² And Yahweh said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands, ^(A)lest Israel honor themselves, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’ ³ So now, ^[a]come, call out in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘^(B)Whoever is afraid and trembling, let him return and depart from Mount Gilead.’” So 22,000 people returned, but 10,000 remained.

^4 (C)Then Yahweh said to Gideon, “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. And it will be that he of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go with you; but everyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.”