God informed Gideon that the men he had gathered were too many – with so many men, there would be reason for the Israelites to claim the victory as their own instead of acknowledging that God had saved them. God first instructed Gideon to send home those men who were afraid. Gideon then allowed any man who wanted to leave, to leave; 22,000 men returned home and 10,000 remained. Yet the number was still too many, according to God:
(4) But Adonai Elohim 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, ‘This one shall go with you, he shall go; but if I say, this one shall not go with you, he shall not go.” (5) So Gideon took the men down to the water. There Adonai Elohim Told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues like a dog from those who kneel down to drink.” (6) Three hundred men lapped with their hands to their mouths. All the rest got down on their knees to drink. (7) Adonai Elohim Said to Gideon, “With the 300 men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the other men go, each to his own place.(Judges 7:4–7, NIV Bible)
h/t K
