1. The people of Israel did what the Lord considered evil. So the Lord handed them over to Midian for seven years.
2. Midian’s power was too strong for Israel. The Israelites made hiding places in the mountains, caves, and mountain strongholds ⌊to protect themselves⌋ from Midian.
3. Whenever Israel planted crops, Midian, Amalek, and Kedem came and damaged the crops.
4. The enemy used to camp on the land and destroy the crops all the way to Gaza. They left nothing for Israel to live on—not one sheep, cow, or donkey.
5. Like swarms of locusts, they came with their livestock and their tents. They and their camels could not be counted. They came into the land only to ruin it.
6. So the Israelites became very poor because of Midian and cried out to the Lord for help.
7. When the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help because of what the Midianites had done to them,
8. the Lord sent a prophet to them. He said, “This is what the Lord God of Israel says:I brought you out of Egypt.I took you away from slavery.
9. I rescued you from the power of the Egyptiansand from the power of those who oppressed you.I forced people out of your way.I gave you their land.