¹ And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.

² And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds.

³ And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them;

⁴ And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.

⁵ For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it.

⁶ And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD.

⁷ And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because of the Midianites,

⁸ That the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage;

⁹ And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land;

¹⁰ And I said unto you, I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice.

¹¹ And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.

¹² And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valor.

¹³ And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.

¹⁴ And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?

¹⁵ And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.

¹⁶ And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.

¹⁷ And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then show me a sign that thou talkest with me.

¹⁸ Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again.

¹⁹ And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it.

²⁰ And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.

²¹ Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight.

²² And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O LORD God! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face.

²³ And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.

²⁴ Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

²⁵ And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it:

²⁶ And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down.

²⁷ Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father's household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.

²⁸ And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built.

²⁹ And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they inquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing.

³⁰ Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it.

³¹ And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar.

³² Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.

³³ Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel.

³⁴ But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him.

³⁵ And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; who also was gathered after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.

³⁶ And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said,

³⁷ Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.

³⁸ And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.

³⁹ And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.

⁴⁰ And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

---

¹ And the children ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478 did ^H6213 evil ^H7451 in the sight ^H5869 of the LORD: ^H3068 and the LORD ^H3068 delivered ^H5414 them into the hand ^H3027 of Midian ^H4080 seven ^H7651 years. ^H8141

² And the hand ^H3027 of Midian ^H4080 prevailed ^H5810 against Israel: ^H3478 and because ^H6440 of the Midianites ^H4080 the children ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478 made ^H6213 them the dens ^H4492 which are in the mountains, ^H2022 and caves, ^H4631 and strong holds. ^H4679

³ And so it was, when Israel ^H3478 had sown, ^H2232 that the Midianites ^H4080 came up, ^H5927 and the Amalekites, ^H6002 and the children ^H1121 of the east, ^H6924 even they came up ^H5927 against them;

⁴ And they encamped ^H2583 against them, and destroyed ^H7843 the increase ^H2981 of the earth, ^H776 till thou come ^H935 unto Gaza, ^H5804 and left ^H7604 no sustenance ^H4241 for Israel, ^H3478 neither sheep, ^H7716 nor ox, ^H7794 nor ass. ^H2543

⁵ For they came up ^H5927 with their cattle ^H4735 and their tents, ^H168 and they came ^{H935 H935} as ^H1767 grasshoppers ^H697 for multitude; ^H7230 for both they and their camels ^H1581 were without number: ^H4557 and they entered ^H935 into the land ^H776 to destroy ^H7843 it.

⁶ And Israel ^H3478 was greatly ^H3966 impoverished ^H1809 because ^H6440 of the Midianites; ^H4080 and the children ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478 cried ^H2199 unto the LORD. ^H3068

⁷ And it came to pass, when the children ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478 cried ^H2199 unto the LORD ^H3068 because ^H182 of the Midianites, ^H4080

⁸ That the LORD ^H3068 sent ^H7971 a prophet ^{H376 H5030} unto the children ^H1121 of Israel, ^H3478 which said ^H559 unto them, Thus saith ^H559 the LORD ^H3068 God ^H430 of Israel, ^H3478 I brought you up ^H5927 from Egypt, ^H4714 and brought you forth ^H3318 out of the house ^H1004 of bondage; ^H5650

⁹ And I delivered ^H5337 you out of the hand ^H3027 of the Egyptians, ^H4714 and out of the hand ^H3027 of all that oppressed ^H3905 you, and drave them out ^H1644 from before ^H6440 you, and gave ^H5414 you their land; ^H776

¹⁰ And I said ^H559 unto you, I am the LORD ^H3068 your God; ^H430 fear ^H3372 not the gods ^H430 of the Amorites, ^H567 in whose land ^H776 ye dwell: ^H3427 but ye have not obeyed ^H8085 my voice. ^H6963

¹¹ And there came ^H935 an angel ^H4397 of the LORD, ^H3068 and sat ^H3427 under an oak ^H424 which was in Ophrah, ^H6084 that pertained unto Joash ^H3101 the Abiezrite: ^H33 and his son ^H1121 Gideon ^H1439 threshed ^H2251 wheat ^H2406 by the winepress, ^H1660 to hide ^H5127 it from ^H6440 the Midianites. ^H4080

¹² And the angel ^H4397 of the LORD ^H3068 appeared ^H7200 unto him, and said ^H559 unto him, The LORD ^H3068 is with thee, thou mighty ^H1368 man of valour. ^H2428

¹³ And Gideon ^H1439 said ^H559 unto him, Oh ^H994 my Lord, ^H113 if ^H3426 the LORD ^H3068 be with us, why then is all this befallen ^H4672 us? and where be all his miracles ^H6381 which our fathers ^H1 told ^H5608 us of, saying, ^H559 Did not the LORD ^H3068 bring us up ^H5927 from Egypt? ^H4714 but now the LORD ^H3068 hath forsaken ^H5203 us, and delivered ^H5414 us into the hands ^H3709 of the Midianites. ^H4080

¹⁴ And the LORD ^H3068 looked ^H6437 upon him, and said, ^H559 Go ^H3212 in this thy might, ^H3581 and thou shalt save ^H3467 Israel ^H3478 from the hand ^H3709 of the Midianites: ^H4080 have not I sent ^H7971 thee?

¹⁵ And he said ^H559 unto him, Oh ^H994 my Lord, ^H136 wherewith ^H4100 shall I save ^H3467 Israel? ^H3478 behold, my family ^{H504 H505} is poor ^H1800 in Manasseh, ^H4519 and I am the least ^H6810 in my father's ^H1 house. ^H1004

¹⁶ And the LORD ^H3068 said ^H559 unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite ^H5221 the Midianites ^H4080 as one ^H259 man. ^H376

¹⁷ And he said ^H559 unto him, If now I have found ^H4672 grace ^H2580 in thy sight, ^H5869 then shew ^H6213 me a sign ^H226 that thou talkest ^H1696 with me.

¹⁸ Depart ^H4185 not hence, I pray thee, until I come ^H935 unto thee, and bring forth ^H3318 my present, ^H4503 and set ^H3240 it before ^H6440 thee. And he said, ^H559 I will tarry ^H3427 until thou come again. ^H7725

¹⁹ And Gideon ^H1439 went in, ^H935 and made ready ^H6213 a kid, ^{H5795 H1423} and unleavened cakes ^H4682 of an ephah ^H374 of flour: ^H7058 the flesh ^H1320 he put ^H7760 in a basket, ^H5536 and he put ^H7760 the broth ^H4839 in a pot, ^H6517 and brought it out ^H3318 unto him under the oak, ^H424 and presented ^H5066 it.

²⁰ And the angel ^H4397 of God ^H430 said ^H559 unto him, Take ^H3947 the flesh ^H1320 and the unleavened cakes, ^H4682 and lay ^H3240 them upon this ^H1975 rock, ^H5553 and pour out ^H8210 the broth. ^H4839 And he did ^H6213 so.

²¹ Then the angel ^H4397 of the LORD ^H3068 put forth ^H7971 the end ^H7097 of the staff ^H4938 that was in his hand, ^H3027 and touched ^H5060 the flesh ^H1320 and the unleavened cakes; ^H4682 and there rose up ^H5927 fire ^H784 out of the rock, ^H6697 and consumed ^H398 the flesh ^H1320 and the unleavened cakes. ^H4682 Then the angel ^H4397 of the LORD ^H3068 departed ^H1980 out of his sight. ^H5869

²² And when Gideon ^H1439 perceived ^H7200 that he was an angel ^H4397 of the LORD, ^H3068 Gideon ^H1439 said, ^H559 Alas, ^H162 O Lord ^H136 GOD! ^H3069 for because ^H3651 I have seen ^H7200 an angel ^H4397 of the LORD ^H3068 face ^H6440 to face. ^H6440

²³ And the LORD ^H3068 said ^H559 unto him, Peace ^H7965 be unto thee; fear ^H3372 not: thou shalt not die. ^H4191

²⁴ Then Gideon ^H1439 built ^H1129 an altar ^H4196 there unto the LORD, ^H3068 and called ^H7121 it Jehovahshalom: ^H3073 unto this day ^H3117 it is yet in Ophrah ^H6084 of the Abiezrites. ^H33

²⁵ And it came to pass the same night, ^H3915 that the LORD ^H3068 said ^H559 unto him, Take ^H3947 thy father's ^H1 young ^H6499 bullock, ^H7794 even the second ^H8145 bullock ^H6499 of seven ^H7651 years old, ^H8141 and throw down ^H2040 the altar ^H4196 of Baal ^H1168 that thy father ^H1 hath, and cut down ^H3772 the grove ^H842 that is by it:

²⁶ And build ^H1129 an altar ^H4196 unto the LORD ^H3068 thy God ^H430 upon the top ^H7218 of this rock, ^H4581 in the ordered place, ^H4634 and take ^H3947 the second ^H8145 bullock, ^H6499 and offer ^H5927 a burnt sacrifice ^H5930 with the wood ^H6086 of the grove ^H842 which thou shalt cut down. ^H3772

²⁷ Then Gideon ^H1439 took ^H3947 ten ^H6235 men ^H582 of his servants, ^H5650 and did ^H6213 as the LORD ^H3068 had said ^H1696 unto him: and so it was, because he feared ^H3372 his father's ^H1 household, ^H1004 and the men ^H582 of the city, ^H5892 that he could not do ^H6213 it by day, ^H3119 that he did ^H6213 it by night. ^H3915

²⁸ And when the men ^H582 of the city ^H5892 arose early ^H7925 in the morning, ^H1242 behold, the altar ^H4196 of Baal ^H1168 was cast down, ^H5422 and the grove ^H842 was cut down ^H3772 that was by it, and the second ^H8145 bullock ^H6499 was offered ^H5927 upon the altar ^H4196 that was built. ^H1129

²⁹ And they said ^H559 one ^H376 to another, ^H7453 Who hath done ^H6213 this thing? ^H1697 And when they enquired ^H1875 and asked, ^H1245 they said, ^H559 Gideon ^H1439 the son ^H1121 of Joash ^H3101 hath done ^H6213 this thing. ^H1697

³⁰ Then the men ^H582 of the city ^H5892 said ^H559 unto Joash, ^H3101 Bring out ^H3318 thy son, ^H1121 that he may die: ^H4191 because he hath cast down ^H5422 the altar ^H4196 of Baal, ^H1168 and because he hath cut down ^H3772 the grove ^H842 that was by it.

³¹ And Joash ^H3101 said ^H559 unto all that stood ^H5975 against him, Will ye plead ^H7378 for Baal? ^H1168 will ye save ^H3467 him? he that will plead ^H7378 for him, let him be put to death ^H4191 whilst it is yet morning: ^H1242 if he be a god, ^H430 let him plead ^H7378 for himself, because one hath cast down ^H5422 his altar. ^H4196

³² Therefore on that day ^H3117 he called ^H7121 him Jerubbaal, ^H3378 saying, ^H559 Let Baal ^H1168 plead ^H7378 against him, because he hath thrown down ^H5422 his altar. ^H4196

³³ Then all the Midianites ^H4080 and the Amalekites ^H6002 and the children ^H1121 of the east ^H6924 were gathered ^H622 together, ^H3162 and went over, ^H5674 and pitched ^H2583 in the valley ^H6010 of Jezreel. ^H3157

³⁴ But the Spirit ^H7307 of the LORD ^H3068 came ^H3847 upon Gideon, ^H1439 and he blew ^H8628 a trumpet; ^H7782 and Abiezer ^H44 was gathered ^H2199 after ^H310 him.

³⁵ And he sent ^H7971 messengers ^H4397 throughout all Manasseh; ^H4519 who also was gathered ^H2199 after ^H310 him: and he sent ^H7971 messengers ^H4397 unto Asher, ^H836 and unto Zebulun, ^H2074 and unto Naphtali; ^H5321 and they came up ^H5927 to meet ^H7125 them.

³⁶ And Gideon ^H1439 said ^H559 unto God, ^H430 If thou wilt ^H3426 save ^H3467 Israel ^H3478 by mine hand, ^H3027 as thou hast said, ^H1696

³⁷ Behold, I will put ^H3322 a fleece ^H1492 of wool ^H6785 in the floor; ^H1637 and if the dew ^H2919 be on the fleece ^H1492 only, and it be dry ^H2721 upon all the earth ^H776 beside, then shall I know ^H3045 that thou wilt save ^H3467 Israel ^H3478 by mine hand, ^H3027 as thou hast said. ^H1696

³⁸ And it was so: for he rose up early ^H7925 on the morrow, ^H4283 and thrust ^H2115 the fleece ^H1492 together, ^H2115 and wringed ^H4680 the dew ^H2919 out of the fleece, ^H1492 a bowl ^H5602 full ^H4393 of water. ^H4325

³⁹ And Gideon ^H1439 said ^H559 unto God, ^H430 Let not thine anger ^H639 be hot ^H2734 against me, and I will speak ^H1696 but this once: ^H6471 let me prove, ^H5254 I pray thee, but this once ^H6471 with the fleece; ^H1492 let it now be dry ^H2721 only upon the fleece, ^H1492 and upon all the ground ^H776 let there be dew. ^H2919

⁴⁰ And God ^H430 did ^H6213 so that night: ^H3915 for it was dry ^H2721 upon the fleece ^H1492 only, and there was dew ^H2919 on all the ground. ^H776

---

¹ And the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah: and Jehovah delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.

² And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel; and because of Midian the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds.

³ And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east; they came up against them;

⁴ and they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance in Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.

⁵ For they came up with their cattle 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 And Israel was brought very low because of Midian; and the children of Israel cried unto Jehovah.

⁷ And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto Jehovah because of Midian,

⁸ that Jehovah sent a prophet unto the children of Israel: and he said unto them, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage;

⁹ and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drove them out from before you, and gave you their land;

¹⁰ and I said unto you, I am Jehovah your God; ye shall not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell. But ye have not hearkened unto my voice.

¹¹ And the angel of Jehovah came, and sat under the oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.

¹² And the angel of Jehovah appeared unto him, and said unto him, Jehovah is with thee, thou mighty man of valor.

¹³ And Gideon said unto him, Oh, my lord, if Jehovah is with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where are all his wondrous works which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not Jehovah bring us up from Egypt? but now Jehovah hath cast us off, and delivered us into the hand of Midian.

¹⁴ And Jehovah looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and save Israel from the hand of Midian: have not I sent thee?

¹⁵ And he said unto him, Oh, Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.

¹⁶ And Jehovah said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.

¹⁷ And he said unto him, If now I have found favor in thy sight, then show me a sign that it is thou that talkest with me.

¹⁸ Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and lay it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again.

¹⁹ And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of meal: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it.

²⁰ And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.

²¹ Then the angel of Jehovah put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there went up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and the angel of Jehovah departed out of his sight.

²² And Gideon saw that he was the angel of Jehovah; and Gideon said, Alas, O Lord Jehovah! forasmuch as I have seen the angel of Jehovah face to face.

²³ And Jehovah said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.

²⁴ Then Gideon built an altar there unto Jehovah, and called it Jehovah-shalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

²⁵ And it came to pass the same night, that Jehovah said unto him, Take thy father's bullock, even the second bullock seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the Asherah that is by it;

²⁶ and build an altar unto Jehovah thy God upon the top of this stronghold, in the orderly manner, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt-offering with the wood of the Asherah which thou shalt cut down.

²⁷ Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as Jehovah had spoken unto him: and it came to pass, because he feared his father's household and the men of the city, so that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.

²⁸ And 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 bullock was offered upon the altar that was built.

²⁹ And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they inquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing.

³⁰ Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die, because he hath broken down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the Asherah that was by it.

³¹ And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye contend for Baal? Or will ye save him? he that will contend for him, let him be put to death whilst `it is yet' morning: if he be a god, let him contend for himself, because one hath broken down his altar.

³² Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal contend against him, because he hath broken down his altar.

³³ 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 But the Spirit of Jehovah came upon Gideon; and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered together after him.

³⁵ And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; and they also were gathered together after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.

³⁶ And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by my hand, as thou hast spoken,

³⁷ behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing-floor; if there be dew on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the ground, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by my hand, as thou hast spoken.

³⁸ And it was so; for he rose up early on the morrow, and pressed the fleece together, and wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowlful of water.

³⁹ And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be kindled against me, and I will speak but this once: let me make trial, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.

⁴⁰ And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

---

¹ And the sons of Israel do the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, and Jehovah giveth them into the hand of Midian seven years,

² and the hand of Midian is strong against Israel, from the presence of Midian have the sons of Israel made for themselves the flowings which `are' in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds.

³ And it hath been, if Israel hath sowed, that Midian hath come up, and Amalek, and the sons of the east, yea, they have come up against him,

⁴ and encamp against them, and destroy the increase of the land till thine entering Gaza; and they leave no sustenance in Israel, either sheep, or ox, or ass;

⁵ for they and their cattle come up, with their tents; they come in as the fulness of the locust for multitude, and of them and of their cattle there is no number, and they come into the land to destroy it.

⁶ And Israel is very weak from the presence of Midian, and the sons of Israel cry unto Jehovah.

⁷ And it cometh to pass when the sons of Israel have cried unto Jehovah, concerning Midian,

⁸ that Jehovah sendeth a man, a prophet, unto the sons of Israel, and he saith to them, `Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, I -- I have brought you up out of Egypt, and I bring you out from a house of servants,

⁹ and I deliver you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all your oppressors, and I cast them out from your presence, and I give to you their land,

¹⁰ and I say to you, I `am' Jehovah your God, ye do not fear the gods of the Amorite in whose land ye are dwelling: -- and ye have not hearkened to My voice.'

¹¹ And the messenger of Jehovah cometh and sitteth under the oak which `is' in Ophrah, which `is' to Joash the Abi-Ezrite, and Gideon his son is beating out wheat in the wine-press, to remove `it' from the presence of the Midianites;

¹² and the messenger of Jehovah appeareth unto him, and saith unto him, `Jehovah `is' with thee, O mighty one of valour.'

¹³ And Gideon saith unto him, `O, my lord -- and Jehovah is with us! -- and why hath all this found us? and where `are' all His wonders which our fathers recounted to us, saying, Hath not Jehovah brought us up out of Egypt? and now Jehovah hath left us, and doth give us into the hand of Midian.'

¹⁴ And Jehovah turneth unto him and saith, `Go in this -- thy power; and thou hast saved Israel out of the hand of Midian -- have not I sent thee.'

¹⁵ And he saith unto him, `O, my lord, wherewith do I save Israel? lo, my chief `is' weak in Manasseh, and I the least in the house of my father.'

¹⁶ And Jehovah saith unto him, `Because I am with thee -- thou hast smitten the Midianites as one man.'

¹⁷ And he saith unto Him, `If, I pray Thee, I have found grace in Thine eyes, then Thou hast done for me a sign that Thou art speaking with me.

¹⁸ Move not, I pray Thee, from this, till my coming in unto Thee, and I have brought out my present, and put it before Thee;' and he saith, `I -- I do abide till thy return.'

¹⁹ And Gideon hath gone in, and prepareth a kid of the goats, and of an ephah of flour unleavened things; the flesh he hath put in a basket, and the broth he hath put in a pot, and he bringeth out unto Him, unto the place of the oak, and bringeth `it' nigh.

²⁰ And the messenger of God saith unto him, `Take the flesh and the unleavened things, and place on this rock -- and the broth pour out;' and he doth so.

²¹ And the messenger of Jehovah putteth forth the end of the staff which `is' in His hand, and cometh against the flesh, and against the unleavened things, and the fire goeth up out of the rock and consumeth the flesh and the unleavened things -- and the messenger of Jehovah hath gone from his eyes.

²² And Gideon seeth that He `is' a messenger of Jehovah, and Gideon saith, `Alas, Lord Jehovah! because that I have seen a messenger of Jehovah face to face!'

²³ And Jehovah saith to him, `Peace to thee; fear not; thou dost not die.'

²⁴ And Gideon buildeth there an altar to Jehovah, and calleth it Jehovah-Shalom, unto this day it `is' yet in Ophrah of the Abi-Ezrites.

²⁵ And it cometh to pass, on that night, that Jehovah saith to him, `Take the young ox which `is' to thy father, and the second bullock of seven years, and thou hast thrown down the altar of Baal which `is' to thy father, and the shrine which `is' by it thou dost cut down,

²⁶ and thou hast built an altar to Jehovah thy God on the top of this stronghold, by the arrangement, and hast taken the second bullock, and caused to ascend a burnt-offering with the wood of the shrine which thou cuttest down.'

²⁷ And Gideon taketh ten men of his servants, and doth as Jehovah hath spoken unto him, and it cometh to pass, because he hath been afraid of the house of his father, and the men of the city, to do `it' by day, that he doth `it' by night.

²⁸ And the men of the city rise early in the morning, and lo, broken down hath been the altar of Baal, and the shrine which is by it hath been cut down, and the second bullock hath been offered on the altar which is built.

²⁹ And they say one to another, `Who hath done this thing?' and they inquire and seek, and they say, `Gideon son of Joash hath done this thing.'

³⁰ And the men of the city say unto Joash, `Bring out thy son, and he dieth, because he hath broken down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the shrine which `is' by it.'

³¹ And Joash saith to all who have stood against him, `Ye, do ye plead for Baal? ye -- do ye save him? he who pleadeth for him is put to death during the morning; if he `is' a god he himself doth plead against him, because he hath broken down his altar.'

³² And he calleth him, on that day, Jerubbaal, saying, `The Baal doth plead against him, because he hath broken down his altar.'

³³ And all Midian and Amalek and the sons of the east have been gathered together, and pass over, and encamp in the valley of Jezreel,

³⁴ and the Spirit of Jehovah hath clothed Gideon, and he bloweth with a trumpet, and Abi-Ezer is called after him;

³⁵ and messengers he hath sent into all Manasseh, and it also is called after him; and messengers he hath sent into Asher, and into Zebulun, and into Naphtali, and they come up to meet them.

³⁶ And Gideon saith unto God, `If Thou art Saviour of Israel by my hand, as Thou hast spoken,

³⁷ lo, I am placing the fleece of wool in the threshing-floor: if dew is on the fleece alone, and on all the earth drought -- then I have known that Thou dost save Israel by my hand, as Thou hast spoken;'

³⁸ and it is so, and he riseth early on the morrow, and presseth the fleece, and wringeth dew out of the fleece -- the fulness of the bowl, of water.

³⁹ And Gideon saith unto God, `Let not Thine anger burn against me, and I speak only this time; let me try, I pray Thee, only this time with the fleece -- let there be, I pray Thee, drought on the fleece alone, and on all the earth let there be dew.'

⁴⁰ And God doth so on that night, and there is drought on the fleece alone, and on all the earth there hath been dew.

---

¹ The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD gave them into the hand of Mid'ian seven years.

² And the hand of Mid'ian prevailed over Israel; and because of Mid'ian the people of Israel made for themselves the dens which are in the mountains, and the caves and the strongholds.

³ For whenever the Israelites put in seed the Mid'ianites and the Amal'ekites and the people of the East would come up and attack them;

⁴ they would encamp against them and destroy the produce of the land, as far as the neighborhood of Gaza, and leave no sustenance in Israel, and no sheep or ox or ass.

⁵ For they would come up with their cattle and their tents, coming like locusts for number; both they and their camels could not be counted; so that they wasted the land as they came in.

⁶ And Israel was brought very low because of Mid'ian; and the people of Israel cried for help to the LORD.

⁷ When the people of Israel cried to the LORD on account of the Mid'ianites,

⁸ the LORD sent a prophet to the people of Israel; and he said to them, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: I led you up from Egypt, and brought you out of the house of bondage;

⁹ and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians, and from the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out before you, and gave you their land;

¹⁰ and I said to you, 'I am the LORD your God; you shall not pay reverence to the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.' But you have not given heed to my voice."

¹¹ Now the angel of the LORD came and sat under the oak at Ophrah, which belonged to Jo'ash the Abiez'rite, as his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press, to hide it from the Mid'ianites.

¹² And the angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, "The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor."

¹³ And Gideon said to him, "Pray, sir, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this befallen us? And where are all his wonderful deeds which our fathers recounted to us, saying, 'Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?' But now the LORD has cast us off, and given us into the hand of Mid'ian."

¹⁴ And the LORD turned to him and said, "Go in this might of yours and deliver Israel from the hand of Mid'ian; do not I send you?"

¹⁵ And he said to him, "Pray, Lord, how can I deliver Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manas'seh, and I am the least in my family."

¹⁶ And the LORD said to him, "But I will be with you, and you shall smite the Mid'ianites as one man."

¹⁷ And he said to him, "If now I have found favor with thee, then show me a sign that it is thou who speakest with me.

¹⁸ Do not depart from here, I pray thee, until I come to thee, and bring out my present, and set it before thee." And he said, "I will stay till you return."

¹⁹ So Gideon went into his house and prepared a kid, and unleavened cakes from an ephah of flour; the meat he put in a basket, and the broth he put in a pot, and brought them to him under the oak and presented them.

²⁰ And the angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and the unleavened cakes, and put them on this rock, and pour the broth over them." And he did so.

²¹ Then the angel of the LORD reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes; and there sprang up fire from the rock and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and the angel of the LORD vanished from his sight.

²² Then Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the LORD; and Gideon said, "Alas, O Lord GOD! For now I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face."

²³ But the LORD said to him, "Peace be to you; do not fear, you shall not die."

²⁴ Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD, and called it, The LORD is peace. To this day it still stands at Ophrah, which belongs to the Abiez'rites.

²⁵ That night the LORD said to him, "Take your father's bull, the second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Ba'al which your father has, and cut down the Ashe'rah that is beside it;

²⁶ and build an altar to the LORD your God on the top of the stronghold here, with stones laid in due order; then take the second bull, and offer it as a burnt offering with the wood of the Ashe'rah which you shall cut down."

²⁷ So Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had told him; but because he was too afraid of his family and the men of the town to do it by day, he did it by night.

²⁸ When the men of the town rose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Ba'al was broken down, and the Ashe'rah beside it was cut down, and the second bull was offered upon the altar which had been built.

²⁹ And they said to one another, "Who has done this thing?" And after they had made search and inquired, they said, "Gideon the son of Jo'ash has done this thing."

³⁰ Then the men of the town said to Jo'ash, "Bring out your son, that he may die, for he has pulled down the altar of Ba'al and cut down the Ashe'rah beside it."

³¹ But Jo'ash said to all who were arrayed against him, "Will you contend for Ba'al? Or will you defend his cause? Whoever contends for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because his altar has been pulled down."

³² Therefore on that day he was called Jerubba'al, that is to say, "Let Ba'al contend against him," because he pulled down his altar.

³³ Then all the Mid'ianites and the Amal'ekites and the people of the East came together, and crossing the Jordan they encamped in the Valley of Jezreel.

³⁴ But the Spirit of the LORD took possession of Gideon; and he sounded the trumpet, and the Abiez'rites were called out to follow him.

³⁵ And he sent messengers throughout all Manas'seh; and they too were called out to follow him. And he sent messengers to Asher, Zeb'ulun, and Naph'tali; and they went up to meet them.

³⁶ Then Gideon said to God, "If thou wilt deliver Israel by my hand, as thou hast said,

³⁷ behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that thou wilt deliver Israel by my hand, as thou hast said."

³⁸ And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water.

³⁹ Then Gideon said to God, "Let not thy anger burn against me, let me speak but this once; pray, let me make trial only this once with the fleece; pray, let it be dry only on the fleece, and on all the ground let there be dew."

⁴⁰ And God did so that night; for it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew.

---

¹ The children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh: and Yahweh delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.

² The hand of Midian prevailed against Israel; and because of Midian the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds.

³ So it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east; they came up against them;

⁴ and they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, until you come to Gaza, and left no sustenance in Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor donkey.

⁵ For they came up with their cattle 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 Israel was brought very low because of Midian; and the children of Israel cried to Yahweh.

⁷ It happened, when the children of Israel cried to Yahweh because of Midian,

⁸ that Yahweh sent a prophet to the children of Israel: and he said to them, Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage;

⁹ and 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 and I said to you, I am Yahweh 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 The angel of Yahweh came, and sat under the oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained to Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.

¹² The angel of Yahweh appeared to him, and said to him, Yahweh is with you, you mighty man of valor.

¹³ Gideon said to him, Oh, my lord, if Yahweh is with us, why then has all this happened to us? and where are all his wondrous works which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not Yahweh bring us up from Egypt? but now Yahweh has cast us off, and delivered us into the hand of Midian.

¹⁴ Yahweh looked at him, and said, Go in this your might, and save Israel from the hand of Midian: have not I sent you?

¹⁵ He said to him, Oh, Lord, with which shall I save Israel? behold, my family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.

¹⁶ Yahweh said to him, Surely I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.

¹⁷ He said to him, If now I have found favor in your sight, then show me a sign that it is you who talk with me.

¹⁸ 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 again.

¹⁹ Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of meal: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out to him under the oak, and presented it.

²⁰ The angel of God said to him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth. He did so.

²¹ Then the angel of Yahweh put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there went up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and the angel of Yahweh departed out of his sight.

²² Gideon saw that he was the angel of Yahweh; and Gideon said, Alas, Lord Yahweh! because I have seen the angel of Yahweh face to face.

²³ Yahweh said to him, Peace be to you; don't be afraid: you shall not die.

²⁴ Then Gideon built an altar there to Yahweh, and called it Yahweh-shalom: to this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

²⁵ It happened the same night, that Yahweh 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 and build an altar to Yahweh your God on the top of this stronghold, in the orderly manner, and take the second bull, and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which you shall cut down.

²⁷ Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as Yahweh had spoken to him: and it happened, because he feared his father's household and the men of the city, so that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.

²⁸ 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 They said one to another, Who has done this thing? When they inquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing.

³⁰ 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 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 while [it is yet] morning: if he be a god, let him contend for himself, because one has broken down his altar.

³² Therefore on that day he named him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal contend against him, because he has broken down his altar.

³³ 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 But the Spirit of Yahweh came on Gideon; and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered together after him.

³⁵ He sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; and they also were gathered together after him: and he sent messengers to Asher, and to Zebulun, and to Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.

³⁶ Gideon said to God, If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have spoken,

³⁷ behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there be dew on the fleece only, and it be dry on all the ground, then shall I know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have spoken.

³⁸ 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 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 God did so that night: for it was dry on the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

---

¹ And the children of Israel did evil in the eyes of the Lord; and the Lord gave them up into the hand of Midian for seven years.

² And Midian was stronger than Israel; and because of the Midianites, the children of Israel made holes for themselves in the mountains, and hollows in the rocks, and strong places.

³ And whenever Israel's grain was planted, the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the east came up against them;

⁴ And put their army in position against them; and they took all the produce of the earth as far as Gaza, till there was no food in Israel, or any sheep or oxen or asses.

⁵ For they came up regularly with their oxen and their tents; they came like the locusts in number; they and their camels were without number; and they came into the land for its destruction.

⁶ And Israel was in great need because of Midian; and the cry of the children of Israel went up to the Lord.

⁷ And when the cry of the children of Israel, because of Midian, came before the Lord,

⁸ The Lord sent a prophet to the children of Israel, who said to them, The Lord the God of Israel, has said, I took you up from Egypt, out of the prison-house;

⁹ And I took you out of the hands of the Egyptians and out of the hands of all who were cruel to you, and I sent them out by force from before you and gave you their land;

¹⁰ And I said to you, I am the Lord your God; you are not to give worship to the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living, but you did not give ear to my voice.

¹¹ Now the angel of the Lord came and took his seat under the oak-tree in Ophrah, in the field of Joash the Abiezrite; and his son Gideon was crushing grain in the place where the grapes were crushed, so that the Midianites might not see it.

¹² And the angel of the Lord came before his eyes, and said to him, The Lord is with you, O man of war.

¹³ Then Gideon said to him, O my lord, if the Lord is with us why has all this come on us? And where are all his works of power, of which our fathers have given us word, saying, Did not the Lord take us out of Egypt? But now he has given us up, handing us over to the power of Midian.

¹⁴ And the Lord, turning to him, said, Go in the strength you have and be Israel's saviour from Midian: have I not sent you?

¹⁵ And he said to him, O Lord, how may I be the saviour of Israel? See, my family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.

¹⁶ Then the Lord said to him, Truly, I will be with you, and you will overcome the Midianites as if they were one man.

¹⁷ So he said to him, If now I have grace in your eyes, then give me a sign that it is you who are talking to me.

¹⁸ Do not go away till I come with my offering and put it before you. And he said, I will not go away before you come back.

¹⁹ Then Gideon went in and made ready a young goat, and with an ephah of meal he made unleavened cakes: he put the meat in a basket and the soup in which it had been cooked he put in a pot, and he took it out to him under the oak-tree and gave it to him there.

²⁰ And the angel of God said to him, Take the meat and the unleavened cakes and put them down on the rock over there, draining out the soup over them. And he did so.

²¹ Then the angel of the Lord put out the stick which was in his hand, touching the meat and the cakes with the end of it; and a flame came up out of the rock, burning up the meat and the cakes: and the angel of the Lord was seen no longer.

²² Then Gideon was certain that he was the angel of the Lord; and Gideon said, I am in fear, O Lord God! for I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.

²³ But the Lord said to him, Peace be with you; have no fear: you are in no danger of death.

²⁴ Then Gideon made an altar there to the Lord, and gave it the name Yahweh-shalom; to this day it is in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

²⁵ The same night the Lord said to him, Take ten men of your servants and an ox seven years old, and after pulling down the altar of Baal which is your father's, and cutting down the holy tree by its side,

²⁶ Make an altar to the Lord your God on the top of this rock, in the ordered way and take the ox and make a burned offering with the wood of the holy tree which has been cut down.

²⁷ Then Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the Lord had said to him; but fearing to do it by day, because of his father's people and the men of the town, he did it by night.

²⁸ And the men of the town got up early in the morning, and they saw the altar of Baal broken down, and the holy tree which was by it cut down, and the ox offered on the altar which had been put up there.

²⁹ And they said to one another, Who has done this thing? And after searching with care, they said, Gideon, the son of Joash, has done this thing.

³⁰ Then the men of the town said to Joash, Make your son come out to be put to death, for pulling down the altar of Baal and cutting down the holy tree which was by it.

³¹ But Joash said to all those who were attacking him, Will you take up the cause of Baal? will you be his saviour? Let anyone who will take up his cause be put to death while it is still morning: if he is a god, let him take up his cause himself because of the pulling down of his altar.

³² So that day he gave him the name of Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal take up his cause against him because his altar has been broken down.

³³ Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the east, banding themselves together, went over and put up their tents in the valley of Jezreel.

³⁴ But the spirit of the Lord came on Gideon; and at the sound of his horn all Abiezer came together after him.

³⁵ And he sent through all Manasseh, and they came after him; and he sent to Asher and Zebulun and Naphtali, and they came up and were joined to the others.

³⁶ Then Gideon said to God, If you are going to give Israel salvation by my hand, as you have said,

³⁷ See, I will put the wool of a sheep on the grain-floor; if there is dew on the wool only, while all the earth is dry, then I will be certain that it is your purpose to give Israel salvation by my hand as you have said.

³⁸ And it was so: for he got up early on the morning after, and twisting the wool in his hands, he got a basin full of water from the dew on the wool.

³⁹ Then Gideon said to God, Do not be moved to wrath against me if I say only this: let me make one more test with the wool; let the wool now be dry, while the earth is covered with dew.

⁴⁰ And that night God did so; for the wool was dry, and there was dew on all the earth round it.