| 001:001
| 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? |
| 001:002 | And
the LORD said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his
hand. |
| 001:003 | 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. |
| 001:004 | 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. |
| 001:005 | And
they found Adonibezek in Bezek: and they fought against him, and they slew
the Canaanites and the Perizzites. |
| 001:006 | But
Adonibezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off his
thumbs and his great toes. |
| 001:007 | 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. |
| 001:008 | 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. |
| 001:009 | 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. |
| 001:010 | 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. |
| 001:011 | And
from thence he went against the inhabitants of Debir: and the name of Debir
before was Kirjathsepher: |
| 001:012 | And
Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjathsepher, and taketh it, to him will I give
Achsah my daughter to wife. |
| 001:013 | And
Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, took it: and he gave him
Achsah his daughter to wife. |
| 001:014 | 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? |
| 001:015 | 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. |
| 001:016 | 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. |
| 001:017 | 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.
|
| 001:018 | Also
Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof, and Askelon with the coast thereof,
and Ekron with the coast thereof. |
| 001:019 | 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. |
| 001:020 | And
they gave Hebron unto Caleb, as Moses said: and he expelled thence the three
sons of Anak. |
| 001:021 | 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. |
| 001:022 | And
the house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel: and the LORD was with
them. |
| 001:023 | And
the house of Joseph sent to descry Bethel. (Now the name of the city before
was Luz.) |
| 001:024 | 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.
|
| 001:025 | 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. |
| 001:026 | 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. |
| 001:027 | 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. |
| 001:028 | And
it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute,
and did not utterly drive them out. |
| 001:029 | Neither
did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer; but the Canaanites
dwelt in Gezer among them. |
| 001:030 | Neither
did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol;
but the Canaanites dwelt among them, and became tributaries. |
| 001:031 | 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: |
| 001:032 | But
the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: for
they did not drive them out. |
| 001:033 | 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. |
| 001:034 | And
the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain: for they would not
suffer them to come down to the valley: |
| 001:035 | 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. |
| 001:036 | And
the coast of the Amorites was from the going up to Akrabbim, from the rock,
and upward. |
|
| 002:001
| 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. | | 002:002 | 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? |
| 002:003 | 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. |
| 002:004 | 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. |
| 002:005 | And
they called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there unto the
LORD. |
| 002:006 | And
when Joshua had let the people go, the children of Israel went every man unto
his inheritance to possess the land. |
| 002:007 | 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. |
| 002:008 | And
Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and
ten years old. |
| 002:009 | 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. |
| 002:010 | 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. |
| 002:011 | And
the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim:
|
| 002:012 | 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.
|
| 002:013 | And
they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth. |
| 002:014 | 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.
|
| 002:015 | 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.
|
| 002:016 | Nevertheless
the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that
spoiled them. |
| 002:017 | 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. |
| 002:018 | 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. |
| 002:019 | 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. |
| 002:020 | 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; |
| 002:021 | I
also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which
Joshua left when he died: |
| 002:022 | 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. |
| 002:023 | Therefore
the LORD left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered
he them into the hand of Joshua. |
|
| 003:001
| 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; | | 003:002 | Only
that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war,
at the least such as before knew nothing thereof; |
| 003:003 | 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. |
| 003:004 | 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. |
| 003:005 | And
the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites,
and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites: |
| 003:006 | And
they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their
sons, and served their gods. |
| 003:007 | 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. |
| 003:008 | 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. |
| 003:009 | 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. |
| 003:010 | 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. |
| 003:011 | And
the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died. |
| 003:012 | 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. |
| 003:013 | And
he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel,
and possessed the city of palm trees. |
| 003:014 | So
the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years. |
| 003:015 | 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. |
| 003:016 | 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. |
| 003:017 | And
he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man.
|
| 003:018 | And
when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that
bare the present. |
| 003:019 | 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. |
| 003:020 | 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. |
| 003:021 | And
Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and
thrust it into his belly: |
| 003:022 | 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.
|
| 003:023 | Then
Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him,
and locked them. |
| 003:024 | 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. |
| 003:025 | 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. |
| 003:026 | And
Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped
unto Seirath. |
| 003:027 | 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. |
| 003:028 | 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. |
| 003:029 | 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. |
| 003:030 | So
Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore
years. |
| 003:031 | 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. |
|
| 004:001
| And
the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was
dead. | | 004:002 | 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.
|
| 004:003 | 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. |
| 004:004 | And
Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.
|
| 004:005 | 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. |
| 004:006 | 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? |
| 004:007 | 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.
|
| 004:008 | 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. |
| 004:009 | 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. |
| 004:010 | 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. |
| 004:011 | 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. |
| 004:012 | And
they shewed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to mount Tabor.
|
| 004:013 | 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. |
| 004:014 | 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. |
| 004:015 | 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. |
| 004:016 | 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. |
| 004:017 | 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. |
| 004:018 | 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. |
| 004:019 | 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. |
| 004:020 | 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. |
| 004:021 | 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. |
| 004:022 | 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. |
| 004:023 | So
God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel.
|
| 004:024 | 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. |
|
| 005:001
| Then
sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying, | | 005:002 | Praise
ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.
|
| 005:003 | 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. |
| 005:004 | 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.
|
| 005:005 | The
mountains melted from before the LORD, even that Sinai from before the LORD
God of Israel. |
| 005:006 | In
the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were
unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways. |
| 005:007 | The
inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah
arose, that I arose a mother in Israel. |
| 005:008 | They
chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen
among forty thousand in Israel? |
| 005:009 | My
heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly
among the people. Bless ye the LORD. |
| 005:010 | Speak,
ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way.
|
| 005:011 | 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. |
| 005:012 | Awake,
awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity
captive, thou son of Abinoam. |
| 005:013 | Then
he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people:
the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty. |
| 005:014 | 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. |
| 005:015 | 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. |
| 005:016 | Why
abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For
the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart. |
| 005:017 | Gilead
abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the
sea shore, and abode in his breaches. |
| 005:018 | Zebulun
and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the
high places of the field. |
| 005:019 | The
kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters
of Megiddo; they took no gain of money. |
| 005:020 | They
fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera. |
| 005:021 | The
river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my
soul, thou hast trodden down strength. |
| 005:022 | Then
were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the pransings of
their mighty ones. |
| 005:023 | 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. |
| 005:024 | Blessed
above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be
above women in the tent. |
| 005:025 | He
asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish.
|
| 005:026 | 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. |
| 005:027 | 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. |
| 005:028 | 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? |
| 005:029 | Her
wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself, |
| 005:030 | 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? |
| 005:031 | 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. |
|
| 006:001
| 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. | | 006:002 | 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. |
| 006:003 | 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; |
| 006:004 | 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. |
| 006:005 | 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. |
| 006:006 | And
Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children
of Israel cried unto the LORD. |
| 006:007 | And
it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because of
the Midianites, |
| 006:008 | 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; |
| 006:009 | 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; |
| 006:010 | 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. |
| 006:011 | 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. |
| 006:012 | And
the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with
thee, thou mighty man of valour. |
| 006:013 | 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. |
| 006:014 | 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? |
| 006:015 | 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. |
| 006:016 | And
the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the
Midianites as one man. |
| 006:017 | And
he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign
that thou talkest with me. |
| 006:018 | 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. |
| 006:019 | 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. |
| 006:020 | 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. |
| 006:021 | 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. |
| 006:022 | 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. |
| 006:023 | And
the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die. |
| 006:024 | Then
Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto
this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. |
| 006:025 | 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: |
| 006:026 | 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. |
| 006:027 | 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. |
| 006:028 | 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. |
| 006:029 | 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. |
| 006:030 | 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. |
| 006:031 | 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. |
| 006:032 | Therefore
on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because
he hath thrown down his altar. |
| 006:033 | 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. |
| 006:034 | But
the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer
was gathered after him. |
| 006:035 | 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. |
| 006:036 | And
Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said,
|
| 006:037 | 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. |
| 006:038 | 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. |
| 006:039 | 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.
|
| 006:040 | And
God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew
on all the ground. |
|
| 007:001
| 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. | | 007:002 | 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. |
| 007:003 | 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. |
| 007:004 | 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. |
| 007:005 | 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. |
| 007:006 | 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. |
| 007:007 | 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. |
| 007:008 | 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. |
| 007:009 | 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. |
| 007:010 | But
if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host:
|
| 007:011 | 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. |
| 007:012 | 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. |
| 007:013 | 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. |
| 007:014 | 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. |
| 007:015 | 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. |
| 007:016 | 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. |
| 007:017 | 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. |
| 007:018 | 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. |
| 007:019 | 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.
|
| 007:020 | 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. |
| 007:021 | And
they stood every man in his place round about the camp; and all the host ran,
and cried, and fled. |
| 007:022 | 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. |
| 007:023 | 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. |
| 007:024 | 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. |
| 007:025 | 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. |
|
| 008:001
| 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. | | 008:002 | 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? |
| 008:003 | 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. |
| 008:004 | And
Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that
were with him, faint, yet pursuing them. |
| 008:005 | 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. |
| 008:006 | 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? |
| 008:007 | 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. |
| 008:008 | 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. |
| 008:009 | And
he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I
will break down this tower. |
| 008:010 | 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. |
| 008:011 | 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. |
| 008:012 | 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. |
| 008:013 | And
Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up, |
| 008:014 | 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. |
| 008:015 | 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? |
| 008:016 | And
he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and
with them he taught the men of Succoth. |
| 008:017 | And
he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city. |
| 008:018 | 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. |
| 008:019 | 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. |
| 008:020 | 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. |
| 008:021 | 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. |
| 008:022 | 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.
|
| 008:023 | And
Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule
over you: the LORD shall rule over you. |
| 008:024 | 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.) |
| 008:025 | And
they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and
did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey. |
| 008:026 | 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. |
| 008:027 | 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. |
| 008:028 | 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. |
| 008:029 | And
Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house. |
| 008:030 | And
Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.
|
| 008:031 | And
his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called
Abimelech. |
| 008:032 | 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. |
| 008:033 | 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. |
| 008:034 | 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: |
| 008:035 | Neither
shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to
all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel. |
|
| 009:001
| 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, | | 009:002 | 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. |
| 009:003 | 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. |
| 009:004 | 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. |
| 009:005 | 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. |
| 009:006 | 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. |
| 009:007 | 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. |
| 009:008 | The
trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the
olive tree, Reign thou over us. |
| 009:009 | 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? |
| 009:010 | And
the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us. |
| 009:011 | But
the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit,
and go to be promoted over the trees? |
| 009:012 | Then
said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us. |
| 009:013 | And
the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man,
and go to be promoted over the trees? |
| 009:014 | Then
said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us. |
| 009:015 | 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. |
| 009:016 | 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; |
| 009:017 | (For
my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out
of the hand of Midian: |
| 009:018 | 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;)
|
| 009:019 | 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: |
| 009:020 | 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. |
| 009:021 | And
Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech
his brother. |
| 009:022 | When
Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel, |
| 009:023 | Then
God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men
of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech: |
| 009:024 | 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. |
| 009:025 | 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.
|
| 009:026 | 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. |
| 009:027 | 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. |
| 009:028 | 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? |
| 009:029 | 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. |
| 009:030 | And
when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his
anger was kindled. |
| 009:031 | 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. |
| 009:032 | Now
therefore up by night, thou and the people that is with thee, and lie in wait
in the field: |
| 009:033 | 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.
|
| 009:034 | And
Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they
laid wait against Shechem in four companies. |
| 009:035 | 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. |
| 009:036 | 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. |
| 009:037 | 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. |
| 009:038 | 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. |
| 009:039 | And
Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech. |
| 009:040 | And
Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown and
wounded, even unto the entering of the gate. |
| 009:041 | And
Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that
they should not dwell in Shechem. |
| 009:042 | And
it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and
they told Abimelech. |
| 009:043 | 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. |
| 009:044 | 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. |
| 009:045 | 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.
|
| 009:046 | And
when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into an hold
of the house of the god Berith. |
| 009:047 | And
it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered
together. |
| 009:048 | 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. |
| 009:049 | 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. |
| 009:050 | Then
went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it. |
| 009:051 | 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. |
| 009:052 | And
Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the
door of the tower to burn it with fire. |
| 009:053 | And
a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech's head, and all
to brake his skull. |
| 009:054 | 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 women slew him. And his young
man thrust him through, and he died. |
| 009:055 | And
when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man
unto his place. |
| 009:056 | Thus
God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in
slaying his seventy brethren: |
| 009:057 | 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. |
|
| 010:001
| 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. | | 010:002 | And
he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir.
|
| 010:003 | And
after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years.
|
| 010:004 | 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.
|
| 010:005 | And
Jair died, and was buried in Camon. |
| 010:006 | 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. |
| 010:007 | 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. |
| 010:008 | 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. |
| 010:009 | 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.
|
| 010:010 | 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. |
| 010:011 | 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?
|
| 010:012 | 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. |
| 010:013 | Yet
ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no
more. |
| 010:014 | Go
and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time
of your tribulation. |
| 010:015 | 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.
|
| 010:016 | And
they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his
soul was grieved for the misery of Israel. |
| 010:017 | Then
the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. And the
children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpeh. |
| 010:018 | 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. |
|
| 011:001
| Now
Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son of an
harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah. | | 011:002 | 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. |
| 011:003 | 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. |
| 011:004 | And
it came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against
Israel. |
| 011:005 | 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: |
| 011:006 | And
they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the
children of Ammon. |
| 011:007 | 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?
|
| 011:008 | 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. |
| 011:009 | 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? |
| 011:010 | And
the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, The LORD be witness between us, if
we do not so according to thy words. |
| 011:011 | 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. |
| 011:012 | 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?
|
| 011:013 | 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. |
| 011:014 | And
Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ammon: |
| 011:015 | And
said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, Israel took not away the land of Moab,
nor the land of the children of Ammon: |
| 011:016 | But
when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked through the wilderness unto the
Red sea, and came to Kadesh; |
| 011:017 | 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. |
| 011:018 | 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. |
| 011:019 | 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. |
| 011:020 | 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. |
| 011:021 | 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. |
| 011:022 | And
they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon even unto Jabbok,
and from the wilderness even unto Jordan. |
| 011:023 | So
now the LORD God of Israel hath dispossessed the Amorites from before his people
Israel, and shouldest thou possess it? |
| 011:024 | 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. |
| 011:025 | 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, |
| 011:026 | 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? |
| 011:027 | 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. |
| 011:028 | Howbeit
the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the words of Jephthah
which he sent him. |
| 011:029 | 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. |
| 011:030 | And
Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver
the children of Ammon into mine hands, |
| 011:031 | 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. |
| 011:032 | So
Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and
the LORD delivered them into his hands. |
| 011:033 | 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. |
| 011:034 | 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. |
| 011:035 | 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. |
| 011:036 | 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. |
| 011:037 | 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. |
| 011:038 | 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. |
| 011:039 | 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, |
| 011:040 | That
the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the
Gileadite four days in a year. |
|
| 012:001
| 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. | | 012:002 | 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. |
| 012:003 | 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? |
| 012:004 | 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. |
| 012:005 | 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; |
| 012:006 | 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.
|
| 012:007 | And
Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was
buried in one of the cities of Gilead. |
| 012:008 | And
after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. |
| 012:009 | 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.
|
| 012:010 | Then
died Ibzan, and was buried at Bethlehem. |
| 012:011 | And
after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years.
|
| 012:012 | And
Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the country of Zebulun.
|
| 012:013 | And
after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel. |
| 012:014 | And
he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts:
and he judged Israel eight years. |
| 012:015 | 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. |
|
| 013:001
| 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. | | 013:002 | 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. |
| 013:003 | 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.
|
| 013:004 | Now
therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat
not any unclean thing: |
| 013:005 | 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. |
| 013:006 | 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: |
| 013:007 | 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. |
| 013:008 | 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. |
| 013:009 | 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.
|
| 013:010 | 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. |
| 013:011 | 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. |
| 013:012 | And
Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the child,
and how shall we do unto him? |
| 013:013 | And
the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the woman let
her beware. |
| 013:014 | 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. |
| 013:015 | 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. |
| 013:016 | 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. |
| 013:017 | 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? |
| 013:018 | And
the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing
it is secret? |
| 013:019 | So
Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the
LORD: and the angel did wonderously; and Manoah and his wife looked on. |
| 013:020 | 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. |
| 013:021 | 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. |
| 013:022 | And
Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God. |
| 013:023 | 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. |
| 013:024 | And
the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the
LORD blessed him. |
| 013:025 | And
the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between
Zorah and Eshtaol. |
|
| 014:001
| And
Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of
the Philistines. | | 014:002 | 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. |
| 014:003 | 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. |
| 014:004 | 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. |
| 014:005 | 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. |
| 014:006 | 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. |
| 014:007 | And
he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well. |
| 014:008 | 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. |
| 014:009 | 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. |
| 014:010 | So
his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so
used the young men to do. |
| 014:011 | And
it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to
be with him. |
| 014:012 | 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: |
| 014:013 | 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. |
| 014:014 | 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.
|
| 014:015 | 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? |
| 014:016 | 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? |
| 014:017 | 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. |
| 014:018 | 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.
|
| 014:019 | 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. |
| 014:020 | But
Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend. |
|
| 015:001
| 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. | | 015:002 | 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. |
| 015:003 | And
Samson said concerning them, Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines,
though I do them a displeasure. |
| 015:004 | 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. |
| 015:005 | 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. |
| 015:006 | 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.
|
| 015:007 | And
Samson said unto them, Though ye have done this, yet will I be avenged of you,
and after that I will cease. |
| 015:008 | And
he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt
in the top of the rock Etam. |
| 015:009 | Then
the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread themselves in Lehi.
|
| 015:010 | 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. |
| 015:011 | 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. |
| 015:012 | 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. |
| 015:013 | 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. |
| 015:014 | 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.
|
| 015:015 | And
he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and
slew a thousand men therewith. |
| 015:016 | And
Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of
an ass have I slain a thousand men. |
| 015:017 | 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. |
| 015:018 | 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? |
| 015:019 | 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. |
| 015:020 | And
he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years. |
|
| 016:001
| Then
went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her. | | 016:002 | 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. |
| 016:003 | 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. |
| 016:004 | And
it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose
name was Delilah. |
| 016:005 | 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. |
| 016:006 | And
Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth,
and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee. |
| 016:007 | 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. |
| 016:008 | Then
the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withs which had
not been dried, and she bound him with them. |
| 016:009 | 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. |
| 016:010 | 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. |
| 016:011 | 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. |
| 016:012 | 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. |
| 016:013 | 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. |
| 016:014 | 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. |
| 016:015 | 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. |
| 016:016 | And
it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him,
so that his soul was vexed unto death; |
| 016:017 | 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. |
| 016:018 | 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. |
| 016:019 | 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. |
| 016:020 | 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. |
| 016:021 | 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.
|
| 016:022 | Howbeit
the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven. |
| 016:023 | 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. |
| 016:024 | 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. |
| 016:025 | 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. |
| 016:026 | 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. |
| 016:027 | 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. |
| 016:028 | 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. |
| 016:029 | 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. |
| 016:030 | 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. |
| 016:031 | 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. |
|
| 017:001
| And
there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah. | | 017:002 | 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. |
| 017:003 | 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. |
| 017:004 | 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. |
| 017:005 | 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. |
| 017:006 | In
those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right
in his own eyes. |
| 017:007 | And
there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah of the family of Judah, who was
a Levite, and he sojourned there. |
| 017:008 | 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.
|
| 017:009 | 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. |
| 017:010 | 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. |
| 017:011 | And
the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him
as one of his sons. |
| 017:012 | And
Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was
in the house of Micah. |
| 017:013 | Then
said Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite
to my priest. |
|
| 018:001
| 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. | | 018:002 | 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. |
| 018:003 | 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? |
| 018:004 | And
he said unto them, Thus and thus dealeth Micah with me, and hath hired me,
and I am his priest. |
| 018:005 | 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. |
| 018:006 | And
the priest said unto them, Go in peace: before the LORD is your way wherein
ye go. |
| 018:007 | 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.
|
| 018:008 | And
they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their brethren said
unto them, What say ye? |
| 018:009 | 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. |
| 018:010 | 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. |
| 018:011 | 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. |
| 018:012 | And
they went up, and pitched in Kirjathjearim, in Judah: wherefore they called
that place Mahanehdan unto this day: behold, it is behind Kirjathjearim. |
| 018:013 | And
they passed thence unto mount Ephraim, and came unto the house of Micah. |
| 018:014 | 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. |
| 018:015 | And
they turned thitherward, and came to the house of the young man the Levite,
even unto the house of Micah, and saluted him. |
| 018:016 | 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. |
| 018:017 | 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. |
| 018:018 | 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? |
| 018:019 | 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? |
| 018:020 | 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. |
| 018:021 | So
they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle and the carriage
before them. |
| 018:022 | 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. |
| 018:023 | 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? |
| 018:024 | 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? |
| 018:025 | 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. |
| 018:026 | 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. |
| 018:027 | 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. |
| 018:028 | 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. |
| 018:029 | 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.
|
| 018:030 | 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. |
| 018:031 | And
they set them up Micah's graven image, which he made, all the time that the
house of God was in Shiloh. |
|
| 019:001
| 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. | | 019:002 | 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. |
| 019:003 | 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. |
| 019:004 | 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. |
| 019:005 | 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. |
| 019:006 | 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. |
| 019:007 | And
when the man rose up to depart, his father in law urged him: therefore he lodged
there again. |
| 019:008 | 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. |
| 019:009 | 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. |
| 019:010 | 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. |
| 019:011 | 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. |
| 019:012 | 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.
|
| 019:013 | 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. |
| 019:014 | And
they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them when they
were by Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin. |
| 019:015 | 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. |
| 019:016 | 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. |
| 019:017 | 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? |
| 019:018 | 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. |
| 019:019 | 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. |
| 019:020 | And
the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon
me; only lodge not in the street. |
| 019:021 | So
he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses: and they
washed their feet, and did eat and drink. |
| 019:022 | 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. |
| 019:023 | 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. |
| 019:024 | 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. |
| 019:025 | 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. |
| 019:026 | 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. |
| 019:027 | 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. |
| 019:028 | 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. |
| 019:029 | 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. |
| 019:030 | 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. |
|
| 020:001
| 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. | | 020:002 | 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. |
| 020:003 | (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?
|
| 020:004 | 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. |
| 020:005 | 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. |
| 020:006 | 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. |
| 020:007 | Behold,
ye are all children of Israel; give here your advice and counsel. |
| 020:008 | 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. |
| 020:009 | But
now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up by lot
against it; |
| 020:010 | 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. |
| 020:011 | So
all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one
man. |
| 020:012 | And
the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What
wickedness is this that is done among you? |
| 020:013 | 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. |
| 020:014 | But
the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto
Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel. |
| 020:015 | 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. |
| 020:016 | Among
all this people there were seven hundred chosen men lefthanded; every one could
sling stones at an hair breadth, and not miss. |
| 020:017 | And
the men of Israel, beside Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men
that drew sword: all these were men of war. |
| 020:018 | 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. |
| 020:019 | And
the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah.
|
| 020:020 | 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. |
| 020:021 | 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. |
| 020:022 | 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. |
| 020:023 | (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.) |
| 020:024 | And
the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second
day. |
| 020:025 | 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. |
| 020:026 | 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.
|
| 020:027 | And
the children of Israel enquired of the LORD, (for the ark of the covenant of
God was there in those days, |
| 020:028 | 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. |
| 020:029 | And
Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah. |
| 020:030 | 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. |
| 020:031 | 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. |
| 020:032 | 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. |
| 020:033 | 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. |
| 020:034 | 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. |
| 020:035 | 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. |
| 020:036 | 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. |
| 020:037 | 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. |
| 020:038 | 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. |
| 020:039 | 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. |
| 020:040 | 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. |
| 020:041 | And
when the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin were amazed: for they
saw that evil was come upon them. |
| 020:042 | 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. |
| 020:043 | Thus
they inclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them, and trode them down
with ease over against Gibeah toward the sunrising. |
| 020:044 | And
there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these were men of valour.
|
| 020:045 | 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. |
| 020:046 | 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. |
| 020:047 | But
six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the rock Rimmon, and
abode in the rock Rimmon four months. |
| 020:048 | 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. |
|
| 021:001
| Now
the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give
his daughter unto Benjamin to wife. | | 021:002 | And
the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God,
and lifted up their voices, and wept sore; |
| 021:003 | 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? |
| 021:004 | 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. |
| 021:005 | 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. |
| 021:006 | And
the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said,
There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day. |
| 021:007 | 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? |
| 021:008 | 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. |
| 021:009 | For
the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of
Jabeshgilead there. |
| 021:010 | 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. |
| 021:011 | And
this is the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy every male, and
every woman that hath lain by man. |
| 021:012 | 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. |
| 021:013 | 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. |
| 021:014 | 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. |
| 021:015 | And
the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the LORD had made a breach
in the tribes of Israel. |
| 021:016 | 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? |
| 021:017 | And
they said, There must be an inheritance for them that be escaped of Benjamin,
that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel. |
| 021:018 | 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. |
| 021:019 | 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. |
| 021:020 | Therefore
they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the
vineyards; |
| 021:021 | 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. |
| 021:022 | 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. |
| 021:023 | 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. |
| 021:024 | 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.
|
| 021:025 | In
those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right
in his own eyes. |