▲1.1 Now after the death of
Joshua it came to pass, that the children of Israel asked the LORD,
saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight
against them? 1.2 And the
LORD said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into
his hand. 1.3 And
Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my lot, that
we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with thee
into thy lot. So Simeon went with him. 1.4 And
Judah went up; and the LORD delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites
into their hand: and they slew of them in Bezek ten thousand men. 1.5 And
they found Adonibezek in Bezek: and they fought against him, and they
slew the Canaanites and the Perizzites. 1.6 But
Adonibezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut
off his thumbs and his great toes. 1.7 And
Adonibezek said, Threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs and
their great toes cut off, gathered [their meat] under my table: as I
have done, so God hath requited me. And they brought him to Jerusalem,
and there he died. 1.8 Now the
children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and had taken it, and
smitten it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire. 1.9 And
afterward the children of Judah went down to fight against the
Canaanites, that dwelt in the mountain, and in the south, and in the
valley. 1.10 And
Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron: (now the name
of Hebron before [was] Kirjatharba:) and they slew Sheshai, and Ahiman,
and Talmai. 1.11 And
from thence he went against the inhabitants of Debir: and the name of
Debir before [was] Kirjathsepher: 1.12 And
Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjathsepher, and taketh it, to him will I
give Achsah my daughter to wife. 1.13 And
Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, took it: and he gave
him Achsah his daughter to wife. 1.14 And it
came to pass, when she came [to him], that she moved him to ask of her
father a field: and she lighted from off [her] ass; and Caleb said unto
her, What wilt thou? 1.15 And
she said unto him, Give me a blessing: for thou hast given me a south
land; give me also springs of water. And Caleb gave her the upper
springs and the nether springs. 1.16 And
the children of the Kenite, Moses' father in law, went up out of the
city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of
Judah, which [lieth] in the south of Arad; and they went and dwelt
among the people. 1.17 And
Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they slew the Canaanites that
inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. And the name of the city
was called Hormah. 1.18 Also
Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof, and Askelon with the coast
thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof. 1.19 And
the LORD was with Judah; and he drave out [the inhabitants of] the
mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley,
because they had chariots of iron. 1.20 And
they gave Hebron unto Caleb, as Moses said: and he expelled thence the
three sons of Anak. 1.21 And
the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited
Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in
Jerusalem unto this day. 1.22 And
the house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel: and the LORD
[was] with them. 1.23 And
the house of Joseph sent to descry Bethel. (Now the name of the city
before [was] Luz.) 1.24 And
the spies saw a man come forth out of the city, and they said unto him,
Shew us, we pray thee, the entrance into the city, and we will shew
thee mercy. 1.25 And
when he shewed them the entrance into the city, they smote the city
with the edge of the sword; but they let go the man and all his family. 1.26 And
the man went into the land of the Hittites, and built a city, and
called the name thereof Luz: which [is] the name thereof unto this day. 1.27
Neither did Manasseh drive out [the inhabitants of] Bethshean and her
towns, nor Taanach and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and her
towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and her towns, nor the inhabitants
of Megiddo and her towns: but the Canaanites would dwell in that land. 1.28 And it
came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to
tribute, and did not utterly drive them out. 1.29
Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer; but
the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them. 1.30
Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the
inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites dwelt among them, and became
tributaries. 1.31
Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Accho, nor the
inhabitants of Zidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor
of Aphik, nor of Rehob: 1.32 But
the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land:
for they did not drive them out. 1.33
Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Bethshemesh, nor the
inhabitants of Bethanath; but he dwelt among the Canaanites, the
inhabitants of the land: nevertheless the inhabitants of Bethshemesh
and of Bethanath became tributaries unto them. 1.34 And
the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain: for they
would not suffer them to come down to the valley: 1.35 But
the Amorites would dwell in mount Heres in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim:
yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, so that they became
tributaries. 1.36 And
the coast of the Amorites [was] from the going up to Akrabbim, from the
rock, and upward. ▲2.1 And an angel of the LORD
came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of
Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your
fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you. 2.2 And ye
shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw
down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done
this? 2.3
Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but
they shall be [as thorns] in your sides, and their gods shall be a
snare unto you. 2.4 And it
came to pass, when the angel of the LORD spake these words unto all the
children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept. 2.5 And
they called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there
unto the LORD. 2.6 And
when Joshua had let the people go, the children of Israel went every
man unto his inheritance to possess the land. 2.7 And the
people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the
elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the
LORD, that he did for Israel. 2.8 And
Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, [being] an
hundred and ten years old. 2.9 And
they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathheres, in
the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash. 2.10 And
also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there
arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet
the works which he had done for Israel. 2.11 And
the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served
Baalim: 2.12 And
they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of
the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people
that [were] round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and
provoked the LORD to anger. 2.13 And
they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth. 2.14 And
the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them
into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the
hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer
stand before their enemies. 2.15
Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for
evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and
they were greatly distressed. 2.16
Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the
hand of those that spoiled them. 2.17 And
yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring
after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly
out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments
of the LORD; [but] they did not so. 2.18 And
when the LORD raised them up judges, then the LORD was with the judge,
and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the
judge: for it repented the LORD because of their groanings by reason of
them that oppressed them and vexed them. 2.19 And it
came to pass, when the judge was dead, [that] they returned, and
corrupted [themselves] more than their fathers, in following other gods
to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their
own doings, nor from their stubborn way. 2.20 And
the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that
this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their
fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice; 2.21 I also
will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which
Joshua left when he died: 2.22 That
through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the
LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep [it], or not. 2.23
Therefore the LORD left those nations, without driving them out
hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua. ▲3.1 Now these [are] the nations
which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, [even] as many [of
Israel] as had not known all the wars of Canaan; 3.2 Only
that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach
them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof; 3.3
[Namely], five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and
the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount
Baalhermon unto the entering in of Hamath. 3.4 And
they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken
unto the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by
the hand of Moses. 3.5 And the
children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites,
and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites: 3.6 And
they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters
to their sons, and served their gods. 3.7 And the
children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the
LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves. 3.8
Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold
them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the
children of Israel served Chushanrishathaim eight years. 3.9 And
when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a
deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, [even] Othniel
the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother. 3.10 And
the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went
out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushanrishathaim king of
Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against
Chushanrishathaim. 3.11 And
the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died. 3.12 And
the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the
LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they
had done evil in the sight of the LORD. 3.13 And he
gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote
Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees. 3.14 So the
children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years. 3.15 But
when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them
up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded:
and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of
Moab. 3.16 But
Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he
did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh. 3.17 And he
brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon [was] a very fat
man. 3.18 And
when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people
that bare the present. 3.19 But he
himself turned again from the quarries that [were] by Gilgal, and said,
I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And
all that stood by him went out from him. 3.20 And
Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he
had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto
thee. And he arose out of [his] seat. 3.21 And
Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh,
and thrust it into his belly: 3.22 And
the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the
blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the
dirt came out. 3.23 Then
Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour
upon him, and locked them. 3.24 When
he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the
doors of the parlour [were] locked, they said, Surely he covereth his
feet in his summer chamber. 3.25 And
they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the
doors of the parlour; therefore they took a key, and opened [them]:
and, behold, their lord [was] fallen down dead on the earth. 3.26 And
Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and
escaped unto Seirath. 3.27 And it
came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain
of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the
mount, and he before them. 3.28 And he
said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath delivered your
enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and
took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass
over. 3.29 And
they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and
all men of valour; and there escaped not a man. 3.30 So
Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had
rest fourscore years. 3.31 And
after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines
six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel. ▲4.1 And the children of Israel
again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead. 4.2 And the
LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in
Hazor; the captain of whose host [was] Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth
of the Gentiles. 4.3 And the
children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred
chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children
of Israel. 4.4 And
Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that
time. 4.5 And she
dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount
Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment. 4.6 And she
sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and
said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, [saying], Go
and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the
children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun? 4.7 And I
will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's
army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into
thine hand. 4.8 And
Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if
thou wilt not go with me, [then] I will not go. 4.9 And she
said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou
takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell Sisera
into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to
Kedesh. 4.10 And
Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with ten
thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him. 4.11 Now
Heber the Kenite, [which was] of the children of Hobab the father in
law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched his
tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which [is] by Kedesh. 4.12 And
they shewed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to mount
Tabor. 4.13 And
Sisera gathered together all his chariots, [even] nine hundred chariots
of iron, and all the people that [were] with him, from Harosheth of the
Gentiles unto the river of Kishon. 4.14 And
Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this [is] the day in which the LORD
hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the LORD gone out before
thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after
him. 4.15 And
the LORD discomfited Sisera, and all [his] chariots, and all [his]
host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted
down off [his] chariot, and fled away on his feet. 4.16 But
Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of
the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the
sword; [and] there was not a man left. 4.17
Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of
Heber the Kenite: for [there was] peace between Jabin the king of Hazor
and the house of Heber the Kenite. 4.18 And
Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn
in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent,
she covered him with a mantle. 4.19 And he
said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am
thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and
covered him. 4.20 Again
he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when
any man doth come and enquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here?
that thou shalt say, No. 4.21 Then
Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her
hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples,
and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So
he died. 4.22 And,
behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said
unto him, Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest. And
when he came into her [tent], behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail
[was] in his temples. 4.23 So God
subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of
Israel. 4.24 And
the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed against
Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan. ▲5.1 Then sang Deborah and Barak
the son of Abinoam on that day, saying, 5.2 Praise
ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly
offered themselves. 5.3 Hear, O
ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, [even] I, will sing unto the LORD;
I will sing [praise] to the LORD God of Israel. 5.4 LORD,
when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of
Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also
dropped water. 5.5 The
mountains melted from before the LORD, [even] that Sinai from before
the LORD God of Israel. 5.6 In the
days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways
were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways. 5.7 [The
inhabitants of] the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that
I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel. 5.8 They
chose new gods; then [was] war in the gates: was there a shield or
spear seen among forty thousand in Israel? 5.9 My
heart [is] toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves
willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD. 5.10 Speak,
ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the
way. 5.11 [They
that are delivered] from the noise of archers in the places of drawing
water, there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the LORD, [even]
the righteous acts [toward the inhabitants] of his villages in Israel:
then shall the people of the LORD go down to the gates. 5.12 Awake,
awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy
captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam. 5.13 Then
he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the
people: the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty. 5.14 Out of
Ephraim [was there] a root of them against Amalek; after thee,
Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out
of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer. 5.15 And
the princes of Issachar [were] with Deborah; even Issachar, and also
Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben
[there were] great thoughts of heart. 5.16 Why
abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks?
For the divisions of Reuben [there were] great searchings of heart. 5.17 Gilead
abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued
on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches. 5.18
Zebulun and Naphtali [were] a people [that] jeoparded their lives unto
the death in the high places of the field. 5.19 The
kings came [and] fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by
the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money. 5.20 They
fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera. 5.21 The
river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon.
O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength. 5.22 Then
were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the pransings
of their mighty ones. 5.23 Curse
ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants
thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of
the LORD against the mighty. 5.24
Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed
shall she be above women in the tent. 5.25 He
asked water, [and] she gave [him] milk; she brought forth butter in a
lordly dish. 5.26 She
put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer;
and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she
had pierced and stricken through his temples. 5.27 At her
feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell:
where he bowed, there he fell down dead. 5.28 The
mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice,
Why is his chariot [so] long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his
chariots? 5.29 Her
wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself, 5.30 Have
they not sped? have they [not] divided the prey; to every man a damsel
[or] two; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours
of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides, [meet]
for the necks of [them that take] the spoil? 5.31 So let
all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but [let] them that love him [be] as
the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty
years. ▲6.1 And the children of Israel
did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the
hand of Midian seven years. 6.2 And the
hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: [and] because of the
Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which [are] in the
mountains, and caves, and strong holds. 6.3 And
[so] it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the
Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against
them; 6.4 And
they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth,
till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither
sheep, nor ox, nor ass. 6.5 For
they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as
grasshoppers for multitude; [for] both they and their camels were
without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it. 6.6 And
Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the
children of Israel cried unto the LORD. 6.7 And it
came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because
of the Midianites, 6.8 That
the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto
them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt,
and brought you forth out of the house of bondage; 6.9 And I
delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of
all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave
you their land; 6.10 And I
said unto you, I [am] the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the
Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice. 6.11 And
there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which [was] in
Ophrah, that [pertained] unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon
threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide [it] from the Midianites. 6.12 And
the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD
[is] with thee, thou mighty man of valour. 6.13 And
Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is
all this befallen us? and where [be] all his miracles which our fathers
told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now
the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the
Midianites. 6.14 And
the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou
shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? 6.15 And he
said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my
family [is] poor in Manasseh, and I [am] the least in my father's house. 6.16 And
the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt
smite the Midianites as one man. 6.17 And he
said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a
sign that thou talkest with me. 6.18 Depart
not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my
present, and set [it] before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou
come again. 6.19 And
Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah
of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot,
and brought [it] out unto him under the oak, and presented [it]. 6.20 And
the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened
cakes, and lay [them] upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he
did so. 6.21 Then
the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that [was] in his
hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up
fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes.
Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight. 6.22 And
when Gideon perceived that he [was] an angel of the LORD, Gideon said,
Alas, O Lord GOD! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to
face. 6.23 And
the LORD said unto him, Peace [be] unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not
die. 6.24 Then
Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom:
unto this day it [is] yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. 6.25 And it
came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Take thy
father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and
throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the
grove that [is] by it: 6.26 And
build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in the
ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice
with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down. 6.27 Then
Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had said unto
him: and [so] it was, because he feared his father's household, and the
men of the city, that he could not do [it] by day, that he did [it] by
night. 6.28 And
when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar
of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that [was] by it, and
the second bullock was offered upon the altar [that was] built. 6.29 And
they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they
enquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this
thing. 6.30 Then
the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may
die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath
cut down the grove that [was] by it. 6.31 And
Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal?
will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death
whilst [it is yet] morning: if he [be] a god, let him plead for
himself, because [one] hath cast down his altar. 6.32
Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead
against him, because he hath thrown down his altar. 6.33 Then
all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were
gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel. 6.34 But
the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and
Abiezer was gathered after him. 6.35 And he
sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; who also was gathered after
him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto
Naphtali; and they came up to meet them. 6.36 And
Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou
hast said, 6.37
Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; [and] if the dew be
on the fleece only, and [it be] dry upon all the earth [beside], then
shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said. 6.38 And it
was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece
together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water. 6.39 And
Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will
speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the
fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground
let there be dew. 6.40 And
God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there
was dew on all the ground. ▲7.1 Then Jerubbaal, who [is]
Gideon, and all the people that [were] with him, rose up early, and
pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites
were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley. 7.2 And the
LORD said unto Gideon, The people that [are] with thee [are] too many
for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt
themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. 7.3 Now
therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever
[is] fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount
Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and
there remained ten thousand. 7.4 And the
LORD said unto Gideon, The people [are] yet [too] many; bring them down
unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be,
[that] of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall
go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with
thee, the same shall not go. 7.5 So he
brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon,
Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth,
him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon
his knees to drink. 7.6 And the
number of them that lapped, [putting] their hand to their mouth, were
three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their
knees to drink water. 7.7 And the
LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save
you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the
[other] people go every man unto his place. 7.8 So the
people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he sent all
[the rest of] Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those three
hundred men: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley. 7.9 And it
came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Arise, get
thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand. 7.10 But if
thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host: 7.11 And
thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be
strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah
his servant unto the outside of the armed men that [were] in the host. 7.12 And
the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay
along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels
[were] without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude. 7.13 And
when Gideon was come, behold, [there was] a man that told a dream unto
his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of
barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and
smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along. 7.14 And
his fellow answered and said, This [is] nothing else save the sword of
Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: [for] into his hand hath God
delivered Midian, and all the host. 7.15 And it
was [so], when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the
interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host
of Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand
the host of Midian. 7.16 And he
divided the three hundred men [into] three companies, and he put a
trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the
pitchers. 7.17 And he
said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come
to the outside of the camp, it shall be [that], as I do, so shall ye do. 7.18 When I
blow with a trumpet, I and all that [are] with me, then blow ye the
trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, [The sword] of
the LORD, and of Gideon. 7.19 So
Gideon, and the hundred men that [were] with him, came unto the outside
of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but
newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers
that [were] in their hands. 7.20 And
the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held
the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to
blow [withal]: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon. 7.21 And
they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the
host ran, and cried, and fled. 7.22 And
the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man's sword
against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to
Bethshittah in Zererath, [and] to the border of Abelmeholah, unto
Tabbath. 7.23 And
the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out
of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites. 7.24 And
Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down
against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah
and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together,
and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. 7.25 And
they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew
Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb,
and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on
the other side Jordan. ▲8.1 And the men of Ephraim said
unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when
thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they did chide with him
sharply. 8.2 And he
said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you? [Is] not the
gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer? 8.3 God
hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb:
and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then their anger was
abated toward him, when he had said that. 8.4 And
Gideon came to Jordan, [and] passed over, he, and the three hundred men
that [were] with him, faint, yet pursuing [them]. 8.5 And he
said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto
the people that follow me; for they [be] faint, and I am pursuing after
Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian. 8.6 And the
princes of Succoth said, [Are] the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in
thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army? 8.7 And
Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna
into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the
wilderness and with briers. 8.8 And he
went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise: and the men of
Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered [him]. 8.9 And he
spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace,
I will break down this tower. 8.10 Now
Zebah and Zalmunna [were] in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about
fifteen thousand [men], all that were left of all the hosts of the
children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men
that drew sword. 8.11 And
Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of
Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host: for the host was secure. 8.12 And
when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two
kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host. 8.13 And
Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun [was up], 8.14 And
caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired of him: and he
described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof,
[even] threescore and seventeen men. 8.15 And he
came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with
whom ye did upbraid me, saying, [Are] the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna
now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy men [that are]
weary? 8.16 And he
took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers,
and with them he taught the men of Succoth. 8.17 And he
beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city. 8.18 Then
said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men [were they] whom ye
slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou [art], so [were] they; each
one resembled the children of a king. 8.19 And he
said, They [were] my brethren, [even] the sons of my mother: [as] the
LORD liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you. 8.20 And he
said unto Jether his firstborn, Up, [and] slay them. But the youth drew
not his sword: for he feared, because he [was] yet a youth. 8.21 Then
Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man
[is, so is] his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and
Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that [were] on their camels'
necks. 8.22 Then
the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and
thy son, and thy son's son also: for thou hast delivered us from the
hand of Midian. 8.23 And
Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son
rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you. 8.24 And
Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would
give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden
earrings, because they [were] Ishmaelites.) 8.25 And
they answered, We will willingly give [them]. And they spread a
garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey. 8.26 And
the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and
seven hundred [shekels] of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and
purple raiment that [was] on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains
that [were] about their camels' necks. 8.27 And
Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, [even] in Ophrah:
and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a
snare unto Gideon, and to his house. 8.28 Thus
was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted
up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in
the days of Gideon. 8.29 And
Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house. 8.30 And
Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had
many wives. 8.31 And
his concubine that [was] in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose
name he called Abimelech. 8.32 And
Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the
sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. 8.33 And it
came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel
turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith
their god. 8.34 And
the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who had
delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side: 8.35
Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, [namely],
Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel. ▲9.1 And Abimelech the son of
Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother's brethren, and communed with
them, and with all the family of the house of his mother's father,
saying, 9.2 Speak,
I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether [is] better
for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, [which are] threescore
and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember
also that I [am] your bone and your flesh. 9.3 And his
mother's brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem
all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for
they said, He [is] our brother. 9.4 And
they gave him threescore and ten [pieces] of silver out of the house of
Baalberith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which
followed him. 9.5 And he
went unto his father's house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons
of Jerubbaal, [being] threescore and ten persons, upon one stone:
notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for
he hid himself. 9.6 And all
the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and
went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that [was] in
Shechem. 9.7 And
when they told [it] to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount
Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them,
Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you. 9.8 The
trees went forth [on a time] to anoint a king over them; and they said
unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us. 9.9 But the
olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me
they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? 9.10 And
the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, [and] reign over us. 9.11 But
the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good
fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees? 9.12 Then
said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, [and] reign over us. 9.13 And
the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and
man, and go to be promoted over the trees? 9.14 Then
said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, [and] reign over us. 9.15 And
the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over
you, [then] come [and] put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let
fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon. 9.16 Now
therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made
Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house,
and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands; 9.17 (For
my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered
you out of the hand of Midian: 9.18 And ye
are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his
sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made
Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem,
because he [is] your brother;) 9.19 If ye
then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house
this day, [then] rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in
you: 9.20 But if
not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem,
and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem,
and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech. 9.21 And
Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear
of Abimelech his brother. 9.22 When
Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel, 9.23 Then
God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and
the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech: 9.24 That
the cruelty [done] to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might
come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew
them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of
his brethren. 9.25 And
the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of the
mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them: and it
was told Abimelech. 9.26 And
Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren, and went over to Shechem:
and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him. 9.27 And
they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and trode
[the grapes], and made merry, and went into the house of their god, and
did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech. 9.28 And
Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who [is] Abimelech, and who [is] Shechem,
that we should serve him? [is] not [he] the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul
his officer? serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: for why
should we serve him? 9.29 And
would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove
Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out. 9.30 And
when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of
Ebed, his anger was kindled. 9.31 And he
sent messengers unto Abimelech privily, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of
Ebed and his brethren be come to Shechem; and, behold, they fortify the
city against thee. 9.32 Now
therefore up by night, thou and the people that [is] with thee, and lie
in wait in the field: 9.33 And it
shall be, [that] in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, thou shalt
rise early, and set upon the city: and, behold, [when] he and the
people that [is] with him come out against thee, then mayest thou do to
them as thou shalt find occasion. 9.34 And
Abimelech rose up, and all the people that [were] with him, by night,
and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies. 9.35 And
Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entering of the gate of
the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people that [were] with him,
from lying in wait. 9.36 And
when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there come people
down from the top of the mountains. And Zebul said unto him, Thou seest
the shadow of the mountains as [if they were] men. 9.37 And
Gaal spake again and said, See there come people down by the middle of
the land, and another company come along by the plain of Meonenim. 9.38 Then
said Zebul unto him, Where [is] now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst,
Who [is] Abimelech, that we should serve him? [is] not this the people
that thou hast despised? go out, I pray now, and fight with them. 9.39 And
Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech. 9.40 And
Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown
[and] wounded, [even] unto the entering of the gate. 9.41 And
Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren,
that they should not dwell in Shechem. 9.42 And it
came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field;
and they told Abimelech. 9.43 And he
took the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait
in the field, and looked, and, behold, the people [were] come forth out
of the city; and he rose up against them, and smote them. 9.44 And
Abimelech, and the company that [was] with him, rushed forward, and
stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and the two [other]
companies ran upon all [the people] that [were] in the fields, and slew
them. 9.45 And
Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city,
and slew the people that [was] therein, and beat down the city, and
sowed it with salt. 9.46 And
when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard [that], they entered
into an hold of the house of the god Berith. 9.47 And it
was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were
gathered together. 9.48 And
Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that [were]
with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough
from the trees, and took it, and laid [it] on his shoulder, and said
unto the people that [were] with him, What ye have seen me do, make
haste, [and] do as I [have done]. 9.49 And
all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed
Abimelech, and put [them] to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon
them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a
thousand men and women. 9.50 Then
went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it. 9.51 But
there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men
and women, and all they of the city, and shut [it] to them, and gat
them up to the top of the tower. 9.52 And
Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard
unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire. 9.53 And a
certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech's head, and
all to brake his skull. 9.54 Then
he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, and said unto
him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew
him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died. 9.55 And
when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every
man unto his place. 9.56 Thus
God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father,
in slaying his seventy brethren: 9.57 And
all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads: and
upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal. ▲10.1 And after Abimelech there
arose to defend Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of
Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim. 10.2 And he
judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in
Shamir. 10.3 And
after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two
years. 10.4 And he
had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty
cities, which are called Havothjair unto this day, which [are] in the
land of Gilead. 10.5 And
Jair died, and was buried in Camon. 10.6 And
the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and
served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of
Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and
the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him. 10.7 And
the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the
hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon. 10.8 And
that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel: eighteen
years, all the children of Israel that [were] on the other side Jordan
in the land of the Amorites, which [is] in Gilead. 10.9
Moreover the children of Ammon passed over Jordan to fight also against
Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim; so that
Israel was sore distressed. 10.10 And
the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, We have sinned
against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served
Baalim. 10.11 And
the LORD said unto the children of Israel, [Did] not [I deliver you]
from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon,
and from the Philistines? 10.12 The
Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress you;
and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand. 10.13 Yet
ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver
you no more. 10.14 Go
and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the
time of your tribulation. 10.15 And
the children of Israel said unto the LORD, We have sinned: do thou unto
us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee,
this day. 10.16 And
they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD:
and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel. 10.17 Then
the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead.
And the children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped
in Mizpeh. 10.18 And
the people [and] princes of Gilead said one to another, What man [is
he] that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall be
head over all the inhabitants of Gilead. ▲11.1 Now Jephthah the Gileadite
was a mighty man of valour, and he [was] the son of an harlot: and
Gilead begat Jephthah. 11.2 And
Gilead's wife bare him sons; and his wife's sons grew up, and they
thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our
father's house; for thou [art] the son of a strange woman. 11.3 Then
Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob: and
there were gathered vain men to Jephthah, and went out with him. 11.4 And it
came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war
against Israel. 11.5 And it
was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the
elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob: 11.6 And
they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight
with the children of Ammon. 11.7 And
Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, Did not ye hate me, and expel
me out of my father's house? and why are ye come unto me now when ye
are in distress? 11.8 And
the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, Therefore we turn again to
thee now, that thou mayest go with us, and fight against the children
of Ammon, and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead. 11.9 And
Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home again to
fight against the children of Ammon, and the LORD deliver them before
me, shall I be your head? 11.10 And
the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, The LORD be witness between
us, if we do not so according to thy words. 11.11 Then
Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head
and captain over them: and Jephthah uttered all his words before the
LORD in Mizpeh. 11.12 And
Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon,
saying, What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come against me to
fight in my land? 11.13 And
the king of the children of Ammon answered unto the messengers of
Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when they came up out of
Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jordan: now therefore
restore those [lands] again peaceably. 11.14 And
Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ammon: 11.15 And
said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, Israel took not away the land of
Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon: 11.16 But
when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked through the wilderness unto
the Red sea, and came to Kadesh; 11.17 Then
Israel sent messengers unto the king of Edom, saying, Let me, I pray
thee, pass through thy land: but the king of Edom would not hearken
[thereto]. And in like manner they sent unto the king of Moab: but he
would not [consent]: and Israel abode in Kadesh. 11.18 Then
they went along through the wilderness, and compassed the land of Edom,
and the land of Moab, and came by the east side of the land of Moab,
and pitched on the other side of Arnon, but came not within the border
of Moab: for Arnon [was] the border of Moab. 11.19 And
Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of
Heshbon; and Israel said unto him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through
thy land into my place. 11.20 But
Sihon trusted not Israel to pass through his coast: but Sihon gathered
all his people together, and pitched in Jahaz, and fought against
Israel. 11.21 And
the LORD God of Israel delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand
of Israel, and they smote them: so Israel possessed all the land of the
Amorites, the inhabitants of that country. 11.22 And
they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon even unto
Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto Jordan. 11.23 So
now the LORD God of Israel hath dispossessed the Amorites from before
his people Israel, and shouldest thou possess it? 11.24 Wilt
not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess? So
whomsoever the LORD our God shall drive out from before us, them will
we possess. 11.25 And
now [art] thou any thing better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of
Moab? did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against
them, 11.26 While
Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her towns, and in Aroer and her towns, and
in all the cities that [be] along by the coasts of Arnon, three hundred
years? why therefore did ye not recover [them] within that time? 11.27
Wherefore I have not sinned against thee, but thou doest me wrong to
war against me: the LORD the Judge be judge this day between the
children of Israel and the children of Ammon. 11.28
Howbeit the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the words
of Jephthah which he sent him. 11.29 Then
the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead,
and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of
Gilead he passed over [unto] the children of Ammon. 11.30 And
Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without
fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, 11.31 Then
it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to
meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall
surely be the LORD'S, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering. 11.32 So
Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them;
and the LORD delivered them into his hands. 11.33 And
he smote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minnith, [even] twenty
cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a very great
slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the children
of Israel. 11.34 And
Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came
out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she [was his] only
child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter. 11.35 And
it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said,
Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of
them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I
cannot go back. 11.36 And
she said unto him, My father, [if] thou hast opened thy mouth unto the
LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth;
forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies,
[even] of the children of Ammon. 11.37 And
she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me alone
two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my
virginity, I and my fellows. 11.38 And
he said, Go. And he sent her away [for] two months: and she went with
her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains. 11.39 And
it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto her
father, who did with her [according] to his vow which he had vowed: and
she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel, 11.40
[That] the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of
Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year. ▲12.1 And the men of Ephraim
gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto
Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of
Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house
upon thee with fire. 12.2 And
Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the
children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of
their hands. 12.3 And
when I saw that ye delivered [me] not, I put my life in my hands, and
passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them
into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight
against me? 12.4 Then
Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with
Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye
Gileadites [are] fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, [and]
among the Manassites. 12.5 And
the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and
it was [so], that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let
me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, [Art] thou an
Ephraimite? If he said, Nay; 12.6 Then
said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he
could not frame to pronounce [it] right. Then they took him, and slew
him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the
Ephraimites forty and two thousand. 12.7 And
Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and
was buried in [one of] the cities of Gilead. 12.8 And
after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. 12.9 And he
had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, [whom] he sent abroad, and took
in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel
seven years. 12.10 Then
died Ibzan, and was buried at Bethlehem. 12.11 And
after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten
years. 12.12 And
Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the country of
Zebulun. 12.13 And
after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel. 12.14 And
he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten
ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years. 12.15 And
Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in
Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites. ▲13.1 And the children of Israel
did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them
into the hand of the Philistines forty years. 13.2 And
there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose
name [was] Manoah; and his wife [was] barren, and bare not. 13.3 And
the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her,
Behold now, thou [art] barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt
conceive, and bear a son. 13.4 Now
therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and
eat not any unclean [thing]: 13.5 For,
lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his
head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he
shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines. 13.6 Then
the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me,
and his countenance [was] like the countenance of an angel of God, very
terrible: but I asked him not whence he [was], neither told he me his
name: 13.7 But he
said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now
drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean [thing]: for
the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his
death. 13.8 Then
Manoah intreated the LORD, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God
which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do
unto the child that shall be born. 13.9 And
God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again
unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband [was]
not with her. 13.10 And
the woman made haste, and ran, and shewed her husband, and said unto
him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the
[other] day. 13.11 And
Manoah arose, and went after his wife, and came to the man, and said
unto him, [Art] thou the man that spakest unto the woman? And he said,
I [am]. 13.12 And
Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the
child, and [how] shall we do unto him? 13.13 And
the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the
woman let her beware. 13.14 She
may not eat of any [thing] that cometh of the vine, neither let her
drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean [thing]: all that I
commanded her let her observe. 13.15 And
Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, I pray thee, let us detain
thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee. 13.16 And
the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will
not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou
must offer it unto the LORD. For Manoah knew not that he [was] an angel
of the LORD. 13.17 And
Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What [is] thy name, that when
thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour? 13.18 And
the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my
name, seeing it [is] secret? 13.19 So
Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered [it] upon a rock
unto the LORD: and [the angel] did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife
looked on. 13.20 For
it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the
altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar.
And Manoah and his wife looked on [it], and fell on their faces to the
ground. 13.21 But
the angel of the LORD did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife.
Then Manoah knew that he [was] an angel of the LORD. 13.22 And
Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen
God. 13.23 But
his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he would
not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands,
neither would he have shewed us all these [things], nor would as at
this time have told us [such things] as these. 13.24 And
the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew,
and the LORD blessed him. 13.25 And
the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan
between Zorah and Eshtaol. ▲14.1 And Samson went down to
Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines. 14.2 And he
came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a
woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get
her for me to wife. 14.3 Then
his father and his mother said unto him, [Is there] never a woman among
the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest
to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto
his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well. 14.4 But
his father and his mother knew not that it [was] of the LORD, that he
sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the
Philistines had dominion over Israel. 14.5 Then
went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came
to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against
him. 14.6 And
the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he
would have rent a kid, and [he had] nothing in his hand: but he told
not his father or his mother what he had done. 14.7 And he
went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well. 14.8 And
after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the
carcase of the lion: and, behold, [there was] a swarm of bees and honey
in the carcase of the lion. 14.9 And he
took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father
and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them
that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion. 14.10 So
his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for
so used the young men to do. 14.11 And
it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions
to be with him. 14.12 And
Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye
can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and
find [it] out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of
garments: 14.13 But
if ye cannot declare [it] me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and
thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy
riddle, that we may hear it. 14.14 And
he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the
strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound
the riddle. 14.15 And
it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife,
Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we
burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to take
that we have? [is it] not [so]? 14.16 And
Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and
lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my
people, and hast not told [it] me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have
not told [it] my father nor my mother, and shall I tell [it] thee? 14.17 And
she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it
came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore
upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people. 14.18 And
the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun
went down, What [is] sweeter than honey? and what [is] stronger than a
lion? And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye
had not found out my riddle. 14.19 And
the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and
slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of
garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was
kindled, and he went up to his father's house. 14.20 But
Samson's wife was [given] to his companion, whom he had used as his
friend. ▲15.1 But it came to pass within
a while after, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his
wife with a kid; and he said, I will go in to my wife into the chamber.
But her father would not suffer him to go in. 15.2 And
her father said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her;
therefore I gave her to thy companion: [is] not her younger sister
fairer than she? take her, I pray thee, instead of her. 15.3 And
Samson said concerning them, Now shall I be more blameless than the
Philistines, though I do them a displeasure. 15.4 And
Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and
turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails. 15.5 And
when he had set the brands on fire, he let [them] go into the standing
corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks, and also the
standing corn, with the vineyards [and] olives. 15.6 Then
the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they answered, Samson,
the son in law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and given
her to his companion. And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and
her father with fire. 15.7 And
Samson said unto them, Though ye have done this, yet will I be avenged
of you, and after that I will cease. 15.8 And he
smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and
dwelt in the top of the rock Etam. 15.9 Then
the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread themselves in
Lehi. 15.10 And
the men of Judah said, Why are ye come up against us? And they
answered, To bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he hath done
to us. 15.11 Then
three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam, and said
to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines [are] rulers over us?
what [is] this [that] thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As
they did unto me, so have I done unto them. 15.12 And
they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may deliver
thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them, Swear
unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves. 15.13 And
they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast, and
deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee. And
they bound him with two new cords, and brought him up from the rock. 15.14 [And]
when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the
Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that [were]
upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands
loosed from off his hands. 15.15 And
he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it,
and slew a thousand men therewith. 15.16 And
Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw
of an ass have I slain a thousand men. 15.17 And
it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away
the jawbone out of his hand, and called that place Ramathlehi. 15.18 And
he was sore athirst, and called on the LORD, and said, Thou hast given
this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I
die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised? 15.19 But
God clave an hollow place that [was] in the jaw, and there came water
thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived:
wherefore he called the name thereof Enhakkore, which [is] in Lehi unto
this day. 15.20 And
he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years. ▲16.1 Then went Samson to Gaza,
and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her. 16.2 [And
it was told] the Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither. And they
compassed [him] in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the
city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is
day, we shall kill him. 16.3 And
Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of
the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar
and all, and put [them] upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the
top of an hill that [is] before Hebron. 16.4 And it
came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek,
whose name [was] Delilah. 16.5 And
the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her,
Entice him, and see wherein his great strength [lieth], and by what
[means] we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict
him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred [pieces] of
silver. 16.6 And
Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great
strength [lieth], and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee. 16.7 And
Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withs that were
never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man. 16.8 Then
the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withs which
had not been dried, and she bound him with them. 16.9 Now
[there were] men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And
she said unto him, The Philistines [be] upon thee, Samson. And he brake
the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So
his strength was not known. 16.10 And
Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and told me
lies: now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound. 16.11 And
he said unto her, If they bind me fast with new ropes that never were
occupied, then shall I be weak, and be as another man. 16.12
Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said
unto him, The Philistines [be] upon thee, Samson. And [there were]
liers in wait abiding in the chamber. And he brake them from off his
arms like a thread. 16.13 And
Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me
lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her,
If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web. 16.14 And
she fastened [it] with the pin, and said unto him, The Philistines [be]
upon thee, Samson. And he awaked out of his sleep, and went away with
the pin of the beam, and with the web. 16.15 And
she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart
[is] not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not
told me wherein thy great strength [lieth]. 16.16 And
it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged
him, [so] that his soul was vexed unto death; 16.17 That
he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a
razor upon mine head; for I [have been] a Nazarite unto God from my
mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I
shall become weak, and be like any [other] man. 16.18 And
when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and
called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for
he hath shewed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came
up unto her, and brought money in their hand. 16.19 And
she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she
caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to
afflict him, and his strength went from him. 16.20 And
she said, The Philistines [be] upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of
his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake
myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him. 16.21 But
the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to
Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the
prison house. 16.22
Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven. 16.23 Then
the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a
great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said,
Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand. 16.24 And
when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our god
hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our
country, which slew many of us. 16.25 And
it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for
Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of
the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the
pillars. 16.26 And
Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I
may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon
them. 16.27 Now
the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the
Philistines [were] there; and [there were] upon the roof about three
thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport. 16.28 And
Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray
thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may
be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes. 16.29 And
Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood,
and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of
the other with his left. 16.30 And
Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with
[all his] might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the
people that [were] therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were
more than [they] which he slew in his life. 16.31 Then
his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took him,
and brought [him] up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the
buryingplace of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years. ▲17.1 And there was a man of
mount Ephraim, whose name [was] Micah. 17.2 And he
said unto his mother, The eleven hundred [shekels] of silver that were
taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also in mine
ears, behold, the silver [is] with me; I took it. And his mother said,
Blessed [be thou] of the LORD, my son. 17.3 And
when he had restored the eleven hundred [shekels] of silver to his
mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the
LORD from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten
image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee. 17.4 Yet he
restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred
[shekels] of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a
graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah. 17.5 And
the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim,
and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest. 17.6 In
those days [there was] no king in Israel, [but] every man did [that
which was] right in his own eyes. 17.7 And
there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah of the family of Judah, who
[was] a Levite, and he sojourned there. 17.8 And
the man departed out of the city from Bethlehemjudah to sojourn where
he could find [a place]: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of
Micah, as he journeyed. 17.9 And
Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, I [am] a
Levite of Bethlehemjudah, and I go to sojourn where I may find [a
place]. 17.10 And
Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a
priest, and I will give thee ten [shekels] of silver by the year, and a
suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in. 17.11 And
the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was
unto him as one of his sons. 17.12 And
Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and
was in the house of Micah. 17.13 Then
said Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a
Levite to [my] priest. ▲18.1 In those days [there was]
no king in Israel: and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought
them an inheritance to dwell in; for unto that day [all their]
inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israel. 18.2 And
the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their coasts,
men of valour, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and
to search it; and they said unto them, Go, search the land: who when
they came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, they lodged there. 18.3 When
they [were] by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man
the Levite: and they turned in thither, and said unto him, Who brought
thee hither? and what makest thou in this [place]? and what hast thou
here? 18.4 And he
said unto them, Thus and thus dealeth Micah with me, and hath hired me,
and I am his priest. 18.5 And
they said unto him, Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know
whether our way which we go shall be prosperous. 18.6 And
the priest said unto them, Go in peace: before the LORD [is] your way
wherein ye go. 18.7 Then
the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people that
[were] therein, how they dwelt careless, after the manner of the
Zidonians, quiet and secure; and [there was] no magistrate in the land,
that might put [them] to shame in [any] thing; and they [were] far from
the Zidonians, and had no business with [any] man. 18.8 And
they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their brethren
said unto them, What [say] ye? 18.9 And
they said, Arise, that we may go up against them: for we have seen the
land, and, behold, it [is] very good: and [are] ye still? be not
slothful to go, [and] to enter to possess the land. 18.10 When
ye go, ye shall come unto a people secure, and to a large land: for God
hath given it into your hands; a place where [there is] no want of any
thing that [is] in the earth. 18.11 And
there went from thence of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and
out of Eshtaol, six hundred men appointed with weapons of war. 18.12 And
they went up, and pitched in Kirjathjearim, in Judah: wherefore they
called that place Mahanehdan unto this day: behold, [it is] behind
Kirjathjearim. 18.13 And
they passed thence unto mount Ephraim, and came unto the house of Micah. 18.14 Then
answered the five men that went to spy out the country of Laish, and
said unto their brethren, Do ye know that there is in these houses an
ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image? now
therefore consider what ye have to do. 18.15 And
they turned thitherward, and came to the house of the young man the
Levite, [even] unto the house of Micah, and saluted him. 18.16 And
the six hundred men appointed with their weapons of war, which [were]
of the children of Dan, stood by the entering of the gate. 18.17 And
the five men that went to spy out the land went up, [and] came in
thither, [and] took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim,
and the molten image: and the priest stood in the entering of the gate
with the six hundred men [that were] appointed with weapons of war. 18.18 And
these went into Micah's house, and fetched the carved image, the ephod,
and the teraphim, and the molten image. Then said the priest unto them,
What do ye? 18.19 And
they said unto him, Hold thy peace, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and
go with us, and be to us a father and a priest: [is it] better for thee
to be a priest unto the house of one man, or that thou be a priest unto
a tribe and a family in Israel? 18.20 And
the priest's heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim,
and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people. 18.21 So
they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle and
the carriage before them. 18.22 [And]
when they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men that [were]
in the houses near to Micah's house were gathered together, and
overtook the children of Dan. 18.23 And
they cried unto the children of Dan. And they turned their faces, and
said unto Micah, What aileth thee, that thou comest with such a company? 18.24 And
he said, Ye have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and
ye are gone away: and what have I more? and what [is] this [that] ye
say unto me, What aileth thee? 18.25 And
the children of Dan said unto him, Let not thy voice be heard among us,
lest angry fellows run upon thee, and thou lose thy life, with the
lives of thy household. 18.26 And
the children of Dan went their way: and when Micah saw that they [were]
too strong for him, he turned and went back unto his house. 18.27 And
they took [the things] which Micah had made, and the priest which he
had, and came unto Laish, unto a people [that were] at quiet and
secure: and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and burnt the
city with fire. 18.28 And
[there was] no deliverer, because it [was] far from Zidon, and they had
no business with [any] man; and it was in the valley that [lieth] by
Bethrehob. And they built a city, and dwelt therein. 18.29 And
they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their
father, who was born unto Israel: howbeit the name of the city [was]
Laish at the first. 18.30 And
the children of Dan set up the graven image: and Jonathan, the son of
Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe
of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land. 18.31 And
they set them up Micah's graven image, which he made, all the time that
the house of God was in Shiloh. ▲19.1 And it came to pass in
those days, when [there was] no king in Israel, that there was a
certain Levite sojourning on the side of mount Ephraim, who took to him
a concubine out of Bethlehemjudah. 19.2 And
his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto
her father's house to Bethlehemjudah, and was there four whole months. 19.3 And
her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto her,
[and] to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of
asses: and she brought him into her father's house: and when the father
of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him. 19.4 And
his father in law, the damsel's father, retained him; and he abode with
him three days: so they did eat and drink, and lodged there. 19.5 And it
came to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early in the morning,
that he rose up to depart: and the damsel's father said unto his son in
law, Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your
way. 19.6 And
they sat down, and did eat and drink both of them together: for the
damsel's father had said unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and
tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry. 19.7 And
when the man rose up to depart, his father in law urged him: therefore
he lodged there again. 19.8 And he
arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart: and the damsel's
father said, Comfort thine heart, I pray thee. And they tarried until
afternoon, and they did eat both of them. 19.9 And
when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant,
his father in law, the damsel's father, said unto him, Behold, now the
day draweth toward evening, I pray you tarry all night: behold, the day
groweth to an end, lodge here, that thine heart may be merry; and to
morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home. 19.10 But
the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and
came over against Jebus, which [is] Jerusalem; and [there were] with
him two asses saddled, his concubine also [was] with him. 19.11 [And]
when they [were] by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said
unto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn in into this city
of the Jebusites, and lodge in it. 19.12 And
his master said unto him, We will not turn aside hither into the city
of a stranger, that [is] not of the children of Israel; we will pass
over to Gibeah. 19.13 And
he said unto his servant, Come, and let us draw near to one of these
places to lodge all night, in Gibeah, or in Ramah. 19.14 And
they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them
[when they were] by Gibeah, which [belongeth] to Benjamin. 19.15 And
they turned aside thither, to go in [and] to lodge in Gibeah: and when
he went in, he sat him down in a street of the city: for [there was] no
man that took them into his house to lodging. 19.16 And,
behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even,
which [was] also of mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah: but the
men of the place [were] Benjamites. 19.17 And
when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in the street of
the city: and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and whence comest
thou? 19.18 And
he said unto him, We [are] passing from Bethlehemjudah toward the side
of mount Ephraim; from thence [am] I: and I went to Bethlehemjudah, but
I [am now] going to the house of the LORD; and there [is] no man that
receiveth me to house. 19.19 Yet
there is both straw and provender for our asses; and there is bread and
wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man [which
is] with thy servants: [there is] no want of any thing. 19.20 And
the old man said, Peace [be] with thee; howsoever [let] all thy wants
[lie] upon me; only lodge not in the street. 19.21 So he
brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses: and they
washed their feet, and did eat and drink. 19.22 [Now]
as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city,
certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, [and] beat at the
door, and spake to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring
forth the man that came into thine house, that we may know him. 19.23 And
the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and said unto
them, Nay, my brethren, [nay], I pray you, do not [so] wickedly; seeing
that this man is come into mine house, do not this folly. 19.24
Behold, [here is] my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I will
bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good
unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing. 19.25 But
the men would not hearken to him: so the man took his concubine, and
brought her forth unto them; and they knew her, and abused her all the
night until the morning: and when the day began to spring, they let her
go. 19.26 Then
came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of
the man's house where her lord [was], till it was light. 19.27 And
her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and
went out to go his way: and, behold, the woman his concubine was fallen
down [at] the door of the house, and her hands [were] upon the
threshold. 19.28 And
he said unto her, Up, and let us be going. But none answered. Then the
man took her [up] upon an ass, and the man rose up, and gat him unto
his place. 19.29 And
when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his
concubine, and divided her, [together] with her bones, into twelve
pieces, and sent her into all the coasts of Israel. 19.30 And
it was so, that all that saw it said, There was no such deed done nor
seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land
of Egypt unto this day: consider of it, take advice, and speak [your
minds]. ▲20.1 Then all the children of
Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man,
from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, unto the LORD in
Mizpeh. 20.2 And
the chief of all the people, [even] of all the tribes of Israel,
presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred
thousand footmen that drew sword. 20.3 (Now
the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up
to Mizpeh.) Then said the children of Israel, Tell [us], how was this
wickedness? 20.4 And
the Levite, the husband of the woman that was slain, answered and said,
I came into Gibeah that [belongeth] to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to
lodge. 20.5 And
the men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round about upon
me by night, [and] thought to have slain me: and my concubine have they
forced, that she is dead. 20.6 And I
took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all
the country of the inheritance of Israel: for they have committed
lewdness and folly in Israel. 20.7
Behold, ye [are] all children of Israel; give here your advice and
counsel. 20.8 And
all the people arose as one man, saying, We will not any [of us] go to
his tent, neither will we any [of us] turn into his house. 20.9 But
now this [shall be] the thing which we will do to Gibeah; [we will go
up] by lot against it; 20.10 And
we will take ten men of an hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel,
and an hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to
fetch victual for the people, that they may do, when they come to
Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have wrought
in Israel. 20.11 So
all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as
one man. 20.12 And
the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin,
saying, What wickedness [is] this that is done among you? 20.13 Now
therefore deliver [us] the men, the children of Belial, which [are] in
Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel.
But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their
brethren the children of Israel: 20.14 But
the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities
unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel. 20.15 And
the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities
twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, beside the inhabitants of
Gibeah, which were numbered seven hundred chosen men. 20.16 Among
all this people [there were] seven hundred chosen men lefthanded; every
one could sling stones at an hair [breadth], and not miss. 20.17 And
the men of Israel, beside Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand
men that drew sword: all these [were] men of war. 20.18 And
the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of God, and
asked counsel of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the
battle against the children of Benjamin? And the LORD said, Judah
[shall go up] first. 20.19 And
the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against
Gibeah. 20.20 And
the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of
Israel put themselves in array to fight against them at Gibeah. 20.21 And
the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down
to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men. 20.22 And
the people the men of Israel encouraged themselves, and set their
battle again in array in the place where they put themselves in array
the first day. 20.23 (And
the children of Israel went up and wept before the LORD until even, and
asked counsel of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up again to battle
against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the LORD said, Go up
against him.) 20.24 And
the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the
second day. 20.25 And
Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and
destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen
thousand men; all these drew the sword. 20.26 Then
all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto
the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the LORD, and fasted
that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings
before the LORD. 20.27 And
the children of Israel enquired of the LORD, (for the ark of the
covenant of God [was] there in those days, 20.28 And
Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in
those days,) saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the
children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And the LORD said,
Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand. 20.29 And
Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah. 20.30 And
the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the
third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other
times. 20.31 And
the children of Benjamin went out against the people, [and] were drawn
away from the city; and they began to smite of the people, [and] kill,
as at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to the house
of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of
Israel. 20.32 And
the children of Benjamin said, They [are] smitten down before us, as at
the first. But the children of Israel said, Let us flee, and draw them
from the city unto the highways. 20.33 And
all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put themselves in
array at Baaltamar: and the liers in wait of Israel came forth out of
their places, [even] out of the meadows of Gibeah. 20.34 And
there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel,
and the battle was sore: but they knew not that evil [was] near them. 20.35 And
the LORD smote Benjamin before Israel: and the children of Israel
destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and an
hundred men: all these drew the sword. 20.36 So
the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten: for the men of
Israel gave place to the Benjamites, because they trusted unto the
liers in wait which they had set beside Gibeah. 20.37 And
the liers in wait hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah; and the liers in wait
drew [themselves] along, and smote all the city with the edge of the
sword. 20.38 Now
there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the liers in
wait, that they should make a great flame with smoke rise up out of the
city. 20.39 And
when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began to smite
[and] kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons: for they said,
Surely they are smitten down before us, as [in] the first battle. 20.40 But
when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a pillar of
smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and, behold, the flame of the
city ascended up to heaven. 20.41 And
when the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin were amazed:
for they saw that evil was come upon them. 20.42
Therefore they turned [their backs] before the men of Israel unto the
way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and them which
[came] out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them. 20.43
[Thus] they inclosed the Benjamites round about, [and] chased them,
[and] trode them down with ease over against Gibeah toward the
sunrising. 20.44 And
there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these [were] men of
valour. 20.45 And
they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon: and
they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; and pursued
hard after them unto Gidom, and slew two thousand men of them. 20.46 So
that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand
men that drew the sword; all these [were] men of valour. 20.47 But
six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the rock Rimmon,
and abode in the rock Rimmon four months. 20.48 And
the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin, and smote
them with the edge of the sword, as well the men of [every] city, as
the beast, and all that came to hand: also they set on fire all the
cities that they came to. ▲21.1 Now the men of Israel had
sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter
unto Benjamin to wife. 21.2 And
the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before
God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore; 21.3 And
said, O LORD God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that
there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel? 21.4 And it
came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there
an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. 21.5 And
the children of Israel said, Who [is there] among all the tribes of
Israel that came not up with the congregation unto the LORD? For they
had made a great oath concerning him that came not up to the LORD to
Mizpeh, saying, He shall surely be put to death. 21.6 And
the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and
said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day. 21.7 How
shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the
LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to wives? 21.8 And
they said, What one [is there] of the tribes of Israel that came not up
to Mizpeh to the LORD? And, behold, there came none to the camp from
Jabeshgilead to the assembly. 21.9 For
the people were numbered, and, behold, [there were] none of the
inhabitants of Jabeshgilead there. 21.10 And
the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest,
and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of
Jabeshgilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the
children. 21.11 And
this [is] the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy every
male, and every woman that hath lain by man. 21.12 And
they found among the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead four hundred young
virgins, that had known no man by lying with any male: and they brought
them unto the camp to Shiloh, which [is] in the land of Canaan. 21.13 And
the whole congregation sent [some] to speak to the children of Benjamin
that [were] in the rock Rimmon, and to call peaceably unto them. 21.14 And
Benjamin came again at that time; and they gave them wives which they
had saved alive of the women of Jabeshgilead: and yet so they sufficed
them not. 21.15 And
the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the LORD had made a
breach in the tribes of Israel. 21.16 Then
the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for wives for them
that remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin? 21.17 And
they said, [There must be] an inheritance for them that be escaped of
Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel. 21.18
Howbeit we may not give them wives of our daughters: for the children
of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed [be] he that giveth a wife to
Benjamin. 21.19 Then
they said, Behold, [there is] a feast of the LORD in Shiloh yearly [in
a place] which [is] on the north side of Bethel, on the east side of
the highway that goeth up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south of
Lebonah. 21.20
Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie
in wait in the vineyards; 21.21 And
see, and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in
dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his
wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin. 21.22 And
it shall be, when their fathers or their brethren come unto us to
complain, that we will say unto them, Be favourable unto them for our
sakes: because we reserved not to each man his wife in the war: for ye
did not give unto them at this time, [that] ye should be guilty. 21.23 And
the children of Benjamin did so, and took [them] wives, according to
their number, of them that danced, whom they caught: and they went and
returned unto their inheritance, and repaired the cities, and dwelt in
them. 21.24 And
the children of Israel departed thence at that time, every man to his
tribe and to his family, and they went out from thence every man to his
inheritance. 21.25 In
those days [there was] no king in Israel: every man did [that which
was] right in his own eyes.