6
1 The
children of Israel
did that which
was evil in
the LORD’s sight,
so the LORD
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
themselves the
dens which are
in the mountains,
the caves, and
the strongholds.
3 So
it was, when
Israel had sown,
that the
Midianites, the
Amalekites, and
the children of
the east came
up against them.
4 They
encamped against
them, and
destroyed the
increase of
the earth, until
you come to
Gaza. They left
no sustenance in
Israel, and no
sheep, ox, or
donkey.
5 For
they came up
with their
livestock 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 the
LORD.
7 When
the children of
Israel cried to
the LORD because
of Midian,
8 The
LORD sent a
prophet to the
children of Israel;
and he said
to them, “The
LORD, the God
of Israel, says,
‘I brought you
up from Egypt,
and brought you
out of the
house of bondage.
9 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 I
said to you, “I
am the LORD
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
LORD’s angel came
and sat under
the oak which was
in Ophrah,
that belonged to
Joash the Abiezrite.
His son Gideon
was beating out
wheat in the
wine press, to
hide it from
the Midianites.
12 The
LORD’s angel
appeared to him,
and said to him,
“The LORD is
with you, you
mighty man of
valor!”
13 Gideon said
to him, “Oh, my
lord, if the
LORD is with
us, why then
has all this
happened to us?
Where are all
his wondrous works
which our fathers
told us of, saying,
‘Didn’t the LORD
bring us up
from Egypt?’ But
now the LORD
has cast us
off, and delivered
us into the
hand of Midian.”
14 The
LORD looked at
him, and said, “Go
in this your
might, and save
Israel from the
hand of Midian.
Haven’t I sent
you?”
15 He said
to him, “O Lord,
how shall I
save Israel?
Behold, my family
is the poorest
in Manasseh, and
I am the least
in my father’s
house.”
16 The
LORD 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 back.”
19 Gideon
went in and
prepared a young
goat and
unleavened cakes
of an ephah
of meal. He
put the meat
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 meat and
the unleavened
cakes, and lay
them on this
rock, and pour
out the broth.”
He did so.
21 Then
the LORD’s angel
stretched out the
end of the
staff that was
in his hand,
and touched the
meat and the
unleavened cakes;
and fire went up
out of the
rock and consumed
the meat and
the unleavened
cakes. Then the
LORD’s angel
departed out of
his sight.
22 Gideon
saw that he
was the LORD’s
angel; and Gideon
said, “Alas, Lord
GOD! Because I
have seen the
LORD’s angel face
to face!”
23 The
LORD said to him,
“Peace be to
you! Don’t be
afraid. 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 is still
in Ophrah of
the Abiezrites.
25 That
same night, the
LORD 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 Then
build an altar
to the LORD
your God on
the top of
this stronghold,
in an orderly
way, 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 the LORD
had spoken to
him. Because he
feared his father’s
household and the
men of the
city, he could
not do it
by day, but
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 to one
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
by morning! If
he is a god, let
him contend for
himself, because
someone has broken
down his altar!”
32 Therefore
on that day
he named him
Jerub-Baal,
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 LORD’s Spirit
came on Gideon,
and he blew
a trumpet;
and Abiezer was
gathered together
to follow him.
35 He
sent messengers
throughout all
Manasseh, and they
also were gathered
together to follow
him. He sent
messengers to Asher,
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 is
dew on the
fleece only, and
it is dry
on all the ground,
then I’ll 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.