In time, Israel again turned away from Jehovah and began to worship false gods. For seven years, the Midianites stole the Israelites’ animals and destroyed their crops. To escape from the Midianites, the Israelites hid in caves and in the mountains. They begged Jehovah to save them. So Jehovah sent an angel to a young man named Gideon. The angel said: ‘Jehovah has chosen you to be a mighty warrior.’ Gideon asked: ‘How can I save Israel? I am nothing.’

How would Gideon know that Jehovah had chosen him? He put a piece of wool on the ground and said to Jehovah: ‘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.’ The next morning, the wool was soaking wet and the ground was dry! But then Gideon asked that the next morning the wool be dry and the ground wet. When that happened, Gideon was finally convinced that Jehovah had chosen him. He gathered his soldiers to fight the Midianites.

 Jehovah told Gideon: ‘I will give the Israelites victory. But because you have so many soldiers, you might think that you won the battle by yourselves. Tell anyone who is afraid that he should go home.’ So 22,000 soldiers went home, and 10,000 remained. Jehovah then said: ‘There are still too many soldiers. Bring them to the stream, and tell them to drink the water. Keep with you only those who watch out for the enemy while they drink.’ Only 300 of the men stayed alert while they drank. Jehovah promised that these few men would conquer the 135,000 Midianite soldiers.

During that night, Jehovah told Gideon: ‘Now is the time to attack the Midianites!’ Gideon gave his men horns and large jars with torches hidden inside. He told them: ‘Watch me, and do exactly what I do.’ Gideon blew his horn, smashed his jar, waved his torch, and shouted: ‘The sword of Jehovah and of Gideon!’ All of his 300 men did the same. The Midianites were terrified and ran wildly in all directions. In the chaos, they began to attack one another. Once again, Jehovah helped the Israelites conquer their enemies.

Ọ ghaa mwẹ asẹ ọkpa ne Ivbi Izrẹl ya werriegbe suẹn gha ga ẹbọ. 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. Ivbi Izrẹl keghi ya lẹre ye uvun okuta kevbe uhunmwu oke, ne obọ Ivbi e Midian ghẹ mieke na vba iran. Iran keghi rinmwia e Jehova nọ miẹn iran fan. Ẹre Jehova na ghi gie odibo ọghẹe gie okpia ọkpa na tie ẹre Gidiọn. Odibosa nii keghi tama rẹn wẹẹ: ‘E Jehova zẹ ruẹ nẹ, ne u gha re ovbi iyokuo nọ wegbe.’ E Gidiọn keghi nọ rẹn wẹẹ: ‘De vbene imẹ ne ẹi re ọmwa agbọn, khian ya miẹn Ivbi Izrẹl fan hẹ?’

Ne Gidiọn ya rẹn wẹẹ, e Jehova gele zẹ irẹn, ọ na rhie iku oru ye otọ, ọ na tama e Jehova wẹẹ: ‘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.’ Vbe ẹdẹ ghi gbe, amẹ na vuọn iku oru nii, vbene otọ nọ ye na ka! Sokpan e Gidiọn na vbe kha wẹẹ, ne iku oru nii ka, ne amẹ gha rre otọ vbe ẹdẹ gha vbe gbe. Ọ ghi vbe sunu vberriọ, e Gidiọn na do yayi wẹẹ, e Jehova gele zẹ irẹn. Ẹre ọ na si ivbi iyokuo ọghẹe koko ne iran ya gu Ivbi e Midian khọn.

 E Jehova keghi tama e Gidiọn wẹẹ: ‘I gha ruẹ ne Ivbi Izrẹl khọn miotọ. Sokpan ne ivbi iyokuo ruẹ na wa bun, uwa sẹtin gha roro ẹre wẹẹ uwa tobọ uwa ẹre ọ khọn miotọ. Tama ọmwaikọmwa ne ohan mu, ne ọ gha rrie owa.’ Ẹre ivbi iyokuo 22,000 na gha rrie owa, sokpan 10,000 na mudia. E Jehova keghi kha wẹẹ: ‘Ivbi iyokuo ni dekẹ ye bun gbe. Viọ iran gha rrie ẹzẹ, ne u gi iran ya wọn amẹ. Ọmwaikọmwa nọ ghi wọn amẹ, ọ na vbe gha bodẹ, ẹre ọ khian lele ruẹ gha rrie nene okuo.’ Ivbi iyokuo 300 ọkpa kẹkan ẹre ọ ghaa bodẹ vbe iran wọn amẹ. E Jehova keghi tama rẹn wẹẹ ivbi iyokuo na, ẹre ọ khian khọn miotọ yan ivbi iyokuo e Midian ni re 135,000.

Vbe asọn nii, e Jehova keghi tama e Gidiọn wẹẹ: ‘Ọna ẹre ọ wa re ẹghẹ ne uwa khian ya guọghọ Ivbi e Midian!’ E Gidiọn keghi viọ okpe, ovbieluba kevbe ukpa ne ivbi iyokuo ọghẹe. Ọ na tama iran wẹẹ: ‘Wa gha ghee mwẹ, ne uwa ru emwi ne I rhirhi ru.’ E Gidiọn keghi kpee okpe, ọ na gbe ovbieluba ọghẹe, ọ na vbe fieghe ukpa nọ mu mwẹ obọ, ẹre ọ na datu wẹẹ: ‘Umozo ọghe Jehova kevbe ọghe Gidiọn!’ Ivbi iyokuo ọghẹe ni re 300 na vbe ru vberriọ zẹẹ. Orrirri keghi gbe kue Ivbi e Midian, ẹre iran na gha lẹẹ gbe egbe. Rhunmwuda ezagha nọ la iran egbe, iran na suẹn gha gbele egbe rua. E Jehova keghi werriegbe ru iyobọ ne Ivbi Izrẹl ya khọn miotọ yan eghian ọghe iran.