Iudicum 6

VULGATA	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Fecerunt autem filii Israël malum in conspectu Domini : qui tradidit illos in manu Madian septem annis,	1 The Israelites did what is evil in Yahweh's eyes, and for seven years Yahweh handed them over toMidian;
2 et oppressi sunt valde ab eis. Feceruntque sibi antra et speluncas in montibus, et munitissima ad repugnandum loca.	2 and Midian bore down heavily on Israel. To escape from the Midianites the Israelites used the mountainclefts and the caves and shelters.
3 Cumque sevisset Israël, ascendebat Madian et Amalec, ceterique orientalium nationum :	3 Whenever Israel sowed seed the Midianites would march up with Amalek and the sons of the East.They would march on Israel.
4 et apud eos figentes tentoria, sicut erant in herbis cuncta vastabant usque ad introitum Gazæ : nihilque omnino ad vitam pertinens relinquebant in Israël, non oves, non boves, non asinos.	4 They would pitch camp on their territory and destroy the produce of the country as far as Gaza. Theyleft Israel nothing to live on, not a sheep or an ox or a donkey,
5 Ipsi enim et universi greges eorum veniebant cum tabernaculis suis, et instar locustarum universa complebant, innumera multitudo hominum et camelorum, quidquid tetigerant devastantes.	5 for they came up as thick as locusts with their cattle and their tents; they and their camels wereinnumerable, they invaded the country to pil age it.
6 Humiliatusque est Israël valde in conspectu Madian.	6 Thus, Midian brought Israel to great distress, and the Israelites cried to Yahweh.
7 Et clamavit ad Dominum postulans auxilium contra Madianitas.	7 When the Israelites cried to Yahweh because of Midian,
8 Qui misit ad eos virum prophetam, et locutus est : Hæc dicit Dominus Deus Israël : Ego vos feci conscendere de Ægypto, et eduxi vos de domo servitutis,	8 Yahweh sent a prophet to the Israelites. He said to them, 'This is what Yahweh, God of Israel, says, "Itwas I who brought you out of Egypt, and led you out of the place of slave-labour.
9 et liberavi de manu Ægyptiorum, et omnium inimicorum qui affligebant vos : ejecique eos ad introitum vestrum, et tradidi vobis terram eorum.	9 I rescued you from the power of the Egyptians and from the power of al who oppressed you. I drovethem out before you and gave their country to you.
10 Et dixi : Ego Dominus Deus vester : ne timeatis deos Amorrhæorum, in quorum terra habitatis. Et noluistis audire vocem meam.	10 And I said to you: I am Yahweh your God. You are not to fear the gods of the Amorites in whosecountry you are now living. But you have not listened to my voice." '
11 Venit autem angelus Domini, et sedit sub quercu, quæ erat in Ephra, et pertinebat ad Joas patrem familiæ Ezri. Cumque Gedeon filius ejus excuteret atque purgaret frumenta in torculari, ut fugeret Madian,	11 The Angel of Yahweh came and sat under the terebinth at Ophrah which belonged to Joash ofAbiezer. Gideon his son was threshing wheat inside the wine-press, to keep it hidden from Midian,
12 apparuit ei angelus Domini, et ait : Dominus tecum, virorum fortissime.	12 and the Angel of Yahweh appeared to him and said, 'Yahweh is with you, valiant warrior!'
13 Dixitque ei Gedeon : Obsecro, mi domine, si Dominus nobiscum est, cur apprehenderunt nos hæc omnia ? ubi sunt mirabilia ejus, quæ narraverunt patres nostri, atque dixerunt : De Ægypto eduxit nos Dominus ? nunc autem dereliquit nos Dominus, et tradidit in manu Madian.	13 Gideon replied, 'Excuse me, my lord, but if Yahweh is with us, why is al this happening to us? Andwhere are al his miracles which our ancestors used to tel us about when they said, "Did not Yahweh bring usout of Egypt?" But now Yahweh has deserted us; he has abandoned us to Midian.'
14 Respexitque ad eum Dominus, et ait : Vade in hac fortitudine tua, et liberabis Israël de manu Madian : scito quod miserim te.	14 At this, Yahweh turned to him and said, 'Go in this strength of yours, and you wil rescue Israel fromthe power of Midian. Am I not sending you myself?'
15 Qui respondens ait : Obsecro, mi domine, in quo liberabo Israël ? ecce familia mea infima est in Manasse, et ego minimus in domo patris mei.	15 Gideon replied, 'Forgive me, my lord, but how can I deliver Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manassehand I am the least important of my father's family.'
16 Dixitque ei Dominus : Ego ero tecum : et percuties Madian quasi unum virum.	16 Yahweh replied, 'I shal be with you and you wil crush Midian as though it were one man.'
17 Et ille : Si inveni, inquit, gratiam coram te, da mihi signum quod tu sis qui loqueris ad me :	17 Gideon said, 'If I have found favour in your sight, give me a sign that you are speaking to me.
18 nec recedas hinc, donec revertar ad te, portans sacrificium, et offerens tibi. Qui respondit : Ego præstolabor adventum tuum.	18 Please do not go away from here until I come back to you, bringing you my offering and laying it beforeyou.' And he replied, 'I shal stay until you come back.'
19 Ingressus est itaque Gedeon, et coxit hædum, et de farinæ modio azymos panes : carnesque ponens in canistro, et jus carnium mittens in ollam, tulit omnia sub quercu, et obtulit ei.	19 Gideon went away, he prepared a young goat and from an ephah of flour he made unleavened cakes.He put the meat into a basket and the broth into a pot, then brought it all to him under the terebinth. As heapproached,
20 Cui dixit angelus Domini : Tolle carnes et azymos panes, et pone supra petram illam, et jus desuper funde. Cumque fecisset ita,	20 the Angel of Yahweh said to him, 'Take the meat and unleavened cakes, put them on this rock andpour the broth over them.' Gideon did so.
21 extendit angelus Domini summitatem virgæ, quam tenebat in manu, et tetigit carnes et panes azymos : ascenditque ignis de petra, et carnes azymosque panes consumpsit : angelus autem Domini evanuit ex oculis ejus.	21 The Angel of Yahweh then stretched out the tip of the staff which he was carrying, and touched themeat and unleavened cakes. Fire sprang from the rock and consumed the meat and unleavened cakes, and theAngel of Yahweh vanished before his eyes.
22 Vidensque Gedeon quod esset angelus Domini, ait : Heu mi Domine Deus : quia vidi angelum Domini facie ad faciem.	22 Gideon then knew that this was the Angel of Yahweh, and he said, 'Alas, my Lord Yahweh! Now I haveseen the Angel of Yahweh face to face!'
23 Dixitque ei Dominus : Pax tecum : ne timeas, non morieris.	23 Yahweh answered, 'Peace be with you; have no fear; you wil not die.'
24 Ædificavit ergo ibi Gedeon altare Domino, vocavitque illud, Domini pax, usque in præsentem diem. Cumque adhuc esset in Ephra, quæ est familiæ Ezri,	24 Gideon built an altar there to Yahweh and called it Yahweh-Peace. This altar stands in our own day atOphrah of Abiezer.
25 nocte illa dixit Dominus ad eum : Tolle taurum patris tui, et alterum taurum annorum septem, destruesque aram Baal, quæ est patris tui, et nemus, quod circa aram est, succide.	25 Now that night, Yahweh said to Gideon, 'Take your father's bul , the seven-year-old bul , and pull downthe altar to Baal belonging to your father and cut down the sacred pole beside it.
26 Et ædificabis altare Domino Deo tuo in summitate petræ hujus, super quam ante sacrificium posuisti : tollesque taurum secundum, et offeres holocaustum super struem lignorum, quæ de nemore succideris.	26 Then, on top of this strong-point, build a proper altar to Yahweh your God. Then take the bul and burnit as a burnt offering on the wood of the sacred pole which you have cut down.'
27 Assumptis ergo Gedeon decem viris de servis suis, fecit sicut præceperat ei Dominus. Timens autem domum patris sui, et homines illius civitatis, per diem noluit id facere, sed omnia nocte complevit.	27 Gideon then took ten of his servants and did as Yahweh had ordered him. But, being too frightened ofhis family and of the townspeople to do it in daylight, he did it at night.
28 Cumque surrexissent viri oppidi ejus mane, viderunt destructam aram Baal, lucumque succisum, et taurum alterum impositum super altare, quod tunc ædificatum erat.	28 Next morning, when the townspeople got up, they found that the altar to Baal had been destroyed, thesacred pole standing beside it had been cut down and the bull had been sacrificed as a burnt offering on thenewly built altar.
29 Dixeruntque ad invicem : Quis hoc fecit ? Cumque perquirerent auctorem facti, dictum est : Gedeon filius Joas fecit hæc omnia.	29 'Who has done this?' they asked one another. They searched, made enquiries and declared, 'Gideonson of Joash has done it.'
30 Et dixerunt ad Joas : Produc filium tuum huc, ut moriatur : quia destruxit aram Baal, et succidit nemus.	30 The townspeople then said to Joash, 'Bring out your son; he must die for having destroyed Baal's altarand cut down the sacred pole which stood beside it.'
31 Quibus ille respondit : Numquid ultores estis Baal, ut pugnetis pro eo ? qui adversarius est ejus, moriatur antequam lux crastina veniat : si deus est, vindicet se de eo, qui suffodit aram ejus.	31 To the people al crowding round him, Joash replied, 'Is it your job to plead for Baal? Is it your job tochampion his cause? (Anyone who pleads for Baal must be put to death before dawn.) If he is a god, let himplead for himself, now that Gideon has destroyed his altar.'
32 Ex illo die vocatus est Gedeon Jerobaal, eo quod dixisset Joas : Ulciscatur se de eo Baal, qui suffodit aram ejus.	32 That day, Gideon was given the name Jerubbaal, because, they said, 'Baal must plead against him,because he has destroyed his altar!'
33 Igitur omnis Madian, et Amalec, et orientales populi, congregati sunt simul : et transeuntes Jordanem, castrametati sunt in valle Jezraël.	33 Al Midian and Amalek and the sons of the East joined forces and, having crossed the Jordan, pitchedcamp in the plain of Jezreel.
34 Spiritus autem Domini induit Gedeon, qui clangens buccina convocavit domum Abiezer, ut sequeretur se.	34 And the spirit of Yahweh clothed Gideon around; he sounded the horn and Abiezer ral ied behind him.
35 Misitque nuntios in universum Manassen, qui et ipse secutus est eum : et alios nuntios in Aser et Zabulon et Nephthali, qui occurrerunt ei.	35 He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, and Manasseh too rallied behind him; he sentmessengers to Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali, and they marched out to meet him.
36 Dixitque Gedeon ad Deum : Si salvum facis per manum meam Israël, sicut locutus es,	36 Gideon said to God, 'If it is real y you delivering Israel by means of me, as you have said,
37 ponam hoc vellus lanæ in area : si ros in solo vellere fuerit, et in omni terra siccitas, sciam quod per manum meam, sicut locutus es, liberabis Israël.	37 look, I am going to put a wool en fleece on the threshing-floor; if there is dew only on the fleece and althe ground stays dry, then I shall know that you wil deliver Israel by means of me, as you have said.'
38 Factumque est ita. Et de nocte consurgens expresso vellere, concham rore implevit.	38 And so it happened. Early next morning, Gideon got up, squeezed the fleece and wrung enough dewout of the fleece to fill a cup.
39 Dixitque rursus ad Deum : Ne irascatur furor tuus contra me si adhuc semel tentavero, signum quærens in vellere. Oro ut solum vellus siccum sit, et omnis terra rore madens.	39 Gideon then said to God, 'Do not be angry with me if I speak just once more. Al ow me to make thefleece-test just once more: let the fleece alone be dry and there be dew al over the ground!'
40 Fecitque Deus nocte illa ut postulaverat : et fuit siccitas in solo vellere, et ros in omni terra.	40 And God did so that night. The fleece alone stayed dry, and there was dew al over the ground.