Judges 6

1And the children of IsraelH3478 did that which was evilH7451 in the sight of Jehovah: and Jehovah delivered them into the handH3027 of MidianH4080 sevenH7651 yearsH8141. 2And the handH3027 of MidianH4080 prevailedH5810 against IsraelH3478; and because of MidianH4080 the children of IsraelH3478 madeH6213 them the dens which are in the mountainsH2022, and the cavesH4631, and the strongholdsH4679. 3And so it wasH1961, when IsraelH3478 had sownH2232, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the eastH6924; they came up against them; 4and they encampedH2583 against them, and destroyedH7843 the increase of the earthH776, till thou comeH935 unto GazaH5804, and leftH7604 no sustenanceH4241 in IsraelH3478, neither sheepH7716, nor oxH7794, nor ass. 5For they cameH935 up with their cattle and their tentsH168; they cameH935 in as locustsH697 for multitudeH7230; both they and their camelsH1581 were without numberH4557: and they cameH935 into the landH776 to destroyH7843 it. 6And IsraelH3478 was brought veryH3966 lowH1809 because of MidianH4080; and the children of IsraelH3478 criedH2199 unto Jehovah.

7And it came to pass, when the children of IsraelH3478 criedH2199 unto Jehovah because of MidianH4080, 8that Jehovah sentH7971 a prophetH5030 unto the children of IsraelH3478: and he saidH559 unto them, ThusH3541 saith Jehovah, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, I broughtH3318 you up from EgyptH4714, and broughtH3318 you forthH3318 out of the houseH1004 of bondage; 9and I deliveredH5337 you out of the handH3027 of the EgyptiansH4713, and out of the handH3027 of all that oppressedH3905 you, and droveH1644 them out from before you, and gaveH5414 you their landH776; 10and I saidH559 unto you, I am Jehovah your GodH430; ye shall not fearH3372 the godsH430 of the AmoritesH567, in whose landH776 ye dwellH3427. But ye have not hearkened unto my voiceH6963.

11And the angelH4397 of Jehovah cameH935, and satH3427 under the oakH424 which was in OphrahH6084, that pertained unto JoashH3101 the Abiezrite: and his sonH1121 GideonH1439 was beatingH2251 out wheatH2406 in the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. 12And the angelH4397 of Jehovah appearedH7200 unto him, and saidH559 unto him, Jehovah is with thee, thou mightyH1368 manH1368 of valor. 13And GideonH1439 saidH559 unto him, Oh, my lord, if Jehovah is with us, whyH4100 then is all this befallen us? and whereH834 are all his wondrous works which our fathersH1 told us of, sayingH559, Did not Jehovah bringH5927 us up from EgyptH4714? but nowH6258 Jehovah hath cast us off, and delivered us into the handH3709 of MidianH4080. 14And Jehovah looked upon him, and saidH559, GoH7971 in this thy might, and saveH3467 IsraelH3478 from the handH3709 of MidianH4080: have not I sentH7971 thee? 15And he saidH559 unto him, Oh, LordH136, wherewith shall I saveH3467 IsraelH3478? behold, my family is the poorest in ManassehH4519, and I am the least in my father’sH1 houseH1004. 16And Jehovah saidH559 unto him, Surely I will beH1961 with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as oneH259 manH376. 17And he saidH559 unto him, If now I have foundH4672 favorH2580 in thy sight, then show me a signH226 that it is thou that talkest with me. 18DepartH4185 not hence, I pray thee, until I comeH935 unto thee, and bringH935 forthH3318 my present, and lay it before thee. And he saidH559, I will tarry until thou comeH935 again.

19And GideonH1439 wentH3318 in, and madeH6213 ready a kid, and unleavenedH4682 cakes of an ephahH374 of meal: the fleshH1320 he putH7760 in a basketH5536, and he putH7760 the brothH4839 in a potH6517, and broughtH935 it out unto him under the oakH424, and presented it. 20And the angelH4397 of GodH430 saidH559 unto him, TakeH3947 the fleshH1320 and the unleavenedH4682 cakes, and lay them upon this rockH5553, and pourH8210 out the brothH4839. And he did soH3651. 21Then the angelH4397 of Jehovah put forthH7971 the endH7097 of the staffH4938 that was in his handH3027, and touchedH5060 the fleshH1320 and the unleavenedH4682 cakes; and there wentH1980 up fireH784 out of the rockH6697, and consumedH398 the fleshH1320 and the unleavenedH4682 cakes; and the angelH4397 of Jehovah departed out of his sight. 22And GideonH1439 sawH7200 that he was the angelH4397 of Jehovah; and GideonH1439 saidH559, AlasH162, O Lord Jehovah! forasmuch as I have seenH7200 the angelH4397 of Jehovah faceH6440 to faceH6440. 23And Jehovah saidH559 unto him, PeaceH7965 be unto thee; fearH3372 not: thou shalt not dieH4191. 24Then GideonH1439 builtH1129 an altarH4196 there unto Jehovah, and calledH7121 it Jehovah-shalom: unto this dayH3117 it is yetH5750 in OphrahH6084 of the Abiezrites.

25And it came to pass the same nightH3915, that Jehovah saidH559 unto him, TakeH3947 thy father’sH1 bullock, even the secondH8145 bullock sevenH7651 yearsH8141 old, and throw down the altarH4196 of BaalH1168 that thy fatherH1 hath, and cutH3772 down the AsherahH842 that is by it; 26and buildH1129 an altarH4196 unto Jehovah thy GodH430 upon the topH7218 of this strongholdH4581, in the orderly manner, and takeH3947 the secondH8145 bullock, and offerH5927 a burnt-offering with the woodH6086 of the AsherahH842 which thou shalt cutH3772 down. 27Then GideonH1439 tookH3947 tenH6235 menH376 of his servantsH5650, and did as Jehovah had spokenH1696 unto him: and it came to pass, because he fearedH3372 his father’sH1 householdH1004 and the menH376 of the cityH5892, so that he could not do it by dayH3119, that he did it by nightH3915.

28And whenH834 the menH376 of the cityH5892 arose earlyH7925 in the morningH1242, behold, the altarH4196 of BaalH1168 was brokenH5422 downH5422, and the AsherahH842 was cutH3772 down that was by it, and the secondH8145 bullock was offeredH5927 upon the altarH4196 that was builtH1129. 29And they saidH559 oneH376 to another, Who hath done this thingH1697? And when they inquired and asked, they saidH559, GideonH1439 the sonH1121 of JoashH3101 hath done this thingH1697. 30Then the menH376 of the cityH5892 saidH559 unto JoashH3101, BringH3318 out thy sonH1121, that he may dieH4191, because he hath brokenH5422 down the altarH4196 of BaalH1168, and because he hath cutH3772 down the AsherahH842 that was by it. 31And JoashH3101 saidH559 unto all that stoodH5975 against him, Will ye contendH7378 for BaalH1168? or will ye saveH3467 him? he that will contendH7378 for him, let him be putH4191 to deathH4191 whilst it is yet morningH1242: if he be a godH430, let him contendH7378 for himself, because one hath brokenH5422 downH5422 his altarH4196. 32Therefore on that dayH3117 he calledH7121 him JerubbaalH3378, sayingH559, Let BaalH1168 contendH7378 against him, because he hath brokenH5422 downH5422 his altarH4196.

33Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the eastH6924 assembled themselves togetherH3162; and they passedH5674 over, and encampedH2583 in the valleyH6010 of JezreelH3157. 34But the SpiritH7307 of Jehovah came upon GideonH1439; and he blewH8628 a trumpetH7782; and AbiezerH44 was gathered togetherH2199 after him. 35And he sentH7971 messengersH4397 throughout all ManassehH4519; and they alsoH1571 were gathered togetherH2199 after him: and he sentH7971 messengersH4397 unto AsherH836, and unto ZebulunH2074, and unto NaphtaliH5321; and they cameH5927 up to meet them.

36And GideonH1439 saidH559 unto GodH430, If thou wilt saveH3467 IsraelH3478 by my handH3027, as thou hast spokenH1696, 37behold, I will put a fleeceH1492 of woolH6785 on the threshing-floor; if there beH1961 dewH2919 on the fleeceH1492 onlyH905, and it beH1961 dry upon all the groundH776, then shall I knowH3045 that thou wilt saveH3467 IsraelH3478 by my handH3027, as thou hast spokenH1696. 38And it wasH1961 soH3651; for he roseH7925 up earlyH7925 on the morrow, and pressed the fleeceH1492 together, and wrung the dewH2919 out of the fleeceH1492, a bowlful of waterH4325. 39And GideonH1439 saidH559 unto GodH430, Let not thine angerH639 beH1961 kindled against me, and I will speakH1696 but this once: let me make trial, I pray thee, but this once with the fleeceH1492; let it now beH1961 dry onlyH389 upon the fleeceH1492, and upon all the groundH776 let there beH1961 dewH2919. 40And GodH430 did soH3651 that nightH3915: for it wasH1961 dry upon the fleeceH1492 onlyH905, and there wasH1961 dewH2919 on all the groundH776.