6

Ziouv Ginv Gi^nde^on

¹Ziux Ziouv mangc, I^saa^laa^en Mienh aengx zoux waaic sic. Ziouv ziouc zorqv ninh mbuo jiu bun yiem Mi^ndien Mienh nyei buoz-ndiev siec hnyangx. ²Mi^ndien Mienh gauh henv I^saa^laa^en Mienh. Laaix Mi^ndien Mienh zeix I^saa^laa^en Mienh, I^saa^laa^en Mienh yiem mbong zoux dorngx bingx. Ninh mbuo yiem mbaengx-ngaamh, mbaengx-kuotv yaac zoux weih wuonv nyei dorngx. ³I^saa^laa^en Mienh haaix zanc zuangx ga'naaiv, Mi^ndien Mienh caux Aa^maa^lekv Mienh caux yiem dong bung nyei mienh caangv bieqc daaih mborqv ninh mbuo. ⁴Wuov deix mienh liepc ciangv wuov ndeic ziouc zoux waaic gaeng-zuangx mingh taux Gaasaa Zingh. Ninh mbuo maiv liouh yietc nyungc bun I^saa^laa^en Mienh nyanc. Ba'gi yungh, ngongh caux lorh zungv maiv liouh aqv. ⁵Naaiv deix mienh dorh jienv saeng-kuv caux ndopv-liuh daaih hnangv yietc guanh yietc guanh jopv-nyeic nor. Mienh caux lorh torh camv! haic, zungv saauv maiv zienz. Ninh mbuo bieqc daaih hnangv naaiv nor zoux waaic deic-bung. ⁶I^saa^laa^en Mienh laaix Mi^ndien Mienh zoux nyei jauv jomc duqv kouv haic. Ninh mbuo ziouc heuc jienv tov Ziouv tengx.
⁷I^saa^laa^en Mienh laaix Mi^ndien Mienh tov Ziouv tengx wuov zanc, ⁸Ziouv ziouc paaiv dauh ⟨douc waac mienh⟩ daaih lorz I^saa^laa^en Mienh. Douc waac mienh gorngv, “Ziouv, I^saa^laa^en Mienh nyei Tin-Hungh, hnangv naaiv gorngv, ‘Yie dorh meih mbuo yiem I^yipv, dongh meih mbuo zuqc zoux nouh nyei deic-bung, cuotv daaih. ⁹Yie njoux meih mbuo biaux ndutv I^yipv Mienh nyei buoz-ndiev caux zeix meih mbuo yietc zungv mienh nyei buoz-ndiev. Yie zunc ninh mbuo yiem meih mbuo nyei wuov ndaangc maengx cuotv naaiv norm deic-bung, yaac zorqv ninh mbuo nyei deic-bung jiu bun meih mbuo. ¹⁰Yie gorngv mbuox meih mbuo, “Yie se Ziouv, meih mbuo nyei Tin-Hungh. Meih mbuo yiem jienv Aa^mo^lai Mienh nyei deic-bung maiv dungx zaangc ninh mbuo nyei zienh.” Mv baac meih mbuo maiv muangx yie nyei waac.’+”
¹¹Nqa'haav Ziouv nyei fin-mienh mingh O^faa^laa Laangz, zueiz jienv Aa^mbi^ye^se nyei zeiv-fun, Yo^aatc nyei mba'ong zuei ndiangx ga'ndiev. Wuov zanc Yo^aatc nyei dorn, Gi^nde^on, yiem nyueih a'ngunc biouv nyei zorngh mborqv mbiauh witv weic bingx, maiv bun Mi^ndien Mienh buatc. ¹²Ziouv nyei fin-mienh hinc cuotv daaih bun Gi^nde^on buatc wuov zanc, fin-mienh gorngv, “Daamv hlo nyei jun-zeiv mienh aah! Ziouv caux meih yiem.”
¹³Gi^nde^on dau ninh, “Domh Gorx aac, se gorngv Ziouv caux yie mbuo yiem, yie mbuo weic haaix diuc buangh zuqc naaiv deix yietc zungv sic? Yie mbuo nyei ong-taaix gorngv mbuox yie mbuo, ‘Ziouv dorh yie mbuo yiem I^yipv Deic-Bung cuotv daaih.’ Wuov nyungc ninh zoux wuov deix mbuoqc horngh nyei sic jiex haaix mi'aqv? Ih zanc Ziouv guangc yie mbuo, bun yie mbuo zuqc yiem Mi^ndien Mienh nyei buoz-ndiev.”
¹⁴Ziouv huin nzuonx daaih mangc Gi^nde^on aengx gorngv mbuox ninh, “Oix zuqc longc meih maaih nyei qaqv mingh njoux I^saa^laa^en Mienh biaux ndutv Mi^ndien Mienh nyei buoz-ndiev. Yie paaiv meih mingh maiv zeiz?”
¹⁵Gi^nde^on gorngv mbuox ninh, “Ziouv aac, yie hnangv haaix nor haih njoux I^saa^laa^en Mienh? Yiem Maa^natv^se Fingx yie nyei die nyei douh zong se gauh faix jiex. Yiem yie nyei biauv zong mienh, yie zoux faix jiex wuov dauh.”
¹⁶Ziouv gorngv mbuox ninh, “Yie zungv oix caux meih yiem. Meih ziouc mborqv hingh Mi^ndien Mienh ndongc mborqv nduqc laanh mienh hnangv.”
¹⁷Gi^nde^on dau ninh, “Se gorngv yie horpc meih nyei hnyouv nor, tov bun yie buatc norm jangx-hoc, yie ziouc hiuv duqv se dongh Ziouv⚓ caux yie gorngv waac. ¹⁸Tov meih maiv dungx gaengh mingh haaix. Zuov yie aengx daaih lorz meih aengx dorh yie fongc horc nyei ga'naaiv daaih an meih nyei nza'hmien.”
Ziouv nyei fin-mienh gorngv, “Yie laengz yiem naaiv zuov meih daaih taux.”
¹⁹Gi^nde^on ziouc nzuonx biauv mingh liuc leiz dauh yungh dorn, yaac longc yietc tongv⚓ mbuonv zoux maiv an ⟨bingv⟩ nyei njuov. Ninh zorqv yungh orv an jienv jei, orv-torng dapv jienv caeng ziouc dorh mingh yiem mba'ong zuei ndiangx ga'ndiev an jienv, fongc horc bun Ziouv nyei fin-mienh.
²⁰Tin-Hungh nyei fin-mienh gorngv mbuox ninh, “Zorqv orv caux maiv an bingv nyei njuov daaih an jienv naaiv norm la'bieiv gu'nguaaic. Zorqv orv-torng dox jienv.” Gi^nde^on ziouc ei jienv zoux. ²¹Ziouv nyei fin-mienh ziouc longc dongh ninh nanv jienv wuov diuh biaav nyei dueiv-mueiz coqv zuqc wuov deix orv caux maiv an bingv nyei njuov, ziouc maaih douz yiem wuov la'bieiv njopc cuotv daaih buov wuov deix orv caux njuov qui nzengc. Ziang naaic maiv buatc Ziouv nyei fin-mienh mi'aqv. ²²Gi^nde^on zieqv duqv za'gengh benx Ziouv nyei fin-mienh, ninh ziouc gorngv, “O Ziouv Tin-Hungh aah! Kouv aqv loh! Yie hmien doix hmien duqv buatc liuz Ziouv nyei fin-mienh mi'aqv.”
²³Mv baac Ziouv gorngv mbuox ninh, “Baengh orn aqv oc. Maiv dungx gamh nziex. Meih maiv zuqc daic.”
²⁴Gi^nde^on ziouc yiem wuov weic Ziouv ceix norm ziec-dorngh yaac cuotv wuov norm dorngx nyei mbuox heuc, “Ziouv se baengh orn.”⚓ Wuov norm ziec-dorngh corc yiem Aa^mbi^ye^se Mienh nyei O^faa^laa Zingh taux ih jaax hnoi.
²⁵Dongh naaic muonz Ziouv gorngv mbuox Gi^nde^on, “Zorqv meih nyei die nyei da'nyeic wuov dauh ngongh gouv, dongh duqv siec hnyangx wuov dauh. Oix zuqc caeqv nzengc meih nyei die weic ⟨Mbaa^an zienh⟩ ceix nyei ziec-dorngh, yaac goix ziec-dorngh ga'hlen nyei ⟨Mbaa^an zienh⟩ zienh nyeiz nyei fangx. ²⁶Meih oix zuqc yiem naaiv norm wuonv nyei dorngx gu'nguaaic weic Ziouv, meih nyei Tin-Hungh, longc la'bieiv ceix norm ziec-dorngh sung nyei, yaac longc meih goix daaih nyei Aa^se^laa zienh nyeiz nyei fangx zoux zaangh. Zorqv wuov dauh da'nyeic dauh ngongh gouv zoux buov ziec nyei ga'naaiv.”
²⁷Gi^nde^on ziouc dorh ziepc dauh ninh nyei bou ei Ziouv mbuox nyei waac zoux. Lungh hnoi zanc ninh maiv gaamv zoux, weic zuqc ninh gamh nziex biauv zong mienh caux wuov norm zingh nyei mienh. Ninh ziouc lungh muonz zanc zoux.
²⁸Da'nyeic ndorm, wuov norm zingh nyei mienh jiez sin daaih nziouv nyei, buatc Mbaa^an nyei ziec-dorngh zuqc caeqv njiec. Ziec-dorngh ga'hlen nyei ⟨Aa^se^laa⟩ zienh nyeiz nyei fangx yaac zuqc goix nzengc. Maaih da'nyeic wuov dauh ngongh gouv yiem siang-ceix daaih nyei ziec-dorngh gu'nguaaic ziec jienv aqv.
²⁹Ninh mbuo ziouc laanh naaic laanh, “Naaiv haaix dauh zoux?”
Ninh mbuo zaah naaic ziouc zaah cuotv daaih gorngv, “Yo^aatc nyei dorn, Gi^nde^on, zoux.”
³⁰Zingh nyei mienh doix Yo^aatc gorngv, “Zorqv meih nyei dorn cuotv daaih bun yie mbuo daix aqv, weic zuqc ninh caeqv Mbaa^an nyei ziec-dorngh yaac goix ziec-dorngh ga'hlen nyei ⟨Aa^se^laa⟩ zienh nyeiz nyei fangx.”
³¹Mv baac Yo^aatc dau daaih gox ninh nyei dorn wuov deix mienh, “Meih mbuo oix tengx Mbaa^an nzaeng fai? Oix zoux sic div ninh fai? Haaix dauh tengx Mbaa^an nzaeng nor, maiv gaengh taux lungh ndorm, wuov dauh zungv zuqc daix daic. Se gorngv Mbaa^an za'gengh zoux zienh nor, maaih mienh caeqv ninh nyei ziec-dorngh, sueih ninh weic ninh ganh nzaeng.” ³²Weic naaiv, wuov hnoi ninh mbuo tengx Gi^nde^on cuotv mbuox heuc Yelupv Mbaa^an, eix leiz se, “Bun Mbaa^an weic ninh ganh nzaeng,” weic zuqc Gi^nde^on caeqv Mbaa^an nyei ziec-dorngh.
³³Wuov zanc Mi^ndien Mienh caux Aa^maa^lekv Mienh yietc zungv caux dong bung nyei mienh gapv zunv jiex Jor^ndaen Ndaaih, liepc ciangv yiem Yitv^le^en Horngz. ³⁴Ziouv nyei Singx Lingh ziouc njiec daaih yiem Gi^nde^on. Gi^nde^on ziouc biomv jorng heuc Aa^mbi^ye^se Mienh daaih zunv gan ninh mingh. ³⁵Ninh paaiv douc fienx mienh mingh gormx Maa^natv^se, heuc ninh mbuo daaih gan ninh mingh. Ninh aengx bun mienh mingh mbuox Aa^se Mienh, Se^mbu^lun Mienh caux Napv^taa^li Mienh. Wuov deix yaac daaih caux Gi^nde^on mbuo gapv jienv doic.
³⁶Gi^nde^on gorngv mbuox Tin-Hungh, “Se gorngv meih longc yie nyei buoz njoux I^saa^laa^en Mienh hnangv meih gorngv nor, ³⁷wuov nyungc yie zorqv ba'gi yungh biei an jienv mborqv mbiauh ciangv. Se gorngv kungx bun mbiungc-suiv pinx ba'gi yungh biei ndorn hnangv, huing-gormx ba'gi yungh biei ga'hlen nyei ndau nqaai, yie ziouc hiuv duqv meih za'gengh oix longc yie nyei buoz njoux I^saa^laa^en Mienh hnangv meih gorngv nor.” ³⁸Yaac za'gengh hnangv wuov nor. Da'nyeic ndorm nziouv nyei, Gi^nde^on zorqv ba'gi yungh biei daaih nanv, nanv duqv yietc nzormc mbiungc-suiv.
³⁹Gi^nde^on ziouc gorngv mbuox Tin-Hungh, “Tov maiv dungx qiex jiez yie, aengx bun yie seix yietc nzunc hnangv. Tov bun yie longc naaiv deix ba'gi yungh biei aengx seix nzunc. Naaiv nzunc tov bun ba'gi yungh biei nqaai, mv baac huing gormx ga'hlen bun mbiungc-suiv pinx ndorn nzengc.” ⁴⁰Wuov muonz Tin-Hungh hnangv naaiv nor zoux. Kungx ba'gi yungh biei mborngx nqaai nyei, mv baac huing gormx nyei ndau mbiungc-suiv pinx ndorn nzengc.

6

Midianites Oppress Israel

¹Then the children of Israel did ⚓evil in the sight of the Lord. So the Lord delivered them into the hand of ⚓Midian for seven years, ²and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites, the children of Israel made for themselves the dens, ⚓the caves, and the strongholds which are in the mountains. ³So it was, whenever Israel had sown, Midianites would come up; also Amalekites and the ⚓people of the East would come up against them. ⁴Then they would encamp against them and ⚓destroy the produce of the earth as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep nor ox nor ⚓donkey. ⁵For they would come up with their livestock and their tents, coming in as numerous as locusts; both they and their camels were without number; and they would enter the land to destroy it. ⁶So Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites, and the children of Israel ⚓cried out to the Lord.
⁷And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried out to the Lord because of the Midianites, ⁸that the Lord sent a prophet to the children of Israel, who said to them, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘I brought you up from Egypt and brought you out of the ⚓house of bondage; ⁹and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all who oppressed you, and ⚓drove them out before you and gave you their land. ¹⁰Also I said to you, “I am the Lord your God; ⚓do not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.” But you have not obeyed My ⚓voice.’ ”

Gideon

¹¹Now the Angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth tree which was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash ⚓the Abiezrite, while his son ⚓Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress, in order to hide it from the Midianites. ¹²And the ⚓Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, “The Lordis⚓with you, you mighty man of valor!”
¹³Gideon said to Him, “O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And ⚓where are all His miracles ⚓which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has ⚓forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.”
¹⁴Then the Lord turned to him and said, ⚓“Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. ⚓Have I not sent you?”
¹⁵So he said to Him, “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed ⚓my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”
¹⁶And the Lord said to him, ⚓“Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man.”
¹⁷Then he said to Him, “If now I have found favor in Your sight, then ⚓show me a sign that it is You who talk with me. ¹⁸⚓Do not depart from here, I pray, until I come to You and bring out my offering and set it before You.”
And He said, “I will wait until you come back.”
¹⁹⚓So Gideon went in and prepared a young goat, and unleavened bread from an ephah of flour. The meat he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot; and he brought them out to Him under the terebinth tree and presented them. ²⁰The Angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened bread and ⚓lay them on this rock, and ⚓pour out the broth.” And he did so.
²¹Then the Angel of the Lord put out the end of the staff that was in His hand, and touched the meat and the unleavened bread; and ⚓fire rose out of the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. And the Angel of the Lord departed out of his sight.
²²Now Gideon ⚓perceived that He was the Angel of the Lord. So Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord God! ⚓For I have seen the Angel of the Lord face to face.”
²³Then the Lord said to him, ⚓“Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die.” ²⁴So Gideon built an altar there to the Lord, and called it The-Lord-Is-Peace. To this day it is still ⚓in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
²⁵Now it came to pass the same night that the Lord said to him, “Take your father’s young bull, the second bull of seven years old, and ⚓tear down the altar of ⚓Baal that your father has, and ⚓cut down the wooden image that is beside it; ²⁶and build an altar to the Lord your God on top of this rock in the proper arrangement, and take the second bull and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the image which you shall cut down.” ²⁷So Gideon took ten men from among his servants and did as the Lord had said to him. But because he feared his father’s household and the men of the city too much to do it by day, he did it by night.

Gideon Destroys the Altar of Baal

²⁸And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, there was the altar of Baal, torn down; and the wooden image that was beside it was cut down, and the second bull was being offered on the altar which had been built. ²⁹So they said to one another, “Who has done this thing?” And when they had inquired and asked, they said, “Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing.” ³⁰Then the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, because he has torn down the altar of Baal, and because he has cut down the wooden image that was beside it.”
³¹But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Would you plead for Baal? Would you save him? Let the one who would plead for him be put to death by morning! If he is a god, let him plead for himself, because his altar has been torn down!” ³²Therefore on that day he called him ⚓Jerubbaal, saying, “Let Baal plead against him, because he has torn down his altar.”
³³Then all ⚓the Midianites and Amalekites, the people of the East, gathered together; and they crossed over and encamped in ⚓the Valley of Jezreel. ³⁴But ⚓the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon; then he ⚓blew the trumpet, and the Abiezrites gathered behind him. ³⁵And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, who also gathered behind him. He also sent messengers to ⚓Asher, ⚓Zebulun, and Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.

The Sign of the Fleece

³⁶So Gideon said to God, “If You will save Israel by my hand as You have said— ³⁷⚓look, I shall put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that You will save Israel by my hand, as You have said.” ³⁸And it was so. When he rose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece together, he wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowlful of water. ³⁹Then Gideon said to God, ⚓“Do not be angry with me, but let me speak just once more: Let me test, I pray, just once more with the fleece; let it now be dry only on the fleece, but on all the ground let there be dew.” ⁴⁰And God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, but there was dew on all the ground.