always strange, not like those of other men, and were unaccountable
even to himself. That night the fleece of wool on the ground was wet
and the earth was dry. He prayed yet again, and still God was tender
to him, for He knows the weakness of the creatures He has made. This
time the fleece was dry and the earth was wet, and Gideon thereupon
rose up early with all the host, and moved towards the host of Midian,
till he came in sight of them as they lay in the valley by the hill of
Moreh.

But the Lord would not have so many to do His work, and most of them
were afraid and useless. He therefore commanded Gideon to send away
all who were frightened, and ten thousand only were left. These ten
thousand were still too many, for most of them were impatient, not able
to restrain themselves, and likely to fail, either through fear or
foolhardiness, in the stratagem the Lord designed. He therefore
commanded Gideon, when they were all thirsty, to bring them down to the
water. Nine thousand seven hundred were in such a hurry to reach it
that they dropped on their knees to drink, but three hundred were
collected and patient, and were content to lift their hands to their
mouths. The three hundred were kept and the rest sent home. That
night God, the ever merciful, had promised Gideon to deliver the
Midianites into His servant's hands, and had confirmed His promise by
miracle, but nevertheless He directed Gideon to go down to the camp, so
that he might hear a man's dream and its interpretation, and be further
strengthened in his faith. Gideon went down and listened at a tent
door; and when the dream was told, how a cake of barley bread tumbled
into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent and smote it that it
fell, all fear departed, and he rose up and went back to the three
hundred, and cried to them, "Arise; for the Lord hath delivered into
your hand the host of Midian."