¹ And the sons of Israel did evil in the eyes of Jehovah, and Jehovah gave them into the hand of Midian seven years.

² And the hand of Midian became·​·strong against Israel; from the faces of Midian the sons of Israel made for themselves the dens^◦ which are in the mountains, and caves, and forts.

³ And it was, when^▫ Israel had sown, that Midian came·​·up and Amalek and the sons of the east, and they came·​·up against them;

⁴ and they encamped against them, and destroyed the produce of the land, until thou come to Gaza, and left not in Israel anything living, neither sheep^◦, nor ox, nor donkey.

⁵ For they^◦ and their livestock came·​·up, and their tents; they came as enough locusts for a multitude. There was no number for them and for their camels; and they came into the land to destroy her.

⁶ And Israel became· exceedingly ·poor because of Midian, and the sons of Israel cried unto^▵ Jehovah.

⁷ And it was, when^◦ the sons of Israel cried unto^▵ Jehovah, on account^◦ of Midian,

⁸ that Jehovah sent a man^◦, a prophet, unto^▵ the sons of Israel, and said unto them, Thus says Jehovah, the God of Israel: I^▵ brought· you ·up from Egypt, and brought· you ·out from the house of servitude^*.

⁹ And I rescued you from the hand of Egypt and from the hand of all who subjugated you, and drove· them ·out from before you, and gave you their land.

¹⁰ And I said unto you, I^◦ am Jehovah your God; fear not the gods of the Amorite in whose land you^◦ dwell; but you did not obey my voice.

¹¹ And the angel of Jehovah came and sat under the oak which was in Ophrah, that belonged to Joash, the Abiezrite; and his son Gideon was beating·​·out wheat in the wine·​·press^◦ to hide it^* from before Midian.

¹² And the angel of Jehovah appeared unto^▵ him, and said unto^▵ him, Jehovah is with^▵ thee, thou mighty·​·man of valor.

¹³ And Gideon said to^▵ him, In·​·me, O my Lord, and if Jehovah be^◦ with us, why has all this found us? And where^◦ be all His wonders, which our fathers recounted^◦ to us, saying, Did not Jehovah bring· us ·up from Egypt? But now Jehovah has abandoned us, and given us into the palm of the hand of Midian.

¹⁴ And Jehovah turned· His ·face to^▵ him and said, Go in this thy power, and save Israel from the hand^◦ of Midian; have I not sent thee?

¹⁵ And he said unto^▵ Him, In·​·me, O Lord, with what shall I save Israel? Behold, my thousand are the most poor in Manasseh, and I^▵ am the youngest^▵ in the house of my father.

¹⁶ And Jehovah said unto^▵ him, Because^◦ I will be with^▵ thee, and thou shalt smite Midian as one man^◦.

¹⁷ And he said unto^▵ Him, If now^◦ I have·​·found grace in Thine eyes, then make me a sign that Thou^◦ speakest with^▵ me.

¹⁸ Depart not hence, I pray^◦ Thee, until I come unto^▵ Thee, and bring·​·out my gift·​·offering and place it before Thee. And He said, I^▵ will sit until thou^◦ return.

¹⁹ And Gideon came·​·in and made ready a kid of the goats and unleavened cakes of an ephah of meal; the flesh he set in a basket and the broth he set into a pan, and he brought· it ·out unto^▵ Him under the oak, and presented it.

²⁰ And the angel of God said to^▵ him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes and place them on this rock^◦, and spill·​·out the broth. And he did so.

²¹ And the angel of Jehovah put·​·forth^◦ the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and the fire went·​·up, fire from the rock, and devoured the flesh and the unleavened cakes. And the angel of Jehovah was gone^◦ from before his eyes.

²² And Gideon saw that he^◦ was the angel of Jehovah, and Gideon said, Alas, Lord Jehovih^*, forasmuch as I have seen the angel of Jehovah face to^▵ face.

²³ And Jehovah said unto him, Peace unto thee; fear not; thou shalt not die.

²⁴ And Gideon built an altar there unto Jehovah, and called it Jehovah-shalom; to^◦ this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrite.

²⁵ And it was that^◦ night, that Jehovah said to him, Take the bullock of the ox which is of thy father, and the second bullock of seven years, and break·​·down the altar of Baal that thy father has, and cut·​·off the grove which is by^◦ it.

²⁶ And build an altar to Jehovah thy God on the head of this stronghold, in array, and take the second bullock and offer·​·up a burnt·​·offering with the wood of the grove which thou^◦ shalt cut·​·off.

²⁷ And Gideon took ten men^◦ of his servants, and did as^◦ Jehovah had spoken unto^▵ him; and it was, because he feared the house of his father, and the men^◦ of the city, that he did not do it by·​·day, but did it by night.

²⁸ And the men^◦ of the city got·​·up·​·early in the morning, and behold, the altar of Baal was torn·​·down, and the grove was cut·​·off that was by^◦ it, and the second bullock was offered·​·up on the altar that was built.

²⁹ And they said, a man^◦ unto^▵ his companion, Who has done this thing? and they inquired and sought it out, and said, Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing.

³⁰ And the men^◦ of the city said unto^▵ Joash, Bring·​·out thy son that he may·​·die, because^◦ he has torn·​·down the altar of Baal, and because^◦ he has cut·​·off the grove that was by^◦ it.

³¹ And Joash said unto all who stood by^◦ him, Will you^◦ strive for Baal, will you^◦ save him? He who will strive for him, let him be·​·put·​·to·​·death this morning; if he^◦ be a god, let him strive for himself, because one has torn·​·down his altar.

³² And on that^◦ day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal strive against him, because^◦ one has torn·​·down his altar.

³³ And all Midian and Amalek and the sons of the east were gathered together, and crossed·​·over and encamped in the valley of Jezreel.

³⁴ And the spirit of Jehovah filled Gideon, and he sounded a shophar^* and Abiezer was called·​·up after him.

³⁵ And he sent messengers into all Manasseh, and they also were called·​·up after him, and he^◦ sent messengers into Asher and into Zebulun and into Naphtali, and they came·​·up to meet him.

³⁶ And Gideon said to^▵ God, If it is^◦ so, that Thou wilt save Israel by my hand, as^◦ Thou hast spoken,

³⁷ Behold, I^▵ will place^◦ a fleece of wool in the threshing·​·floor; if the dew be on the fleece alone, and on all the earth it be dry^◦, then^◦ shall I know that Thou wilt save Israel by my hand, as^◦ Thou hast spoken.

³⁸ And it was so; and he got·​·up·​·early on the morrow, and he compressed the fleece, and pressed· the dew ·out from the fleece, a dish^◦ full of water.

³⁹ And Gideon said to^▵ God, Let not Thine anger be·​·fierce against me, and I will speak only^▵ this time^◦. Let me tempt only this time^◦ with the fleece: let it now^◦ be dry^◦ only on the fleece, and on all the earth let there be dew.

⁴⁰ And God did so in that^◦ night, and it was dry^◦ on the fleece only, and there was dew on all the earth.

¹ To the sons of Ammon, thus says Jehovah: Has Israel no sons, has^◦ he no heir^◦? Wherefore then does their^* king possess Gad, and his people dwell in his cities?

² Therefore, behold, the days are coming, says^◦ Jehovah, and I will cause a blast of war to be heard in Rabbah of the sons of Ammon; and it shall be for a mound of desolation, and her daughters shall be kindled with fire; and Israel shall be·​·an·​·heir^◦ with his heirs^◦, says^◦ Jehovah.

³ Howl, O Heshbon, for Ai is devastated; cry, ye daughters of Rabbah, gird you with sackcloth; wail, and run·​·around between the fences; for their king shall go into exile, and his priests and his princes together.^*

⁴ How praisest thou thyself in the valleys? Thy valley has flowed away^*, O backsliding daughter who trusted in her treasures, saying, Who shall come unto me?

⁵ Behold, I will bring a dread on thee, says^◦ the Lord Jehovih^* of Armies, from all those who be around thee; and you shall be expelled each·​·man^◦ from before him; and none shall bring·​·together the fugitive.

⁶ And afterwards I will return the captivity of the sons of Ammon, says^◦ Jehovah.

⁷ to^▵ Edom, thus says Jehovah of Armies: Is wisdom no more in Teman, is counsel perished from those who understand? Has their wisdom become putrid?

⁸ Flee ye, O ye who dwell in Dedan; for they turn^◦ themselves back, they cause themselves to dwell in the deep; for I will bring the downfall of Esau on him at the time that I will visit him.

⁹ If grapegatherers come to thee, would they not leave some grapes for gleaning? If thieves in the night, they will destroy sufficiency.

¹⁰ For I have made· Esau ·bare, I have revealed his hiding·​·places, and he shall not be·​·able to hide·​·away^◦; his seed is devastated, and his brothers, and his neighbors^◦, and he is not.

¹¹ Leave thine orphans, I will make· them ·live; and let thy widows trust in Me.

¹² For thus says Jehovah: Behold, they whose judgment was not to drink of the cup, drinking they have drunken; and art thou he who being rendered·​·innocent shall be rendered·​·innocent? Thou shalt not be rendered·​·innocent, for drinking thou shalt drink.

¹³ For I have promised Myself, says^◦ Jehovah, that Bozrah shall be for a desolation, for a reproach, for a waste, and for a reviling; and all her cities shall be eternal waste places.

¹⁴ I have heard a report from Jehovah, and an ambassador is sent unto the nations, saying, Bring· ye ·together, and come against her, and rise·​·up to the battle.

¹⁵ For, behold, I will put^◦ thee as small among^◦ the nations, and despised among^◦ man.

¹⁶ Thy horror has beguiled thee, the presumptuousness of thy heart, O thou who inhabitest the fissures of the rock^◦, who occupiest the height of the hill; because^◦ thou makest· thy nest ·lofty as the eagle, I will bring· thee ·down from thence, says^◦ Jehovah.

¹⁷ Also Edom shall be a desolation; every one that passes·​·by it shall be desolated, and shall hiss at all the smitings thereof.

¹⁸ As in the overturning of Sodom and Gomorrah and her neighboring^◦ cities, says Jehovah, no man^◦ shall dwell there, neither shall a son of man sojourn in her.

¹⁹ Behold, he shall come·​·up as a lion from the pride of the Jordan to^▵ the home of Ethan^*; for I will in a moment make him run away from her. And who is chosen that I may appoint over·​·her? For who is like Me? And who will cause Me to congregate, and who is this shepherd that will stand before Me?

²⁰ Therefore hear the counsel of Jehovah, that He has counseled against Edom; and His thoughts, that He has reckoned against those who dwell in Teman: Surely the little ones of the flock shall drag· them ·out; surely He shall make their homes desolate upon them.

²¹ The earth quaked at the voice of their fall, at the cry the voice thereof was heard in the Suph Sea.

²² Behold, as an eagle^* he shall go·​·up and soar, and spread his wings over Bozrah; and at that^◦ day shall the heart of the heroes of Edom be as the heart of a woman in· her ·adversity.

²³ To Damascus: Chamath and Arpad are ashamed; and they have heard evil reports; they are dissolved; there is anxiety in the sea; it is· not ·able to be·​·quiet.

²⁴ Damascus is·​·slack, and turns· her ·face to flee, and horror^◦ has held· her ·firmly; adversity and pangs possess^◦ her, as a woman giving·​·birth.

²⁵ How is the city of praise not forsaken, the walled·​·city of My joy!

²⁶ Therefore her young·​·men shall fall in her streets, and all the men of war shall be·​·still in that day, says^◦ Jehovah of Armies.

²⁷ And I will kindle a fire on^◦ the wall of Damascus, and it shall devour the palaces of Benhadad.

²⁸ To Kedar, and to the kingdoms of Chazor, which Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon shall smite, thus says Jehovah: Arise, go· ye ·up to^▵ Kedar, and devastate the sons of the east.

²⁹ Their tents and their flocks shall they take; they shall carry away for themselves their curtains, and all their vessels, and their camels; and they shall call over to them, Fear^◦ is all around.

³⁰ Flee, Flee·​·away exceedingly, dwell deep, O ye that dwell in Chazor, says^◦ Jehovah; for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon has taken counsel against you, and has conceived a thought against you.

³¹ Arise, go·​·up to^▵ the tranquil nation, who dwells securely, says^◦ Jehovah, which has^◦ neither doors nor bars, alone they shall abide^◦.

³² And their camels shall be for plunder, and the multitude^◦ of their livestock for a spoil; and I will disperse them to every wind, those who are of quarters clipped·​·off; and from all the crossings thereof I will bring their downfall, says^◦ Jehovah.

³³ And Chazor shall be for an abode of dragons, a desolation even·​·to eternity; no man^◦ shall dwell there, nor a son of man sojourn in her.

³⁴ The word of Jehovah was to^▵ Jeremiah^◦ the prophet concerning^▵ Elam in the beginning^◦ of the kingdom of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying,

³⁵ Thus says Jehovah of Armies; Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the beginning of their might.

³⁶ And upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and will winnow them toward all those winds; and there shall not be a nation whither those expelled of Elam shall not come.

³⁷ For I will cause Elam to be·​·dismayed before their enemies, and before those who seek their soul; and I will bring evil upon them, even My fierce anger, says^◦ Jehovah; and I will send the sword after them, until I have consumed· them ·all:

³⁸ and I will set My throne in Elam, and will make·​·to·​·perish from thence the king and the princes, says^◦ Jehovah.

³⁹ But it shall be in the last days, that I will return the captivity of Elam, says^◦ Jehovah.