Study Desk

Ehud came to him; he was sitting alone by himself in his upstairs room, where it was cool. Ehud said: "I have a message from God for you." As the king arose from his seat,

Thus God on that day defeated Yavin the king of Kena‘an in the presence of the people of Isra'el.

Hear, kings; listen, princes; I will sing to Adonai ! I will sing praise to Adonai the God of Isra'el.

The mountains melted at the presence of Adonai , at Sinai, before Adonai the God of Isra'el.

Adonai sent a prophet to the people of Isra'el, who said to them: " Adonai the God of Isra'el says, ‘I brought you up from Egypt, out of a life of slavery.

And I said to you: "I am Adonai your God; you are not to be afraid of the gods of the Emori in whose land you are living." But you paid no attention to what I said!'"

The angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and matzot, lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth." Gid‘on did so.

and build a proper altar to Adonai your God on top of this strong-point. Then take the second bull; and offer it as a burnt offering, using the wood of the sacred pole you cut down."

But Yo'ash said to all those crowding around him, "You're defending Ba‘al, are you? It's your job to save him? Anyone who defends Ba‘al will be put to death before morning! If he's a god, let him defend himself! After all, somebody destroyed his altar!"

Gid‘on said to God, "If you are going to save Isra'el through me, as you said you would,

But Gid‘on said to God, "Don't be angry with me because I am asking one more thing, let me make one more test, please: this time let it be dry only on the fleece, with dew all over the ground."

And that is what God did that night — it was dry only on the fleece, even though there was dew all over the ground.

His comrade answered, "This can only be the sword of Gid‘on son of Yo'ash, a man of Isra'el. God has given Midyan and all its army into his hands."

God handed over to you Midyan's chiefs, ‘Orev and Ze'ev. What could I do that matches what you did?" By saying that, he appeased their anger at him.

But as soon as Gid‘on was dead, the people of Isra'el again went astray after the ba‘alim and made Ba‘al-B'rit their god.

They forgot Adonai their God, who had saved them from the power of all their enemies on every side;

When they told this to Yotam, he went and stood on top of Mount G'rizim and shouted, "Listen to me, you leaders of Sh'khem; then God will listen to you!

But the olive tree replied, ‘Am I supposed to leave my oil, which is used to honor both God and humanity, just to go and hold sway over the trees?'

But the grapevine replied, ‘Am I supposed to leave my wine, which gives cheer to God and humanity, just to go and hold sway over the trees?'

But God sent a spirit of discord between Avimelekh and the men of Sh'khem, so that the men of Sh'khem dealt treacherously with Avimelekh.