Judges 7:5

Judges 7:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)So he brought down the people unto the water: and the Lord said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.
• New International Version (NIV)So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.”
• New King James Version (NKJV)So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, “Everyone who laps from the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set apart by himself; likewise everyone who gets down on his knees to drink.”
• New Living Translation (NLT)When Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the Lord told him, “Divide the men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream.”

Context of Judges 7:5

3Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, 'Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home and hurry away from Mount Gilead.'" Then 22,000 of the people returned, and 10,000 remained. 4And 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." So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, "Every one who laps the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set by himself. Likewise, every one who kneels down to drink." 6And the number of those who lapped, putting their hands to their mouths, was 300 men, but all the rest of the people knelt down to drink water. 7And the Lord said to Gideon, "With the 300 men who lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hand, and let all the others go every man to his home."

Judges 7:5 word by word

וַיּ֥וֹרֶד אֶת־הָעָ֖ם אֶל־הַמָּ֑יִם ס וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־גִּדְע֗וֹן כֹּ֣ל אֲשֶׁר־יָלֹק֩ בִּלְשׁוֹנ֨וֹ מִן־הַמַּ֜יִם כַּאֲשֶׁ֧ר יָלֹ֣ק הַכֶּ֗לֶב תַּצִּ֤יג אוֹתוֹ֙ לְבָ֔ד וְכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־יִכְרַ֥ע עַל־בִּרְכָּ֖יו לִשְׁתּֽוֹת׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• So he brought downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
• the peopleעַם‛am · people: soldiersH5971
• unto the waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
• and the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto Gideonגִּדְעוֹןgid‛ôn · GideonH1439
• Every one that lappethלָקַקlâqaq · to lickH3952
• with his tongueלָשׁוֹןlâshôn lâshôn leshônâh · tongueH3956
• as a dogכֶּ֫לֶבkeleb · dogH3611
• him shalt thou setיָצַגyâtsag · to setH3322
• by himself; likewise every one that boweth downכָּרַעkâra‛ · to bowH3766
• upon his kneesבֶּ֫רֶךְberek · kneeH1290
• to drinkשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354

Commentaries on Judges 7:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Every one that lappeth of the water - as a dog - The original word ילק yalok is precisely the sound which a dog makes when he is drinking.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. 55. bring them down unto the water--When the wandering people in Asia, on a journey or in haste, come to water, they do not stoop down with deliberation on their knees, but only bend forward as much as is necessary to bring their hand in contact with the stream, and throw it up with rapidity, and at the same time such address, that they do not drop a particle. The Israelites, it seems, were acquainted with the practice; and those who adopted it on this…Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 7:5

• Dog (Sodomite?)
• 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