Dual Panel1Then the sons<1121> of Israel<3478> did<6213> what<7451> was evil<7451> in the sight<5869> of the LORD<3068>; and the LORD<3068> gave<5414> them into the hands<3027> of Midian<4080> seven<7651> years<8141>.
2The power<3027> of Midian<4080> prevailed<5810> against<5921> Israel<3478>. Because<4480><6440> of Midian<4080> the sons<1121> of Israel<3478> made<6213> for themselves the dens<4492> which<834> were in the mountains<2022> and the caves<4631> and the strongholds<4679>.
3For it was when<518> Israel<3478> had sown<2232>, that the Midianites<4080> would come<5927> up with the Amalekites<6002> and the sons<1121> of the east<6924> and go<5927> against<5921> them.
4So they would camp<2583> against<5921> them and destroy<7843> the produce<2981> of the earth<776> as far<5704><935> as Gaza<5804>, and leave<7604> no<3808> sustenance<4241> in Israel<3478> as well as no sheep<7716>, ox<7794>, or donkey<2543>.
5For they would come<5927> up with their livestock<4735> and their tents<168>, they would come<5927> in like locusts<697> for number<7230>, both they and their camels<1581> were innumerable<369><4557>; and they came<935> into the land<776> to devastate<7843> it.
6So Israel<3478> was brought<1809> very<3966> low<1809> because<4480><6440> of Midian<4080>, and the sons<1121> of Israel<3478> cried<2199> to the LORD<3068>.
7Now it came<1961> about when<3588> the sons<1121> of Israel<3478> cried<2199> to the LORD<3068> on account<182> of Midian<4080>,
8that the LORD<3068> sent<7971> a prophet<5030> to the sons<1121> of Israel<3478>, and he said<559> to them, "Thus<3541> says<559> the LORD<3068>, the God<430> of Israel<3478>, 'It was I who brought<5927> you up from Egypt<4714> and brought<3318> you out from the house<1004> of slavery<5650>.
9'I delivered<5337> you from the hands<3027> of the Egyptians<4714> and from the hands<3027> of all<3605> your oppressors<3905>, and dispossessed<1644> them before<4480><6440> you and gave<5414> you their land<776>,
10and I said<559> to you, "I am the LORD<3068> your God<430>; you shall not fear<3372> the gods<430> of the Amorites<567> in whose<834> land<776> you live<3427>. But you have not obeyed<8085><6963> Me."'"
11Then the angel<4397> of the LORD<3068> came<935> and sat<3427> under<8478> the oak<424> that was in Ophrah<6084>, which<834> belonged to Joash<3060> the Abiezrite<33> as his son<1121> Gideon<1439> was beating<2251> out wheat<2406> in the wine<1660> press<1660> in order to save<5127> it from the Midianites<4080>.
12The angel<4397> of the LORD<3068> appeared<7200> to him and said<559> to him, "The LORD<3068> is with you, O valiant<2428> warrior<1368>."
13Then Gideon<1439> said<559> to him, "O<994> my lord<113>, if the LORD<3068> is with us, why<4100> then has all<3605> this<2088> happened<4672> to us? And where<346> are all<3605> His miracles<6381> which<834> our fathers<1> told<5608> us about, saying<559>, 'Did not the LORD<3068> bring<5927> us up from Egypt<4714>?' But now<6258> the LORD<3068> has abandoned<5203> us and given<5414> us into the hand<3709> of Midian<4080>."
14The LORD<3068> looked<6437> at him and said<559>, "Go<1980> in this<2088> your strength<3581> and deliver<3467> Israel<3478> from the hand<3709> of Midian<4080>. Have I not sent<7971> you?"
15He said<559> to Him, "O<994> Lord<136>, how<4100> shall I deliver<3467> Israel<3478>? Behold<2009>, my family<505> is the least<1800> in Manasseh<4519>, and I am the youngest<6810> in my father's<1> house<1004>."
16But the LORD<3068> said<559> to him, "Surely<3588> I will be with you, and you shall defeat<5221> Midian<4080> as one<259> man<376>."
17So Gideon said<559> to Him, "If<518> now<4994> I have found<4672> favor<2580> in Your sight<5869>, then show<6213> me a sign<226> that it is You who speak<1696> with me.
18"Please<4994> do not depart<4185> from here<2088>, until<5704> I come<935> back to You, and bring<3318> out my offering<4503> and lay<5117> it before<6440> You." And He said<559>, "I will remain<3427> until<5704> you return<7725>."
19Then Gideon<1439> went<935> in and prepared<6213> a young<1423><5795> goat<1423><5795> and unleavened<4682> bread<4682> from an ephah<374> of flour<7058>; he put<7760> the meat<1320> in a basket<5536> and the broth<4839> in a pot<6517>, and brought<3318> them out to him under<8478> the oak<424> and presented<5066> them.
20The angel<4397> of God<430> said<559> to him, "Take<3947> the meat<1320> and the unleavened<4682> bread<4682> and lay<5117> them on this<1975> rock<5553>, and pour<8210> out the broth<4839>." And he did<6213> so<3651>.
21Then the angel<4397> of the LORD<3068> put<7971> out the end<7097> of the staff<4938> that was in his hand<3027> and touched<5060> the meat<1320> and the unleavened<4682> bread<4682>; and fire<784> sprang<5927> up from the rock<6697> and consumed<398> the meat<1320> and the unleavened<4682> bread<4682>. Then the angel<4397> of the LORD<3068> vanished<1980> from his sight<5869>.
22When Gideon<1439> saw<7200> that he was the angel<4397> of the LORD<3068>, he said<559>, "Alas<162>, O Lord<136> GOD<3068>! For now<5921><3651> I have seen<7200> the angel<4397> of the LORD<3068> face<6440> to face<6440>."
23The LORD<3068> said<559> to him, "Peace<7965> to you, do not fear<3372>; you shall not die<4191>."
24Then Gideon<1439> built<1129> an altar<4196> there<8033> to the LORD<3068> and named<7121> it The LORD<3068> is Peace<7965>. To this<2088> day<3117> it is still<5750> in Ophrah<6084> of the Abiezrites<33>.
25Now on the same<1931> night<3915> the LORD<3068> said<559> to him, "Take<3947> your father's<1> bull<6499> and a second<8145> bull<6499> seven<7651> years<8141> old, and pull<2040> down<2040> the altar<4196> of Baal<1168> which<834> belongs to your father<1>, and cut<3772> down<3772> the Asherah<842> that is beside<5921> it;
26and build<1129> an altar<4196> to the LORD<3068> your God<430> on the top<7218> of this<2088> stronghold<4581> in an orderly<4634> manner<4634>, and take<3947> a second<8145> bull<6499> and offer<5927> a burnt<5930> offering<5930> with the wood<6086> of the Asherah<842> which<834> you shall cut<3772> down<3772>."
27Then Gideon<1439> took<3947> ten<6235> men<376> of his servants<5650> and did<6213> as the LORD<3068> had spoken<1696> to him; and because<834> he was too afraid<3372> of his father's<1> household<1004> and the men<376> of the city<5892> to do<6213> it by day<3119>, he did<6213> it by night<3915>.
28When the men<376> of the city<5892> arose<7925> early<7925> in the morning<1242>, behold<2009>, the altar<4196> of Baal<1168> was torn<5422> down<5422>, and the Asherah<842> which<834> was beside<5921> it was cut<3772> down<3772>, and the second<8145> bull<6499> was offered<5927> on the altar<4196> which had been built<1129>.
29They said<559> to one<376> another<7453>, "Who<4310> did<6213> this<2088> thing<1697>?" And when they searched<1875> about and inquired<1245>, they said<559>, "Gideon<1439> the son<1121> of Joash<3060> did<6213> this<2088> thing<1697>."
30Then the men<376> of the city<5892> said<559> to Joash<3060>, "Bring<3318> out your son<1121>, that he may die<4191>, for he has torn<5422> down<5422> the altar<4196> of Baal<1168>, and indeed<3588>, he has cut<3772> down<3772> the Asherah<842> which<834> was beside<5921> it."
31But Joash<3060> said<559> to all<3605> who<834> stood<5975> against<5921> him, "Will you contend<7378> for Baal<1168>, or<518> will you deliver<3467> him? Whoever<834> will plead<7378> for him shall be put<4191> to death<4191> by morning<1242>. If<518> he is a god<430>, let him contend<7378> for himself, because<3588> someone has torn<5422> down<5422> his altar<4196>."
32Therefore on that day<3117> he named<7121> him Jerubbaal<3378>, that is to say<559>, "Let Baal<1168> contend<7378> against him," because<3588> he had torn<5422> down<5422> his altar<4196>.
33Then all<3605> the Midianites<4080> and the Amalekites<6002> and the sons<1121> of the east<6924> assembled<622> themselves; and they crossed<5674> over<5674> and camped<2583> in the valley<6010> of Jezreel<3157>.
34So the Spirit<7307> of the LORD<3068> came<3847> upon Gideon<1439>; and he blew<8628> a trumpet<7782>, and the Abiezrites<44> were called<2199> together<2199> to follow<310> him.
35He sent<7971> messengers<4397> throughout<3605> Manasseh<4519>, and they also<1571> were called<2199> together<2199> to follow<310> him; and he sent<7971> messengers<4397> to Asher<836>, Zebulun<2074>, and Naphtali<5321>, and they came<5927> up to meet<7122> them.
36Then Gideon<1439> said<559> to God<430>, "If<518> You will<3426> deliver<3467> Israel<3478> through<3027> me, as You have spoken<1696>,
37behold<2009>, I will put<3322> a fleece<1492> of wool<6785> on the threshing<1637> floor<1637>. If<518> there is dew<2919> on the fleece<1492> only<905>, and it is dry<2721> on all<3605> the ground<776>, then I will know<3045> that You will deliver<3467> Israel<3478> through<3027> me, as You have spoken<1696>."
38And it was so<3651>. When he arose<7925> early<7925> the next<4283> morning<4283> and squeezed<2115> the fleece<1492>, he drained<4680> the dew<2919> from the fleece<1492>, a bowl<5602> full<4393> of water<4325>.
39Then Gideon<1439> said<559> to God<430>, "Do not let Your anger<639> burn<2734> against me that I may speak<1696> once<6471> more<6471>; please<4994> let me make<5254> a test<5254> once<6471> more<6471> with the fleece<1492>, let it now<4994> be dry<2721> only<905> on the fleece<1492>, and let there be dew<2919> on all<3605> the ground<776>."
40God<430> did<6213> so<3651> that night<3915>; for it was dry<2721> only<905> on the fleece<1492>, and dew<2919> was on all<3605> the ground<776>.