Judges 6

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.

The children of Israel acted wickedly, breaking God's heart. As a result, God handed them over to Midian for seven long years.

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.

Midian's power overwhelmed Israel, causing fear and despair among the Israelites. They were forced to seek refuge in mountain dens, caves, and fortresses due to the relentless pressure from the Midianites.

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;

When Israel had just planted their seeds, the Midianites, Amalekites, and the eastern tribes descended upon them, threatening their peace.

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.

They set up camp against them, ravaging the land's bounty all the way to Gaza, leaving nothing for Israel - no sheep, no cattle, no donkeys.

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.

They arrived, their numbers vast like a swarm of locusts, bringing their livestock and homes with them. Their camels, too, were countless. They invaded the land, intending to ravage it.

And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD.

Israel was deeply burdened by the oppression of the Midianites, causing the people of Israel to weep out to the Lord in their despair.

And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because of the Midianites,

When the children of Israel, overwhelmed by the Midianites, poured out their hearts to the LORD in desperate pleas,

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;

The LORD sent a messenger to the people of Israel. The messenger said, "The LORD, your God, reminds you: 'I am the one who freed you from your life of slavery in Egypt.'"

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;

I rescued you from the clutches of the Egyptians and all who tormented you. I banished them, gifting you their land.

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.

I told you, "I am your God, don't fear other gods, even in their land." But you didn't listen to me.

And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.

An angel from God arrived, settling under an oak tree in Ophrah, a place belonging to Joash the Abiezrite. Meanwhile, his son Gideon was secretly threshing wheat near the winepress, trying to keep it hidden from the Midianites.

And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.

The Lord's messenger appeared before him, assuring him, "The Lord stands by your side, you brave and strong man."

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.

Gideon, in deep despair, cried out, "My Lord, if you're truly with us, why are we suffering so much? Where are the miracles our ancestors spoke of, the ones where you saved us from Egypt? It feels like you've abandoned us, leaving us at the mercy of the Midianites."

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?

The LORD gazed at him with assurance, saying, "Proceed with your strength, for you are destined to liberate Israel from the Midianites. Remember, it is I who have chosen you for this task."

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.

He pleaded, "My Lord, how can I possibly rescue Israel? Look at me, from a humble family in Manasseh, the least significant in my father's house."

And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.

The Lord assured him, "I will definitely stand by your side, and you will defeat the Midianites as if they were just one person."

And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me.

He pleaded, "If you truly favor me, give me a sign that you're communicating with me."

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.

Please don't leave until I return with my gift for you. He replied, I'll wait for your return.

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.

Gideon, filled with anticipation, prepared a young goat and flatbread from a bushel of flour. He carefully placed the meat in a basket and the soup in a pot. Under the shade of the oak tree, he nervously presented his humble offering.

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.

The angel of God gently instructed him, "Place the meat and the flatbread on this stone, and drizzle the soup over them." And he did, with a sense of awe and obedience.

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.

The angel of God reached out with his staff, gently touching the meat and bread. Suddenly, a fire burst from the stone, engulfing and consuming them. Then, just as quickly as he appeared, the angel vanished from sight.

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.

When Gideon realized he was in the presence of an angel of the LORD, he cried out in awe and fear, "Oh, LORD God! I've seen an angel of yours directly!"

And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.

The Lord reassured him, "Be calm, don't be afraid. You will not die."

Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

Gideon, filled with reverence, constructed a sacred altar for the LORD, naming it Jehovahshalom. To this day, it stands in Ophrah, home of the Abiezrites.

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:

That very night, God spoke to him, "Take your father's young, seven-year-old bull, the second one, and destroy your father's altar to Baal. Also, cut down the grove beside it."

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.

Build an altar for the Lord your God atop this rock, in the proper way. Take the second bull, and with the wood from the grove you've chopped down, offer it as a burnt offering.

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.

Gideon, filled with fear for his family and the townspeople, obeyed God's command. He chose ten of his servants and carried out the task under the cover of night, as he was too afraid to do it during the day.

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.

As dawn broke, the city's men awoke to find Baal's altar toppled, the nearby grove chopped down, and the second bull sacrificed on the newly constructed altar.

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.

They turned to each other, confusion etched on their faces, "Who could have done this?" As they dug deeper, the answer emerged, "It was Gideon, Joash's son, who did this."

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.

The townsfolk demanded of Joash, "Hand over your son, he must pay with his life! He dared to destroy Baal's altar and cut down the sacred grove beside it."

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.

Joash challenged his opponents, "Are you really going to defend Baal? Are you going to rescue him? If anyone dares to, they should be executed by dawn. If Baal is truly a god, let him defend himself, especially now that his altar has been destroyed."

Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.

So, that day, they named him Jerubbaal, declaring, "Let Baal challenge him, for he dared to tear down his altar."

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.

All the Midianites, Amalekites, and eastern tribes united, crossing over to set up camp in the Jezreel Valley.

But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him.

The Lord's Spirit filled Gideon, inspiring him to sound a trumpet. Hearing this, Abiezer rallied to his side.

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.

He dispatched envoys across Manasseh, rallying support. He also sent word to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, who eagerly joined him.

And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said,

Gideon pleaded with God, "If you truly intend to rescue Israel through me, as you've promised..."

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.

Look, I'll lay a wool blanket on the ground. If only the blanket gets wet with dew and the surrounding ground stays dry, then I'll truly believe that you'll use me to save Israel, just like you promised.

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.

Indeed, it happened just as said. With the break of dawn, he eagerly gathered the fleece, squeezing out the dew until he had a bowl brimming with water.

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.

Gideon pleaded with God, "Please, don't be angry with me. Allow me to test you just once more. Let the fleece alone be dry, while dew covers the rest of the ground."

And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

That night, God made it so. The fleece alone remained dry, while the rest of the ground was kissed by dew.