And the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} did{H6213} that which was evil{H7451} in the sight{H5869} of Jehovah:{H3068} and Jehovah{H3068} delivered{H5414} them into the hand{H3027} of Midian{H4080} seven{H7651} years.{H8141}

And the hand{H3027} of Midian{H4080} prevailed{H5810} against Israel;{H3478} and because{H6440} of Midian{H4080} the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} made{H6213} them the dens{H4492} which are in the mountains,{H2022} and the caves,{H4631} and the strongholds.{H4679}

And so it was, when Israel{H3478} had sown,{H2232} that the Midianites{H4080} came up,{H5927} and the Amalekites,{H6002} and the children{H1121} of the east;{H6924} they came up{H5927} against them;

and they encamped{H2583} against them, and destroyed{H7843} the increase{H2981} of the earth,{H776} till thou come{H935} unto Gaza,{H5804} and left{H7604} no sustenance{H4241} in Israel,{H3478} neither sheep,{H7716} nor ox,{H7794} nor ass.{H2543}

For they came up{H5927} with their cattle{H4735} and their tents;{H168} they came{H935} in as{H1767} locusts{H697} for multitude;{H7230} both they and their camels{H1581} were without number:{H4557} and they came{H935} into the land{H776} to destroy{H7843} it.

And Israel{H3478} was brought very{H3966} low{H1809} because{H6440} of Midian;{H4080} and the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} cried{H2199} unto Jehovah.{H3068}

And it came to pass, when the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} cried{H2199} unto Jehovah{H3068} because{H182} of Midian,{H4080}

that Jehovah{H3068} sent{H7971} a prophet{H376} unto the children{H1121} of Israel:{H3478} and he said{H559} unto them, Thus saith{H559} Jehovah,{H3068} the God{H430} of Israel,{H3478} I brought you up{H5927} from Egypt,{H4714} and brought you forth{H3318} out of the house{H1004} of bondage;{H5650}

and I delivered{H5337} you out of the hand{H3027} of the Egyptians,{H4714} and out of the hand{H3027} of all that oppressed{H3905} you, and drove them out{H1644} from before{H6440} you, and gave{H5414} you their land;{H776}

and I said{H559} unto you, I am Jehovah{H3068} your God;{H430} ye shall not fear{H3372} the gods{H430} of the Amorites,{H567} in whose land{H776} ye dwell.{H3427} But ye have not hearkened{H8085} unto my voice.{H6963}

And the angel{H4397} of Jehovah{H3068} came,{H935} and sat{H3427} under the oak{H424} which was in Ophrah,{H6084} that pertained unto Joash{H3101} the Abiezrite:{H33} and his son{H1121} Gideon{H1439} was beating{H2251} out wheat{H2406} in the winepress,{H1660} to hide{H5127} it from{H6440} the Midianites.{H4080}

And the angel{H4397} of Jehovah{H3068} appeared{H7200} unto him, and said{H559} unto him, Jehovah{H3068} is with thee, thou mighty{H1368} man of valor.{H2428}

And Gideon{H1439} said{H559} unto him, Oh,{H994} my lord,{H113} if{H3426} Jehovah{H3068} is with us, why then is all this befallen{H4672} us? and where are all his wondrous works{H6381} which our fathers{H1} told{H5608} us of, saying,{H559} Did not Jehovah{H3068} bring us up{H5927} from Egypt?{H4714} but now Jehovah{H3068} hath cast{H5203} us off, and delivered{H5414} us into the hand{H3709} of Midian.{H4080}

And Jehovah{H3068} looked{H6437} upon him, and said,{H559} Go{H3212} in this thy might,{H3581} and save{H3467} Israel{H3478} from the hand{H3709} of Midian:{H4080} have not I sent{H7971} thee?

And he said{H559} unto him, Oh,{H994} Lord,{H136} wherewith{H4100} shall I save{H3467} Israel?{H3478} behold, my family{H504} is the poorest{H1800} in Manasseh,{H4519} and I am the least{H6810} in my father's{H1} house.{H1004}

And Jehovah{H3068} said{H559} unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite{H5221} the Midianites{H4080} as one{H259} man.{H376}

And he said{H559} unto him, If now I have found{H4672} favor{H2580} in thy sight,{H5869} then show{H6213} me a sign{H226} that it is thou that talkest{H1696} with me.

Depart{H4185} not hence, I pray thee, until I come{H935} unto thee, and bring forth{H3318} my present,{H4503} and lay{H3240} it before{H6440} thee. And he said,{H559} I will tarry{H3427} until thou come again.{H7725}

And Gideon{H1439} went in,{H935} and made ready{H6213} a kid,{H5795} and unleavened cakes{H4682} of an ephah{H374} of meal:{H7058} the flesh{H1320} he put{H7760} in a basket,{H5536} and he put{H7760} the broth{H4839} in a pot,{H6517} and brought it out{H3318} unto him under the oak,{H424} and presented{H5066} it.

And the angel{H4397} of God{H430} said{H559} unto him, Take{H3947} the flesh{H1320} and the unleavened cakes,{H4682} and lay{H3240} them upon this{H1975} rock,{H5553} and pour out{H8210} the broth.{H4839} And he did{H6213} so.

Then the angel{H4397} of Jehovah{H3068} put forth{H7971} the end{H7097} of the staff{H4938} that was in his hand,{H3027} and touched{H5060} the flesh{H1320} and the unleavened cakes;{H4682} and there went up{H5927} fire{H784} out of the rock,{H6697} and consumed{H398} the flesh{H1320} and the unleavened cakes;{H4682} and the angel{H4397} of Jehovah{H3068} departed{H1980} out of his sight.{H5869}

And Gideon{H1439} saw{H7200} that he was the angel{H4397} of Jehovah;{H3068} and Gideon{H1439} said,{H559} Alas,{H162} O Lord{H3068} Jehovah!{H3068} forasmuch{H3651} as I have seen{H7200} the angel{H4397} of Jehovah{H3068} face{H6440} to face.{H6440}

And Jehovah{H3068} said{H559} unto him, Peace{H7965} be unto thee; fear{H3372} not: thou shalt not die.{H4191}

Then Gideon{H1439} built{H1129} an altar{H4196} there unto Jehovah,{H3068} and called{H7121} it Jehovah-shalom:{H3073} unto this day{H3117} it is yet in Ophrah{H6084} of the Abiezrites.{H33}

And it came to pass the same night,{H3915} that Jehovah{H3068} said{H559} unto him, Take{H3947} thy father's{H1} {H6499} bullock,{H7794} even the second{H8145} bullock{H7794} seven{H7651} years old,{H8141} and throw down{H2040} the altar{H4196} of Baal{H1168} that thy father{H1} hath, and cut down{H3772} the Asherah{H842} that is by it;

and build{H1129} an altar{H4196} unto Jehovah{H3068} thy God{H430} upon the top{H7218} of this stronghold,{H4581} in the orderly manner,{H4634} and take{H3947} the second{H8145} bullock,{H6499} and offer{H5927} a burnt-offering{H5930} with the wood{H6086} of the Asherah{H842} which thou shalt cut down.{H3772}

Then Gideon{H1439} took{H3947} ten{H6235} men{H582} of his servants,{H5650} and did{H6213} as Jehovah{H3068} had spoken{H1696} unto him: and it came to pass, because he feared{H3372} his father's{H1} household{H1004} and the men{H582} of the city,{H5892} so that he could not do{H6213} it by day,{H3119} that he did{H6213} it by night.{H3915}

And when the men{H582} of the city{H5892} arose early{H7925} in the morning,{H1242} behold, the altar{H4196} of Baal{H1168} was broken down,{H5422} and the Asherah{H842} was cut down{H3772} that was by it, and the second{H8145} bullock{H6499} was offered{H5927} upon the altar{H4196} that was built.{H1129}

And they said{H559} one{H376} to another,{H7453} Who hath done{H6213} this thing?{H1697} And when they inquired{H1875} and asked,{H1245} they said,{H559} Gideon{H1439} the son{H1121} of Joash{H3101} hath done{H6213} this thing.{H1697}

Then the men{H582} of the city{H5892} said{H559} unto Joash,{H3101} Bring out{H3318} thy son,{H1121} that he may die,{H4191} because he hath broken down{H5422} the altar{H4196} of Baal,{H1168} and because he hath cut down{H3772} the Asherah{H842} that was by it.

And Joash{H3101} said{H559} unto all that stood{H5975} against him, Will ye contend{H7378} for Baal?{H1168} Or will ye save{H3467} him? he that will contend{H7378} for him, let him be put to death{H4191} whilst [it is yet] morning:{H1242} if he be a god,{H430} let him contend{H7378} for himself, because one hath broken down{H5422} his altar.{H4196}

Therefore on that day{H3117} he called{H7121} him Jerubbaal,{H3378} saying,{H559} Let Baal{H1168} contend{H7378} against him, because he hath broken down{H5422} his altar.{H4196}

Then all the Midianites{H4080} and the Amalekites{H6002} and the children{H1121} of the east{H6924} assembled{H622} themselves together;{H3162} and they passed over,{H5674} and encamped{H2583} in the valley{H6010} of Jezreel.{H3157}

But the Spirit{H7307} of Jehovah{H3068} came{H3847} upon Gideon;{H1439} and he blew{H8628} a trumpet;{H7782} and Abiezer{H44} was gathered{H2199} together after{H310} him.

And he sent{H7971} messengers{H4397} throughout all Manasseh;{H4519} and they also were gathered{H2199} together after{H310} him: and he sent{H7971} messengers{H4397} unto Asher,{H836} and unto Zebulun,{H2074} and unto Naphtali;{H5321} and they came up{H5927} to meet{H7125} them.

And Gideon{H1439} said{H559} unto God,{H430} If thou wilt{H3426} save{H3467} Israel{H3478} by my hand,{H3027} as thou hast spoken,{H1696}

behold, I will put{H3322} a fleece{H1492} of wool{H6785} on the threshing-floor;{H1637} if there be dew{H2919} on the fleece{H1492} only, and it be dry{H2721} upon all the ground,{H776} then shall I know{H3045} that thou wilt save{H3467} Israel{H3478} by my hand,{H3027} as thou hast spoken.{H1696}

And it was so; for he rose up early{H7925} on the morrow,{H4283} and pressed{H2115} the fleece{H1492} together,{H2115} and wrung{H4680} the dew{H2919} out of the fleece,{H1492} a {H4393} bowlful{H5602} of water.{H4325}

And Gideon{H1439} said{H559} unto God,{H430} Let not thine anger{H639} be kindled{H2734} against me, and I will speak{H1696} but this once:{H6471} let me make trial,{H5254} I pray thee, but this once{H6471} with the fleece;{H1492} let it now be dry{H2721} only upon the fleece,{H1492} and upon all the ground{H776} let there be dew.{H2919}

And God{H430} did{H6213} so that night:{H3915} for it was dry{H2721} upon the fleece{H1492} only, and there was dew{H2919} on all the ground.{H776}