3 Whenever Israel planted crops, Midian, Amalek, and Kedem came and damaged the crops.
4 The enemy used to camp on the land and destroy the crops all the way to Gaza. They left nothing for Israel to live on—not one sheep, cow, or donkey.
5 Like swarms of locusts, they came with their livestock and their tents. They and their camels could not be counted. They came into the land only to ruin it.
6 So the Israelites became very poor because of Midian and cried out to the Lord for help.
7 When the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help because of what the Midianites had done to them,
8 the Lord sent a prophet to them. He said, “This is what the Lord God of Israel says:I brought you out of Egypt.I took you away from slavery.
9 I rescued you from the power of the Egyptiansand from the power of those who oppressed you.I forced people out of your way.I gave you their land.