Liber Iudicum, 6

1. fecerunt autem filii Israël malum in conspectu Domini qui tradidit eos in manu Madian septem annis

1. 1O And I said: I am the Lord your God, fear not the gods of the Amorrhites, in whose land you dwell. And you would not hear my voice.

2. et oppressi sunt valde ab eis feceruntque sibi antra et speluncas in montibus et munitissima ad repugnandum loca

2. And they were grievously oppressed by them. And they made themselves dens and eaves in the mountains, and strong holds to resist.

3. cumque sevisset Israël ascendebat Madian et Amalech et ceteri orientalium nationum

3. And when Israel had sown, Madian and Amalec, and the rest of the eastern nations came up:

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. And pitching their tents among them, wasted all things as they were in the blade even to the entrance of Gaza: and they left nothing at all in Israel for sustenance of life, nor sheep, nor oxen, nor asses.

5. ipsi enim et universi greges eorum veniebant cum tabernaculis et instar lucustarum universa conplebant innumera multitudo hominum et camelorum quicquid tetigerant devastantes

5. For they and all their flocks came with their tents, and like locusts filled all places, an innumerable multitude of men, and of camels, wasting whatsoever they touched.

6. humiliatusque est Israël valde in conspectu Madian

6. And Israel was humbled exceedingly in the sight of Madian.

7. et clamavit ad Dominum postulans auxilium contra Madianitas

7. And he cried to the Lord desiring help against the Madianites.

8. qui misit ad eos virum prophetam et locutus est hæc dicit Dominus Deus Israël ego vos feci conscendere de Ægypto et eduxi de domo servitutis

8. And he sent unto them a prophet, and he spoke: Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: I made you to come up out of Egypt, and brought you out of the house of bondage,

9. et liberavi de manu Ægyptiorum et omnium inimicorum qui adfligebant vos ejecique eos ad introitum vestrum et tradidi vobis terram eorum

9. And delivered you out of the hands of the Egyptians, and of all the enemies that afflicted you: and I cast them out at your coming in, and gave you their land.

10. et dixi ego Dominus Deus vester ne timeatis deos Amorreorum in quorum terra habitatis et noluistis audire vocem meam

10.

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. And an angel of the Lord came, and sat under an oak, that was in Ephra, and belonged to Joas the father of the family of Ezri. And when Gedeon his son was threshing and cleansing wheat by the winepress, to flee from Madian,

12. apparuit ei et ait Dominus tecum virorum fortissime

12. The angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said: The Lord is with thee, O most valiant of men.

13. dixitque ei Gedeon obsecro Domine si Dominus nobiscum est cur adprehenderunt nos hæc omnia ubi sunt mirabilia ejus quæ narraverunt patres nostri atque dixerunt de Ægypto eduxit nos Dominus nunc autem dereliquit nos et tradidit in manibus Madian

13. And Gedeon said to him: I beseech thee, my lord, if the Lord be with us, why have these evils fallen upon us? Where are his miracles, which our fathers have told us of, saying: The Lord brought us Out of Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the bands of Madian.

14. respexitque ad eum Dominus et ait vade in hac fortitudine tua et liberabis Israël de manu Madian scito quod miserim te

14. And the Lord looked upon him, and said: Go in this thy strength, and then shalt deliver Israel out of the hand of Madian: know that I have sent thee.

15. qui respondens ait obsecro Domine mi in quo liberabo Israël ecce familia mea infima est in Manasse et ego minimus in domo patris mei

15. He answered and said: I beseech thee, my lord, wherewith shall I deliver Israel? Behold my family is the meanest in Manasses, and I am the least in my father's house.

16. dixitque ei Dominus ego ero tecum et percuties Madian quasi unum virum

16. And the Lord said to him: I will be with thee: and thou shalt cut off Madian as one man.

17. et ille si inveni inquit gratiam coram te da mihi signum quod tu sis qui loquaris ad me

17. And he said: If I have found grace before thee, give me a sign that it is thou that speakest to me,

18. ne recedas hinc donec revertar ad te portans sacrificium et offerens tibi qui respondit ego præstolabor adventum tuum

18. And depart not hence, till I return to thee, and bring a sacrifice, and offer it to thee. And he answered: I will wait thy coming.

19. ingressus est itaque Gedeon et coxit hedum et de farinæ modio azymos panes carnesque ponens in canistro et jus carnium mittens in ollam tulit omnia sub quercum et obtulit ei

19. So Gedeon went in, and boiled a kid, and made unleavened loaves of a measure of flour: and putting the flesh in a basket, and the broth of the flesh into a pot, he carried all under the oak, and presented to him.

20. cui dixit angelus Domini tolle carnes et panes azymos et pone super petram illam et jus desuper funde cumque fecisset ita

20. And the angel of the Lord said to him: Take the flesh and the unleavened loaves, and lay them upon that rock, and pour out the broth thereon. And when he had done so,

21. extendit angelus Domini summitatem virgæ quam tenebat in manu et tetigit carnes et azymos panes ascenditque ignis de petra et carnes azymosque consumpsit angelus autem Domini evanuit ex oculis ejus

21. The angel of the Lord put forth the tip of the rod, which he held in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened loaves: and there arose a fire from the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened loaves: and the angel of the Lord vanished out of his sight.

22. vidensque Gedeon quod esset angelus Domini ait heu mihi Domine Deus quia vidi angelum Domini facie ad faciem

22. And Gedeon seeing that it was the angel of the Lord, said: Alas, my Lord God: for I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.

23. dixitque ei Dominus pax tecum ne timeas non morieris

23. And the Lord said to him: Peace be with thee: fear not, thou shalt not die.

24. ædificavit ergo ibi Gedeon altare Domino vocavitque illud Domini pax usque in præsentem diem cum adhuc esset in Ephra quæ est familiæ Ezri

24. And Gedeon built there an altar to the Lord, and called it the Lord's peace, until this present day. And when he was yet in Ephra, which is of the family of Ezri,

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. That night the Lord said to him: Take a bullock of thy father's, and another bullock of seven years, and thou shalt destroy the altar of Baal, which is thy father's: and cut down the grove that is about the altar:

26. et ædificabis altare Domino Deo tuo in summitate petræ hujus super quam sacrificium ante posuisti tollesque taurum secundum et offeres holocaustum super lignorum struem quæ de nemore succideris

26. And thou shalt build an altar to the Lord thy God in the top of this rock, whereupon thou didst lay the sacrifice before: and thou shalt take the second bullock, and shalt offer a holocaust upon a pile of the wood, which thou shalt cut down out of the grove.

27. adsumptis igitur Gedeon decem viris de servis suis fecit sicut præceperat Dominus timens autem domum patris sui et homines illius civitatis per diem facere noluit sed omnia nocte conplevit

27. Then Gedeon taking ten men of his servants, did as the Lord had commanded him. But fearing his father's house, and the men of that city, he would not do it by day, but did all by night.

28. cumque surrexissent viri oppidi ejus mane viderunt destructam aram Baal lucumque succisum et taurum alterum inpositum super altare quod tunc ædificatum erat

28. And when the men of that town were risen in the morning, they saw the altar of Baal destroyed, and the grove cut down, and the second bullock laid upon the altar, which then was built.

29. dixeruntque ad invicem quis hoc fecit cumque perquirerent auctorem facti dictum est Gedeon filius Joas fecit hæc omnia

29. And they said one to another: Who hath done this? And when they inquired for the author of the fact, it was said: Gedeon the son of Joas did all this.

30. et dixerunt ad Joas produc filium tuum ut moriatur quia destruxit aram Baal et succidit nemus

30. And they said to Joas: Bring out thy son hither, that he may die: because he hath destroyed the altar of Baal, and hath cut down his grove.

31. quibus ille respondit numquid ultores estis Baal et pugnatis pro eo qui adversarius ejus est moriatur antequam lux crastina veniat si deus est vindicet se de eo qui suffodit aram ejus

31. He answered them: Are you the avengers of Baal, that you fight for him? he that is his adversary, let him die before to morrow light appear: if he be a god, let him revenge himself on him that hath cast down his altar.

32. ex illo die vocatus est Gedeon Hierobbaal eo quod dixisset Joas ulciscatur se de eo Baal qui suffodit altare ejus

32. From that day Gedeon was called Jerobaal, because Joss had said: Let Baal revenge himself on him that hath cast down his altar.

33. igitur omnis Madian et Amalech et orientales populi congregati sunt simul et transeuntes Jordanem castrametati sunt in valle Jezraël

33. Now all Madian, and Amalec, and the eastern people were gathered together, and passing over the Jordan, camped in the valley of Jezrael.

34. spiritus autem Domini induit Gedeon qui clangens bucina convocavit domum Abiezer ut sequeretur

34. But the spirit of the Lord came upon Gedeon, and be sounded the trumpet and called together the house of Abiezer, to follow him.

35. misitque nuntios in universum Manassen qui et ipse secutus est eum et alios nuntios in Aser et Zabulon et Nepthalim qui occurrerunt ei

35. And he sent messengers into all Manasses, and they also followed him: and other messengers into Aser and Zabulon and Nephtali, and they came to meet him.

36. dixitque Gedeon ad Dominum si salvum facis per manum meam Israël sicut locutus es

36. And Gedeon said to God: If thou wilt save Israel by my hand, as thou hast said,

37. ponam vellus hoc 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. I will put this fleece of wool on the floor: if there be dew on the fleece only, and it be dry on all the ground beside, I, shall know that by my hand, as thou hast said, thou wilt deliver Israel.

38. factumque est ita et de nocte consurgens expresso vellere concam rore conplevit

38. And it was so. And rising before day wringing the fleece, he filled a vessel with the dew.

39. dixitque rursus ad Dominum ne irascatur furor tuus contra me si adhuc semel temptavero signum quærens in vellere oro ut solum vellus siccum sit et omnis terra rore madens

39. And he said again to God: let not thy wrath be kindled against me if I try once more, seeking a sign in the fleece. I pray that the fleece only may be dry, and all the ground wet with dew.

40. fecitque Dominus nocte illa ut postulaverat et fuit siccitas in solo vellere et ros in omni terra

40. And God did that night as he had requested: and it was dry on the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.