thither
Ifאֲשֶׁר֩’ă·šerPronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
I sayאֹמַ֨ר’ō·marVerb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularH559 utter, say
to youאֵלֶ֜יךָ’ê·le·ḵāPreposition; second person masculine singularH413 motion to
Thisזֶ֣ה׀zehPronoun - masculine singularH2088 this, that
shall goיֵלֵ֣ךְyê·lêḵVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH1980 go, come, walk
with youאִתָּ֗ךְ’it·tāḵPreposition; second person masculine singularH854 with
he shall goיֵלֵ֣ךְyê·lêḵVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH1980 go, come, walk
Butוְכֹ֨לwə·ḵōlConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singularH3605 the whole, all
ifאֲשֶׁר־’ă·šer-Pronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
I sayאֹמַ֜ר’ō·marVerb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularH559 utter, say
Thisזֶ֚הzehPronoun - masculine singularH2088 this, that
shall notלֹא־lō-Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
goיֵלֵ֣ךְyê·lêḵVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH1980 go, come, walk
with youעִמָּ֔ךְ‘im·māḵPreposition; second person feminine singularH5973 with
heה֖וּאhūPronoun - third person masculine singularH1931 he, she
shall notלֹ֥אlōAdverb - Negative particleH3808 not
goיֵלֵֽךְ׃yê·lêḵVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH1980 go, come, walk

Judges 7:5

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Soהָעָ֖םhā·‘āmArticle; Noun - masculine singularH5971 people
downוַיּ֥וֹרֶדway·yō·w·reḏConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH3381 come or go down, descend
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
the waterהַמָּ֑יִםסham·må̄·yi·msArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH4325 water, juice, urine
and the LORDיְהוָ֜הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
saidוַיֹּ֨אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
Separateתַּצִּ֤יגtaṣ·ṣîḡVerb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singularH3322 set, place
thoseכֹּ֣לkōlNoun - masculine singularH3605 the whole, all
whoאֲשֶׁר־’ă·šer-Pronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
lapיָלֹק֩yā·lōqVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH3952 lap, lick
the waterהַמַּ֜יִםham·ma·yimArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH4325 water, juice, urine
with their tonguesבִּלְשׁוֹנ֨וֹbil·šō·w·nōwPreposition-b; Noun - common singular construct; third person masculine singularH3956 tongue
likeכַּאֲשֶׁ֧רka·’ă·šerPreposition-k; Pronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
a dogהַכֶּ֗לֶבhak·ke·leḇArticle; Noun - masculine singularH3611 dog
from thoseוְכֹ֛לwə·ḵōlConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singularH3605 the whole, all
whoאֲשֶׁר־’ă·šer-Pronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
kneelיִכְרַ֥עyiḵ·ra‘Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH3766 bow down
to drinkלִשְׁתּֽוֹת׃liš·tō·wṯPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH8354 drink

Judges 7:6

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
And the numberמִסְפַּ֞רmis·parNoun - masculine singular constructH4557 number, tale
of those who lappedהַֽמֲלַקְקִ֤יםha·mă·laq·qîmArticle; Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine pluralH3952 lap, lick
with their handsבְּיָדָם֙bə·yā·ḏāmPreposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine pluralH3027 hand
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
their mouthsפִּיהֶ֔םpî·hemNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine pluralH6310 mouth
wasוַיְהִ֗יway·hîConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
threeשְׁלֹ֥שׁšə·lōšNumber - feminine singular constructH7969 a three, triad
hundredמֵא֖וֹתmê·’ō·wṯNumber - feminine pluralH3967 hundred
menאִ֑ישׁ’îšNoun - masculine singularH376 man
allוְכֹל֙wə·ḵōlConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
the othersיֶ֣תֶרye·ṯerNoun - masculine singular constructH3499 remainder, excellence, excess
kneltכָּרְע֥וּkā·rə·‘ūVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralH3766 bow down
to drinkלִשְׁתּ֥וֹתliš·tō·wṯPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH8354 drink

Judges 7:7

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Then the LORDיְהוָ֜הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
saidוַיֹּ֨אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
Gideonגִּדְע֗וֹןgiḏ·‘ō·wnNoun - proper - masculine singularH1439 Gidon
With the threeבִּשְׁלֹשׁ֩biš·lōšPreposition-b; Number - feminine singular constructH7969 a three, triad
hundredמֵא֨וֹתmê·’ō·wṯNumber - feminine pluralH3967 hundred
menהָאִ֤ישׁhā·’îšArticle; Noun - masculine singularH376 man
who lappedהַֽמֲלַקְקִים֙ha·mă·laq·qîmArticle; Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine pluralH3952 lap, lick
I will saveאוֹשִׁ֣יעַ’ō·wō·šî·a‘Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singularH3467 deliver
youאֶתְכֶ֔ם’eṯ·ḵemDirect object marker; second person masculine pluralH853 mark of the accusative
and deliverוְנָתַתִּ֥יwə·nā·ṯat·tîConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singularH5414 give, put, set
the Midianitesמִדְיָ֖ןmiḏ·yānNoun - proper - masculine singularH4080 Midjan
into your handבְּיָדֶ֑ךָbə·yā·ḏe·ḵāPreposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singularH3027 hand
But all the othersוְכָל־wə·ḵālConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
are to goיֵלְכ֖וּyê·lə·ḵūVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralH1980 go, come, walk
homeלִמְקֹמֽוֹ׃lim·qō·mōwPreposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH4725 standing, spot, condition

Judges 7:8

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
So Gideon sentשִׁלַּח֙šil·laḥVerb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singularH7971 send
the rest ofכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
the Israelitesאִ֤ישׁ’îšNoun - masculine singular constructH376 man
to their tentsלְאֹֽהָלָ֔יוlə·’ō·hā·lāwPreposition-l; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singularH168 tent
but keptהֶֽחֱזִ֑יקhe·ḥĕ·zîqVerb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singularH2388 be or grow firm, strong, strengthen
the threeוּבִשְׁלֹשׁ־ū·ḇiš·lōš-Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Number - feminine singular constructH7969 a three, triad
hundredמֵא֥וֹתmê·’ō·wṯNumber - feminine pluralH3967 hundred
menהָאִ֖ישׁhā·’îšArticle; Noun - masculine singularH376 man
who tookוַיִּקְח֣וּway·yiq·ḥūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH3947 take
charge ofבְּיָדָ֜םbə·yā·ḏāmPreposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine pluralH3027 hand
the provisionsצֵדָה֩ṣê·ḏāhNoun - feminine singularH6720 id.
and rams’ hornsשׁוֹפְרֹֽתֵיהֶ֗םšō·wp̄·rō·ṯê·hemNoun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine pluralH7782 horn
of the othersהָעָ֨םhā·‘āmArticle; Noun - masculine singularH5971 people
Andוְאֵ֨תwə·’êṯConjunctive waw; Direct object markerH853 mark of the accusative
the campוּמַחֲנֵ֣הū·ma·ḥă·nêhConjunctive waw; Noun - common singular constructH4264 encampment, camp
of Midianמִדְיָ֔ןmiḏ·yānNoun - proper - masculine singularH4080 Midjan
layהָ֥יָהhā·yāhVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
belowמִתַּ֥חַתmit·ta·ḥaṯPreposition-mH8478 the under part
himל֖וֹlōwPreposition; third person masculine singular
in the valleyבָּעֵֽמֶק׃פbā·‘ê·meqPreposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singularH6010 vale

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Judges 7:4 Psalm 33:16 · 1 Samuel 16:7 · Malachi 3:2–3 · 1 Samuel 14:6 · Job 23:10 · Psalm 7:9

Judges 7:7 1 Samuel 14:6 · Isaiah 41:14–16

Judges 7:8 Isaiah 27:13

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.