Judges 6:1-5

1The Israelites did things that the Lord saw were evil. So the Lord put them under the power of the Midianites for seven years.

2They used their power to be cruel to the Israelites. The Israelites built huts in the hills to live in. They hid themselves in caves and other safe places.

3When they planted seeds to grow food, their enemies would attack them. The Midianites, Amalekites and people from the east would come to rob them.

4They made their camps on Israel's land. They took all their crops, as far south as Gaza. They left nothing for the Israelites to eat. They took away their sheep, cows and donkeys.

5The groups of enemies came with their animals. They put up their tents all across the land. They came like a cloud of locusts. They were too many to count as they arrived on their camels. They took everything that grew on the land.