Waamuzi 6

1 Wana wa Israeli wakafanya yaliyo mabaya machoni pa Bwana; naye akawatia mikononi mwa Midiani kwa miaka saba.

Again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD; so He delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years,

2 Uwezo wa Midiani uliwanyanyasa Israeli. Kwa sababu ya Midiani, watu wa Israeli walitengeneza makao wenyewe kutoka kwenye mabwawa katika milima, mapango, na ngome.

and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds.

3 Kisha ikawa kwamba wakati wowote Waisraeli walipopanda mazao yao, Wamidiani na Waamaleki na watu kutoka mashariki waliwavamia Waisraeli.

Whenever the Israelites would plant their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites, and other people of the east would come up and invade them,

4 Waliweza kutengenezajeshi lao juu ya ardhi na kuharibu mazao, mpaka njia ya Gaza. Hawakuacha chakula huko Israeli, wala kondoo wala ng'ombe wala punda.

encamping against them as far as Gaza and destroying the produce of the land. They left Israel with no sustenance, neither sheep nor oxen nor donkeys.

5 Kila wakati wao na mifugo yao na mahema walipokuja, walikuja kama kundi la nzige, na haikuwezekana kuhesabu watu au ngamia zao. Walivamia ardhi ili kuiharibu.

For the Midianites came with their livestock and their tents like a great swarm of locusts. They and their camels were innumerable, and they entered the land to ravage it.

6 Midiani iliwadhoofisha Waisraeli sana mpaka watu wa Israeli wakamwita Bwana.

Israel was greatly impoverished by Midian, and the Israelites cried out to the LORD.

7 Watu wa Israeli walipomwomba Bwana kwa sababu ya Midiani,

Now when the Israelites cried out to the LORD because of Midian,

8 Bwana alimtuma nabii kwa wana wa Israeli. Nabii akawaambia, Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, asema hivi, Nimekuleta kutoka Misri; Nilikutoa nje ya nyumba ya utumwa.

He sent them a prophet, who told them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

9 Naliwaokoa kutoka kwenye mikono ya Wamisri, na kutoka kwenye mkono wa wote waliokuwa wakikunyanyasa. Niliwafukuza mbele yenu, na nimewapa nchi yao.

I delivered you out of the hands of Egypt and all your oppressors. I drove them out before you and gave you their land.

10 Niliwaambia, “Mimi ndimi Bwana, Mungu wenu; Nimewaamuru msiabudu miungu ya Waamori, ambao mnaishi katika nchi yao. Lakini hamkuitii sauti yangu.”

And I said to you: ‘I am the LORD your God. You must not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.’ But you did not obey Me.”

11 Basi malaika wa Bwana akaja na kukaa chini ya mwaloni huko Ofra, uliokuwa wa Yoashi (Mwabiyezeri), wakati Gidioni, mwana wa Yoashi, akitenganisha ngano katika sakafu, katika kikapu cha divai-kuificha toka kwa Wamidiani.

Then the angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to hide it from the Midianites.

12 Malaika wa Bwana akamtokea, akamwambia, Bwana yu pamoja nanyi, mpiganaji mwenye nguvu!

And the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon and said, “The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor.”

13 Gideoni akamwambia, Oo, bwana wangu, ikiwa Bwana yu pamoja nasi, kwa nini basi yote haya yanatupata? Je, yako wapi matendo yake yote mazuri ambayo baba zetu walituambia, waliposema, 'Je! si Bwana aliyetukomboa kutoka Misri?' Lakini sasa Bwana ametuacha na kututia mikononi mwa Midiani. '

“Please, my Lord,” Gideon replied, “if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all His wonders of which our fathers told us, saying, ‘Has not the LORD brought us up out of Egypt?’ But now the LORD has forsaken us and delivered us into the hand of Midian.”

14 Bwana akamtazama na kusema, “Nenda katika nguvu uliyo nayo tayari. Uiokoe Israeli kutoka mkononi wa Midiani. Je, sikukutuma?”

The LORD turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel from the hand of Midian. Am I not sending you?”

15 Gideoni akamwambia, “Tafadhali, Bwana, nawezeje kuwaokoa Israeli? Angalia, familia yangu ni dhaifu zaidi katika Manase, na mimi si muhimu katika nyumba ya baba yangu.”

“Please, my Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I save Israel? Indeed, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house.”

16 Bwana akamwambia, “Nitakuwa pamoja nawe, nawe utalishinda jeshi lote la Midiani kama mtu mmoja.”

“Surely I will be with you,” the LORD replied, “and you will strike down all the Midianites as one man.”

17 Gideoni akamwambia, “Ikiwa unapendezwa na mimi, nipe basi ishara kwamba wewe ndio unenena nami.

Gideon answered, “If I have found favor in Your sight, give me a sign that it is You speaking with me.

18 Tafadhali, usiondoke hapa, mpaka nitakapokuja kwako na kuleta zawadi yangu na kuiweka mbele yako.” Bwana akasema, “Nitasubiri mpaka utakaporudi.”

Please do not depart from this place until I return to You. Let me bring my offering and set it before You.” And the LORD said, “I will stay until you return.”

19 Gideoni akaenda, akaandaa mwana mbuzi, na efa moja ya unga akafanya mikate isiyotiwa chachu. Akaiweka nyama hiyo katika kikapu, na akaweka mchuzi ndani ya sufuria na kuviletea chini ya mti wa mwaloni, akavitowa.

So Gideon went in and prepared a young goat and unleavened bread and an ephah of flour. He placed the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot and brought them out to present to Him under the oak.

20 Malaika wa Mungu akamwambia, “Chukua nyama na mikate isiyotiwa chachu, ukaweke juu ya mwamba huu, ukamwage mchuzi juu yake.” Gideoni akafanya hivyo.

And the angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened bread, lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” And Gideon did so.

21 Kisha malaika wa Bwana akashika ncha ya fimbo mkononi mwake. Kwa hiyo akagusa nyama na mikate isiyotiwa chachu; moto ukatoka nje ya mwamba, ukateketeza nyama na mikate isiyotiwa chachu. Kisha malaika wa Bwana akaenda, na Gideoni hakuweza kumwona tena.

Then the angel of the LORD extended the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened bread. And fire flared from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. Then the angel of the LORD vanished from his sight.

22 Gideoni alielewa kuwa yule alikuwa malaika wa Bwana. Gideoni akasema, “Ewe Bwana MUNGU! Kwa maana nimemwona malaika wa Bwana uso kwa uso!”

When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the LORD, he said, “Oh no, Lord GOD! I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!”

23 Bwana akamwambia, “Amani iwe kwako! Usiogope, huwezi kufa.”

But the LORD said to him, “Peace be with you. Do not be afraid, for you will not die.”

24 Basi Gideoni akamjengea Bwana madhabahu huko. Aliiita, “Bwana ni Amani.” Hadi leo bado iko katika Ofra ya jamaa ya Waabiezeri.

So Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and called it The LORD Is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

25 Usiku huo, Bwana akamwambia, “Twaa ng'ombe wa baba yako, na ng'ombe wa pili wa umri wa miaka saba, ukaondoe madhabahu ya Baali, ambayo ni ya baba yako, na kukata Ashera iliyo karibu nayo.

On that very night the LORD said to Gideon, “Take your father’s young bull and a second bull seven years old, tear down your father’s altar to Baal, and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.

26 Jenga madhabahu kwa Bwana, Mungu wako juu ya mahali pa kukimbilia, na kuijenga njia sahihi. Toa ng'ombe ya pili kama sadaka ya kuteketezwa, ukitumia kuni kutoka Ashera uliyoikata. '

Then build a proper altar to the LORD your God on the top of this stronghold. And with the wood of the Asherah pole you cut down, take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering.”

27 Gideoni akachukua watumishi wake kumi na kufanya kama Bwana alivyomwambia. Lakini kwa sababu aliogopa sana watu wa nyumba ya baba yake na watu wa mji hakufanya hivyo wakati wa mchana, alifanya hivyo usiku.

So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the LORD had told him. But because he was too afraid of his father’s household and the men of the city, he did it by night rather than in the daytime.

28 Asubuhi wakati watu wa mji walipoamka, madhabahu ya Baali imebomolewa, na Ashera iliyokuwa karibu nayo imekatwa, na ng'ombe wa pili ametolewa sadaka kwenye madhabahu iliyojengwa.

When the men of the city got up in the morning, there was Baal’s altar torn down, with the Asherah pole cut down beside it and the second bull offered up on the newly built altar.

29 Watu wa mji wakaambiana, “Ni nani aliyefanya jambo hili?” Walipokuwa wakiongea na wengine na kutafuta majibu, wakasema, 'Gidioni mwana wa Yoashi amefanya jambo hili.”

“Who did this?” they said to one another. And after they had investigated thoroughly, they were told, “Gideon son of Joash did it.”

30 Ndipo watu wa mji wakamwambia Yoashi, “Mtoe mtoto wako ili afe, kwa sababu ameibomoa madhabahu ya Baali, na kwa sababu ameikata Ashera karibu nayo.”

Then the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son. He must die, because he has torn down Baal’s altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.”

31 Yoashi akawaambia wote waliompinga, “Je, ninyi mtamsihi Baali? Je, mtamuokoa? Mtu yeyote atakayemtetea, basi atauawa asubuhi hii. Ikiwa Baali ni mungu, basi atajitetea mwenyewe wakati mtu anaibomoa madhabahu yake.”

But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Are you contending for Baal? Are you trying to save him? Whoever pleads his case will be put to death by morning! If Baal is a god, let him contend for himself with the one who has torn down his altar.”

32 Kwa hiyo siku hiyo wakamwita Gideoni “Yerubaali,” kwa sababu alisema, “Baali ajijitetee dhidi yake,” kwa sababu Gidioni alivunja madhabahu ya Baali.

So on that day Gideon was called Jerubbaal, that is to say, “Let Baal contend with him,” because he had torn down Baal’s altar.

33 Basi Wamidiani wote, Waamaleki, na watu wa mashariki walikusanyika pamoja. Wakavuka Yordani na wakapanga katika bonde la Yezreeli.

Then all the Midianites, Amalekites, and other people of the east gathered together, crossed over the Jordan, and camped in the Valley of Jezreel.

34 Lakini Roho wa Bwana akaja juu ya Gideoni. Gideoni akapiga tarumbeta, akawaita jamaa ya Abiezeri, ili wapate kumfuata.

So the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, who blew the ram’s horn and rallied the Abiezrites behind him.

35 Aliwatuma wajumbe wote katika Manase, na wao pia, waliitwa nje kumfuata. Naye akatuma wajumbe kwa Asheri, na Zabuloni, na Naftali; nao wakaenda kumlaki.

Calling them to arms, Gideon sent messengers throughout Manasseh, as well as Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, so that they came up to meet him.

36 Gideoni akamwambia Mungu, “Ikiwa ungependa kunitumia kuokoa Israeli, kama ulivyosema,

Then Gideon said to God, “If You are going to save Israel by my hand, as You have said,

37 tazameni, ninaweka ngozi ya samazi kwenye sakafu. Ikiwa kuna umande tu juu ya ngozi, na ni kavu duniani, basi nitajua kwamba utanitumia kuokoa Israeli, kama ulivyosema.”

then behold, I will place a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that You are going to save Israel by my hand, as You have said.”

38 Hivi ndivyo ilivyotokea-Gideoni aliamka mapama asubuhi, akaikamua ngozi hiyo, na akatoa umande kwenye ngozi, wa kutosha kujaza bakuli kwa maji.

And that is what happened. When Gideon arose the next morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water.

39 Gideoni akamwambia Mungu, 'Usinikasirikie, nitasema tena kwa mara nyingine. Tafadhali niruhusu nijaribu tena kwa kutumia ngozi. Wakati huu uifanye kavu, na iwe na umande juu ya ardhi yote kuzunguka.

Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me; let me speak one more time. Please allow me one more test with the fleece. This time let it be dry, and the ground covered with dew.”

40 Mungu alifanya kile alichoomba usiku huo. Ngozi ilikuwa kavu, na kulikuwa na umande katika ardhi yote iliyozunguka.

And that night God did so. Only the fleece was dry, and dew covered the ground.