1 و َفَعَلَ بَنُو إسْرائِيلَ الشَّرَّ أمامَ اللهِ. فَأسقَطَهُمُ اللهُ بِيَدِ المِدْيانِيِّينَ مُدَّةَ سَبْعِ سَنَواتٍ.

Then the people of Israel sinned in the eyes of the Lord. And the Lord gave them into the hands of Midian for seven years.

2 ف َقَوِيَ بَنُو مِدْيانَ عَلَى بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ. وَبِسَبَبِ المِدْيانِيِّينَ، اضْطُرَّ بَنُو إسْرائِيلَ إلَى عَمَلِ مَخابِئَ لِأنفُسِهِمْ فِي الجِبالِ وَالكُهُوفِ وَالأماكِنِ المُنعَزِلَةِ.

Midian was stronger than Israel. Because of Midian the people of Israel made big caves in the sides of the mountains where they could live which were safe places for themselves.

3 و َكُلَّما زَرَعَ بَنُو إسْرائِيلَ مَحاصِيلَ، كانَ بَنُو مِدْيانَ وَالعَمالِقَةُ وَالشَّرْقِيُّونَ يَصْعَدُونَ لِلهُجُومِ عَلَيهِمْ.

For when Israel had planted seeds, the Midianites and Amalekites and the people of the east would come and fight against them.

4 ف َكانُوا يُخَيِّمُونَ عَلَى أرْضِ بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ، وَيُدَمِّرُونَ المَحاصِيلَ إلَى غَزَّةَ. وَلَمْ يَكُونُوا يَترُكُونَ لَهُمْ ما يَعْتاشُونَ عَلَيهِ، لا غَنَماً وَلا بَقَراً وَلا حَمِيراً.

They would set up their tents beside them and destroy the food of the field as far as Gaza. They would leave no food for Israel, and no sheep, cattle or donkeys.

5 أ تَوا بِأعدادٍ كَبِيرَةٍ كالجَرادِ، هُمْ وَعائِلاتُهُمْ وَمَوَاشيهُمْ وَحَتَّى خِيامُهُمْ. فَكانُوا هُمْ وَجِمالُهُمْ أكْثَرَ مِنَ أنْ يُحْصَونَ. فَيَدْخُلُونَ الأرْضَ وَيُخَرِّبُونَها.

They would come with their animals and their tents. They were like locusts, there were so many of them. There were too many of them and their camels to number. And they came into the land to destroy it.

6 ف َصارَ بَنُو إسْرائِيلَ فُقَراءَ جِدّاً بِسَبَبِ مِدْيانَ، وَاسْتَنْجَدُوا بِاللهِ.

So Israel became very poor because of Midian. The people of Israel cried to the Lord.

7 و َعِنْدَما اسْتَنجَدَ بَنُو إسْرائِيلَ بِاللهِ بِسَبَبِ مِدْيانَ،

The people of Israel cried to the Lord because of Midian.

8 أ رْسَلَ اللهُ لِبَنِي إسْرائِيلَ نَبِيّاً وَقالَ لَهُمِ: «هَذا هُوَ ما يَقُولُهُ اللهُ ، إلَهُ إسْرائِيلَ: ‹أنا أخرَجْتُكُمْ بِنَفسِي مِنْ مِصْرَ، وَأخرَجْتُكُمْ مِنْ ثَكَناتِ العَبِيدِ.

And the Lord sent a man to speak for Him to the people of Israel. The man said to them, “The Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘I brought you here from Egypt. I brought you out of the house where you were made to work.

9 أ نقَذْتُكُمْ مِنْ سَيطَرَةِ المِصْرِيِّينَ، وَمِنْ كُلِّ مُضْطَهِدِيكُمْ هُنا فِي الأرْضِ. طَرَدْتُهُمْ أمامَكُمْ، وَأعطَيتُكُمْ أرْضَهُمْ.

I set you free from the power of the Egyptians and from the hands of all who made it hard for you. I drove them away from in front of you and gave you their land.

10 و َقُلْتُ لَكُمْ: أنا إلَهُكُمْ ، لا تُكْرِمُوا آلِهَةَ الأمُورِيِّينَ الَّذِينَ تَسكُنُونَ بَينَهُمْ. لَكِنَّكُمْ لَمْ تُطِيعُونِي.›» مَلاكُ اللهِ يَزُورُ جِدْعُون

I said to you, “I am the Lord your God. Do not be afraid of the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live.” But you have not obeyed Me.’”

11 و َجاءَ مَلاكُ اللهِ ، وَجَلَسَ تَحْتَ البَلُّوطَةِ فِي عَفْرَةَ، الَّتِي كانَتْ مُلْكاً لِيُوآشَ الأبِيعَزَرِيِّ. وَكانَ ابْنُهُ جِدْعُونُ يَدْرُسُ القَمْحَ فِي مِعْصَرَةِ العِنَبِ لِكَي يُخْفيهِ عَنِ المِدْيانِيِّينَ.

Then the angel of the Lord came and sat under the oak tree in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite. The angel came as Joash’s son Gideon was beating out grain where grapes are crushed, to save it from the Midianites.

12 و َظَهَرَ مَلاكُ اللهِ لِجِدْعُونَ، وَقالَ لَهُ: « اللهُ مَعَكَ أيُّها المُحارِبُ القَدِيرُ.»

The angel of the Lord showed himself to Gideon and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O powerful soldier.”

13 ف َقالَ لَهُ جِدْعُونُ: «عَفْواً يا سَيِّدِي، لَكِنْ إنْ كانَ اللهُ مَعَنا، فَلِماذا حَدَثَ كُلُّ هَذا لَنا؟ وَأينَ كُلُّ أعمالِهِ القَدِيمَةِ الَّتِي أخبَرَنا عَنْها آباؤُنا وَقالُوا: ‹أخرَجَنا اللهُ مِنْ مِصْرَ!› فَها قَدْ تَرَكَنا اللهُ ، وَتَرَكَ المِدْيانِيِّينَ يَتَسَلَّطُونَ عَلَينا.»

Gideon said to him, “O sir, if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all His powerful works which our fathers told us about? They said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has left us alone. He has put us under the power of Midian.”

14 ف َالْتَفَتَ إلَيهِ اللهُ وَقالَ: «اذْهَبْ بِقُوَّتِكَ هَذِهِ وَأنقِذْ بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ مِنْ سَيطَرَةِ مِدْيانَ، وَها أنا أُرسِلُكَ.»

The Lord looked at him and said, “Go in this strength of yours. And save Israel from the power of Midian. Have I not sent you?”

15 ف َقالَ لَهُ جِدْعُونُ: «عَفواً يا رَبُّ، لَكِنْ كَيفَ لِي أنْ أُنْقِذَ إسْرائِيلَ؟ فَها عَشِيرَتِي هِيَ الأضْعَفُ فِي قَبِيلَةِ مَنَسَّى، وَأنا الأقَلُّ أهَمِّيَّةً فِي عائِلَتِي.»

Gideon said to Him, “O Lord, how can I save Israel? See, my family is the least in Manasseh. And I am the youngest in my father’s house.”

16 ف َقالَ لَهُ اللهُ: «لَكِنِّي سَأكُونُ مَعَكَ، وَسَتَهْزِمُهُمْ كَما لَو أنَّهُمْ رَجُلٌ واحِدٌ!»

But the Lord said to him, “For sure I will be with you. You will destroy Midian as one man.”

17 ف َقالَ لَهُ جِدْعُونُ: «إنْ كُنْتَ راضِياً عَنِّي، فَأعطِنِي عَلامَةً عَلَى أنَّكَ أنتَ الَّذِي تَتَكَلَّمُ مَعِي.

Gideon said to Him, “If I have found favor in Your eyes, show me something to prove that it is You Who speaks with me.

18 و َلا تَذْهَبْ حَتَّى أعُودَ إلَيكَ وَمَعِي تَقْدِمَتِي، وَأضَعَها أمامَكَ.» فَقالَ: «سَأبقَى حَتَّى تَعُودَ.»

I ask of You, do not leave here until I return to You with my gift and lay it before You.” And the Lord said, “I will stay until you return.”

19 ف َدَخَلَ جِدْعُونُ إلَى بَيتِهِ، وَأعَدَّ مِعْزَى صَغِيرَةً. وَخَبَزَ قُفَّةً مِنَ الطَّحِينِ بِلا خَمِيرٍ. وَوَضَعَ اللَّحمَ فِي سَلَّةٍ، وَالمَرَقَ فِي وِعاءٍ. ثُمَّ أحضَرَها إلَيهِ تَحْتَ البَلُّوطَةِ، وَقَدَّمَها لَهُ.

Then Gideon went into his house and got a young goat ready. He made bread without yeast from a basket of flour. He put the meat in a basket and the water from boiling the meat in a pot. Then he brought them out to him under the tree and set them down in front of him.

20 ف َقالَ لَهُ مَلاكُ اللهِ: «خُذِ اللَّحْمَ وَالخُبْزَ غَيرَ المُخْتَمِرِ، وَضَعْها عَلَى هَذِهِ الصَّخرَةِ، ثُمَّ ألقِ المَرَقَ بَعيداً.» فَفَعَلَ جَدْعُونُ كَما قالَ.

The angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the bread without yeast and lay them on this rock. Then pour out the water.” Gideon did so.

21 ف َمَدَّ مَلاكُ اللهِ طَرَفَ العَصا الَّتِي بِيَدِهِ، وَلَمَسَ اللَّحْمَ وَالخُبْزَ غَيرَ المُخْتَمِرِ، فَصَعِدَتْ نارٌ مِنَ الصَّخرَةِ وَالْتَهَمَتِ اللَّحْمَ وَالخُبْزَ. ثُمَّ اخْتَفَى مَلاكُ اللهِ.

The angel of the Lord put out the end of the stick that was in his hand and touched the meat and the bread without yeast. And fire came up from the rock and burned up the meat and the bread without yeast. Then the angel of the Lord was seen no more.

22 ف َأدْرَكَ جِدْعُونُ أنَّ الَّذِي ظَهَرَ لَهُ هُوَ مَلاكُ اللهِ ، فَقالَ جِدْعُونُ: «وَيلِي أيُّها الرَّبُّ الإلَهُ ، فَقَدْ رَأيتُ مَلاكَ اللهِ وَجْهاً لِوَجهٍ.»

So Gideon knew that he was the angel of the Lord. And he said, “I am afraid, O Lord God! For now I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.”

23 ث ُمَّ قالَ اللهُ: «سَلامٌ لَكَ. لا تَخَفْ. لَنْ تَمُوتَ.»

The Lord said to him, “Peace be with you. Do not be afraid. You will not die.”

24 ف َبَنَى جِدْعُونُ هُناكَ مَذْبَحاً للهِ ، وَأسْماهُ: «يهوه سَلامٌ.» وَلَمْ يَزَلْ هَذا المَذْبَحُ فِي عَفْرَةَ الَّتِي تَخُصُّ الأبِيعَزَرِيِّينَ. جِدْعُونُ يَهدِمُ مَذْبَحَ البَعل

Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord. He gave it the name, The Lord is Peace. It is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites to this day.

25 و َفِي تِلْكَ اللَّيلَةِ قالَ لَهُ اللهُ: «خُذْ ثَوْرَ أبِيكَ، أيِ الثَّوْرَ الثّانِي ذا السَّنَواتِ السَّبْعِ، وَاهدِمْ مَذْبَحَ البَعلِ الَّذِي يَخُصُّ أباكَ، وَاخلَعْ عَمُودَ عَشْتَرُوتَ الَّذِي بِجانِبِهِ.

That same night the Lord said to him, “Take your father’s bull and a second bull seven years old. Use them to pull down the altar of Baal which belongs to your father. And cut down the tree of the false goddess Asherah that is beside it.

26 ث ُمَّ ابْنِ مَذْبَحاً مُلائِماً لإلَهِكَ عَلَى قِمَّةِ هَذِا الجَبَلِ. وَخُذِ الثَّوْرَ الثّانِي وَقَدِّمْهُ ذَبيحَةً عَلَى خَشَبِ عَمُودِ عَشْتَرُوتَ.»

Build an altar to the Lord your God on the top of this strong place. Set the stones in the right way. Then take a second bull and give a burnt gift. Use the wood of the tree of the false goddess Asherah which you cut down.”

27 ف َأخَذَ جِدْعُونُ رَجُلَينِ مِنْ بَينِ خُدّامِهِ وَفَعَلَ كَما أمَرَهُ اللهُ. لَكِنَّهُ كانَ خائِفاً جِدّاً مِنْ عائِلَتِهِ وَمِنْ أهلِ البَلْدَةِ، لِهَذا لَمْ يَفعَلْ هَذا الأمرَ نَهاراً بَلْ لَيلاً.

Gideon took ten of his servants and did what the Lord had told him to do. But he was too afraid of those of his father’s house and the men of the city to do it during the day. So he did it during the night.

28 و َلَمّا اسْتَيقَظَ أهلُ البَلْدَةِ فِي الصَّباحِ التّالِي، دُهِشُوا إذْ رَأَوْا مَذْبَحَ البَعلِ مَهْدُوماً، وَعَمُودَ عَشْتَرُوتَ مَخلُوعاً وَمُلقَىً إلَى جانِبِهِ. وَدُهِشُوا أيضاً لِأنَّهُمْ رَأَوْا أنَّ الثَّورَ الثّانِي، قُدِّمَ عَلَى المَذْبَحِ الَّذِي بُنِيَ.

When the men of the city got up early in the morning, they saw that the altar of Baal was torn down. They saw that the false goddess Asherah which was beside it was cut down. And the second bull was given on the altar which had been built.

29 ف َقالُوا أحَدُهُمْ لِلآخَرِ: «مَنْ هَدَمَ المَذبَحَ، وَمَنْ خَلَعَ عَمُودَ عَشتَرُوتَ؟» وَبَعْدَ البَحثِ وَالتَّقَصِّي قِيلَ لَهُمْ: «إنَّ جِدْعُونَ بْنَ يُوآشَ هُوَ الَّذِي فَعَلَ هَذا.»

The men said to one another, “Who did this?” After they had looked around and asked, they were told, “Gideon the son of Joash did this thing.”

30 ف َقالَ أهلُ البَلْدَةِ لِيُوآشَ: «أحْضِرِ ابْنَكَ لِكَي نَقتُلَهُ، لِأنَّهُ هَدَمَ مَذْبَحَ البَعلِ، وَقَطَعَ عَمُودَ عَشْتَرُوتَ.»

Then the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son, so he may die. For he has torn down the altar of Baal. And he has cut down our goddess Asherah which was beside it.”

31 ف َقالَ يُوآشُ لِكُلِّ الَّذِينَ أحاطُوا بِهِ: «ألَعَلَّكُمْ تُرِيدُونَ أنْ تُدافِعُوا عَنِ البَعلِ؟ ألَعَلَّكُمْ تُرِيدُونَ أنْ تُخَلِّصُوهُ؟ مَنْ يُدافِعُ عَنْهُ سَيُقْتَلُ قَبلَ الصَّباحِ. إنْ كانَ إلَهاً حَقّاً، فَلْيُدافِعْ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ، فَقَدْ هَدَمَ أحَدُهُمْ مَذْبَحَهُ.»

But Joash said to all who were gathered against him, “Will you fight for Baal? Will you save him? Whoever will fight for him will be put to death this morning. If he is a god, let him fight for himself because someone has torn down his altar.”

32 و َفِي ذَلِكَ اليَومِ سَمَّى يُوآشُ جِدْعَوْنَ «يَرُبَّعَلَ،» بِمَعْنَى: «لِيُواجِهْهُ البَعلُ إذاً، لِأنَّهُ هَدَمَ مَذْبَحَهُ.» جِدْعُونُ يَهْزِمُ المِدْيانِيِّين

So on that day he gave Gideon the name Jerubbaal, which means, “Let Baal fight against him.” Because he tore down his altar.

33 و َاجتَمَعَ المِدْيانِيُّونَ وَالعَمالِقَةُ وَأهلُ الشَّرْقِ مَعاً. فَعَبَرُوا نَهْرَ الأُردُنِّ، وَخَيَّمُوا فِي وادِي يَزْرَعِيلَ.

Then all the Midianites and Amalekites and people of the east gathered together. They crossed the Jordan and set up their tents in the valley of Jezreel.

34 ح ِينَئِذٍ، حَلَّ رُوحُ اللهِ عَلَى جِدْعُونَ، فَنَفَخَ البُوقَ، وَدَعا الأبِيعَزَرِيِّينَ لِيَتْبَعُوهُ.

But the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon. He blew a horn and called together the Abiezerites to follow him.

35 و َأرسَلَ رُسُلاً عَبْرَ جَمِيعِ الأراضِي التّابِعَةِ لِمَنَسَّى، وَاسْتَدْعَى أيضاً قَبِيلَةَ مَنَسَّى، وَأرسَلَ رُسُلاً إلَى قَبائِلِ آشَرَ وَزَبُولُونَ وَنَفْتالِي، فَصَعِدُوا لِلِقائِهِ.

He sent men with news to go through Manasseh. And the Manassites were called together to follow him. He sent men with news to Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali. And they came to meet him.

36 ف َقالَ جِدْعُونُ للهِ: «أصَحِيحٌ أنَّكَ تُرِيدُ أنْ تُنْقِذَ بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ عَلَى يَدَيَّ كَما قُلْتَ؟

Then Gideon said to God, “Save Israel through me, as You have said.

37 إ نْ كانَ الأمْرُ كَذَلِكَ، فَها أنا أضَعُ بَعْضَ الصُّوفِ عَلَى البَيدَرِ. فَإذا وَجَدْتُ نَدَىً عَلَى الصُّوفِ وَحدَهُ، وَالأرْضُ كُلُّها جافَّةً مِنْ حَولِهِ، حِينَئِذٍ، سَأتَيَقَّنُ أنَّكَ سَتُنْقِذُ بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ عَلَى يَدَيَّ، كَما قُلْتَ.»

See, I will put wool on the floor where grain is crushed. If the wool is wet, and it is dry on the ground, I will know that You will save Israel through me, as You have said.”

38 و َهَذا ما حَدَثَ. فَعِنْدَما أفاقَ فِي الصَّباحِ التّالِي، وَعَصَرَ الصُّوفَ، خَرَجَ مِنْهُ مِلءُ وِعاءِ مِنَ النَّدَى.

It was so. Gideon got up early the next morning and took the wool in his hand. Enough water poured from the wool to fill a pot.

39 ف َقالَ جِدْعُونُ للهِ: «لا يَشْتَعِلْ غَضَبُكَ مِنِّي إنْ طَلَبْتُ طَلَباً آخَرَ! أريدُ أنْ أمْتَحِنَ الأمْرَ ثانِيَةً بِالصُّوفِ. لِيَكُنِ الصُّوفُ جافّاً، وَالنَّدَى يُبَلِّلُ كُلَّ الأرْضِ مِنْ حَولِهِ.»

Then Gideon said to God, “Do not let Your anger burn against me for speaking to You once again. Let me make one more test with the wool. Let it be dry only on the wool. And let the ground be wet all around it.”

40 و َفِي تِلْكَ اللَّيلَةِ، فَعَلَ اللهُ ذَلِكَ. فَكانَ الصُّوفُ جافّاً، وَالنَّدَى عَلَى كُلِّ الأرْضِ مِنْ حَولِهِ.

God did so that night. For it was dry only on the wool. And all the ground was wet around it.