2. Because the Midianites were very powerful and were cruel to Israel, the Israelites made hiding places in the mountains, in caves, and in safe places.
3. Whenever the Israelites planted crops, the Midianites, Amalekites, and other peoples from the east would come and attack them.
4. They camped in the land and destroyed the crops that the Israelites had planted as far away as Gaza. They left nothing for Israel to eat, and no sheep, cattle, or donkeys.
5. The Midianites came with their tents and their animals like swarms of locusts to ruin the land. There were so many people and camels they could not be counted.
6. Israel became very poor because of the Midianites, so they cried out to the Lord.
7. When the Israelites cried out to the Lord against the Midianites,
8. the Lord sent a prophet to them. He said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I brought you out of Egypt, the land of slavery.
9. I saved you from the Egyptians and from all those who were against you. I forced the Canaanites out of their land and gave it to you.
10. Then I said to you, ‘I am the Lord your God. Live in the land of the Amorites, but do not worship their gods.’ But you did not obey me.”
11. The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak tree at Ophrah that belonged to Joash, one of the Abiezrite people. Gideon, Joash’s son, was separating some wheat from the chaff in a winepress to keep the wheat from the Midianites.
12. The angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon and said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior!”