Victory from the lord

I was reading the old Testament last night when I came across a passage concerning the people of Isreal preparing for battle. They were told that if a man had built a house and had not dedicated it, then he need not go into battle. If he had a fiance whom he had not married, he need not go into battle and if he was fearful then he need not go and all this when they can see that the number of the enemy is greater. This is much like the incident with Gideon when he had to choose those who lapped water out of their hands rather than got down and drank from the river. It was so that the people of Isreal could see that the victory came from the lord and not from their own efforts.