9 I rescued you from the power of the Egyptians and from the power of those who oppressed you.

I forced people out of your way.

I gave you their land.

10 I said to you, 'I am Yahweh your Elohim.

You must never fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you will live.'

But you have not obeyed me."

Gideon Is Chosen to Be a Judge 11 The Messenger of Yahweh came and sat under the oak tree in Ophrah that belonged to Joash from Abiezer's family. Joash's son Gideon was beating out wheat in a winepress to hide it from the Midianites. 12 The Messenger of Yahweh appeared to Gideon and said, "Yahweh is with you, brave man."

13 Gideon responded, "Excuse me, sir! But if Yahweh is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all the miracles our ancestors have told us about? Didn't they say, 'Yahweh brought us out of Egypt?' But now Yahweh has abandoned us and has handed us over to Midian."

14 Yahweh turned to him and said, "You will rescue Israel from Midian with the strength you have. I am sending you."

15 Gideon said to him, "Excuse me, sir! How can I rescue Israel? Look at my whole family. It's the weakest one in Manasseh. And me? I'm the least important member of my family."

16 Yahweh replied, "I will be with you. You will defeat Midian as if it were only one man."

17 Gideon said to him, "If you find me acceptable, give me a sign that it is really you speaking to me. 18 Don't leave until I come back. I want to bring my gift and set it in front of you."

"I will stay until you come back," he said.

19 Then Gideon went into his house and prepared a young goat and unleavened bread made with 18 quarts of flour. He put the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot. Then he went out and presented them to the Messenger of the LORD under the oak tree.

20 The Messenger of Yahweh told him, "Take the meat and the unleavened bread, put them on this rock, and pour the broth over them." Gideon did so. 21 Then the Messenger of Yahweh touched the meat and the bread with the tip of the staff that was in his hand. Fire flared up from the rock and burned the meat and the bread. Then the Messenger of Yahweh disappeared. 22 That's when Gideon realized that this had been the Messenger of Yahweh. So he said, "Adonay Yahweh ! I have seen the Messenger of Yahweh face to face."

23 Yahweh said to him, "Calm down! Don't be afraid. You will not die." 24 So Gideon built an altar there to Yahweh. He called it Yahweh Shalom. To this day it is still in Ophrah, which belongs to Abiezer's family.

Gideon Destroys an Altar Dedicated to Baal 25 That same night Yahweh said to Gideon, "Take a bull from your father's herd, a bull that is seven years old. Tear down your father's altar dedicated to the god Baal and cut down the pole dedicated to the goddess Asherah that is next to it. 26 Then, in the proper way, build an altar to Yahweh your Elohim on top of this fortified place. Take this second bull and sacrifice it as a burnt offering on the wood from the Asherah pole that you have cut down."

27 Gideon took ten of his servants and did what Yahweh had told him to do. However, he didn't do anything during the day. He was too afraid of his father's family and the men of the city, so he did it at night. 28 When the men of the city got up early in the morning, they saw that the Baal altar had been torn down. The Asherah pole next to it had also been cut down. They saw that the second bull had been sacrificed as a burnt offering on the altar that had been built. 29 They asked each other, "Who did this?" While they were investigating the matter, someone said, "Gideon, son of Joash, did this."

30 Then the men of the city told Joash, "Bring your son out. He must die. He has torn down the Baal altar and cut down the Asherah pole that was beside it."

31 But Joash said to everyone standing around him, "You're not going to defend Baal, are you? Do you think you should save him? Whoever defends him will be put to death in the morning. If he's a god, let him defend himself when someone tears down his altar." 32 So that day they nicknamed Gideon "Jerubbaal" [Let Baal Defend Himself], because they said, "When someone tears down Baal's altar, let Baal defend himself."

Gideon Summons an Army 33 All of Midian, Amalek, and Kedem combined their armies, crossed the Jordan River, and camped in the valley of Jezreel. 34 Then the Ruach Yahweh gave Gideon strength. So Gideon blew the ram's horn to summon Abiezer's family to follow him. 35 He also sent messengers throughout Manasseh to summon the people to follow him. The tribes of Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali were also summoned to follow him, and they went to meet the enemy in battle.

36 Then Gideon said to Elohim, "You said that you would rescue Israel through me. 37 I'll place some wool on the threshing floor.a If there is dew on the wool while all the ground is dry, then I'll know that you will rescue Israel through me, as you said." 38 And that is what happened. The next morning Gideon got up early. He squeezed out a bowl full of water from the wool.

39 Then Gideon said to Elohim, "Don't be angry with me. But let me ask one more thing. Let me make one more test with the wool. Let the wool be dry while all the ground is covered with dew." 40 During the night, Elohim did what Gideon asked. The wool was dry, but all the ground was covered with dew.

YAHWEH SHALOM.

THE LORD IS PEACE.

Shalom is a Hebrew word, so much richer in its range of meanings than the English word peace, which usually refers to the absence of outward conflict or to a state of inner calm. The concept of shalom includes these ideas but goes beyond them, meaning "wholeness," "completeness," "finished word," "perfection," "safety," or "wellness." Shalom comes from living in harmony with God. The fruit of that harmony is harmony with others, prosperity, health, satisfaction, soundness, wholeness, and well-being.

Shalom is a common term for greeting or farewell in modern Israel. When you say shalom, you are not simply saying, "Hello," or "Have a good day." In its deepest meaning, it expresses the hope that the person you are greeting may be well in every sense of the word-fulfilled, satisfied, prosperous, healthy, and in harmony with themselves, others, and God. Shalom is a covenant word, an expression of God's faithful relationship with his people.

When you pray to Yahweh Shalom (yah-WEH sha-LOME), you are praying to the source of all peace. No wonder his Son is called the Prince of Peace.

Praying to Yahweh Shalom Here's a question you may never have asked yourself: "Why don't zebras ever get ulcers?" This is the title of Robert Sapolsky's book about stress and stress-related diseases. A professor of biology and neurology at Stanford, Sapolsky invites his readers to think about how stress usually operates in the animal kingdom: This is the critical point of this book: if you are that zebra running for your life, or that lion sprinting for your meal, your body's physiological response mechanisms are superbly adapted for dealing with such short-term physical emergencies. For the vast majority of beasts on this planet, stress is about a short-term crisis, after which it's either over with or you're over with. When we sit around and worry about stressful things, we turn on the same physiological responses-but they are potentially a disaster when provoked chronically.a "How many hippos," he goes on to say, "worry about whether Social Security is going to last as long as they will, or what they are going to say on a first date?"b We humans have the unique ability to stress ourselves out over an infinite variety of things. Just getting out from under this kind of chronic stress would seem like all the peace we need. But God says there's more, much more.

Let's put the English word peace next to the Hebrew word shalom and compare the two. That's a little like asking a ninety-pound weakling to stand next to the Incredible Hulk. Our idea of peace is so much thinner than the full-bodied meaning of shalom. When we talk about peace, we often mean a state of calm or an absence of conflict. But the biblical idea of peace is much richer. In fact, it bears a striking similarity to the biblical idea of paradise-a place where we are completely at peace with God, ourselves, and others. Instead of sickness, healing. Instead of brokenness, wholeness. Instead of poverty, prosperity. Instead of danger, safety. Instead of death, life. That's what true shalom is.

No wonder we long for peace and pray for peace. We are wired for it, and our lack of it is distressing.

The story of Gideon in the book of Judges is instructive. Gideon is hiding out, terrified of the marauding Midianites, when he hears God's call. "Mighty warrior," the angel of the LORD calls to him.

"Who, me? You must be kidding," Gideon replies. Clearly, we are not dealing with a person possessed with high self-esteem.

But God is talking to him. "I will be with you," God assures him. And lo and behold, Gideon, the unlikeliest of heroes, ends up driving out the Midianites in a series of clever maneuvers, making him a mighty warrior indeed. What enabled this little man to become a big man? God's presence, his guidance, and his faithfulness. And Gideon names this God Yahweh Shalom, the LORD is Peace.

What a wonderful title. Notice that Gideon doesn't say "God of Peace" or "God Gives Peace." No, he says that God himself is peace. Believing in God's faithfulness and living in his presence is what brings us peace regardless of circumstances. Let us pray that God will alert us to his presence and infuse us with his peace.

Yahweh Shalom, you are the peace I seek. No one else can give me what I long for. Fill me with your presence, Lord, and give me a heart of peace, I pray.

Promises Associated with the Name YAHWEH SHALOM.

With perfect peace you will protect those whose minds cannot be changed, because they trust you. (Isaiah 26:3) I know the plans that I have for you, declares Yahweh. They are plans for peace and not disaster, plans to give you a future filled with hope. (Jeremiah 29:11) But the spiritual nature produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There are no laws against things like that. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Gideon Defeats Midian 7 1 Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the troops with him got up early and camped above En Harod. Midian's camp was north of him at the hill of Moreh in the valley.

2 Yahweh said to Gideon, "You have too many men with you for me to hand Midian over to you. Israel might brag and say, 'We saved ourselves.' 3 Announce to the troops, 'Whoever is scared or frightened should leave Mount Gilead and go back home.'" So 22,000 men went back home, and 10,000 were left.

4 Yahweh said to Gideon, "There are still too many men. Bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. If I say to you, 'This one will go with you,' he must go with you. And if I say to you, 'This one won't go with you,' he must not go."

5 So Gideon took the men down to the water. Yahweh said to him, "Separate those who lap water with their tongues like dogs from those who kneel down to drink." 6 Three hundred men lapped water with their hands to their mouths. All the rest of the men knelt down to drink water. 7 Then Yahweh said to Gideon, "With the 300 men who lapped water I will save you and hand Midian over to you. All the other men should go home." 8 So Gideon sent the other men of Israel home, but the 300 men who stayed kept all the supplies and rams' horns.

The camp of Midian was below him in the valley.

9 That night Yahweh said to Gideon, "Attack! Go into the camp! I will hand it over to you. 10 But if you're afraid to go, take your servant Purah to the camp with you. 11 Listen to what people are saying. After that, you will have the courage to go into the camp and attack it."

So Gideon and his servant Purah went to the edge of the camp. 12 Midian, Amalek, and all of Kedem were spread out in the valley like a swarm of locusts. There were so many camels that they could not be counted. They were as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore.

13 When Gideon got there, he heard a man telling his friend a dream. The man said, "I had a strange dream. There was a loaf of barley bread rolling around in the camp of Midian. When it got to the command post, the loaf of bread hit that tent so hard that the tent collapsed, turned upside down, and fell flat."

14 His friend replied, "That can only be the sword of Gideon, son of Joash, from Israel. Elohim is going to hand Midian and the whole camp over to him."

15 When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped Yahweh. Then he went back to the camp of Israel and said, "Attack! Yahweh will hand Midian's camp over to you."

16 Gideon divided the 300 men into three companies. He gave them each rams' horns and jars with torches inside. 17 He said to them, "Watch me, and do what I do. When I come to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. 18 When I and those with me blow our rams' horns, then the rest of you around the camp do the same and shout, 'For Yahweh and for Gideon!'"

19 Gideon and his 100 men came to the edge of the camp. It was the beginning of the midnight watch just at the change of the guards. They blew their rams' horns and smashed the jars they were holding in their hands. 20 The three companies also blew their rams' horns and broke their jars. They held the torches in their left hands and the rams' horns in their right hands so that they could blow them. They shouted, "A sword for Yahweh and for Gideon!" 21 While each man kept his position around the camp, everyone in the Midianite camp began to run away, screaming as they fled. 22 The 300 men kept on blowing their rams' horns, and Yahweh caused the whole camp of Midian to fight among themselves. They fled as far as Beth Shittah, toward Zererah, and as far as the bank of the stream at Abel Meholah near Tabbath.

23 The men of Israel were summoned from Naphtali, Asher, and all Manasseh to help pursue the troops of Midian. 24 Gideon also sent messengers to the whole mountain region of Ephraim with this message, "Go into battle against Midian. Capture the watering holes as far as Beth Barah and the Jordan River." All the men of Ephraim were also summoned to help. They captured the watering holes as far as Beth Barah and the Jordan River. 25 They also captured Oreb and Zeeb, the two Midianite commanders. They killed Oreb at the Rock of Oreb and Zeeb at the Winepress of Zeeb and kept on pursuing Midian. Then they brought the severed heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side of the Jordan River.

8 1 The men from Ephraim strongly protested Gideon's actions. They said, "Why did you do this to us? You didn't invite us to go fight Midian with you."

2 Gideon replied, "I haven't done anything compared with what you have done. Aren't the grapes that Ephraim picked after the harvest better than all the grapes in Abiezer's entire harvest? 3 Elohim handed Oreb and Zeeb, Midian's commanders, over to you. What have I done compared with that?" When they heard what Gideon said, they weren't angry with him anymore.

4 Gideon and his 300 men headed toward the Jordan River. They were exhausted when they crossed it, but they kept pursuing the enemy. 5 So Gideon said to the men of Succoth, "Please give me some food for the men under my command. They're exhausted, and I'm pursuing King Zebah and King Zalmunna of Midian."

6 The generals at Succoth replied, "We shouldn't give your army food. You haven't captured Zebah and Zalmunna yet."

7 Gideon responded, "Alright, then. When Yahweh hands Zebah and Zalmunna over to me, I'll whip your bodies with thorns and thistles from the desert."

8 Then Gideon went to Penuel and asked the people there for the same help. But they gave him the same reply that the men of Succoth gave. 9 So he told them, "When I come back after my victory, I'll tear down this tower."

10 Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with an army of about 15,000 men. This was all that was left of Kedem's entire army. In the battle, 120,000 soldiers died. 11 So Gideon went up Tent Dwellers Road, east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and defeated the unsuspecting Midianite army. 12 Zebah and Zalmunna fled as Gideon pursued them. He captured King Zebah and King Zalmunna of Midian, and the whole Midianite army panicked.

13 Gideon, son of Joash, returned from the battle through the Heres Pass 14 and captured a young man from Succoth. He questioned him, and the young man wrote down for him the names of the 77 officials and leaders of Succoth. 15 Gideon went to the men of Succoth and said, "Here are Zebah and Zalmunna! You insulted me when you said, 'We shouldn't give your exhausted men food before you've captured Zebah and Zalmunna.'" 16 So Gideon took the leaders of the city and taught them a lesson using thorns and thistles from the desert. 17 Then he tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of that city.

18 He asked Zebah and Zalmunna, "What kind of men did you kill at Tabor?"

They answered, "They were like you. Each one looked like a king's son."

19 Gideon replied, "They were my brothers, my mother's sons. I solemnly swear, as Yahweh lives, if you had let them live, I would not have to kill you now." 20 Then he told Jether, his firstborn son, "Get up and kill them!" But Jether didn't draw his sword. He was afraid because he was only a young man.

21 Zebah and Zalmunna said, "Get up and do it yourself! It's a man's job!" So Gideon got up and killed them. Then he took the half-moon ornaments that were on their camels' necks.

Gideon Makes a Gold Idol 22 The men of Israel said to Gideon, "You, then your son, and then your grandson, must rule us. You rescued us from Midian."

23 Gideon replied, "I will not rule you nor will my son. Yahweh will rule you." 24 Then Gideon said to them, "Do me a favor. Each of you give me the earrings from your loot." (Their enemies, the Ishmaelites, wore gold earrings.) 25 The men of Israel answered, "Yes, we'll give them to you." So they spread out a coat. Each man took the earrings from his loot and dropped them on it. 26 The gold earrings Gideon had asked for weighed 40 pounds. This did not include the half-moon ornaments, the earrings, the purple clothes worn by the kings of Midian, and the chains from their camels' necks. 27 Then Gideon used the gold to make an idola and placed it in his hometown, Ophrah. All Israel chased after it there as though it were a prostitute. It became a trap for Gideon and his family.

28 The power of Midian was crushed by the people of Israel, and Midian never again became a threat. So the land had peace for 40 years during Gideon's life.

29 Jerubbaal, son of Joash, went home to live. 30 Gideon had 70 sons because he had many wives. 31 His concubineb at Shechem also gave birth to a son. That son was named Abimelech.

32 Gideon, son of Joash, died at a very old age. He was buried in the tomb of his father Joash at Ophrah, the city belonging to Abiezer's family.

33 As soon as Gideon died, the people of Israel chased after other gods-the Baals-as though they were prostitutes. They made Baal Berith their god. 34 The Israelites did not remember Yahweh their Elohim , who had rescued them from all the enemies around them. 35 And they were not kind to the family of Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) despite all the good he had done for Israel.

Gideon

A judge and warrior for Israel, Gideon called God Yahweh (Judg. 6:13) Elohim (Judg. 8:3)

Abimelech Kills His Brothers 9 1 Abimelech, son of Jerubbaal [Gideon], went to Shechem to see the uncles on his mother's side of the family. He spoke to them and his mother's whole family. 2 He said, "Please ask all citizens of Shechem, What seems best to you? Do you really want all of Jerubbaal's 70 sons to rule you or just one man? Remember, I'm your own flesh and blood.'"

3 His uncles repeated everything he said to all citizens of Shechem. They were persuaded to follow Abimelech because he was their relative. 4 So they gave him 70 pieces of silver from the temple of Baal Berith. With the silver, Abimelech hired worthless and reckless men to follow him. 5 Then he went to his father's home in Ophrah. There he executed his 70 brothers, Jerubbaal's sons. But Jotham, Jerubbaal's youngest son, survived because he hid. 6 All the citizens from Shechem and Beth Millo united. They went to the oak tree that was still standing in Shechem and proclaimed Abimelech king.

Jotham's Story 7 When Jotham was told about this, he went to a high spot on Mount Gerizim. He shouted to them, "Listen to me, you citizens of Shechem, so that Elohim might listen to you.

8 "The trees went to anoint someone to be king over them.