< Judges 6 >

1 And the sons of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and Jehovah delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.
And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of Yhwh: And Yhwh delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.
2 And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. And because of Midian the sons of Israel made for themselves the dens which are in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds.
And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds.
3 And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the sons of the east, they came up against them.
And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them;
4 And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come to Gaza, and left no sustenance in Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor donkey.
And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor donkey.
5 For they came up with their cattle and their tents. They came in as locusts for multitude. Both they and their camels were without number, and they came into the land to destroy it.
For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it.
6 And Israel was brought very low because of Midian, and the sons of Israel cried to Jehovah.
And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto Yhwh.
7 And it came to pass, when the sons of Israel cried to Jehovah because of Midian,
And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto Yhwh because of the Midianites,
8 that Jehovah sent a prophet to the sons of Israel. And he said to them, Thus says Jehovah, the God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage.
That Yhwh sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith Yhwh God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage;
9 And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drove them out from before you, and gave you their land.
And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land;
10 And I said to you, I am Jehovah your God. Ye shall not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell, but ye have not hearkened to my voice.
And I said unto you, I am Yhwh your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice.
11 And the agent of Jehovah came, and sat under the oak which was in Ophrah that pertained to Joash the Abiezrite. And his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.
And there came an angel of Yhwh, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abi–ezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.
12 And the agent of Jehovah appeared to him, and said to him, Jehovah is with thee, thou mighty man of valor.
And the angel of Yhwh appeared unto him, and said unto him, Yhwh is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
13 And Gideon said to him, Oh, my lord, if Jehovah is with us, then why has all this befallen us? And where are all his wondrous works which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not Jehovah bring us up from Egypt? But now Jehovah has cast us off, and delivered us into the hand of Midian.
And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if Yhwh be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not Yhwh bring us up from Egypt? but now Yhwh hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.
14 And Jehovah looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and save Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent thee?
And Yhwh looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?
15 And he said to him, Oh, Lord, with what shall I save Israel? Behold, my family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.
And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.
16 And Jehovah said to him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shall smite the Midianites as one man.
And Yhwh said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.
17 And he said to him, If now I have found favor in thy sight, then show me a sign that it is thou who talk with me.
And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me.
18 Depart not from here, I pray thee, until I come to thee, and bring forth my present, and lay it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again.
Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again.
19 And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of meal. He put the flesh in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out to him under the oak, and presented it.
And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it.
20 And the agent of God said to him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.
And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.
21 Then the agent of Jehovah put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes. And there went up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. And the agent of Jehovah departed out of his sight.
Then the angel of Yhwh put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of Yhwh departed out of his sight.
22 And Gideon saw that he was the agent of Jehovah. And Gideon said, Alas, O lord Jehovah! Inasmuch as I have seen the agent of Jehovah face to face.
And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of Yhwh, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord Yhwh! for because I have seen an angel of Yhwh face to face.
23 And Jehovah said to him, Peace be to thee. Fear not; thou shall not die.
And Yhwh said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.
24 Then Gideon built an altar there to Jehovah, and called it Jehovah-shalom. To this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
Then Gideon built an altar there unto Yhwh, and called it Jehovah–shalom, Yhwh Is Peace: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abi–ezrites.
25 And it came to pass the same night, that Jehovah said to him, Take thy father's bullock, even the second bullock seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father has, and cut down the Asherah that is by it.
And it came to pass the same night, that Yhwh said unto him, Take thy father’s young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it:
26 And build an altar to Jehovah thy God upon the top of this stronghold, in the orderly manner, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which thou shall cut down.
And build an altar unto Yhwh thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down.
27 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as Jehovah had spoken to him. And it came to pass, because he feared his father's household and the men of the city, so that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.
Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as Yhwh had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father’s household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.
28 And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the Asherah was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built.
And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built.
29 And they said one to another, Who has done this thing? And when they inquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing.
And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they enquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing.
30 Then the men of the city said to Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die, because he has broken down the altar of Baal, and because he has cut down the Asherah that was by it.
Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it.
31 And Joash said to all who stood against him, Will ye contend for Baal? Or will ye save him? He who will contend for him, let him be put to death while it is morning. If he be a god, let him contend for himself because he has broken down his altar.
And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar.
32 Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal contend against him because he has broken down his altar.
Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.
33 Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the sons of the east assembled themselves together. And they passed over, and encamped in the valley of Jezreel.
Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel.
34 But the Spirit of Jehovah came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, and Abiezer was gathered together after him.
But the Spirit of Yhwh came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abi–ezer was gathered after him.
35 And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, and they also were gathered together after him. And he sent messengers to Asher, and to Zebulun, and to Naphtali, and they came up to meet them.
And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; who also was gathered after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.
36 And Gideon said to God, If thou will save Israel by my hand, as thou have spoken,
And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said,
37 behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing-floor. If there be dew on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the ground, then I shall know that thou will save Israel by my hand as thou have spoken.
Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.
38 And it was so, for he rose up early on the morrow, and pressed the fleece together, and wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowlful of water.
And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.
39 And Gideon said to God, Let not thine anger be kindled against me, and I will speak but this once. Let me make trial, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece. Let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.
And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.
40 And God did so that night, for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.
And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

< Judges 6 >