Lesson 041
In time, Israel again turned away from Jehovah and began to worship false gods.
Ọ ghaa mwẹ asẹ ọkpa ne Ivbi Izrẹl ya werriegbe suẹn gha ga ẹbọ.
For seven years, the Midianites stole the Israelites’ animals and destroyed their crops.
Ọwara ukpo ihinrọn ẹre Ivbi e Midian ya gha do ẹre viọ ighẹ emwi irri ọghe Ivbi Izrẹl, iran na vbe gha guọghọ emwi okọ ọghe iran.
To escape from the Midianites, the Israelites hid in caves and in the mountains.
Ivbi Izrẹl keghi ya lẹre ye uvun okuta kevbe uhunmwu oke, ne obọ Ivbi e Midian ghẹ mieke na vba iran.
They begged Jehovah to save them.
Iran keghi rinmwia e Jehova nọ miẹn iran fan.
So Jehovah sent an angel to a young man named Gideon.
Ẹre Jehova na ghi gie odibo ọghẹe gie okpia ọkpa na tie ẹre Gidiọn.
The angel said:
Odibosa nii keghi tama rẹn wẹẹ:
‘Jehovah has chosen you to be a mighty warrior.’
‘E Jehova zẹ ruẹ nẹ, ne u gha re ovbi iyokuo nọ wegbe.’
Gideon asked:
E Gidiọn keghi nọ rẹn wẹẹ:
‘How can I save Israel? I am nothing.’
‘De vbene imẹ ne ẹi re ọmwa agbọn, khian ya miẹn Ivbi Izrẹl fan hẹ?’
How would Gideon know that Jehovah had chosen him? He put a piece of wool on the ground and said to Jehovah:
Ne Gidiọn ya rẹn wẹẹ, e Jehova gele zẹ irẹn, ọ na rhie iku oru ye otọ, ọ na tama e Jehova wẹẹ:
‘In the morning, if the wool is wet from the dew but the ground is dry, I will know that you want me to save Israel.’
‘Adeghẹ amẹ na gha rre iku oru na vbe owiẹ ne akhuẹ, vbe evbu gha tuo yan rẹn, sokpan otọ nọ ye na ka, I ghi rẹn wẹẹ uwẹ ẹre ọ gele zẹ mwẹ ne I miẹn Ivbi Izrẹl fan.’
The next morning, the wool was soaking wet and the ground was dry!
Vbe ẹdẹ ghi gbe, amẹ na vuọn iku oru nii, vbene otọ nọ ye na ka!
But then Gideon asked that the next morning the wool be dry and the ground wet.
Sokpan e Gidiọn na vbe kha wẹẹ, ne iku oru nii ka, ne amẹ gha rre otọ vbe ẹdẹ gha vbe gbe.
When that happened, Gideon was finally convinced that Jehovah had chosen him.
Ọ ghi vbe sunu vberriọ, e Gidiọn na do yayi wẹẹ, e Jehova gele zẹ irẹn.
He gathered his soldiers to fight the Midianites.
Ẹre ọ na si ivbi iyokuo ọghẹe koko ne iran ya gu Ivbi e Midian khọn.
Jehovah told Gideon:
E Jehova keghi tama e Gidiọn wẹẹ:
‘I will give the Israelites victory.
‘I gha ruẹ ne Ivbi Izrẹl khọn miotọ.
But because you have so many soldiers, you might think that you won the battle by yourselves.
Sokpan ne ivbi iyokuo ruẹ na wa bun, uwa sẹtin gha roro ẹre wẹẹ uwa tobọ uwa ẹre ọ khọn miotọ.
Tell anyone who is afraid that he should go home.’
Tama ọmwaikọmwa ne ohan mu, ne ọ gha rrie owa.’
So 22,000 soldiers went home, and 10,000 remained.
Ẹre ivbi iyokuo 22,000 na gha rrie owa, sokpan 10,000 na mudia.
Jehovah then said:
E Jehova keghi kha wẹẹ:
‘There are still too many soldiers.
‘Ivbi iyokuo ni dekẹ ye bun gbe.
Bring them to the stream, and tell them to drink the water.
Viọ iran gha rrie ẹzẹ, ne u gi iran ya wọn amẹ.
Keep with you only those who watch out for the enemy while they drink.’
Ọmwaikọmwa nọ ghi wọn amẹ, ọ na vbe gha bodẹ, ẹre ọ khian lele ruẹ gha rrie nene okuo.’
Only 300 of the men stayed alert while they drank.
Ivbi iyokuo 300 ọkpa kẹkan ẹre ọ ghaa bodẹ vbe iran wọn amẹ.
Jehovah promised that these few men would conquer the 135,000 Midianite soldiers.
E Jehova keghi tama rẹn wẹẹ ivbi iyokuo na, ẹre ọ khian khọn miotọ yan ivbi iyokuo e Midian ni re 135,000.
During that night, Jehovah told Gideon:
Vbe asọn nii, e Jehova keghi tama e Gidiọn wẹẹ:
‘Now is the time to attack the Midianites!’
‘Ọna ẹre ọ wa re ẹghẹ ne uwa khian ya guọghọ Ivbi e Midian!’
Gideon gave his men horns and large jars with torches hidden inside.
E Gidiọn keghi viọ okpe, ovbieluba kevbe ukpa ne ivbi iyokuo ọghẹe.
He told them:
Ọ na tama iran wẹẹ:
‘Watch me, and do exactly what I do.’
‘Wa gha ghee mwẹ, ne uwa ru emwi ne I rhirhi ru.’
Gideon blew his horn, smashed his jar, waved his torch, and shouted:
E Gidiọn keghi kpee okpe, ọ na gbe ovbieluba ọghẹe, ọ na vbe fieghe ukpa nọ mu mwẹ obọ, ẹre ọ na datu wẹẹ:
‘The sword of Jehovah and of Gideon!’
‘Umozo ọghe Jehova kevbe ọghe Gidiọn!’
All of his 300 men did the same.
Ivbi iyokuo ọghẹe ni re 300 na vbe ru vberriọ zẹẹ.
The Midianites were terrified and ran wildly in all directions.
Orrirri keghi gbe kue Ivbi e Midian, ẹre iran na gha lẹẹ gbe egbe.
In the chaos, they began to attack one another.
Rhunmwuda ezagha nọ la iran egbe, iran na suẹn gha gbele egbe rua.
Once again, Jehovah helped the Israelites conquer their enemies.
E Jehova keghi werriegbe ru iyobọ ne Ivbi Izrẹl ya khọn miotọ yan eghian ọghe iran.
“So that the power beyond what is normal may be God’s and not from us.”—2 Corinthians 4:7
“Ne a miẹn ehe na rhie ma wẹ, ẹtin ne ọ sẹ ehia, ọghe Osanobua nọ, ighẹ ẹi re ọghe ọmwa.”—2 Kọrinti 4:7
Questions:
Inọta:
How did Jehovah prove to Gideon that He had chosen him?
De vbene Jehova ya rhiẹre ma hẹ wẹẹ irẹn ẹre ọ zẹ e Gidiọn?
Why did Gideon’s army have only 300 men?
Vbọsiẹ ne Gidiọn na viọ ivbi iyokuo 300 ọkpa lele egbe?