Gideon
1 Once again the people of Israel sinned against the Lord, so he let the people of Midian rule them for seven years. 2 The Midianites were stronger than Israel, and the people of Israel hid from them in caves and other safe places in the hills. 3 Whenever the Israelites would plant their crops, the Midianites would come with the Amalekites and the desert tribes and attack them. 4 They would camp on the land and destroy the crops as far south as the area around Gaza. They would take all the sheep, cattle, and donkeys, and leave nothing for the Israelites to live on. 5 They would come with their livestock and tents, as thick as locusts. They and their camels were too many to count. They came and devastated the land, 6 and Israel was helpless against them.
7 Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help against the Midianites, 8 and he sent them a prophet who brought them this message from the Lord, the God of Israel: “I brought you out of slavery in Egypt. 9 I rescued you from the Egyptians and from the people who fought you here in this land. I drove them out as you advanced, and I gave you their land. 10 I told you that I am the Lord your God and that you should not worship the gods of the Amorites, whose land you are now living in. But you have not listened to me.”
11 Then the Lord's angel came to the village of Ophrah and sat under the oak tree that belonged to Joash, a man of the clan of Abiezer. His son Gideon was threshing some wheat secretly in a wine press, so that the Midianites would not see him. 12 The Lord's angel appeared to him there and said, “The Lord is with you, brave and mighty man!”
13 Gideon said to him, “If I may ask, sir, why has all this happened to us if the Lord is with us? What happened to all the wonderful things that our fathers told us the Lord used to do—how he brought them out of Egypt? The Lord has abandoned us and left us to the mercy of the Midianites.”
14 Then the Lord ordered him, “Go with all your great strength and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I myself am sending you.”
15 Gideon replied, “But Lord, how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least important member of my family.”
16 The Lord answered, “You can do it because I will help you. You will crush the Midianites as easily as if they were only one man.”
17 Gideon replied, “If you are pleased with me, give me some proof that you are really the Lord. 18 Please do not leave until I bring you an offering of food.”
He said, “I will stay until you come back.”
19 So Gideon went into his house and cooked a young goat and used a bushel of flour to make bread without any yeast. He put the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot, brought them to the Lord's angel under the oak tree, and gave them to him. 20 The angel told him, “Put the meat and the bread on this rock, and pour the broth over them.” Gideon did so. 21 Then the Lord's angel reached out and touched the meat and the bread with the end of the stick he was holding. Fire came out of the rock and burned up the meat and the bread. Then the angel disappeared.
22 Gideon then realized that it was the Lord's angel he had seen, and he said in terror, “Sovereign Lord! I have seen your angel face-to-face!”
23 But the Lord told him, “Peace. Don't be afraid. You will not die.” 24 Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and named it “The Lord is Peace.” (It is still standing at Ophrah, which belongs to the clan of Abiezer.)
25 That night the Lord told Gideon, “Take your father's bull and another bull seven years old, tear down your father's altar to Baal, and cut down the symbol of the goddess Asherah, which is beside it. 26 Build a well-constructed altar to the Lord your God on top of this mound. Then take the second bull and burn it whole as an offering, using for firewood the symbol of Asherah you have cut down.” 27 So Gideon took ten of his servants and did what the Lord had told him. He was too afraid of his family and the people in town to do it by day, so he did it at night.
28 When the people in town got up early the next morning, they found that the altar to Baal and the symbol of Asherah had been cut down, and that the second bull had been burned on the altar that had been built there. 29 They asked each other, “Who did this?” They investigated and found out that Gideon son of Joash had done it. 30 Then they said to Joash, “Bring your son out here, so that we can kill him! He tore down the altar to Baal and cut down the symbol of Asherah beside it.”
31 But Joash said to all those who confronted him, “Are you arguing for Baal? Are you defending him? Anyone who argues for him will be killed before morning. If Baal is a god, let him defend himself. It is his altar that was torn down.” 32 From then on Gideon was known as Jerubbaal, because Joash said, “Let Baal defend himself; it is his altar that was torn down.”
33 Then all the Midianites, the Amalekites, and the desert tribes assembled, crossed the Jordan River, and camped in Jezreel Valley. 34 The spirit of the Lord took control of Gideon, and he blew a trumpet to call the men of the clan of Abiezer to follow him. 35 He sent messengers throughout the territory of both parts of Manasseh to call them to follow him. He sent messengers to the tribes of Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they also came to join him.
36 Then Gideon said to God, “You say that you have decided to use me to rescue Israel. 37 Well, I am putting some wool on the ground where we thresh the wheat. If in the morning there is dew only on the wool but not on the ground, then I will know that you are going to use me to rescue Israel.” 38 That is exactly what happened. When Gideon got up early the next morning, he squeezed the wool and wrung enough dew out of it to fill a bowl with water. 39 Then Gideon said to God, “Don't be angry with me; let me speak just once more. Please let me make one more test with the wool. This time let the wool be dry, and the ground be wet.” 40 That night God did that very thing. The next morning the wool was dry, but the ground was wet with dew.
Gideonni
1 Israelǁîn ge ǁkhawa ǃKhūb ǃoagu gere ǁore, ob ge ǁîba ge dī în Israelǁîna Midianǁîn xa hûdisi kuriga gaoǂamhe. 2 Midianǁîn ge Israelǁîn xa ge ǀgaisa i tsîn ge Israelǁîna ǃhomgu ai ǁhoagu tsî ǀnî sâusenǃkhain ǃnâ sī ge gaugausen. 3 Israelǁîn ga ǃkhomna a tsoro, on ge Midianǁîna Amalekǁîn tsî aiǂoas ǁaedi tsîn ǀkha ǁîna hā gere ǁnāǂam. 4 ǁÎn ge ǁnāpa hâǃkhaiba ǂnaumâi tsî ǃhanaǂûna Gasas tawas kōse gere hîkākā. ǁÎn ge ǁkhāti hoaraga gūn, goman tsî dâukin tsîna gere ū tsî ǀgui ûitsama xū-i tsîna Israelǁîna ge ǁnāxūba tama hâ i. 5 ǁÎn ge ǁîn di ǂgarib tsî tentdi tsîn ǀkha ǂhomn khami ǂguise gere hā. ǁÎn tsî ǁîn di ǃnain tsîn ge ǃgôahe ǁoan ase ge ǂgui i, tsîn ge ǃhūba hā gere hîkākā.ǃNain 6 Israelǁîn ge ǁîn ǃoagu ge huisen ǁoa i.
7 On ge Israelǁîna ǃKhūb ǃoa ge ǂgai Midianǁîna xun nî huihese, 8 tsîb ge ǁîba nē ǂhôas, ǃKhūb Israeli di Elob disa ge ǁîna a hā-ūba kēbo-aoba ge sîba: “Tita ge sado Egipteb ǃnâ du ge hâǃnâ i khobosisa xu ge ǃnoraǃnora. 9 Tita ge Egipteǁîn tsî sadu ǃoagu ge nē ǃhūb ǃnâ gere ǃkham khoen tsîna xu ge huiǂui du. Tita ge sadu ǃaroma ǁîna nēpa xu doeǁgaǂui tsî ǁîn di ǃhūba sado ge mā. 10 Tsî ta ge ‘Tita ge ǃKhūta, sadu Elota; tā Amorǁîn, ǁîn di ǃhūb ǃnâ du ǁan hân di elona ǀgoreǀî’ ti ge mîba du, xawe du ge tita ǃgâ ǂgao tama ge i.”
11 ǁNās khaoǃgâb ge ǃKhūb di ǀhomǃgāba Ofras tawa sī tsî Abieserǁîb, Joasi di ge i aikehais ǃnaka sī ge ǂnû. ǁÎb di ôab Gideonni ge Midianǁîn xab mûhe tidega ǃhoroba ǂauxûib ǀāǃnâǃkhais ǃnâ gere ǂnauǂui. 12 Ob ge ǃKhūb di ǀhomǃgāba ǁîba ǁnāpa ǂhai tsî ge mî: “ǃKhūb ge hâǀkhā tsi, ǁkhoaǂgaoxa ǃgari-aotse.”
13 Ob ge Gideonna ǁîb ǃoa ge mî: “ǃGôahesatse toxopa mîba te re, ǃKhūb ga sida ǀkha hâo, tare xū-i ǃaroman kha ǁnâi nē xūn hoana sida ǀkha go ī? Mâpa gu ǁnâi hâ ǁnā buruxa dīgu sida aboxagu ge ǁîgu xa mîba da tsî ‘ǃKhūb ge Egipteba xu ge ǂgaeǂguiǂui da’ ti a mîga? ǃKhūb ge nēsi ǁnāxūǃgâ da tsî Midianǁîn di ǀgaib ǃnâ go māǁnâ da.”
14 Ob ge ǃKhūba ǁîba ge mîmā: “Sa kai ǀgaib ǀkha ǃgû, îts Israelǁîna Midianǁîna xu sī huiǂui. Tita ǂûta ge ra sî tsi.”
15 Ob ge Gideonna ge mî: “ǃKhūtse, mâti ta Israelǁîna nî huiǂui? Ti ǀaokhoen ge hoan xa Manaseb ǃhaos ǃnâ a ǂkhabusa khoena, tsî tita ge ti ǀaokhoen mûǁae xū tama khoeta.”
16 Ob ge ǃKhūba ge ǃeream: “Sats ge ǁnāsa nî dī ǁkhā, tita sats ǀkha hâ xui-ao. Sats ge Midianǁîna ǀgui khoeba dans ǁkhās khami nî dan.”
17 Ob ge Gideonna ge mî: “Tita ǀkhats ga ǂkhîǂâixao, ǃKhūts a ǃkhais di ǁgauǁgau-e mā te re. 18 Tā nēpa xu ǃgû re, ǁguiba-e ta hā-ūba tsis kōse.”
Ob ge ǁîba “Oaǀkhīts nîs kōse ta ge nî ǃâu” ti ge mî.
19 Gideonni ge oms ǃnâ ǂgâ tsî piriro-e sī ǁanǁan tsî khūkhūsa tama pere-e disi kiloxram mel-i ǀkha ge dī. Tsîb ge ǁgan-e ǀharus ǃnâ ǂgā, sīro-e sūs ǃnâ ǂnâ tsî ǁîna aikehais tawa sī ǃKhūb di ǀhomǃgāba ge mā. 20 Elob di ǀhomǃgāb ge “ǁGan-i tsî pere-i tsîna ǃhaob ai ǂnûi, î sīro-e ǁîn ai ǂnâ” ti a mî, ob ge Gideonna ǁnāti ge dī. 21 Ob ge ǃKhūb di ǀhomǃgāba ǃomǁaeb ge ūhâ i haib di ǀams ǀkha ǁgan-i tsî pere-i tsîna ge tsâǀkhā. ǀAes ge ǃhaoba xu ǂoaxa tsî ǁgan-i tsî pere-i tsîna ge ǂhubiǂui. ǁNās khaoǃgâb ge ǀhomǃgāba ge bē.
22 Ob ge Gideonna ǃKhūb di ǀhomǃgābab go mû ǃkhaisa hōǃâ tsî ge ǂgaiǂui: “ǃKhū Elotse, sa ǀhomǃgāba ta ge aisa xu ais ǁga go mû.”
23 Xaweb ge ǃKhūba ǁîb ǃoa ge mî: “ǂKhîǂâixa! Tā ǃao, ǁōts tide xuige.” 24 Ob ge Gideonna ǁnāpa ǃKhūba altarsa ǂnubiba tsî ǁîsa “ǃKhūb ge a ǂkhî” ti ge ǀonǂgai. (ǁÎs ge noxopa Abieserǁîn di ǃās Ofras ǃnâ mâ.)
25 ǁNā tsuxub ǃnâb ge ǃKhūba Gideonna ge mîba: “Sa îb di ǁgōb tsî ǀnî ǁgōb hû kurixab tsîkha ū, îts sa îb ge Baala dība altarsa khôaǁnâ tsî ǁgôa-elos Aseras di īb ǁîs xōǀkhā mâb tsîna ǁhāǁnâ. 26 Îts ǃamkuse kurusa altarsa ǃKhūb sa Eloba ǀgapib ai ǂnubiba. ǁNās khaoǃgâ ǀgamǁî ǁgōba ū, î ǁîba khauǁguibase ǁguiba, Aseras di īb hîats go ǁhāǁnâb di ǀaen ǀkha.” 27 Ob ge Gideonna ǁîb ǃgāga xu disiga ū tsî ǃKhūb go mîba bi khami ge dī. ǁÎb ge ǁîb îb di ǀaokhoen tsî ǃās di khoen tsîn xab gere ǃao xui-ao, nēsa tsēa di tama i tsî tsuxuba ge dī.
28 ǁNā ǃās di khoen ge sao ra tsēs ǃnauǁgoagan ge khâimâ, o Baali di altars tsî Aseras di īb tsîra khôaǁnâhe hâ, tsîb ǀgamǁî ǁgōba ǂnubihe ge altars ai khauǁguibase ǁguibahe hâ ǃkhaisa ge mû. 29 On ge ǁîǃnābe gere dîgu: “Tari-e nēti go dī?” Tsî dîǃgâ tsîn ge ǂanǂui Joasi ôab Gideonni ge nē ǃkhaisa dīsa, 30 on ge Joasi ǃoa ge mî: “Sa ôaba ǂoaxa-ū, î da ǃgam bi. ǁÎb ge Baali di altarsa khôaǁnâ tsî Aseras di īb altars xōǀkhā go mâ ib tsîna go ǁhāǁnâ.”
31 Xaweb ge Joasa ǁîb ǃoagu ge khâimân hoan ǃoa ge mî: “Baala du ra ǀkhaoba ǂgao? ǁÎba du ra ǂnoaguba? ǁÎba ga khâiba khoe-i hoa-i ge ǁgoas aiǃâ nî ǃgamhe-e. ǁÎb nî elos karao, ab aitsama ǀkhaobasen, ǁîb di altars komo nē go khôaǁnâhesao.” 32 ǁNā tsēsa xub ge Gideonna Jerubal ti ge ǀonǂgaihe, Joasi ge “Ab Baala aitsama ǁkhaubasen, ǁîb di altars kom nē go khôaǁnâhesao” ti a mî xui-ao.
33 ǁNā ǁaeb ǃnân ge hoaraga Midianǁîn, Amalekǁîn tsî aiǂoas ǃhaodi khoen tsîna Jordanna ǃgâu tsî Jesreelǃgoaǃnāb ǃnâ sī hâǃkhaiba ge ǂnaumâi. 34 ǃKhūb di Gagab ge Gideonna ge hāǂam tsîb ge xâiǁnâsa ge xâi, Abieserǁîgab nî ǂgaikhâise î gu ǁîba sao. 35 ǁKhātib ge sîsabega Manaseb di ǀkharikha hoakha ǁga ge sîǂui ǁîgab nî ǂgaise. ǁÎb ge ǁkhāti Aseri, Sebulonni tsî Naftalib tsîgu di haodi aogu tsîna ge ǂgaikhâi tsî gu ge ǁîba hā ge sao.
36 Ob ge Gideonna Elob ǃoa ge mî: “Sats ge tita ǃnâ-uts Israela nî huiǂui ti ge mîmâi. 37 Tita ge gūǀûna ǃhorob dāǃnâǃkhaib ai nî ǁgui. ǁGoagab ga ǀauba gūǀûn ǀguin ai a hâ tsîb ga ǃhūba a ǂnâsa, o ta ge nî ǂan tita ǃnâ-uts Israela nî huiǂuisa.” 38 O i ge ǁnāti ge ī. Sao ra tsēs ǃnauǁgoagab ge Gideonna khâimâ tsî gūǀûna a ǂgoma, o-i ge ǃoresǀoa ǁgam-e ǁnāpa xu ge ǂoaxa. 39 Ob ge Gideonna Elob ǃoa ge mî: “Tā toxopa ǁgaixa-u te re; a ta ǀgui ǃnās ǀguisa noxopa xū-e mî re. ǀGui ǃnāsa ta noxopa gūǀûn ǀkha nî dītsâ ǃkhaisa mā-am te re. An nē ǃnāsa gūǀûna ǂnâsa îb ǃhūba ǀâ re.” 40 Ob ge Eloba ǁnā tsuxuba ǁnāti ge dī. Sao ra ǁgoagan ge ǀûna ge ǂnâsa i, xawe ǃhūb ge ǀaub xa ge ǀâ i.
