Today is the 27th day of April. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I'm Brian, it is great

to be here with you today, and it is great to have a place to be together today, and it's

wonderful that we can gather and take the next step forward together in our weekend, month,

year and the Bible. And our steps have led us to where we are, both in the Bible and in our lives,

but as it relates to the steps that we've taken in the Bible together, we have reached our way into

the book of Judges now, from Genesis to Judges, and we are learning about the Judges of Israel,

and in particular, we are learning about the Judge Gideon, and we begin Gideon's story yesterday,

and we will continue today. Judges, chapter 7, verse 1 through 8, verse 17.

Jareebeel, that is Gideon, and all the troops who were with him got up early and camped beside

the spring of Harad. The camp of Midian was north of them below the hill of Moray in the valley.

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, I saved myself.

Now announce to the troops, whoever is fearful and trembling may turn back and leave Mount Gideon.

So 22,000 of the troops turned back, but 10,000 remained. Then the Lord said to Gideon,

there are still too many troops. Take them down to the water, and I will test them for you there.

If I say to you, this one can go with you, he can go, but if I say about anyone, this one cannot go

with you, he cannot go. So he brought the troops down to the water, and the Lord said to Gideon,

separate everyone who laps water with his tongue like a dog. Do the same with everyone who kneels

to drink. The number of those who lapt their hands to their mouths was 300 men, and all the rest of

the troops knelt to drink water. The Lord said to Gideon, I will deliver you with the 300 men who

lapt and hand the Midianites over to you, but everyone else is to go home. So Gideon sent all the

Israelites to their tents, but kept the 300 troops who took the provisions and their Rams horns.

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