en: and all the rest of the
multitude had drunk kneeling.

7:7. And the Lord said to Gedeon: By the three hundred men, that lapped
water, I will save you, and deliver Madian into thy hand: but let all
the rest of the people return to their place.

That lapped water... These were preferred that took the water up in
their hands, and so lapped it, before them who laid themselves quite
down to the waters to drink: which argued a more eager and sensual
disposition.

7:8. So taking victuals and trumpets according to their number, he
ordered all the rest of the multitude to depart to their tents: and he
with the three hundred gave himself to the battle. Now the camp of Madia
was beneath him in the valley.

7:9. The same night the Lord said to him: Arise, and go down into the
camp: because I have delivered them into thy hand.

7:10. But if thou be afraid to go alone, let Phara, thy servant, go down
with thee.

7:11. And when thou shalt hear what they are saying, then shall thy
hands be strengthened, and thou shalt go down more secure to the
enemies' camp. And he went down with Phara his servant, into part of the
camp, where was the watch of men in arms.

7:12. But Madian and Amalec, and all the eastern people, lay scattered
in the valley, as a multitude of locusts: their camels also were
innumerable, as the sand that lieth on the sea shore.

7:13. And when Gedeon was come, one told his neighbour a dream: and in
this manner related what he had seen: I dreamt a dream, and it seemed to
me as if a hearth cake of barley bread rolled and came down into the
camp of Madian: and when it was come to a tent, it struck it, and beat
it down flat to the ground.

A dream... Observation of dreams is commonly superstitious, and as such
is condemned in the word of God: but in some extraordinary cases, as we
here see, God is pleased by dreams to foretell what he is about to do.

7:14. He to whom he spoke, answered: This is nothing else but the sword
of Gedeon, the son of Joas, a man of Israel. For the Lord hath delivered
Madian, and all their camp into his hand.

7:15. And when Gedeon had heard the dream, and the interpretation
thereof, he adored: and returned to the camp of Israel, and said: Arise,
for the Lord hath delivered the camp of Madian into our hands.

7:16. And he divided the three hundred men into three parts, and gave
them trumpets in their hands, and empty pitchers, and lamps within the
pitchers.

7:17. And he said