Whenever Israel had done their sowing, the Midianites, Amalekites and people from the east would come up and raid them.

They would set up camp by them, destroy the produce of the land as far as Gaza, and leave nothing in Israel to live on—not a sheep, ox or donkey.

So Israel was brought very low because of Midian, and Bnei-Yisrael cried out to Adonai.

that Adonai sent a prophet to Bnei-Yisrael, and he said to them, “Thus says Adonai, God of Israel, ‘It was I who brought you up from Egypt, and brought you out of the house of bondage.

Then Adonai turned toward him and said, “Go in this might of yours and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Have not I sent you?”

Then he said to him, “Me, my Lord? With what would I deliver Israel? Look, my family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”

Signs of the Fleece

Then Gideon said to God, “If You are going to deliver Israel by my hand, as You have spoken,

see, I am putting a fleece of wool on the threshing-floor. If there is dew only on the fleece, and all the ground is dry, then I will know that You will deliver Israel by my hand, as You have spoken.”

But Adonai said to Gideon, “Too many are the people who are with you, for Me to give the Midianites into their hand. Otherwise Israel would glorify itself against Me saying, ‘My own hand has delivered me.’

So the 300 took provisions and their shofarot in their hands. He sent all the other men of Israel each to his tent, but he kept the 300 men. Now the camp of Midian was below him in the valley.

His companion answered and said, “This is nothing less than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, a man of Israel—God has delivered Midian and all the camp into his hand!”

Now when Gideon heard the account of the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship. Then he returned to the camp of Israel and said, “Arise! For Adonai has given into your hand the camp of Midian.”

Then men of Israel were summoned from Naphtali, Asher and all Manasseh, and they pursued Midian.

Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us—you, your son, and your grandson as well. For you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.”

Gideon made it into an ephod, and put it in his town Ophrah. But all Israel prostituted themselves after it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his household.

Nor did they show kindness to the household of Jerubbaal, namely Gideon, in accord with all the goodness which he had done for Israel.

After Abimelech had ruled over Israel for three years,

So when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they each departed to his place.

Troubles in Gilead

After Abimelech, Tola son of Puah son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, arose to deliver Israel. He dwelt in Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim.

He judged Israel for 23 years, then died and was buried in Shamir.

After him Jair the Gileadite arose, and judged Israel for 23 years.

So Adonai’s anger burned against Israel, and He sold them over into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the children of Ammon.

Then the children of Ammon also crossed over the Jordan to fight against Judah, Benjamin and the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was greatly distressed.

Then they removed the foreign gods from among them, and worshipped Adonai. So His soul could not bear the misery of Israel.

Now it came about after a while that the children of Ammon fought with Israel.