KJV ORIGINAL
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.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
Now go and announce to all the people: 'Anyone who is afraid or scared should leave immediately and go home from Mount Gilead.' So 22,000 people left, and only 10,000 remained.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
God told Gideon to let anyone who was afraid leave his army, and most of the soldiers—22,000 out of 32,000—went home.
📚 Historical Context
This occurred when Gideon was preparing to fight the massive Midianite army that was oppressing Israel. God was deliberately reducing Gideon's army size so that when Israel won the battle, they would know the victory came from God's power, not their own military strength. The mention of Mount Gilead refers to the region where Gideon's forces were assembled.
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