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Gideon’s Three Hundred Chosen Men
7 Then (A)Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him got up early, and camped beside [a]the spring of Harod; and the camp of Midian was on the north side of [b]them by the hill of (B)Moreh in the valley.
2 And the Lord said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to hand Midian over to them, (C)otherwise Israel would [c]become boastful, saying, ‘My own [d]power has saved me.’ 3 Now therefore come, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘(D)Whoever is afraid and worried, is to return and leave Mount Gilead.’” So twenty-two thousand from the people returned, but ten thousand remained.
4 (E)Then 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. So it shall be that he of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go with you; but everyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” 5 So he brought the people down to the water. Then the Lord said to Gideon, “You shall put everyone who laps the water with his tongue as a dog laps [e]in one group, and everyone who kneels down to drink in another.” 6 Now the number of those who lapped, [f]putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men; but all the rest of the people kneeled down to drink water. 7 And the Lord said to Gideon, “I will save you (F)with the three hundred men who lapped, and will hand the Midianites over to you; so have all the other people go, each man to his [g]home.” 8 So [h]the three hundred men took the people’s provisions and their trumpets in their hands. And [i]Gideon dismissed all the other men of Israel, each to his tent, but retained the three hundred men; and the camp of Midian was below him in the valley.
9 Now on the same night it came about that the Lord said to him, “Arise, go down against the camp, (G)for I have handed it over to you. 10 But if you are afraid to go down, go with Purah your servant down to the camp, 11 so that you will hear what they say; and (H)afterward [j]you will have the courage to go down against the camp.” So he went down with Purah his servant to the [k]outposts of the army that was in the camp. 12 Now the Midianites, the Amalekites, and all the [l]people of the east were lying in the valley (I)as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, (J)as numerous as the sand on the seashore. 13 When Gideon came, behold, a man was relating a dream to his friend. And he said, “Behold, I [m]had a dream; [n]a loaf of barley bread was tumbling into the camp of Midian, and it came to the tent and struck it so that it fell, and turned it [o]upside down so that the tent collapsed.” 14 And his friend replied, “This is nothing other than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel; God has (K)handed over to him Midian and all the camp.”
15 When Gideon heard the account of the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship. Then he returned to the camp of Israel and said, “Arise, for the Lord has handed over to you the camp of Midian!” 16 And he divided the three hundred men into three [p]units, and he put trumpets and empty pitchers into the hands of all of them, with torches inside the pitchers. 17 Then he said to them, “Look at me and do likewise. And behold, when I come to the outskirts of the camp, [q]do as I do. 18 When I and all who are with me blow the trumpet, then you also blow the trumpets around the entire camp and say, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon!’”
Confusion of the Enemy
19 So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle night watch, when they had just posted the watch; and they blew the trumpets and smashed the pitchers that were in their hands. 20 When the three [r]units blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers, they held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands for blowing, and shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” 21 And each stood in his place around the camp; and (L)all the [s]army ran, crying out as they fled. 22 And when they blew the three hundred trumpets, the (M)Lord set the sword of one against another even throughout the entire [t]army; and the [u]army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the edge of (N)Abel-meholah, by Tabbath. 23 And the men of Israel were summoned from (O)Naphtali, Asher, and all Manasseh, and they pursued Midian.
24 Then Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down [v]against Midian and (P)take control of the waters ahead of them, as far as Beth-barah and the Jordan.” So all the men of Ephraim were summoned, and they took control of the waters as far as Beth-barah and the Jordan. 25 And they captured the two leaders of Midian, (Q)Oreb and Zeeb, and they killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and they killed Zeeb at the wine press of Zeeb, while they pursued Midian; and they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon (R)from across the Jordan.
Zebah and Zalmunna Routed
8 Then the men of Ephraim said to [w]Gideon, “(S)What is this thing that you have done to us, not calling upon us when you went to fight against Midian?” And they quarreled with him vehemently. 2 But he said to them, “What have I done now in comparison with you? Is the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim not better than the vintage of Abiezer? 3 God has handed over to you the leaders of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb; and what was I able to do in comparison with you?” Then their [x]anger toward him subsided when he said [y]that.
4 Then Gideon and the three hundred men who were with him came (T)to the Jordan and crossed over, exhausted yet still pursuing. 5 And he said to the men of (U)Succoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the people who are [z]following me, for they are exhausted, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.” 6 But the leaders of Succoth said, “[aa](V)Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hand, that we should give bread to your army?” 7 So Gideon said, “For this answer, (W)when the Lord has handed over to me Zebah and Zalmunna, I will [ab]thrash your [ac]bodies with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.” 8 Then he went up from there to [ad](X)Penuel and spoke similarly to them; and the men of Penuel answered him just as the men of Succoth had answered. 9 So he said also to the men of [ae]Penuel, “When I return safely, (Y)I will tear down this tower.”
10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their [af]armies with them, about fifteen thousand men, all who were left of the entire [ag]army of the [ah]people of the east; (Z)for the fallen were 120,000 [ai]swordsmen. 11 Gideon went up by the way of those who lived in tents to the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and he [aj]attacked the camp when the camp was unsuspecting. 12 When Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued them and captured the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and routed the entire [ak]army.
13 Then Gideon the son of Joash returned from the battle [al]by the ascent of Heres. 14 And he captured a youth from [am]Succoth and questioned him. Then the youth wrote down for him the leaders of Succoth and its elders, seventy-seven men. 15 And he came to the men of Succoth and said, “Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you taunted me, saying, ‘[an](AA)Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are weary?’” 16 Then he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and he [ao]disciplined the men of Succoth with them. 17 (AB)And he tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.
Pilate Seeks Jesus’ Release
13 Now Pilate summoned to himself the chief priests, the [a](A)rulers, and the people, 14 and he said to them, “You brought this Man to me on the ground that (B)He is inciting the people to revolt; and behold, after examining Him before you, I (C)have found no basis at all in the case of this Man for the charges which you are bringing against Him. 15 No, nor has (D)Herod, for he sent Him back to us; and behold, nothing deserving death has been done by Him. 16 Therefore I will [b](E)punish Him and release Him.” 17 [[c]Now he was obligated to release to them at the feast one prisoner.]
18 But they cried out all together, saying, “(F)Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas!” 19 (He was one who had been thrown into prison for a revolt that took place in the city, and for murder.) 20 But Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again, 21 but they kept on crying out, saying, “Crucify, crucify Him!” 22 And he said to them a third time, “Why, what has this Man done wrong? I have found [d]in His case no grounds for a sentence of death; therefore I will [e](G)punish Him and release Him.” 23 But they were insistent, with loud voices, demanding that He be crucified. And their voices began to prevail. 24 And so Pilate decided to have their demand carried out. 25 And he released the man for whom they were asking, who had been thrown into prison for a revolt and murder; but he handed Jesus over to their will.
Simon Carries the Cross
26 (H)And when they led Him away, they seized a man, Simon of (I)Cyrene, as he was coming in from the country, and placed on him the cross to carry behind Jesus.
27 Now following Him was a large crowd of the people, and of women who were [f](J)mourning and grieving for Him. 28 But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, stop weeping for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For behold, days are coming when they will say, ‘(K)Blessed are those who cannot bear, and the wombs that have not given birth, and the breasts that have not nursed.’ 30 Then they will begin to (L)say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ 31 For if they do these things [g]when the tree is green, what will happen [h]when it is dry?”
32 (M)Now two others, who were criminals, were also being led away to be put to death with Him.
The Crucifixion
33 (N)And when they came to the place called [i]The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. 34 [[j]But Jesus was saying, “(O)Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”] (P)And they cast lots, dividing His garments among themselves. 35 And the people stood by, watching. And even the (Q)rulers were sneering at Him, saying, “He saved others; (R)let Him save Himself if this is the [k]Christ of God, His Chosen One.” 36 The soldiers also ridiculed Him, coming up to Him, (S)offering Him sour wine, 37 and saying, “(T)If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!” 38 Now there was also an inscription above Him, “(U)THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
39 (V)One of the criminals who were hanged there was [l]hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the [m]Christ? (W)Save Yourself and us!” 40 But the other responded, and rebuking him, said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving [n]what we deserve for our crimes; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!” 43 And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you will be with Me in (X)Paradise.”
The Lord’s Power and Dominion.
97 (A)The Lord [a]reigns, may the (B)earth rejoice;
May the many [b](C)islands be joyful.
2 (D)Clouds and thick darkness surround Him;
(E)Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.
3 (F)Fire goes before Him
And (G)burns up His enemies all around.
4 His (H)lightning lit up the world;
The earth saw it and (I)trembled.
5 The mountains (J)melted like wax at the presence of the Lord,
At the presence of the (K)Lord of the whole earth.
6 The (L)heavens declare His righteousness,
And (M)all the peoples have seen His glory.
7 May all those be ashamed who serve (N)carved images,
Who boast in (O)idols;
[c](P)Worship Him, all you [d]gods.
8 Zion [e]heard this and (Q)was joyful,
And the daughters of Judah have rejoiced
Because of Your judgments, Lord.
9 For You are the Lord (R)Most High over all the earth;
You are exalted far (S)above all [f]gods.
10 (T)Hate evil, you who love the Lord,
Who (U)watches over the souls of His godly ones;
He (V)saves them from the hand of the wicked.
11 (W)Light is sown like seed for the righteous,
And (X)gladness for the upright in heart.
12 Be (Y)joyful in the Lord, you righteous ones,
And (Z)praise [g]the mention of His holy name.
A Call to Praise the Lord for His Righteousness.
A Psalm.
98 Sing a (AA)new song to the Lord,
For He has done (AB)wonderful things,
His (AC)right hand and His (AD)holy arm have [h]gained the victory for Him.
2 (AE)The Lord has made His salvation known;
He has (AF)revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations.
3 He has (AG)remembered His graciousness and His faithfulness to the house of Israel;
(AH)All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
4 (AI)Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth;
(AJ)Be cheerful and sing for joy and sing praises.
5 Sing praises to the Lord with the (AK)lyre,
With the lyre and the [i](AL)sound of melody.
6 With (AM)trumpets and the sound of the horn
(AN)Shout joyfully before (AO)the King, the Lord.
7 May the (AP)sea roar and [j]all it contains,
The (AQ)world and those who dwell in it.
8 May the (AR)rivers clap their hands,
May the (AS)mountains sing together for joy
9 Before the Lord, for He is coming to (AT)judge the earth;
He will judge the world with righteousness
And (AU)the peoples with fairness.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.