Thus saith the Lord: Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, and let not the strong man glory in his strength, and let not the rich man glory in his riches:
For the children of Ammon, and of Moab, rose up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, to kill and destroy them. And when they had made an end of them, they turned also against one another, and destroyed one another.
And the Lord said to Gedeon: The people that are with thee are many, and Madian shall not be delivered into their hands. Lest Israel should glory against me, and say: I was delivered by my own strength.
And the waters returned, and covered the chariots and the horsemen of all the army of Pharao, who had come into the sea after them: neither did there so much as one of them remain.
And the Lord sent an angel, who cut off all the stout men and the warriors, and the captains of the army of the king of the Assyrians. And he returned with disgrace into his own country. And when he was come into the house of his god, his sons that came out of his bowels slew him with the sword.
O our God, wilt thou not then judge them? As for us, we have not strength enough, to be able to resist this multitude, which cometh violently upon us. But as we know not what to do, we can only turn our eyes to thee.
Give me therefore this mountain, which the Lord promised, in thy hearing also, wherein are the Enacims, and cities great and strong: if so be the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to destroy them, as he promised me.
And the messengers returning brought him word. And he sent again and said: Such and such things may the gods do to me, and more may they add, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me.
And the Lord said to Gedeon: The people are still too many; bring them to the waters, and there I will try them: and of whom I shall say to thee: This shall go with thee, let him go. Whom I shall forbid to go, let him return.
So he mustered the servants of the princes of the provinces: and he found the number of two hundred and thirty-two. And he mustered after them the people, all the children of Israel, seven thousand.
And now you say that you are able to withstand the kingdom of the Lord, which he possesseth by the sons of David: and you have a great multitude of people, and golden calves, which Jeroboam hath made you for gods.
I turned me to another thing, and I saw that under the sun, the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the learned, nor favour to the skilful: but time and chance in all.
You have ploughed wickedness, you have reaped iniquity, you have eaten the fruit of lying: because thou hast trusted in thy ways, in the multitude of thy strong ones.