Gideon

6 The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord,^(A) and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites.^{(B) 2} Because the power of Midian was so oppressive,^(C) the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves^(D) and strongholds.^{(E) 3} Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites^(F) and other eastern peoples^(G) invaded the country. ⁴ They camped on the land and ruined the crops^(H) all the way to Gaza^(I) and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys. ⁵ They came up with their livestock and their tents like swarms of locusts.^(J) It was impossible to count them or their camels;^(K) they invaded the land to ravage it. ⁶ Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out^(L) to the Lord for help.

³³ Now all the Midianites, Amalekites^(A) and other eastern peoples^(B) joined forces and crossed over the Jordan and camped in the Valley of Jezreel.^{(C) 34} Then the Spirit of the Lord came on^(D) Gideon, and he blew a trumpet,^(E) summoning the Abiezrites^(F) to follow him. ³⁵ He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, calling them to arms, and also into Asher,^(G) Zebulun and Naphtali,^(H) so that they too went up to meet them.^(I)

³⁶ Gideon said to God, “If you will save^(J) Israel by my hand as you have promised— ³⁷ look, I will place a wool fleece^(K) on the threshing floor.^(L) If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know^(M) that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.” ³⁸ And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water.

³⁹ Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request.^(N) Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew.” ⁴⁰ That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.^(O)

¹⁶ Dividing the three hundred men^(A) into three companies,^(B) he placed trumpets^(C) and empty jars^(D) in the hands of all of them, with torches^(E) inside.

¹⁷ “Watch me,” he told them. “Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. ¹⁸ When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets,^(F) then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.’”

¹⁹ Gideon 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^(G) that were in their hands. ²⁰ The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches^(H) in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, “A sword^(I) for the Lord and for Gideon!” ²¹ While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled.^(J)

²² When the three hundred trumpets sounded,^(K) the Lord caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other^(L) with their swords.^(M) The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah^(N) near Tabbath. ²³ Israelites from Naphtali, Asher^(O) and all Manasseh were called out,^(P) and they pursued the Midianites.^(Q)