וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם יְרֻבַּ֜עַל ה֣וּא גִדְע֗וֹן וְכׇל־הָעָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתּ֔וֹ וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ עַל־עֵ֣ין חֲרֹ֑ד וּמַחֲנֵ֤ה מִדְיָן֙ הָיָה־ל֣וֹ מִצָּפ֔וֹן מִגִּבְעַ֥ת הַמּוֹרֶ֖ה בָּעֵֽמֶק׃ {ס} Early next day, Jerubbaal—that is, Gideon—and all the troops with him encamped above En-harod,aEn-harod Or “the Spring of Harod.” while the camp of Midian was in the plain to the north of him, at Gibeath-moreh.bGibeath-moreh Or “the Hill of Moreh.”
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־גִּדְע֔וֹן רַ֗ב הָעָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתָּ֔ךְ מִתִּתִּ֥י אֶת־מִדְיָ֖ן בְּיָדָ֑ם פֶּן־יִתְפָּאֵ֨ר עָלַ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר יָדִ֖י הוֹשִׁ֥יעָה לִּֽי׃ GOD said to Gideon, “You have too many troops with you for Me to deliver Midian into their hands; Israel might claim for themselves the glory due to Me, thinking, ‘Our own hand has brought us victory.’
וְעַתָּ֗ה קְרָ֨א נָ֜א בְּאׇזְנֵ֤י הָעָם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר מִֽי־יָרֵ֣א וְחָרֵ֔ד יָשֹׁ֥ב וְיִצְפֹּ֖ר מֵהַ֣ר הַגִּלְעָ֑ד וַיָּ֣שׇׁב מִן־הָעָ֗ם עֶשְׂרִ֤ים וּשְׁנַ֙יִם֙ אֶ֔לֶף וַעֲשֶׂ֥רֶת אֲלָפִ֖ים נִשְׁאָֽרוּ׃ {ס} Therefore, announce to the men, ‘Let anybody who is timid and fearful turn back, as a bird flies from Mount Gilead.’”cas a bird flies from Mount Gilead Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Thereupon, 22,000 of the troops turned back and 10,000 remained.
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־גִּדְע֗וֹן עוֹד֮ הָעָ֣ם רָב֒ הוֹרֵ֤ד אוֹתָם֙ אֶל־הַמַּ֔יִם וְאֶצְרְפֶ֥נּוּ לְךָ֖ שָׁ֑ם וְהָיָ֡ה אֲשֶׁר֩ אֹמַ֨ר אֵלֶ֜יךָ זֶ֣ה ׀ יֵלֵ֣ךְ אִתָּ֗ךְ ה֚וּא יֵלֵ֣ךְ אִתָּ֔ךְ וְכֹ֨ל אֲשֶׁר־אֹמַ֜ר אֵלֶ֗יךָ זֶ֚ה לֹא־יֵלֵ֣ךְ עִמָּ֔ךְ ה֖וּא לֹ֥א יֵלֵֽךְ׃ “There are still too many troops,” GOD said to Gideon. “Take them down to the water and I will siftdsift Lit. “smelt.” them for you there. Anyone of whom I tell you, ‘This one is to go with you,’ that one shall go with you; and anyone of whom I tell you, ‘This one is not to go with you,’ that one shall not go.”
וַיּ֥וֹרֶד אֶת־הָעָ֖ם אֶל־הַמָּ֑יִם וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־גִּדְע֗וֹן כֹּ֣ל אֲשֶׁר־יָלֹק֩ בִּלְשׁוֹנ֨וֹ מִן־הַמַּ֜יִם כַּאֲשֶׁ֧ר יָלֹ֣ק הַכֶּ֗לֶב תַּצִּ֤יג אוֹתוֹ֙ לְבָ֔ד וְכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־יִכְרַ֥ע עַל־בִּרְכָּ֖יו לִשְׁתּֽוֹת׃ So he took the troops down to the water. Then GOD said to Gideon, “Set apart all those who lap up the water with their tongues like dogselap up the water with their tongues like dogs Actually, using their hands as a dog uses its tongue; see v. 6. from all those who get down on their knees to drink.”
וַיְהִ֗י מִסְפַּ֞ר הַֽמְלַקְקִ֤ים בְּיָדָם֙ אֶל־פִּיהֶ֔ם שְׁלֹ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת אִ֑ישׁ וְכֹל֙ יֶ֣תֶר הָעָ֔ם כָּרְע֥וּ עַל־בִּרְכֵיהֶ֖ם לִשְׁתּ֥וֹת מָֽיִם׃ {ס} Now those who “lapped” the water into their mouths by hand numbered three hundred; all the rest of the troops got down on their knees to drink.
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־גִּדְע֗וֹן בִּשְׁלֹשׁ֩ מֵא֨וֹת הָאִ֤ישׁ הַֽמְלַקְקִים֙ אוֹשִׁ֣יעַ אֶתְכֶ֔ם וְנָתַתִּ֥י אֶת־מִדְיָ֖ן בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ וְכׇ֨ל־הָעָ֔ם יֵלְכ֖וּ אִ֥ישׁ לִמְקֹמֽוֹ׃ Then GOD said to Gideon, “I will deliver you and I will put Midian into your hands through the three hundred ‘lappers’; let the rest of the troops go home.”
וַיִּקְח֣וּ אֶת־צֵדָה֩ הָעָ֨ם בְּיָדָ֜ם וְאֵ֣ת שׁוֹפְרֹֽתֵיהֶ֗ם וְאֵ֨ת כׇּל־אִ֤ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ שִׁלַּח֙ אִ֣ישׁ לְאֹֽהָלָ֔יו וּבִשְׁלֹשׁ־מֵא֥וֹת הָאִ֖ישׁ הֶחֱזִ֑יק וּמַחֲנֵ֣ה מִדְיָ֔ן הָ֥יָה ל֖וֹ מִתַּ֥חַת בָּעֵֽמֶק׃ {פ}
So [the lappers] took the provisions and horns that the other men had with them,fSo [the lappers] took … with them Meaning of Heb. uncertain. and he sent everyone else on Israel’s side back to their homes, retaining only the three hundred men.
The Midianite camp was below him, in the plain.
וַֽיְהִי֙ בַּלַּ֣יְלָה הַה֔וּא וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה ק֖וּם רֵ֣ד בַּֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה כִּ֥י נְתַתִּ֖יו בְּיָדֶֽךָ׃ That night GOD said to him, “Come, attackgattack Lit. “descend upon”; so in vv. 10 and 11. the camp, for I have delivered it into your hands.
וְאִם־יָרֵ֥א אַתָּ֖ה לָרֶ֑דֶת רֵ֥ד אַתָּ֛ה וּפֻרָ֥ה נַעַרְךָ֖ אֶל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃ And if you are afraid to attack, first go down to the camp with your attendant Purah
וְשָֽׁמַעְתָּ֙ מַה־יְדַבֵּ֔רוּ וְאַחַר֙ תֶּחֱזַ֣קְנָה יָדֶ֔יךָ וְיָרַדְתָּ֖ בַּֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה וַיֵּ֤רֶד הוּא֙ וּפֻרָ֣ה נַעֲר֔וֹ אֶל־קְצֵ֥ה הַחֲמֻשִׁ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃ and listen to what they say; after that you will have the courage to attack the camp.” So he went down with his attendant Purah to the outposts of the warriors who were in the camp.—
וּמִדְיָ֨ן וַעֲמָלֵ֤ק וְכׇל־בְּנֵי־קֶ֙דֶם֙ נֹפְלִ֣ים בָּעֵ֔מֶק כָּאַרְבֶּ֖ה לָרֹ֑ב וְלִגְמַלֵּיהֶם֙ אֵ֣ין מִסְפָּ֔ר כַּח֛וֹל שֶׁעַל־שְׂפַ֥ת הַיָּ֖ם לָרֹֽב׃ Now Midian, Amalek, and all the Kedemites were spread over the plain, as thick as locusts; and their camels were countless, as numerous as the sands on the seashore.—
וַיָּבֹ֣א גִדְע֔וֹן וְהִ֨נֵּה־אִ֔ישׁ מְסַפֵּ֥ר לְרֵעֵ֖הוּ חֲל֑וֹם וַיֹּ֜אמֶר הִנֵּ֧ה חֲל֣וֹם חָלַ֗מְתִּי וְהִנֵּ֨ה צְלִ֜יל לֶ֤חֶם שְׂעֹרִים֙ מִתְהַפֵּךְ֙ בְּמַחֲנֵ֣ה מִדְיָ֔ן וַיָּבֹ֣א עַד־הָ֠אֹ֠הֶל וַיַּכֵּ֧הוּ וַיִּפֹּ֛ל וַיַּהַפְכֵ֥הוּ לְמַ֖עְלָה וְנָפַ֥ל הָאֹֽהֶל׃ Gideon came there just as one man was narrating a dream to another. “Listen,” he was saying, “I had this dream: There was a commotionhcommotion Meaning of Heb. uncertain.—a loaf of barley bread was whirling through the Midianite camp. It came to a tent and struck it, and it fell; it turned it upside down, and the tent collapsed.”
וַיַּ֨עַן רֵעֵ֤הוּ וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֵ֣ין זֹ֔את בִּלְתִּ֗י אִם־חֶ֛רֶב גִּדְע֥וֹן בֶּן־יוֹאָ֖שׁ אִ֣ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל נָתַ֤ן הָאֱלֹהִים֙ בְּיָד֔וֹ אֶת־מִדְיָ֖ן וְאֶת־כׇּל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃ {פ}
To this the other responded, “That can only mean the sword of the Israelite Gideon son of Joash.ithe Israelite Gideon son of Joash Or “Gideon son of Joash, Israel’s man in charge”; cf. Kimhi. God is delivering Midian and the entire camp into his hands.”jThe loaf of bread symbolizes the agricultural Israelites; the tent, the nomadic Midianites.
וַיְהִי֩ כִשְׁמֹ֨עַ גִּדְע֜וֹן אֶת־מִסְפַּ֧ר הַחֲל֛וֹם וְאֶת־שִׁבְר֖וֹ וַיִּשְׁתָּ֑חוּ וַיָּ֙שׇׁב֙ אֶל־מַחֲנֵ֣ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ק֔וּמוּ כִּֽי־נָתַ֧ן יְהֹוָ֛ה בְּיֶדְכֶ֖ם אֶת־מַחֲנֵ֥ה מִדְיָֽן׃ When Gideon heard the dream told and interpreted, he bowed low. Returning to the camp of Israel, he shouted, “Come on! GOD has delivered the Midianite camp into your hands!”
וַיַּ֛חַץ אֶת־שְׁלֹשׁ־מֵא֥וֹת הָאִ֖ישׁ שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה רָאשִׁ֑ים וַיִּתֵּ֨ן שׁוֹפָר֤וֹת בְּיַד־כֻּלָּם֙ וְכַדִּ֣ים רֵיקִ֔ים וְלַפִּדִ֖ים בְּת֥וֹךְ הַכַּדִּֽים׃ He divided the three hundred men into three columns and equipped them all with a ram’s horn and an empty jar, with a torch in each jar.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם מִמֶּ֥נִּי תִרְא֖וּ וְכֵ֣ן תַּעֲשׂ֑וּ וְהִנֵּ֨ה אָנֹכִ֥י בָא֙ בִּקְצֵ֣ה הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וְהָיָ֥ה כַאֲשֶׁר־אֶעֱשֶׂ֖ה כֵּ֥ן תַּעֲשֽׂוּן׃ “Watch me,” he said, “and do the same. When I get to the outposts of the camp, do exactly as I do.
וְתָֽקַעְתִּי֙ בַּשּׁוֹפָ֔ר אָנֹכִ֖י וְכׇל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתִּ֑י וּתְקַעְתֶּ֨ם בַּשּׁוֹפָר֜וֹת גַּם־אַתֶּ֗ם סְבִיבוֹת֙ כׇּל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֖ם לַיהֹוָ֥ה וּלְגִדְעֽוֹן׃ {פ}
When I and all those with me blow our horns, you too, all around the camp, will blow your horns and shout, ‘For GOD and for Gideon!’”
וַיָּבֹ֣א גִ֠דְע֠וֹן וּמֵאָה־אִ֨ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־אִתּ֜וֹ בִּקְצֵ֣ה הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֗ה רֹ֚אשׁ הָאַשְׁמֹ֣רֶת הַתִּיכוֹנָ֔ה אַ֛ךְ הָקֵ֥ם הֵקִ֖ימוּ אֶת־הַשֹּׁמְרִ֑ים וַֽיִּתְקְעוּ֙ בַּשּׁ֣וֹפָר֔וֹת וְנָפ֥וֹץ הַכַּדִּ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּיָדָֽם׃ Gideon and the hundred men with him arrived at the outposts of the camp, at the beginning of the middle watch, just after the sentries were posted. They sounded the horns and smashed the jars that they had with them,kThey sounded … with them Emendation yields “He sounded the horn and smashed the jar that he had with him.”
וַֽ֠יִּתְקְע֠וּ שְׁלֹ֨שֶׁת הָרָאשִׁ֥ים בַּשּׁוֹפָרוֹת֮ וַיִּשְׁבְּר֣וּ הַכַּדִּים֒ וַיַּחֲזִ֤יקוּ בְיַד־שְׂמֹאולָם֙ בַּלַּפִּדִ֔ים וּ֨בְיַד־יְמִינָ֔ם הַשּׁוֹפָר֖וֹת לִתְק֑וֹעַ וַֽיִּקְרְא֔וּ חֶ֥רֶב לַיהֹוָ֖ה וּלְגִדְעֽוֹן׃ and the three columns blew their horns and broke their jars. Holding the torches in their left hands and the horns for blowing in their right hands, they shouted, “A sword for GOD and for Gideon!”
וַיַּֽעַמְדוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ תַּחְתָּ֔יו סָבִ֖יב לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה וַיָּ֧רׇץ כׇּל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֛ה וַיָּרִ֖יעוּ (ויניסו) [וַיָּנֽוּסוּ]׃ They remained standing where they were, surrounding the camp; but the entire camp ran about yelling, and took to flight.
וַֽיִּתְקְעוּ֮ שְׁלֹשׁ־מֵא֣וֹת הַשּׁוֹפָרוֹת֒ וַיָּ֣שֶׂם יְהֹוָ֗ה אֵ֣ת חֶ֥רֶב אִ֛ישׁ בְּרֵעֵ֖הוּ וּבְכׇל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה וַיָּ֨נׇס הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֜ה עַד־בֵּ֤ית הַשִּׁטָּה֙ צְֽרֵרָ֔תָה עַ֛ד שְׂפַת־אָבֵ֥ל מְחוֹלָ֖ה עַל־טַבָּֽת׃ For when the three hundred horns were sounded, GOD turned every man’s sword against his fellow, throughout the camp, and the entire host fled as far as Beth-shittah and on to Zererah—as far as the outskirts of Abel-meholah near Tabbath.
וַיִּצָּעֵ֧ק אִֽישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל מִנַּפְתָּלִ֥י וּמִן־אָשֵׁ֖ר וּמִן־כׇּל־מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה וַֽיִּרְדְּפ֖וּ אַחֲרֵ֥י מִדְיָֽן׃ And now Israel’s side from Naphtali and Asher and from all of Manasseh rallied for the pursuit of the Midianites.
וּמַלְאָכִ֡ים שָׁלַ֣ח גִּדְעוֹן֩ בְּכׇל־הַ֨ר אֶפְרַ֜יִם לֵאמֹ֗ר רְד֞וּ לִקְרַ֤את מִדְיָן֙ וְלִכְד֤וּ לָהֶם֙ אֶת־הַמַּ֔יִם עַ֛ד בֵּ֥ית בָּרָ֖ה וְאֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן וַיִּצָּעֵ֞ק כׇּל־אִ֤ישׁ אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙ וַיִּלְכְּד֣וּ אֶת־הַמַּ֔יִם עַ֛ד בֵּ֥ית בָּרָ֖ה וְאֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּֽן׃ Gideon also sent messengers all through the hill country of Ephraim with this order: lMeaning of rest of verse uncertain. “Go down ahead of the Midianites and seize their access to the water all along the Jordan down to Beth-barah.” So Ephraim’s entire contingent rallied and seized the waterside down to Beth-barah by the Jordan.
וַֽיִּלְכְּד֡וּ שְׁנֵֽי־שָׂרֵ֨י מִדְיָ֜ן אֶת־עֹרֵ֣ב וְאֶת־זְאֵ֗ב וַיַּהַרְג֨וּ אֶת־עוֹרֵ֤ב בְּצוּר־עוֹרֵב֙ וְאֶת־זְאֵב֙ הָרְג֣וּ בְיֶֽקֶב־זְאֵ֔ב וַֽיִּרְדְּפ֖וּ אֶל־מִדְיָ֑ן וְרֹאשׁ־עֹרֵ֣ב וּזְאֵ֔ב הֵבִ֙יאוּ֙ אֶל־גִּדְע֔וֹן מֵעֵ֖בֶר לַיַּרְדֵּֽן׃ They pursued the Midianites and captured Midian’s two generals, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the Rock of Oreb and they killed Zeeb at the Winepress of Zeeb; and they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb from the other side of the Jordan to Gideon.