‘And the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men. But all the rest of the people bowed down on their knees to drink water.'
Now, no doubt to Gideon's dismay, his ten larger units had been reduced to three much smaller units. The number three represents completeness. Thus ‘three' military units may mean ‘the ideal number of men but on a small scale'. Three units was all that God needed, three units of alert, self-controlled, astute fighting men.