1. The Israelites did evil in the lord’s sight. So the lord handed them over to the Midianites for seven years.
2. The Midianites were so cruel that the Israelites made hiding places for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds.
3. Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, marauders from Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east would attack Israel,
4. camping in the land and destroying crops as far away as Gaza. They left the Israelites with nothing to eat, taking all the sheep, goats, cattle, and donkeys.
5. These enemy hordes, coming with their livestock and tents, were as thick as locusts; they arrived on droves of camels too numerous to count. And they stayed until the land was stripped bare.
6. So Israel was reduced to starvation by the Midianites. Then the Israelites cried out to the lord for help.
7. When they cried out to the lord because of Midian,