Waamuzi 6
1 Waisraeli wakafanya tena yaliyo maovu mbele za Bwana, naye kwa miaka saba Bwana akawatia mikononi mwa Wamidiani.
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.
2 Mkono wa Midiani ukawa na nguvu dhidi ya Israeli na kwa ajili ya Wamidiani, Waisraeli wakajitengenezea mahali pa kujificha milimani, kwenye mapango na ngome.
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.
3 Kila wakati Waisraeli walipopanda mazao mashambani, Wamidiani, Waamaleki na mataifa mengine ya mashariki walivamia nchi yao.
Whenever the Israelis planted things in their fields, the people of Midian and Amalek and other groups from the east invaded Israel.
4 Wakapiga kambi katika mashamba yao na kuharibu mazao ya nchi yote hadi kufikia Gaza, wala hawakuacha kiumbe chochote kilicho hai kwa Waisraeli, iwe kondoo au ngʼombe au punda.
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.
5 Walipanda na mifugo yao na mahema yao, mfano wa makundi ya nzige. Ilikuwa haiwezekani kuwahesabu watu na ngamia zao; wakavamia nchi ili kuiharibu.
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.
6 Waisraeli wakafanywa kuwa maskini sana na Wamidiani, hata Israeli wakamlilia Bwana kuomba msaada.
The people of Midian took almost everything the Israelis owned. So finally the Israelis pleaded for Yahweh to help them.
7 Waisraeli walipomlilia Bwana kwa sababu ya Wamidiani,
When the Israelis pleaded with Yahweh to help them because of [what] the people from Midian [were doing to them],
8 Bwana akawapelekea nabii, ambaye aliwaambia, “Hili ndilo Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, asemalo: Niliwapandisha mtoke Misri, toka nchi ya utumwa.
he sent to them a prophet, who said, “Yahweh, the God we Israelis worship, says this: ‘Your ancestors were slaves in Egypt.
9 Nikawanyakua kutoka mikononi mwa Wamisri na kutoka mikononi mwa watesi wenu wote. Nikawafukuza watoke mbele yenu nami nikawapa ninyi nchi yao.
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.
10 Nikawaambia, ‘Mimi ndimi Bwana Mungu wenu; msiiabudu miungu ya Waamori, ambayo mnakaa katika nchi yao!’ Lakini ninyi hamkuitii sauti yangu.”
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.’”
11 Malaika wa Bwana akaja akaketi chini ya mti wa mwaloni huko Ofra, ambao ulikuwa mali ya Yoashi, Mwabiezeri, ambako Gideoni mwanawe alikuwa akipepeta ngano penye shinikizo la kukamulia zabibu, ili kuificha Wamidiani wasiione.
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.
12 Malaika wa Bwana alipomtokea Gideoni, akamwambia, “Bwana yu pamoja nawe, Ewe shujaa mwenye nguvu.”
Yahweh [went over] to Gideon and said to him, “You mighty warrior, Yahweh is helping you!”
13 Gideoni akajibu, “Ee Bwana wangu, kama Bwana yu pamoja nasi, mbona mambo haya yote yametutokea? Yako wapi basi yale matendo yake makuu baba zetu waliyotusimulia juu yake waliposema, ‘Je, Bwana hakutupandisha kutoka Misri?’ Lakini sasa Bwana ametuacha na kututia katika mkono wa Midiani.”
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.”
14 Bwana akamgeukia na kusema “Enenda kwa uwezo wako huu, ukawaokoe Israeli kutoka mikononi mwa Wamidiani. Je, si mimi ninayekutuma wewe?”
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]!”
15 Gideoni akauliza, “Ee Bwana wangu, nitawezaje kuwaokoa Israeli? Ukoo wangu ndio dhaifu kuliko zote katika Manase, nami ndiye mdogo wa wote katika jamaa yangu.”
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!”
16 Bwana akamjibu, “Nitakuwa pamoja nawe, nawe utawapiga Wamidiani kana kwamba walikuwa ni mtu mmoja.”
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!”
17 Gideoni akajibu, “Kama basi nimepata kibali machoni pako, nipe ishara kuonyesha kweli kwamba ni wewe unayesema nami.
Gideon replied, “If you are truly pleased with me, do something which will prove that you who are speaking to me are really Yahweh.
18 Tafadhali ninakuomba usiondoke hapa mpaka nitakaporudi na kukuletea sadaka yangu na kuiweka mbele yako.” Naye Bwana akamwambia, “Nitangoja mpaka utakaporudi.”
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.”
19 Gideoni akaingia ndani ya nyumba yake na kuandaa mwana-mbuzi pamoja na kuoka mikate isiyotiwa chachu kutokana na efa moja ya unga. Akaweka nyama kwenye kikapu na mchuzi kwenye chungu, akamletea huyo malaika hapo nje chini ya mti wa mwaloni na kumpa.
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.
20 Malaika wa Mungu akamwambia, “Itwae nyama na mikate isiyotiwa chachu, uviweke juu ya mwamba huu na umimine huo mchuzi juu yake.” Gideoni akafanya hivyo.
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.
21 Malaika wa Bwana akainyoosha fimbo iliyokuwa mkononi mwake, ncha yake ikagusa ile nyama na ile mikate isiyotiwa chachu, nao moto ukatoka kwenye mwamba ukateketeza ile nyama na ile mikate. Malaika wa Bwana akatoweka kutoka machoni pake.
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.
22 Gideoni alipotambua kuwa ni malaika wa Bwana, akapiga kelele kwa mshangao, akasema, “Ole wangu, Bwana Mwenyezi! Kwa kuwa nimemwona malaika wa Bwana uso kwa uso!”
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]!”
23 Lakini Bwana akamwambia, “Amani iwe kwako! Usiogope. Hutakufa.”
But Yahweh called to him and said, “Do not be afraid! You will not die [because of seeing me]!”
24 Hivyo Gideoni akamjengea Bwana madhabahu mahali pale na kupaita, Yehova-Shalom. Mpaka leo ingalipo imesimama huko Ofra ya Waabiezeri.
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.
25 Usiku ule ule Bwana akamwambia, “Mchukue ngʼombe dume wa baba yako, yaani, yule wa pili mwenye miaka saba, na ubomoe madhabahu ya Baali aliyo nayo baba yako, na ukaikate Ashera iliyo karibu nayo.
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.
26 Kisha mjengee Bwana Mungu wako, madhabahu halisi, kwa taratibu zake, juu ya huu mwamba. Kwa kutumia kuni za hiyo nguzo ya Ashera uliyoikatakata, mtoe sadaka huyo dume wa pili kuwa sadaka ya kuteketezwa.”
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.”
27 Basi Gideoni akawachukua watumishi wake kumi na kufanya kama Bwana alivyomwambia. Lakini kwa kuwa aliwaogopa jamaa yake na watu wa mji, akafanya haya usiku badala ya mchana.
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.
28 Watu wa mji walipoamka asubuhi, tazama madhabahu ya Baali imebomolewa na nguzo ya Ashera iliyokuwa karibu nayo imekatwakatwa na yule ngʼombe wa pili ametolewa sadaka juu ya madhabahu yaliyojengwa upya!
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.
29 Wakaulizana, “Ni nani aliyetenda mambo haya?” Walipochunguza kwa makini, wakaambiwa, “Ni Gideoni mwana wa Yoashi, ndiye alitenda hivi.”
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].
30 Watu wa mji wakamwambia Yoashi, “Mlete mwanao hapa. Ni lazima afe, kwa sababu amebomoa madhabahu ya Baali na kukatakata nguzo ya Ashera iliyokuwa karibu nayo.”
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!”
31 Lakini Yoashi akauambia ule umati uliokuwa umezunguka ukiwa kinyume naye, “Je, ninyi mtamtetea Baali? Mnajaribu kumwokoa? Yeyote mwenye kumpigania atauawa kufikia kesho asubuhi! Kama Baali ni mungu kweli, anaweza kujitetea mwenyewe wakati mtu anapobomoa madhabahu yake.”
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!”
32 Basi siku ile wakamwita Gideoni “Yerub-Baali,” yaani, “Baali na ashindane naye,” kwa sababu alibomoa madhabahu yake.
From that time, people called Gideon Jerub-Baal, which means ‘Baal should defend himself’, because he tore down Baal’s altar.
33 Basi Wamidiani wote, Waamaleki na mataifa mengine ya mashariki wakaunganisha majeshi yao, wakavuka ngʼambo ya Yordani na kupiga kambi katika Bonde la Yezreeli.
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.
34 Ndipo Roho wa Bwana akamjia Gideoni, akapiga tarumbeta, akiwaita Waabiezeri ili wamfuate.
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.
35 Akatuma wajumbe waende katika Manase yote, akiwataka wachukue silaha na pia katika Asheri, Zabuloni na Naftali, nao wakakwea ili kukutana nao.
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.
36 Gideoni akamwambia Mungu, “Kama utawaokoa Waisraeli kwa mkono wangu, kama ulivyoahidi:
Then Gideon said to God, “If you are truly going to enable me to rescue the Israeli people as you promised,
37 tazama, nitaweka ngozi ya kondoo kwenye kiwanja cha kupuria nafaka, na kama utakuwepo umande juu ya ngozi tu, nayo ardhi yote ikiwa kavu, ndipo nitakapojua kuwa utaokoa Israeli kwa mkono wangu, kama ulivyosema.”
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.”
38 Hivyo ndivyo ilivyotokea. Gideoni akaamka asubuhi na mapema kesho yake, akaikamua ile ngozi, umande ukatoka, maji ya kujaa bakuli.
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!
39 Kisha Gideoni akamwambia Bwana, “Usinikasirikie. Ninaomba nifanye ombi moja lingine. Niruhusu nifanye jaribio jingine moja kwa ngozi hii. Wakati huu uifanye ngozi hii kavu na ardhi yote ifunikwe na umande.”
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.”
40 Usiku ule Mungu akafanya hivyo. Ngozi ile ilikuwa kavu, nayo ardhi yote ikafunikwa na umande.
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.
