اَلْقُضَاة 6

١ 1 وَعَمِلَ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ ٱلشَّرَّ فِي عَيْنَيِ ٱلرَّبِّ، فَدَفَعَهُمُ ٱلرَّبُّ لِيَدِ مِدْيَانَ سَبْعَ سِنِينَ.

And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord: and he delivered them into the hand of Madian seven years.

٢ 2 فَٱعْتَزَّتْ يَدُ مِدْيَانَ عَلَى إِسْرَائِيلَ. بِسَبَبِ ٱلْمِدْيَانِيِّينَ عَمِلَ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ لِأَنْفُسِهِمِ ٱلْكُهُوفَ ٱلَّتِي فِي ٱلْجِبَالِ وَٱلْمَغَايِرَ وَٱلْحُصُونَ.

And they were grievously oppressed by them. And they made themselves dens and eaves in the mountains, and strong holds to resist.

٣ 3 وَإِذَا زَرَعَ إِسْرَائِيلُ، كَانَ يَصْعَدُ ٱلْمِدْيَانِيُّونَ وَٱلْعَمَالِقَةُ وَبَنُو ٱلْمَشْرِقِ، يَصْعَدُونَ عَلَيْهِمْ،

And when Israel had sown, Madian and Amalec, and the rest of the eastern nations came up:

٤ 4 وَيَنْزِلُونَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَيُتْلِفُونَ غَلَّةَ ٱلْأَرْضِ إِلَى مَجِيئِكَ إِلَى غَزَّةَ، وَلَا يَتْرُكُونَ لِإِسْرَائِيلَ قُوتَ ٱلْحَيَاةِ، وَلَا غَنَمًا وَلَا بَقَرًا وَلَا حَمِيرًا.

And pitching their tents among them, wasted all things as they were in the blade even to the entrance of Gaza: and they left nothing at all in Israel for sustenance of life, nor sheep, nor oxen, nor asses.

٥ 5 لِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يَصْعَدُونَ بِمَوَاشِيهِمْ وَخِيَامِهِمْ وَيَجِيئُونَ كَٱلْجَرَادِ فِي ٱلْكَثْرَةِ وَلَيْسَ لَهُمْ وَلِجِمَالِهِمْ عَدَدٌ، وَدَخَلُوا ٱلْأَرْضَ لِكَيْ يُخْرِبُوهَا.

For they and all their flocks came with their tents, and like locusts filled all places, an innumerable multitude of men, and of camels, wasting whatsoever they touched.

٦ 6 فَذَلَّ إِسْرَائِيلُ جِدًّا مِنْ قِبَلِ ٱلْمِدْيَانِيِّينَ. وَصَرَخَ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ إِلَى ٱلرَّبِّ.

And Israel was humbled exceedingly in the sight of Madian.

٧ 7 وَكَانَ لَمَّا صَرَخَ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ إِلَى ٱلرَّبِّ بِسَبَبِ ٱلْمِدْيَانِيِّينَ

And he cried to the Lord desiring help against the Madianites.

٨ 8 أَنَّ ٱلرَّبَّ أَرْسَلَ رَجُلًا نَبِيًّا إِلَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ، فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: «هَكَذَا قَالَ ٱلرَّبُّ إِلَهُ إِسْرَائِيلَ: إِنِّي قَدْ أَصْعَدْتُكُمْ مِنْ مِصْرَ وَأَخْرَجْتُكُمْ مِنْ بَيْتِ ٱلْعُبُودِيَّةِ،

And he sent unto them a prophet, and he spoke: Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: I made you to come up out of Egypt, and brought you out of the house of bondage,

٩ 9 وَأَنْقَذْتُكُمْ مِنْ يَدِ ٱلْمِصْرِيِّينَ وَمِنْ يَدِ جَمِيعِ مُضَايِقِيكُمْ، وَطَرَدْتُهُمْ مِنْ أَمَامِكُمْ وَأَعْطَيْتُكُمْ أَرْضَهُمْ.

And delivered you out of the hands of the Egyptians, and of all the enemies that afflicted you: and I cast them out at your coming in, and gave you their land.

١٠ 10 وَقُلْتُ لَكُمْ: أَنَا ٱلرَّبُّ إِلَهُكُمْ. لَا تَخَافُوا آلِهَةَ ٱلْأَمُورِيِّينَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنْتُمْ سَاكِنُونَ أَرْضَهُمْ. وَلَمْ تَسْمَعُوا لِصَوْتِي».

And I said: I am the Lord your God, fear not the gods of the Amorrhites, in whose land you dwell. And you would not hear my voice.

١١ 11 وَأَتَى مَلَاكُ ٱلرَّبِّ وَجَلَسَ تَحْتَ ٱلْبُطْمَةِ ٱلَّتِي فِي عَفْرَةَ ٱلَّتِي لِيُوآشَ ٱلْأَبِيعَزَرِيِّ. وَٱبْنُهُ جِدْعُونُ كَانَ يَخْبِطُ حِنْطَةً فِي ٱلْمِعْصَرَةِ لِكَيْ يُهَرِّبَهَا مِنَ ٱلْمِدْيَانِيِّينَ.

And an angel of the Lord came, and sat under an oak, that was in Ephra, and belonged to Joas the father of the family of Ezri. And when Gedeon his son was threshing and cleansing wheat by the winepress, to flee from Madian,

١٢ 12 فَظَهَرَ لَهُ مَلَاكُ ٱلرَّبِّ وَقَالَ لَهُ: «ٱلرَّبُّ مَعَكَ يَا جَبَّارَ ٱلْبَأْسِ».

The angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said: The Lord is with thee, O most valiant of men.

١٣ 13 فَقَالَ لَهُ جِدْعُونُ: «أَسْأَلُكَ يَا سَيِّدِي، إِذَا كَانَ ٱلرَّبُّ مَعَنَا فَلِمَاذَا أَصَابَتْنَا كُلُّ هَذِهِ؟ وَأَيْنَ كُلُّ عَجَائِبِهِ ٱلَّتِي أَخْبَرَنَا بِهَا آبَاؤُنَا قَائِلِينَ: أَلَمْ يُصْعِدْنَا ٱلرَّبُّ مِنْ مِصْرَ؟ وَٱلْآنَ قَدْ رَفَضَنَا ٱلرَّبُّ وَجَعَلَنَا فِي كَفِّ مِدْيَانَ».

And Gedeon said to him: I beseech thee, my lord, if the Lord be with us, why have these evils fallen upon us? Where are his miracles, which our fathers have told us of, saying: The Lord brought us Out of Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the bands of Madian.

١٤ 14 فَٱلْتَفَتَ إِلَيْهِ ٱلرَّبُّ وَقَالَ: «ٱذْهَبْ بِقُوَّتِكَ هَذِهِ وَخَلِّصْ إِسْرَائِيلَ مِنْ كَفِّ مِدْيَانَ. أَمَا أَرْسَلْتُكَ؟»

And the Lord looked upon him, and said: Go in this thy strength, and then shalt deliver Israel out of the hand of Madian: know that I have sent thee.

١٥ 15 فَقَالَ لَهُ: «أَسْأَلُكَ يَا سَيِّدِي، بِمَاذَا أُخَلِّصُ إِسْرَائِيلَ؟ هَا عَشِيرَتِي هِيَ ٱلذُّلَّى فِي مَنَسَّى، وَأَنَا ٱلْأَصْغَرُ فِي بَيْتِ أَبِي».

He answered and said: I beseech thee, my lord, wherewith shall I deliver Israel? Behold my family is the meanest in Manasses, and I am the least in my father’s house.

١٦ 16 فَقَالَ لَهُ ٱلرَّبُّ: «إِنِّي أَكُونُ مَعَكَ، وَسَتَضْرِبُ ٱلْمِدْيَانِيِّينَ كَرَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ».

And the Lord said to him: I will be with thee: and thou shalt cut off Madian as one man.

١٧ 17 فَقَالَ لَهُ: «إِنْ كُنْتُ قَدْ وَجَدْتُ نِعْمَةً فِي عَيْنَيْكَ فَٱصْنَعْ لِي عَلَامَةً أَنَّكَ أَنْتَ تُكَلِّمُنِي.

And he said: If I have found grace before thee, give me a sign that it is thou that speakest to me,

١٨ 18 لَا تَبْرَحْ مِنْ هَهُنَا حَتَّى آتِيَ إِلَيْكَ وَأُخْرِجَ تَقْدِمَتِي وَأَضَعَهَا أَمَامَكَ». فَقَالَ: «إِنِّي أَبْقَى حَتَّى تَرْجِعَ».

And depart not hence, till I return to thee, and bring a sacrifice, and offer it to thee. And he answered: I will wait thy coming.

١٩ 19 فَدَخَلَ جِدْعُونُ وَعَمِلَ جَدْيَ مِعْزًى وَإِيفَةَ دَقِيقٍ فَطِيرًا. أَمَّا ٱللَّحْمُ فَوَضَعَهُ فِي سَلٍّ، وَأَمَّا ٱلْمَرَقُ فَوَضَعَهُ فِي قِدْرٍ، وَخَرَجَ بِهَا إِلَيْهِ إِلَى تَحْتِ ٱلْبُطْمَةِ وَقَدَّمَهَا.

So Gedeon went in, and boiled a kid, and made unleavened loaves of a measure of flour: and putting the flesh in a basket, and the broth of the flesh into a pot, he carried all under the oak, and presented to him.

٢٠ 20 فَقَالَ لَهُ مَلَاكُ ٱللهِ: «خُذِ ٱللَّحْمَ وَٱلْفَطِيرَ وَضَعْهُمَا عَلَى تِلْكَ ٱلصَّخْرَةِ وَٱسْكُبِ ٱلْمَرَقَ». فَفَعَلَ كَذَلِكَ.

And the angel of the Lord said to him: Take the flesh and the unleavened loaves, and lay them upon that rock, and pour out the broth thereon. And when he had done so,

٢١ 21 فَمَدَّ مَلَاكُ ٱلرَّبِّ طَرَفَ ٱلْعُكَّازِ ٱلَّذِي بِيَدِهِ وَمَسَّ ٱللَّحْمَ وَٱلْفَطِيرَ، فَصَعِدَتْ نَارٌ مِنَ ٱلصَّخْرَةِ وَأَكَلَتِ ٱللَّحْمَ وَٱلْفَطِيرَ. وَذَهَبَ مَلَاكُ ٱلرَّبِّ عَنْ عَيْنَيْهِ.

The angel of the Lord put forth the tip of the rod, which he held in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened loaves: and there arose a fire from the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened loaves: and the angel of the Lord vanished out of his sight.

٢٢ 22 فَرَأَى جِدْعُونُ أَنَّهُ مَلَاكُ ٱلرَّبِّ، فَقَالَ جِدْعُونُ: «آهِ يَا سَيِّدِي ٱلرَّبَّ! لِأَنِّي قَدْ رَأَيْتُ مَلَاكَ ٱلرَّبِّ وَجْهًا لِوَجْهٍ.»

And Gedeon seeing that it was the angel of the Lord, said: Alas, my Lord God: for I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.

٢٣ 23 فَقَالَ لَهُ ٱلرَّبُّ: «ٱلسَّلَامُ لَكَ. لَا تَخَفْ. لَا تَمُوتُ».

And the Lord said to him: Peace be with thee: fear not, thou shalt not die.

٢٤ 24 فَبَنَى جِدْعُونُ هُنَاكَ مَذْبَحًا لِلرَّبِّ وَدَعَاهُ «يَهْوَهَ شَلُومَ». إِلَى هَذَا ٱلْيَوْمِ لَمْ يَزَلْ فِي عَفْرَةِ ٱلْأَبِيعَزَرِيِّينَ.

And Gedeon built there an altar to the Lord, and called it the Lord’s peace, until this present day. And when he was yet in Ephra, which is of the family of Ezri,

٢٥ 25 وَكَانَ فِي تِلْكَ ٱللَّيْلَةِ أَنَّ ٱلرَّبَّ قَالَ لَهُ: «خُذْ ثَوْرَ ٱلْبَقَرِ ٱلَّذِي لِأَبِيكَ، وَثَوْرًا ثَانِيًا ٱبْنَ سَبْعِ سِنِينَ، وَٱهْدِمْ مَذْبَحَ ٱلْبَعْلِ ٱلَّذِي لِأَبِيكَ، وَٱقْطَعِ ٱلسَّارِيَةَ ٱلَّتِي عِنْدَهُ،

That night the Lord said to him: Take a bullock of thy father’s, and another bullock of seven years, and thou shalt destroy the altar of Baal, which is thy father’s: and cut down the grove that is about the altar:

٢٦ 26 وَٱبْنِ مَذْبَحًا لِلرَّبِّ إِلَهِكَ عَلَى رَأْسِ هَذَا ٱلْحِصْنِ بِتَرْتِيبٍ، وَخُذِ ٱلثَّوْرَ ٱلثَّانِي وَأَصْعِدْ مُحْرَقَةً عَلَى حَطَبِ ٱلسَّارِيَةِ ٱلَّتِي تَقْطَعُهَا.

And thou shalt build an altar to the Lord thy God in the top of this rock, whereupon thou didst lay the sacrifice before: and thou shalt take the second bullock, and shalt offer a holocaust upon a pile of the wood, which thou shalt cut down out of the grove.

٢٧ 27 فَأَخَذَ جِدْعُونُ عَشْرَةَ رِجَالٍ مِنْ عَبِيدِهِ وَعَمِلَ كَمَا كَلَّمَهُ ٱلرَّبُّ. وَإِذْ كَانَ يَخَافُ مِنْ بَيْتِ أَبِيهِ وَأَهْلِ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ ذَلِكَ نَهَارًا، فَعَمِلَهُ لَيْلًا.

Then Gedeon taking ten men of his servants, did as the Lord had commanded him. But fearing his father’s house, and the men of that city, he would not do it by day, but did all by night.

٢٨ 28 فَبَكَّرَ أَهْلُ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ فِي ٱلْغَدِ وَإِذَا بِمَذْبَحِ ٱلْبَعْلِ قَدْ هُدِمَ وَٱلسَّارِيَةُ ٱلَّتِي عِنْدَهُ قَدْ قُطِعَتْ، وَٱلثَّوْرُ ٱلثَّانِي قَدْ أُصْعِدَ عَلَى ٱلْمَذْبَحِ ٱلَّذِي بُنِيَ.

And when the men of that town were risen in the morning, they saw the altar of Baal destroyed, and the grove cut down, and the second bullock laid upon the altar, which then was built.

٢٩ 29 فَقَالُوا ٱلْوَاحِدُ لِصَاحِبِهِ: «مَنْ عَمِلَ هَذَا ٱلْأَمْرَ؟» فَسَأَلُوا وَبَحَثُوا فَقَالُوا: «إِنَّ جِدْعُونَ بْنَ يُوآشَ قَدْ فَعَلَ هَذَا ٱلْأَمْرَ».

And they said one to another: Who hath done this? And when they inquired for the author of the fact, it was said: Gedeon the son of Joas did all this.

٣٠ 30 فَقَالَ أَهْلُ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ لِيُوآشَ: «أَخْرِجِ ٱبْنَكَ لِكَيْ يَمُوتَ، لِأَنَّهُ هَدَمَ مَذْبَحَ ٱلْبَعْلِ وَقَطَعَ ٱلسَّارِيَةَ ٱلَّتِي عِنْدَهُ».

And they said to Joas: Bring out thy son hither, that he may die: because he hath destroyed the altar of Baal, and hath cut down his grove.

٣١ 31 فَقَالَ يُوآشُ لِجَمِيعِ ٱلْقَائِمِينَ عَلَيْهِ: «أَنْتُمْ تُقَاتِلُونَ لِلْبَعْلِ، أَمْ أَنْتُمْ تُخَلِّصُونَهُ؟ مَنْ يُقَاتِلْ لَهُ يُقْتَلْ فِي هَذَا ٱلصَّبَاحِ. إِنْ كَانَ إِلَهًا فَلْيُقَاتِلْ لِنَفْسِهِ لِأَنَّ مَذْبَحَهُ قَدْ هُدِمَ».

He answered them: Are you the avengers of Baal, that you fight for him? he that is his adversary, let him die before tomorrow light appear: if he be a god, let him revenge himself on him that hath cast down his altar.

٣٢ 32 فَدَعَاهُ فِي ذَلِكَ ٱلْيَوْمِ «يَرُبَّعْلَ» قَائِلًا: «لِيُقَاتِلْهُ ٱلْبَعْلُ لِأَنَّهُ قَدْ هَدَمَ مَذْبَحَهُ».

From that day Gedeon was called Jerobaal, because Joss had said: Let Baal revenge himself on him that hath cast down his altar.

٣٣ 33 وَٱجْتَمَعَ جَمِيعُ ٱلْمِدْيَانِيِّينَ وَٱلْعَمَالِقَةِ وَبَنِي ٱلْمَشْرِقِ مَعًا وَعَبَرُوا وَنَزَلُوا فِي وَادِي يِزْرَعِيلَ.

Now all Madian, and Amalec, and the eastern people were gathered together, and passing over the Jordan, camped in the valley of Jezrael.

٣٤ 34 وَلَبِسَ رُوحُ ٱلرَّبِّ جِدْعُونَ فَضَرَبَ بِٱلْبُوقِ، فَٱجْتَمَعَ أَبِيعَزَرُ وَرَاءَهُ.

But the spirit of the Lord came upon Gedeon, and be sounded the trumpet and called together the house of Abiezer, to follow him.

٣٥ 35 وَأَرْسَلَ رُسُلًا إِلَى جَمِيعِ مَنَسَّى، فَٱجْتَمَعَ هُوَ أَيْضًا وَرَاءَهُ، وَأَرْسَلَ رُسُلًا إِلَى أَشِيرَ وَزَبُولُونَ وَنَفْتَالِي فَصَعِدُوا لِلِقَائِهِمْ.

And he sent messengers into all Manasses, and they also followed him: and other messengers into Aser and Zabulon and Nephtali, and they came to meet him.

٣٦ 36 وَقَالَ جِدْعُونُ لِلهِ: «إِنْ كُنْتَ تُخَلِّصُ بِيَدِي إِسْرَائِيلَ كَمَا تَكَلَّمْتَ،

And Gedeon said to God: If thou wilt save Israel by my hand, as thou hast said,

٣٧ 37 فَهَا إِنِّي وَاضِعٌ جَزَّةَ ٱلصُّوفِ فِي ٱلْبَيْدَرِ، فَإِنْ كَانَ طَلٌّ عَلَى ٱلْجَزَّةِ وَحْدَهَا، وَجَفَافٌ عَلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ كُلِّهَا، عَلِمْتُ أَنَّكَ تُخَلِّصُ بِيَدِي إِسْرَائِيلَ كَمَا تَكَلَّمْتَ».

I will put this fleece of wool on the floor: if there be dew on the fleece only, and it be dry on all the ground beside, I, shall know that by my hand, as thou hast said, thou wilt deliver Israel.

٣٨ 38 وَكَانَ كَذَلِكَ. فَبَكَّرَ فِي ٱلْغَدِ وَضَغَطَ ٱلْجَزَّةَ وَعَصَرَ طَّلًا مِنَ ٱلْجَزَّةِ، مِلْءَ قَصْعَةٍ مَاءً.

And it was so. And rising before day wringing the fleece, he filled a vessel with the dew.

٣٩ 39 فَقَالَ جِدْعُونُ لِلهِ: «لَا يَحْمَ غَضَبُكَ عَلَيَّ فَأَتَكَلَّمَ هَذِهِ ٱلْمَرَّةَ فَقَطْ. أَمْتَحِنُ هَذِهِ ٱلْمَرَّةَ فَقَطْ بِٱلْجَزَّةِ. فَلْيَكُنْ جَفَافٌ فِي ٱلْجَزَّةِ وَحْدَهَا وَعَلَى كُلِّ ٱلْأَرْضِ لِيَكُنْ طَلٌّ».

And he said again to God: let not thy wrath be kindled against me if I try once more, seeking a sign in the fleece. I pray that the fleece only may be dry, and all the ground wet with dew.

٤٠ 40 فَفَعَلَ ٱللهُ كَذَلِكَ فِي تِلْكَ ٱللَّيْلَةِ. فَكَانَ جَفَافٌ فِي ٱلْجَزَّةِ وَحْدَهَا وَعَلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ كُلِّهَا كَانَ طَلٌّ.

And God did that night as he had requested: and it was dry on the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.