Midjāniešu jūgā
1 Tad Israēla dēli darīja to, kas ļauns Kunga acīs, un Kungs tos uz septiņiem gadiem atdeva Midjānam. 2 Midjāns valdīja pār Israēlu. Midjāniešu dēļ Israēla dēli veidoja sev nocietinājumus kalnos, alas un cietokšņus. 3 Un, kā vien Israēls sēja, tā midjānieši, amālēkieši un austrumnieku dēli nāca augšup un tiem uzbruka. 4 Viņi apsēda tos un izpostīja zemes ražu līdz pat Gazai. Viņi neatstāja Israēlā nekā ēdama – ne avi, ne vērsi, ne ēzeli! 5 Jo viņi kopā ar saviem lopiem un teltīm nāca augšup. Tie nāca kā milzīgi siseņu bari – ne skaita viņiem, ne viņu kamieļiem. Viņi nāca šajā zemē, lai to izpostītu! 6 Israēls bija ļoti pazemots Midjāna priekšā, un Israēla dēli brēca uz Kungu.
7 Kad nu Israēla dēli brēca uz Kungu midjāniešu dēļ, 8 Kungs sūtīja kādu pravieti pie Israēla dēliem, un viņš tiem sacīja: “Tā saka Kungs, Israēla Dievs: es esmu jūs atvedis no Ēģiptes un esmu jūs izvedis no verdzības nama. 9 Es jūs atbrīvoju no ēģiptiešiem un visiem jūsu apspiedējiem. Es tos izdzinu jūsu priekšā un devu jums viņu zemi, 10 un es jums teicu: es esmu Kungs, jūsu Dievs! Jums nav jābīstas no amoriešu dieviem, kuru zemē jūs esat apmetušies. Bet jūs mani neklausījāt!”
Gideona aicināšana
11 Kunga eņģelis nāca un apmetās zem abīezerieša Joāša ozola Ofrā. Viņa dēls Gideons tobrīd vīnspaidā kūla kviešus, tos slēpdams no midjāniešiem. 12 Kunga eņģelis viņu uzlūkoja un sacīja: “Kungs ar tevi, varenais spēkavīrs!” 13 Bet Gideons tam atbildēja: “Piedod, kungs, bet, ja Kungs ir ar mums, kāpēc tad mūs visas šīs nelaimes ir piemeklējušas, un kur gan ir viņa brīnumi, par kuriem mums stāstījuši mūsu tēvi, sacīdami: vai tad Kungs mūs neizveda no Ēģiptes?! – Bet nu Kungs mūs ir pametis un nodevis Midjāna nagos!” 14 Kungs pievērsās viņam un teica: “Ej tad savā spēkā, un tu izglābsi Israēlu no Midjāna nagiem! Vai tad ne es tevi sūtu?!” 15 Bet viņš tam atbildēja: “Piedod, mans kungs, kā gan lai es izglābju Israēlu? Redzi, mana dzimta ir vistrūcīgākā Manasē, un es pats esmu visjaunākais sava tēva namā.” 16 Un Kungs viņam teica: “Es esmu ar tevi, tāpēc tu sakausi Midjānu kā vienu vīru!” 17 Bet viņš tam sacīja: “Ja jau esmu guvis tavu vēlību, rādi man zīmi, ka tu esi tas, kas ar mani runā. 18 Jel neatstāj šo vietu, kamēr es atnākšu pie tevis, atnesīšu savu dāvanu un nolikšu tavā priekšā.” Un viņš atbildēja: “Es palikšu, līdz tu atgriezīsies.”
19 Gideons atnāca un sagatavoja kazlēnu un neraudzētas maizes no ēfas miltu. Gaļu viņš ielika grozā un virumu ielēja podā, atnesa viņam zem ozola un pasniedza. 20 Dieva eņģelis viņam teica: “Ņem gaļu un neraudzētās maizes, noliec uz šī akmens un izlej virumu.” Viņš tā arī izdarīja. 21 Tad Kunga eņģelis izstiepa spieķi, kas viņam bija rokā, un ar tā galu pieskārās gaļai un neraudzētajām maizēm. Uguns izšāvās no klints un aprija gaļu un neraudzētās maizes, un Kunga eņģelis nozuda viņa skatienam. 22 Nu Gideons saprata, ka tas bijis Kunga eņģelis, un iesaucās: “Ak vai, Kungs Dievs! Es taču skatīju Kunga eņģeli vaigu vaigā!” 23 Bet Kungs viņam atbildēja: “Miers ar tevi! Nebīsties, tu nemirsi!” 24 Tad Gideons tur uzcēla Kungam altāri un nosauca to “Kungs ir miers”. Vēl līdz šai dienai tas aizvien stāv abīezerieša Ofrā.
25 Tajā pašā naktī Kungs viņam sacīja: “Ņem vērsi, sava tēva ganāmpulka vedēju, un otru septiņus gadus vecu vērsi, un tev jānojauc sava tēva altāris Baalam un jānocērt ašēra, kas uz tā. 26 Tev noteiktajā kārtībā jāuzceļ altāris Kungam, savam Dievam, šī nocietinātā paugura galā. Tad tev jāņem otrs vērsis un jāupurē kā sadedzināmais upuris ar malku no ašēras, ko tu nocirtīsi.”
Gideons nojauc Baala altāri
27 Gideons ņēma līdzi desmit vīrus no saviem kalpiem un darīja, kā Kungs viņam bija sacījis. Taču viņš to darīja naktī, jo baidījās darīt dienā sava tēva nama un pilsētas vīru dēļ. 28 Kad pilsētas vīri rīta agrumā cēlās, redzi, Baala altāris bija sagrauts un ašēra, kas uz tā, bija nocirsta, un vērsis bija upurēts uzceltajā altārī. 29 Tad vīri runāja savā starpā: “Kurš gan to ir izdarījis?” Viņi meklēja, noskaidroja un uzzināja: “To ir izdarījis Gideons, Joāša dēls.” 30 Tad pilsētas vīri sacīja Joāšam: “Izdod savu dēlu! Viņam jāmirst, jo viņš ir sagrāvis Baala altāri un nocirtis ašēru, kas bija uz tā!” 31 Bet Joāšs visiem, kas viņam uzstāja, atbildēja: “Vai tad jūs cīnīsieties par Baalu? Vai jūs viņu glābsiet? Kurš par viņu cīnīsies, lai tiek nonāvēts, iekams pienāk rīts. Ja viņš ir Dievs, viņš pats cīnīsies par sevi, jo kāds ir sagrāvis viņa altāri!” 32 Tā Gideons todien tika nosaukts par Jerubaalu , sakot: “Baals pret viņu cīnīsies, jo viņš sagrāvis tā altāri.”
33 Visi midjānieši, amālēkieši un austrumnieku dēli sapulcējās, nāca pāri un apmetās nometnē Jizreēlas ielejā. 34 Bet Kunga Gars pārņēma Gideonu – viņš pūta ragu un sasauca abīezeriešus, lai tie viņam seko. 35 Viņš izsūtīja ziņnešus pa visu Manasi un sasauca arī tos, lai viņam seko; tāpat sūtīja ziņnešus pie Ašēra, Zebulūna un Naftālī, un tie devās augšup, lai viņiem pievienotos.
Pārbaude ar aitas vilnu
36 Tad Gideons sacīja Dievam: “Ja tu glābsi Israēlu ar manu roku, kā tu esi sacījis, 37 redzi, te uz klona es nolieku aitas vilnas cirpumu. Ja rasa būs tikai uz cirpuma, bet visa zeme sausa, es zināšu, ka tu ar manu roku glābsi Israēlu, kā tu esi sacījis!” 38 Un tā arī bija, kad viņš nākamajā rītā agri piecēlās un izgrieza cirpumu. Viņš izspieda rasu no cirpuma – pilnu bļodu ar ūdeni. 39 Un Gideons sacīja Dievam: “Neiekaisti pret mani dusmās, ka runāšu vēlreiz. Ļauj man mēģināt vēl tikai reizi ar šo cirpumu. Lai tad tikai cirpums ir sauss, bet uz visas zemes ir rasa.” 40 Un Dievs tonakt tā darīja. Vienīgi cirpums bija sauss, bet uz visas zemes bija rasa.
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 Abi-ezrite: 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 Jehovah-shalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites.
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 Abi-ezer 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.
