Judges 7:5
3 Now, therefore, proclaim in the hearing of the people: ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’” So twenty-two thousand of them turned back, but ten thousand remained.
4 Then the LORD said to Gideon, “There are still too many people. 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.”
So Gideon brought the people 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.”
6 And the number of those who lapped the water with their hands to their mouths was three hundred men; all the others knelt to drink.
7 Then the LORD said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men who lapped the water I will save you and deliver the Midianites into your hand. But all the others are to go home.”
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- So Gideon brought the people 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.”
- 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.
- WEB
- So he brought down the people to the water; and the LORD said to Gideon, “Everyone who laps of the water with his tongue, like a dog laps, you shall set him by himself; likewise everyone who bows down on his knees to drink.”
- ASV
- So he brought down the people unto the water: and Jehovah 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.
- DARBY
- And he brought down the people to the water; and Jehovah said to 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 on his knees to drink.
- BLB
- And he brought down the people to the water. And YHWH said to Gideon, “Everyone who laps with his tongue from the water as a dog laps, you shall set apart by himself, and likewise everyone who gets down on his knees to drink.”
- ÅB
- Så lot han folket gå ned til vannet, og Herren sa til Gideon: Alle som lepjer vannet i seg med tungen slik som hunden, skal du stille for seg selv, og likeså alle som legger seg på kne for å drikke.
- OTB
- Så førte Gideon folket ned til vannet. Herren sa til ham: "Skil dem som lepjer vannet med tungen, som en hund lepjer, fra dem som kneler ned for å drikke."
- B1930
- Så lot han folket gå ned til vannet, og Herren sa til Gideon: Alle som lepjer vannet i sig med tungen likesom hunden, skal du stille for sig selv, og likeså alle som legger sig på kne for å drikke.