Atemmufo 6

1 Israelfo no yɛɛ nea ɛyɛ Awurade ani so bɔne bio. Ɛno nti, Awurade de wɔn hyɛɛ Midianfo nsa mfe ason.

And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord: and he delivered them into the hand of Madian seven years.

2 Esiane sɛ na Midianfo no yɛ atirimɔdenfo nti, Israelfo no guan kɔɔ mmepɔw so kɔpɛɛ hintabea wɔ abodan ne atu mu.

And they were grievously oppressed by them. And they made themselves dens and eaves in the mountains, and strong holds to resist.

3 Bere biara a Israelfo duaa wɔn nnɔbae no, Midianfo, Amalekfo ne nnipa a wɔte apuei fam no kɔtow hyɛ wɔn so.

And when Israel had sown, Madian and Amalec, and the rest of the eastern nations came up:

4 Wɔbɛyɛɛ atenae wɔ wɔn asase no so sɛe nnɔbae no fi Gasa a wɔannyaw Israelfo aduan biara. Wɔfaa nguan, anantwi ne mfurum.

And pitching their tents among them, wasted all things as they were in the blade even to the entrance of Gaza: and they left nothing at all in Israel for sustenance of life, nor sheep, nor oxen, nor asses.

5 Na atamfo dɔm yi de wɔn nyɛmmoa ne wɔn ntamadan foro ba te sɛ mmoadabi. Wɔtete yoma a wontumi nkan wɔn dodow so na wɔba. Na wɔtena asase no so kosi sɛ so nneɛma nyinaa bɛsa.

For they and all their flocks came with their tents, and like locusts filled all places, an innumerable multitude of men, and of camels, wasting whatsoever they touched.

6 Enti Midianfo no maa ɔkɔm baa Israel. Afei Israelfo no su frɛɛ Awurade pɛɛ mmoa.

And Israel was humbled exceedingly in the sight of Madian.

7 Bere a Midianfo no nti, Israelfo su frɛɛ Awurade no,

And he cried to the Lord desiring help against the Madianites.

8 Awurade somaa odiyifo kɔɔ wɔn nkyɛn. Ɔkae se, “Asɛm a Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn, ka ni: Miyii mo fii Misraim nkoasom mu.

And he sent unto them a prophet, and he spoke: Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: I made you to come up out of Egypt, and brought you out of the house of bondage,

9 Miyii mo fii Misraim tumi ne wɔn a wɔhyɛ mo so nyinaa ase. Mepam mo atamfo de wɔn asase maa mo.

And delivered you out of the hands of the Egyptians, and of all the enemies that afflicted you: and I cast them out at your coming in, and gave you their land.

10 Meka kyerɛɛ mo se, ‘Mene Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn. Monnsom Amorifo a mote wɔn asase so no anyame.’ Nanso moantie me.”

And I said: I am the Lord your God, fear not the gods of the Amorrhites, in whose land you dwell. And you would not hear my voice.

11 Na Awurade bɔfo bɛtenaa odupɔn a esi Ofra a ɛyɛ Yoas a ofi Abieser abusua mu de no ase. Na Yoas babarima Gideon reporow awi wɔ nsakyiamoa ase sɛ ɔde resie Midianfo no.

And an angel of the Lord came, and sat under an oak, that was in Ephra, and belonged to Joas the father of the family of Ezri. And when Gedeon his son was threshing and cleansing wheat by the winepress, to flee from Madian,

12 Awurade bɔfo yii ne ho adi kyerɛɛ Gideon, kae se, “Dɔmmarima, Awurade ka wo ho.”

The angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said: The Lord is with thee, O most valiant of men.

13 Gideon buae se, “Owura, sɛ Awurade ka yɛn ho a, adɛn nti na saa nsɛm yi nyinaa aba yɛn so? Na anwonwade a yɛn agyanom kaa ho asɛm kyerɛɛ yɛn no nso wɔ he? Wɔanka se, ‘Awurade yii yɛn fii Misraim ana?’ Nanso mprempren de, Awurade agyaa yɛn de yɛn ahyɛ Midianfo nsam.”

And Gedeon said to him: I beseech thee, my lord, if the Lord be with us, why have these evils fallen upon us? Where are his miracles, which our fathers have told us of, saying: The Lord brought us Out of Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the bands of Madian.

14 Na Awurade dan ne ho ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Fa ahoɔden a wowɔ no kɔ na kogye Israelfo fi Midianfo no nsam. Me na meresoma wo.”

And the Lord looked upon him, and said: Go in this thy strength, and then shalt deliver Israel out of the hand of Madian: know that I have sent thee.

15 Gideon buae se, “Na Awurade, mɛyɛ dɛn agye Israelfo? Mʼabusua na ɛyɛ mmerɛw koraa wɔ Manase abusuakuw mu na me na misua koraa wɔ me fifo nyinaa mu.”

He answered and said: I beseech thee, my lord, wherewith shall I deliver Israel? Behold my family is the meanest in Manasses, and I am the least in my father’s house.

16 Awurade ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Mɛka wo ho. Wobɛsɛe Midianfo no sɛnea woresɛe onipa baako.”

And the Lord said to him: I will be with thee: and thou shalt cut off Madian as one man.

17 Gideon buae se, “Sɛ wobɛboa me ampa ara de a, yɛ nsɛnkyerɛnne bi ma minhu sɛ, nokware, ɛyɛ wo Awurade na worekasa kyerɛ me yi.

And he said: If I have found grace before thee, give me a sign that it is thou that speakest to me,

18 Nkɔ, kosi sɛ mɛsan mʼakyi aba de mʼafɔrebɔde abrɛ wo.” Awurade buae se, “Mɛtena ha atwɛn kosi sɛ wobɛba.”

And depart not hence, till I return to thee, and bring a sacrifice, and offer it to thee. And he answered: I will wait thy coming.

19 Gideon yɛɛ ntɛm kɔɔ fie. Okosiesie abirekyi ba, too brodo asikresiam lita aduonu mmienu a mmɔkaw nni mu. Afei, ɔsoaa nam no wɔ kɛntɛn mu a nkwan no nso wɔ ɛsɛn bi mu de bae. Ɔde brɛɛ ɔbɔfo no wɔ odupɔn no ase.

So Gedeon went in, and boiled a kid, and made unleavened loaves of a measure of flour: and putting the flesh in a basket, and the broth of the flesh into a pot, he carried all under the oak, and presented to him.

20 Awurade bɔfo no ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Fa nam no ne brodo a ɛnkae no gu ɔbotan yi so na hwie nkwan no gu so.” Na Gideon yɛɛ nea ɔbɔfo no kyerɛɛ no sɛ ɔnyɛ no.

And the angel of the Lord said to him: Take the flesh and the unleavened loaves, and lay them upon that rock, and pour out the broth thereon. And when he had done so,

21 Afei, Awurade bɔfo no de pema a okura no kaa nam ne brodo no, na ogya pue fii ɔbotan no mu hyew nea ɔde bae no nyinaa. Na ɔbɔfo no yerae.

The angel of the Lord put forth the tip of the rod, which he held in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened loaves: and there arose a fire from the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened loaves: and the angel of the Lord vanished out of his sight.

22 Bere a Gideon huu sɛ ɛyɛ Awurade bɔfo no, ɔteɛɛ mu se, “Asafo Awurade, mahu Awurade bɔfo anim ne anim.”

And Gedeon seeing that it was the angel of the Lord, said: Alas, my Lord God: for I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.

23 Awurade buae se, “Nsuro na worenwu.”

And the Lord said to him: Peace be with thee: fear not, thou shalt not die.

24 Na Gideon sii afɔremuka wɔ hɔ maa Awurade na ɔtoo no din “Awurade Yɛ Asomdwoe.” Afɔremuka no da so wɔ Ofra a ɛyɛ Abieserfo abusua asase so de besi nnɛ.

And Gedeon built there an altar to the Lord, and called it the Lord’s peace, until this present day. And when he was yet in Ephra, which is of the family of Ezri,

25 Anadwo no, Awurade ka kyerɛɛ Gideon se, “Kyere nantwinini a odi mu, ɔto so abien na wadi mfe ason fi wʼagya anantwi mu. Dwiriw wʼagya afɔremuka a osi maa Baal no, na twa Asera dua a esi nkyɛn no.

That night the Lord said to him: Take a bullock of thy father’s, and another bullock of seven years, and thou shalt destroy the altar of Baal, which is thy father’s: and cut down the grove that is about the altar:

26 Afei, si afɔremuka wɔ bepɔw yi so ma Awurade, wo Nyankopɔn. Hyehyɛ afɔremuka abo no yiye. Fa nantwinini bɔ ɔhyew afɔre wɔ afɔremuka no so. Fa Asera dua a wutwae no nnyansin yɛ ogya.”

And thou shalt build an altar to the Lord thy God in the top of this rock, whereupon thou didst lay the sacrifice before: and thou shalt take the second bullock, and shalt offer a holocaust upon a pile of the wood, which thou shalt cut down out of the grove.

27 Enti Gideon faa nʼasomfo du de wɔn yɛɛ sɛnea Awurade hyɛɛ no no. Nanso ɔyɛɛ no anadwo, efisɛ na osuro nʼagya fifo ne kurow mma no. Na onim nea ebesi, sɛ wohu onipa a ɔyɛɛ saa ade no a.

Then Gedeon taking ten men of his servants, did as the Lord had commanded him. But fearing his father’s house, and the men of that city, he would not do it by day, but did all by night.

28 Ade kyee anɔpahema a kurow no mu nnipa fitii ase nyanyanee no, obi huu sɛ wɔadwiriw Baal afɔremuka no agu, na Asera dua a esi ho no nso, wɔatwa akyene na wɔasi afɔremuka foforo asi anan mu. Na wohuu afɔrebɔde bi nkae wɔ so.

And when the men of that town were risen in the morning, they saw the altar of Baal destroyed, and the grove cut down, and the second bullock laid upon the altar, which then was built.

29 Ɔmanfo no bisabisaa wɔn ho wɔn ho se, “Hena na ɔyɛɛ eyi?” Wobisabisae, too wɔn bo ase hwehwɛɛ mu no, wohuu sɛ Yoas babarima Gideon na ɔyɛɛ saa.

And they said one to another: Who hath done this? And when they inquired for the author of the fact, it was said: Gedeon the son of Joas did all this.

30 Ɔmanfo no teɛɛ mu guu Yoas so se, “Fa wo babarima no bra. Sɛe a ɔsɛee Baal afɔremuka ne twa a otwaa Asera dua no nti, ɛsɛ sɛ owu.”

And they said to Joas: Bring out thy son hither, that he may die: because he hath destroyed the altar of Baal, and hath cut down his grove.

31 Nanso Yoas teɛɛ mu guu nnipakuw no so se, “Adɛn nti na mugye Baal ti? Mubetumi aka nʼasɛm ama no ana? Obiara a obegye ne ti no, wobekum no ansa na ade akye. Sɛ Baal yɛ onyame bi ampa ara a ɔno ara nni mma ne ho na onkum nea odwiriwii nʼafɔremuka no!”

He answered them: Are you the avengers of Baal, that you fight for him? he that is his adversary, let him die before tomorrow light appear: if he be a god, let him revenge himself on him that hath cast down his altar.

32 Efi saa bere no rekɔ no, wɔfrɛɛ Gideon Yerub-Baal a nkyerɛase ne “Baal nni mma ne ho,” efisɛ ɔno ara na odwiriwii Baal afɔremuka no gui.

From that day Gedeon was called Jerobaal, because Joss had said: Let Baal revenge himself on him that hath cast down his altar.

33 Afei, Midianfo nyinaa, Amalekfo nyinaa ne nnipa a wofifi apuei fam no kaa wɔn ho bɔɔ mu tia Israel. Wotwaa Yordan, kɔbɔɔ atenae wɔ Yesreel bon mu.

Now all Madian, and Amalec, and the eastern people were gathered together, and passing over the Jordan, camped in the valley of Jezrael.

34 Awurade honhom baa Gideon so na ɔbɔɔ torobɛnto de frɛɛ dɔm. Mmarima a wofi Abieser abusua mu no baa ne nkyɛn.

But the spirit of the Lord came upon Gedeon, and be sounded the trumpet and called together the house of Abiezer, to follow him.

35 Ɔsomaa abɔfo kɔɔ Manase, Aser, Sebulon ne Naftali nyinaa mu kɔfrɛɛ wɔn asraafo, na wɔn nyinaa penee so.

And he sent messengers into all Manasses, and they also followed him: and other messengers into Aser and Zabulon and Nephtali, and they came to meet him.

36 Gideon ka kyerɛɛ Onyankopɔn se, “Sɛ wonam me nsa so begye Israel sɛnea woahyɛ bɔ no a,

And Gedeon said to God: If thou wilt save Israel by my hand, as thou hast said,

37 fa saa kwan yi so kyerɛ me, mede oguan nwi bɛkata awiporowbea hɔ anadwo yi. Sɛ obosu fɔw oguan nwi no, na sɛ ɛho amfɔw a, na mahu sɛ ampa ara, wonam me nsa so begye Israel sɛnea woahyɛ ho bɔ no.”

I will put this fleece of wool on the floor: if there be dew on the fleece only, and it be dry on all the ground beside, I, shall know that by my hand, as thou hast said, thou wilt deliver Israel.

38 Na saa na ɛbae. Gideon sɔree adekyee kyii oguan nwi no, onyaa nsu ade ma.

And it was so. And rising before day wringing the fleece, he filled a vessel with the dew.

39 Afei, Gideon ka kyerɛɛ Onyankopɔn se, “Mma wo bo mfuw me. Ma mimmisa ade baako. Ma memfa oguan nwi no nsɔ biribi nhwɛ. Saa bere yi de, ma oguan nwi no nyɛ wosee na baabi a ɛda hɔ no nyinaa mfɔw.”

And he said again to God: let not thy wrath be kindled against me if I try once more, seeking a sign in the fleece. I pray that the fleece only may be dry, and all the ground wet with dew.

40 Anadwo no, Onyankopɔn yɛɛ sɛnea Gideon bisae no. Anɔpa no oguan nwi no yɛɛ wosee a na obosu afɔw fam hɔ nyinaa.

And God did that night as he had requested: and it was dry on the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.