Bible Strands
Judges 7:3
Now, therefore, proclaim in the hearing of the men: ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’” So twenty-two thousand of them turned back, but ten thousand remained.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — God commands Gideon to publicly announce a voluntary retreat to the Israelite army at Mount Gilead. This announcement follows God's declaration that the force is too large and precedes the final sifting at the water.
The words — The Hebrew יָרֵא (ya.Re') translates literally as "is fearful," while קְרָא (ke.Ra') means "proclaim." Gideon is instructed to call out to the people's ears, identifying those experiencing fear or trembling.
The thread — The text directly mirrors the military protocol in Deuteronomy 20:8, which orders officers to dismiss afraid men before battle. The narrative also reflects the divine reversal pattern noted in Matthew 20:16, where human expectations of strength are overturned by God's selection.
Why it lands — The passage states that twenty-two thousand men left out of fear, leaving ten thousand, establishing that deliverance requires obedience to divine reduction rather than reliance on numbers. It asks the reader to honestly assess personal readiness without depending on the presence of others.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.
Cross-references
- Deuteronomy 20:8 Then the officers shall speak further to the army, saying, “Is any man afraid or fainthearted? Let him return home, so that the hearts of his brothers will not melt like his own.”
- Revelation 17:14 They will make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will triumph over them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and He will be accompanied by His called and chosen and faithful ones.”
- Matthew 20:16 So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
- Revelation 21:8 But to the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.”
- Matthew 13:21 But since he has no root, he remains for only a season. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.
- Luke 14:25 Now large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and He turned and said to them,