Judges 6
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.
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.
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;
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.
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.
6. And Israel was greatly impoverished * because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried * unto the LORD.
7. And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried * unto the LORD because of 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;
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;
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.
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.
12. And the angel of the LORD appeared * unto him, and said * unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
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.
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?
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.
16. And the LORD said * unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite * the Midianites as one man.
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.
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 * .
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.
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.
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.
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.
23. And the LORD said * unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear * not: thou shalt not 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.
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:
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 * .
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.
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 * .
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.
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.
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.
32. Therefore on that day he called * him Jerubbaal, saying * , Let Baal plead * against him, because he hath thrown down * his 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.
34. But the Spirit of the LORD came * upon Gideon, and he blew * a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered * after 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.
36. And Gideon said * unto God, If thou wilt save * Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said * ,
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 * .
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.
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.
40. And God did * so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.
