Judges 7:5 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 f…

NET Bible

"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 7:5, NET Bible

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Judges 7:5 in Other Translations

6 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.”

  • ASV

    “So he brought down the people unto the water: and Jehovah 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."”

  • DRB

    “And when the people were come down to the waters, the Lord said to Gedeon: They that shall lap the water with their tongues, as dogs are wont to lap, thou shalt set apart by themselves: but they that shall drink bowing down their knees, shall be on the other side.”

  • 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.”

  • KJVA

    “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.”

Judges 7 — Context

2

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.’

3

Now, announce to the men,‘Whoever is shaking with fear may turn around and leave Mount Gilead.’” Twenty-two thousand men went home; ten thousand remained.

4

The LORD spoke to Gideon again,“There are still too many men. Bring them down to the water and I will thin the ranks some more. When I say,‘This one should go with you,’ pick him to go; when I say,‘This one should not go with you,’ do not take him.”

5

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.”

6

Three hundred men lapped with their hands to their mouths; the rest of the men kneeled to drink water.

7

The LORD said to Gideon,“With the three hundred men who lapped I will deliver the whole army and I will hand Midian over to you. The rest of the men should go home.”

8

The men who were chosen took supplies and their trumpets. Gideon sent all the men of Israel back to their homes; he kept only three hundred men. Now the Midianites were camped down below in the valley.

Judges 7:5 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Judges 7:5 say?
Judges 7:5 in the NET Bible reads: “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.””
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 (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.”” 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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