Judges 6

Midian Oppresses Israel

1Again the IsraelitesH1121H3478 didH6213 evilH7451 in the sightH5869 of the LORDH3068; so HeH3068 delivered themH5414 into the handH3027 of MidianH4080 for sevenH7651 yearsH8141, 2and the handH3027 of MidianH4080 prevailedH5810 againstH5921 IsraelH3478. Because ofH6440 the MidianitesH4080, the IsraelitesH1121H3478 preparedH6213 sheltersH4492 for themselves in the mountainsH2022, cavesH4631, and strongholdsH4679.

3WheneverH1961H518 the IsraelitesH3478 planted their cropsH2232, the MidianitesH4080, AmalekitesH6002, and other peopleH1121 of the eastH6924 would come upH5927 and invadeH5927 themH5921, 4encampingH2583 against themH5921 as far asH5704H935 GazaH5804 and destroyingH7843 the produceH2981 of the landH776. They leftH7604 IsraelH3478 with noH3808 sustenanceH4241, neither sheepH7716 nor oxenH7794 nor donkeysH2543. 5ForH3588 the MidianitesH1992 cameH935 with their livestockH4735H5927 and their tentsH168 like a greatH7230 swarmH1767 of locustsH697. They and their camelsH1581 were innumerableH369H4557, and they enteredH935 the landH776 to ravage itH7843.

6IsraelH3478 was greatlyH3966 impoverishedH1809 byH6440 MidianH4080, and the IsraelitesH1121H3478 cried outH2199 toH413 the LORDH3068.

7NowH1961 whenH3588 the IsraelitesH1121H3478 cried outH2199 toH413 the LORDH3068 because ofH5921H182 MidianH4080, 8He sentH7971 themH1121H3478 a prophetH5030, who toldH559 them, “This is whatH3541 the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, saysH559: IH595 broughtH5927 you up out ofH853 EgyptH4714, out of the houseH1004 of slaveryH5650. 9I deliveredH5337 youH853 out of the handsH3027 of EgyptH4713 and allH3605 your oppressorsH3905. I drove them outH1644 before youH6440 and gaveH5414 you their landH776. 10And I saidH559 to you: ‘IH589 am the LORDH3068 your GodH430. You must notH3808 fearH33721 the godsH430 of the AmoritesH567, in whoseH834 landH776 youH859 dwellH3427.’ But you did notH3808 obey MeH8085H6963.”

The Call of Gideon

11Then the angelH43972 of the LORDH3068 cameH935 and sat downH3427 underH8478 the oakH4243 in OphrahH6084 thatH834 belonged to JoashH3101 the AbiezriteH33, where his sonH1121 GideonH1439 was threshingH2251 wheatH2406 in a winepressH1660 to hide itH5127 fromH6440 the MidianitesH4080. 12And the angelH4397 of the LORDH3068 appearedH7200 toH413 Gideon and saidH559H413, “The LORDH3068 is with youH5973, O mighty manH1368 of valorH2428.”

13“PleaseH994, my LordH113,” GideonH1439 repliedH559, “if the LORDH3068 isH3426 with usH5973, whyH4100 has allH3605 thisH2063 happened to usH4672? And whereH346 are allH3605 His wondersH6381 of whichH834 our fathersH1 toldH5608 us, sayingH559, ‘Has notH3808 the LORDH3068 brought us upH5927 out of EgyptH4714?’ But nowH6258 the LORDH3068 has forsaken usH5203 and delivered usH5414 into the handH3709 of MidianH4080.”

14The LORDH30684 turnedH6437 to himH413 and saidH559, “GoH1980 in the strength you haveH3581H2088 and saveH3467 IsraelH3478 from the handH3709 of MidianH4080. Am I notH3808 sending youH7971?”

15“PleaseH994, my LordH136,” Gideon repliedH559, “howH4100 can I saveH3467 IsraelH3478? IndeedH2009, my clanH505 is the weakestH1800 in ManassehH4519, and IH595 am the youngestH6810 in my father’sH1 houseH1004.”

16“SurelyH3588 I will beH1961 with youH5973,” the LORDH3068 repliedH559, “and you will strike downH5221 all the MidianitesH4080 as oneH259 manH376.”

17Gideon answeredH559, “IfH518H4994 I have foundH4672 favorH2580 in Your sightH5869, giveH6213 me a signH226 that it is YouH859 speakingH1696 with meH5973. 18PleaseH4994 do notH408 departH4185 from thisH2088 place untilH5704 I returnH935 to YouH413. Let me bringH3318 my offeringH4503 and setH5117 it before YouH6440.”

And the LORD saidH559, “IH595 will stayH3427 untilH5704 you returnH7725.”

19So GideonH1439 went inH935 and preparedH6213 a young goatH1423H5795 and unleavened breadH4682 and an ephahH374 of flourH7058.5 He placedH7760 the meatH1320 in a basketH5536 and the brothH4839H7760 in a potH6517 and brought them outH3318 to presentH5066 to HimH413 underH8478 the oakH424.

20And the angelH4397 of GodH430 saidH559 to himH413, “TakeH3947 the meatH1320 andH853 the unleavened breadH4682, layH5117 them onH413 thisH1975 rockH5553, andH853 pour outH8210 the brothH4839.” And Gideon didH6213 soH3651.

21Then the angelH4397 of the LORDH3068 extendedH7971 the tipH7097 of the staffH4938 thatH834 was in his handH3027 and touchedH5060 the meatH1320 and the unleavened breadH4682. And fireH784 flaredH5927 fromH4480 the rockH6697 and consumedH398 the meatH1320 and the unleavened breadH4682. Then the angelH4397 of the LORDH3068 vanishedH1980 from his sightH5869.

22When GideonH1439 realizedH7200 thatH3588 itH1931 was the angelH4397 of the LORDH3068, heH1439 saidH559, “Oh noH162, LordH136 GODH3069H3588H5921H3651! I have seenH7200 the angelH4397 of the LORDH3068 faceH6440 toH413 faceH6440!”

23But the LORDH3068 saidH559 to him, “PeaceH7965 be with you. Do notH408 be afraidH3372, for you will notH3808 dieH4191.”

24So GideonH1439 builtH1129 an altarH4196 to the LORDH3068 thereH8033 and calledH7121 it The LORDH3068 Is PeaceH7965.6 ToH5704 thisH2088 dayH3117 it standsH5750 in OphrahH6084 of the AbiezritesH33.

25

Gideon Destroys Baal’s Altar

On that veryH1931 nightH3915 the LORDH3068 saidH559 to Gideon, “TakeH3947 your father’sH1 young bullH6499H7794 and a secondH8145 bullH6499 sevenH7651 years oldH8141, tear downH2040 your father’sH1 altarH4196 to BaalH1168, and cut downH3772 the Asherah poleH842 beside itH5921. 26Then buildH1129 a properH4634 altarH4196 to the LORDH3068 your GodH430 onH5921 the topH7218 of thisH2088 strongholdH4581. And with the woodH6086 of the Asherah poleH842 you cut downH3772, takeH3947 the secondH8145 bullH6499 and offerH5927 it as a burnt offeringH5930.”

27So GideonH1439 tookH3947 tenH6235 of his servantsH582H5650 and didH6213 asH834 the LORDH3068H1961 had told himH1696H413. But becauseH834 he was too afraidH3372 of his father’sH1 householdH1004 andH853 the menH582 of the cityH5892, he didH6213 it by nightH3915 rather than in the daytimeH3119.

28When the menH582 of the cityH5892 got upH7925 in the morningH1242, there wasH2009 Baal’sH1168 altarH4196 torn downH5422, with the Asherah poleH842 cut downH3772 beside itH5921 and the secondH8145 bullH6499 offered upH5927 onH5921 the newly builtH1129 altarH4196. 29“WhoH4310 didH6213H1697 thisH2088?” they saidH559 toH413 oneH376 anotherH7453.

And after they had investigated thoroughlyH1875H1245, they were toldH559, “GideonH1439 sonH1121 of JoashH3101 didH6213H1697 itH2088.”

30Then the menH582 of the cityH5892 saidH559 toH413 JoashH3101, “Bring outH3318 your sonH1121. He must dieH4191, becauseH3588 he has torn downH5422 Baal’sH1168H3588 altarH4196 and cut downH3772 the Asherah poleH842 beside itH5921.”

31But JoashH3101 saidH559 to allH3605 whoH834 stoodH5975 against himH5921, “Are youH859 contendingH7378 for BaalH1168? Are youH859 trying to save himH3467? WhoeverH834 pleads his caseH7378 will be put to deathH4191 byH5704 morningH1242! IfH518 Baal is a godH430, let him contendH7378 for himself withH3588 the one who has torn downH5422 his altarH4196.”

32So on that dayH3117H1931 Gideon was calledH7121 JerubbaalH3378,7 that is to sayH559, “Let BaalH1168 contendH7378 with him,” becauseH3588 he had torn downH5422 Baal’s altarH4196.

The Sign of the Fleece

33Then allH3605 the MidianitesH4080, AmalekitesH6002, and other peopleH1121 of the eastH6924 gatheredH622 togetherH3162, crossed overH5674 the Jordan, and campedH2583 in the ValleyH6010 of JezreelH3157.

34So the SpiritH7307 of the LORDH3068 came uponH3847 GideonH1439, who blewH8628 the ram’s hornH7782 and ralliedH2199 the AbiezritesH44 behind himH310. 35Calling themH2199 to armsH310, Gideon sentH7971 messengersH4397 throughoutH3605 ManassehH4519, as well asH1571 AsherH836, ZebulunH2074, and NaphtaliH5321, so that they came upH5927 to meet himH7122.

36Then GideonH1439 saidH559 toH413 GodH430, “IfH518H3426 You are going to saveH3467 IsraelH3478 by my handH3027, asH834 You have saidH1696, 37then beholdH2009, IH595 will placeH3322 a fleeceH1492 of woolH6785 on the threshing floorH1637. IfH518 there isH1961 dewH2919 onlyH905H5921 onH5921 the fleeceH1492 and allH3605 the groundH776 is dryH2721, then I will knowH3045 thatH3588 You are going to saveH3467 IsraelH3478 by my handH3027, asH834 You have saidH1696.”

38And that is whatH3651 happenedH1961. When Gideon aroseH7925 the next morningH4283, he squeezedH2115 the fleeceH1492 and wrungH4680 outH4480 the dewH2919H1492—a bowlfulH4393H5602 of waterH4325.

39Then GideonH1439 saidH559 toH413 GodH430, “Do notH408 be angryH2734H639 with me; let me speakH1696 one more timeH389H6471. Please allow meH4994H7535 one moreH6471 testH5254 with the fleeceH1492. This timeH4994 let it beH1961 dryH2721H413H1492H905, and the groundH776 coveredH3605H5921 with dewH2919.”

40And thatH1931 nightH3915 GodH430 didH6213 soH3651. OnlyH905H5921 the fleeceH1492 wasH1961 dryH2721H413, and dewH2919 coveredH1961H3605 the groundH776.