1 以色列人又行了耶和华看为恶的事； 耶和华就把他们交在米甸人手里七年。
2 米甸人的势力胜过以色列人； 以色列人因米甸人的缘故， 就为自己在山上挖穴、挖洞， 建营寨。
3 每逢以色列人撒种以后， 米甸人、亚玛力人和东方人都上来， 欺压他们；
4 对着他们安营， 毁坏那地的出产， 直到迦萨一带， 他们没有留下牛、羊和驴， 没有给以色列人留下一点养生之物。
5 因为他们带着牲畜和帐棚上来， 像蝗虫那么多； 他们来的人和骆驼无数， 进入境内， 毁坏全地。
6 以色列人在米甸人面前， 落到极卑微的地步， 他们就哀求耶和华。
7 以色列人因米甸人的缘故， 向耶和华呼求的时候，
8 耶和华就差派一位先知到以色列人那里， 对他们说： "耶和华以色列的 神这样说： ‘我曾经把你们从埃及领上来， 领你们出了为奴之家；
9 我曾经把你们从埃及人的手拯救出来， 拯救你们脱离所有欺压你们的人的手， 把他们从你们面前赶走， 把他们的地赐给你们。
10 我又对你们说： 我是耶和华你们的 神； 你们住在亚摩利人的地， 不可敬畏他们的神。但你们没有听从我的话。’"
11 耶和华的使者来到， 坐在俄弗拉， 一棵属于亚比以谢族人约阿施的橡树下； 约阿施的儿子基甸正在压酒池里打麦子， 为要躲避米甸人的抢夺。
12 耶和华的使者向基甸显现， 对他说： "大能的勇士啊， 耶和华与你同在。"
13 基甸回答他， 说： "唉， 我的主， 如果耶和华与我们同在， 我们怎会遭遇这一切事呢？我们的列祖向我们讲述的， 耶和华的一切奇事在哪里呢？他们曾说： ‘耶和华不是把我们从埃及领上来吗？’现在他却拋弃了我们， 把我们交在米甸人手中！ "
14 耶和华转向基甸， 对他说： "你靠着你这能力， 去拯救以色列人脱离米甸人的手吧； 我不是差派了你吗？"
15 基甸对他说： "唉， 我主啊， 我凭着什么拯救以色列人呢？看哪， 我的家族在玛拿西支派中是最卑微的， 我在我的父家是最年轻的。"
16 耶和华对他说： "因为我必与你同在， 你就必击打米甸人， 像击打一人一样。"
17 基甸又对他说： "如果我在你眼前蒙恩， 求你给我一个凭据， 证实是你与我说话。
18 求你不要离开这里， 等我回来， 把我的礼物带来， 摆在你面前。"他回答： "我必等你回来。"
19 基甸去预备了一只山羊羔， 和十公斤面粉做的无酵饼， 把肉放在篮子里， 把汤盛在锅中， 带到橡树之下， 献上给他。
20 神的使者对基甸说： "把肉和无酵饼拿出来， 摆在这块磐石上， 把汤倒出来。"他就这样行了。
21 耶和华的使者伸出手中的杖， 杖头一触着肉和无酵饼， 就有火从磐石中上来， 把肉和无酵饼都烧尽了； 耶和华的使者就从基甸的眼前消失了。
22 基甸看出他是耶和华的使者， 就说： "哀哉， 我主耶和华啊， 因为我面对面看见了耶和华的使者。"
23 耶和华对他说： "你放心好了， 不要怕， 你必不会死。"
24 基甸就在那里给耶和华筑了一座祭坛， 称为耶和华沙龙； 直到今日， 这坛还在亚比以谢族的俄弗拉。
25 当夜， 耶和华对基甸说： "取你父亲的牛和另一头七岁大的牛来， 拆毁你父亲的巴力祭坛， 砍下坛旁的亚舍拉。
26 在这坚固的地方上面， 你要整整齐齐为耶和华你的 神筑一座祭坛， 拿第二头牛作燔祭， 用你砍下来的亚舍拉作柴。"
27 基甸就从他的仆人中选出了十个人， 照着耶和华告诉他的行了； 但因为害怕他的父家和城里的人， 就不敢在日间行事， 只好在晚上作了。
28 城里的人清早起来， 见巴力的祭坛已被拆毁， 坛旁的亚舍拉也被砍下来， 并且看见那第二头牛献在新筑的祭坛上的时候，
29 就彼此说： "谁作了这事呢？"他们追查寻访之后， 就说： "是约阿施的儿子基甸作的。"
30 城里的人对约阿施说： "把你的儿子领出来， 把他处死， 因为他拆毁了巴力的祭坛， 砍下了坛旁的亚舍拉。"
31 约阿施对所有站着攻击他的人说： "你们要为巴力辩护吗？或是你们要救他呢？谁为他辩护， 到早晨就必死亡。巴力若是神， 有人拆毁了他的祭坛， 就让他为自己辩护吧。"
32 因此， 当日基甸被称为耶路．巴力， 意思说： 他拆毁了巴力的祭坛， 让巴力与他争辩吧。
33 那时， 米甸人、亚玛力人和东方人， 都聚集起来， 过了河， 在耶斯列平原安营。
34 耶和华的灵降在基甸身上， 他就吹角； 亚比以谢族都应召来跟从他。
35 他派使者到玛拿西全地去， 玛拿西人也都应召来跟从他； 他又派使者到亚设、西布伦、拿弗他利去， 他们也都上来与他们会合。
36 基甸对 神说： "如果你按着你所说的， 要借着我的手拯救以色列人；
37 看哪， 我要把一团新剪的羊毛放在禾场上； 露水若是单单落在羊毛上， 而全地都是干的， 我就知道你要照着你所说的， 借着我的手拯救以色列了。"
38 第二天， 基甸清早起来， 情形果然是这样； 他把羊毛一挤， 就从羊毛中挤出一满盆的露水来。
39 基甸又对 神说： "求你不要向我发怒， 我要再说这一次； 求你让我把羊毛再试一试， 但愿单单羊毛是干的， 而全地都有露水。"
40 那一夜， 神也这样行了； 单单羊毛是干的， 全地都有露水。
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.