Judges 6:3-33

3For wheneverH1961H518 IsraelH3478 had sownH2232, the MidianitesH4080 would comeH5927 upH5927 with the AmalekitesH6002 and the 1peopleH1121 of the eastH6924 and 2marchH5927 againstH5921 them. 4So they would campH2583 againstH5921 them and 3destroyH7843 the produceH2981 of the earthH776 4as farH5704H935 as GazaH5804, and 5leaveH7604 noH3808 sustenanceH4241 in IsraelH3478, nor a sheepH7716, oxH7794, or donkeyH2543. 5For they would comeH5927 upH5927 with their livestockH4735 and their tentsH168, they would comeH935 inH935 6like locustsH697 in numberH7230, and both they and their camelsH1581 were innumerableH369H4557; and they cameH935 into the landH776 to ruinH7843 it. 6So IsraelH3478 was broughtH1809 7veryH3966 lowH1809 becauseH4480H6440 of MidianH4080, and the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 criedH2199 outH2199 to the LordH3068.

7Now it cameH1961 aboutH1961, whenH3588 the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 criedH2199 outH2199 to the LordH3068 on accountH182 of MidianH4080, 8that the LordH3068 sentH7971 a prophetH5030 to the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478, and 8he saidH559 to them, “ThisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 the LordH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478 saysH559: ‘It was I who broughtH5927 you upH5927 from EgyptH4714, and broughtH3318 you outH3318 of the houseH1004 of 9slaveryH5650. 9And I rescuedH5337 you from the handsH3027 of the EgyptiansH4714, and from the handsH3027 of allH3605 your oppressorsH3905, and I droveH1644 them outH1644 from you and gaveH5414 you their landH776, 10and I saidH559 to you, “I am the LordH3068 your GodH430; you 10shall not fearH3372 the godsH430 of the AmoritesH567 in whoseH834 landH776 you liveH3427.” But you have not 11obeyedH8085H6963 Me.’”

11Then 12the angelH4397 of the LordH3068 cameH935 and satH3427 underH8478 the 13oakH424 that was in OphrahH6084, whichH834 belonged to JoashH3060 the 14AbiezriteH33, as his sonH1121 15GideonH1439 was beatingH2251 outH2251 wheatH2406 in the wineH1660 pressH1660 in order to saveH5127 it from the MidianitesH4080. 12And the angelH4397 of the LordH3068 appearedH7200 to him and saidH559 to him, “The LordH3068 is with you, valiantH2428 warriorH1368.” 13Then GideonH1439 saidH559 to him, “OH994 my lordH113, if the LordH3068 is with us, whyH4100 then has allH3605 thisH2088 happenedH4672 toH4672 us? And whereH346 are allH3605 His miraclesH6381 whichH834 our fathersH1 toldH5608 us about, sayingH559, ‘Did the LordH3068 not bringH5927 us upH5927 from EgyptH4714?’ But 16nowH6258 the LordH3068 has abandonedH5203 us and handedH5414H3709 us overH5414 to MidianH4080.” 14And the LordH3068 17lookedH6437 at him and saidH559, “18GoH1980 in thisH2088 strengthH3581 of yours and saveH3467 IsraelH3478 from the handH3709 of MidianH4080. Have I not sentH7971 you?” 1519But he saidH559 to Him, “OH994 LordH136, 20howH4100 am I to saveH3467 IsraelH3478? BeholdH2009, my familyH505 is the leastH1800 in 21ManassehH4519, and I am the youngestH6810 in my father’sH1 houseH1004.” 1622Yet the LordH3068 saidH559 to him, “I will certainlyH3588 be with you, and you will 23defeatH5221 MidianH4080 as oneH259 manH376.” 17So 24Gideon saidH559 to Him, “IfH518 nowH4994 I have foundH4672 favorH2580 in Your sightH5869, then performH6213 for me 25a signH226 that it is You speakingH1696 with me. 18PleaseH4994 do not departH4185 from hereH2088 untilH5704 I comeH935 back to You, and bringH3318 outH3318 my offeringH4503 and layH5117 it beforeH6440 You.” And He saidH559, “I will remainH3427 untilH5704 you returnH7725.”

19Then GideonH1439 wentH935 inH935 and 26preparedH6213 a youngH1423H5795 goatH1423H5795 and unleavenedH4682 breadH4682 from an 27ephahH374 of flourH7058; he putH7760 the meatH1320 in a basketH5536 28and the brothH4839 in a potH6517, and broughtH3318 them outH3318 to him underH8478 the 29oakH424 and presentedH5066 them. 20And the angelH4397 of GodH430 saidH559 to him, “TakeH3947 the meatH1320 and the unleavenedH4682 breadH4682 and layH5117 them on thisH1975 rockH5553, and pourH8210 outH8210 the brothH4839.” And he didH6213 soH3651. 21Then the angelH4397 of the LordH3068 putH7971 outH7971 the endH7097 of the staffH4938 that was in his handH3027 and touchedH5060 the meatH1320 and the unleavenedH4682 breadH4682; and 30fireH784 cameH5927 upH5927 from the rockH6697 and consumedH398 the meatH1320 and the unleavenedH4682 breadH4682. Then the angelH4397 of the LordH3068 31vanishedH1980 from his sightH5869. 2232When GideonH1439 perceivedH7200 that he was the angelH4397 of the LordH3068, 33he saidH559, “OhH162, LordH136 34GodH3068! For I have seenH7200 the angelH4397 of the LordH3068 faceH6440 to faceH6440!” 23But the LordH3068 saidH559 to him, “PeaceH7965 to you, do not beH3372 afraidH3372; you shall not dieH4191.” 24Then GideonH1439 builtH1129 an altarH4196 thereH8033 to the LordH3068 and namedH7121 it 35The LordH3068 is PeaceH7965. To thisH2088 dayH3117 it is stillH5750 36in OphrahH6084 of the AbiezritesH33.

25Now on the sameH1931 nightH3915 the LordH3068 saidH559 to him, “TakeH3947 your father’sH1 bullH6499H7794 37and a secondH8145 bullH6499 sevenH7651 yearsH8141 old, and tearH2040 downH2040 the altarH4196 of BaalH1168 whichH834 belongs to your fatherH1, and cutH3772 downH3772 the 3839AsherahH842 that is besideH5921 it; 26and buildH1129 an altarH4196 to the LordH3068 your GodH430 on the topH7218 of thisH2088 strongholdH4581 in an orderlyH4634 wayH4634, and takeH3947 a secondH8145 bullH6499 and offerH5927 a burntH5930 offeringH5930 with the woodH6086 of the AsherahH842 whichH834 you shall cutH3772 downH3772.” 27Then GideonH1439 tookH3947 tenH6235 menH376 from his servantsH5650 and didH6213 as the LordH3068 had spokenH1696 to him; and becauseH834 he wasH3372 tooH4480 afraidH3372 of his father’sH1 householdH1004 and the menH376 of the cityH5892 to doH6213 it by dayH3119, he didH6213 it by nightH3915.

28When the peopleH376 of the cityH5892 gotH7925 upH7925 earlyH7925 in the morningH1242, beholdH2009, the altarH4196 of BaalH1168 had been tornH5422 downH5422, and the AsherahH842 whichH834 had been besideH5921 it had been cutH3772 downH3772, and the secondH8145 bullH6499 had been offeredH5927 on the altarH4196 which had been builtH1129. 29So they saidH559 to oneH376 anotherH7453, “WhoH4310 didH6213 thisH2088 thingH1697?” And when they searchedH1875 and inquiredH1245, they saidH559, “GideonH1439 the sonH1121 of JoashH3060 didH6213 thisH2088 thingH1697.” 30Then the menH376 of the cityH5892 saidH559 to JoashH3060, “BringH3318 outH3318 your sonH1121, that he may dieH4191, for he has tornH5422 downH5422 the altarH4196 of BaalH1168, and indeedH3588, he has cutH3772 downH3772 the AsherahH842 whichH834 was besideH5921 it.” 31But JoashH3060 saidH559 to allH3605 whoH834 stoodH5975 againstH5921 him, “Will you contendH7378 for BaalH1168, orH518 will you saveH3467 him? WhoeverH834 will contendH7378 for him shall be putH4191 toH4191 deathH4191 by morningH1242. IfH518 he is a godH430, let him contendH7378 for himself, sinceH3588 someone has tornH5422 downH5422 his altarH4196!” 32Therefore on that dayH3117 he namedH7121 40Gideon 41JerubbaalH3378, that is to sayH559, “Let BaalH1168 contendH7378 against him,” becauseH3588 he had tornH5422 downH5422 his altarH4196.

33Then allH3605 the MidianitesH4080, the AmalekitesH6002, and the 42peopleH1121 of the eastH6924 assembledH622 togetherH3162; and they crossedH5674 overH5674 and campedH2583 in 43the ValleyH6010 of JezreelH3157.