Judges 7:5 Meaning and Explanation
“So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →At the water the men are divided between those who lap like a dog and those who kneel down to drink.
What Does Judges 7:5 Mean?
Gideon brings the men to the water, and God gives the criterion. Those who lap the water with their tongues are to be set apart from those who kneel to drink. The distinction seems small, yet it becomes the means by which the Lord selects His three hundred.
The text does not explain why one manner of drinking is chosen over the other; it simply records God's sovereign means of sorting. What matters is that the choice is His, not Gideon's, and not the men's own merit. Sometimes God's ways of choosing are hidden from us, asking only that we trust the Chooser. The decisive thing is not the method but the hand that directs it toward His saving purpose.
Frequently Asked Questions About Judges 7:5
What does Judges 7:5 mean?
At the water the men are divided between those who lap like a dog and those who kneel down to drink.