Definition: And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people [are] yet [too] many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, [that] of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.

Explanation: Okay, let's break down this verse from Judges 7:4. It’s a really interesting and slightly dramatic passage about God testing Gideon. Here’s what it means in simpler terms: The Basic Idea: God is saying to Gideon, “You’ve got too many people. You need to test them, but you can’t let them go further than the water.” He's essentially setting up a trial for him. Let's unpack it piece by piece: “Judges 7:4” : This is the verse itself – a specific moment in history where God was considering Gideon. “And the LORD said unto Gideon…” : God is speaking directly to Gideon, acknowledging his situation. “…The people [are] yet [too] many…” : This means Gideon's army is still too large. He’s facing a huge challenge. “Too many” implies a problem that needs to be addressed. “Bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there:” : This is the core of the test. God wants to see if Gideon can handle a serious task – to make a large group of people stand down. He's asking him to move the challenge to the water. “and it shall be, [that] of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee…” : This is the most important part. God is giving Gideon a choice . He's saying: "If you succeed in getting these people to stand down, this will happen to you. But if you fail, that will also happen to you." What does it mean practically? It’s a test of faith and obedience. God is trying to see if Gideon is strong enough to handle a difficult situation. It's a way for God to assess his character and determine if he’s willing to follow His commands even when things get tough. Important Note: This verse is often interpreted as a sign that Gideon was not entirely trustworthy. It suggests he might have been tempted to disobey God's instructions, and the test was meant to show him how to respond. In short, it’s a challenging test designed by God to see if Gideon will be strong enough to fulfill His purpose. --- Do you want me to: Explain this verse in more detail? Talk about the context of the story (the situation with the large army)? Explore some possible interpretations of what God is trying to communicate?