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.
Gideoni
1 Lidri Yisaraele ro go yeyi tase undiro te Opi mile, ta'doro Opi 'ba lidri Midiana rote ànya mirine ndroa na njidrieri. 2 Midiana'bai a'doyite mbara be ndrani Yisaraele drisi, ta'dota lidri Yisaraele ro edeyi vote ànyari kugyii 'bereŋwa ro yasi, lutui lakosi ago voruda'doro azaka yasi. 3 Tana ondro Yisaraele'bai kikyi'diyi ŋga te Midiana'bai ndi Amaleka'bai be ndi 'bakalai se 'Buzele kai be ikyiyite ago gotayi ànya te. 4 Ànya otoyi gawa te wari na 'do ya ago togayi ŋgaluru ànyaro se kabe omba 'do te sagwo le vose gbikyi Gaza lomvosi ana ya. Ànya ruyi timele, tii, ndi doŋgyii be te kpeye, ago e'beyi ŋga aza kote orizana Yisaraele'bai ri. 5 Tana ànya ikyiyite äṛi koronyai 'ba ro ànyaro robe ndi zo boŋgoro ànyaro robe, oso lowa tombi ro ronye. Ànya ndi gamelei ànyaro be äni kote otine. Ànya enjiyi wari se ànya kesayibe kigye te, 6 ago lidri Yisaraele ro a'doyite tipari mbaraako ànyari ago Yisaraele'bai ayoyidrite OPI ri ta ŋgaopa rota.
7 Ondro Yisaraele'bai kayoyidrite OPI ri ta ŋgaopa rota ni Midiana'bai ri oko, 8 OPI ezo nebi aza te lidri Yisaraele ro re ago atate ànyari ekye: “Ono ni tase OPI Lu Yisaraele ro kabe atana owo ekye: ‘Molofo ami teni Ezipeto ya si ni a'do amiro iyeäṛi ro ya. 9 Mapa ami teni Ezipeto'bai ri, ago ni lidri se koyeyi kyila be ami be wari ono ya noŋwa ri. Manja ànya teni ami milesi, ago mozo wari ànyaro te ämiri. 10 Matate ämiri makye ma ni OPI Lu amiro owo ago ko ämiri lui Amora'bai ro mätune, se yauono nyàbe ori wari na ya kwoi. Caoko nyeri ta maro kote.’ ”
11 'Dooko malaika OPI ro ikyite 'baŋwa Ofera roya ago rite ce vudi ro zele, se orivoya Yoasa se ni käläsikala Abiezera ro yasi ro. 'Dooko ŋgwa ndaro Gideoni orivoya kyifo usivoya pi'di vino usiro ya dämbine ni Midiana'bai ri. 12 Malaika OPI ro loforute ndäri lau ago atate ndäri ekye: “OPI orivoya tro mibe, mi mano turiako ago mbaraekye ono!”
13 Ago Gideoni atate ndäri ekye: “'Desi, molo'baru miri ondro ka'do OPI ka'do gwo tro ama be, tana e'di tase cini kwoi 'degwo a'done ämäri nonye niya? Oko ta e'diro a'doni tase cini liŋgyiekye OPI koyebe se täpii amaro kitiyi tana be ämäri ono, ri se ekye: ‘Inye'do Opi lofo ama ro koni Ezipeto yasi ya? Yauono OPI e'be ama te, ago ozo ama te drì Midiana'bai roya?’ ”
14 'Dooko OPI ozotate ndäri ekye: “Nyoyi mbara amba miro ono be ago mipa Yisaraele'bai ni Midiana'bai ri. Ma modo mani mi ozo.” 15 Gideoni logotate ekye: “Oko Opi mapana Yisaraele eŋgwanyeya? Käläsikala maro ni tipari mbaraako 'bakala Manase roya, ago ma ni tipari katidri täpi maro roya.”
16 OPI zatadrite ekye: “Ma'dona ndi tro mibe ago mifuna Midiana'bai 'da, vo ànyaro cini.”
17 Ago Gideoni logotate ndäri ekye: “Ondro ka'do nya'dote yai'dwesi mabe, ka'do inye nyaka'da taka'daro aza märi mäni robe anjioko endaro mi OPI nyani ata mabe. 18 Molo'baru miri nyoyi koni nosi, madale mezi ŋgapäṛi ŋgaonya ro lutu miri.”
Ago nda atate ekye: “Marina ndi madale nyegona ni.”
19 Ta'dota Gideoni oyite zo ndaro ya ago la'di indriŋwa aza te ago 'be ambata loŋgaako te ni koma kyira ro 'butealo yasi. Nda 'ba iza te koṛiga ya, ago so izagyi te lakaza ya, ago ezite malaika OPI ro ri ce vudi ro zele, ago ozote ndäri. 20 Ago malaika Opi ro ozotate ndäri ekye: “Mi'ba iza 'do ndi ambata 'do be luutu ono dri, ago miso izagyi 'do driigye.” Ndi Gideoni yete oso inye. 21 'Dooko malaika Opi ro eŋga dambaṛa se drì ndaro ya ana te ago do iza ndi ambata loŋgaako be te sina. Ago asi efote ni luutu yasi ago je iza ndi ambata be te. 'Dooko malaika OPI ro ije yi teni nda mile.
22 'Dooko Gideoni nite anjioko nda ndre ana malaika OPI ro; ago nda atate turisi ekye: “OPI Mbarapara! Mandre malaika miro te miya miya!”
23 Oko OPI atate ndäri ekye: “Taliatokpe ka'do mibe, nyuturi ko, miri odrane i'do.” 24 'Dooko Gideoni be vo tori oloro te lau OPI ri, ago zi ävuruna te ekye: “OPI ni taliatokpe owo.” (Ca gile tu ono si ono drigi 'du edrevoya Ofera, se ozobe käläsikala Abiezera ro ri ana ya.)
25 Ŋgäkyi ana si OPI atate Gideoni ri ekye: “Miru 'daŋgo täpi miro ro, ago 'daŋgo ṛiri se ndroa na njidrieri 'do, ago nyepere vo tori oloro Bala ro se täpi miro ro 'do, ago miga beti lu tokoro Asera ro se lomvoigye 'do vuru. 26 Ago mibe vo tori oloro Opi Lu miro ri vo donjo 'do dri noŋwa oraoraro kuni si. 'Dooko miru 'daŋgo ṛiri 'do, ago miza cu ŋgapäṛi ozaro ro, tiza na ka'do beti Asera ro se migabe vuru 'do.” 27 'Dooko Gideoni ru ruindu'bai 'butealo ndaro te, ago ye tase OPI katabe ndäri ana te; oko tana nda orivoya turiro ta 'do oyene kitu si, tana ni katidri täpi ndaro ro ri ago ni lidri 'ba'desi ro ri, ta'doro nda yete ŋgäkyi si.
28 Ondro lidri 'ba'desi ro koŋgate kyenoŋboci oko, ànya ndreyi otoga vo tori oloro Bala rote riya vuru ago otoga beti Asera rote riya vuru, ago aza 'daŋgo ṛiri te vo tori oloro se abebe to'diro ana dri. 29 Ago ànya ejiyi iyi te ba alo alo ekye: A'di ye tase ono niya? Ago ànya ṛiyitavote ndi usuyite anjioko Gideoni ŋgwa Yoasa ro ye tase ono ni. 30 'Dooko ànya atayite Yoasa ri ekye: “Nyolofo ŋgwa miro tesi noŋwa, mäfu nda robe! Tana nda pere vo tori oloro Bala roni riya vuru ago toga beti Asera ro se lomvoigyesi 'do ni.”
31 Oko Yoasa atate 'dicini se koŋgabe kyilaro nda be kai ri ekye: “Inye'do nyà ta ata ni ta Bala rota ya? Kode nyà ni nda gaga ya? Nda se kabe ta ata ta Bala rota beṛo ufune teinye vo ri iwiako. Ondro ka'do Bala ka'dote lu yi, mi'ba nda kagaga andivo ndaro. Tana epere vo tori oloro ndaro ayani riya vuru.” 32 Ni tuse ana si ànya ziyi Gideoni te Jerubala , takacina tana Yoasa atate ekye: “Mi'ba Bala kagaga andivo ndaro, tana epere vo tori oloro ndaro ayani.”
33 'Dooko Midiana'bai, Amaleka'bai, ndi lidri cini 'buzelesi be dro'beruyite voaloya, ago zayi drî Golo Yaradene rote ago kyi otoyi gawa te Vodelero Jezerela roya. 34 'Dooko tori OPI ro ikyite Gideoni dri, ago nda vo cekuṛe te lidri käläsikala Abiezera ro ro uziza osone nda vo. 35 Ago nda zo lazo 'bai te wari cini Manase ro yasi; kpa ànya läzine osone nda vo. Ago nda zo lazo'bai kpate 'bakalai Asera, Zebuluna, ndi Nafatali be ro re; ago ànya ikyiyi kpate rudro'bene nda be.
36 'Dooko Gideoni atate Lu ri ekye: “Nyatate mikye yile Yisaraele opane ma si. 37 Ka'do inye, ma kodo ono larana kaladri inya o'bi ro dri, ondro ka'do kyenoŋbo si oko nduruṛi kosote toto kodo ono dri, ago koso kote gyini dri, 'dooko mänina ndi anjioko milete Yisaraele opane ma si oso nyatabe ronye.” 38 Ago a'dote oso 'do ronye. Ondro Gideoni koŋgate kyeno kyenoŋbo kinja si oko, nda zwa kodo te, ago zwa gyi nduruṛi rote ni kodo yasi gyi na ogana ndi twi deŋbele ya. 39 'Dooko Gideoni atate Lu ri ekye: “Nya'do ko kyilaro mabe; mi'ba ma atane pere alodi aza; molo'baru miri, mi'ba märi ta oyene pere alodi aza kodo ono si. Tu ono ya mi'ba kodo a'done fereŋgyele ro, ago mi'ba nduruṛi ri osone gyini cini drisi.” 40 Ago Lu yete inye ŋgäkyi se ana si, tana kyenoŋbo kinja si kodo a'dote fereŋgyele ro, oko nduruṛi udu gyini cini te.