Atemmufoɔ 6
1 Israelfoɔ no yɛɛ deɛ ɛyɛ Awurade ani so bɔne bio. Ɛno enti, Awurade de wɔn hyɛɛ Midianfoɔ nsa mfeɛ nson.
The children of Israel did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, so the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.
2 Esiane sɛ na Midianfoɔ no yɛ atirimuɔdenfoɔ enti, Israelfoɔ no dwane kɔɔ mmepɔ so kɔpɛɛ ahintaeɛ wɔ abodan ne atu mu.
The hand of Midian prevailed against Israel; and because of Midian the children of Israel made themselves the dens which are in the mountains, the caves, and the strongholds.
3 Ɛberɛ biara a Israelfoɔ duaa wɔn nnɔbaeɛ no, Midianfoɔ, Amalekfoɔ ne nnipa a wɔte apueeɛ fam no kɔto hyɛ wɔn so.
So it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites, the Amalekites, and the children of the east came up against them.
4 Wɔbɛyɛ atenaeɛ wɔ wɔn asase no so sɛe mfudeɛ no firi Gasa a wɔnnya Israelfoɔ aduane biribiara. Wɔfa nnwan, anantwie ne mfunumu.
They encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, until you come to Gaza. They left no sustenance in Israel, and no sheep, ox, or donkey.
5 Saa atamfoɔ dɔm yi de wɔn nyɛmmoa ne wɔn ntomadan foro ba te sɛ ntutummɛ. Wɔtete nyoma a wɔntumi nkane wɔn dodoɔ so na wɔba. Na wɔtena asase no so kɔsi ɛso nneɛma nyinaa bɛsa.
For they came up with their livestock and their tents. 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 Enti Midianfoɔ no maa ɛkɔm baa Israel. Afei Israelfoɔ no su frɛɛ Awurade pɛɛ mmoa.
Israel was brought very low because of Midian; and the children of Israel cried to the LORD.
7 Ɛberɛ a Midianfoɔ enti, Israelfoɔ su frɛɛ Awurade no,
When the children of Israel cried to the LORD because of Midian,
8 Awurade somaa odiyifoɔ kɔɔ wɔn nkyɛn. Ɔkaa sɛ, “Asɛm a Awurade, Israel Onyankopɔn, ka nie: Meyii mo firii Misraim nkoasom mu
The LORD sent a prophet to the children of Israel; and he said to them, “The LORD, the God of Israel, says, ‘I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you out of the house of bondage.
9 Meyii mo firii Misraim tumi ne wɔn a wɔhyɛ mo so nyinaa ase. Mepamoo mo atamfoɔ de wɔn asase maa mo.
I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out from before you, and gave you their land.
10 Meka kyerɛɛ mo sɛ, ‘Mene Awurade, mo Onyankopɔn. Monnsom Amorifoɔ a mote wɔn asase so no anyame.’ Nanso moantie me.”
I said to you, “I am the LORD your God. You shall not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.” But you have not listened to my voice.’”
11 Na Awurade ɔbɔfoɔ bɛtenaa odupɔn a ɛsi Ofra a ɛyɛ Yoas a ɔfiri Abieser abusua mu dea no ase. Na Yoas babarima Gideon reporo ayuo wɔ nsakyiamena ase sɛ ɔde resie Midianfoɔ no.
The LORD’s angel came and sat under the oak which was in Ophrah, that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite. His son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press, to hide it from the Midianites.
12 Awurade ɔbɔfoɔ yii ne ho adi kyerɛɛ Gideon, kaa sɛ, “Dɔmmarima, Awurade ka wo ho.”
The LORD’s angel appeared to him, and said to him, “The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valour!”
13 Gideon buaa sɛ, “Owura, sɛ Awurade ka yɛn ho a, adɛn enti na saa nsɛm yi nyinaa aba yɛn so? Na anwanwadeɛ a yɛn agyanom kaa ho asɛm kyerɛɛ yɛn no nso wɔ he? Wɔanka sɛ, ‘Awurade yii yɛn firii Misraim anaa?’ Nanso, seesei deɛ, Awurade agyaa yɛn de yɛn ahyɛ Midianfoɔ nsam.”
Gideon said to him, “Oh, my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? Where are all his wondrous works which our fathers told us of, saying, ‘Didn’t the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has cast us off, and delivered us into the hand of Midian.”
14 Na Awurade danee ne ho ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Fa ahoɔden a wowɔ no kɔ na kɔgye Israelfoɔ firi Midianfoɔ no nsam. Me na meresoma wo.”
The LORD looked at him, and said, “Go in this your might, and save Israel from the hand of Midian. Haven’t I sent you?”
15 Gideon buaa sɛ, “Na Awurade, mɛyɛ dɛn magye Israelfoɔ? Mʼabusua na ɛyɛ mmerɛ koraa wɔ Manase abusuakuo mu na me na mesua koraa wɔ me fiefoɔ nyinaa mu.”
He said to him, “O Lord, how shall I save Israel? Behold, my family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”
16 Awurade ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Mɛka wo ho. Wobɛsɛe Midianfoɔ no sɛdeɛ woresɛe onipa fua.”
The LORD said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.”
17 Gideon buaa sɛ, “Sɛ wobɛboa me ampa ara deɛ a, yɛ nsɛnkyerɛnneɛ bi ma menhunu sɛ, nokorɛm, ɛyɛ wo Awurade na worekasa kyerɛ me yi.
He said to him, “If now I have found favour in your sight, then show me a sign that it is you who talk with me.
18 Nkɔ, kɔsi sɛ mɛsane mʼakyi aba de mʼafɔrebɔdeɛ abrɛ wo.” Awurade buaa sɛ, “Mɛtena ha atwɛn kɔsi sɛ wobɛba.”
Please don’t go away until I come to you, and bring out my present, and lay it before you.” He said, “I will wait until you come back.”
19 Gideon yɛɛ ntɛm kɔɔ efie. Ɔkɔsiesie abirekyie ba, too burodo asikyiresiam lita aduonu mmienu a mmɔreka nni mu. Afei, ɔsoaa ɛnam no wɔ kɛntɛn mu a nkwan no nso wɔ ɛsɛn bi mu de baeɛ. Ɔde brɛɛ ɔbɔfoɔ no wɔ odupɔn no ase.
Gideon went in and prepared a young goat and unleavened cakes of an efah of meal. He put the meat in a basket and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out to him under the oak, and presented it.
20 Awurade ɔbɔfoɔ no ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Fa ɛnam no ne burodo a ɛnkaeɛ no gu ɔbotan yi so na hwie nkwan no gu so.” Na Gideon yɛɛ deɛ ɔbɔfoɔ no kyerɛɛ no sɛ ɔnyɛ no.
The angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened cakes, and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” He did so.
21 Afei, Awurade ɔbɔfoɔ no de poma a ɛkura no no kaa ɛnam ne burodo no, na ogya pue firii ɔbotan no mu hyee deɛ ɔde baeɛ no nyinaa. Na ɔbɔfoɔ no yeraeɛ.
Then the LORD’s angel stretched out the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes; and fire went up out of the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened cakes. Then the LORD’s angel departed out of his sight.
22 Ɛberɛ a Gideon hunuu sɛ ɛyɛ Awurade ɔbɔfoɔ no, ɔteaam sɛ, “Asafo Awurade, mahunu Awurade ɔbɔfoɔ animu ne animu.”
Gideon saw that he was the LORD’s angel; and Gideon said, “Alas, Lord GOD! Because I have seen the LORD’s angel face to face!”
23 Awurade buaa sɛ, “Nsuro na worenwu.”
The LORD said to him, “Peace be to you! Don’t be afraid. You shall not die.”
24 Na Gideon sii afɔrebukyia wɔ hɔ maa Awurade na ɔtoo no edin “Awurade Yɛ Asomdwoeɛ.” Afɔrebukyia no da so wɔ Ofra a ɛyɛ Abieserfoɔ abusua asase so de bɛsi ɛnnɛ.
Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD, and called it “The LORD is Peace.” To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
25 Anadwo no, Awurade ka kyerɛɛ Gideon sɛ, “Kyere nantwinini ɔdi mu, ɔtɔ so mmienu na wadi mfeɛ nson firi wʼagya anantwie mu. Dwiri wʼagya afɔrebukyia a ɔsi maa Baal no, na twa Asera dua a ɛsi nkyɛn no.
That same night, the LORD said to him, “Take your father’s bull, even the second bull seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the Asherah that is by it.
26 Afei, si afɔrebukyia wɔ bepɔ yi so ma Awurade, wo Onyankopɔn. Hyehyɛ afɔrebukyia aboɔ no yie. Fa nantwinini bɔ ɔhyeɛ afɔdeɛ wɔ afɔrebukyia no so. Fa Asera dua a wotwaeɛ no yensin yɛ egya.”
Then build an altar to the LORD your God on the top of this stronghold, in an orderly way, and take the second bull, and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which you shall cut down.”
27 Enti, Gideon faa nʼasomfoɔ edu de wɔn yɛɛ sɛdeɛ Awurade hyɛɛ noɔ no. Nanso, ɔyɛɛ no anadwo, ɛfiri sɛ, na ɔsuro nʼagya fiefoɔ ne kuro mma no. Na ɔnim deɛ ɛbɛsie, sɛ wɔhunu onipa a ɔyɛɛ saa adeɛ no a.
Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had spoken to him. Because he feared his father’s household and the men of the city, he could not do it by day, but he did it by night.
28 Adeɛ kyee anɔpahema a kuro no mu nnipa hyɛɛ aseɛ nyanenyaneeɛ no, obi hunuu sɛ wɔadwiri Baal afɔrebukyia no agu, na Asera dua a ɛsi ho no nso, wɔatwa atwene na wɔasi afɔrebukyia foforɔ asi ananmu. Na wɔhunuu afɔrebɔdeɛ bi nkaeɛ wɔ so.
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 bull was offered on the altar that was built.
29 Ɔmanfoɔ no bisabisaa wɔn ho wɔn ho sɛ, “Hwan na ɔyɛɛ yei?” Wɔbisabisa, too wɔn bo ase feefee mu no, wɔhunuu sɛ Yoas babarima Gideon na ɔyɛɛ saa.
They said to one another, “Who has done this thing?” When they enquired and asked, they said, “Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing.”
30 Ɔmanfoɔ no teaam guu Yoas so sɛ, “Fa wo babarima no bra. Sɛe a ɔsɛee Baal afɔrebukyia ne twa a ɔtwaa Asera dua no enti, ɛsɛ sɛ ɔwuo.”
Then the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, because he has broken down the altar of Baal, and because he has cut down the Asherah that was by it.”
31 Nanso, Yoas teaam guu nnipakuo no so sɛ, “Adɛn enti na mogye Baal ti? Mobɛtumi aka nʼasɛm ama no anaa? Obiara a ɔbɛgye ne ti no, wɔbɛkum no ansa na adeɛ akye. Sɛ Baal yɛ onyame bi ampa ara a ɔno ara nni mma ne ho na ɔnkum deɛ ɔdwirii nʼafɔrebukyia no!”
Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? He who will contend for him, let him be put to death by morning! If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because someone has broken down his altar!”
32 Ɛfiri saa ɛberɛ no rekɔ no, wɔfrɛɛ Gideon Yerubaal a asekyerɛ ne “Baal nni mma ne ne ho,” ɛfiri sɛ, ɔno ara na ɔdwirii Baal afɔrebukyia no guiɛ.
Therefore on that day he named him Jerub-Baal, saying, “Let Baal contend against him, because he has broken down his altar.”
33 Afei, Midianfoɔ nyinaa, Amalekfoɔ nyinaa ne nnipa a wɔfifiri apueeɛ fam no kaa wɔn ho bɔɔ mu tia Israel. Wɔtwaa Yordan, kɔbɔɔ atenaeɛ wɔ Yesreel bɔnhwa mu.
Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east assembled themselves together; and they passed over, and encamped in the valley of Jezreel.
34 Awurade honhom baa Gideon so na ɔbɔɔ totorobɛnto de frɛɛ dɔm. Mmarima a wɔfiri Abieser abusua mu no baa ne nkyɛn.
But the LORD’s Spirit came on Gideon, and he blew a shofar; and Abiezer was gathered together to follow him.
35 Ɔsomaa abɔfoɔ kɔɔ Manase, Aser, Sebulon ne Naftali nyinaa mu kɔfrɛɛ wɔn akodɔm, na wɔn nyinaa penee so.
He sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, and they also were gathered together to follow him. He sent messengers to Asher, to Zebulun, and to Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.
36 Gideon ka kyerɛɛ Onyankopɔn sɛ, “Sɛ wonam me nsa so bɛgye Israel sɛdeɛ woahyɛ bɔ no a,
Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have spoken,
37 fa saa ɛkwan yi so kyerɛ me, mede odwannwi bɛkata ayuporobea hɔ anadwo yi. Sɛ obosuo fɔ odwannwi no, na sɛ ɛhɔ amfɔ a, na mahunu sɛ ampa ara, wonam me nsa so bɛgye Israel sɛdeɛ woahyɛ ho bɔ no.”
behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I’ll know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have spoken.”
38 Na saa na ɛbaeɛ. Gideon sɔree adekyeeɛ kyii odwannwi no mu nyaa nsuo adeɛ ma.
It was so; for he rose up early on the next day, and pressed the fleece together, and wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.
39 Afei, Gideon ka kyerɛɛ Onyankopɔn sɛ, “Mma wo bo mfu me. Ma memmisa adeɛ baako. Ma memfa odwannwi no nsɔ biribi nhwɛ. Saa ɛberɛ yi deɛ, ma odwannwi no nyɛ wesee na baabi a ɛda hɔ no nyinaa mfɔ.”
Gideon said to God, “Don’t let your anger be kindled against me, and I will speak but this once. Please let me make a trial just this once with the fleece. Let it now be dry only on the fleece, and on all the ground let there be dew.”
40 Anadwo no, Onyankopɔn yɛɛ sɛdeɛ Gideon bisaeɛ no. Anɔpa no odwannwi yɛɛ wesee a na obosuo afɔ fam hɔ nyinaa.
God did so that night; for it was dry on the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.
