Study Desk

Sisera asked for water, and she gave him milk. In a bowl fit for nobles, she brought him yogurt.

Then with her left hand she reached for a tent peg, and with her right hand for the workman's hammer. She struck Sisera with the hammer, crushing his head. With a shattering blow, she pierced his temples.

"From the window Sisera's mother looked out. Through the window she watched for his return, saying, ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why don't we hear the sound of chariot wheels?'

‘They must be dividing the captured plunder— with a woman or two for every man. There will be colorful robes for Sisera, and colorful, embroidered robes for me. Yes, the plunder will include colorful robes embroidered on both sides.'

" Lord , may all your enemies die like Sisera! But may those who love you rise like the sun in all its power!" Then there was peace in the land for forty years.

The Israelites did evil in the Lord 's sight. So the Lord handed them over to the Midianites for seven years.

The Midianites were so cruel that the Israelites made hiding places for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds.

So Israel was reduced to starvation by the Midianites. Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help.

"Bring out your son," the men of the town demanded of Joash. "He must die for destroying the altar of Baal and for cutting down the Asherah pole."

Then Gideon said to God, "Please don't be angry with me, but let me make one more request. Let me use the fleece for one more test. This time let the fleece remain dry while the ground around it is wet with dew."

That night the Lord said, "Get up! Go down into the Midianite camp, for I have given you victory over them!

When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship before the Lord . Then he returned to the Israelite camp and shouted, "Get up! For the Lord has given you victory over the Midianite hordes!"

As soon as I and those with me blow the rams' horns, blow your horns, too, all around the entire camp, and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon!'"

Then all three groups blew their horns and broke their jars. They held the blazing torches in their left hands and the horns in their right hands, and they all shouted, "A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!"

Then Gideon sent for the warriors of Naphtali, Asher, and Manasseh, who joined in chasing the army of Midian.

Then the people of Ephraim asked Gideon, "Why have you treated us this way? Why didn't you send for us when you first went out to fight the Midianites?" And they argued heatedly with Gideon.

From there Gideon went up to Peniel and again asked for food, but he got the same answer.

By this time Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with about 15,000 warriors—all that remained of the allied armies of the east, for 120,000 had already been killed.

Turning to Jether, his oldest son, he said, "Kill them!" But Jether did not draw his sword, for he was only a boy and was afraid.

Then the Israelites said to Gideon, "Be our ruler! You and your son and your grandson will be our rulers, for you have rescued us from Midian."