Jongʼad Bura 6
1 Jo-Israel nochako otimo timbe mamono e nyim Jehova Nyasaye, kendo kuom higni abiriyo nochiwogi e lwet jo-Midian.
Again the Israelis did things that Yahweh said were very evil. So he allowed the people of Midian to conquer them and rule them for seven years.
2 Nikech jo-Midian ne keto ji gi tich matek mar achuna, jo-Israel nogero kuonde pondo e tiend got, rogo kod kuonde moko ma ginyalo dakie.
The people of Midian treated the Israelis so cruelly that the Israelis fled to the mountains. There they made places to live in caves and animal dens.
3 Kinde ka kinde mane jo-Israel opidho cham mag-gi, jo-Midian, jo-Amalek kod jogo moa yo wuok chiengʼ ne monjo piny.
Whenever the Israelis planted things in their fields, the people of Midian and Amalek and other groups from the east invaded Israel.
4 Negichokore e pinyno kendo negiketho cham duto nyaka Gaza kendo onge gima ngima kaka rombe kata dhok kata punde mane giweyo e piny Israel.
They set up tents in the area, and then destroyed the crops as far south as Gaza. They did not leave anything for the Israelis’ sheep or cattle or donkeys to eat.
5 Negibiro gi jambgi kod hembegi machal gi kweth mar dede. Kar kwan jogo kaachiel gi ngamia mag-gi ne tek ngʼeyo, kendo negimonjo pinyno mi gikethe.
They came into Israel with their tents and their livestock like a swarm of locusts. There were [so many of them that] arrived riding on their camels that no one could count them. They stayed and ruined the Israelis’ crops.
6 Jo-Midian nokelone jo-Israel dhier maduongʼ mane giywakne Jehova Nyasaye mondo okonygi.
The people of Midian took almost everything the Israelis owned. So finally the Israelis pleaded for Yahweh to help them.
7 Ka jo-Israel noywak ne Jehova Nyasaye nikech jo-Midian,
When the Israelis pleaded with Yahweh to help them because of [what] the people from Midian [were doing to them],
8 nooronegi janabi, mane owachonegi niya, “Ma e gima Jehova Nyasaye ma Nyasach Israel, wacho: Nagolou e piny Misri, kuma ne unie wasumbini.
he sent to them a prophet, who said, “Yahweh, the God we Israelis worship, says this: ‘Your ancestors were slaves in Egypt.
9 Ne agolou e loch jo-Misri kendo aresou e lwet joma ne sandou. Ne ariembogi gia e nyimu kendo amiyou pinygi.
But I rescued them from the leaders of Egypt and from all the others who oppressed them. I expelled their enemies from this land, and gave it to your ancestors.
10 Ne awachonu niya, ‘An Jehova Nyasaye ma Nyasachu; kik ulam nyiseche jo-Amor, makoro udak e pinygi.’ To pod ok udewo winja.”
I told you all, “I am Yahweh, your God. You are now in the land where the descendants of Amor live, but you must not worship the gods whom they worship.” But you did not pay attention to me.’”
11 Malaika mar Jehova Nyasaye nobiro mobet e tiend yiend ober moro mantiere Ofra mane mar Joash ma ja-Abiezer, kama wuod Gideon ne dinoe ngano mondo kik jo-Midian yude.
One day Yahweh appeared [in the form of] an angel and sat underneath a big oak tree at Ophrah [town]. That tree belonged to Joash, who was from the clan of Abiezer. Joash’s son Gideon was threshing wheat in the pit where they pressed [grapes to make] wine. He was threshing the grain there in order to hide it from the people of Midian.
12 Ka malaika nofwenyore ne Gideon, nowacho niya, “Jehova Nyasaye ni kodi, in jalweny maratego.”
Yahweh [went over] to Gideon and said to him, “You mighty warrior, Yahweh is helping you!”
13 To Gideon nodwoke niya, “Ruodha, ka Jehova Nyasaye nikodwa, to angʼo momiyo magi duto osetimorenwa? Ere honni duto mane kwerewa onyisowa kagiwacho ni, ‘Donge Jehova Nyasaye ema nogolowa e piny Misri?’ To koro Jehova Nyasaye osejwangʼowa mi oketowa e lwet jo-Midian.”
Gideon replied, “Sir, if Yahweh is helping us, why have all these [bad things] happened to us? We heard about [RHQ] all the miracles that Yahweh performed for our ancestors. We heard people tell us about how he rescued them from [being slaves in] Egypt. But now Yahweh has abandoned us, and we are ruled by the people from Midian.”
14 Jehova Nyasaye nodwoke niya, “Gi teko ma in-go, dhiyo kendo ires jo-Israel e lwet jo-Midian. Donge an ema aori?”
Then Yahweh turned toward him and said, “I will give you strength to enable you to rescue the Israelis from the people of Midian. I am sending you [to do that]!”
15 Gideon nopenje niya, “To Ruoth, ere kaka anyalo reso jo-Israel? Anywolana ema nyape mogik ei Manase, kendo an ema atin e odwa.”
Gideon replied, “But Yahweh, how can I rescue the Israelis? My clan is the least significant in the whole tribe descended from Manasseh, and I am the least significant person in my whole family!”
16 Jehova Nyasaye nodwoko niya, “Anabed kodi, kendo ibiro nego jo-Midian duto.”
Yahweh said to him, “I will help you. So you will defeat the army of Midian [as easily] as if you were fighting only one man!”
17 Gideon nodwoko niya, “Ka koro ayudo ngʼwono e nyim wangʼi, to miya ranyisi ni in ema iwuoyo koda.
Gideon replied, “If you are truly pleased with me, do something which will prove that you who are speaking to me are really Yahweh.
18 Kiyie to kik iwuog ka nyaka abi kendo akel misango mara mi achiwe e nyimi.” To Jehova Nyasaye nowacho niya, “Abiro rito nyaka iduogi.”
But do not go away until I go and bring back an offering to you.” Yahweh answered, “Okay, I will stay here until you return.”
19 Gideon nodhi, moyangʼo nyadiel kendo otedo, bangʼe nokawo mogo madirom kilo piero ariyo gariyo mi olosogo makati ma ok oketie thowi koketo ringʼo e adita kod kate e tawo, nokelogi oko kendo ochiwogi ne Jehova Nyasaye e tiend yiend ober.
Gideon hurried to his home. He [killed] a young goat [and] cooked [it]. Then he took (a half a bushel/18 liters) of flour and baked some bread without yeast. Then he put the cooked meat in a basket, and put the broth [from the meat] in a pot, and took it to Yahweh, who was sitting under the tree.
20 Malaika mar Nyasaye nowachone niya, “Kaw ringʼono kod makati ma ok oketie thowi, ketgi e lwandani, kendo iol kado piny.” Kendo Gideon notimo kamano.
Then Yahweh said to him, “Put the meat and the bread on this rock. Then pour the broth on top of it.” So Gideon did that.
21 Malaika mar Jehova Nyasaye nomulo ringʼo kod makati ma ok oketie thowi gi wi luth mane otingʼo e lwete. Mach nowuok e lwanda, mowangʼo ringʼo kod makati pep. Kendo malaika mar Jehova Nyasaye nolal nono e wangʼe.
Then Yahweh touched the meat and bread with the walking stick that was in his hand. A fire flamed up from the rock and burned up everything that Gideon had brought! And then Yahweh disappeared.
22 Kane Gideon ofwenyo ni ne en malaika mar Jehova Nyasaye, nowacho niya, “Yaye, Jehova Nyasaye Manyalo Gik Moko Duto! Aseneno malaika mar Jehova Nyasaye wangʼ gi wangʼ!”
When Gideon realized that it was really Yahweh [who had appeared in the form of an angel and talked with him], he exclaimed, “O, Yahweh, I have seen you face-to-face [when you had the form of] an angel! [So I will surely die]!”
23 To Jehova Nyasaye nowachone niya, “Bed gi kwe! Kik iluor. Ok nitho.”
But Yahweh called to him and said, “Do not be afraid! You will not die [because of seeing me]!”
24 Omiyo Gideon nogero ne Jehova Nyasaye kendo mar misango mi oluongo kanyo ni Jehova Nyasaye en Kwe. Kendono pod ni Ofra kuno e piny jo-Abiezer nyaka chil kawuono.
Then Gideon built an altar to [worship] Yahweh there. He named it ‘Yahweh gives us peace’. That altar is still there in Ophrah [town], in the land that belongs to the descendants of Abiezer.
25 Otienono Jehova Nyasaye nowachone niya, “Kaw rwath mar ariyo koa e kweth wuonu, ma hike abiriyo. Muk kendo wuonu mar misango ne Baal kendo ingʼad siro mar Ashera man bute.
That night Yahweh said to Gideon, “Take the second-best/oldest bull from your father’s herd, the bull that is seven years old. [Kill it]. Then tear down the altar that your father built to [worship] the god Baal. Also cut down the pole for worshipping [the goddess] Astarte that is there beside it.
26 Eka iger kendo mar misango malongʼo ne Jehova Nyasaye ma Nyasachu ewi kama otingʼore maloni mondo ichiw rwath mar ariyo kaka misango miwangʼo pep, kitiyo gi yiend Ashera mane ingʼado.”
Then build a [stone] altar to worship me, your God Yahweh, here on this hill. Take the wood from the pole you cut down and make a fire [to cook the meat of the bull] as a burnt offering to me.”
27 Omiyo Gideon nokawo jotijene apar kendo notimo kaka Jehova Nyasaye nowachone. Notimo tijno gotieno ma ok odiechiengʼ nikech noluoro jo-dalagi kod joodgi.
So Gideon and his servants did what Yahweh commanded. But they did it at night, because he was afraid what the other members of his family and the other men in town would do to him if they found out that he had done that.
28 Gokinyi ka joma ni e dalano nochiewo, negiyudo ka kar wangʼo misango mar Baal omuki, ka yiend Ashera mane ni bute bende ongʼadi kendo ka rwath mar ariyo ochiw ka misango e kendo mar misango mane oger manyien!
Early the next morning, as soon as the men got up, they saw that the altar to Baal had been torn down, and the pole for worshiping Astarte was gone. They saw that there was a new altar there, and on it was what remained from the bull they had sacrificed.
29 Negipenjore kendgi niya, “En ngʼa motimo ma?” Kane ginono matut, nowachnegi niya, “Gideon wuod Joash ema osetimo ma.”
The people asked each other, “Who did this?” After they investigated, someone told them that it was Gideon, the son of Joash, [who had done it].
30 Jo-dalano nowachone Joash niya, “Gol wuodi oko. Nyaka otho nikech oseketho kendo mar misango mar Baal kendo ongʼado yiend Ashera man bute.”
They went to Joash and said to him, “Bring your son out here! (He must be executed/We must kill him), because he destroyed our god Baal’s altar and cut down the pole for our goddess Astarte!”
31 To Joash nodwoko oganda mager mane ni bute niya, “Un ema uwuoyo e lo Baal? Utemo rese? Ngʼato angʼata mokedone enonege gokinyi! Ka Baal en nyasaye, to onyalo resore kende owuon kuom ngʼama muko kendone mar misango.”
But Joash replied, “Are you trying to defend Baal? Are you trying to argue his case? Anyone who tries to defend Baal should be executed by tomorrow morning! If Baal is truly a god, he ought to be able to defend himself, and to get rid of the person who tore down his altar!”
32 Omiyo odiechiengno negichako Gideon ni Jerub-Baal, kagiwacho niya, “We Baal otiek kode,” nikech nomuko kendo mar misango mar Baal.
From that time, people called Gideon Jerub-Baal, which means ‘Baal should defend himself’, because he tore down Baal’s altar.
33 Koro jo-Midian duto gi jo-Amalek kod jogo moa yo wuok chiengʼ noriwore e lweny ma gingʼado aora Jordan kendo gigo kambi e Holo mar Jezreel.
Soon after that, the armies of the people of Midian and of Amalek and the people from the east gathered together. They crossed the Jordan River [to attack the Israelis]. They set up their tents in Jezreel Valley.
34 Eka Roho mar Jehova Nyasaye nobiro kuom Gideon, kendo nogoyo turumbete, kowachoni jo-Abiezer mondo oluw bangʼe.
Then Yahweh’s Spirit took control of Gideon. He blew a ram’s horn to summon the men to prepare to fight. So the men of the clan of Abiezer came to him.
35 Nooro joote odhi Manase duto, koluongogi mondo gitingʼ gige lweny, kendo gidhi ir Asher, Zebulun kod Naftali, mondo gin bende gidhi girom kode.
He also sent messengers throughout the tribes descended from [the four tribes of] Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali [to tell their soldiers to come], and all of them came.
36 Gideon nowachone Nyasaye niya, “Ka inires jo-Israel kokalo kuoma kaka ne isingo,
Then Gideon said to God, “If you are truly going to enable me to rescue the Israeli people as you promised,
37 to abiro keto pien rombo kar dino cham. Kapo ni pien rombono thoo omokoe, to lowo molwore odongʼ kotwo, eka anangʼe ni ibiro reso jo-Israel gi lweta kaka ne iwacho.”
confirm it by doing this: Tonight I will put a dry wool fleece on the ground where I thresh the grain. Tomorrow morning, if the fleece is wet with dew but the ground is dry, then I will know that I am the one you will enable to rescue the people of Israel as you promised.”
38 Kendo mano e gima notimore. Gideon nochiewo gokinyi mangʼich; nobiyo pien-no ma thoo owuok madirom bakul achiel.
And that is what happened. When Gideon got up the next morning, he picked up the fleece, and squeezed out a whole bowlful of water!
39 Eka Gideon nowachone Nyasaye niya, “Kik iyi wangʼ koda. We mondo akwayi kwayo achiel makende. Yiena mana tem achiel kende gi pien. E kindeno, pien mondo obed kotwo, to lowo molwore obed gi thoo.”
Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me, but let me ask you to do one more thing. Tonight I will put the fleece out again. This time, let the fleece remain dry, while the ground is wet with the dew.”
40 Otienono Nyasaye notimo kamano. Pien kende ema ne otwo; to lowo duto molwore ne thoo omoke.
So that night, God did what Gideon asked him to do. The next morning the fleece was dry, but the ground was covered with dew.
