4. They encamped against them and destroyed the produce of the land, even as far as Gaza. They left nothing for Israel to eat, as well as no sheep, ox or donkey.
5. For the Midianites came with their cattle and their tents like a great swarm of locusts. They and their camels were without number, and they entered the land to waste it.
6. So Israel became poverty-stricken because of Midian, and the Israelites cried out to the Lord.
7. When the Israelites cried out to Him because of Midian,
8. the Lord sent a prophet to them. He said to them, “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I brought you out of Egypt and out of the place of slavery.
9. I delivered you from the power of Egypt and the power of all who oppressed you. I drove them out before you and gave you their land.
10. I said to you: I am Yahweh your God. Do not fear the gods of the Amorites whose land you live in. But you did not obey Me.’ ”
11. The Angel of the Lord came, and He sat under the oak that was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash, the Abiezrite. His son Gideon was threshing wheat in the wine vat in order to hide it from the Midianites.
12. Then the Angel of the Lord appeared to him and said: “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”
13. Gideon said to Him, “Please Sir, if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened? And where are all His wonders that our fathers told us about? They said, ‘Hasn’t the Lord brought us out of Egypt? ’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to Midian.”
14. The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and deliver Israel from the power of Midian. Am I not sending you? ”
15. He said to Him, “Please, Lord, how can I deliver Israel? Look, my family is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house.”