Iudicum 6

1 Fecerunt autem filii Israel malum in conspectu Domini: qui tradidit illos in manu Madian septem annis,

And the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.

2 et oppressi sunt valde ab eis. Feceruntque sibi antra et speluncas in montibus, et munitissima ad repugnandum loca.

And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel; and because of Midian the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds.

3 Cumque sevisset Israel, ascendebat Madian et Amalec, ceterique Orientalium nationum:

And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east; they came up against them;

4 et apud eos figentes tentoria, sicut erant in herbis cuncta vastabant usque ad introitum Gazae: nihilque omnino ad vitam pertinens relinquebant in Israel, non oves, non boves, non asinos.

and they encamped against them, and destroyed the produce of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance in Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.

5 Ipsi enim et universi greges eorum veniebant cum tabernaculis suis, et instar locustarum universa complebant, innumera multitudo hominum, et camelorum, quidquid tetigerant devastantes.

For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came in as locusts for multitude; both they and their camels were without number; and they came into the land to destroy it.

6 Humiliatusque est Israel valde in conspectu Madian.

And Israel was brought very low because of Midian; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD.

7 Et clamavit ad Dominum postulans auxilium contra Madianitas.

And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because of Midian,

8 Qui misit ad eos virum prophetam, et locutus est: Haec dicit Dominus Deus Israel: Ego vos feci conscendere de Aegypto, et eduxi vos de domo servitutis,

that the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel; and he said unto them: 'Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel: I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage;

9 et liberavi de manu Aegyptiorum, et omnium inimicorum, qui affligebant vos: eiecique eos ad introitum vestrum, et tradidi vobis Terram eorum.

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.

10 Et dixi: Ego Dominus Deus vester, ne timeatis deos Amorrhaeorum, in quorum terra habitatis. Et noluistis audire vocem meam.

And I said unto you: I am the LORD your God; ye shall not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell; but ye have not hearkened unto My voice.'

11 Venit autem Angelus Domini, et sedit sub quercu, quae erat in Ephra, et pertinebat ad Ioas patrem familiae Ezri. Cumque Gedeon filius eius excuteret atque purgaret frumenta in torculari, ut fugeret Madian,

And the angel of the LORD came, and sat under the terebinth which was in Ophrah, that belonged unto Joash the Abiezrite; and his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.

12 apparuit ei Angelus Domini, et ait: Dominus tecum virorum fortissime.

And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him: 'The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.'

13 Dixitque ei Gedeon: Obsecro mi Domine, si Dominus nobiscum est, cur apprehenderunt nos haec omnia? ubi sunt mirabilia eius, quae narraverunt patres nostri, atque dixerunt: De Aegypto eduxit nos Dominus? Nunc autem dereliquit nos Dominus et tradidit in manus Madian.

And Gideon said unto him: 'Oh, my lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where are all His wondrous works which our fathers told us of, saying: Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath cast us off, and delivered us into the hand of Midian.'

14 Respexitque ad eum Dominus, et ait: Vade in hac fortitudine tua, et liberabis Israel de manu Madian: scito quod miserim te.

And the LORD turned towards him, and said: 'Go in this thy might, and save Israel from the hand of Midian; have not I sent thee?'

15 Qui respondens ait: Obsecro, mi Domine, in quo liberabo Israel? ecce familia mea infima est in Manasse, et ego minimus in domo patris mei.

And he said unto him: 'Oh, my lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.'

16 Dixitque ei Dominus: Ego ero tecum: et percuties Madian quasi unum virum.

And the LORD said unto him: 'Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.'

17 Et ille, Si inveni, inquit, gratiam coram te, da mihi signum quod tu sis qui loquaris ad me.

And he said unto him: 'If now I have found favour in thy sight, then show me a sign that it is thou that talkest with me.

18 Nec recedas hinc, donec revertar ad te, portans sacrificium, et offerens tibi. Qui respondit: Ego praestolabor adventum tuum.

Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and lay it before thee.' And he said: 'I will tarry until thou come back.'

19 Ingressus est itaque Gedeon, et coxit hoedum, et de farinae modio azymos panes: carnesque ponens in canistro, et ius carnium mittens in ollam, tulit omnia sub quercu, et obtulit ei.

And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of meal; the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the terebinth, and presented it.

20 Cui dixit Angelus Domini: Tolle carnes et azymos panes, et pone supra petram illam, et ius desuper funde. Cumque fecisset ita,

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 extendit Angelus Domini summitatem virgae, quam tenebat in manu, et tetigit carnes et panes azymos: ascenditque ignis de petra, et carnes, azymosque panes consumpsit: Angelus autem Domini evanuit ex oculis eius.

Then the angel of the LORD 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 angel of the LORD departed out of his sight.

22 Vidensque Gedeon quod esset Angelus Domini, ait: Heu mi Domine Deus: quia vidi Angelum Domini facie ad faciem.

And Gideon saw that he was the angel of the LORD; and Gideon said: 'Alas, O Lord GOD! forasmuch as I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face.'

23 Dixitque ei Dominus: Pax tecum: ne timeas, non morieris.

And the LORD said unto him: 'Peace be unto thee; fear not; thou shalt not die.'

24 Aedificavit ergo ibi Gedeon altare Domino, vocavitque illud, Domini pax, usque in praesentem diem. Cumque adhuc esset in Ephra, quae est familiae Ezri,

Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it 'Adonai-shalom'; unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

25 nocte illa dixit Dominus ad eum: Tolle taurum patris tui, et alterum taurum annorum septem, destruesque aram Baal, quae est patris tui: et nemus, quod circa aram est, succide:

And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him: 'Take thy father's bullock, and the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the Asherah that is by it;

26 et aedificabis altare Domino Deo tuo in summitate petrae huius, super quam ante sacrificium posuisti: tollesque taurum secundum, et offeres holocaustum super struem lignorum, quae de nemore succideris.

and build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this stronghold, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt-offering with the wood of the Asherah which thou shalt cut down.'

27 Assumptis ergo Gedeon decem viris de servis suis, fecit sicut praeceperat ei Dominus. Timens autem domum patris sui, et homines illius civitatis, per diem noluit id facere, sed omnia nocte complevit.

Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had spoken unto 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.

28 Cumque surrexissent viri oppidi eius mane, viderunt destructam aram Baal, lucumque succisum, et taurum alterum impositum super altare, quod tunc aedificatum erat.

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.

29 Dixeruntque ad invicem: Quis hoc fecit? Cumque perquirerent auctorem facti, dictum est: Gedeon filius Ioas fecit haec omnia.

And they said one to another: 'Who hath done this thing?' And when they inquired and asked, they said: 'Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing.'

30 Et dixerunt ad Ioas: Produc filium tuum huc, ut moriatur: quia destruxit aram Baal, et succidit nemus.

Then the men of the city said unto Joash: 'Bring out thy son, that he may die; because he hath broken down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the Asherah that was by it.'

31 Quibus ille respondit: Numquid ultores estis Baal, ut pugnetis pro eo? qui adversarius est eius, moriatur antequam lux crastina veniat: si Deus est, vindicet se de eo, qui suffodit aram eius.

And Joash said unto all that stood against him: 'Will ye contend for Baal? or will ye save him? he that will contend for him, shall be put to death before morning; if he be a god, let him contend for himself, because one hath broken down his altar.'

32 Ex illo die vocatus est Gedeon, Ierobaal, eo quod dixisset Ioas: Ulciscatur se de eo Baal, qui suffodit aram eius.

Therefore on that day he was called Jerubbaal, saying: 'Let Baal contend against him, because he hath broken down his altar.'

33 Igitur omnis Madian, et Amalec, et Orientales populi congregati sunt simul. et transeuntes Iordanem, castrametati sunt in valle Iezrael.

Now all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east assembled themselves together; and they passed over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel.

34 Spiritus autem Domini induit Gedeon, qui clangens buccina convocavit domum Abiezer, ut sequeretur se.

But the spirit of the LORD clothed Gideon; and he blew a horn; and Abiezer was gathered together after him.

35 Misitque nuncios in universum Manassen, qui et ipse secutus est eum: et alios nuncios in Aser et Zabulon et Nephthali, qui occurrerunt ei.

And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; and they also were gathered together after him; and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.

36 Dixitque Gedeon ad Dominum: Si salvum facis per manum meam Israel, sicut locutus es,

And Gideon said unto God: 'If Thou wilt save Israel by my hand, as Thou hast spoken,

37 ponam hoc vellus lanae in area: si ros in solo vellere fuerit, et in omni terra siccitas, sciam quod per manum meam, sicut locutus es, liberabis Israel.

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 shall I know that Thou wilt save Israel by my hand, as Thou hast spoken.'

38 Factumque est ita. Et de nocte consurgens expresso vellere, concham rore implevit.

And it was so; for he rose up early on the morrow, and pressed the fleece together, and wrung dew out of the fleece, a bowlful of water.

39 Dixitque rursus ad Dominum: Ne irascatur furor tuus contra me si adhuc semel tentavero, signum quaerens in vellere. Oro ut solum vellus siccum sit, et omnis terra rore madens.

And Gideon said unto 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.'

40 Fecitque Dominus nocte illa ut postulaverat: et fuit siccitas in solo vellere, et ros in omni terra.

And God did so that night; for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.