Judges 7

Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh.

وَفِي الصَّبَاحِ الْبَاكِرِ تَوَجَّهَ يَرُبَّعْلُ (جِدْعُونُ) وَجَيْشُهُ إِلَى عَيْنِ حَرُودَ وَخَيَّمُوا هُنَاكَ. وَكَانَ جَيْشُ الْمِدْيَانِيِّينَ مُعَسْكِراً إِلَى الشِّمَالِ مِنْهُمْ فِي الْوَادِي عِنْدَ تَلِّ مُورَةَ.

The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’

وَقَالَ الرَّبُّ لِجِدْعُونَ: «إِنَّ الْقَوْمَ الَّذِينَ مَعَكَ كَثِيرُونَ عَلَيَّ لِطَرْدِ الْمِدْيَانِيِّينَ بِيَدِهِمْ، لِئَلّا يَتَبَاهَى عَلَيَّ الإِسْرَائِيلِيُّونَ قَائِلِينَ: إِنَّ قُوَّتَنَا أَنْقَذَتْنَا.

Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.

وَالآنَ نَادِ فِي مَسَامِعِ الْقَوْمِ قَائِلاً: كُلُّ مَنْ هُوَ خَائِفٌ وَمُرْتَعِدٌ فَلْيَرْجِعْ مُنْصَرِفاً مِنْ جَبَلِ جِلْعَادَ». فَرَجَعَ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ اثْنَانِ وَعِشْرُونَ أَلْفاً وَبَقِيَ عَشَرَةُ آلافٍ.

But the Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there. If I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.”

وَقَالَ الرَّبُّ لِجِدْعُونَ: «لَمْ يَزَلْ عَدَدُ الْمُحَارِبِينَ كَبِيراً. انْزِلْ بِهِمْ إِلَى الْمَاءِ فَأُغَرْبِلَهُمْ لَكَ. فَيَذْهَبَ مَعَكَ مَنْ أَخْتَارُهُ لَكَ وَتَصْرِفُ عَنْكَ مَنْ أَرْفُضُهُ».

So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.”

فَنَزَلَ جِدْعُونُ بِالْجَيْشِ إِلَى الْمَاءِ. وَقَالَ الرَّبُّ لِجِدْعُونَ: «كُلُّ مَنْ يَلْعَقُ بِلِسَانِهِ مِنَ الْمَاءِ كَمَا يَلْعَقُ الْكَلْبُ أَوْقِفْهُ وَحْدَهُ، وَكُلُّ مَنْ جَثَا عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ لِلشُّرْبِ أَوْقِفْهُ وَحْدَهُ أَيْضاً».

Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.

فَكَانَ عَدَدُ الَّذِينَ غَرَفُوا الْمَاءَ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ وَلَعَقُوهُ ثَلاثَ مِئَةِ رَجُلٍ. وَأَمَّا بَاقِي الْجَيْشِ فَجَثَوْا عَلَى رُكَبِهِمْ لِشُرْبِ الْمَاءِ.

The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.”

فَقَالَ الرَّبُّ لِجِدْعُونَ: «سَأُخَلِّصُكُمْ وَأُظْفِرُكَ بِالْمِدْيَانِيِّينَ بِالثَّلاثِ مِئَةِ رَجُلٍ الَّذِينَ لَعَقُوا الْمَاءَ. وَلْيَنْصَرِفْ سَائِرُ الْقَوْمِ إِلَى أَمَاكِنِ سُكْنَاهُمْ».

So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites home but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others.

Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley.

فَصَرَفَ جِدْعُونُ بَقِيَّةَ الإِسْرَائِيلِيِّينَ إِلَى خِيَامِهِمْ بَعْدَ أَنْ أَخَذَ مَؤُونَتَهُمْ وَأَبْوَاقَهُمْ، وَاحْتَفَظَ فَقَطْ بِالثَّلاثِ مِئَةِ رَجُلٍ. وَكَانَ مُخَيَّمُ الْمِدْيَانِيِّينَ تَحْتَهُمْ فِي الْوَادِي.

During that night the Lord said to Gideon, “Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands.

وَقَالَ الرَّبُّ فِي تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةِ لِجِدْعُونَ: «قُمْ وَهَاجِمِ الْمُعَسْكَرَ، لأَنَّنِي مُزْمِعٌ أَنْ أُسَلِّمَهُ إِلَى يَدِكَ

If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah

وَإِنْ كُنْتَ خَائِفاً مِنْ مُهَاجَمَةِ الْمُعَسْكَرِ فَتَسَلَّلْ أَنْتَ وَفُورَةُ غُلَامُكَ إِلَيْهِ،

and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp.” So he and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp.

وَاسْتَمِعْ إِلَى حَدِيثِهِمْ، فَتَتَشَدَّدَ عَزِيمَتُكَ وَتَهْجُمَ عَلَى الْمُعَسْكَرِ». فَتَسَلَّلَ هُوَ وَفُورَةُ خَادِمُهُ وَكَمَنَ عِنْدَ طَرَفِ الْمُعَسْكَرِ قَرِيباً مِنْ مَقَرِّ آخِرِ الْمُتَجَنِّدِينَ.

The Midianites, the Amalekites and all the other eastern peoples had settled in the valley, thick as locusts. Their camels could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore.

وَكَانَ الْمِدْيَانِيُّونَ وَالْعَمَالِقَةُ وَسَائِرُ بَنِي الْمَشْرِقِ مُخَيِّمِينَ فِي الْوَادِي، فِي كَثْرَةِ الْجَرَادِ، وَجِمَالُهُمْ لَا تُحْصَى كَالرَّمْلِ الَّذِي عَلَى شَاطِئِ الْبَحْرِ.

Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. “I had a dream,” he was saying. “A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed.”

وَلَمَّا وَصَلَ جِدْعُونُ إِلَى مَكْمَنِهِ سَمِعَ رَجُلاً يُحَدِّثُ صَاحِبَهُ بِحُلْمٍ رَآهُ قَائِلا: «رَأَيْتُ فِي حُلْمِي وَإذَا رَغِيفُ خُبْزِ شَعِيرٍ يَتَدَحْرَجُ فِي مُعَسْكَرِ الْمِدْيَانِيِّينَ حَتَّى بَلَغَ الْخَيْمَةَ فَضَرَبَهَا فَسَقَطَتْ، وَقَلَبَهَا رَأْساً عَلَى عَقِبٍ».

His friend responded, “This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands.”

فَأَجَابَ صَاحِبُهُ: «لَيْسَ ذَلِكَ سِوَى سَيْفِ جِدْعُونَ بْنِ يُوآشَ قَائِدِ جَيْشِ إِسْرَائِيلَ، لَقَدْ أَظْفَرَهُ اللهُ عَلَى الْمِدْيَانِيِّينَ وَعَلَى كُلِّ الْجَيْشِ».

When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed down and worshiped. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, “Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands.”

فَلَمَّا سَمِعَ جِدْعُونُ حَدِيثَ الْحُلْمِ وَتَفْسِيرَهُ سَجَدَ، وَرَجَعَ إِلَى مُخَيَّمِ إِسْرَائِيلَ وَقَالَ: «هُبُّوا، فَقَدْ نَصَرَكُمُ الرَّبُّ عَلَى جَيْشِ الْمِدْيَانِيِّينَ».

Dividing the three hundred men into three companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside.

وَقَسَمَ الثَّلاثَ مِئَةِ رَجُلٍ إِلَى ثَلاثِ فِرَقٍ، وَوَزَّعَ عَلَى كُلٍّ مِنْهُمْ بُوقاً وَجَرَّةً فَارِغَةً فِي وَسَطِهَا مِصْبَاحٌ.

“Watch me,” he told them. “Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do.

وَقَالَ لَهُمْ: «انْظُرُوا إِلَيَّ وَافْعَلُوا مِثْلِي. عِنْدَمَا أَبْلُغُ طَرَفَ الْمُعَسْكَرِ، افْعَلُوا تَمَاماً كَمَا أَفْعَلُ.

When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.’”

وَمَتَى نَفَخْتُ أَنَا وَكُلُّ الَّذِينَ مَعِي بِالْبُوقِ، انْفُخُوا أَنْتُمْ أَيْضاً بِالأَبْوَاقِ حَوْلَ كُلِّ الْمُعَسْكَرِ وَقُولُوا: ’لِلرَّبِّ وَلِجِدْعُونَ‘.»

Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars that were in their hands.

فَأَقْبَلَ جِدْعُونُ وَفِرْقَتُهُ إِلَى طَرَفِ الْمُعَسْكَرِ فِي مُنْتَصَفِ اللَّيْلِ، بَعْدَ تَغْيِيرِ نَوْبَةِ الْحِرَاسَةِ، فَنَفَخُوا بِالأَبْوَاقِ وَحَطَّمُوا الْجِرَارَ الَّتِي بِأَيْدِيهِمْ.

The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!”

وَهَكَذَا نَفَخَتِ الْفِرَقُ الثَّلاثُ بِالأَبْوَاقِ وَحَطَّمُوا الْجِرَارَ وَأَمْسَكُوا الْمَصَابِيحَ بِأَيْدِيهِمِ الْيُسْرَى وَالأَبْوَاقَ بِأَيْدِيهِمِ الْيُمْنَى لِيَنْفُخُوا بِها صَارِخِينَ: «سَيْفٌ لِلرَّبِّ وَلِجِدْعُونَ».

While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled.

وَوَقَفَ كُلٌّ مِنْهُمْ فِي مَكَانِهِ حَوْلَ الْمُعَسْكَرِ، فَدَبَّ الذُّعْرُ فِي الْجَيْشِ وَتَرَاكَضُوا هَارِبِينَ صَارِخِينَ.

When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the Lord caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath.

وَعَادَتِ الْفِرَقُ الثَّلاثُ تَنْفُخُ فِي أَبْوَاقِهَا، فَجَعَلَ الرَّبُّ أَعْدَاءَهُمْ يُقَاتِلُونَ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضاً، وَأَغْمَدَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ سَيْفَهُ فِي صَاحِبِهِ وَفَرُّوا إِلَى بَيْتِ شِطَّةَ بِاتِّجَاهِ صَرَدَةَ حَتَّى بَلَغُوا آبَلَ مَحُولَةَ بِالْقُرْبِ مِنْ طَبَّاةَ.

Israelites from Naphtali, Asher and all Manasseh were called out, and they pursued the Midianites.

فَاسْتَدْعَى جِدْعُونُ رِجَالَ إِسْرَائِيلَ مِنْ نَفْتَالِي وَمِنْ أَشِيرَ وَمِنْ كُلِّ مَنَسَّى وَتَعَقَّبُوا الْمِدْيَانِيِّينَ.

Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against the Midianites and seize the waters of the Jordan ahead of them as far as Beth Barah.”

So all the men of Ephraim were called out and they seized the waters of the Jordan as far as Beth Barah.

وَبَعَثَ جِدْعُونُ بِرُسُلٍ إِلَى كُلِّ جَبَلِ أَفْرَايِمَ قَائِلاً: «انْزِلُوا لِلِقَاءِ الْمِدْيَانِيِّينَ وَاسْتَوْلُوا عَلَى مَوَاقِعِ عُبُورِ نَهْرِ الأُرْدُنِّ عِنْدَ بَيْتِ بَارَةَ». فَاحْتَشَدَ كُلُّ رِجَالِ أَفْرَايِمَ وَاسْتَوْلَوْا عَلَى مِيَاهِ الأُرْدُنِّ عِنْدَ بَيْتِ بَارَةَ،

They also captured two of the Midianite leaders, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. They pursued the Midianites and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, who was by the Jordan.

وَأَسَرُوا قَائِدَيِ الْمِدْيَانِيِّينَ غُرَاباً وَذِئْباً، فَقَتَلُوا غُرَاباً عَلَى صَخْرَةِ غُرَابٍ، وَأَمَّا ذِئْبٌ فَقَتَلُوهُ عِنْدَ مِعْصَرَةِ ذِئْبٍ. وَتَعَقَّبُوا الْمِدْيَانِيِّينَ ثُمَّ حَمَلُوا رَأْسَي غُرَابٍ وَذِئْبٍ إِلَى جِدْعُونَ عَبْرَ نَهْرِ الأُرْدُنِّ.