1. The Israelites did evil in the eyes of Yahweh, and Yahweh gave them into the hand of the Midianites for seven years.
2. The hand of the Midianites prevailed over Israel; because of the presence of the Midianites, the Israelites made for themselves hiding places that were in the mountains, caves, and strongholds.
3. And whenever Israel sowed seed, the Midianites, Amalekites, and the people of the east would come up against them.
4. They would camp against them and destroy the produce of the land as far as Gaza; they left no produce in Israel, or sheep, ox, or donkey.
5. For they, their livestock, and their tents would come up like a great number of locusts; they and their camels could not be counted; they came into the land and devoured it.
6. Israel was very poor because of the presence of the Midianites, and the Israelites cried out to Yahweh.
7. When the Israelites cried out to Yahweh on account of the Midianites,
8. Yahweh sent a prophet to the Israelites, and he said to them, “Thus says Yahweh the God of Israel: ‘I brought you up from Egypt; I brought you from the house of slavery.