Then Jerobaal, who is the same as Gedeon, rising up early and all the people with him, came to the fountain that is called Harad. Now the camp of Madian was in the valley on the north side of the high hill.

Igitur Jerobaal qui et Gedeon, de nocte consurgens, et omnis populus cum eo, venit ad fontem qui vocatur Harad. Erant autem castra Madian in valle ad septentrionalem plagam collis excelsi.

Jerobaal, then, (or Gedeon) rose at break of day and led his army to the spring called the Spring of Harad. The camp of Madian lay there in the valley, with a high hill to the south of it.

And the Lord said to Gedeon: The people that are with thee are many, and Madian shall not be delivered into their hands: lest Israel should glory against me, and say: I was delivered by my own strength.

Dixitque Dominus ad Gedeon: Multus tecum est populus, nec tradetur Madian in manus ejus: ne glorietur contra me Israël, et dicat: Meis viribus liberatus sum.

This is a great army thou hast with thee, the Lord told Gedeon. I must not grant victory over Madian to an army like this, or the Israelites would boast that they had no need of me; that their own strength had brought them deliverance.

Speak to the people, and proclaim in the hearing of all, Whosoever is fearful and timorous, let him return. So two and twenty thousand men went away from mount Galaad and returned home, and only ten thousand remained.

Loquere ad populum, et cunctis audientibus prædica: Qui formidolosus et timidus est, revertatur. Recesseruntque de monte Galaad, et reversi sunt de populo viginti duo millia virorum, et tantum decem millia remanserunt.

Make it known publicly, for all to hear, that any man who shrinks back or is afraid is free to go home. So twenty-two thousand of his men, from the hill-country of Galaad, went back home, and left him with only ten thousand.

And the Lord said to Gedeon: The people are still too many, bring them to the waters, and there I will try them: and of whom I shall say to thee, This shall go with thee, let him go: whom I shall forbid to go, let him return.

Dixitque Dominus ad Gedeon: Adhuc populus multus est: duc eos ad aquas et ibi probabo illos: et de quo dixero tibi ut tecum vadat, ipse pergat; quem ire prohibuero, revertatur.

But the Lord said to Gedeon, Thy army is still too great. Take them down the water-side, and I will test them there. I will tell thee which of them are to march in thy company, and which are to return home instead.

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.

Cumque descendisset populus ad aquas, dixit Dominus ad Gedeon: Qui lingua lambuerint aquas, sicut solent canes lambere, separabis eos seorsum: qui autem curvatis genibus biberint, in altera parte erunt.

And when they reached the water, the Lord’s command to Gedeon was, Separate those who lap the water like dogs, and those who go down on their knees to drink.

And the number of them that had lapped water, casting it with the hand to their mouth, was three hundred men: and all the rest of the multitude had drunk kneeling.

Fuit itaque numerus eorum qui manu ad os projiciente lambuerunt aquas, trecenti viri: omnis autem reliqua multitudo flexo poplite biberat.

There were only three hundred that took up water in their hands and lapped it, all the rest knelt as they drank;

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.

Et ait Dominus ad Gedeon: In trecentis viris qui lambuerunt aquas, liberabo vos, et tradam in manu tua Madian: omnis autem reliqua multitudo revertatur in locum suum.

but the Lord said to Gedeon, These three hundred men who lapped the water shall win you deliverance; I will put the Madianites in their power. Send all the rest of thy companions home.

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 Madian was beneath him in the valley.

Sumptis itaque pro numero cibariis et tubis, omnem reliquam multitudinem abire præcepit ad tabernacula sua: et ipse cum trecentis viris se certamini dedit. Castra autem Madian erant subter in valle.

So he would have food left, and a trumpet for each man; then he sent the others back to their own dwelling-places, and with three hundred men prepared to give battle.The camp of Madian lay there in the valley below him,

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

Eadem nocte dixit Dominus ad eum: Surge, et descende in castra: quia tradidi eos in manu tua.

and that night the Lord said to him, Bestir thyself, and go down into their camp; I have left them at thy mercy.

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

Sin autem solus ire formidas, descendat tecum Phara puer tuus.

If thou art afraid to go alone, thy servant Phara shall go with thee.

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.

Et cum audieris quid loquantur, tunc confortabuntur manus tuæ, et securior ad hostium castra descendes. Descendit ergo ipse et Phara puer ejus in partem castrorum, ubi erant armatorum vigiliæ.

Listen to what they are saying, and it will give thee courage, bid thee go down more confidently to the attack. So Gedeon and his servant Phara made their way down to a part of the camp where sentries were on guard.

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.

Madian autem et Amalec, et omnes orientales populi, fusi jacebant in valle, ut locustarum multitudo: cameli quoque innumerabiles erant, sicut arena quæ jacet in littore maris.

There were Madian and Amalec, and all the tribes of the east, scattered through the valley, like a swarm of locusts; countless as the sea sand, their camels lay beside them.

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.

Cumque venisset Gedeon, narrabat aliquis somnium proximo suo: et in hunc modum referebat quod viderat: Vidi somnium, et videbatur mihi quasi subcinericius panis ex hordeo volvi, et in castra Madian descendere: cumque pervenisset ad tabernaculum, percussit illud, atque subvertit, et terræ funditus coæquavit.

As Gedeon approached, one of the men was telling his neighbour of a dream that had come to him, and this was the way of it: It looked, in my dream, as if a barley griddle-cake went rolling along and tumbled into the Madianite camp, where it struck the first tent it reached and overturned it, so that it lay flat on the ground.

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.

Respondit is, cui loquebatur: Non est hoc aliud, nisi gladius Gedeonis filii Joas viri Israëlitæ: tradidit enim Dominus in manus ejus Madian, et omnia castra ejus.

Why, said the other, what should this be but the sword of that Israelite, Gedeon the son of Joas? The Lord means to put Madian and all Madian’s host into his power.

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.

Cumque audisset Gedeon somnium, et interpretationem ejus, adoravit: et reversus est ad castra Israël, et ait: Surgite, tradidit enim Dominus in manus nostras castra Madian.

Gedeon fell on his knees when he heard what the dream was, and how it was interpreted. Back he went to the camp of Israel, and cried out, Bestir yourselves, the Lord has left the Madianite camp at our mercy.

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.

Divisitque trecentos viros in tres partes, et dedit tubas in manibus eorum, lagenasque vacuas, ac lampades in medio lagenarum.

Then he divided his men into three companies, and bade each man carry a trumpet, and an empty jar, and in the jar, a lighted torch.

And he said to them: What you shall see me do, do you the same: I will go into one part of the camp, and do you as I shall do.

Et dixit ad eos: Quod me facere videritis, hoc facite: ingrediar partem castrorum, et quod fecero, sectamini.

Mark what I do, and do the same, he told them; when once I have reached the edge of the camp, follow, all of you, my example.

When the trumpet shall sound in my hand, do you also blow the trumpets on every side of the camp.

Quando personuerit tuba in manu mea, vos quoque per castrorum circuitum clangite, et conclamate: Domino et Gedeoni.

I shall hold up my trumpet and blow a blast, and you too must blow a blast, on different sides of the camp; then you will cry aloud, For the Lord and for Gedeon!

And Gedeon, and the three hundred men that were with him, went into part of the camp, at the beginning of the midnight watch, and the watchmen being alarmed, they began to sound their trumpets, and to clap the pitchers one against another.

Ingressusque est Gedeon, et trecenti viri qui erant cum eo, in partem castrorum, incipientibus vigiliis noctis mediæ: et custodibus suscitatis, cœperunt buccinis clangere, et complodere inter se lagenas.

So Gedeon and his three hundred men reached the edge of the camp, just as the midnight watch began, when the newly posted guards were wide awake. Every trumpet blew, and every jar was shattered against its neighbour;

And when they sounded their trumpets in three places round about the camp, and had broken their pitchers, they held their lamps in their left hands, and with their right hands the trumpets which they blew, and they cried out: The sword of the Lord and of Gedeon:

Cumque per gyrum castrorum in tribus personarent locis, et hydrias confregissent, tenuerunt sinistris manibus lampades, et dextris sonantes tubas, clamaveruntque: Gladius Domini et Gedeonis:

and on three sides of the camp, after the crashing of the jars, men stood there with torches in their left hands, and ringing trumpets in their right; and now the cry came, Your swords, now! For the Lord and for Gedeon!

Standing every man in his place round about the enemies’ camp. So all the camp was troubled, and crying out and howling they fled away.

stantes singuli in loco suo per circuitum castrorum hostilium. Omnia itaque castra turbata sunt, et vociferantes ululantesque fugerunt:

Thus posted on different sides of the enemy’s camp, they threw all into confusion; and the Madianites fled, crying aloud for terror,

And the three hundred men nevertheless persisted sounding the trumpets. And the Lord sent the sword into all the camp, and they killed one another,

et nihilominus insistebant trecenti viri buccinis personantes. Immisitque Dominus gladium omnibus castris, et mutua se cæde truncabant,

while the three hundred men still pressed on, and still the trumpets blew. And all through the camp the Lord spread destruction, friend turning his sword against friend;

Fleeing as far as Bethsetta, and the border of Abelmahula in Tebbath. But the men of Israel shouting from Nephtali and Aser, and from all Manasses pursued after Madian.

fugientes usque ad Bethsetta, et crepidinem Abelmehula in Tebbath. Conclamantes autem viri Israël de Nephthali, et Aser, et omni Manasse, persequebantur Madian.

till at last in their flight they reached as far as Bethsetta, and the river-bank at Abelmehula in Tebbath. Here the Israelites from Nephthali and Aser and the whole of Manasses gave chase;

And Gedeon sent messengers into all mount Ephraim, saying: Come down to meet Madian, and take the waters before them to Bethbera and the Jordan. And all Ephraim shouted, and took the waters before them and the Jordan as far as Bethbera.

Misitque Gedeon nuntios in omnem montem Ephraim, dicens: Descendite in occursum Madian, et occupate aquas usque Bethbera atque Jordanem. Clamavitque omnis Ephraim, et præoccupavit aquas atque Jordanem usque Bethbera.

Gedeon sent messengers, too, all through the hill-country of Ephraim, bidding them come down and confront Madian, seizing the water-courses that go down to Bethbera and the Jordan; so Ephraim raised the hue and cry, and intercepted both the water-courses and Jordan itself as far as Bethbera.

And having taken two men of Madian, Oreb and Zeb: Oreb they slew in the rock of Oreb, and Zeb in the winepress of Zeb. And they pursued Madian, carrying the heads of Oreb and Zeb to Gedeon beyond the waters of the Jordan.

Apprehensosque duos viros Madian, Oreb et Zeb, interfecit Oreb in petra Oreb, Zeb vero in torculari Zeb. Et persecuti sunt Madian, capita Oreb et Zeb portantes ad Gedeon trans fluenta Jordanis.

And they caught two Madianite chiefs, Oreb and Zeb, whom they put to death, Oreb at the Rock of Oreb and Zeb at Zeb’s Wine-press; then they went on with the pursuit of Madian. They were carrying the heads of Oreb and Zeb with them when they met Gedeon on the further side of Jordan.