Liber Iudicum, 7

1. Igitur Ierobbaal, qui et Gedeon, de nocte consurgens et omnis populus cum eo castrame tati sunt ad fontem, qui vocatur Harad. Erant autem castra Madian in valle ad septentrionalem plagam collis Moreh.

1. Then Jerubba'al (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the spring of Harod; and the camp of Mid'ian was north of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.

2. Dixitque Dominus ad Gedeon: “Maior tecum est populus, quam ut tradatur Madian in manus eius, ne glorietur contra me Israel et dicat: “Meis viribus liberatus sum”.

2. The LORD said to Gideon, "The people with you are too many for me to give the Mid'ianites into their hand, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, `My own hand has delivered me.'

3. Loquere ad populum et, cunctis audientibus, praedica: “Qui formidolosus et timidus est, revertatur et recedat de monte Gelboe””. Et reversa sunt ex populo viginti duo milia virorum; et tantum decem milia remanserunt.

3. Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, `Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home.'" And Gideon tested them; twenty-two thousand returned, and ten thousand remained.

4. Dixitque Dominus ad Gedeon: “Adhuc populus multus est; duc eos ad aquas, et ibi probabo illos, et, de quo dixero tibi ut tecum vadat, ipse pergat; quem ire prohibuero, revertatur”.

4. And the LORD said to Gideon, "The people are still too many; take them down to the water and I will test them for you there; and he of whom I say to you, `This man shall go with you,' shall go with you; and any of whom I say to you, `This man shall not go with you,' shall not go."

5. Cumque deduxisset populum ad aquas, dixit Dominus ad Gedeon: “Qui lingua lambuerint aquas, sicut solent canes lambere, separabis eos seorsum; qui autem curvatis genibus biberint, in altera parte erunt”.

5. So he brought the people down to the water; and the LORD said to Gideon, "Every one that laps the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set by himself; likewise every one that kneels down to drink."

6. Fuit itaque numerus eorum, qui manu ad os proiciente aquas lambuerant, trecenti viri; omnis autem reliqua multitudo flexo poplite biberat.

6. And the number of those that lapped, putting their hands to their mouths, was three hundred men; but all the rest of the people knelt down to drink water.

7. Et ait Dominus ad Gedeon: “In trecentis viris, qui lambuerunt aquas, liberabo vos et tradam Madian in manu tua; omnis autem reliqua multitudo revertatur in locum suum”.

7. And the LORD said to Gideon, "With the three hundred men that lapped I will deliver you, and give the Mid'ianites into your hand; and let all the others go every man to his home."

8. Sumptis itaque pro numero cibariis et tubis, omnem reliquam multitudinem abire praecepit ad tabernacula sua et ipse trecentos viros tenuit. Castra autem Madian erant subter eum in valle.

8. So he took the jars of the people from their hands, and their trumpets; and he sent all the rest of Israel every man to his tent, but retained the three hundred men; and the camp of Mid'ian was below him in the valley.

9. Eadem nocte dixit Dominus ad eum: “Surge et descende in castra, quia tradidi ea in manu tua.

9. That same night the LORD said to him, "Arise, go down against the camp; for I have given it into your hand.

10. Sin autem ire formidas, descendat tecum Phara puer tuus.

10. But if you fear to go down, go down to the camp with Purah your servant;

11. Et, cum audieris quid loquantur, tunc confortabuntur manus tuae, et securior ad hostium castra descendes”. Descendit ergo ipse et Phara puer eius in partem castrorum, ubi erant armatorum vigiliae.

11. and you shall hear what they say, and afterward your hands shall be strengthened to go down against the camp." Then he went down with Purah his servant to the outposts of the armed men that were in the camp.

12. Madian autem et Amalec et omnes orientales populi fusi iacebant in valle ut locustarum multitudo; cameli quoque innumerabiles erant sicut arena, quae iacet in litoribus maris.

12. And the Mid'ianites and the Amal'ekites and all the people of the East lay along the valley like locusts for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand which is upon the seashore for multitude.

13. Cumque venisset Gedeon, narrabat aliquis somnium proximo suo et dicebat: “Ecce vidi somnium, et videbatur mihi quasi subcinericius panis ex hordeo volvi et in Madian castra descendere; cumque pervenisset ad tabernaculum, percussit illud atque subvertit et terrae funditus coaequavit”.

13. When Gideon came, behold, a man was telling a dream to his comrade; and he said, "Behold, I dreamed a dream; and lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Mid'ian, and came to the tent, and struck it so that it fell, and turned it upside down, so that the tent lay flat."

14. Respondit is, cui loquebatur: “Non est hoc aliud nisi gladius Gedeonis filii Ioas viri Israelitae; tradidit Deus in manu eius Madian et omnia castra eius”.

14. And his comrade answered, "This is no other than the sword of Gideon the son of Jo'ash, a man of Israel; into his hand God has given Mid'ian and all the host."

15. Cumque audisset Gedeon somnium et interpretationem eius, adoravit et reversus ad castra Israel ait: “Surgite, tradidit enim Dominus in manus vestras castra Madian”.

15. When Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped; and he returned to the camp of Israel, and said, "Arise; for the LORD has given the host of Mid'ian into your hand."

16. Divisitque trecentos viros in tres partes et dedit tubas in manibus eorum lagoenasque vacuas ac lampades in medio lagoenarum

16. And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and put trumpets into the hands of all of them and empty jars, with torches inside the jars.

17. et dixit ad eos: “Quod me facere videritis, hoc facite; ingrediar extremam partem castrorum, et, quod fecero, sectamini.

17. And he said to them, "Look at me, and do likewise; when I come to the outskirts of the camp, do as I do.

18. Quando personaverit tuba in manu mea et omnium eorum, qui mecum sunt, vos quoque per castrorum circuitum clangite et conclamate: “Domino et Gedeoni!””.

18. When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then blow the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and shout, `For the LORD and for Gideon.'"

19. Ingressusque est Gedeon et trecenti viri, qui erant cum eo, extremam partem castrorum, incipientibus vigiliis noctis mediae, cum eo ipso tempore custodes mutati essent, et coeperunt bucinis clangere et conterere lagoenas.

19. So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, when they had just set the watch; and they blew the trumpets and smashed the jars that were in their hands.

20. Cumque in tribus personarent turmis et hydrias confregissent, tenuerunt sinistris manibus lampades et dextris sonantes tubas clamaveruntque: “Gladius Domino et Gedeoni!”,

20. And the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the jars, holding in their left hands the torches, and in their right hands the trumpets to blow; and they cried, "A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!"

21. stantes singuli in loco suo per circuitum castrorum hostilium. Omnia itaque castra turbata sunt, et vociferantes ululantesque fugerunt.

21. They stood every man in his place round about the camp, and all the army ran; they cried out and fled.

22. Et insistebant trecenti viri bucinis personantes. Immisitque Dominus gladium in omnibus castris, et mutua se caede truncabant fugientes usque Bethsetta, Sareda et crepidinem Abelmehula in Tebbath.

22. When they blew the three hundred trumpets, the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow and against all the army; and the army fled as far as Beth-shit'tah toward Zer'erah, as far as the border of A'bel-meho'lah, by Tabbath.

23. Convocati autem viri Israel de Nephthali et Aser et omni Manasse persequebantur Madian.

23. And the men of Israel were called out from Naph'tali and from Asher and from all Manas'seh, and they pursued after Mid'ian.

24. Misitque Gedeon nuntios in omnem montem Ephraim dicens: “Descendite in occursum Madian et occupate aquas usque Bethbera atque Iordanem”. Omnis Ephraim praeoccupavit aquas usque Bethbera atque Iordanem.

24. And Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of E'phraim, saying, "Come down against the Mid'ianites and seize the waters against them, as far as Beth-bar'ah, and also the Jordan." So all the men of E'phraim were called out, and they seized the waters as far as Beth-bar'ah, and also the Jordan.

25. Apprehensosque duos principes Madian Oreb et Zeb interfecit Oreb in Petra Oreb, Zeb vero in Torculari Zeb; et persecuti sunt Madian capita Oreb et Zeb portantes ad Gedeon trans fluenta Iordanis.

25. And they took the two princes of Mid'ian, Oreb and Zeeb; they killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb they killed at the wine press of Zeeb, as they pursued Mid'ian; and they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon beyond the Jordan.