Midian Oppresses Israel

Again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD; so He delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years, 2 and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds.

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vvv Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites, and other people of the east would come up and invade them, 4 encamping against them as far as Gaza and destroying the produce of the land. They left Israel with no sustenance, neither sheep nor oxen nor donkeys. 5 For the Midianites came with their livestock and their tents like a great swarm of locusts. They and their camels were innumerable and they entered the land to ravage it.

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Israel was greatly impoverished by Midian, and the Israelites cried out to the LORD.

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Now when the Israelites cried out to the LORD because of Midian, 8 [He] sent them a prophet, who told them,“This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 9 I delivered you out of the hands of Egypt [and] all your oppressors. I drove them out before you and gave you their land. 10 And I said to you:‘I am the LORD your God. You must not fear[fn] the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.’ But you did not obey Me.”

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