Judges 7 – NIV & CCL

New International Version

Judges 7:1-25

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.

Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero

Oweruza 7:1-25

Gideoni Agonjetsa Amidiyani

1Yeru-Baala (Gideoni) ndi anthu ake onse anadzuka mʼmamawa nakamanga misasa pambali pa kasupe ku Harodi. Misasa ya Amidiyani inali mʼchigwa kumpoto kwa phiri la More. 2Yehova anati kwa Gideoni, “Anthu uli nawowa andichulukira kwambiri kuti ndigonjetse Amidiyani chifukwa Aisraeli angamadzitukumule pamaso panga ndi kumanena kuti, ‘Tadzipulumutsa ndi mphamvu zathu.’ 3Tsono lengeza kwa anthu kuti, ‘Aliyense amene akuchita mantha ndi kunjenjemera abwerere kwawo, ndipo achoke kuno ku phiri la Giliyadi.’ ” Choncho anthu 22,000 anachoka, ndipo anatsalira anthu 10,000.

4Koma Yehova anawuza Gideoni kuti, “Anthuwa achulukabe. Uwatenge upite nawo ku mtsinje ndipo ndikawayesa kumeneko mʼmalo mwako. Ndikadzanena kuti, ‘Uyu apite nawe’ adzapita nawe; koma ndikanena kuti ‘Uyu asapite nawe,’ sadzapita nawe.”

5Choncho Gideoni anatenga anthuwo ndi kupita nawo ku madzi. Kumeneko Yehova anamuwuza kuti, “Amene amwe madzi mokhathira ndi manja ngati galu uwayike pawokha, ndipo amene amwe atagwada pansi uwayikenso pawokha.” 6Ndipo anthu 300 anamwa mokhathira, pamene ena onse anagwada pansi pakumwa.

7Yehova anati kwa Gideoni, “Ndi anthu 300 amene anamwa madzi mokhathira ndi manja awo ndidzakupulumutsani ndipo ndidzapereka Amidiyani mʼmanja mwanu. Koma anthu ena onse apite ku nyumba kwawo.” 8Choncho analola anthu ena onse kuti apite ku nyumba zawo kupatula anthu 300 osankhika aja. Iwowa anatenga zakudya ndi malipenga a anthuwo.

Ndipo misasa ya ankhondo Amidiyani inali kumunsi kwa chigwa. 9Usiku umenewo Yehova anati kwa Gideoni, “Dzuka, pita kachite nkhondo ku misasayo, chifukwa ndayipereka mʼmanja mwako. 10Ngati ukuopa, upite ku msasako ndi Pura wantchito wako, 11ndipo ukamvere zimene akunena ndipo pambuyo pake udzalimba mtima ndi kupita kukayithira nkhondo misasayo.” Choncho iye ndi wantchito wake Pura anapita kumbali ina ya msasawo kumene kunali ankhondo. 12Amidiyani, Aamaleki ndi anthu ena onse akummawa anadzaza chigwa chonse ngati dzombe. Ngamira zawo zinali zambiri zosawerengeka ngati mchenga wa mʼmbali mwa nyanja.

13Gideoni atafika anangomva munthu wina akuwuza mnzake maloto ake kuti, “Ine ndinalota nditaona dengu la buledi wa barele likugubuduzika kupita ku misasa ya Amidiyani. Litafika linawomba tenti moti inagwa ndi kuphwasukaphwasuka.”

14Ndipo mnzakeyo anamuyankha kuti, “Iyi ndi nkhondo ya Gideoni mwana wa Yowasi, wa ku Israeli. Mulungu wapereka Amidiyani pamodzi ndi ankhondo ake onse mʼdzanja mwake.”

15Gideoni atamva za malotowo ndi kumasulira kwake, anapembedza Mulungu. Kenaka anabwerera ku msasa wa Israeli nawawuza kuti, “Dzukani popeza Yehova wapereka msasa wa Midiyani mʼmanja mwanu.” 16Anawagawa anthu 300 aja magulu atatu, nawapatsa malipenga mʼmanja mwawo ndi mbiya zimene mʼkati mwake munali nsakali zoyaka.

17Anawuza anthuwo kuti, “Muzikayangʼana ine ndi kuchita zimene ndizikachita. Ndikakafika kumalire a msasa, mukachite zomwe ndikachita ine. 18Ndikadzaliza lipenga ndi onse amene ali ndi ine, inunso mukalize malipenga kumbali zonse za misasa yonse ndi kufuwula kuti, ‘Lupanga la Yehova ndi la Gideoni.’ ”

19Choncho Gideoni pamodzi ndi amuna 100 omwe anali nawo anafika ku malire a msasa pakati pa usiku, alonda atangosinthana kumene. Iwo analiza malipenga awo ndi kuphwanya mbiya zimene zinali mʼmanja mwawo. 20Magulu awiri ena aja anayimbanso malipenga ndi kuswa mbiya zawo. Aliyense ananyamula nsakali ya moto ku dzanja lamanzere ndi lipenga ku dzanja lamanja ndipo anafuwula kuti, “Lupanga la Yehova ndi la Gideoni.” 21Aliyense anayima pa malo pake kuzungulira misasa. Ankhondo a mʼmisasa muja anadzuka nayamba kuthawa akufuwula.

22Anthu 300 aja ataliza malipenga, Yehova anawasokoneza ankhondo a Midiyani aja motero kuti ankamenyana okhaokha. Ankhondowo anathawira ku Beti-Sita cha ku Zerera mpaka ku malire a Abeli-Mehola pafupi ndi Tabati. 23Aisraeli a fuko la Nafutali, fuko la Aseri, ndi fuko lonse la Manase anayitanidwa, ndipo iwo anathamangitsa Amidiyaniwo. 24Gideoni anatumiza amithenga ku dziko lonse la ku mapiri la Efereimu kukanena kuti, “Tsikani mumenyane ndi Amidiyani ndipo mulande madooko awo owolokera mpaka ku Beti-Bara.”

Choncho anthu onse a fuko la Efereimu anasonkhana ndipo analanda madooko awo owolokera mpaka ku Betibaala. 25Iwo anagwiranso atsogoleri awiri a nkhondo a Amidiyani, Orebu ndi Zeebu. Anapha Orebu ku thanthwe la Orebu, koma Zeebu anamuphera ku malo ofinyira mphesa ku Zeebu pothamangitsa Amidiyani. Mitu ya Orebu ndi Zeebu anabwera nayo kwa Gideoni kutsidya kwa Yorodani.