Iudicum 6

1 fecerunt autem filii Israhel malum in conspectu Domini qui tradidit eos 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 Israhel ascendebat Madian et Amalech et ceteri 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 Israhel 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 et instar lucustarum universa conplebant innumera multitudo hominum et camelorum quicquid 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 Israhel 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 Israhel ego vos feci conscendere de Aegypto et eduxi 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 adfligebant 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 Amorreorum 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 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 Domine si Dominus nobiscum est cur adprehenderunt nos haec omnia ubi sunt mirabilia eius quae narraverunt patres nostri atque dixerunt de Aegypto eduxit nos Dominus nunc autem dereliquit nos et tradidit in manibus 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 Israhel 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 Domine mi in quo liberabo Israhel 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 ne 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 hedum et de farinae modio azymos panes carnesque ponens in canistro et ius carnium mittens in ollam tulit omnia sub quercum 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 panes azymos et pone super 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 azymos panes ascenditque ignis de petra et carnes azymosque 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 mihi 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 cum 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 sacrificium ante posuisti tollesque taurum secundum et offeres holocaustum super lignorum struem 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 adsumptis igitur Gedeon decem viris de servis suis fecit sicut praeceperat Dominus timens autem domum patris sui et homines illius civitatis per diem facere noluit sed omnia nocte conplevit

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 inpositum 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 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 et pugnatis pro eo qui adversarius eius est 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 Hierobbaal eo quod dixisset Ioas ulciscatur se de eo Baal qui suffodit altare 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 Amalech et orientales populi congregati sunt simul et transeuntes Iordanem castrametati sunt in valle Iezrahel

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 bucina convocavit domum Abiezer ut sequeretur

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

35 misitque nuntios in universum Manassen qui et ipse secutus est eum et alios nuntios in Aser et Zabulon et Nepthalim 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 Israhel sicut locutus es

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

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

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 concam rore conplevit

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 temptavero 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.