“Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people saying, whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return, and depart (or ‘chirp' - from the Arabic) from Mount Gilead.”
This was in accordance with Deuteronomy 20:8. The purpose was so that they might not spread fear among the remainder.
“Depart from Mount Gilead (gl‘d).” It is quite possible that those living in the area had called a nearby mountain after their ancestor Gilead (Numbers 26:29). Abiezer was descended from Gilead (Numbers 26:30 with Joshua 17:2). There was a more famous Mount Gilead elsewhere (Genesis 31:21). Some have suggested translating here ‘Mount Gal‘ud' (the same consonants).
But the meaning of the verb translated ‘depart' is unknown, and it is not found elsewhere. However, we can compare the later Arabic ‘to dance, leap, spring' or ‘to chirp'. Thus the whole tenor of the phrase is uncertain. Perhaps it means ‘chirp from Mount Gilead' in Transjordan, like a bird sitting watching from a place of safety. The idea being to picture the defaulters as taking refuge on Mount Gilead and chirping from there in safety as they watch the battle. Or perhaps the consonants need repointing and the ‘m' (here translated ‘from') be attached to ytspr instead. But the basic idea is clear. They could return home.
“And there returned of the people twenty two military units (‘thousands, clans, families”) and there remained ten units.' Thus Gideon was now left with only ten military units. How his heart must have quailed when he saw two thirds of his fighting force depart. But Yahweh was also watching and His heart did not quail. In fact He decided that there were still too many. After all the enemy only had one hundred and thirty five military units of fighting men.