Atemmufo 6
1 Israelfo no yɛɛ nea ɛyɛ Awurade ani so bɔne bio. Ɛno nti, Awurade de wɔn hyɛɛ Midianfo nsa mfe ason.
The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and he gave them into the hand of Midian for seven years.
2 Esiane sɛ na Midianfo no yɛ atirimɔdenfo nti, Israelfo no guan kɔɔ mmepɔw so kɔpɛɛ hintabea wɔ abodan ne atu mu.
The power of Midian oppressed Israel. Because of Midian, the people of Israel made shelters for themselves from the dens in the hills, the caves, and the strongholds.
3 Bere biara a Israelfo duaa wɔn nnɔbae no, Midianfo, Amalekfo ne nnipa a wɔte apuei fam no kɔtow hyɛ wɔn so.
It happened that any time the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people from the east would attack the Israelites.
4 Wɔbɛyɛɛ atenae wɔ wɔn asase no so sɛe nnɔbae no fi Gasa a wɔannyaw Israelfo aduan biara. Wɔfaa nguan, anantwi ne mfurum.
They would set up their army on the land and destroy the crops, all the way to Gaza. They would leave no food in Israel, and no sheep, nor cattle or donkeys.
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.
Whenever they and their livestock and tents came up, they would come as a swarm of locusts, and it was impossible to count either the people or their camels. They invaded the land in order to destroy it.
6 Enti Midianfo no maa ɔkɔm baa Israel. Afei Israelfo no su frɛɛ Awurade pɛɛ mmoa.
Midian weakened the Israelites so severely that the people of Israel called out to Yahweh.
7 Bere a Midianfo no nti, Israelfo su frɛɛ Awurade no,
When the people of Israel called out to Yahweh because of Midian,
8 Awurade somaa odiyifo kɔɔ wɔn nkyɛn. Ɔkae se, “Asɛm a Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn, ka ni: Miyii mo fii Misraim nkoasom mu.
Yahweh sent a prophet to the people of Israel. The prophet said to them, “This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says: 'I brought you up from Egypt; I brought you out of the house of slavery.
9 Miyii mo fii Misraim tumi ne wɔn a wɔhyɛ mo so nyinaa ase. Mepam mo atamfo de wɔn asase maa mo.
I rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians, and from the hand of all who were oppressing you. I drove them out before you, and I 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.”
I said to you, “I am Yahweh your God; I commanded you not to worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living.” But you have not obeyed 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.
Now the angel of Yahweh came and sat under the oak in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash (the Abiezrite), while Gideon, Joash's son, was separating out the wheat by beating it on the floor, in the winepress—to hide it from the Midianites.
12 Awurade bɔfo yii ne ho adi kyerɛɛ Gideon, kae se, “Dɔmmarima, Awurade ka wo ho.”
The angel of Yahweh appeared to him and said to him, “Yahweh is with you, you strong warrior!”
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.”
Gideon said to him, “Oh, my master, if Yahweh is with us, why then has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers told us about, when they said, 'Did not Yahweh bring us up from Egypt?' But now Yahweh has abandoned us and gave us into the hand of Midian.”
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.”
Yahweh looked at him and said, “Go in the strength you already have. Deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?”
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.”
Gideon said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I deliver Israel? See, my family is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least important in my father's house.”
16 Awurade ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Mɛka wo ho. Wobɛsɛe Midianfo no sɛnea woresɛe onipa baako.”
Yahweh said to him, “I will be with you, and you will defeat the entire Midianite army 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.
Gideon said to him, “If you are pleased with me, then give me a sign that it is you who is speaking to me.
18 Nkɔ, kosi sɛ mɛsan mʼakyi aba de mʼafɔrebɔde abrɛ wo.” Awurade buae se, “Mɛtena ha atwɛn kosi sɛ wobɛba.”
Please, do not leave here, until I come to you and bring out my gift and set it before you.” Yahweh said, “I will wait until you return.”
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.
Gideon went and prepared a young goat and from an ephah of flour he made unleavened bread. He put the meat in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot and brought them to him under the oak tree, and presented them.
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.
The angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened bread and put them on this rock, and pour out the broth over them.” That is what Gideon did.
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.
Then the angel of Yahweh reached out with the end of the staff in his hand. With it he touched the flesh and the unleavened bread; a fire went up out of the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. Then the angel of Yahweh went away and Gideon could no longer see him.
22 Bere a Gideon huu sɛ ɛyɛ Awurade bɔfo no, ɔteɛɛ mu se, “Asafo Awurade, mahu Awurade bɔfo anim ne anim.”
Gideon understood that this was the angel of Yahweh. Gideon said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh! For I have seen the angel of Yahweh face to face!”
23 Awurade buae se, “Nsuro na worenwu.”
Yahweh said to him, “Peace to you! Do not be afraid, you will 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.
So Gideon built an altar there to Yahweh. He called it, “Yahweh is Peace.” To this day it still stands at Ophrah of the clan of Abiezer.
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 Yahweh said to him, “Take your father's bull, and a second bull that is seven years old, and pull apart the altar of Baal that belongs to your father, and cut down the Asherah that is beside it.
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.”
Build an altar to Yahweh your God on the top of this place of refuge, and construct it the correct way. Offer the second bull as a burnt offering, using the wood from the Asherah that you cut down.”
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.
So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as Yahweh had told him. But because he was too afraid of his father's household and the men of the town to do it during the day, he did it at 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.
In the morning when the men of the town got up, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the Asherah that was beside it was cut down, and the second bull had been offered on the altar that had been 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.
The men of the city said to one another, “Who has done this?” When they talked with others and searched for answers, they said, “Gideon son of Joash has done this thing.”
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.”
Then the men of the town said to Joash, “Bring out your son so that he may be put to death, because he pulled apart the altar of Baal, and because he cut down the Asherah beside it.”
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!”
Joash said to all who opposed him, “Will you plead the case for Baal? Will you save him? Whoever pleads the case for him, let him be put to death while it is still morning. If Baal is a god, let him defend himself when someone pulls his altar apart.”
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.
Therefore on that day they called Gideon “Jerub Baal,” because he said, “Let Baal defend himself against him,” because Gideon broke down Baal's 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 the Midianites, the Amalekites, and the people of the east gathered together. They crossed over the Jordan and camped in the Valley of Jezreel.
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 Yahweh came over Gideon. Gideon blew a trumpet, calling out the clan of Abiezer, so they might follow him.
35 Ɔsomaa abɔfo kɔɔ Manase, Aser, Sebulon ne Naftali nyinaa mu kɔfrɛɛ wɔn asraafo, na wɔn nyinaa penee so.
He sent messengers all throughout Manasseh, and they too, were called out to follow him. He also sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they went up to meet him.
36 Gideon ka kyerɛɛ Onyankopɔn se, “Sɛ wonam me nsa so begye Israel sɛnea woahyɛ bɔ no a,
Gideon said to God, “If you intend to use me to save Israel, as you have 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.”
Look, I am putting a woolen fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece, and it is dry on all the ground, then I will know that you will use me to save Israel, as you said.”
38 Na saa na ɛbae. Gideon sɔree adekyee kyii oguan nwi no, onyaa nsu ade ma.
This is what happened—Gideon rose early the next morning, he pressed the fleece together, and wrung out the dew from the fleece, enough to fill a bowl with water.
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.”
Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me, I will speak one more time. Please allow me one more test using the fleece. This time make the fleece dry, and let there be dew on all the ground around it.”
40 Anadwo no, Onyankopɔn yɛɛ sɛnea Gideon bisae no. Anɔpa no oguan nwi no yɛɛ wosee a na obosu afɔw fam hɔ nyinaa.
God did what he asked for that night. The fleece was dry, and there was dew on all the ground around it.
