Midian Oppresses Israel
1 The Israelites did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, so the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years. 2 The hand of Midian prevailed against Israel, and because of Midian the Israelites made for themselves shelters in the mountains and caves and strongholds.
3 So it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites, the Amalekites, and the people of the east came up against them. 4 They encamped against them and destroyed their crops, up to Gaza. They left no sustenance in Israel, and no sheep, ox, or donkey.
5 For they came up with their livestock and their tents. They came in like locusts in their multitude. Both they and their camels were without number, and they came into the land to destroy it.
6 Israel was brought very low because of Midian, and the Israelites cried to the LORD. 7 When the Israelites cried to the LORD because of Midian, 8 the LORD sent a prophet to the Israelites, and he said to them, “The LORD, the God of Israel, says, ‘I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you out of the house of bondage. 9 I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out from before you, and gave you their land. 10 I said to you: I am the LORD your God. You shall not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But you have not listened to my voice.’ ”
11 The angel of the LORD came and sat under the oak which was in Ophrah, that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite. 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, mighty warrior!”
13 Gideon said to him, “Oh, my Lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all of this happened to us? Where are all his wondrous works which our fathers told us of, saying, ‘Has not the LORD brought us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has cast us off and delivered us into the hand of Midian.”
14 The LORD looked upon him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?”
15 He said to him, “My Lord, how shall I save Israel? My family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”
16 The LORD said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as if you were fighting one man.”
