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Gideon’s 300 Chosen Men
7 Then (A)Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him, rose 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 The Lord said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands, (C)for Israel [c]would become boastful, saying, ‘My own [d]power has delivered me.’ 3 Now therefore [e]come, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘(D)Whoever is afraid and trembling, let him return and depart from Mount Gilead.’” So 22,000 people returned, but 10,000 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. Therefore 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. And the Lord said to Gideon, “You shall separate everyone who laps the water with his tongue as a dog laps, as well as everyone who kneels to drink.” 6 Now the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was 300 men; but all the rest of the people kneeled to drink water. 7 The Lord said to Gideon, “I will deliver you (F)with the 300 men who lapped and will give the Midianites into your hands; so let all the other people go, each man to his [f]home.” 8 So [g]the 300 men took the people’s provisions and their trumpets into their hands. And [h]Gideon sent all the other men of Israel, each to his tent, but retained the 300 men; and the camp of Midian was below him in the valley.
9 Now the same night it came about that the Lord said to him, “Arise, go down against the camp, (G)for I have given it into your hands. 10 But if you are afraid to go down, go with Purah your servant down to the camp, 11 and you will hear what they say; and (H)afterward your hands will be strengthened that you may go down against the camp.” So he went with Purah his servant down to the [i]outposts of the army that was in the camp. 12 Now the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the sons 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 [j]had a dream; [k]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 [l]upside down so that the tent lay flat.” 14 His friend replied, “This is nothing less than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel; God has given Midian and all the camp (K)into his hand.”
15 When Gideon heard the account of the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship. He returned to the camp of Israel and said, “Arise, for the Lord has given the camp of Midian into your hands.” 16 He divided the 300 men into three [m]companies, and he put trumpets and empty pitchers into the hands of all of them, with torches inside the pitchers. 17 He said to them, “Look at me and do likewise. And behold, when I come to the outskirts of the camp, [n]do as I do. 18 When I and all who are with me blow the trumpet, then you also blow the trumpets all around the 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 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 [o]companies 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 cried, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” 21 Each stood in his place around the camp; and (L)all the [p]army ran, crying out as they fled. 22 When they blew 300 trumpets, the (M)Lord set the sword of one against another even throughout the whole [q]army; and the [r]army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the edge of (N)Abel-meholah, by Tabbath. 23 The men of Israel were summoned from (O)Naphtali and Asher and all Manasseh, and they pursued Midian.
24 Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down [s]against Midian and (P)take the waters before them, as far as Beth-barah and the Jordan.” So all the men of Ephraim were summoned and they took the waters as far as Beth-barah and the Jordan. 25 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 him, “(S)What is this thing you have done to us, not calling us when you went to fight against Midian?” And they contended with him vigorously. 2 But he said to them, “What have I done now in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer? 3 God has given the leaders of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb into your hands; and what was I able to do in comparison with you?” Then their [t]anger toward him subsided when he said [u]that.
4 Then Gideon and the 300 men who were with him came (T)to the Jordan and crossed over, weary yet pursuing. 5 He said to the men of (U)Succoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the people who are following me, for they are weary, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.” 6 The leaders of Succoth said, “[v](V)Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hands, that we should give bread to your army?” 7 Gideon said, “[w]All right, (W)when the Lord has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will [x]thrash your [y]bodies with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.” 8 He went up from there to [z](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 spoke also to the men of Penuel, saying, “When I return safely, (Y)I will tear down this tower.”
10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their [aa]armies with them, about 15,000 men, all who were left of the entire [ab]army of the sons of the east; (Z)for the fallen were 120,000 [ac]swordsmen. 11 Gideon went up by the way of those who lived in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and [ad]attacked the camp when the camp was [ae]unsuspecting. 12 When Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued them and captured the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and routed the whole [af]army.
13 Then Gideon the son of Joash returned from the battle [ag]by the ascent of Heres. 14 And he captured a youth [ah]from Succoth and questioned him. Then the youth wrote down for him the princes of Succoth and its elders, seventy-seven men. 15 He came to the men of Succoth and said, “Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, concerning whom you taunted me, saying, ‘[ai](AA)Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are weary?’” 16 He took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and he [aj]disciplined the men of Succoth with them. 17 (AB)He tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.
Pilate Seeks Jesus’ Release
13 Pilate summoned the chief priests and the (A)rulers and the people, 14 and said to them, “You brought this man to me as one who (B)incites the people to rebellion, and behold, having examined Him before you, I (C)have found no guilt in this man regarding the charges which you make 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 (E)punish Him and release Him.” 17 [[a]Now he was obliged to release to them at the feast one prisoner.]
18 But they cried out all together, saying, “(F)Away with this man, and release for us Barabbas!” 19 (He was one who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection made in the city, and for murder.) 20 Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again, 21 but they kept on calling out, saying, “Crucify, crucify Him!” 22 And he said to them the third time, “Why, what evil has this man done? I have found in Him no guilt demanding death; therefore I will (G)punish Him and release Him.” 23 But they were insistent, with loud voices asking that He be crucified. And their voices began to prevail. 24 And Pilate pronounced sentence that their demand be granted. 25 And he released the man they were asking for who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, but he delivered Jesus to their will.
Simon Bears the Cross
26 (H)When they led Him away, they seized a man, Simon of (I)Cyrene, coming in from the country, and placed on him the cross to carry behind Jesus.
27 And following Him was a large crowd of the people, and of women who were [b](J)mourning and lamenting Him. 28 But Jesus turning to them said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, stop weeping for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘(K)Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never 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 [c]when the tree is green, what will happen [d]when it is dry?”
32 (M)Two others also, who were criminals, were being led away to be put to death with Him.
The Crucifixion
33 (N)When they came to the place called [e]The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. 34 [f]But Jesus was saying, “(O)Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” (P)And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves. 35 And the people stood by, looking on. And even the (Q)rulers were sneering at Him, saying, “He saved others; (R)let Him save Himself if this is the [g]Christ of God, His Chosen One.” 36 The soldiers also mocked 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 [h]hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the [i]Christ? (W)Save Yourself and us!” 40 But the other answered, 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 [j]what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come [k]in Your kingdom!” 43 And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in (X)Paradise.”
The Lord’s Power and Dominion.
97 (A)The Lord [a]reigns, let the (B)earth rejoice;
Let the many [b](C)islands be glad.
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 adversaries round about.
4 His (H)lightnings lit up the world;
The earth saw 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 Let all those be ashamed who serve (N)graven images,
Who boast themselves of (O)idols;
[c](P)Worship Him, all you [d]gods.
8 Zion [e]heard this and (Q)was glad,
And the daughters of Judah have rejoiced
Because of Your judgments, O 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)preserves the souls of His godly ones;
He (V)delivers 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)glad in the Lord, you righteous ones,
And (Z)give thanks [g]to His holy name.
A Call to Praise the Lord for His Righteousness.
A Psalm.
98 O sing to the Lord a (AA)new song,
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 known His salvation;
He has (AF)revealed His [i]righteousness in the sight of the nations.
3 He has (AG)remembered His lovingkindness 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)Break forth and sing for joy and sing praises.
5 Sing praises to the Lord with the (AK)lyre,
With the lyre and the [j](AL)sound of melody.
6 With (AM)trumpets and the sound of the horn
(AN)Shout joyfully before (AO)the King, the Lord.
7 Let the (AP)sea roar and [k]all it contains,
The (AQ)world and those who dwell in it.
8 Let the (AR)rivers clap their hands,
Let 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 [l]equity.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.