So No One Could Boast

Gideon gathered thirty-two thousand men against Midian. Yahweh said the army was too large, because Israel would boast that their own hand had saved them. Twenty-two thousand fearful men went home. Then God had the remaining ten thousand drink at the water, and only three hundred lapped with their hands to their mouths.

God knew Gideon was still afraid. He told him to go down to the camp with his servant Purah. There Gideon heard a man tell a dream about a cake of barley bread that rolled into the camp and flattened a tent. His friend said it meant God had given Midian into Gideon's hand. Gideon bowed in worship.

Gideon divided the three hundred into three companies with trumpets and empty pitchers holding torches. At the middle watch of the night, they blew trumpets, broke pitchers, held up torches, and shouted, The sword of Yahweh and of Gideon! Each man stood in his place, and the Midianite army ran. Yahweh set the enemies against each other, and Israel chased them.