NSB(i)
6 There were three hundred men who scooped up water in their hands and lapped it. The others got down on their knees to drink.
7 Jehovah said: »I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Use the three hundred men who lapped the water. Tell everyone else to go home.«
8 Gideon sent the Israelites home, except the three hundred. They kept all the supplies and trumpets. The Midianite camp was below them in the valley.
2 Jehovah said to Gideon: »The men you have are too many for me to give them victory over the Midianites. They might think that they had won by themselves and not give me credit.
3 »Announce to the people: ‘Anyone who is afraid should go back home.’ We will stay here at Mount Gilead. Twenty-two thousand went back, but ten thousand stayed.’«
4 Jehovah said to Gideon: »You still have too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will separate them for you. 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.«
5 Gideon took the men to the water. Jehovah told him: »Separate everyone who laps up the water with his tongue like a dog, from everyone who gets down on his knees to drink.«