Judges 7:5 bbe — So he took the people down to the water; and the Lord said to Gideon, Put on one side by themselves all those drinking…

Bible in Basic English

"So he took the people down to the water; and the Lord said to Gideon, Put on one side by themselves all those drinking up the water with their tongues like a dog; and in the same way, all those who go down on their knees to the water while drinking."

— Judges 7:5, Bible in Basic English

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Judges 7:5 in Other Translations

3 versions All translations
  • 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 Yahweh 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."”

  • NET

    “So he brought the men down to the water. Then the LORD said to Gideon,“Separate those who lap the water as a dog laps from those who kneel to drink.””

Judges 7 — Context

2

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.

3

So now, let it be given out to the people that anyone who is shaking with fear is to go back from Mount Galud. So twenty-two thousand of the people went back, but there were still ten thousand.

4

Then the Lord said to Gideon, There are still more people than is necessary; take them down to the water so that I may put them to the test for you there; then whoever I say is to go with you will go, and whoever I say is not to go will not go.

5

So he took the people down to the water; and the Lord said to Gideon, Put on one side by themselves all those drinking up the water with their tongues like a dog; and in the same way, all those who go down on their knees to the water while drinking.

6

Now the number of those who took up the water with their tongues was three hundred; all the rest of the people went down on their knees to the water.

7

And the Lord said to Gideon, By those three hundred who were drinking with their tongues I will give you salvation and give the Midianites into your hands; let the rest of the people go away, every man to his place.

8

So they took the vessels of the people, and their horns from their hands, and he sent them away, every man to his tent, keeping only the three hundred; and the tents of Midian were lower down in the valley.

Judges 7:5 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Judges 7:5 say?
Judges 7:5 in the Bible in Basic English reads: “So he took the people down to the water; and the Lord said to Gideon, Put on one side by themselves all those drinking up the water with their tongues like a dog; and in the same way, all those who go down on their knees to the water while drinking.”
Where is Judges 7:5 in the Bible?
Judges 7:5 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Judges, chapter 7, verse 5.
Who wrote Judges?
Judges is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (traditionally Samuel). It was written c. 1050–1000 BC.
What is the book of Judges about?
Judges chronicles the cycle of apostasy, oppression, and deliverance that defined Israel between Joshua and Samuel. Through twelve raised-up deliverers — including Deborah, Gideon, and Samson — God repeatedly rescues a people who keep doing what is right in their own eyes.
What are the major themes of Judges?
Judges explores themes including Apostasy, Deliverance, Cycles of Sin, Need for a King, Mercy. These themes shape the meaning and context of Judges 7:5.
What translation should I read Judges 7:5 in?
Judges 7:5 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Judges 7:5?
Judges 7:5 reads (BBE): “So he took the people down to the water; and the Lord said to Gideon, Put on one side by themselves all those drinking up the water with their tongues like a dog; and in the same way, all those who go down on their knees to the water while drinking.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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