1 And the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD {YHWH, Righteous Judge}, and He gave them into the hand of Midian {Midyan: oppressor nation} for seven years.
2 And the hand {yad: power or control} of Midian was strong over Israel, and because of Midian, the children of Israel made for themselves the tunnels that are in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds {metsadot: fortified refuges}.
3 Whenever Israel sowed {zara: scattered seed}, Midian, Amalek {amalek: raiding nomads}, and the sons of the east ascended against them.
4 And they encamped against them and devastated the produce {yevul: harvest yield} of the land as far as Gaza, and did not leave any livelihood {michyah: life-sustaining resource} in Israel—neither sheep, ox, nor donkey.
5 They came up with their livestock and their tents, arriving like a multitude {rov: great number} of locusts; neither they nor their camels could be numbered, and they entered the land to destroy {shachat: total ruin} it.
6 And Israel became exceedingly impoverished because of Midian, and the sons of Israel cried out {za’aku: desperate cry} to the LORD {YHWH, Deliverer}.
7 And it came to pass when the sons of Israel cried out to the LORD {YHWH, Deliverer} because of Midian {Midyan: oppressive raiders}.
8 And the LORD {YHWH, Divine Sender} sent a man who was a prophet to the sons of Israel, and he said to them, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: I am the One who brought you up from Egypt and brought you out from the house of slavery {avadim: forced servitude}.”
9 And I {YHWH, Deliverer} rescued you from the hand {yad: Control or Power} of Egypt and from the hand of all your oppressors, and I drove them out from before you and gave you their land.
10 And I said to you, “I am the LORD your God {YHWH Eloheichem, Covenant Maker}; you shall not fear the gods of the Amorite {Elohei ha-Emori, tribal deities}, in whose land you dwell. But you did not listen to my voice.”
11 And the angel of the LORD {YHWH, Messenger of Deliverance} came and sat under the terebinth {elah: strong tree} that was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite. And Gideon his son was threshing wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites.
12 And the angel of the LORD {YHWH, Strength-Giver} appeared to him and said to him, “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior {gibbor: strong champion}.”
13 And Gideon said to Him, “Please, my lord; if the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Deliverer} is with us, then why has all this befallen us? And where are all His wonders {nifle’otav: supernatural acts} that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has abandoned us and delivered us into the hand of Midian.”
14 Then the LORD {YHWH, Divine Sender} turned to him and said, “Go in this your strength {koach: established ability}, and you will deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Do I not send you?”
15 And he said to Him, “Please, Lord {Adonai, Supreme Commander}, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan {alpi: extended family unit} is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house.”
16 And the LORD {YHWH, Powerful Deliverer} said to him, "Because I will be with you, you will strike down the Midianites as one man {ke-ish: united force}."
17 And he said to him, “If now I have found favor {chen: gracious acceptance} in your eyes, then provide me a sign {ot: authentication proof} that you are speaking with me.”
18 Please do not withdraw from here until I come to you and bring out my offering {minchah: sacrificial gift} and set it before you. And he said, “I {anokhi: emphatic I} will remain until you return.”
19 And Gideon entered and prepared a young goat {gʼdi-ʿizzim: Kid of Goats}, and from an ephah of flour he made unleavened breads. He placed the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot; then he brought them out to Him {YHWH, Divine Visitor} under the terebinth and presented them.
20 And the angel of God {Elohim, Heavenly Envoy} said to him, “Take the meat {basar: sacrificial portion} and the unleavened bread, place them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” And he did so.
21 And the angel of the LORD {YHWH, Divine Messenger} stretched out the tip {qetse: extreme end} of the staff that was in his hand, touched the meat and the unleavened bread, and fire went up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. Then the angel of the LORD departed from his sight.
22 And Gideon saw that it was the angel {mal’akh: commissioned envoy} of the LORD {YHWH, Divine Sender}, and he said, “Alas {’ahhah: distressed outcry}, Lord GOD {Adonai YHWH, Supreme Ruler}, for I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face.”
23 And the LORD {YHWH, Peace Giver} said to him, “Peace {shalom: comprehensive well-being} be to you. Do not fear; you will not die.”
24 So Gideon built an altar there to the LORD {YHWH, Peace Giver}, and he called it “The LORD is Peace {shalom: covenant well-being}.” It remains in Ophrah of the Abiezrite clan to this day.
25 And it was on that night that the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Commander} said to him, “Take a bull from your father’s herd and a second bull that is seven years old, tear down the altar of Baal {mizbeach: sacrificial platform}, and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.”
26 And you shall build an altar to the LORD your God {YHWH Eloheikha, Covenant Enforcer} on the top of this stronghold, in the proper arrangement. Then you shall take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah {asherah: idol pole} you cut down.
27 So Gideon {Gid'on: appointed warrior} took ten men from among his servants and did just as the LORD {YHWH: Divine Commander} had spoken to him. But because he feared the house of his father and the men of the city, he did it by night rather than by day.
28 When the men of the city rose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was pulled down, and the Asherah {asherah: sacred pole of idolatry} that stood beside it was cut down, and the second {haSheni: replacement offering} bull was offered on the altar that had been built.
29 And each man said to his companion, “Who did this thing?” And they inquired {darash: searched out diligently} and sought {baqash: intensely pursued}, and they said, “Gideon son of Joash did this thing.”
30 Then the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son, and let him die, because he has broken down the altar of Baal {baal: Canaanite storm god} and cut down the Asherah {asherah: fertility cult pole} beside it.”
31 And Joash said to all who stood over him, “Are you going to contend for Baal {baal: Canaanite storm god}? Will you save him? Whoever contends for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god {elohim: claimed deity}, let him contend for himself, for his altar has been broken down.”
32 On that day he called him Jerubbaal {Yeru-bbaal: Baal Opposer}, saying, “Let Baal contend with him because he has broken down his altar {mizbeach: place of sacrifice}.”
33 And all of Midian, and Amalek, and the sons {benei: family clans} of the east gathered themselves together, and they crossed over and camped in the valley {emeq: broad lowland region} of Jezreel.
34 And the Spirit of the LORD {YHWH, Divine Empowerer} clothed Gideon, and he blew the trumpet {shofar: ram’s horn}, and Abiezer was summoned to follow after him.
35 And he sent messengers {malakhim: official envoys} throughout all Manasseh, and they also were called out {vayizza’ek: public summons} to follow after him. He also sent messengers into Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they went up to meet them.
36 And Gideon {gidʿōn: Promise Tester} said to God {ha-Elohim, Promise Keeper}, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have spoken.”
37 Behold, I am placing a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece by itself, and all the land is dry {chorev: parched}, then I will know that You {YHWH, Sovereign Deliverer} will save Israel by my hand, as You have spoken.
38 And it was so, and he rose early the next day, squeezed the fleece {haggizah: sheep’s fleece}, and wrung out dew from the fleece—filling a bowl {hasefel: collection vessel} with water.
39 And Gideon said to God {Elohim, Divine Responder}, “Do not let Your anger flare up against me, and let me speak just this once. Let me test, I pray, just this once with the fleece {gizzah: wool covering}; let it be dry by itself, but let there be dew on all the ground.”
40 And God {Elohim, Sign Performer} did so that night, and it was dry {chorev: complete dryness} only on the fleece while on all the land there was dew.