1Then Yeruba’al, who is Gidon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside Ein Kharod; and the camp of Midyan was on the north side of them, by Gibe’at Moreh, in the valley. 2And יהוה said unto Gidon, “The people that are with you are too many for Me to give Midyan into their hand, lest Yisra’el vaunt themselves against Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’ 3Now therefore make proclamation in the ears of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return and depart early from Har Gilad’.” And there returned of the people twenty-two thousand; and there remained ten thousand. 4And יהוה said unto Gidon, “The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for you there; and it shall be, that of whom I say to you, ‘This shall go with you,’ the same shall go with you; and of whomsoever I say unto you, ‘This shall not go with you,’ the same shall not go.” 5So he brought down the people unto the water; and יהוה said unto Gidon, “Everyone that laps of the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, him shall you set by himself; likewise every one that bows down upon his knees to drink.” 6And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men; but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water. 7And יהוה said unto Gidon, “By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver Midyan into your hand; and let all the people go every man unto his place.” 8So they took the victuals of the people in their hand, and their shofars; and he sent all the men of Yisra’el every man unto his tent, but retained the three hundred men; and the camp of Midyan was beneath him in the valley.
9And it came to pass the same night, that יהוה said unto him, “Arise, get down upon the camp; for I have delivered it into your hand. 10But if you fear to go down, go with Purah your servant down to the camp. 11And you shall hear what they say; and afterward shall your hands be strengthened to go down upon the camp.” Then he went down with Purah his servant unto the outermost part of the armed men that were in the camp. 12Now Midyan and Amalek and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like locusts for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand which is upon the sea-shore for multitude. 13And when Gidon was come, behold, there was a man telling a dream unto his follow, and saying, “Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midyan, and came unto the tent, and smote it that it fell, and turned it upside down, that the tent lay flat.” 14And his fellow answered and said, “This is nothing else save the sword of Gidon Ben Yo’ash, a man of Yisra’el: into his hand God has delivered Midyan, and all the host.”
15And it was so, when Gidon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped; and he returned into the camp of Yisra’el, and said, “Arise; for יהוה has delivered into your hand the host of Midyan.” 16And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put into the hands of all of them shofars, and empty pitchers, with torches within the pitchers. 17And he said unto them, “Look on me, and do likewise; and, behold, when I come to the outermost part of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall you do. 18When I blow the shofar, I and all that are with me, then you blow the shofars also on every side of all the camp, and say, ‘For יהוה and for Gidon’!”
19So Gidon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outermost part of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch, when they had but newly set the watch; and they blew the shofars, and broke in pieces the pitchers that were in their hands. 20And the three companies blew the shofars, and broke the pitchers, and held the torches in their left hands, and the horns in their right hands wherewith to blow; and they cried, “The sword for יהוה and for Gidon!” 21And they stood every man in his place round about the camp; and all the host ran; and they shouted, and fled. 22And they blew the three hundred horns, and יהוה set every man’s sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host; and the host fled as far as Beit HaShittah toward Tzererakha, as far as the border of Abel Meholah, by Tabat. 23And the men of Yisra’el were gathered together out of Naftali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasheh, and pursued after Midyan. 24And Gidon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Efrayim, saying, “Come down against Midyan, and take before them the waters, as far as Beit Barah, and also the Yarden.” So all the men of Efrayim were gathered together, and took the waters as far as Beit Barah, and also the Yarden. 25And they took the two princes of Midyan, Orev and Ze’ev; and they slew Orev at the Rock of Orev, and Ze’ev they slew at the Winepress of Ze’ev, and pursued Midyan; and they brought the heads of Orev and Ze’ev to Gidon beyond the Yarden.
אוַיַּשְׁכֵּם יְרֻבַּעַל הוּא גִדְעוֹן וְכָל הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ וַיַּחֲנוּ עַל עֵין חֲרֹד; וּמַחֲנֵה מִדְיָן הָיָה לוֹ מִצָּפוֹן מִגִּבְעַת הַמּוֹרֶה בָּעֵמֶק. בוַיֹּאמֶר יהוה אֶל גִּדְעוֹן רַב הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אִתָּךְ מִתִּתִּי אֶת מִדְיָן בְּיָדָם: פֶּן יִתְפָּאֵר עָלַי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר יָדִי הוֹשִׁיעָה לִּי. גוְעַתָּה קְרָא נָא בְּאָזְנֵי הָעָם לֵאמֹר מִי יָרֵא וְחָרֵד יָשֹׁב וְיִצְפֹּר מֵהַר הַגִּלְעָד; וַיָּשָׁב מִן הָעָם עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁנַיִם אֶלֶף וַעֲשֶׂרֶת אֲלָפִים נִשְׁאָרוּ. דוַיֹּאמֶר יהוה אֶל גִּדְעוֹן עוֹד הָעָם רָב הוֹרֵד אוֹתָם אֶל הַמַּיִם וְאֶצְרְפֶנּוּ לְךָ שָׁם; וְהָיָה אֲשֶׁר אֹמַר אֵלֶיךָ זֶה יֵלֵךְ אִתָּךְ הוּא יֵלֵךְ אִתָּךְ וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר אֹמַר אֵלֶיךָ זֶה לֹא יֵלֵךְ עִמָּךְ הוּא לֹא יֵלֵךְ. הוַיּוֹרֶד אֶת הָעָם אֶל הַמָּיִם; וַיֹּאמֶריהוה אֶל גִּדְעוֹן כֹּל אֲשֶׁר יָלֹק בִּלְשׁוֹנוֹ מִן הַמַּיִם כַּאֲשֶׁר יָלֹק הַכֶּלֶב תַּצִּיג אוֹתוֹ לְבָד וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר יִכְרַע עַל בִּרְכָּיו לִשְׁתּוֹת. ווַיְהִי מִסְפַּר הַמְלַקְקִים בְּיָדָם אֶל פִּיהֶם שְׁלֹשׁמֵאוֹת אִישׁ; וְכֹל יֶתֶר הָעָם כָּרְעוּ עַל בִּרְכֵיהֶם לִשְׁתּוֹת מָיִם. זוַיֹּאמֶר יהוה אֶל גִּדְעוֹן בִּשְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת הָאִישׁ הַמְלַקְקִים אוֹשִׁיעַ אֶתְכֶם וְנָתַתִּי אֶת מִדְיָן בְּיָדֶךָ; וְכָל הָעָם יֵלְכוּ אִישׁ לִמְקֹמוֹ. חוַיִּקְחוּ אֶת צֵדָה הָעָם בְּיָדָם וְאֵת שׁוֹפְרֹתֵיהֶם וְאֵת כָּל אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל שִׁלַּח אִישׁ לְאֹהָלָיו וּבִשְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת הָאִישׁ הֶחֱזִיק; וּמַחֲנֵה מִדְיָן הָיָה לוֹ מִתַּחַת בָּעֵמֶק.
טוַיְהִי בַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו יהוה קוּם רֵד בַּמַּחֲנֶה: כִּי נְתַתִּיו בְּיָדֶךָ. יוְאִם יָרֵא אַתָּה לָרֶדֶת רֵד אַתָּה וּפֻרָה נַעַרְךָ אֶל הַמַּחֲנֶה. יאוְשָׁמַעְתָּ מַה יְדַבֵּרוּ וְאַחַר תֶּחֱזַקְנָה יָדֶיךָ וְיָרַדְתָּ בַּמַּחֲנֶה; וַיֵּרֶד הוּא וּפֻרָה נַעֲרוֹ אֶל קְצֵה הַחֲמֻשִׁים אֲשֶׁר בַּמַּחֲנֶה. יבוּמִדְיָן וַעֲמָלֵק וְכָל בְּנֵי קֶדֶם נֹפְלִים בָּעֵמֶק כָּאַרְבֶּה לָרֹב; וְלִגְמַלֵּיהֶם אֵין מִסְפָּר כַּחוֹל שֶׁעַל שְׂפַת הַיָּם לָרֹב. יגוַיָּבֹא גִדְעוֹן וְהִנֵּה אִישׁ מְסַפֵּר לְרֵעֵהוּ חֲלוֹם; וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה חֲלוֹם חָלַמְתִּי וְהִנֵּה צְלִיל לֶחֶם שְׂעֹרִים מִתְהַפֵּךְ בְּמַחֲנֵה מִדְיָן וַיָּבֹא עַד הָאֹהֶל וַיַּכֵּהוּ וַיִּפֹּל וַיַּהַפְכֵהוּ לְמַעְלָה וְנָפַל הָאֹהֶל. ידוַיַּעַן רֵעֵהוּ וַיֹּאמֶר אֵין זֹאת בִּלְתִּי אִם חֶרֶב גִּדְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹאָשׁ אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל: נָתַן הָאֱלֹהִים בְּיָדוֹ אֶת מִדְיָן וְאֶת כָּל הַמַּחֲנֶה.
טווַיְהִי כִשְׁמֹעַ גִּדְעוֹן אֶת מִסְפַּר הַחֲלוֹם וְאֶת שִׁבְרוֹ וַיִּשְׁתָּחוּ; וַיָּשָׁב אֶל מַחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֹּאמֶר קוּמוּ כִּי נָתַן יהוה בְּיֶדְכֶם אֶת מַחֲנֵה מִדְיָן. טזוַיַּחַץ אֶת שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת הָאִישׁ שְׁלֹשָׁה רָאשִׁים; וַיִּתֵּן שׁוֹפָרוֹת בְּיַד כֻּלָּם וְכַדִּים רֵיקִים וְלַפִּדִים בְּתוֹךְ הַכַּדִּים. יזוַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם מִמֶּנִּי תִרְאוּ וְכֵן תַּעֲשׂוּ; וְהִנֵּה אָנֹכִי בָא בִּקְצֵה הַמַּחֲנֶה וְהָיָה כַאֲשֶׁר אֶעֱשֶׂה כֵּן תַּעֲשׂוּן. יחוְתָקַעְתִּי בַּשּׁוֹפָר אָנֹכִי וְכָל אֲשֶׁר אִתִּי; וּתְקַעְתֶּם בַּשּׁוֹפָרוֹת גַּם אַתֶּם סְבִיבוֹת כָּל הַמַּחֲנֶה וַאֲמַרְתֶּם לַיהוה וּלְגִדְעוֹן.
יטוַיָּבֹא גִדְעוֹן וּמֵאָה אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ בִּקְצֵה הַמַּחֲנֶה רֹאשׁ הָאַשְׁמֹרֶת הַתִּיכוֹנָה אַךְ הָקֵם הֵקִימוּ אֶת הַשֹּׁמְרִים; וַיִּתְקְעוּ בַּשּׁוֹפָרוֹת וְנָפוֹץ הַכַּדִּים אֲשֶׁר בְּיָדָם. כוַיִּתְקְעוּ שְׁלֹשֶׁת הָרָאשִׁים בַּשּׁוֹפָרוֹת וַיִּשְׁבְּרוּ הַכַּדִּים וַיַּחֲזִיקוּ בְיַד שְׂמֹאולָם בַּלַּפִּדִים וּבְיַד יְמִינָם הַשּׁוֹפָרוֹת לִתְקוֹעַ; וַיִּקְרְאוּ חֶרֶב לַיהוה וּלְגִדְעוֹן. כאוַיַּעַמְדוּ אִישׁ תַּחְתָּיו סָבִיב לַמַּחֲנֶה; וַיָּרָץ כָּל הַמַּחֲנֶה וַיָּרִיעוּ ויניסו (וַיָּנוּסוּ). כבוַיִּתְקְעוּ שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת הַשּׁוֹפָרוֹת וַיָּשֶׂם יהוה אֵת חֶרֶב אִישׁ בְּרֵעֵהוּ וּבְכָל הַמַּחֲנֶה; וַיָּנָס הַמַּחֲנֶה עַד בֵּית הַשִּׁטָּה צְרֵרָתָה עַד שְׂפַת אָבֵל מְחוֹלָה עַל טַבָּת. כגוַיִּצָּעֵק אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִנַּפְתָּלִי וּמִן אָשֵׁר וּמִן כָּל מְנַשֶּׁה; וַיִּרְדְּפוּ אַחֲרֵי מִדְיָן. כדוּמַלְאָכִים שָׁלַח גִּדְעוֹן בְּכָל הַר אֶפְרַיִם לֵאמֹר רְדוּ לִקְרַאת מִדְיָן וְלִכְדוּ לָהֶם אֶת הַמַּיִם עַד בֵּית בָּרָה וְאֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן; וַיִּצָּעֵק כָּל אִישׁ אֶפְרַיִם וַיִּלְכְּדוּ אֶת הַמַּיִם עַד בֵּית בָּרָה וְאֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן. כהוַיִּלְכְּדוּ שְׁנֵי שָׂרֵי מִדְיָן אֶת עֹרֵב וְאֶת זְאֵב וַיַּהַרְגוּ אֶת עוֹרֵב בְּצוּר עוֹרֵב וְאֶת זְאֵב הָרְגוּ בְיֶקֶב זְאֵב וַיִּרְדְּפוּ אֶל מִדְיָן; וְרֹאשׁ עֹרֵב וּזְאֵב הֵבִיאוּ אֶל גִּדְעוֹן מֵעֵבֶר לַיַּרְדֵּן.
D'var יהוה , The Word of יהוה 