Study Desk

Hear, O kings! Listen, O rulers! I will sing to the Lord. I will sing praise to the Lord, the God of Israel.

The mountains shook before the Lord. Mount Sinai shook before the Lord, the God of Israel.

And the Lord sent a man to speak for Him to the people of Israel. The man said to them, "The Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘I brought you here from Egypt. I brought you out of the house where you were made to work.

I said to you, "I am the Lord your God. Do not be afraid of the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live." But you have not obeyed Me.'"

The angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and the bread without yeast and lay them on this rock. Then pour out the water." Gideon did so.

So Gideon knew that he was the angel of the Lord. And he said, "I am afraid, O Lord God! For now I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face."

Build an altar to the Lord your God on the top of this strong place. Set the stones in the right way. Then take a second bull and give a burnt gift. Use the wood of the tree of the false goddess Asherah which you cut down."

But Joash said to all who were gathered against him, "Will you fight for Baal? Will you save him? Whoever will fight for him will be put to death this morning. If he is a god, let him fight for himself because someone has torn down his altar."

Then Gideon said to God, "Save Israel through me, as You have said.

Then Gideon said to God, "Do not let Your anger burn against me for speaking to You once again. Let me make one more test with the wool. Let it be dry only on the wool. And let the ground be wet all around it."

God did so that night. For it was dry only on the wool. And all the ground was wet around it.

His friend answered and said, "This is nothing else but the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel. God has given Midian and all the army into his hand."

When Gideon heard the story of the dream and what it meant, he bowed down and worshiped God. Then he returned to the tents of Israel and said, "Get up! For the Lord has given the army of Midian into your hands."

God has given the leaders of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb, into your hands. What was I able to do to compare with you?" They were no longer angry when he said that.

As soon as Gideon was dead, the people of Israel started again to worship the false gods of Baal. They made Baal-berith their god.

The people of Israel did not remember the Lord their God, Who had saved them from the power of all those around who hated them.

When it was told to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim. He called out to them in a loud voice, "Listen to me, O men of Shechem. So God may listen to you.

But the olive tree said to them, ‘Should I leave my riches of oil by which God and men are honored, and go to wave over the trees?'

But the vine said to them, ‘Should I leave my new wine which makes God and men happy, and go to wave over the trees?'

Then God sent a bad spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem. The men of Shechem were not faithful to Abimelech.