Gideon Defeats the Midianites
1Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. 2The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’ 3Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’ ” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.
4But the Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there. If I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.”
5So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.” 6Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.
7The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.” 8So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites home but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others.
Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley. 9During that night the Lord said to Gideon, “Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands. 10If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah 11and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp.” So he and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp. 12The Midianites, the Amalekites and all the other eastern peoples had settled in the valley, thick as locusts. Their camels could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore.
13Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. “I had a dream,” he was saying. “A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed.”
14His friend responded, “This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands.”
15When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed down and worshiped. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, “Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands.” 16Dividing the three hundred men into three companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside.
17“Watch me,” he told them. “Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. 18When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.’ ”
19Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars that were in their hands. 20The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” 21While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled.
22When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the Lord caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath. 23Israelites from Naphtali, Asher and all Manasseh were called out, and they pursued the Midianites. 24Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against the Midianites and seize the waters of the Jordan ahead of them as far as Beth Barah.”
So all the men of Ephraim were called out and they seized the waters of the Jordan as far as Beth Barah. 25They also captured two of the Midianite leaders, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. They pursued the Midianites and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, who was by the Jordan.
Gideoni Gũtooria Andũ a Midiani
17:1 Atiir 6:32; 2Sam 23:25Rũciinĩ tene, Jerubu-Baali (nĩwe Gideoni) na andũ ake othe nĩmambire hema gĩthima-inĩ kĩa Harodi. Kambĩ ya Amidiani yarĩ mwena wao wa gathigathini kũu gĩtuamba-inĩ, hakuhĩ na karĩma ka More. 27:2 Gũcook 8:17; 2Akor 4:7Jehova akĩĩra Gideoni atĩrĩ, “Ũrĩ na andũ aingĩ mũno gũkĩra arĩa ngwenda nĩgeetha neane Amidiani moko-inĩ mao. Nĩgeetha Isiraeli matikanjĩtĩĩre atĩ nĩ hinya wao wamahonokia, 37:3 Gũcook 20:8; Josh 12:2Na rĩrĩ, anĩrĩra kũrĩ andũ, ũmeere atĩrĩ, ‘Mũndũ o wothe ũrainaina nĩ guoya no ahũndũke, ehere Kĩrĩma-inĩ kĩa Gileadi.’ ” Nĩ ũndũ ũcio andũ 22,000 na igĩrĩ makĩehera, magĩtigara 10,000.
47:4 1Sam 14:6No Jehova akĩĩra Gideoni atĩrĩ, “O na rĩu andũ no aingĩ mũno. Maikũrũkie maaĩ-inĩ, na nĩngũgũthuuranĩria andũ acio ho. Ingiuga atĩrĩ, ‘Ũyũ nĩegũthiĩ hamwe nawe,’ ũcio nĩwe ũrĩthiĩ nawe; no ingiuga atĩrĩ, ‘Ũyũ ndegũthiĩ hamwe nawe,’ ũcio ndegũthiĩ nawe.”
5Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Gideoni agĩikũrũkia andũ acio maaĩ-inĩ. Marĩ hau Jehova akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Amũrania arĩa mekũnyua maaĩ na rũrĩmĩ ta ũrĩa ngui ĩnyuuaga na arĩa mekũnyua maaĩ na hĩ ciao maturĩtie ndu.” 6Andũ magana matatũ makĩnyua maaĩ na hĩ ciao. Acio angĩ othe magĩturia ndu makĩnyua maaĩ.
77:7 Josh 8:7; 1Sam 14:6Jehova akĩĩra Gideoni atĩrĩ, “Nĩngũmũhonokia na ũndũ wa andũ magana matatũ arĩa manyuire maaĩ na hĩ, neane Amidiani moko-inĩ manyu. Reke andũ acio angĩ othe mathiĩ, o mũndũ ainũke gwake.” 8Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Gideoni akĩĩra andũ acio angĩ a Isiraeli macooke hema-inĩ ciao, no agĩtigwo na andũ magana matatũ, arĩa mooire rĩĩgu na tũrumbeta twa acio mainũkire.
Na rĩrĩ, kambĩ ya Amidiani yarĩ mũhuro wake o kũu kĩanda-inĩ. 97:9 Josh 2:24Ũtukũ ũcio Jehova akĩĩra Gideoni atĩrĩ, “Ũkĩra, ũikũrũke ũtharĩkĩre kambĩ ĩyo ya Amidiani, tondũ nĩndĩmĩneanĩte moko-inĩ maku. 10No angĩkorwo nĩũgwĩtigĩra gũtharĩkĩra-rĩ, gĩikũrũke kambĩ-inĩ mũrĩ na Pura ndungata yaku, 11na ũthikĩrĩrie ũrĩa maroiga. Thuutha ũcio nĩũkũgĩa na hinya wa gũtharĩkĩra kambĩ ĩyo.” Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Gideoni na Pura ndungata yake magĩikũrũka nginya tũnyũmba-inĩ twa arangĩri a kambĩ ĩyo. 127:12 Josh 11:4; Ndar 13:29; Jer 49:29Nao Amidiani, na Aamaleki na andũ othe a mwena wa irathĩro maikarĩte kĩanda kĩu maingĩhĩte ta ngigĩ. Ngamĩĩra ciao itingĩatarĩkire nĩ ũndũ ciarĩ nyingĩ ta mũthanga wa hũgũrũrũ-inĩ cia iria ũrĩa ũtangĩtarĩka.
13Gideoni aakinyire ho o hĩndĩ ĩrĩa mũndũ ũmwe eeraga mũratawe ũhoro wa kĩroto gĩake. Nake oigaga atĩrĩ, “Ndootete kĩroto ngoona mũgate wa cairi wa gĩthiũrũrĩ ũũkĩte ũkagwĩra kambĩ ya Amidiani. Ũragũthire hema na hinya mũnene mũno, nginya hema ĩrangʼaũka, ĩragũa.”
147:14 1Sam 15:31Mũrata wake akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Ũyũ ti ũndũ ũngĩ tiga rũhiũ rwa Gideoni mũrũ wa Joashu, ũrĩa Mũisiraeli. Ngai nĩaneanĩte Amidiani na kambĩ yao yothe moko-inĩ make.”
15Rĩrĩa Gideoni aiguire ũhoro wa kĩroto kĩu na ũtaũri wakĩo, akĩhooya Ngai. Agĩcooka nginya kambĩ-inĩ ya Isiraeli akĩmeeta akĩmeera atĩrĩ, “Ũkĩrai! Jehova nĩaneanĩte kambĩ ya Amidiani moko-inĩ manyu.” 167:16 Kĩam 14:15; 1Sam 11:11; Alaw 25:9Akĩgayania andũ acio magana matatũ ikundi ithatũ, akĩmanengera othe o mũndũ karumbeta na nyũngũ theri, ĩrĩ na kĩmũrĩ thĩinĩ.
17Nake akĩmeera atĩrĩ, “Ndoraai. Mwĩke o ũrĩa ngwĩka. Hĩndĩ ĩrĩa ndĩrĩkinya mũthia-inĩ wa kambĩ, mwĩke o ũrĩa ndĩrĩka. 187:18 Atiir 3:27Hĩndĩ ĩrĩa niĩ na arĩa othe ndĩ nao tũrĩhuha tũrumbeta twitũ, hĩndĩ ĩyo inyuothe mũthiũrũrũkĩirie kambĩ mũhuhe twanyu na mwanĩrĩre atĩrĩ, ‘Nĩ ũndũ wa Jehova o na wa Gideoni.’ ”
197:19 Atiir 7:16Gideoni na andũ acio igana rĩmwe arĩa maarĩ nake magĩkinya mũthia wa kambĩ o kĩambĩrĩria-inĩ kĩa ũtukũ gatagatĩ, thuutha hanini wa gũcenjania arangĩri. Makĩhuha tũrumbeta twao na makĩũraga nyũngũ iria ciarĩ moko-inĩ mao. 207:20 Kĩam 15:7; Gũcook 32:41Ikundi icio ithatũ ikĩhuha tũrumbeta, na ikĩũraga nyũngũ. Maanyiitĩte imũrĩ na moko mao ma ũmotho, na makanyiita tũrumbeta twao twa kũhuha na moko mao ma ũrĩo, nao makĩanĩrĩra atĩrĩ, “Rũhiũ rwa njora rwa Jehova na rwa Gideoni!” 217:21 2Ath 7:7Na rĩrĩa o mũndũ aarũgamire handũ hake gũthiũrũrũkĩria kambĩ-rĩ, Amidiani othe magĩtengʼera, magĩkayaga morĩte.
227:22 Josh 6:20; 1Sam 14:20; Hag 2:22Hĩndĩ ĩrĩa tũrumbeta tũu magana matatũ twahuhirwo, Jehova agĩtũma andũ arĩa maarĩ kambĩ-inĩ yothe mahũũrane na hiũ ciao cia njora mũndũ na mũndũ ũrĩa ũngĩ. Nayo mbũtũ ĩyo yothe ĩkĩũrĩra Bethi-Shita ĩrorete Zerera o nginya mũhaka-inĩ wa Abeli-Mehola gũkuhĩ na Tabathu. 237:23 Atiir 6:35; Thab 83:9Andũ a Isiraeli kuuma Nafitali, na Asheri na Manase guothe nĩmetirwo nao magĩtengʼeria Amidiani. 247:24 Josh 2:7Nake Gideoni agĩtũmana bũrũri wothe ũrĩa wa irĩma wa Efiraimu, akiuga atĩrĩ, “Ikũrũkai mũhũũrane na Amidiani na mwĩnyiitĩre maaĩ ma Jorodani mbere yao o nginya Bethi-Bara.”
Nĩ ũndũ ũcio andũ othe a Efiraimu nĩmetirwo, na makĩĩnyiitĩra maaĩ ma Rũũĩ rwa Jorodani o nginya Bethi-Bara. 257:25 Atiir 8:3; Isa 10:26O na ningĩ nĩmanyiitire atongoria eerĩ a Midiani, nĩo Orebu na Zeebu. Nao makĩũragĩra Orebu ihiga-inĩ rĩa Orebu, nake Zeebu makĩmũũragĩra kĩhihĩro-inĩ kĩa ndibei kĩa Zeebu. Nao magĩthingatana na Amidiani, na magĩtwara mĩtwe ya Orebu na Zeebu kũrĩ Gideoni, ũrĩa warĩ mũrĩmo ũrĩa ũngĩ wa Rũũĩ rwa Jorodani.
