Israel Oppressed by Midian

1 Then the sons of Israel adid what was evil in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord gave them into the hands of bMidian seven years.

2 The 1power of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of Midian the sons of Israel made for themselves athe dens which were in the mountains and the caves and the strongholds.

3 For it was when Israel had sown, that the Midianites would come up with the Amalekites and the sons of the east and 1go against them.

4 So they would camp against them and adestroy the produce of the earth 1as far as Gaza, and bleave no sustenance in Israel as well as no sheep, ox, or donkey.

5 For they would come up with their livestock and their tents, they would come in alike locusts for number, both they and their camels were innumerable; and they came into the land to devastate it.

6 So Israel was brought avery low because of Midian, and the sons of Israel cried to the Lord.

7 Now it came about when the sons of Israel cried to the Lord on account of Midian,

8 that the Lord sent a prophet to the sons of Israel, and ahe said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘It was I who brought you up from Egypt and brought you out from the house of 1slavery.

9 ‘I delivered you from the hands of the Egyptians and from the hands of all your oppressors, and dispossessed them before you and gave you their land,

10 and I said to you, “I am the Lord your God; you ashall not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live. But you have not 1obeyed Me.” ’ ”