< Oweruza 6 >

1 Aisraeli anachitanso zinthu zoyipira Yehova, choncho Yehova anawapereka mʼmanja mwa Amidiyani kwa zaka zisanu ndi ziwiri.
Again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD; so He delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years,
2 Amidiyani anapondereza Aisraeli. Tsono chifukwa cha Amidiyaniwa, Aisraeli anakonza malo obisalamo mʼmapiri ndi mʼmapanga. Anamanganso malinga.
and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds.
3 Aisraeli amati akadzala mbewu, Amidiyani, Aamaleki ndi anthu ena akummawa amabwera ndi kudzawathira nkhondo.
Whenever the Israelites would plant their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites, and other people of the east would come up and invade them,
4 Iwo anamanga misasa mʼdzikomo ndi kuwononga zokolola zawo zonse mpaka ku Gaza, ndipo sanawasiyireko chamoyo chilichonse Aisraeliwo, kaya nkhosa kapena ngʼombe ndi bulu yemwe.
encamping against them as far as Gaza and destroying the produce of the land. They left Israel with no sustenance, neither sheep nor oxen nor donkeys.
5 Iwo ankabwera ndi zoweta zawo ndi matenti awo omwe. Ankabwera ambiri ngati dzombe, motero kuti kunali kovuta kuwawerenga anthuwo ndi ngamira zawo. Tsono iwo ankabwera ndi kuwononga dziko lonse.
For the Midianites came with their livestock and their tents like a great swarm of locusts. They and their camels were innumerable, and they entered the land to ravage it.
6 Aisraeli anasauka chifukwa cha Amidiyani ndipo analirira kwa Yehova kuti awathandize.
Israel was greatly impoverished by Midian, and the Israelites cried out to the LORD.
7 Pamene Aisraeli analirira kwa Yehova chifukwa cha Amidiyaniwo,
Now when the Israelites cried out to the LORD because of Midian,
8 Iye anawatumizira mneneri amene anati, “Yehova Mulungu wa Israeli akuti, ‘Ndine amene ndinakutsogolerani kuchokera ku Igupto. Ndinakutulutsani mʼdziko la ukapolo.
He sent them a prophet, who told them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
9 Ine ndinakupulumutsani ku ulamuliro wa Igupto komanso mʼmanja mwa amene amakuzunzani. Ndinawathamangitsa adani anu inu mukufika, ndikukupatsani dziko lawo.’
I delivered you out of the hands of Egypt and all your oppressors. I drove them out before you and gave you their land.
10 Ndipo ndinakuwuzani kuti, ‘Ine ndine Yehova Mulungu wanu; musapembedze Milungu ya Aamori amene mukukhala mʼdziko lawo.’ Koma inu simunandimvere.”
And I said to you: ‘I am the LORD your God. You must not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.’ But you did not obey Me.”
11 Tsiku lina mngelo wa Yehova anabwera ku Ofura ndi kukhala pansi pa tsinde pa mtengo wa thundu umene unali wa Yowasi Mwabiezeri. Tsono Gideoni, mwana wake nʼkuti pa nthawiyo akupuntha tirigu mʼmalo ofinyira mphesa mowabisalira Amidiyani.
Then the angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to hide it from the Midianites.
12 Tsono mngelo wa Yehova uja anamuonekera Gideoni nati kwa iye, “Yehova ali nawe, iwe munthu wamphamvu ndi wolimba mtima.”
And the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon and said, “The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor.”
13 Gideoni anayankha, “Koma mbuye wanga, ngati Yehova ali nafedi, nʼchifukwa chiyani zonsezi zationekera? Nanga ntchito zake zodabwitsa zimene makolo athu anatiwuza pamene anati, ‘Yehova anatitulutsa ku dziko la Igupto,’ zili kuti? Koma tsopano Yehova watitaya ndi kutipereka mʼmanja mwa Amidiyani.”
“Please, my Lord,” Gideon replied, “if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all His wonders of which our fathers told us, saying, ‘Has not the LORD brought us up out of Egypt?’ But now the LORD has forsaken us and delivered us into the hand of Midian.”
14 Yehova anamuyangʼana namuwuza kuti, “Pita ndi mphamvu zomwe uli nazo, ukapulumutse Aisraeli mʼmanja mwa Amidiyani. Kodi si ndine amene ndakutuma?”
The LORD turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel from the hand of Midian. Am I not sending you?”
15 Koma Gideoni anafunsa kuti, “Kodi Ambuye anga ine ndingapulumutse bwanji Israeli? Mbumba yanga ndi yopanda mphamvu mu fuko la Manase, ndiponso ine ndine wamngʼono kwambiri mʼbanja mwa abambo anga.”
“Please, my Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I save Israel? Indeed, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house.”
16 Yehova anamuyankha kuti, “Ine ndidzakhala nawe, ndipo Amidiyaniwo udzawagonjetsa ngati munthu mmodzi.”
“Surely I will be with you,” the LORD replied, “and you will strike down all the Midianites as one man.”
17 Gideoni anati, “Ngati tsopano mwandikomera mtima, ndionetseni chizindikiro kusonyeza kuti ndinudi mukuyankhula ndi ine.
Gideon answered, “If I have found favor in Your sight, give me a sign that it is You speaking with me.
18 Chonde musachoke msanga mpaka nditabwerera kwa inu ndi chopereka changa cha chakudya kudzachipereka kwa inu.” Ndipo Yehova anamuwuza kuti, “Ine ndikudikira mpaka utabweranso.”
Please do not depart from this place until I return to You. Let me bring my offering and set it before You.” And the LORD said, “I will stay until you return.”
19 Gideoni analowa mʼnyumba, ndipo anakakonza mwana wambuzi, nakonzanso makeke wopanda yisiti a ufa wa makilogalamu khumi. Nayika nyamayo mʼdengu ndipo msuzi wake anawuthira mu mʼphika. Anabwera nazo ndi kukazipereka kwa mngelo uja pa tsinde pa mtengo wa thundu paja.
So Gideon went in and prepared a young goat and unleavened bread and an ephah of flour. He placed the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot and brought them out to present to Him under the oak.
20 Mngelo wa Mulungu anamuwuza iye kuti, “Tenga nyamayi pamodzi ndi makekewa, uziyike pa mwala uwu ndi kuthirapo msuziwu.” Ndipo Gideoni anatero.
And the angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened bread, lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” And Gideon did so.
21 Mngelo wa Yehova anatenga msonga ya ndodo imene inali mʼmanja mwake nakhudza nayo nyama ndi makeke aja. Nthawi yomweyo moto unabuka pa thanthwepo ndi kupsereza nyama yonse ndi makeke aja. Ndipo mngelo wa Yehova sanaonekenso.
Then the angel of the LORD extended the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened bread. And fire flared from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. Then the angel of the LORD vanished from his sight.
22 Apo Gideoni anazindikira kuti analidi mngelo wa Ambuye, ndipo anati, “Kalanga ine Yehova Wamphamvuzonse! Ine ndaona mngelo wa Yehova ndi maso!”
When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the LORD, he said, “Oh no, Lord GOD! I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!”
23 Koma Yehova anamuwuza kuti, “Mtendere ukhale ndi iwe! Usachite mantha, sufa ayi.”
But the LORD said to him, “Peace be with you. Do not be afraid, for you will not die.”
24 Choncho Gideoni anamanga guwa lansembe la Yehova pamenepo ndipo analitcha kuti, Yehova ndiye mtendere. Kufikira lero lino guwali lilipo ku Ofura wa Mwabiezeri.
So Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and called it The LORD Is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
25 Usiku womwewo Yehova anati kwa Gideoni, “Tenga ngʼombe ya mphongo ya abambo ako, ngʼombe ina yachiwiri ya zaka zisanu ndi ziwiri ndipo ugwetse guwa la Baala limene abambo ako ali nalo, ndi kugwetsanso fano la Asera limene lili pafupi pake.
On that very night the LORD said to Gideon, “Take your father’s young bull and a second bull seven years old, tear down your father’s altar to Baal, and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.
26 Kenaka umangire Yehova Mulungu wako guwa lansembe ndi miyala yoyala bwino pamwamba pa chiwunda chimenecho. Utenge ngʼombe ya mphongo yachiwiri ija ndipo uyipereke ngati nsembe yopsereza pogwiritsa ntchito mitengo ya fano la Asera imene udule ngati nkhunizo.”
Then build a proper altar to the LORD your God on the top of this stronghold. And with the wood of the Asherah pole you cut down, take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering.”
27 Choncho Gideoni anatenga antchito ake khumi nachita monga Yehova anamuwuzira. Ndipo popeza ankaopa anthu a pa banja lake ndiponso anthu a mʼmudzimo sanachite zimenezi masana koma usiku.
So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the LORD had told him. But because he was too afraid of his father’s household and the men of the city, he did it by night rather than in the daytime.
28 Anthu a mu mzindamo atadzuka mʼmamawa anangoona guwa la Baala litagwetsedwa ndi fano la Asera limene linali pamwamba pake litadulidwa ndiponso ngʼombe yamphongo yachiwiri ija itaperekedwa ngati nsembe yopsereza pa guwa limene linamangidwa lija.
When the men of the city got up in the morning, there was Baal’s altar torn down, with the Asherah pole cut down beside it and the second bull offered up on the newly built altar.
29 Iwo anafunsana wina ndi mnzake, “Wachita zimenezi ndani?” Atafufuza ndi kufunsafunsa, analingalira kuti, “Gideoni mwana wa Yowasi ndiye wachita zimenezi.”
“Who did this?” they said to one another. And after they had investigated thoroughly, they were told, “Gideon son of Joash did it.”
30 Ndipo anthuwo anawuza Yowasi kuti, “Tulutsa mwana wako, ayenera kufa chifukwa wagumula guwa lansembe la Baala ndipo wadula fano la Asera lomwe linali pamwamba pake.”
Then the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son. He must die, because he has torn down Baal’s altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.”
31 Koma Yowasi anawuza anthu amene anamuzungulirawo kuti, “Kodi inu mukuti mukhale woyankhulira Baala mlandu? Kodi ndinu amene mukuti mumupulumutse? Amene akufuna kumumenyera nkhondo Baala akhala atafa pofika mmawa! Ngati Baalayo ndi mulungudi, musiyeni adzimenyere yekha nkhondo popeza munthu wina wamugwetsera guwa lansembe lake.”
But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Are you contending for Baal? Are you trying to save him? Whoever pleads his case will be put to death by morning! If Baal is a god, let him contend for himself with the one who has torn down his altar.”
32 Choncho tsiku limenelo Gideoni anatchedwa, Yeru-Baala, kutanthauza kuti, “Baala alimbana naye, popeza anagwetsa guwa lake la nsembe.”
So on that day Gideon was called Jerubbaal, that is to say, “Let Baal contend with him,” because he had torn down Baal’s altar.
33 Tsopano Amidiyani, Amaleki ndi anthu ena akummawa anasonkhana ndipo atawoloka Yorodani anakamanga zinthando za nkhondo ku chigwa cha Yezireeli.
Then all the Midianites, Amalekites, and other people of the east gathered together, crossed over the Jordan, and camped in the Valley of Jezreel.
34 Ndipo Mzimu wa Yehova unatsikira pa Gideoni, ndipo anayimba lipenga kuyitana Abiezeri kuti amutsatire iye.
So the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, who blew the ram’s horn and rallied the Abiezrites behind him.
35 Iye anatumiza amithenga mʼdziko lonse la Manase kuti akamenye nkhondo ndipo Amanase anayitanidwanso kuti amutsate. Anatumanso amithenga kwa Aseri, Azebuloni ndi Anafutali, ndipo onsewo anapita kukakumana naye.
Calling them to arms, Gideon sent messengers throughout Manasseh, as well as Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, so that they came up to meet him.
36 Gideoni anati kwa Mulungu, “Ngati mudzapulumutsa Israeli ndi dzanja langa monga mwalonjezeramu,
Then Gideon said to God, “If You are going to save Israel by my hand, as You have said,
37 onani, ine ndiyala ubweya wankhosa pa malo opunthira tirigu. Ngati mame adzagwera pa ubweya wankhosa pokhapa, pa nthaka ponse pakhala powuma, ndiye ndidziwa kuti mudzapulumutsadi Israeli ndi dzanja langa monga mwanenera.”
then behold, I will place a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that You are going to save Israel by my hand, as You have said.”
38 Ndipo zimenezi zinachitikadi. Gideoni atadzuka mʼmamawa ndi kuwufinya ubweya uja, anafinya madzi odzaza mtsuko.
And that is what happened. When Gideon arose the next morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water.
39 Kenaka Gideoni anati kwa Mulungu, “Musandikwiyire. Mundilole ndiyankhule kamodzi kokhaka. Ndiyeseko kamodzi kokha ndi ubweyawu kuti pa ubweya pokhapa pakhale powuma koma pa nthaka ponse pakhale ponyowa ndi mame.”
Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me; let me speak one more time. Please allow me one more test with the fleece. This time let it be dry, and the ground covered with dew.”
40 Ndipo Mulungu anachita zomwezo usiku umenewo. Pa ubweya pokha panali powuma, koma pa nthaka ponse panagwa mame.
And that night God did so. Only the fleece was dry, and dew covered the ground.

< Oweruza 6 >