Lectionary Calendar
Friday, August 22nd, 2025
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
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Read the Bible
THE MESSAGE
Judges 7:2
God said to Gideon, "You have too large an army with you. I can't turn Midian over to them like this—they'll take all the credit, saying, ‘I did it all myself,' and forget about me. Make a public announcement: ‘Anyone afraid, anyone who has any qualms at all, may leave Mount Gilead now and go home.'" Twenty-two companies headed for home. Ten companies were left.
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Christian Standard Bible®
The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many troops for me to hand the Midianites over to them, or else Israel might elevate themselves over me and say, ‘My own strength saved me.’
The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many troops for me to hand the Midianites over to them, or else Israel might elevate themselves over me and say, ‘My own strength saved me.’
Hebrew Names Version
The LORD said to Gid`on, The people who are with you are too many for me to give the Midyanim into their hand, lest Yisra'el vaunt themselves against me, saying, My own hand has saved me.
The LORD said to Gid`on, The people who are with you are too many for me to give the Midyanim into their hand, lest Yisra'el vaunt themselves against me, saying, My own hand has saved me.
King James Version
And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.
And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.
Lexham English Bible
And Yahweh said to Gideon, "The troops that are with you are too many for me to give Midian into their hands; Israel will boast, saying, ‘My hand has delivered me.'
And Yahweh said to Gideon, "The troops that are with you are too many for me to give Midian into their hands; Israel will boast, saying, ‘My hand has delivered me.'
English Standard Version
The Lord said to Gideon, "The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.'
The Lord said to Gideon, "The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.'
New Century Version
Then the Lord said to Gideon, "You have too many men to defeat the Midianites. I don't want the Israelites to brag that they saved themselves.
Then the Lord said to Gideon, "You have too many men to defeat the Midianites. I don't want the Israelites to brag that they saved themselves.
New English Translation
The Lord said to Gideon, "You have too many men for me to hand Midian over to you. Israel might brag, ‘Our own strength has delivered us.'
The Lord said to Gideon, "You have too many men for me to hand Midian over to you. Israel might brag, ‘Our own strength has delivered us.'
Amplified Bible
Then the LORD said to Gideon, "There are too many people with you for Me to hand over Midian to them, otherwise Israel will boast [about themselves] against Me, saying, 'My own power has rescued me.'
Then the LORD said to Gideon, "There are too many people with you for Me to hand over Midian to them, otherwise Israel will boast [about themselves] against Me, saying, 'My own power has rescued me.'
New American Standard Bible
And the LORD said to Gideon, "The people who are with you are too many for Me to hand Midian over to them, otherwise Israel would become boastful, saying, 'My own power has saved me.'
And the LORD said to Gideon, "The people who are with you are too many for Me to hand Midian over to them, otherwise Israel would become boastful, saying, 'My own power has saved me.'
Geneva Bible (1587)
And the Lord said vnto Gideon, The people yt are with thee, are too many for me to giue the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel make their vaunt against me, and say, Mine hand hath saued mee.
And the Lord said vnto Gideon, The people yt are with thee, are too many for me to giue the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel make their vaunt against me, and say, Mine hand hath saued mee.
Legacy Standard Bible
Toe sê die HERE vir GÃdeon: Die manskappe by jou is te veel vir My om die Midianiete in hulle hand te gee; anders kan Israel hom teen My beroem deur te sê: My eie hand het my verlos.
Toe sê die HERE vir GÃdeon: Die manskappe by jou is te veel vir My om die Midianiete in hulle hand te gee; anders kan Israel hom teen My beroem deur te sê: My eie hand het my verlos.
Contemporary English Version
The Lord said, "Gideon, your army is too big. I can't let you win with this many soldiers. The Israelites would think that they had won the battle all by themselves and that I didn't have anything to do with it.
The Lord said, "Gideon, your army is too big. I can't let you win with this many soldiers. The Israelites would think that they had won the battle all by themselves and that I didn't have anything to do with it.
Complete Jewish Bible
Adonai said to Gid‘on, "There are too many people with you for me to hand Midyan over to them, because I don't want Isra'el to be able to boast against me, ‘We saved ourselves by our own strength.'
Adonai said to Gid‘on, "There are too many people with you for me to hand Midyan over to them, because I don't want Isra'el to be able to boast against me, ‘We saved ourselves by our own strength.'
Darby Translation
And Jehovah said to Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give Midian into their hand, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.
And Jehovah said to Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give Midian into their hand, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.
Easy-to-Read Version
Then the Lord said to Gideon, "I am going to help your men defeat the Midianites, but you have too many men. I don't want the Israelites to forget me and brag that they saved themselves.
Then the Lord said to Gideon, "I am going to help your men defeat the Midianites, but you have too many men. I don't want the Israelites to forget me and brag that they saved themselves.
George Lamsa Translation
And the LORD said to Gideon, The people that are with you are too many for me to deliver the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel should glory in themselves, saying, My own hand has made me victorious.
And the LORD said to Gideon, The people that are with you are too many for me to deliver the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel should glory in themselves, saying, My own hand has made me victorious.
Good News Translation
The Lord said to Gideon, "The men you have are too many for me to give them victory over the Midianites. They might think that they had won by themselves, and so give me no credit.
The Lord said to Gideon, "The men you have are too many for me to give them victory over the Midianites. They might think that they had won by themselves, and so give me no credit.
Literal Translation
And Jehovah said to Gideon, The people with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands, that Israel not glorify itself against Me, saying, My hand has delivered me.
And Jehovah said to Gideon, The people with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands, that Israel not glorify itself against Me, saying, My hand has delivered me.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But the LORDE sayde vnto Gedeon: The people that be with ye are to many for me to delyuer Madian into their hande, lest Israel boost them selues agaynst me, and saye: My hande hath delyuered me.
But the LORDE sayde vnto Gedeon: The people that be with ye are to many for me to delyuer Madian into their hande, lest Israel boost them selues agaynst me, and saye: My hande hath delyuered me.
American Standard Version
And Jehovah said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.
And Jehovah said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.
Bible in Basic English
And the Lord said to Gideon, So great is the number of your people, that if I give the Midianites into their hands they will be uplifted in pride over me and will say, I myself have been my saviour.
And the Lord said to Gideon, So great is the number of your people, that if I give the Midianites into their hands they will be uplifted in pride over me and will say, I myself have been my saviour.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the Lord sayd vnto Gedeon: The people that are with thee, are to many for me to geue ye Madianites into their handes, lest Israel make their vaunt against me, and saye: Myne owne hand hath saued me.
And the Lord sayd vnto Gedeon: The people that are with thee, are to many for me to geue ye Madianites into their handes, lest Israel make their vaunt against me, and saye: Myne owne hand hath saued me.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the LORD said unto Gideon: 'The people that are with thee are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel vaunt themselves against Me, saying: mine own hand hath saved me.
And the LORD said unto Gideon: 'The people that are with thee are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel vaunt themselves against Me, saying: mine own hand hath saved me.
King James Version (1611)
And the Lord said vnto Gideon, The people that are with thee, are too many for me to giue the Midianites into their handes, lest Israel vaunt themselues against mee, saying, Mine owne hand hath saued me.
And the Lord said vnto Gideon, The people that are with thee, are too many for me to giue the Midianites into their handes, lest Israel vaunt themselues against mee, saying, Mine owne hand hath saued me.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the Lord said to Gedeon, The people with thee are many, so that I may not deliver Madiam into their hand, lest at any time Israel boast against me, saying, My hand has saved me.
And the Lord said to Gedeon, The people with thee are many, so that I may not deliver Madiam into their hand, lest at any time Israel boast against me, saying, My hand has saved me.
English Revised Version
And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.
And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.
Berean Standard Bible
The LORD said to Gideon, "You have too many people for Me to deliver Midian into their hands, lest Israel glorify themselves over Me, saying, 'My own hand has delivered me.'
The LORD said to Gideon, "You have too many people for Me to deliver Midian into their hands, lest Israel glorify themselves over Me, saying, 'My own hand has delivered me.'
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the Lord seide to Gedeon, Myche puple is with thee, and Madian schal not be bitakun in to the hondis `ther of, lest Israel haue glorie ayens me, and seie, Y am delyuerid bi my strengthis.
And the Lord seide to Gedeon, Myche puple is with thee, and Madian schal not be bitakun in to the hondis `ther of, lest Israel haue glorie ayens me, and seie, Y am delyuerid bi my strengthis.
Young's Literal Translation
And Jehovah saith unto Gideon, `Too many [are] the people who [are] with thee for My giving Midian into their hand, lest Israel beautify itself against Me, saying, My hand hath given salvation to me;
And Jehovah saith unto Gideon, `Too many [are] the people who [are] with thee for My giving Midian into their hand, lest Israel beautify itself against Me, saying, My hand hath given salvation to me;
Update Bible Version
And Yahweh said to Gideon, The people that are with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, or else Israel will vaunt themselves against me, saying, My own hand has saved me.
And Yahweh said to Gideon, The people that are with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, or else Israel will vaunt themselves against me, saying, My own hand has saved me.
Webster's Bible Translation
And the LORD said to Gideon, The people that [are] with thee [are] too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, My own hand hath saved me.
And the LORD said to Gideon, The people that [are] with thee [are] too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, My own hand hath saved me.
World English Bible
Yahweh said to Gideon, The people who are with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, My own hand has saved me.
Yahweh said to Gideon, The people who are with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, My own hand has saved me.
New King James Version
And the LORD said to Gideon, "The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, "My own hand has saved me.'
And the LORD said to Gideon, "The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, "My own hand has saved me.'
New Living Translation
The Lord said to Gideon, "You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength.
The Lord said to Gideon, "You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength.
New Life Bible
The Lord said to Gideon, "The people with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands. Israel might say with pride, ‘Our own power has saved us.'
The Lord said to Gideon, "The people with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands. Israel might say with pride, ‘Our own power has saved us.'
New Revised Standard
The Lord said to Gideon, "The troops with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand. Israel would only take the credit away from me, saying, ‘My own hand has delivered me.'
The Lord said to Gideon, "The troops with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand. Israel would only take the credit away from me, saying, ‘My own hand has delivered me.'
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Yahweh said unto Gideon, Too many, are the people that are with thee, for me to deliver the Midianites into their hand, - lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand, hath saved me.
And Yahweh said unto Gideon, Too many, are the people that are with thee, for me to deliver the Midianites into their hand, - lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand, hath saved me.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Lord said to Gedeon: The people that are with thee are many, and Madian shall not be delivered into their hands: lest Israel should glory against me, and say: I was delivered by my own strength.
And the Lord said to Gedeon: The people that are with thee are many, and Madian shall not be delivered into their hands: lest Israel should glory against me, and say: I was delivered by my own strength.
Revised Standard Version
The LORD said to Gideon, "The people with you are too many for me to give the Mid'ianites into their hand, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, 'My own hand has delivered me.'
The LORD said to Gideon, "The people with you are too many for me to give the Mid'ianites into their hand, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, 'My own hand has delivered me.'
New American Standard Bible (1995)
The LORD said to Gideon, "The people who are with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands, for Israel would become boastful, saying, 'My own power has delivered me.'
The LORD said to Gideon, "The people who are with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands, for Israel would become boastful, saying, 'My own power has delivered me.'
Contextual Overview
1 Jerub-Baal (Gideon) got up early the next morning, all his troops right there with him. They set up camp at Harod's Spring. The camp of Midian was in the plain, north of them near the Hill of Moreh. 2 God said to Gideon, "You have too large an army with you. I can't turn Midian over to them like this—they'll take all the credit, saying, ‘I did it all myself,' and forget about me. Make a public announcement: ‘Anyone afraid, anyone who has any qualms at all, may leave Mount Gilead now and go home.'" Twenty-two companies headed for home. Ten companies were left. 4 God said to Gideon: "There are still too many. Take them down to the stream and I'll make a final cut. When I say, ‘This one goes with you,' he'll go. When I say, ‘This one doesn't go,' he won't go." So Gideon took the troops down to the stream. God said to Gideon: "Everyone who laps with his tongue, the way a dog laps, set on one side. And everyone who kneels to drink, drinking with his face to the water, set to the other side." Three hundred lapped with their tongues from their cupped hands. All the rest knelt to drink. God said to Gideon: "I'll use the three hundred men who lapped at the stream to save you and give Midian into your hands. All the rest may go home." After Gideon took all their provisions and trumpets, he sent all the Israelites home. He took up his position with the three hundred. The camp of Midian stretched out below him in the valley. That night, God told Gideon: "Get up and go down to the camp. I've given it to you. If you have any doubts about going down, go down with Purah your armor bearer; when you hear what they're saying, you'll be bold and confident." He and his armor bearer Purah went down near the place where sentries were posted. Midian and Amalek, all the easterners, were spread out on the plain like a swarm of locusts. And their camels! Past counting, like grains of sand on the seashore! Gideon arrived just in time to hear a man tell his friend a dream. He said, "I had this dream: A loaf of barley bread tumbled into the Midianite camp. It came to the tent and hit it so hard it collapsed. The tent fell!" His friend said, "This has to be the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite! God has turned Midian—the whole camp!—over to him." When Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he went to his knees before God in prayer. Then he went back to the Israelite camp and said, "Get up and get going! God has just given us the Midianite army!" He divided the three hundred men into three companies. He gave each man a trumpet and an empty jar, with a torch in the jar. He said, "Watch me and do what I do. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly what I do. When I and those with me blow the trumpets, you also, all around the camp, blow your trumpets and shout, ‘For God and for Gideon!'" Gideon and his hundred men got to the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after the sentries had been posted. They blew the trumpets, at the same time smashing the jars they carried. All three companies blew the trumpets and broke the jars. They held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands, ready to blow, and shouted, "A sword for God and for Gideon!" They were stationed all around the camp, each man at his post. The whole Midianite camp jumped to its feet. They yelled and fled. When the three hundred blew the trumpets, God aimed each Midianite's sword against his companion, all over the camp. They ran for their lives—to Beth Shittah, toward Zererah, to the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath. Israelites rallied from Naphtali, from Asher, and from all over Manasseh. They had Midian on the run. Gideon then sent messengers through all the hill country of Ephraim, urging them, "Come down against Midian! Capture the fords of the Jordan at Beth Barah." So all the men of Ephraim rallied and captured the fords of the Jordan at Beth Barah. They also captured the two Midianite commanders Oreb (Raven) and Zeeb (Wolf). They killed Oreb at Raven Rock; Zeeb they killed at Wolf Winepress. And they pressed the pursuit of Midian. They brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon across the Jordan. 6 Jerub-Baal (Gideon) got up early the next morning, all his troops right there with him. They set up camp at Harod's Spring. The camp of Midian was in the plain, north of them near the Hill of Moreh. God said to Gideon, "You have too large an army with you. I can't turn Midian over to them like this—they'll take all the credit, saying, ‘I did it all myself,' and forget about me. Make a public announcement: ‘Anyone afraid, anyone who has any qualms at all, may leave Mount Gilead now and go home.'" Twenty-two companies headed for home. Ten companies were left. God said to Gideon: "There are still too many. Take them down to the stream and I'll make a final cut. When I say, ‘This one goes with you,' he'll go. When I say, ‘This one doesn't go,' he won't go." So Gideon took the troops down to the stream. God said to Gideon: "Everyone who laps with his tongue, the way a dog laps, set on one side. And everyone who kneels to drink, drinking with his face to the water, set to the other side." Three hundred lapped with their tongues from their cupped hands. All the rest knelt to drink. 7 God said to Gideon: "I'll use the three hundred men who lapped at the stream to save you and give Midian into your hands. All the rest may go home." 8 After Gideon took all their provisions and trumpets, he sent all the Israelites home. He took up his position with the three hundred. The camp of Midian stretched out below him in the valley.
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
too many: 1 Samuel 14:6, 2 Chronicles 14:11, Zechariah 4:6, Zechariah 12:7, 1 Corinthians 1:27-29, 1 Corinthians 2:4, 1 Corinthians 2:5, 2 Corinthians 4:7, 2 Corinthians 10:4, 2 Corinthians 10:5
Israel: Deuteronomy 32:27, Isaiah 2:11, Isaiah 2:17, Jeremiah 9:23, Romans 3:27, Romans 11:18, 1 Corinthians 1:29, Ephesians 2:9, James 4:6
Mine own: Deuteronomy 8:17, Isaiah 10:13, Ezekiel 28:2, Ezekiel 28:17, Daniel 4:30, Habakkuk 1:16
Reciprocal: Exodus 8:9 - Glory over me Numbers 31:4 - a thousand Deuteronomy 2:33 - the Lord 1 Kings 17:9 - widow woman Job 32:13 - Lest Psalms 33:16 - no king Isaiah 9:21 - Ephraim 1 Corinthians 1:25 - the foolishness
Cross-References
Genesis 7:1
Next God said to Noah, "Now board the ship, you and all your family—out of everyone in this generation, you're the righteous one.
Next God said to Noah, "Now board the ship, you and all your family—out of everyone in this generation, you're the righteous one.
Genesis 7:11
It was the six-hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month that it happened: all the underground springs erupted and all the windows of Heaven were thrown open. Rain poured for forty days and forty nights.
It was the six-hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month that it happened: all the underground springs erupted and all the windows of Heaven were thrown open. Rain poured for forty days and forty nights.
Genesis 8:20
Noah built an altar to God . He selected clean animals and birds from every species and offered them as burnt offerings on the altar. God smelled the sweet fragrance and thought to himself, "I'll never again curse the ground because of people. I know they have this bent toward evil from an early age, but I'll never again kill off everything living as I've just done.
Noah built an altar to God . He selected clean animals and birds from every species and offered them as burnt offerings on the altar. God smelled the sweet fragrance and thought to himself, "I'll never again curse the ground because of people. I know they have this bent toward evil from an early age, but I'll never again kill off everything living as I've just done.
Ezekiel 44:23
"Their job is to teach my people the difference between the holy and the common, to show them how to discern between unclean and clean.
"Their job is to teach my people the difference between the holy and the common, to show them how to discern between unclean and clean.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
And the Lord said unto Gideon, the people that are with thee are too many,.... It appears, by what follows, that there were 32,000 of them, which was but a small army to engage with one of 100,000 more than they; for such was the army of the Midianites and their associates, see Judges 8:10 but the people were too many, says the Lord,
for me to give the Midianites into their hands; who would be apt to ascribe the victory to themselves, and not to the Lord; to their number, strength, and valour, and not to the hand of the Lord:
lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, mine own hand hath saved me; or glory over me, take the glory from me, and ascribe it to themselves, boasting that by their power and prowess they had obtained the victory.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Judges 7:2. The people that are with thee are too many — Had he led up a numerous host against his enemies, the excellence of the power by which they were discomfited might have appeared to be of man and not of God. By the manner in which this whole transaction was conducted, both the Israelites and Midianites must see that the thing was of God. This would inspire the Israelites with confidence, and the Midianites with fear.
