Gideon Bɛyɛ Israel So Ɔtemmufoɔ
1Israelfoɔ no yɛɛ deɛ ɛyɛ Awurade ani so bɔne bio. Ɛno enti, Awurade de wɔn hyɛɛ Midianfoɔ6.1 Midianfoɔ yɛ Abraham ne Ketura asefoɔ (1 Mose 25.2). nsa mfeɛ nson. 2Esiane sɛ na Midianfoɔ no yɛ atirimuɔdenfoɔ enti, Israelfoɔ no dwane kɔɔ mmepɔ so kɔpɛɛ ahintaeɛ wɔ abodan ne atu mu. 3Ɛberɛ biara a Israelfoɔ duaa wɔn nnɔbaeɛ no, Midianfoɔ, Amalekfoɔ ne nnipa a wɔte apueeɛ fam no kɔto hyɛ wɔn so. 4Wɔbɛyɛ atenaeɛ wɔ wɔn asase no so sɛe mfudeɛ no firi Gasa a wɔnnya Israelfoɔ aduane biribiara. Wɔfa nnwan, anantwie ne mfunumu. 5Saa atamfoɔ dɔm yi de wɔn nyɛmmoa ne wɔn ntomadan foro ba te sɛ ntutummɛ. Wɔtete nyoma a wɔntumi nkane wɔn dodoɔ so na wɔba. Na wɔtena asase no so kɔsi ɛso nneɛma nyinaa bɛsa. 6Enti Midianfoɔ no maa ɛkɔm baa Israel. Afei Israelfoɔ no su frɛɛ Awurade pɛɛ mmoa.
7Ɛberɛ a Midianfoɔ enti, Israelfoɔ su frɛɛ Awurade no, 8Awurade somaa odiyifoɔ kɔɔ wɔn nkyɛn. Ɔkaa sɛ, “Asɛm a Awurade, Israel Onyankopɔn, ka nie: Meyii mo firii Misraim nkoasom mu 9Meyii mo firii Misraim tumi ne wɔn a wɔhyɛ mo so nyinaa ase. Mepamoo mo atamfoɔ de wɔn asase maa mo. 10Meka kyerɛɛ mo sɛ, ‘Mene Awurade, mo Onyankopɔn. Monnsom Amorifoɔ a mote wɔn asase so no anyame.’ Nanso moantie me.”
11Na Awurade ɔbɔfoɔ bɛtenaa odupɔn a ɛsi Ofra a ɛyɛ Yoas a ɔfiri Abieser abusua mu dea no ase. Na Yoas babarima Gideon reporo ayuo wɔ nsakyiamena ase sɛ ɔde resie Midianfoɔ no. 12Awurade ɔbɔfoɔ yii ne ho adi kyerɛɛ Gideon, kaa sɛ, “Dɔmmarima, Awurade ka wo ho.”
13Gideon buaa sɛ, “Owura, sɛ Awurade ka yɛn ho a, adɛn enti na saa nsɛm yi nyinaa aba yɛn so? Na anwanwadeɛ a yɛn agyanom kaa ho asɛm kyerɛɛ yɛn no nso wɔ he? Wɔanka sɛ, ‘Awurade yii yɛn firii Misraim anaa?’ Nanso, seesei deɛ, Awurade agyaa yɛn de yɛn ahyɛ Midianfoɔ nsam.”
14Na Awurade danee ne ho ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Fa ahoɔden a wowɔ no kɔ na kɔgye Israelfoɔ firi Midianfoɔ no nsam. Me na meresoma wo.”
15Gideon buaa sɛ, “Na Awurade, mɛyɛ dɛn magye Israelfoɔ? Mʼabusua na ɛyɛ mmerɛ koraa wɔ Manase abusuakuo mu na me na mesua koraa wɔ me fiefoɔ nyinaa mu.”
16Awurade ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Mɛka wo ho. Wobɛsɛe Midianfoɔ no sɛdeɛ woresɛe onipa fua.”
17Gideon buaa sɛ, “Sɛ wobɛboa me ampa ara deɛ a, yɛ nsɛnkyerɛnneɛ bi ma menhunu sɛ, nokorɛm, ɛyɛ wo Awurade na worekasa kyerɛ me yi. 18Nkɔ, kɔsi sɛ mɛsane mʼakyi aba de mʼafɔrebɔdeɛ abrɛ wo.”
Awurade buaa sɛ, “Mɛtena ha atwɛn kɔsi sɛ wobɛba.”
19Gideon yɛɛ ntɛm kɔɔ efie. Ɔkɔsiesie abirekyie ba, too burodo asikyiresiam lita aduonu mmienu a mmɔreka nni mu. Afei, ɔsoaa ɛnam no wɔ kɛntɛn mu a nkwan no nso wɔ ɛsɛn bi mu de baeɛ. Ɔde brɛɛ ɔbɔfoɔ no wɔ odupɔn no ase.
20Awurade ɔbɔfoɔ no ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Fa ɛnam no ne burodo a ɛnkaeɛ no gu ɔbotan yi so na hwie nkwan no gu so.” Na Gideon yɛɛ deɛ ɔbɔfoɔ no kyerɛɛ no sɛ ɔnyɛ no. 21Afei, Awurade ɔbɔfoɔ no de poma a ɛkura no no kaa ɛnam ne burodo no, na ogya pue firii ɔbotan no mu hyee deɛ ɔde baeɛ no nyinaa. Na ɔbɔfoɔ no yeraeɛ.
22Ɛberɛ a Gideon hunuu sɛ ɛyɛ Awurade ɔbɔfoɔ no, ɔteaam sɛ, “Asafo Awurade, mahunu Awurade ɔbɔfoɔ animu ne animu.”
23Awurade buaa sɛ, “Nsuro na worenwu.” 24Na Gideon sii afɔrebukyia wɔ hɔ maa Awurade na ɔtoo no edin “Awurade Yɛ Asomdwoeɛ.” Afɔrebukyia no da so wɔ Ofra a ɛyɛ Abieserfoɔ abusua asase so de bɛsi ɛnnɛ.
25Anadwo no, Awurade ka kyerɛɛ Gideon sɛ, “Kyere nantwinini ɔdi mu, ɔtɔ so mmienu na wadi mfeɛ nson firi wʼagya anantwie mu. Dwiri wʼagya afɔrebukyia a ɔsi maa Baal no, na twa Asera dua a ɛsi nkyɛn no. 26Afei, si afɔrebukyia wɔ bepɔ yi so ma Awurade, wo Onyankopɔn. Hyehyɛ afɔrebukyia aboɔ no yie. Fa nantwinini bɔ ɔhyeɛ afɔdeɛ wɔ afɔrebukyia no so. Fa Asera dua a wotwaeɛ no yensin yɛ egya.”
27Enti, Gideon faa nʼasomfoɔ edu de wɔn yɛɛ sɛdeɛ Awurade hyɛɛ noɔ no. Nanso, ɔyɛɛ no anadwo, ɛfiri sɛ, na ɔsuro nʼagya fiefoɔ ne kuro mma no. Na ɔnim deɛ ɛbɛsie, sɛ wɔhunu onipa a ɔyɛɛ saa adeɛ no a.
28Adeɛ kyee anɔpahema a kuro no mu nnipa hyɛɛ aseɛ nyanenyaneeɛ no, obi hunuu sɛ wɔadwiri Baal afɔrebukyia no agu, na Asera dua a ɛsi ho no nso, wɔatwa atwene na wɔasi afɔrebukyia foforɔ asi ananmu. Na wɔhunuu afɔrebɔdeɛ bi nkaeɛ wɔ so.
29Ɔmanfoɔ no bisabisaa wɔn ho wɔn ho sɛ, “Hwan na ɔyɛɛ yei?” Wɔbisabisa, too wɔn bo ase feefee mu no, wɔhunuu sɛ Yoas babarima Gideon na ɔyɛɛ saa.
30Ɔmanfoɔ no teaam guu Yoas so sɛ, “Fa wo babarima no bra. Sɛe a ɔsɛee Baal afɔrebukyia ne twa a ɔtwaa Asera dua no enti, ɛsɛ sɛ ɔwuo.”
31Nanso, Yoas teaam guu nnipakuo no so sɛ, “Adɛn enti na mogye Baal ti? Mobɛtumi aka nʼasɛm ama no anaa? Obiara a ɔbɛgye ne ti no, wɔbɛkum no ansa na adeɛ akye. Sɛ Baal yɛ onyame bi ampa ara a ɔno ara nni mma ne ho na ɔnkum deɛ ɔdwirii nʼafɔrebukyia no!” 32Ɛfiri saa ɛberɛ no rekɔ no, wɔfrɛɛ Gideon Yerubaal a asekyerɛ ne “Baal nni mma ne ne ho,” ɛfiri sɛ, ɔno ara na ɔdwirii Baal afɔrebukyia no guiɛ.
33Afei, Midianfoɔ nyinaa, Amalekfoɔ nyinaa ne nnipa a wɔfifiri apueeɛ fam no kaa wɔn ho bɔɔ mu tia Israel. Wɔtwaa Yordan, kɔbɔɔ atenaeɛ wɔ Yesreel bɔnhwa mu. 34Awurade honhom baa Gideon so na ɔbɔɔ totorobɛnto de frɛɛ dɔm. Mmarima a wɔfiri Abieser abusua mu no baa ne nkyɛn. 35Ɔsomaa abɔfoɔ kɔɔ Manase, Aser, Sebulon ne Naftali nyinaa mu kɔfrɛɛ wɔn akodɔm, na wɔn nyinaa penee so.
36Gideon ka kyerɛɛ Onyankopɔn sɛ, “Sɛ wonam me nsa so bɛgye Israel sɛdeɛ woahyɛ bɔ no a, 37fa saa ɛkwan yi so kyerɛ me, mede odwannwi bɛkata ayuporobea hɔ anadwo yi. Sɛ obosuo fɔ odwannwi no, na sɛ ɛhɔ amfɔ a, na mahunu sɛ ampa ara, wonam me nsa so bɛgye Israel sɛdeɛ woahyɛ ho bɔ no.” 38Na saa na ɛbaeɛ. Gideon sɔree adekyeeɛ kyii odwannwi no mu nyaa nsuo adeɛ ma.
39Afei, Gideon ka kyerɛɛ Onyankopɔn sɛ, “Mma wo bo mfu me. Ma memmisa adeɛ baako. Ma memfa odwannwi no nsɔ biribi nhwɛ. Saa ɛberɛ yi deɛ, ma odwannwi no nyɛ wesee na baabi a ɛda hɔ no nyinaa mfɔ.” 40Anadwo no, Onyankopɔn yɛɛ sɛdeɛ Gideon bisaeɛ no. Anɔpa no odwannwi yɛɛ wesee a na obosuo afɔ fam hɔ nyinaa.
Gideon
1The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites. 2Because the power of Midian was so oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves and strongholds. 3Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples invaded the country. 4They camped on the land and ruined the crops all the way to Gaza and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys. 5They came up with their livestock and their tents like swarms of locusts. It was impossible to count them or their camels; they invaded the land to ravage it. 6Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the Lord for help.
7When the Israelites cried out to the Lord because of Midian, 8he sent them a prophet, who said, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 9I rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians. And I delivered you from the hand of all your oppressors; I drove them out before you and gave you their land. 10I said to you, “I am the Lord your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.” But you have not listened to me.’
11The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. 12When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, ‘The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.’
13‘Pardon me, my lord,’ Gideon replied, ‘but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, “Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?” But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.’
14The Lord turned to him and said, ‘Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?’
15‘Pardon me, my lord,’ Gideon replied, ‘but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.’
16The Lord answered, ‘I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.’
17Gideon replied, ‘If now I have found favour in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me. 18Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you.’
And the Lord said, ‘I will wait until you return.’
19Gideon went inside, prepared a young goat, and from an ephah6:19 That is, probably about 16 kilograms of flour he made bread without yeast. Putting the meat in a basket and its broth in a pot, he brought them out and offered them to him under the oak.
20The angel of God said to him, ‘Take the meat and the unleavened bread, place them on this rock, and pour out the broth.’ And Gideon did so. 21Then the angel of the Lord touched the meat and the unleavened bread with the tip of the staff that was in his hand. Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. And the angel of the Lord disappeared. 22When Gideon realised that it was the angel of the Lord, he exclaimed, ‘Alas, Sovereign Lord! I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face!’
23But the Lord said to him, ‘Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die.’
24So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it The Lord Is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
25That same night the Lord said to him, ‘Take the second bull from your father’s herd, the one seven years old.6:25 Or Take a full-grown, mature bull from your father’s herd Tear down your father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole6:25 That is, a wooden symbol of the goddess Asherah; also in verses 26, 28 and 30 beside it. 26Then build a proper kind of6:26 Or build with layers of stone an altar to the Lord your God on the top of this height. Using the wood of the Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second6:26 Or full-grown; also in verse 28 bull as a burnt offering.’
27So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the Lord told him. But because he was afraid of his family and the townspeople, he did it at night rather than in the daytime.
28In the morning when the people of the town got up, there was Baal’s altar, demolished, with the Asherah pole beside it cut down and the second bull sacrificed on the newly-built altar!
29They asked each other, ‘Who did this?’
When they carefully investigated, they were told, ‘Gideon son of Joash did it.’
30The people of the town demanded of Joash, ‘Bring out your son. He must die, because he has broken down Baal’s altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.’
31But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, ‘Are you going to plead Baal’s cause? Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar.’ 32So because Gideon broke down Baal’s altar, they gave him the name Jerub-Baal6:32 Jerub-Baal probably means let Baal contend. that day, saying, ‘Let Baal contend with him.’
33Now all the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples joined forces and crossed over the Jordan and camped in the Valley of Jezreel. 34Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him. 35He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, calling them to arms, and also into Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali, so that they too went up to meet them.
36Gideon said to God, ‘If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised – 37look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing-floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.’ 38And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew – a bowlful of water.
39Then Gideon said to God, ‘Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew.’ 40That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.
