< Judges 6 >
1 The Israelites did what was evil in the Lord's sight. So the Lord handed them over to the Midianites 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 The Midianite oppression was so great that because of them the Israelites made themselves hiding places in mountains, caves, and fortifications.
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 planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites, and other peoples from the east would come and attack them.
Rĩrĩa rĩothe andũ a Isiraeli maahaandaga irio-rĩ, Amidiani, na Aamaleki, na andũ angĩ a mwena wa irathĩro nĩmatharĩkagĩra bũrũri ũcio.
4 They would set up their camps and destroy the country's crops as far away as Gaza. They didn't leave anything to eat in the whole of Israel, and they took for themselves all the sheep, cattle, and 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 They arrived in huge numbers with their livestock and tents like swarms of locusts, with so many camels they couldn't be counted. They invaded the land to completely devastate 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 The Israelites were made desperately poor by the Midianites and they called out to the Lord for help.
Amidiani makĩnyariira andũ a Isiraeli o nginya andũ a Isiraeli magĩkaĩra Jehova amateithie.
7 When the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help because of the Midianites,
Na rĩrĩ, hĩndĩ ĩrĩa andũ a Isiraeli maarĩrĩire Jehova nĩ ũndũ wa Amidiani-rĩ, Jehova
8 the Lord sent the Israelites a prophet. He told them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I brought you out of Egypt; I led you out from the place where you were slaves.
akĩmatũmĩra mũnabii, ũrĩa wameerire atĩrĩ, “Ũũ nĩguo Jehova, Ngai wa Isiraeli, ekuuga: Niĩ ndamũrutire bũrũri wa Misiri, ngĩmũruta bũrũri wa ũkombo.
9 I saved you from the power of the Egyptians and from everyone who oppressed you. I expelled them before you and gave their land to you.
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 I warned you: I am the Lord your God. You must not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you're now living.’ But you didn't listen to me.”
Ngĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, ‘Niĩ nĩ niĩ Jehova Ngai wanyu; Mũtikanahooe ngai cia Aamori, arĩa ene bũrũri ũyũ mũtũire.’ No inyuĩ mũtiigana kũnjigua.”
11 The angel of the Lord came and sat under the oak tree in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite. His son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress there 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 The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “The Lord is with you, great man of courage!”
Nake mũraika ũcio wa Jehova akiumĩrĩra Gideoni, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Jehova arĩ hamwe nawe, njamba ĩno ĩrĩ hinya.”
13 “Excuse me, my lord, but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us?” Gideon replied. “Where are all his wonderful miracles that our forefathers reminded us about when they said, ‘Wasn't it the Lord who led us out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has given up on us and has handed us over to the Midianites.”
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 that you have and save Israel from the Midianites. Aren't I the one 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 “Excuse me, my lord, but how can I save Israel?” Gideon replied. “My family is the least important of the tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least important person of that family!”
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 “I will be with you,” the Lord told him. “You will defeat the Midianites as if they were just one man.”
Jehova akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Niĩ nĩngũkorwo ndĩ hamwe nawe, na nĩũkũhũũra Amidiani ũmaniine othe me hamwe.”
17 “Please, Lord, if you think well of me, give me a sign that it's really you telling me this,” Gideon asked.
Nake Gideoni akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Ingĩkorwo nĩnjĩtĩkĩrĩkĩte maitho-inĩ maku-rĩ, kĩnyonie kĩmenyithia atĩ ti-itherũ nĩwe ũranjarĩria.
18 “Don't leave until I come back and present my offering to you.” “I will remain here until you return,” he replied.
Ndagũthaitha ndũkae kuuma haha nginya njooke na ndeehe iruta rĩakwa na ndĩrĩige mbere yaku.” Nake Jehova akiuga atĩrĩ, “Nĩngweterera nginya ũcooke.”
19 Gideon went and cooked a young goat, and baked some unleavened bread from an ephah of flour. He put the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot. He carried them out and presented them to the angel under the oak tree.
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 The angel of God told him, “Place the meat and the unleavened bread on this rock and pour the broth over them.” So Gideon did.
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 The angel of the Lord held out the staff he was holding and touched the meat and unleavened bread with the tip. Fire flamed from the rock and burned up the meat and unleavened bread. Then the angel vanished.
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 cried out, “Oh no, Lord God! I've 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 told him, “Peace! Don't worry, you're not going to 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.” It's still there today, 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 That night the Lord told Gideon, “Take your father's bull and a second bull seven years old, and tear down your father's altar of 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 an altar to the Lord your God in the proper way on hilltop. Using the wood of the Asherah pole you cut down as firewood, take the second bull and present 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 Gideon accompanied by ten of his servants did what the Lord had told him. However, because he was afraid of his family and the people of the town, he did it during the night rather than in the day.
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 Early in the morning when the people of the town got up, they saw that the altar of Baal had been torn down and the Asherah pole beside it had been cut down, with the second bull sacrificed on the altar that had just been built.
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 They asked one another, “Who did this?” They made inquiries and 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 “Hand over your son,” the people of the town ordered Joash. “He must die, because he has torn down the altar of Baal 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 Joash replied to all those confronting him, “Are you arguing on Baal's behalf? Do you have to save him? Anyone who argues for him will be put to death by morning! If he is a god let him fight for himself against those who tore 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 That day Gideon was called Jerub-baal, which means “Let Baal fight with him,” because he had torn down his 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 All the Midianites, Amalekites, and other peoples of the East gathered together and crossed over the Jordan. They 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 The Spirit of the Lord came on Gideon, and he blew the trumpet, calling Abiezrites to join him.
Hĩndĩ ĩyo Roho wa Jehova agĩũka igũrũ rĩa Gideoni, nake akĩhuha karumbeta, agĩĩta Aabiezeri mamũrũmĩrĩre.
35 He sent messengers through the whole territory of Manasseh, calling them to join him, and also to Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali, so they also came and joined the others.
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 Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel through me as you promised,
Nake Gideoni akĩĩra Ngai atĩrĩ, “Ũngĩkorwo nĩũkũhonokia Isiraeli na guoko gwakwa o ta ũrĩa weranĩire-rĩ,
37 then look—I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If the fleece is wet with dew but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to save Israel through me as you promised.”
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 That's what happened. When Gideon got up early the next morning, he pressed on the fleece and squeezed out the dew, enough water to fill a bowl.
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, “Please don't get cross with me. Just let me make one more request. Let me do one more test with the fleece. This time let the fleece be dry and the whole 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 That night God did exactly that. The fleece alone was dry and the whole ground was covered with dew.
Ũtukũ ũcio Ngai agĩĩka o ro ũguo. No rũũa rwiki rwarĩ rũmũ; nakuo thĩ guothe kwarĩ kũhumbĩre nĩ ime.