< Judges 6 >

1 Again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD; so He delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years,
Andũ a Isiraeli o rĩngĩ nĩmekire maũndũ mooru maitho-inĩ ma Jehova, na ihinda rĩa mĩaka mũgwanja Jehova akĩmaneana moko-inĩ ma Amidiani.
2 and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds.
Na tondũ hinya wa andũ a Midiani nĩwamahatĩrĩirie mũno, andũ a Isiraeli nĩmethondekeire kũndũ gwa kwĩhitha mĩanya-inĩ ya irĩma, na ngurunga-inĩ, na ciĩgitĩro-inĩ iria nũmu.
3 Whenever the Israelites would plant their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites, and other people of the east would come up and invade them,
Rĩrĩa rĩothe andũ a Isiraeli maahaandaga irio-rĩ, Amidiani, na Aamaleki, na andũ angĩ a mwena wa irathĩro nĩmatharĩkagĩra bũrũri ũcio.
4 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.
Nao nĩmambĩte hema ciao kũu bũrũri-inĩ, na magĩthũkia irio iria ciarĩ mĩgũnda kũndũ guothe o nginya Gaza, na matiigana gũtigĩria andũ a Isiraeli kĩndũ o na kĩmwe kĩrĩ muoyo, arĩ ngʼondu kana ngʼombe, o na kana ndigiri.
5 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.
Nĩgũkorwo maambataga kuo na mahiũ mao na hema ciao mahaana ta ngigĩ kũingĩha. Andũ na ngamĩĩra ciao matingĩatarĩkire; magĩtharĩkĩra bũrũri ũcio nĩgeetha mawanange biũ.
6 Israel was greatly impoverished by Midian, and the Israelites cried out to the LORD.
Amidiani makĩnyariira andũ a Isiraeli o nginya andũ a Isiraeli magĩkaĩra Jehova amateithie.
7 Now when the Israelites cried out to the LORD because of Midian,
Na rĩrĩ, hĩndĩ ĩrĩa andũ a Isiraeli maarĩrĩire Jehova nĩ ũndũ wa Amidiani-rĩ, Jehova
8 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.
akĩmatũmĩra mũnabii, ũrĩa wameerire atĩrĩ, “Ũũ nĩguo Jehova, Ngai wa Isiraeli, ekuuga: Niĩ ndamũrutire bũrũri wa Misiri, ngĩmũruta bũrũri wa ũkombo.
9 I delivered you out of the hands of Egypt and all your oppressors. I drove them out before you and gave you their land.
Nĩ niĩ ndaamũtharire kuuma guoko-inĩ kwa andũ a Misiri, na kuuma guoko-inĩ kwa arĩa othe maamũhinyagĩrĩria. Ngĩmarutũrũra mbere yanyu na ngĩmũhe bũrũri wao.
10 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.”
Ngĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, ‘Niĩ nĩ niĩ Jehova Ngai wanyu; Mũtikanahooe ngai cia Aamori, arĩa ene bũrũri ũyũ mũtũire.’ No inyuĩ mũtiigana kũnjigua.”
11 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.
Nake mũraika wa Jehova agĩũka agĩikara thĩ gĩtina-inĩ kĩa mũgandi o kũu Ofira, mũgandi wa Joashu ũrĩa Mũabiezeri, harĩa mũriũ Gideoni aahũũragĩra ngano kĩhihĩro-inĩ kĩa ndibei nĩguo amĩhithe ndĩkonwo nĩ Amidiani.
12 And the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon and said, “The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor.”
Nake mũraika ũcio wa Jehova akiumĩrĩra Gideoni, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Jehova arĩ hamwe nawe, njamba ĩno ĩrĩ hinya.”
13 “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.”
Nake Gideoni akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “No rĩrĩ, mwathi wakwa, angĩkorwo Jehova arĩ hamwe na ithuĩ-rĩ, nĩ kĩĩ gĩtũmĩte maũndũ maya mothe matũkore? Makĩrĩ ha morirũ make mothe marĩa maithe maitũ maatwĩraga ũhoro wamo atĩrĩ, ‘Githĩ ti Jehova watwambatirie agĩtũruta bũrũri wa Misiri?’ No rĩu-rĩ, Jehova nĩatũtiganĩirie agatũneana guoko-inĩ kwa Midiani.”
14 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?”
Nake Jehova akĩmũgarũrũkĩra, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Thiĩ na hinya ũcio ũrĩ naguo ũkahonokie Isiraeli, ũmarute guoko-inĩ kwa Midiani. Githĩ ti niĩ ndĩragũtũma?”
15 “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.”
Gideoni akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “No rĩrĩ, Mwathani, ingĩkĩhota atĩa kũhonokia Isiraeli? Mũhĩrĩga witũ nĩguo ũtarĩ hinya thĩinĩ wa Manase, na ningĩ nĩ niĩ mũnini mũno nyũmba-inĩ iitũ.”
16 “Surely I will be with you,” the LORD replied, “and you will strike down all the Midianites as one man.”
Jehova akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Niĩ nĩngũkorwo ndĩ hamwe nawe, na nĩũkũhũũra Amidiani ũmaniine othe me hamwe.”
17 Gideon answered, “If I have found favor in Your sight, give me a sign that it is You speaking with me.
Nake Gideoni akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Ingĩkorwo nĩnjĩtĩkĩrĩkĩte maitho-inĩ maku-rĩ, kĩnyonie kĩmenyithia atĩ ti-itherũ nĩwe ũranjarĩria.
18 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.”
Ndagũthaitha ndũkae kuuma haha nginya njooke na ndeehe iruta rĩakwa na ndĩrĩige mbere yaku.” Nake Jehova akiuga atĩrĩ, “Nĩngweterera nginya ũcooke.”
19 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.
Gideoni agĩtoonya nyũmba, agĩthĩnja koori, ningĩ agĩthondeka mĩgate ĩtarĩ na ndawa ya kũimbia kuuma eba ĩmwe ya mũtu. Agĩĩkĩra nyama icio gĩkabũ-inĩ, naguo thathi wacio akĩwĩkĩra nyũngũ-inĩ, agĩtwarĩra mũraika na akĩmũigĩra hau gĩtina-inĩ kĩa mũgandi.
20 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.
Nake mũraika wa Ngai akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Oya nyama na mĩgate ĩyo ĩtarĩ na ndawa ya kũimbia, ũciigĩrĩre ihiga-inĩ rĩĩrĩ, na ũciitĩrĩrie thathi ũcio.” Nake Gideoni agĩĩka ũguo.
21 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.
Nake mũraika wa Jehova akĩhutia nyama na mĩgate ĩyo ĩtaarĩ na ndawa ya kũimbia na mũthia wa rũthanju rwake. Mwaki ũgĩakana uumĩte ihiga-inĩ, ũgĩcina nyama icio o hamwe na mĩgate ĩyo. Nake mũraika wa Jehova akĩbuĩria na ndaacookire kuonwo.
22 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!”
Rĩrĩa Gideoni aamenyire atĩ oima mũraika wa Jehova-rĩ, akĩanĩrĩra, akiuga atĩrĩ, “Ĩiya wakwa-ĩ! Mwathani Jehova! Nĩnyonete mũraika wa Jehova ũthiũ kwa ũthiũ!”
23 But the LORD said to him, “Peace be with you. Do not be afraid, for you will not die.”
Nowe Jehova akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Gĩa na thayũ! Tiga gwĩtigĩra. Wee-rĩ, ndũgũkua.”
24 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.
Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Gideoni agĩakĩra Jehova kĩgongona hau, agĩgĩĩta Jehova nĩ Thayũ. Nakĩo gĩtũire kũu Ofira kwa Aabiezeri nginya ũmũthĩ.
25 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.
O ũtukũ ũcio Jehova akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Oya ndegwa ya keerĩ kuuma rũũru-inĩ rwa thoguo ya mĩaka mũgwanja. Ũcooke ũgũithie kĩgongona gĩa thoguo kĩa Baali, na ũtemange gĩtugĩ kĩa Ashera kĩrĩa kĩrĩ mwena-inĩ wakĩo.
26 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.”
Ũcooke wakĩre Jehova Ngai waku kĩgongona kĩrĩa kĩagĩrĩire hau igũrũ rĩa harĩa hambatĩru. Hũthĩra ngũ cia gĩtugĩ kĩa Ashera kĩrĩa ũtemangire, ũndutĩre ndegwa ĩyo ya keerĩ ĩtuĩke igongona rĩa njino.”
27 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.
Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Gideoni akĩoya ndungata ciake ikũmi, agĩĩka o ta ũrĩa Jehova aamwĩrĩte. No rĩrĩ, tondũ nĩetigagĩra andũ a nyũmba yao na andũ a itũũra rĩu-rĩ, eekire maũndũ macio ũtukũ handũ ha mũthenya.
28 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.
Rũciinĩ kwarooka gũkĩa rĩrĩa andũ a itũũra mookĩrire-rĩ, kĩgongona kĩa Baali kĩarĩ kĩmomore, hamwe na gĩtugĩ kĩa Ashera gĩtemangĩirwo hau mwena-inĩ wakĩo, nayo ndegwa ĩyo ya keerĩ ĩrutĩirwo kĩgongona-inĩ kĩu kĩerũ gĩakĩtwo!
29 “Who did this?” they said to one another. And after they had investigated thoroughly, they were told, “Gideon son of Joash did it.”
Makĩũrania atĩrĩ, “Nũũ wĩkĩte ũũ?” Rĩrĩa maatuĩririe wega, makĩĩrwo atĩrĩ, “Nĩ Gideoni mũrũ wa Joashu wĩkĩte ũguo.”
30 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.”
Andũ acio a itũũra makĩĩra Joashu atĩrĩ, “Umia mũrũguo na nja. No nginya akue, nĩ ũndũ nĩoinangĩte kĩgongona kĩa Baali na agatemenga gĩtugĩ kĩa Ashera kĩrĩa kĩrĩ mwena-inĩ wakĩo.”
31 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.”
Nowe Joashu agĩcookeria kĩrĩndĩ kĩu kĩamũrigiicĩirie kĩ na ũũru atĩrĩ, “Anga nĩmũkwenda kũrũĩrĩra Baali? Mũrageria kũmũhonokia? Mũndũ ũrĩa ũkũmũrũĩrĩra, ũcio ekũũragwo gũtanakĩa! Angĩkorwo Baali nĩ ngai-rĩ, no ahote kwĩrũĩrĩra rĩrĩa mũndũ angiunanga kĩgongona gĩake.”
32 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.
Nĩ ũndũ ũcio mũthenya ũcio magĩtua Gideoni “Jerubu-Baali,” makiuga atĩrĩ, “Baali nĩarekwo arũe nake we mwene,” nĩ ũndũ nĩoinangĩte kĩgongona kĩa Baali.
33 Then all the Midianites, Amalekites, and other people of the east gathered together, crossed over the Jordan, and camped in the Valley of Jezreel.
Na rĩrĩ, Amidiani othe, na Amaleki, na andũ angĩ a mwena wa irathĩro magĩcookanĩrĩria mbũtũ ciao cia ita, makĩringa mũrĩmo wa Jorodani, na makĩamba hema ciao Kĩanda-inĩ kĩa Jezireeli.
34 So the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, who blew the ram’s horn and rallied the Abiezrites behind him.
Hĩndĩ ĩyo Roho wa Jehova agĩũka igũrũ rĩa Gideoni, nake akĩhuha karumbeta, agĩĩta Aabiezeri mamũrũmĩrĩre.
35 Calling them to arms, Gideon sent messengers throughout Manasseh, as well as Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, so that they came up to meet him.
Agĩtũma andũ bũrũri wothe wa Manase, akĩmeera meeohe indo cia mbaara, o na agĩtũmana mabũrũri ma Asheri, na Zebuluni, na Nafitali, o nao makĩambata makamatũnge.
36 Then Gideon said to God, “If You are going to save Israel by my hand, as You have said,
Nake Gideoni akĩĩra Ngai atĩrĩ, “Ũngĩkorwo nĩũkũhonokia Isiraeli na guoko gwakwa o ta ũrĩa weranĩire-rĩ,
37 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.”
atĩrĩ, nĩngũiga rũũa rwa ngʼondu kĩhuhĩro-inĩ kĩa ngano. Ime rĩngĩkorwo rũũa-inĩ rwiki na kũu kũngĩ thĩ gũkorwo kũrĩ kũmũ-rĩ, hĩndĩ ĩyo nĩngamenya atĩ nĩũkũhonokia Isiraeli na ũndũ wa guoko gwakwa, o ta ũrĩa uugĩte.”
38 And that is what happened. When Gideon arose the next morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water.
Na ũguo noguo gwatuĩkire. Gideoni akĩroka gũũkĩra rũciinĩ tene mũthenya ũyũ ũngĩ; akĩhiha rũũa rũu ime rũkiuma maaĩ mbakũri ĩmwe.
39 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.”
Ningĩ Gideoni akĩĩra Ngai atĩrĩ, “Ndũkae kũrakario nĩ niĩ. Ngirĩrĩria ngũhooe ũndũ ũngĩ ũmwe. Njĩtĩkĩria o igeria rĩngĩ rĩmwe na rũũa rũrũ. Ihinda rĩrĩ reke rũũa rũrũ rũkorwo rũrĩ rũmũ, nakuo thĩ gũkorwo kũhumbĩirwo nĩ ime.”
40 And that night God did so. Only the fleece was dry, and dew covered the ground.
Ũtukũ ũcio Ngai agĩĩka o ro ũguo. No rũũa rwiki rwarĩ rũmũ; nakuo thĩ guothe kwarĩ kũhumbĩre nĩ ime.

< Judges 6 >