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Judges

Describes a time when Israel was ruled by judges and the cycle of turning away from God, facing trouble, and then returning to Him.

Chapter 6

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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.

*The children of Israel did wrong, so God let them be controlled by Midian for 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.

*Midian's power was stronger than Israel, so the children of Israel hid in mountain dens, caves, and strongholds because of the Midianites.

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;

*So when Israel planted their seeds, the people from Midian, Amalek, and the eastern tribes arrived to attack 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.

*They set up camp to attack them, destroying Earth's growth until reaching Gaza. They left nothing for Israel - no sheep, cows, or donkeys.

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.

*They arrived with their animals and tents, like a huge swarm of grasshoppers. There were so many people and camels that it was hard to count them all. They came to ruin the land.

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

*Israel became very poor due to the Midianites, so the children of Israel asked God for help.

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

*Then, when the Israelites called out to God for help because they were being oppressed by 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;

*The Lord sent a messenger to the people of Israel, who told them, "The Lord God says, I took you from Egypt and freed you from slavery."

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;

*I saved you from the Egyptians and everyone else who treated you badly. I also drove those people away and gave their land to you.

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.

*I told you, "I am your God, don't be afraid of other gods." These gods belong to the people living in this land. But you didn't listen to me.

11 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 appeared to Gideon, who was from the tribe of Abiezer, while he was hiding grain under an oak tree owned by Joash. Gideon's son helped him with this task to keep their harvest safe from raiders called 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.

*The angel spoke to him, saying, God is by your side; you are a strong, brave person.

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.

*Gideon asked, "Lord, if you are with us, why are we in this situation? Where are the miracles our parents told us about, how you saved them from Egypt? It seems like you have left us and handed us over to 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?

*And God looked at him and said, Go use your strength now, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. Haven't I sent you to do this?

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.

*He asked, "Lord, how can I save Israel? My family in Manasseh is poor, and I'm the smallest in my dad's family."

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

*And God told him, "I will definitely be with you, and you will defeat the Midianites like a single person."

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.

*He asked, "If you like me now, give me a sign to show we're really talking."

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.

*Don't leave yet, please wait for me to arrive and bring you a gift. Then I'll give it to you. He replied, "I'll stay here until you return."

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.

*Gideon prepared a young goat and some unleavened bread using four cups of flour. He placed the meat in a basket and the soup in a pot, then took it outside to an oak tree and served 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.

*And the angel told him, Put the meat and the flatbreads on this stone, and pour the soup. He did as he was told.

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.

*Then the angel used his staff to touch the food and a fire came from the rock, burning the food. After that, the angel disappeared.

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.

*When Gideon realized it was an angel from God, he said, "Oh no! God! Because I just saw an angel from God up close."

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

*And God told him, "You'll be okay, don't worry; you won't die."

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

*Then Gideon made a special place for praying to God at that spot and named it "God-Peace." It still exists today in a place called Ophrah, which belongs to the people called Abiezrites.

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:

*That night, the Lord told him to take his father's two-year-old bull, destroy the altar of Baal his father made, and also cut down the trees around 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.

*Build an altar for God at the top of this rock in the right spot. Use the second bull and wood from the trees you cut down to make a burnt offering.

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.

*Gideon chose ten helpers and followed God's instructions. He did this at night because he was scared of his family and townspeople.

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.

*In the morning, the city's men saw that the Baal altar was destroyed, along with the trees nearby, and the second bull was placed on a new altar.

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.

*They asked each other, "Who did this?" When they searched and questioned, they found out it was Gideon, son of Joash, who did it.

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.

*Then the people of the city told Joash, "Bring your son out so he can die. He destroyed the altar of Baal and also the sacred tree next to 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.

*Joash asked those opposing him, "Do you support Baal? Will you save him? Anyone who supports him should be killed before morning; if he's a god, let him defend himself, as someone has destroyed his altar."

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

*So that day, he named him Jerubbaal, meaning "Baal will fight against him," since he destroyed Baal's 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.

*Then, Midianites, Amalekites, and people from the east came together and crossed the valley of Jezreel where they set up camp.

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

*But God's spirit filled Gideon, so he blew a horn, and Abiezer joined 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.

*He sent people to all of Manasseh, and more joined him. He also sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they came to meet them.

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

*Gideon asked God, "If you will really save Israel through me, like you promised,"

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.

*Look, I'll place a wool blanket on the ground. If the dew is only on the blanket and everything else is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel through me, just like you have 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.

*So it happened: he got up early the next day, gathered the fleece, squeezed out the dew from it, filling a bowl with 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.

*Gideon asked God not to be angry with him, and he wanted to do this just once. He requested that God let him test the fleece - make it dry while the rest of the ground is wet with dew.

40 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 happen: the fleece was dry while there was dew everywhere on the ground.

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