1 Fizeram os filhos de Israel o que era mau perante o Senhor; por isso, o Senhor os entregou nas mãos dos midianitas por sete anos. 2 Prevalecendo o domínio dos midianitas sobre Israel, fizeram estes para si, por causa dos midianitas, as covas que estão nos montes, e as cavernas, e as fortificações. 3 Porque, cada vez que Israel semeava, os midianitas e os amalequitas, como também os povos do Oriente, subiam contra ele. 4 E contra ele se acampavam, destruindo os produtos da terra até à vizinhança de Gaza, e não deixavam em Israel sustento algum, nem ovelhas, nem bois, nem jumentos. 5 Pois subiam com os seus gados e tendas e vinham como gafanhotos, em tanta multidão, que não se podiam contar, nem a eles nem aos seus camelos; e entravam na terra para a destruir. 6 Assim, Israel ficou muito debilitado com a presença dos midianitas; então, os filhos de Israel clamavam ao Senhor.

7 Tendo os filhos de Israel clamado ao Senhor, por causa dos midianitas, 8 o Senhor lhes enviou um profeta, que lhes disse: Assim diz o Senhor, Deus de Israel: Eu é que vos fiz subir do Egito e vos tirei da casa da servidão; 9 e vos livrei da mão dos egípcios e da mão de todos quantos vos oprimiam; e os expulsei de diante de vós e vos dei a sua terra; 10 e disse: Eu sou o Senhor, vosso Deus; não temais os deuses dos amorreus, em cuja terra habitais; contudo, não destes ouvidos à minha voz.

11 Então, veio o Anjo do Senhor, e assentou-se debaixo do carvalho que está em Ofra, que pertencia a Joás, abiezrita; e Gideão, seu filho, estava malhando o trigo no lagar, para o pôr a salvo dos midianitas. 12 Então, o Anjo do Senhor lhe apareceu e lhe disse: O Senhor é contigo, homem valente. 13 Respondeu-lhe Gideão: Ai, senhor meu! Se o Senhor é conosco, por que nos sobreveio tudo isto? E que é feito de todas as suas maravilhas que nossos pais nos contaram, dizendo: Não nos fez o Senhor subir do Egito? Porém, agora, o Senhor nos desamparou e nos entregou nas mãos dos midianitas. 14 Então, se virou o Senhor para ele e disse: Vai nessa tua força e livra Israel da mão dos midianitas; porventura, não te enviei eu? 15 E ele lhe disse: Ai, Senhor meu! Com que livrarei Israel? Eis que a minha família é a mais pobre em Manassés, e eu, o menor na casa de meu pai. 16 Tornou-lhe o Senhor: Já que eu estou contigo, ferirás os midianitas como se fossem um só homem. 17 Ele respondeu: Se, agora, achei mercê diante dos teus olhos, dá-me um sinal de que és tu, Senhor, que me falas. 18 Rogo-te que daqui não te apartes até que eu volte, e traga a minha oferta, e a deponha perante ti. Respondeu ele: Esperarei até que voltes.

19 Entrou Gideão e preparou um cabrito e bolos asmos de um efa de farinha; a carne pôs num cesto, e o caldo, numa panela; e trouxe-lho até debaixo do carvalho e lho apresentou. 20 Porém o Anjo de Deus lhe disse: Toma a carne e os bolos asmos, põe-nos sobre esta penha e derrama-lhes por cima o caldo. E assim o fez. 21 Estendeu o Anjo do Senhor a ponta do cajado que trazia na mão e tocou a carne e os bolos asmos; então, subiu fogo da penha e consumiu a carne e os bolos; e o Anjo do Senhor desapareceu de sua presença. 22 Viu Gideão que era o Anjo do Senhor e disse: Ai de mim, Senhor Deus! Pois vi o Anjo do Senhor face a face. 23 Porém o Senhor lhe disse: Paz seja contigo! Não temas! Não morrerás! 24 Então, Gideão edificou ali um altar ao Senhor e lhe chamou de O Senhor É Paz. Ainda até ao dia de hoje está o altar em Ofra, que pertence aos abiezritas.

25 Naquela mesma noite, lhe disse o Senhor: Toma um boi que pertence a teu pai, a saber, o segundo boi de sete anos, e derriba o altar de Baal que é de teu pai, e corta o poste-ídolo que está junto ao altar. 26 Edifica ao Senhor, teu Deus, um altar no cimo deste baluarte, em camadas de pedra, e toma o segundo boi, e o oferecerás em holocausto com a lenha do poste-ídolo que vieres a cortar. 27 Então, Gideão tomou dez homens dentre os seus servos e fez como o Senhor lhe dissera; temendo ele, porém, a casa de seu pai e os homens daquela cidade, não o fez de dia, mas de noite.

28 Levantando-se, pois, de madrugada, os homens daquela cidade, eis que estava o altar de Baal derribado, e o poste-ídolo que estava junto dele, cortado; e o referido segundo boi fora oferecido no altar edificado. 29 E uns aos outros diziam: Quem fez isto? E, perguntando e inquirindo, disseram: Gideão, o filho de Joás, fez esta coisa. 30 Então, os homens daquela cidade disseram a Joás: Leva para fora o teu filho, para que morra; pois derribou o altar de Baal e cortou o poste-ídolo que estava junto dele. 31 Porém Joás disse a todos os que se puseram contra ele: Contendereis vós por Baal? Livrá-lo-eis vós? Qualquer que por ele contender, ainda esta manhã, será morto. Se é deus, que por si mesmo contenda; pois derribaram o seu altar. 32 Naquele dia, Gideão passou a ser chamado Jerubaal, porque foi dito: Baal contenda contra ele, pois ele derribou o seu altar.

33 E todos os midianitas, e amalequitas, e povos do Oriente se ajuntaram, e passaram, e se acamparam no vale de Jezreel. 34 Então, o Espírito do Senhor revestiu a Gideão, o qual tocou a rebate, e os abiezritas se ajuntaram após dele. 35 Enviou mensageiros por toda a tribo de Manassés, que também foi convocada para o seguir; enviou ainda mensageiros a Aser, e a Zebulom, e a Naftali, e saíram para encontrar-se com ele.

36 Disse Gideão a Deus: Se hás de livrar a Israel por meu intermédio, como disseste, 37 eis que eu porei uma porção de lã na eira; se o orvalho estiver somente nela, e seca a terra ao redor, então, conhecerei que hás de livrar Israel por meu intermédio, como disseste. 38 E assim sucedeu, porque, ao outro dia, se levantou de madrugada e, apertando a lã, do orvalho dela espremeu uma taça cheia de água. 39 Disse mais Gideão: Não se acenda contra mim a tua ira, se ainda falar só esta vez; rogo-te que mais esta vez faça eu a prova com a lã; que só a lã esteja seca, e na terra ao redor haja orvalho. 40 E Deus assim o fez naquela noite, pois só a lã estava seca, e sobre a terra ao redor havia orvalho.

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 The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites.

2 Because the power of Midian was so oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves and strongholds.

3 Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples invaded the country.

4 They camped on the land and ruined the crops all the way to Gaza and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys.

5 They came up with their livestock and their tents like swarms of locusts. It was impossible to count them or their camels; they invaded the land to ravage it.

6 Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the LORD for help.

7 When the Israelites cried out to the LORD because of Midian,

8 he sent them a prophet, who said, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

9 I rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians. And I delivered you from the hand of all your oppressors; I drove them out before you and gave you their land.

10 I said to you, 'I am the LORD your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.' But you have not listened to me."

11 The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites.

12 When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior."

13 "Pardon me, my lord," Gideon replied, "but if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, 'Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?' But now the LORD has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian."

14 The LORD turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?"

15 "Pardon me, my lord," Gideon replied, "but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family."

16 The LORD answered, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive."

17 Gideon replied, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me.

18 Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you." And the LORD said, "I will wait until you return."

19 Gideon went inside, prepared a young goat, and from an ephah "of flour he made bread without yeast. Putting the meat in a basket and its broth in a pot, he brought them out and offered them to him under the oak.

20 The angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and the unleavened bread, place them on this rock, and pour out the broth." And Gideon did so.

21 Then the angel of the LORD touched the meat and the unleavened bread with the tip of the staff that was in his hand. Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. And the angel of the LORD disappeared.

22 When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the LORD, he exclaimed, "Alas, Sovereign LORD! I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!"

23 But the LORD said to him, "Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die."

24 So Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and called it The LORD Is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

25 That same night the LORD said to him, "Take the second bull from your father's herd, the one seven years old. "Tear down your father's altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole "beside it.

26 Then build a proper kind of "altar to the LORD your God on the top of this height. Using the wood of the Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second "bull as a burnt offering."

27 So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the LORD told him. But because he was afraid of his family and the townspeople, he did it at night rather than in the daytime.

28 In the morning when the people of the town got up, there was Baal's altar, demolished, with the Asherah pole beside it cut down and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar!

29 They asked each other, "Who did this?" When they carefully investigated, they were told, "Gideon son of Joash did it."

30 The people of the town demanded of Joash, "Bring out your son. He must die, because he has broken down Baal's altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it."

31 But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, "Are you going to plead Baal's cause? Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar."

32 So because Gideon broke down Baal's altar, they gave him the name Jerub-Baal "that day, saying, "Let Baal contend with him."

33 Now all the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples joined forces and crossed over the Jordan and camped in the Valley of Jezreel.

34 Then the Spirit of the LORD came on Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him.

35 He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, calling them to arms, and also into Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali, so that they too went up to meet them.

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

37 look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said."

38 And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew —a bowlful of water.

39 Then Gideon said to God, "Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew."

40 That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.