might not fancy it obtained by their own power, because they were
a great many, and able of themselves to fight their enemies, but
might confess that it was owing to his assistance, he advised him
to bring his army about noon, in the violence of the heat, to the
river, and to esteem those that bent down on their knees, and so
drank, to be men of courage; but for all those that drank
tumultuously, that he should esteem them to do it out of fear,
and as in dread of their enemies. And when Gideon had done as God
had suggested to him, there were found three hundred men that
took water with their hands tumultuously; so God bid him take
these men, and attack the enemy. Accordingly they pitched their
camp at the river Jordan, as ready the next day to pass over it.

4. But Gideon was in great fear, for God had told him beforehand
that he should set upon his enemies in the night-time; but God,
being willing to free him from his fear, bid him take one of his
soldiers, and go near to the Midianites' tents, for that he
should from that very place have his courage raised, and grow
bold. So he obeyed, and went and took his servant Phurah with
him; and as he came near to one of the tents, he discovered that
those that were in it were awake, and that one of them was
telling to his fellow soldier a dream of his own, and that so
plainly that Gideon could hear him. The dream was this: - He
thought he saw a barley-cake, such a one as could hardly be eaten
by men, it was so vile, rolling through the camp, and
overthrowing the royal tent, and the tents of all the soldiers.
Now the other soldier explained this vision to mean the
destruction of the army; and told them what his reason was which
made him so conjecture, viz. That the seed called barley was all
of it allowed to be of the vilest sort of seed, and that the