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.
Gidiyoni
1 Ngono bathu be Iziraela bakathama mbipo kakale mu mesho a Yahwe, ngono Yahwe bakabalonga mu maboko e Bamidiyani kwe makole ali kutendeka. 2 Ngoti simba le Bamidiyani lakatshambilidza Baiziraela, Baiziraela bakazwibakila mishasha mu matombo nemu makuwu ne matizhilo. 3 Kwakabe kuti apa Baiziraela badzwala, Bamidiyani ne Baamaleki ne bathu be kubhezhuba bakabezha bebanginilila, 4 bakakomba shango bekolomodza zwidzwalo kunoti tjose ku Gaza ngono kusina zojiwa zwabanosiyila Baiziraela, kene iyo pkhwizi kene ng'ombe kene donki. 5 Bakabe bebuya ne ng'ombe dzabo ne mishasha yabo bali nlunda se phashu nge bunji, ibo kose ne kamela dzabo bakabe basingabalike. Bakanginilila shango bakaithukudza. 6 Bamidiyani bakapedza Baiziraela simba kwabakadzina bakalilila bhatsho kuna Yahwe. 7 Kwakati Baiziraela balilila kuna Yahwe ngekwe Bamidiyani, 8 Yahwe bakatumila nlebesambeli ku bathu be Iziraela, ngono kabadwa kati, “Tjinoleba Yahwe Ndzimu we Iziraela ndiyetji, ndakamudusa mu Egipiti, ndimudusa mu busungwa, 9 ndakamusunungula mu luboko gwe Baegipiti ne mu luboko gwa bose bakamutshambilidza, ngono ndikabatata mbeli kwenyu ndikamupa shango yabo, 10 ngono ndakamudwa nditi, ‘Ndimi Yahwe Ndzimu wenyu, musitongo thigamila midzimu ye Baamoni, ibo be shango yamunogala.’ Koga amuzonditeedza.”
11 Ntumwa wa Yahwe kazha kagala kusi kwe nti we N'oko ku Ofira nzi wa Joashi we Abiyezeri, pakabe Gidiyoni e pulila mathunde kunuswinigwa nkumbi we zhambi, ku asumbikila Bamidiyani. 12 Ngono Ntumwa wa Yahwe kazwilakidza kuna Gidiyoni ngono ukandwa uti, “Yahwe banawe, iwe mbhayani wakasima.” 13 Gidiyoni kashandula eti, “Au, Apa Yahwe banaswi, nekutini ngono tashingikaligwa nge tjakajali kene? Matjenamiso abo wose angayi atakabudziwa ndi bobatategulu bedu beti, ‘Apa Yahwe abazotidusa ku Egipiti kene?’ Koga ngwenu Yahwe batilasha, ngono batilonga mu maboko e Bamidiyani.” 14 Ngono Yahwe bakatendebukila kunli bakati, “Yenda mu simba launalo ngono usunungule Baiziraela mu luboko gwe Bamidiyani, Apa anditokutuma kene?” 15 Ngono Gidiyoni kati, “Apa ndowosunungula Baiziraela tjini kene? Bonani, Ludzi gwangu gutukununu pana gwa Manase, kakale ndimi ntjetjana mu bana batate.” 16 Yahwe bakandwa beti, “Koga ndowobenawe, unowokunda Bamidiyani kukanga ungati nthu ung'ompela.” 17 Gidiyoni kashandula eti, “Ha ndawana mahwilongoni mu mesho enyu, mundipe tjilakidzo tjekuti ndimwi munolebeleka nami. 18 Ndokumbila musiyende kuswikila ndibuya ndizhisa tjibhayilo nditjibiga mbeli kwenyu.” Yahwe bakashandula beti, “Ndowolinda kuswikila ushanduka.” 19 Ndizo Gidiyoni kangina mu ng'umba kalulwamisa tjibudzana ne tjiwunga tjisina mbidzo tje bgwisa gwe efa. Kalonga nyama mu itundu, kadila sopo mu hali, kazwiyisa ku nli kusi kwe N'oko, kazwibiga panli. 20 Ngono ntumwa we Ndzimu kandwa kati, “Tola nyama ne tjiwunga tjisina mbidzo uzwibige mu shongwe iyeyi, ngono utebulile sopo muzwili.” Ngono kathama eyijalo. 21 Ipapo ntumwa wa Yahwe katola ludozo gwaakabe akabhata, kashwaya nyama ne tjiwunga tjisina mbidzo nge theswi yago, ngono kukathuta moto mu shongwe ukaja nyama ne tjiwunga tjisina mbidzo, ngono ntumwa wa Yahwe kanyelela mu mesho awe. 22 Kwakati Gidiyoni atjibona kuti kwabe kuli ntumwa wa Yahwe kati, “Yee mme wee! She Yahwe bangu! Ndabona ntumwa wa Yahwe takalingisanya njiso.” 23 Koga Yahwe bakandwa beti, “Kunyalala kube nawe, usitje autowofa.” 24 Ndizo Gidiyoni kabakila Yahwe tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo ikoko ngono katjidana eti Yahwe ndibo kunyalala. Nanasi tjitji ku Ofira ye Baabiyezeri.
25 Busiku igogo Yahwe bakandwa beti, “Tola nkono wa tate babo we bubili una makole ali kutendeka, ngono ulige tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo tja Bhaale itjo tate babo tjabanatjo, utemele pasi ndzimukadzi Ashera u hwunde natjo, 26 ngono ubakile Yahwe Ndzimu uwo tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo pakatuthumala, u walile nge mabgwe, kudwapo utole nkono we bubili kube tjibhayilo tjinopisiwa nge hwuni dze ndzimukadzi Ashera dzaunowotemela pasi.” 27 Ndizo Gidiyoni katola balume bali gumi be balanda babe ngono kathama sekwa abudziwa ndi Yahwe, ngoti wakabe etja be nsha uwe kwazo ne balume be nzi nkulu kuthama masikati, wakathama busiku. 28 Kwakati balume be nzi nkulu bemuka kuli mangwanana, bonani, tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo tja Bhaale tjikabe tjakaligwa, ngono ne ndzimukadzi Ashera hwunde yatjo akaligiwa, ndizo nkono we bubili ukadusiwa se tjibhayilo pezhugwi kwe tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo tjakabakiwa. 29 Ngono bakabhuzwana beti, “Ndiyani wathama ikoko?” Ngono kwakati bashakisisa nge kwako, bakati, “Gidiyoni nkololo wa Joashi wathama ikoko.” 30 Ngono balume be nzi nkulu bakadwa Joashi bakati, “Zhisa nkololo uwo, timbulaye, ngoti wakaliga tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo tja Bhaale katema ndzimukadzi Ashera hwunde natjo.” 31 Koga Joashi kadwa bose bakabebakampoteleka kati, “Apa molebelekela Bhaale kene? Apa mombakilila kene? Iye unonlebelekela unowobulawa kuli mangwanana. Apa ali ndzimwana, ngaazwilebelekele ngoti tjibeso tjitje tje zwibhayilo tjaligiwa.” 32 Ndizo zhuba ilelo Gidiyoni wakadang'wa Jerubhaale, ndiko kuyi, “Bhaale ngaagwe naye,” ngoti wakaliga tjibeso tjitje tje zwibhayilo.
33 Ipapo bathu bose be Midiyani ne Amaleki ne bathu be kubhezhuba bakashangana, ngono bakatjuluka gwizi gwe Jorodani bakakotokela pa nkuku wa Jezirele. 34 Ngono Meya ya Yahwe ikazha muna Gidiyoni, kalidza lunyanga, ngono kadana Baabiyezeri kunsala shule. 35 Ngono katuma batumwa mu Manase yose, ngono naibobo bakadang'wa kunsala shule. Katuma batumwa ku ludzi gwa Ashera ne gwa Zebuluni ne gwa Nafutali, ngono bakatathila kubashanganidza.
36 Gidiyoni kadwa Ndzimu kati, “Apa munga sunungula Iziraela nge luboko gwangu sekwa makagadzabgwe, 37 Bonani, ndobiga debgwe mu lubuwa. Ha kungabe ne khawa koga mu debgwe ngono pasi kwakawoma, ipapo ndowoziba kuti mowosunungula Iziraela nge luboko gwangu, sekwa makaleba.” 38 Ngono kukashingikala kuyijalo. Kwakati emuka tjimuka mangwanana kaswina debgwe, kukabhuda vula inozhala ndilo. 39 Ipapo Gidiyoni kadwa Ndzimu kati, “Musindigwadzilemoyo. Ndina kumbilo yandinoshaka thama, mundidumile ndilike kakale nge debgwe, ndokumbila muthame kuti debgwe liwome, ngono pasi kube ne khawa.” 40 Ngono Ndzimu bakathama beyijalo busiku igogo, debgwe lakabe lakawoma, ngono pasi kuna khawa.