Judges 6
1 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.
Israel ca rhoek loh BOEIPA mikhmuh ah thae a saii. Te dongah BOEIPA loh amih te kum rhih khuiah Midian kut ah a paek.
2 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.
Te dongah Midian mikhmuh ah, Midian kut te Israel soah tanglue. Israel ca rhoek loh amamih ham buep te tlang, lungko neh, rhalmahim ah a tuk uh.
3 Whenever the Israelis planted things in their fields, the people of Midian and Amalek and other groups from the east invaded Israel.
Israel kah a lotawn khaw Midian, Amalek neh khothoeng ca loh ham paan tih a luei thil uh.
4 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.
Amih te a rhaeh thil uh tih khohmuen cangpai te a phae uh. Gaza duela na ka cet te Israel neh tu, vaito, laak ham kangna khaw hinglu hlawtnah paih uh pawh.
5 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.
Amih loh a dap te boiva neh a paan uh. A paan uh vaengah hlangping neh kaisih bangla muep ha pawk uh. Te vaengah amih neh a kalauk rhoek tah tae lek na moenih. Te dongah khohmuen phae ham ni a muk uh.
6 The people of Midian took almost everything the Israelis owned. So finally the Israelis pleaded for Yahweh to help them.
Midian mikhmuh ah Israel he bahoeng a tlayae coeng dongah Israel ca rhoek loh BOEIPA a pang thiluh.
7 When the Israelis pleaded with Yahweh to help them because of [what] the people from Midian [were doing to them],
Midian kawng dongah BOEIPA te Israel ca rhoek loh a pang thil uh khaw ana om coeng.
8 he sent to them a prophet, who said, “Yahweh, the God we Israelis worship, says this: ‘Your ancestors were slaves in Egypt.
Te vaengah Israel ca rhoek ham tonghma pakhat te BOEIPA loh a tueih tih, “Amih te, 'Israel Pathen BOEIPA loh, 'Nangmih he kai loh Egypt lamkah kan doek tih sal imkhui lamloh nangmih he kam poh.
9 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.
Egypt kut lamkah khaw, nangmih aka nen kut cungkuem lamkah khaw, nangmih kan lat coeng. Nangmih mikhmuh lamloh amih te ka haek tih amih khohmuen te nangmih kam paek.
10 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.’”
Te vaengah nangmih taengah, 'Kai tah BOEIPA na Pathen ni, a khohmuen ah na om uh thil Amori pathen te rhih uh boeh,’ ka ti lalah ka ol na hnatun uh pawh,’ a ti,” a ti nah.
11 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.
BOEIPA kah puencawn te koep ha pawk tih Ophrah kah rhokael hmuiah ngol. Te vaengah Midian mikhmuh lamkah rhaelrham ham Abiezer Joash neh a capa Gideon loh misur rhom ah cang a boh.
12 Yahweh [went over] to Gideon and said to him, “You mighty warrior, Yahweh is helping you!”
Anih taengah khaw BOEIPA puencawn a phoe pah tih, “Tatthai hlangrhalh nang taengah BOEIPA om,” a ti nah.
13 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.”
Tedae anih te Gideon loh, “Ka boeipa, kaimih taengah BOEIPA om ta. Tedae balae tih kaimih taengah a cungkuem he a thoeng? A khobaerhambae cungkuem te melae? Te te kaimih taengah a pa a thui vaengah tah Kaimih he BOEIPA loh Egypt lamkah n'doek moenih a?” a ti. Tedae BOEIPA loh kaimih he n'phap tih Midian kut ah kaimih n'tloeng coeng he,” a ti nah.
14 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]!”
Te vaengah BOEIPA te anih taengla la hooi uh tih, “Na thadueng neh cet lamtah Midian kut lamkah Israel he khang laeh. Nang kan tueih rhoe moenih a?” a ti nah.
15 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!”
Te dongah amah te, “Ka Boeipa aw, Israel he ba nen lae ka khang eh? Manasseh khuiah tattloel la kai he thawngkhat ka lo tih a pa imko khuiah kai ni canoi coeng,” a ti nah.
16 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!”
Tedae anih te BOEIPA loh, “Nang taengah ka om vetih Midian te hlang pakhat banglam ni na tloek ngawn eh?,” a ti nah.
17 Gideon replied, “If you are truly pleased with me, do something which will prove that you who are speaking to me are really Yahweh.
Te vaengah Gideon loh, “Na mikhmuh ah mikdaithen ni ka dang atah kai taengah na thui te miknoek la kai taengah han saii laeh.
18 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.”
Nang taengla ka pawk tih ka khosaa kang khuen te na mikhmuh ah ka tloeng duela he lamloh ana nong boel dae,” a ti nah. Te dongah, “Kai khaw nang bal duela kana om bitni,” a ti nah.
19 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.
Gideon te cet tih maae ca neh vaidam te vaidamding la cangnoek pakhat a hmoel. Maeh te vaihang dongah a doh phoeiah maehhang te am khuiah a thun. Te phoeiah rhokael hmui kah puencawn taengla a khuen tih a tawn pah.
20 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.
Pathen kah puencawn loh Gideon taengah, “Maeh neh vaidamding te lo lamtah thaelpang soah tloeng lah. Te phoeiah maehhang bueih thil,” a ti nah vanbangla a saii pah.
21 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.
Te phoeiah BOEIPA puencawn loh a kut dongkah cunghol hmuidong te a thueng tih maeh neh vaidamding te a nawn te a nawn hatah lungpang lamloh hmai thoo tih maeh neh vaidamding te a hlawp. Te phoeiah BOEIPA puencawn khaw a mikhmuh lamloh vik cet.
22 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]!”
Te daengah anih te BOEIPA kah puencawn la Gideon loh a hmuh. Te phoeiah Gideon loh, “Aw, ka Boeipa Yahovah, BOEIPA puencawn te maelhmai neh ka hmuh,” a ti.
23 But Yahweh called to him and said, “Do not be afraid! You will not die [because of seeing me]!”
Tedae anih te BOEIPA loh, “Na sading saeh, rhih boeh, na duek mahpawh,” a ti nah.
24 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.
Te dongah Gideon loh BOEIPA ham hmueihtuk pahoi a suem pah. Hmueithuk te khaw ngaimongnah BOEIPA a sui tih tihnin duela Abiezer Ophrah ah om pueng.
25 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.
Tekah khoyin ah Gideon te BOEIPA loh, “Na pa kah vaito a tal pakhat neh vaitotal kum rhih koep khuen lamtah na pa kah Baal hmueihtuk koengloeng laeh, a taengkah Asherah te khaw top pah.
26 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.”
Hekah lunghim som ah he BOEIPA na Pathen ham hmueihtuk suem laeh. Vaito a pabae te maehlaep la khuen lamtah na top sut Asherah thing neh hmueihhlutnah la nawn laeh,” a ti nah.
27 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.
Te dongah Gideon loh a sal hlang parha te a khuen tih BOEIPA loh a taengah a thui pah vanbangla a saii. Tedae khothaih ah a saii ham te a napa cako neh khopuei kah hlang rhoek te a rhih dongah khoyin ah a saii.
28 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.
Mincang ah khopuei kah hlang rhoek loh a thoh uh vaengah Baal kah hmueihtuk te ana tim tih a taengkah Asherah khaw ana top pa uh, vaito pabae te khaw hmueihtuk a suem tangtae dongah tarha ana nawn pauh.
29 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].
Te dongah hlang loh a hui taengah, “Hekah hno aka saii he ulae?” a ti uh tih a cae uh. Tedae a tlap uh vaengah tah, “Hekah hno he Joash capa Gideon long ni a saii,” a ti uh.
30 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!”
Te dongah khopuei hlang rhoek loh Joash taengah, “Na capa te hang khuen, Baal kah hmueihtuk a palet tih a taengkah Asherah a top dongah duek kangna saeh,” a ti uh.
31 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!”
Tedae a taengkah aka pai rhoek boeih taengah Joash loh, “Nangmih loh Baal ham na kamkaih uh a ya? Anih te nangmih loh na khang uh tang a ya? Anih aka oelh tah mincang a pha neh ki duek bitni. Baal he pathen la a om van oeh atah a hmueihtuk a palet pah vaengah amah loh a huul kanoek mako,” a ti nah.
32 From that time, people called Gideon Jerub-Baal, which means ‘Baal should defend himself’, because he tore down Baal’s altar.
Te dongah tekah khohnin lamkah longtah tah, “A hmueihtuk ka palet pah tih Baal amah te khaw ka ho coeng,” a ti nah ngaih la Gideon te Jerubbaal la tloep a khue.
33 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.
Te vaengah Midian boeih neh Amalek khaw khothoeng ca rhoek loh tun kibaeng uh tih a kat phoeiah Jezreel kol ah rhaeh uh.
34 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.
Tedae BOEIPA Mueihla loh Gideon te a thing dongah tuki te a ueng tih a hnukkah Abiezer te a hueh.
35 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.
Manasseh ram tom ah puencawn te a tueih tih amah hnuk ah a khue. Te phoeiah puencawn te Asher, Zebulun neh Naphtali la a tueih tih amih doe hamla cet uh.
36 Then Gideon said to God, “If you are truly going to enable me to rescue the Israeli people as you promised,
Te phoeiah Gideon loh Pathen te, “Na thui tangtae bangla Israel te ka kut neh aka khang la na om atah,
37 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.”
Tumul hluem khat te cangtil hmuen ah ka khueh he. Teka tumul hluem khat dong bueng ah buemtui om tih diklai boeih te phueihuet la a om atah na thui bangla Isreal te ka kut neh na khang ni tila ka ming eh?,” a ti nah.
38 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!
Te dongah om tangloeng tih a vuen kah a thoh vaengah tah tumul hluem te a sui. Te vaengah tumul hluem dongkah buem tui te baeldung a bae la a sui.
39 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.”
Tedae Gideon loh Pathen taengah, “Na thintoek loh kai taengah sai boel mai saeh lamtah, vai mah ka thui mai vai bueng mah ka noem dae eh, tumul hluem a phueihuet he tumul hluem amah thim la om vetih diklai pum he buemtui a om atah,” a ti nah bal.
40 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.
Pathen long khaw a rhoi pah dongah tekah khoyin ah tah tumul hluem bueng te phueihuet la om tih diklai pum te buemtui boeih bo.
