Judges 6
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised
The Midianite Oppression
6 The Israelites did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord gave them into the hand of Midian for seven years. 2 The hand of Midian prevailed over Israel; and because of Midian the Israelites provided for themselves hiding-places in the mountains, caves and strongholds. 3 For whenever the Israelites put in seed, the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the east would come up against them. 4 They would encamp against them and destroy the produce of the land, as far as the neighbourhood of Gaza, and leave no sustenance in Israel, and no sheep or ox or donkey. 5 For they and their livestock would come up, and they would even bring their tents, as thick as locusts; neither they nor their camels could be counted; so they wasted the land as they came in. 6 Thus Israel was greatly impoverished because of Midian; and the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help.
7 When the Israelites cried to the Lord on account of the Midianites, 8 the Lord sent a prophet to the Israelites; and he said to them, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: I led you up from Egypt, and brought you out of the house of slavery; 9 and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians, and from the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out before you, and gave you their land; 10 and I said to you, “I am the Lord your God; you shall not pay reverence to the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.” But you have not given heed to my voice.’
The Calling of Gideon
11 Now the angel of the Lord came and sat under the oak at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, as his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press, to hide it from the Midianites. 12 The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, ‘The Lord is with you, you mighty warrior.’ 13 Gideon answered him, ‘But sir, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our ancestors recounted to us, saying, “Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?” But now the Lord has cast us off, and given us into the hand of Midian.’ 14 Then the Lord turned to him and said, ‘Go in this might of yours and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian; I hereby commission you.’ 15 He responded, ‘But sir, how can I deliver Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.’ 16 The Lord said to him, ‘But I will be with you, and you shall strike down the Midianites, every one of them.’ 17 Then he said to him, ‘If now I have found favour with you, then show me a sign that it is you who speak with me. 18 Do not depart from here until I come to you, and bring out my present, and set it before you.’ And he said, ‘I will stay until you return.’
19 So Gideon went into his house and prepared a kid, and unleavened cakes from an ephah of flour; the meat he put in a basket, and the broth he put in a pot, and brought them to him under the oak and presented them. 20 The angel of God said to him, ‘Take the meat and the unleavened cakes, and put them on this rock, and pour out the broth.’ And he did so. 21 Then the angel of the Lord reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes; and fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened cakes; and the angel of the Lord vanished from his sight. 22 Then Gideon perceived that it was the angel of the Lord; and Gideon said, ‘Help me, Lord God! For I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.’ 23 But the Lord said to him, ‘Peace be to you; do not fear, you shall not die.’ 24 Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord, and called it, The Lord is peace. To this day it still stands at Ophrah, which belongs to the Abiezrites.
25 That night the Lord said to him, ‘Take your father’s bull, the second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal that belongs to your father, and cut down the sacred pole[a] that is beside it; 26 and build an altar to the Lord your God on the top of the stronghold here, in proper order; then take the second bull, and offer it as a burnt-offering with the wood of the sacred pole[b] that you shall cut down.’ 27 So Gideon took ten of his servants, and did as the Lord had told him; but because he was too afraid of his family and the townspeople to do it by day, he did it by night.
Gideon Destroys the Altar of Baal
28 When the townspeople rose early in the morning, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the sacred pole[c] beside it was cut down, and the second bull was offered on the altar that had been built. 29 So they said to one another, ‘Who has done this?’ After searching and inquiring, they were told, ‘Gideon son of Joash did it.’ 30 Then the townspeople said to Joash, ‘Bring out your son, so that he may die, for he has pulled down the altar of Baal and cut down the sacred pole[d] beside it.’ 31 But Joash said to all who were arrayed against him, ‘Will you contend for Baal? Or will you defend his cause? Whoever contends for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because his altar has been pulled down.’ 32 Therefore on that day Gideon[e] was called Jerubbaal, that is to say, ‘Let Baal contend against him’, because he pulled down his altar.
33 Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the east came together, and crossing the Jordan they encamped in the Valley of Jezreel. 34 But the spirit of the Lord took possession of Gideon; and he sounded the trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called out to follow him. 35 He sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, and they too were called out to follow him. He also sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they went up to meet them.
The Sign of the Fleece
36 Then Gideon said to God, ‘In order to see whether you will deliver Israel by my hand, as you have said, 37 I am going to lay a fleece of wool on the threshing-floor; if there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will deliver Israel by my hand, as you have said.’ 38 And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water. 39 Then Gideon said to God, ‘Do not let your anger burn against me, let me speak one more time; let me, please, make trial with the fleece just once more; let it be dry only on the fleece, and on all the ground let there be dew.’ 40 And God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew.
Footnotes
- Judges 6:25 Heb Asherah
- Judges 6:26 Heb Asherah
- Judges 6:28 Heb Asherah
- Judges 6:30 Heb Asherah
- Judges 6:32 Heb he
Judges 6
New King James Version
Midianites Oppress Israel
6 Then the children of Israel did (A)evil in the sight of the Lord. So the Lord delivered them into the hand of (B)Midian for seven years, 2 and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites, the children of Israel made for themselves the dens, (C)the caves, and the strongholds which are in the mountains. 3 So it was, whenever Israel had sown, Midianites would come up; also Amalekites and the (D)people of the East would come up against them. 4 Then they would encamp against them and (E)destroy the produce of the earth as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep nor ox nor (F)donkey. 5 For they would come up with their livestock and their tents, coming in as numerous as locusts; both they and their camels were [a]without number; and they would enter the land to destroy it. 6 So Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites, and the children of Israel (G)cried out to the Lord.
7 And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried out to the Lord because of the Midianites, 8 that the Lord sent a prophet to the children of Israel, who said to them, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘I brought you up from Egypt and brought you out of the (H)house of [b]bondage; 9 and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all who oppressed you, and (I)drove them out before you and gave you their land. 10 Also I said to you, “I am the Lord your God; (J)do not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.” But you have not obeyed My (K)voice.’ ”
Gideon
11 Now the Angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth tree which was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash (L)the Abiezrite, while his son (M)Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress, in order to hide it from the Midianites. 12 And the (N)Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, “The Lord is (O)with you, you mighty man of valor!”
13 Gideon said to Him, “O [c]my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And (P)where are all His miracles (Q)which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has (R)forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.”
14 Then the Lord turned to him and said, (S)“Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. (T)Have I not sent you?”
15 So he said to Him, “O [d]my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed (U)my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”
16 And the Lord said to him, (V)“Surely I will be with you, and you shall [e]defeat the Midianites as one man.”
17 Then he said to Him, “If now I have found favor in Your sight, then (W)show me a sign that it is You who talk with me. 18 (X)Do not depart from here, I pray, until I come to You and bring out my offering and set it before You.”
And He said, “I will wait until you come back.”
19 (Y)So Gideon went in and prepared a young goat, and unleavened bread from an ephah of flour. The meat he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot; and he brought them out to Him under the terebinth tree and presented them. 20 The Angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened bread and (Z)lay them on this rock, and (AA)pour out the broth.” And he did so.
21 Then the Angel of the Lord put out the end of the staff that was in His hand, and touched the meat and the unleavened bread; and (AB)fire rose out of the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. And the Angel of the Lord departed out of his sight.
22 Now Gideon (AC)perceived that He was the Angel of the Lord. So Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord God! (AD)For I have seen the Angel of the Lord face to face.”
23 Then the Lord said to him, (AE)“Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die.” 24 So Gideon built an altar there to the Lord, and called it [f]The-Lord-Is-Peace. To this day it is still (AF)in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
25 Now it came to pass the same night that the Lord said to him, “Take your father’s young bull, the second bull of seven years old, and (AG)tear down the altar of (AH)Baal that your father has, and (AI)cut down the [g]wooden image that is beside it; 26 and build an altar to the Lord your God on top of this [h]rock in the proper arrangement, and take the second bull and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the image which you shall cut down.” 27 So Gideon took ten men from among his servants and did as the Lord had said to him. But because he feared his father’s household and the men of the city too much to do it by day, he did it by night.
Gideon Destroys the Altar of Baal
28 And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, there was the altar of Baal, torn down; and the wooden image that was beside it was cut down, and the second bull was being offered on the altar which had been built. 29 So they said to one another, “Who has done this thing?” And when they had inquired and asked, they said, “Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing.” 30 Then the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, because he has torn down the altar of Baal, and because he has cut down the wooden image that was beside it.”
31 But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Would you [i]plead for Baal? Would you save him? Let the one who would plead for him be put to death by morning! If he is a god, let him plead for himself, because his altar has been torn down!” 32 Therefore on that day he called him (AJ)Jerubbaal,[j] saying, “Let Baal plead against him, because he has torn down his altar.”
33 Then all (AK)the Midianites and Amalekites, the people of the East, gathered together; and they crossed over and encamped in (AL)the Valley of Jezreel. 34 But (AM)the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon; then he (AN)blew the trumpet, and the Abiezrites gathered behind him. 35 And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, who also gathered behind him. He also sent messengers to (AO)Asher, (AP)Zebulun, and Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.
The Sign of the Fleece
36 So Gideon said to God, “If You will save Israel by my hand as You have said— 37 (AQ)look, I shall put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that You will save Israel by my hand, as You have said.” 38 And it was so. When he rose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece together, he wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowlful of water. 39 Then Gideon said to God, (AR)“Do not be angry with me, but let me speak just once more: Let me test, I pray, just once more with the fleece; let it now be dry only on the fleece, but on all the ground let there be dew.” 40 And God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, but there was dew on all the ground.
Footnotes
- Judges 6:5 innumerable
- Judges 6:8 slavery
- Judges 6:13 Heb. adoni, used of man
- Judges 6:15 Heb. Adonai, used of God
- Judges 6:16 Lit. strike
- Judges 6:24 Heb. YHWH Shalom
- Judges 6:25 Heb. Asherah, a Canaanite goddess
- Judges 6:26 stronghold
- Judges 6:31 contend
- Judges 6:32 Lit. Let Baal Plead
Judges 6
English Standard Version
Midian Oppresses Israel
6 (A)The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord gave them into the hand of (B)Midian seven years. 2 And the hand of Midian overpowered Israel, and because of Midian the people of Israel made for themselves the dens that are in the mountains and (C)the caves and the strongholds. 3 For whenever the Israelites planted crops, the Midianites and (D)the Amalekites and (E)the people of the East would come up against them. 4 They would encamp against them (F)and devour the produce of the land, as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance in Israel and no sheep or ox or donkey. 5 For they would come up with their livestock and their tents; they would come (G)like locusts in number—both they and their camels could not be counted—so that they laid waste the land as they came in. 6 And Israel was brought very low because of Midian. And the people of Israel (H)cried out for help to the Lord.
7 When the people of Israel cried out to the Lord on account of the Midianites, 8 the Lord sent a prophet to the people of Israel. And he said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: (I)I led you up from Egypt and brought you out of the house of slavery. 9 And I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all who oppressed you, and (J)drove them out before you and gave you their land. 10 And I said to you, ‘I am the Lord your God; (K)you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell.’ But you have not obeyed my voice.”
The Call of Gideon
11 Now the angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash (L)the Abiezrite, while his son (M)Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites. 12 And (N)the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, (O)“The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor.” 13 And Gideon said to him, “Please, my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are (P)all his wonderful deeds (Q)that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.” 14 And the Lord[a] turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; (R)do not I send you?” 15 And he said to him, (S)“Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, (T)my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.” 16 And the Lord said to him, (U)“But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.” 17 And he said to him, (V)“If now I have found favor in your eyes, then (W)show me a sign that it is you who speak with me. 18 Please (X)do not depart from here until I come to you and bring out my present and set it before you.” And he said, “I will stay till you return.”
19 So Gideon went into his house (Y)and prepared a young goat and unleavened cakes from an ephah[b] of flour. The meat he put in a basket, and the broth he put in a pot, and brought them to him under the terebinth and presented them. 20 And the angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened cakes, and put them (Z)on this rock, and (AA)pour the broth over them.” And he did so. 21 Then the angel of the Lord reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes. (AB)And fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened cakes. And the angel of the Lord vanished from his sight. 22 Then Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the Lord. And Gideon said, (AC)“Alas, O Lord God! For now I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.” 23 But the Lord said to him, (AD)“Peace be to you. Do not fear; you shall not die.” 24 Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and called it, (AE)The Lord Is Peace. To this day it still stands at (AF)Ophrah, which belongs to the Abiezrites.
25 That night the Lord said to him, “Take your father's bull, and the second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down (AG)the Asherah that is beside it 26 and build an altar to the Lord your God on the top of the (AH)stronghold here, with stones laid in due order. Then take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah that you shall cut down.” 27 So Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the Lord had told him. But because he was too afraid of his family and the men of the town to do it by day, he did it by night.
Gideon Destroys the Altar of Baal
28 When the men of the town rose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the Asherah beside it was cut down, and the second bull was offered on the altar that had been built. 29 And they said to one another, “Who has done this thing?” And after they had searched and inquired, they said, “Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing.” 30 Then the men of the town said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, for he has broken down the altar of Baal and cut down the Asherah beside it.” 31 But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? Whoever contends for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because his altar has been broken down.” 32 Therefore on that day Gideon[c] was called (AI)Jerubbaal, that is to say, “Let Baal contend against him,” because he broke down his altar.
33 Now (AJ)all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the East came together, and they crossed the Jordan and encamped in (AK)the Valley of Jezreel. 34 But (AL)the Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon, (AM)and he sounded the trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called out to follow him. 35 (AN)And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, and they too were called out to follow him. (AO)And he sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they went up to meet them.
The Sign of the Fleece
36 (AP)Then Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said, 37 behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.” 38 And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water. 39 Then Gideon said to God, (AQ)“Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground let there be dew.” 40 And God did so that night; and it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew.
Footnotes
- Judges 6:14 Septuagint the angel of the Lord; also verse 16
- Judges 6:19 An ephah was about 3/5 bushel or 22 liters
- Judges 6:32 Hebrew he
Thẩm Phán 6
New Vietnamese Bible
Dân Y-sơ-ra-ên Bị Dân Ma-đi-an Đàn Áp
6 Dân Y-sơ-ra-ên làm điều ác trước mặt CHÚA, và Ngài phó họ vào tay dân Ma-đi-an bảy năm. 2 Tay của dân Ma-đi-an thắng hơn dân Y-sơ-ra-ên. Vì cớ dân Ma-đi-an nên người Y-sơ-ra-ên phải sống trốn tránh trong các rừng núi, hang hóc, hoặc trong các thành trì kiên cố. 3 Mỗi khi người Y-sơ-ra-ên ra gieo giống, thì dân Ma-đi-an, dân A-ma-léc, và các dân phương đông kéo đến tấn công. 4 Chúng dựng trại đóng quân đối nghịch họ. Chúng phá hủy tất cả các nông phẩm cho đến tận vùng Ga-xa, không chừa lại một thứ gì trong Y-sơ-ra-ên, kể cả chiên, bò, và lừa. 5 Bởi vì chúng và những đàn súc vật của chúng kéo đến và dựng trại đông như cào cào. Người ta và lạc đà nhiều vô số, không thể đếm hết được. Chúng chiếm lấy xứ và phá hủy tất cả. 6 Vậy, vì cớ dân Ma-đi-an mà người Y-sơ-ra-ên trở nên đói khổ rất thê thảm. Dân Y-sơ-ra-ên bèn khóc van cùng CHÚA xin cứu giúp.
7 Khi dân Y-sơ-ra-ên kêu cầu cùng CHÚA vì cớ dân Ma-đi-an, 8 CHÚA bèn sai một vị tiên tri đến với dân Y-sơ-ra-ên phán bảo: “CHÚA, Đức Chúa Trời của Y-sơ-ra-ên phán như vầy: ‘Ta đã đem các ngươi lên khỏi xứ Ai-cập, và đem các ngươi ra khỏi nhà nô lệ. 9 Ta đã giải thoát các ngươi khỏi tay của người Ai-cập, và khỏi tay của những kẻ áp bức các ngươi. Ta đã đuổi chúng đi khỏi trước mặt các ngươi và ban cho các ngươi xứ của chúng, 10 Ta đã phán: Ta là CHÚA, Đức Chúa Trời của các ngươi, các ngươi chớ thờ phượng các thần của dân A-mô-rít trong xứ các ngươi cư ngụ.’ Nhưng các ngươi nào có nghe theo tiếng Ta.”
CHÚA Kêu Gọi Ghi-đê-ôn
11 Bấy giờ thiên sứ của CHÚA đến ngồi dưới cây sồi của Óp-ra, trong đất của Giô-ách, thuộc gia tộc A-bi-ê-xê-rít. Ghi-đê-ôn, con trai Giô-ách, đang đập lúa nơi bàn ép rượu, để tránh khỏi dân Ma-đi-an. 12 Thiên sứ của CHÚA hiện ra với ông và phán: “Nguyện CHÚA ở cùng ngươi, hỡi người chiến sĩ anh dũng.” 13 Ghi-đê-ôn đáp: “Thưa Ngài, nếu CHÚA ở cùng chúng tôi, thì tại sao chúng tôi phải ra nông nỗi này? Nào những việc lạ lùng mà các tổ phụ chúng tôi thường kể lại cho chúng tôi nghe ở đâu? Họ bảo rằng: ‘CHÚA há chẳng đem các ngươi lên khỏi xứ Ai-cập hay sao?’ Nhưng bây giờ CHÚA đã bỏ chúng tôi, và phó chúng tôi vào tay dân Ma-đi-an.” 14 CHÚA quay lại cùng ông và phán: “Hãy đi, dùng sức ngươi sẵn có mà giải thoát Y-sơ-ra-ên ra khỏi tay dân Ma-đi-an. Ta há chẳng đang sai ngươi đó sao?” 15 Ông đáp: “Nhưng thưa Ngài, làm sao tôi có thể giải thoát dân Y-sơ-ra-ên được? Gia tộc tôi là gia tộc nhỏ nhất trong bộ tộc Ma-na-se, còn trong gia đình tôi thì tôi là kẻ nhỏ nhất.” 16 CHÚA phán với ông: “Nhưng Ta sẽ ở với ngươi, và ngươi sẽ đánh bại dân Ma-đi-an như đánh một người vậy.” 17 Ghi-đê-ôn nói: “Nếu tôi được ơn trước mặt Ngài, thì xin Ngài hãy cho tôi một dấu lạ, để chứng tỏ rằng chính Ngài đã phán với tôi. 18 Xin Ngài đừng rời khỏi đây cho đến khi tôi trở lại, mang theo tế lễ, kính dâng lên Ngài.” Ngài phán: “Ta sẽ ở đây cho đến khi ngươi trở lại.” 19 Vậy Ghi-đê-ôn trở về nhà, bắt một con dê con, lấy mười ký bột làm bánh không men. Ông lấy thịt để vào một cái giỏ, và để cháo trong nồi, rồi đem tất cả các món ấy đến dưới cây sồi mà dâng cho Ngài. 20 Thiên sứ của CHÚA phán: “Hãy lấy thịt và bánh không men để trên tảng đá này, rồi đổ cháo lên.” Ghi-đê-ôn làm y như vậy. 21 Thiên sứ của CHÚA giơ tay ra, dùng đầu gậy cầm nơi tay đụng vào thịt và bánh không men; lửa từ tảng đá phựt lên thiêu đốt thịt và bánh không men, đồng thời thiên sứ của CHÚA cũng biến mất. 22 Ghi-đê-ôn liền nhận biết rằng ấy là thiên sứ của CHÚA, ông nói: “Ôi lạy CHÚA, là CHÚA Toàn Năng! Thôi, con chắc sẽ chết, vì con đã gặp thiên sứ của CHÚA mặt đối mặt.” 23 Nhưng CHÚA phán: “Hãy an tâm. Đừng sợ. Ngươi sẽ không chết đâu.” 24 Ghi-đê-ôn liền xây một bàn thờ cho CHÚA tại đó và đặt tên là: CHÚA, Đấng Ban Bình An. Bàn thờ ấy vẫn còn ở Óp-ra, trong đất của A-bi-ê-xê-rít, cho đến ngày nay.
Ghi-đê-ôn Phá Đổ Bàn Thờ Ba-anh
25 Đêm đó CHÚA phán với ông: “Hãy bắt con bò đực của cha ngươi, và một con bò đực thứ nhì bảy tuổi, rồi cho kéo đổ bàn thờ Ba-anh của cha ngươi xuống. Cũng hãy chặt bỏ cây trụ A-sê-ra ở bên cạnh nó xuống. 26 Sau đó hãy xây một bàn thờ cho CHÚA, Đức Chúa Trời của ngươi trên vầng đá này, theo như cách đã ấn định; rồi bắt con bò đực thứ nhì làm tế lễ thiêu, và lấy gỗ của cây trụ A-sê-ra làm củi đốt.” 27 Vậy, Ghi-đê-ôn chọn mười đầy tớ để giúp ông làm y như lời CHÚA dặn. Vì ông sợ những người khác trong gia đình và dân thành trông thấy, nên thay vì làm ban ngày, ông đã thực hiện việc đó trong ban đêm. 28 Sáng hôm sau, khi dân thành thức dậy, họ thấy bàn thờ của Ba-anh đã đổ xuống, trụ tượng của A-sê-ra đã bị đốn mất, con bò thứ nhì đã được dâng trên bàn thờ vừa mới được xây. 29 Họ bèn hỏi nhau: “Kẻ nào đã làm việc này?” Sau khi dò la và tra xét, họ được báo: “Ấy là Ghi-đê-ôn, con của Giô-ách, đã làm điều đó.” 30 Dân thành liền nói với Giô-ách: “Hãy đem con ông ra đây, để nó phải chết. Vì nó đã dám phá dỡ bàn thờ của Ba-anh, và đốn bỏ trụ tượng của A-sê-ra ở bên cạnh.” 31 Nhưng Giô-ách trả lời những người đương đầu với ông: “Có phải các người muốn đấu tranh cho Ba-anh chăng? Các người muốn binh vực cho nó phải không? Ai muốn đấu tranh cho nó thì sẽ bị xử tử sáng nay. Vì nếu nó là thần thì hãy để nó tự đấu tranh cho nó đi. Bởi vì bàn thờ của nó đã bị phá đổ kia mà.” 32 Vì thế, ngày hôm đó người ta gọi Ghi-đê-ôn là Giê-ru-ba-anh; vì nói rằng: “Thôi để cho Ba-anh đấu tranh với ông ấy đi.” Vì ông ấy đã phá đổ bàn thờ của nó kia mà.
Ghi-đê-ôn Mộ Binh
33 Bấy giờ tất cả dân Ma-đi-an, dân A-ma-léc, và các dân tộc ở phương đông hiệp lại với nhau. Chúng vượt qua sông Giô-đanh và hạ trại ở thung lũng Ghít-rê-ên. 34 Thần của CHÚA cảm động Ghi-đê-ôn; ông thổi kèn triệu tập, và gia tộc A-bi-ê-xê-rít đều nhóm lại theo ông. 35 Ông sai sứ giả đến khắp địa phận Ma-na-se, và họ cùng nhau hiệp lại theo ông. Ông cũng sai sứ giả đến A-se, Sa-bu-luân, và Nép-ta-li. Họ thảy đều đi lên và hiệp với ông.
Dấu Hiệu Tấm Lông Chiên
36 Bấy giờ Ghi-đê-ôn thưa với Đức Chúa Trời rằng: “Để biết chắc là Ngài muốn dùng tay con giải thoát dân Y-sơ-ra-ên, như lời Ngài đã phán, 37 thì con xin để một tấm lông chiên trong sân đập lúa; nếu sương chỉ đọng trên tấm lông chiên mà thôi, còn đất xung quanh đều khô ráo, thì con biết rằng Ngài sẽ dùng tay con để giải thoát dân Y-sơ-ra-ên như lời Ngài đã phán.” 38 Việc bèn xảy ra như vậy. Sáng hôm sau, ông dậy sớm, ra lấy tấm lông chiên mà vắt, sương từ trong tấm lông chiên chảy ra, hứng đầy một chén. 39 Ghi-đê-ôn lại thưa với Đức Chúa Trời: “Xin Ngài đừng nổi giận cùng con. Xin cho con thưa thêm một lần nữa. Xin cho con thử lại với tấm lông chiên một lần nữa. Lần này, xin cho chỉ tấm lông chiên là khô, còn đất xung quanh sẽ phủ đầy sương.” 40 Đêm đó, Đức Chúa Trời làm y như vậy. Chỉ có tấm lông chiên là khô ráo, còn đất xung quanh đều đọng sương ướt đẫm.
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
New Vietnamese Bible. Used by permission of VBI (www.nvbible.org)