Gideon

1-6 Yet again the People of Israel went back to doing evil in God’s sight. God put them under the domination of Midian for seven years. Midian overpowered Israel. Because of Midian, the People of Israel made for themselves hideouts in the mountains—caves and forts. When Israel planted its crops, Midian and Amalek, the easterners, would invade them, camp in their fields, and destroy their crops all the way down to Gaza. They left nothing for them to live on, neither sheep nor ox nor donkey. Bringing their cattle and tents, they came in and took over, like an invasion of locusts. And their camels—past counting! They marched in and devastated the country. The People of Israel, reduced to grinding poverty by Midian, cried out to God for help.

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Because the power of Midian was so oppressive,(A) the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves(B) and strongholds.(C) Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites(D) and other eastern peoples(E) invaded the country. They camped on the land and ruined the crops(F) all the way to Gaza(G) and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys.

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