Judges 10:1-18 The Israelites Who Worshiped the Foreign gods Were Captured

 

The Israelites Who Worshiped the Foreign gods Were Captured

Judges 10:1-18    The Book of Judges [in Smaller Chunks]

After Abimelech [died,] Tola arose to defend Israel. [He was Puah’s] son, [who was] the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar & he [lived] in Shamir in Mount Ephraim. He judged Israel 23 years & died & was buried in Shamir.

After him arose Jair, a Gileadite, [who] judged Israel 22 years. He had 30 sons [who] rode on 30 [donkey] colts. They had 30 cities [that] are called Havoth Jair to this day, which are in the land of Gilead. Jair died & was buried in Camon.

And the children [people] of Israel did evil again in the sigh of the Lord & served: Baalim, Ashteroth & the gods of Syria, the gods of Zidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of Ammon & the gods of the Philistines & [abandoned] the Lord [God] & didn’t serve Him.

The anger of the Lord was hot against Israel & He sold them into the hands of the Philistines & the children [people] of Ammon.

That year, they [harassed] & oppressed the children [people] of Israel [who] were on the other side of [the] Jordan [River] in the land of the Ammorites [that] is in Gilead & [did so for] 18 years.

[Additionally,] the [people] of Ammom also [crossed] over the Jordan [River] to fight against the [people of:] Judah, Benjamin & Ephraim, [so] that Israel was [extremely] distressed.

The [people] of Israel cried [out] to the Lord, saying, We have sinned against You, because we have both: [abandoned] our [Lord] God & have also served  Baalam.

And the Lord said to the [people] of Israel, Didn’t I deliver you from the Egyptians & the Amorites & the [people] of: Ammon, Philistines, Zidonians, Amalekites, Maonites,[a.k.a. Midianites, who] oppressed you?

And you cried [out] to Me & I delivered you out of their [hands,] but you have [abandoned] Me & served other gods. [So, for this reason,] I [will no longer] deliver you. Go & cry [out] to the gods [that] you have chosen & let them deliver you in your time of [trouble.]

And the [people] of Israel said to the Lord, We have sinned. Do to us [whatever] seems good, but we pray [that] You only deliver us this day.

They put away the [foreign] gods from among them & served the Lord & His soul was [saddened, because] of the misery of Israel.

Then, the [people] of Ammon gathered together & [set up camp] in Gilead & the [people] of Israel assembled themselves together & [set up camp] in Mizpah. The people & princes of Gilead said to one another, Who will begin to fight against the [people] of Ammon? He shall be the head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.

Judges 9:1-57 The Reign of Abimelech & His Death

 

The Reign of Abimelech & His Death

Judges 9:1-57    The Book of Judges [in Smaller Chunks]

Abimelech, the son of Jerubbaal, [a.k.a. Gideon,] went to his mother’s [brothers] & [her father’s family] to [talk] with all [of them,] saying, I pray [that] you [talk] to the men of Shechem & ask them whether it’s better for the 70 sons of Jerubbaal to [rule] over you or [just] one?

Remember that I also am your flesh & bone. When his mother’s [family asked] the men of Shechem. All these words, their hearts [were] inclined to follow Abimelech & they said, He is our brother.

They gave him 70 pieces of silver from the [temple] of Baal Berith, [where] Abimelech hired [simple minded people, who] followed him. [Judges 8:33 And it [happened,] as soon as Gideon was dead, the children [people] of Israel turned again & went [unfaithfully] after Baalim & made Baal Berith their god.]

He went to his father’s house at Ophrah & [killed] his brethren, 70 sons of Jerubbaal on 1 [rock, except] for Jotham, [Jerubbaal’s] youngest son, was left, [because] he hid himself. All the men of Shechem & all the house of Millo gathered together & made Abimelech king, [on] the plain [by] the pillar that was in Shechem.

When they told it to Jotham, he stood [at ] the top of Mount Gerizim & lifted [up] his voice & cried [out] & said to them, [Listen] to me, you men of Shechem, [so] that the [Lord] God may [listen] to you.

The trees went [out at] a time, to anoint a king over them & they said to the olive tree, [Rule] over us, but the olive tree said to them, Should I [give up] my fatness [produced] by me, [so] they [can] honor God & man to go & be promoted to [rule] over the trees?

The trees said to the fig tree, Come & [rule] over us, but the fig tree said to them, Should I [abandon] my sweetness & my good fruit go to be promoted over the trees? Then, the trees said to the vine, You come & [rule] over us.

The vine said to them, Should I leave my wine, which cheers God & man, & go to be promoted over the trees? Then, all the trees said to the [thornbush,] You come & [rule] over us.

The [sticker bush] said to the trees, If you [are truthful about anointing] me [as] king over you, then come & put your trust in my shadow & if [you don’t,] let fire come out of the [sticker bush] & [destroy] the cedars of Lebanon.

Therefore, now if you have made Abimelech king [in truth & sincerity] & you have dealt well with the house of Jerubbaal & his house & have done [well] to [them,] according to [what he deserved,] ([because] my father, [Gideon,] fought for you & went [great distances & risked his] life & delivered you out of the hand of the [Midianites.]

[Still] you [have] risen up against my father’s house this day & his 70 sons have been [killed] upon 1 [rock] & [you] have made Abimelech, the son of his [mistress,] king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother.)

If you had truly dealt [in sincerity] with Jerubbaal & his house this day, then rejoice in Abimelech & let him also rejoice in you, but if not, let fire come out from Abimelech & devour the men of Shechem & the house of Millo. And let fire come out from the men of Shechem & from the house of Millo & devour Abimelech.

[Then] Jotham ran away & fled to Beer & [lived] there for fear of Abimelech, his [step-brother.] [After] Abimelech [ruled] for 3 years over Israel, then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech & the men of Shechem.

The men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech, [to repay him] for the cruelty [Abimelech had] done in [killing] Jerubbaal’s 70 sons & their blood [was] laid upon Abimelech, their brother [who killed] them & upon the men of Shechem, [who] aided him in killing his brethren.

The men of Shechem sent [men to ambush] him, in the top of the mountains & they robbed all [who] came along that [road] by them & it was told to Abimelech. And Gaal, [Ebed’s] son, came with his brethren & went over to Shechem & the men of Shechem put their confidence in him.

They went out into the fields & vineyards & gathered the grapes & [trampled] on them [to make wine] & [rejoiced] & went into the house of their god & [ate & drank] & cursed Abimelech.

Gaal, [Ebed’s] son, said, Who is Abimelech & who is Shechem, that we should serve them? Isn’t he the son of Jerubbaal? And [isn’t] Jebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem, for why should we serve [Abimelech?]

[If] God would [allow these] people to be under my hand, then I would remove Abimelech. [Gaal] said to Abimelech, Increase your army & come out.

When Zebul, the ruler of the city, heard [what] Gaal [said,] his anger [grew.] And he sent messengers to Abimelech [& secretly said, Watch,] Gaal, [Ebed’s] son, & his brethren [have] come to Shechem & [look,] they [stirred] up the city against you.

Now, you [Abimelech] & the people with you, [go] up [during] the night & lie in the field in wait [to ambush] & [at sunrise, get up] early & [attack] the city, when he & the people with him come out against you.

Then, you [can] do to them as you [decide is best.] [So] Abimelech [got up] early & 4 companies of people with him all night & laid in wait [to ambush] against Shechem.

When Gaal went out & stood in the gate [entrance] to the city.  And Abimelech & the people with him rose up, from lying in wait. When Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, [Look, the] people [are coming] down from the top of the mountains, [but] Zebul [told him,] You [just] see the shadow of the mountains & [thought] they were men.

Gaal [told him,] See, there [are] people [coming] down by the middle of the land & another company [comes] along [on] the Plain of Meonenim. Then, Zebul said, Where is your mouth now? [Remember when] you said, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? Aren’t these the people you [despise?]

I pray [that] you go out now & fight with them. And Gaal went out [in front of] the men of Shechem & fought with Abimelech. Abimelech chased [Gaal] & he fled before him & many were overthrown & wounded up to the [entrance] of the gate.

And Abimelech [lived in] Arumah & Zebul [threw] out Gaal & his brethren, so they [no longer lived] in Shechem. It [happened,] the next day, the people went out into the field & told Abimelech. And he divided the people into 3 companies [who] laid in wait in the field [& ambushed those who came] out of the city & he rose up against them & [killed] them.

Abimelech & the company with him, rushed forward & stood at the [entrance] gate of the city & the other 2 [of Abimelech’s] companies ran up on all the people in the fields & [killed] them.

Abimelech fought against the city all that day & [captured] the city & [killed] all the people [in it] & [tore] down the city & sowed it with salt, [so nothing could grow.] When all the men [in] the Tower of Shechem heard that, they entered [a fortified area] in the house of the god, Berith.

Abimelech was told the men of the Tower of Shechem were gathered together, [he] & all the people with him went up to Mount Zalmon.  Abimelecħ took his ax in his [hands] & cut down a [branch] from the trees & [put] it on his shoulder & [Abimelech] told the people with him to do [the same.]

[They] cut down [branches] & followed Abimelech & [put] them [on] the [fortified room] [where the men were hiding in the hold.] They set the hold on fire & about 1,000 men from the Tower of Shechem & women died [in the fire.]

Then Abimelech went to Thebez & [set camp] against it & [conquered it.] The men & women of the city, fled to the strong tower within the city, shut it [off] to them & [got themselves] up to the top of the tower. Abimelech [attacked] the high tower & fought hard [against its] door [in order to set it on] fire.

A woman [in the tower] [threw down] a piece of millstone [used for grinding grain] on Abimelech’s head, [which broke] his skull. He [quickly] called a young man, his armor [carrier] & [asked] him, Draw your sword & [kill] me, [so] that men [won’t] say, A woman [killed him.]

The young man thrust [Abimelech] through [with his sword] & Abimelech died. When the men of Israel saw [Abimelech] was dead, they [returned] home.

[Therefore,] God had [repaid] the wickedness of Abimelech [killing] his 70 brothers, [as well as,] God [returned] the evil upon the heads of the men of Shechem [with] the curse of Jotham, the son of Jerubbaal [a.k.a. Gideon.]

Judges 8:1-35 Gideon Conquering the Rest of the Midianites

 

Gideon Conquering the Rest of the Midianites

Judges 8:1-35    The Book of Judges [in Smaller Chunks]

The men of Ephraim [asked Gideon, Why have you [treated us like this,] that you [didn’t] call us, when you went to fight with the Midianites? And they [scolded] him sharply. [Gideon] said to them, What have I done now, in comparison to you? Isn’t gleaning the grapes of Ephraim better than the [grape harvest] of Abiezer?

God has delivered into your hands the princes of  the Midian: Oreb & Zeeb. What was I able to do in comparison to [all you’ve done?] Then, their anger [became less intense.] Gideon & the 300 men with him came to [the] Jordan [River] & [crossed] over, [still] pursuing [the Midianites.]

[Gideon asked,] the men of Succoth, I pray [that] you give loaves of bread to the people [who] follow me, [because] they [are] faint, [as they pursue] after Zebah & Zalmunna, Midian kings, [with me.]

The princes of Succoth said, Are Zebah & Zalmunna in your hand now, that we should give bread to your army? Gideon [replied, After] the Lord has delivered Zebah & Zalmunna into [my] hand, I will then tear your flesh with the thorns & [stickers] of the wilderness.

[Gideon] went up to Penuel & [asked] them [the same thing] & the men of Penuel answered him [like] the men of Succoth. Gideon also said to them, When I come back in peace, I will break down this tower.

Now, Zebah & Zalmunna & their [army camp] of 15,000 [remaining] men left of the [army] of the children [people] of the east, were in Karko, because 120,000 men [who] drew the sword [were struck down.]

Gideon went up by [road of those who stayed] in tents on the east of Nobah & Jogbehah & [attacked the army by surprise, because the army felt safe.] When Zebah & Zalmunna fled, [Gideon] pursued after them & [captured] the 2 kings of Midian, [causing] all the [army to flee in panic.]

Gideon, the son of Joash, returned from battle before the sun was up & caught a young man of Succoth & [asked] him & he described [to Gideon, the location of] the princes of Succoth & the 77 elders.

[When Gideon] came to the men of Succoth & said, [Look,] Zebah & Zlmunnah, with whom you [ridiculed] me, saying, We won’t give bread to your [tired] men, [because I didn’t have] Zebah & Zalmunna in [my hands then.]

[Gideon] took the [77] elders of the city & taught the men of Succoth [a lesson] with thorns & [stickers] of the wilderness.

[Gideon] beat down the Tower of Penuel & [killed] the men of the city. [Gideon asked] Zebah & Zalmunna, What [kind] of men did you kill in Tabor? They answered, Like you are. Each one resembled the children of a king.

[Gideon] said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother. As the Lord lives, if you had [kept] them alive, I wouldn’t [kill] you. He [told] Jether, his firstborn, [Get] up & [kill] them. But [Jether didn’t,] because he was [young & afraid.]

Then, Zebah & Zalmunna said [to Gideon,] You rise & [kill] us & [he did.] [Gideon] took the ornaments that were on their camel’s necks. The men of Israel said to Gideon, You, your son & your [descendants] rule over us, [because] you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.

[But] Gideon said to them, I won’t rule over you & neither shall my son rule over you, [but] the Lord shall rule over you. Gideon [told them, I desire a request [from] you, that every man would give me the earrings of their [plunder, since] they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites) & [they agreed.]

They spread a garment [out] & every man [threw] on it the earrings [from their plunder.] The weight of the gold earrings he requested was 1,700 shekels of gold [in addition to] the ornaments, collars, the [Midianite king’s] purple [clothing] & chains [around] the necks of their camels.

Gideon made an ephod [of it] & put it in his city, Ophrah. All [of] Israel went [there & unfaithfully lusted] after it & [it] became a snare for Gideon & his [household.] [Judges 17:5 And the man, Michah, had a house of gods & made an ephod & a teraphim & consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.]

[Like this,] Midian was [defeated] before the children [people] of Israel & [could no longer lift] up their heads [before them.] [Israel] had [quiet & peace] for 40 years in the days of Gideon.

Jerubbaal [a.k.a. Gideon,] the son of Joash, went & [lived] in his own house & [fathered] 70 sons, [because] he had many wives. His [mistress] was in Shechem & she also [bore] a son to him & [his name was] Abimelech.

Gideon, son of Joash, died [at] a good old age & was buried in the [tomb] of Joash, his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. As soon as Gideon was dead, the [people] of Israel again turned & [played the unfaithful harlot worshiping] Baalim & made Baal Berith their god.

The children [people] of Israel [didn’t] remember the Lord their God, [Who] had delivered them out of the hands of their enemies on every side. Neither [did they show] kindness to the house of Jerubbaal [a.k.a. Gideon,] according to all the goodness he had shown to Israel.

Judges 7:1-25 Gideon Eliminates Some of the Army According to the Lord’s Plan

 

Gideon Eliminates Some of the Army According to the Lord’s Plan

Judges 7:1-25    The Book of Judges [in Smaller Chunks]

Then, Jerubbaal, who is Gideon & all the people with him rose up early & pitched [their tents] beside the Well of Harod, [so] the [army] of the Midianites were [camped] on the north side of them, by the Hill of Moreh, in the valley.

The Lord said to Gideon, There are too many people with you, for Me to turn the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel [prides] themself against Me & says, [My] own hand has saved me.

Therefore, now, go [tell] the people, [Whoever] is fearful & afraid [can] return & [leave] early from Mount Gilead & 22,000 returned & 10,000 remained. The Lord said to Gideon, There are [still] too many people.

Bring them down to the water & I will [test] them for you there. It shall be that of [those] whom I say to you, [These] shall go with you, shall go with you. And [not the ones I tell you] should not go with you, shall not go with you. So, Gideon brought down the [remaining] people to the water.

And the Lord said to Gideon, Everyone [who] laps the water with his tongue [like] a dog laps, shall be set [apart] by [themselves] & [do the same with] the ones who bow down upon their knees to drink.

There were 300 men [who] lapped [the waters,] putting their hand to their mouth. And all the rest bowed down on their knees to drink water. The Lord [told] Gideon, I will save you [with] the 300 men [who] lapped [the water] & [will] deliver the Midianites into your hand. Let all the other people go, every man to his [home.]

So, the people took [food] in their hands & their trumpets & [Gideon] sent all the rest of the [men] of Israel to [their tents.] [Gideon kept] those 300 men [who lapped with their tongues.]

The [camp] of the Midianite’s [army] was [below] them in the valley. It [happened] that same night, the Lord said to [Gideon,] Arise [& go] down into [their army;] for I have delivered it into your hand.

But if you are [afraid, take] Phurah, your servant, with you to the [army’s camp] & you shall hear what they say & afterward your hands shall be strengthened to go into the [army’s camp.] Then, [Gideon] went down with Phurah, to the [outer side] of the armed men [of the army.]

The Midianites, Amalekites & all the children [people] of the east lay along the valley [like a] multitude of grasshoppers & their camels were without number, [like] the [sands on] the [seashore.]

When Gideon was [close, he heard a man from camp tell another his] dream & [he] said, [In my dream] a cake of barley bread tumbled into the [army’s camp] of [the] Midian into a tent & [attacked] it & the tent fell over & lay [on its side.]

The [other man] said, [this could only be by] the sword of Gideon, the son of Joash, a man of Israel, for God has delivered the Midian & all the [army] into his hand.

When Gideon heard [when the man told his dream] & [its] interpretation of it, he worshiped [the Lord God] & returned to the [army’s camp] of Israel & said, Arise, for the Lord has delivered the [army] of the Midian into your hand.

[Gideon] divided the 300 men into 3 companies & put a trumpet in every man’s hand, with empty pitchers [with torches inside] the pitchers. Gideon [told] them, Look [at] me & do likewise & [see] when I come to the outside [of] the camp, you shall do [exactly] as I do.

When I blow [the] trumpet, then you blow your trumpets on every side of the camp & say, The sword of the Lord & of Gideon. So Gideon & 100 men with him [went] outside the camp, [during the 1st part] of the middle watch, [with a new shift of men.]

They blew their trumpets & broke the pitchers in their hands & the 3 companies broke [their] pitchers & held the [torches] in their left hands & had the trumpets in their right hands to blow [them.]

They cried [out,] The sword of the Lord & of Gideon. Every man stood in his place [around the Midianite] camp & all the [army] ran, cried & fled.

The 300 blew the trumpets & the Lord [put] every man’s sword against his [opponent,] even throughout all the [camp, as the Midianite army] fled to Beth Shittah in Zererath, to the border of Abel Meholah, [all the way] to Tabbath.

The men of Israel gathered themselves together out of [the tribes of:] Naphtali, Asher & Manasseh & pursued after the Midianites.

And Gideon sent messengers throughout all [of] Mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites & take [in front of] them the waters, [all the way] to Beth Barah & [the] Jordan [River] & [they did so.]

They took 2 princes of the Midianites, Oreb & Zeeb & [killed] Oreb on the Rock [of] Oreb & [killed] Zeeb at the Winepress of Zeeb. [They] pursued [the Midianites] & brought the heads of Oreb & Zeeb to Gideon on the other side of [the] Jordan [River.]

Judges 6:1-40 The Lord God Speaks to Gideon

 

The Lord God Speaks to Gideon

Judges 6:1-40    The Book of Judges [in Smaller Chunks]

[Again] the children [people] of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord & the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Midian for 7 years. [Judges 2:11-13 And the children [people] of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord & served Baalim.

And they [abandoned] the Lord God of their [forefathers, Who] brought them out of the land of Egypt & followed other gods, of the gods of the people [who] were [around] them & provoked the Lord to anger. They [abandoned] the Lord & served Baal & Ashtaroth.]

And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel & in the mountains, they made dens, caves & [fortified places for themselves,] because of the Midianites.

[After] Israel had sown [their crops,] the Midianites, Amalekites & even the [people] of the east came up against them & [set up camp] against them & destroyed [their produce] & left no [food] for Israel [or for] sheep, [oxen, or donkeys all the way to the tribe of] Gad.

They came up with a multitude of their [livestock,] tents & camels. They came [like a] multitude [of] grasshoppers. For both they & their camels were without number & they entered into the land to destroy it. The [people] of Israel cried [out] to the Lord, [because] of the Midianites & they were [extremely poor.]

It [happened,] when they cried [out] to the Lord, because of the Midianite,the Lord sent a prophet to the [people] of Israel, [who told them what] the Lord God said to them.

The Lord God of Israel [says this,] I brought you up from Egypt, out [from] the house of bondage & I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians & out of the hand of all [who] oppressed you.

And [drove] them out before you & gave you their land. And I said to you, I am the Lord your God; [don’t] fear [respect] the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell, but you [didn’t] obey My voice.

There came an Angel of the Lord, [Who] sat under an oak in Ophrah, [that belonged] to Joash, the Abiezrite. His son, Gideon, threshed wheat [near] the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.

The Angel of the Lord appeared to [Gideon] & said to him, The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor. Gideon said to him, Oh my Lord, if the Lord [is] with us, then why has all this [happened to] us?

Where [are] all His miracles [that] our [forefathers] told us [about,] saying, Didn’t the Lord bring us [out] from Egypt? Now the Lord has [abandoned] us & delivered us into the hand of the Midianites.

The Lord looked [at] Gideon & said, Go in your [strength] & you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you? [Gideon] said [to the Lord,] Oh, my Lord, [with what] shall I save Israel?

[See,] my family is poor in Manasseh & I am the [the youngest] in my father’s house. The Lord said to [Gideon,] Surely, I will be with you & you shall [attack] the Midianites, [united like] 1 man.

[Gideon] said to [the Lord,] If I have now found grace in Your sight, then [show] me a sign that you talked with me. I pray [that] You [don’t go] until I come [back] to You & bring my present & [put] it [in front of] You. [The Lord said,] I will [wait] until you come again.

Gideon went in & [prepared] a kid [goat] & unleavened cakes [made] of an ephah of flour & put the [meat of the goat] in a basket & the broth in a pot & brought it to [the Lord] under the oak & presented it [to Him.]

The Angel of God said, Take the [meat of the goat] & unleavened cakes & lay them on this rock & pour out the broth & he did so. The Angel of the Lord put [out] the end of the staff in His hand & touched the [meat] & unleavened cakes & fire rose up out of the rock & consumed the [meat] & unleavened cakes.

Then, the Angel of the Lord departed out of [Gideon’s] sight. When Gideon [realized] He was the Angel of the Lord, [Gideon] said, Alas, O Lord God, because I have seen the Angel of the Lord face to face.

And the Lord said to [Gideon,] Peace be to you. [Don’t be fearful;] you [won’t] die. Then, Gideon built an altar there to the Lord & called it Jehovah Shalom [The Lord is Peace, which is still] called this to this day in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

It [happened] the same night, the Lord said to [Gideon,] Take your father’s young [bull] & a 2nd [bull] 7 years old & [tear] down the altar of Baal that your fathers has & cut down the grove that is by it.

[Deuteronomy 12:2-3 You shall [totally] destroy all the places, [where] the nations you shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, hills & under every green tree. And you shall [tear] down their altars & break their pillars & burn their groves with fire. And you shall [cut] down the [carved] images of their gods & destroy the names of them out of that place.]

And build an altar to the Lord God on top of this rock [with its proper arrangement] & take the 2nd [bull] & offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood from the grove that you shall cut down.

Then, Gideon took 10 [male] servants & did as the Lord had said to him. [Since Gideon was fearful] of his father’s household & the men of the city, he [didn’t do it during the day] & did it at night.

When the men of the city arose early in the morning & [saw] the altar of Baal [torn] down & the grove was cut down that was by it & the 2nd [bull] was offered on the altar that was built [to the Lord God,] they said to 1 another, Who has done this thing?

When they asked [around,] they said, Gideon, the son of Joash, has done this thing. Then, the men of the city said to Joash, Bring out your son, so that he may die, because he has [torn] down the altar of Baal & cut down the grove that was by it.

Joash said to all [those who] stood against him, Will you plead for Baal? Will you save him? [Let those who] plead for him be put to death while it’s still morning.

If [Baal is supposed] to be a god, let him plead for himself, because [someone] has [thrown] down his altar. Therefore, on that day, [his father] called [Gideon] Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he has thrown down his altar.

Then, all the Midianites, Amalekites & the [people] of the east were gathered together & went over & [set up camp] in the Valley of Jezreel. But the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon & he blew a trumpet & [the Abiezrites] were gathered [behind] him.

Gideon sent messengers throughout all of Manasseh; who was also gathered [behind Gideon.] And he sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun & Naphtali & they came to [join] them.

Gideon said to God, If you will save Israel by my hand, as You have said, l will [put] fleece of wool [on] the floor & if [it has] dew only on the fleece & the [ground around it] is dry, then I shall know that You will save Israel by [my] hand, as you have said & it was so.

For [Gideon] rose up early the [next morning] & [squeezed] the fleece together & [wrung out] a bowl full of dew water out of the fleece.

Gideon said to God, [Don’t be angry with me, but] I pray to You, this [time about] the fleece. Let [the fleece] now be dry & [only] the ground be [wet] with dew. God did so that night & it was dry on the fleece & only [wet] with dew on all the ground.