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 Abi-ezrite: 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 valour. 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 shew 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 Jehovah-shalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites.
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 enquired 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 Abi-ezer 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.
Omaisaneno wa Gideon okukutura Ovaisrael kOvamidian
1 NOvaisrael tji va za nokutjita ouvi rukwao komurungu wa Muhona, eye otje ve yandja momake wOvamidian oure wozombura hambombari. 2 NOvamidian va ṋiṋikiza Ovaisrael nomasa tjinene; nu mena rokutira Ovamidian, Ovaisrael va kaṱara motupoko twozondundu, mozondimba na moviṱunga. 3 Aruhe Ovaisrael tjaave kunu, Ovamidian nOvaamalek nomihoko vyokomuhuka tjandje mave ve hingire ovita. 4 Owo aave tono ozondanda mehi rOvaisrael nave nyono ovinikora mehi arihe nga kOgasa. Owo kave syere mo oviparure mOisrael, nandarire onyanda poo ongombe poo okasino. 5 Owo ve ya notupanda twawo twovinamuinyo nozondanda zawo tjimuna ovimbumba vyozombahu; owo nozongamero zawo kaave sora okuvarwa. Komuhingo mbwi opu va hitira mehi nave nyono ro. 6 Ovaisrael va muna ouzeu tjinene kOvamidian; nowo va ura ku Muhona.
7 NOvaisrael tji va ura ku Muhona mena rokutatumisiwa i Ovamidian, 8 Muhona otje ve hindira omuprofete ngwa tjere ku wo: “Muhona, Ndjambi wa Israel, ma tja: ‘Owami omuini ngu mbe mu pitisire mouhuura mOengipte. 9 Ami mbe mu yama momake wOvaengipte, nowovemuṋiṋikize avehe, ne ve ramba komurungu weṋu, nehi rawo mba yandja ku eṋe. 10 Ami mbe mu raera kutja owami Muhona, Ndjambi weṋu; amu rikotamene koomukuru vOvaamori, imba vehi mu mwa tura. Nungwari kamu puratenene ko keraka randje.’ ”
11 Omuengeri wa Muhona weya na kahaama kehi yomumborombonga motjirongo tja Ofra mbwa ri owa Joas, Omuabiesri, omuzandu we Gideon ngunda ama tondo ovikokotwa motjitondero kutja e vi horeke kOvamidian. 12 Nomuengeri wa Muhona we rimunikisa ku ye a tja: “Muhona u ri puna ove, mbanḓe ombangaṋe!”
13 Gideon we mu pura a tja: “Arikana, muhona wandje, Muhona tje ri puna eṱe okutjavi oviṋa mbi avihe tji mavi tjitwa ku eṱe? Nu imbi ovitjitwa vye ovihimise vi ri pi ootate mbi ve tu raera, indu tji va tja Muhona we tu pitisire mOengipte? Nambano Muhona we tu imbirahi, nu we tu yandja momake wOvamidian.”
14 Muhona opa rakiza ku ye na tja: “Nambano kawondje nomasa woye aehe ngu u na wo u kakuture Ovaisrael meke rOvamidian! Owami Muhona ngu me ku hindi.”
15 Nungwari Gideon we mu pura a tja: “Arikana, Muhona, Ovaisrael meve kutura na tjike? Tara, onganda yandje ondji ri otjingundi tjinene momuhoko wa Manasse, nami omuini owami omuhinanḓengu tjinene meṱunḓu randje.”
16 Muhona wa tja ku ye: “Ami me kara puna ove kutja u nyone Ovamidian aayo owo omurumendu umwe uriri.”
17 Gideon we mu zira na tja: “Ove ndoovazu u notjari na ami, ndji pa otjiraisiro tjokutja oove ngu mo hungire puna ami. 18 Arikana, o zu po mba nga tji mba kotoka kove okukuetera otjiyandjewa tjandje.”
Neye opa tjera nai: “Ami me kara nga ove tji wa kotoka.”
19 Okuzambo Gideon wa hita mondjuwo, a katereka okangombona na ungura omavanda nge hi nosurise wozokirograma omurongo; indji onyama wa twa motjimbamba nomanyuṋe wayo wa twa monyungu; tjazumba e vi pitisa pendje ku ye kehi yomumborombonga, ne kevitwa pehi momurungu we. 20 Nomuengeri wa Ndjambi wa rakiza a tja ku ye: “Toora onyama ndji na inga omavanda nge hi nosurise u vi twe koruuwa ndwi nu inga omanyuṋe u tirire kombanda yavyo.” Nu Gideon wa tjita nao. 21 Omuengeri wa Muhona opa yerera okati ke ka ri na ko meke, na ṱunu na ko onyama nomavanda nge hi nosurise; mwa za omuriro moruuwa au seseta onyama ndji nomavanda nga. Nomuengeri wa Muhona wa zenga momeho we.
22 Nu Gideon tja muna kutja ingwi wa ri omuengeri wa Muhona, arire tja tja: “Owee, Muhona Ndjambi! Ami mba munasana nomuengeri wa Muhona omurungu nomurungu!”
23 Nungwari Muhona wa tja ku ye: “Ohange ngai kare na ove! O tira! Ove komoo ṱu!” 24 Poṋa mbo Gideon wa tungira Muhona otjipunguhiro ne tji ruku kutja: “Muhona eye ohange.” Otjipunguhiro hi nga mba tja kurama mOofra tjOvaabiesri.
25 Nu mouṱuku tjingewo Muhona wa tja nai ku Gideon: “Kambura ondwezu yongombe oitjavari yaiho yozombura hambombari, nu u teye otjipunguhiro tja Baal tji tji ri otjaiho, nu u ke ongunḓe yomukuru wotjisenginina oserekaze Asera, ndji ri meṋe yatjo. 26 Okuzambo tungira Muhona, Ndjambi woye, otjipunguhiro tjomawe nga tendekasana, kondomba yondundu, nu u kambure ondwezu ndji oitjavari, u i punguhe okurira ombunguhiro oningiririsiwa, nu u twe ko ozonguṋe zongunḓe yotjisenginina, indji ndji mo ke, komuriro.” 27 Gideon wa toora ovarumendu omurongo mokati kovakarere ve na tjiti otja Muhona pe mu raerere; nungwari tjinga a tira ovandu veṱunḓu re novarumendu votjihuro okutjita otjiṋa hi mutenya, eye ope tji tjitira ouṱuku.
28 Novature votjihuro tji va penduka omuhuka omunene wependukirwa raindo, arire tji va munu kutja otjipunguhiro tja Baal tja teyerwa pehi, nokutja indji ongunḓe yotjiraisiro tja Asera ndja kuramene meṋe yatjo ya kewa, nokutja ondwezu ndji oitjavari ya punguhirwa kotjipunguhiro tji tja tungirwe mbo. 29 Nowo otji va purasana ave tja: “Owaṋi ngwa tjiti otjiṋa hi?” Nowo tji va za nokukonḓonona nokupura arire tji kwa zu: “Gideon, omuzandu wa Joas, ongwe tji tjiti.” 30 Novature votjihuro va tja ku Joas: “Pitisa omuzandu woye, eye ma sokuṱa, tjinga a teya otjipunguhiro tja Baal, na ke ongunḓe yotjisenginina tja Asera ndja kuramene meṋe yatjo.”
31 Nungwari Joas wa tja nai ku imba avehe mba kuramene puna ye: “Eṋe mamu vanga okurwira Baal are? Poo mamu vanga okumuvatera? Ingwi ngu me mu rwire ma ṱu omuhuka mbunombwi. Tjinangara Baal onguri mukuru nge rirwire omuini, otjipunguhiro tji tja nyanyaurwa tjinga atji ri otje.” 32 Meyuva ndo, Gideon opa rukirwa ena Jerubbaal, Joas tjinga a tja nai: “Baal nge rirwire omuini mena rotjipunguhiro tje tji tja nyanyaurwa.”
33 Ovamidian nOvaamalek avehe nomihoko avihe vyokomuhuka ve rikuta kumwe, ave kondo onḓonḓu Jordan nave katona ozondanda morutjandja rwa Jesreel. 34 Nombepo ya Muhona ya hita mu Gideon; neye wa posisa ohiva, nOvaabieser otji ve mu kongorera. 35 Tjazumba eye wa tuma ovahindwa mehi arihe romuhoko wa Manasse, nowo ve mu kongorera; neye wa tuma ovahindwa komuhoko wa Aser nowa Sebulon nowa Naftali, novyo wina vya sekama okukemuvatera.
36 Gideon wa hungira ku Ndjambi a tja: “Ove, tjiri, tji movanga okukutura Ovaisrael neke randje otja pu wa hungira, 37 osemba uri, ami me yara omukova wonḓu kotjitondero; tji mu nomueme momukova auyerike uriri, indi ehi meṋe yawo ngunda ara kukuta, ami otji me tjiwa kutja ove movanga okukutura Ovaisrael neke randje otja pu wa hungira.” 38 Nu pa tjitwa nao. Gideon tja penduka menyunguhuka wa kama omueme momukova na pitisa mo omeva otjitjuma okuura. 39 Gideon wa hungira ku Ndjambi a tja: “O ṱomazenge na ami, nu ndji yandjera okuhungira rumwe rukwao. Arikana, ndji pa oruveze okurora rumwe uri nomukova mbwi. Tjita kutja omukova auyerike u rire omukukutu, indi ehi arihe meṋe yawo ngunda ari nomueme.” 40 Ndjambi wa tjita nao ouṱuku mbo. Omukova auyerike ombwa kukuta, nungwari imba apehe pehi meṋe yawo pa ri nomueme.
