Judges 7:4

Judges 7:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.
• New International Version (NIV)But the Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out 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.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the Lord said to Gideon, "The people are still too many. Take them down to the water, and I will test them for you there, and anyone of whom I say to you, 'This one shall go with you,' shall go with you, and anyone of whom I say to you, 'This one shall not go with you,' shall not go."
• New King James Version (NKJV)But the Lord said to Gideon, “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. Then it will be, that of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ the same shall go with you; and of whomever I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ the same shall not go.”

Context of Judges 7:4

2Then the LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many men for Me to deliver Midian into their hands, lest Israel glorify themselves over Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’ 3Now, therefore, proclaim in the hearing of the men: ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’” So twenty-two thousand of them turned back, but ten thousand remained. Then 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.

Judges 7:4 word by word

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה 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׃Read the interlinear

• Then the LORDיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• toאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
• Gideonגִּדְעוֹןgid‛ôn · GideonH1439
• There are stillעוֹד‛ôd ‛ôd · stillH5750
• too manyרַבrab · manyH7227
• menעַם‛am · people: soldiersH5971
• Take them downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
• ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• the waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
• and I will sift themצָרַףtsâraph · to refineH6884
• thereשָׁםshâm · thereH8033
• thereהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• Ifאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• Thisזֶהzeh · thisH2088
• shall goהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
• with youאֵת'êth · withH854
• ·הוּאhû' hîy' · he/she/itH1931
• Butכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• shall notלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• with youעִם‛im · withH5973

Cross-references for Judges 7:4

• Psalms 33:16No king is saved by his vast army; no warrior is delivered by his great strength.
• Genesis 22:1Some time later God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he answered.
• 1 Samuel 16:7But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.”
• Job 23:10Yet He knows the way I have taken; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
• Psalms 7:9Put an end to the evil of the wicked, but establish the righteous, O righteous God who searches hearts and minds.
• Psalms 66:10For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us like silver.
• Jeremiah 6:27“I have appointed you to examine My people like ore, so you may know and try their ways.
• Malachi 3:2But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He will be like a refiner’s fire, like a launderer’s soap.

Commentaries on Judges 7:4

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Try - The word used for refining metals by separating the dross from the pure ore. They who threw themselves on the ground and drank freely were the more self-indulgent; while they who, remembering the near presence of the enemy, slaked their thirst with moderation, and without being off their guard for an instant, were the true soldiers of the army of God.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-8The Lord chose those who drank from their hands instead of those who knelt. This choice seemed random, but it helped reduce the army's size.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. too many--Two reductions were ordered, the last by the application of a test which was made known to Gideon alone.Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 7:4

• Symbols and Similitudes

In the dictionaries

• Gideon
• Dream
• Esdraelon
• Harod
• Lap
• Midianite
• Moreh, the Hill of
• Abdon (1)
• Deuteronomy
• Esdraelon, Plain of

Commentaries on Judges 7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings