¹⁴ In his anger^(A) against Israel the Lord gave them into the hands^(B) of raiders who plundered^(C) them. He sold them^(D) into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist.^{(E) 15} Whenever Israel went out to fight, the hand of the Lord was against them^(F) to defeat them, just as he had sworn to them. They were in great distress.^(G)

¹⁶ Then the Lord raised up judges,^[a](H) who saved^(I) them out of the hands of these raiders. ¹⁷ Yet they would not listen to their judges but prostituted^(J) themselves to other gods^(K) and worshiped them.^(L) They quickly turned^(M) from the ways of their ancestors, who had been obedient to the Lord’s commands.^{(N) 18} Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved^(O) them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the Lord relented^(P) because of their groaning^(Q) under those who oppressed and afflicted^(R) them. ¹⁹ But when the judge died, the people returned to ways even more corrupt^(S) than those of their ancestors,^(T) following other gods and serving and worshiping them.^(U) They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn^(V) ways.

The Song of Deborah

5 On that day Deborah^(A) and Barak son of Abinoam^(B) sang this song:^(C)

¹² When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you,^(A) mighty warrior.^(B)”

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^(C) that our ancestors told^(D) us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned^(E) us and given us into the hand of Midian.”

¹⁴ The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have^(F) and save^(G) 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^(H) is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.^(I)”

¹⁶ The Lord answered, “I will be with you^(J), and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.”