CHAPTER 1
<<THE BOOK OF JUDGES>> Now after the death of Jŏsh‑́ū‑ă it came to pass, that the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl asked the LORD, saying, Who shall go up for us against the Cā‑́nă‑ăn‑ītes first, to fight against them?
2 And the LORD said, Jûd‑́ăh shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand.
3 And Jûd‑́ăh said unto Sĭm‑́ĕ‑o̱n his brother, Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Cā‑́nă‑ăn‑ītes; and I likewise will go with thee into thy lot. So Sĭm‑́ĕ‑o̱n went with him.
4 And Jûd‑́ăh went up; and the LORD delivered the Cā‑́nă‑ăn‑ītes and the Pĕ‑rĭz‑́zītes into their hand: and they slew of them in Bē‑́zĕk ten thousand men.
5 And they found Ăd‑́ō‑nī–bē‑́zĕk in Bē‑́zĕk: and they fought against him, and they slew the Cā‑́nă‑ăn‑ītes and the Pĕ‑rĭz‑́zītes.
6 But Ăd‑́ō‑nī–bē‑́zĕk fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes.
7 And Ăd‑́ō‑nī–bē‑́zĕk 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 Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, and there he died.
8 Now the children of Jûd‑́ăh had fought against Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, and had taken it, and smitten it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire.
9 ¶ And after­ward the children of Jûd‑́ăh went down to fight against the Cā‑́nă‑ăn‑ītes, that dwelt in the mountain, and in the south, and in the valley.
10 And Jûd‑́ăh went against the Cā‑́nă‑ăn‑ītes that dwelt in Hē‑́brŏn: (now the name of Hē‑́brŏn before [was] Kĭr‑́jăth–är‑́bă:) and they slew Shē‑́sha᷍i, and Ă‑hī‑́măn, and Tăl‑́ma᷍i.
11 And from thence he went against the inhabitants of Dē‑́bĭr: and the name of Dē‑́bĭr before [was] Kĭr‑́jăth–sē‑́phĕr:
12 And Cā‑́lĕb said, He that smiteth Kĭr‑́jăth–sē‑́phĕr, and taketh it, to him will I give Ăc͟h‑́săh my daughter to wife.
13 And Ŏth‑́nĭ‑ĕl the son of Kē‑́năz, Cā‑́lĕb’s younger brother, took it: and he gave him Ăc͟h‑́săh his daughter to wife.
14 And it came to pass, when she came [to him], that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she lighted from off [her] ass; and Cā‑́lĕb said unto her, What wilt thou?
15 And she said unto him, Give me a blessing: for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And Cā‑́lĕb gave her the upper springs and the nether springs.
16 ¶ And the children of the Kē‑́nīte, Mō‑́ṡĕṡ’ father in law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Jûd‑́ăh into the wilderness of Jûd‑́ăh, which [lieth] in the south of Âr‑́ăd; and they went and dwelt among the people.
17 And Jûd‑́ăh went with Sĭm‑́ĕ‑o̱n his brother, and they slew the Cā‑́nă‑ăn‑ītes that inhabited Zē‑́phăth, and utterly destroyed it. And the name of the city was called Hôr‑́măh.
18 Also Jûd‑́ăh took Gā‑́ză with the coast thereof, and Ăs‑́kĕ‑lo̱n with the coast thereof, and Ĕk‑́rŏn with the coast thereof.
19 And the LORD was with Jûd‑́ăh; 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.
20 And they gave Hē‑́brŏn unto Cā‑́lĕb, as Mō‑́ṡĕṡ said: and he expelled thence the three sons of Ā‑́năk.
21 And the children of Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn did not drive out the Jĕb‑́ū‑ṡītes that inhabited Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm; but the Jĕb‑́ū‑ṡītes dwell with the children of Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm unto this day.
22 ¶ And the house of Jō‑́ṡĕph, they also went up against Bĕth–́ĕl: and the LORD [was] with them.
23 And the house of Jō‑́ṡĕph sent to descry Bĕth–́ĕl. (Now the name of the city before [was] Lŭz.)
24 And the spies saw a man come forth out of the city, and they said unto him, Shew us, we pray thee, the entrance into the city, and we will shew thee mercy.
25 And when he shewed them the entrance into the city, they smote the city with the edge of the sword; but they let go the man and all his family.
26 And the man went into the land of the Hĭt‑́tītes, and built a city, and called the name thereof Lŭz: which [is] the name thereof unto this day.
27 ¶ Neither did Mă‑năs‑́sēh drive out [the inhabitants of] Bĕth–shē‑́ăn and her towns, nor Tā‑́ă‑năc͟h and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Dôr and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Ĭb‑́lĕ‑ăm and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Mĕ‑gĭd‑́dō and her towns: but the Cā‑́nă‑ăn‑ītes would dwell in that land.
28 And it came to pass, when Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl was strong, that they put the Cā‑́nă‑ăn‑ītes to tribute, and did not utterly drive them out.
29 ¶ Neither did Ē‑́phră‑ĭm drive out the Cā‑́nă‑ăn‑ītes that dwelt in Gē‑́zĕr; but the Cā‑́nă‑ăn‑ītes dwelt in Gē‑́zĕr among them.
30 ¶ Neither did Zĕ‑bū‑́lŭn drive out the inhabitants of Kĭt‑́rŏn, nor the inhabitants of Nā‑́hă‑lŏl; but the Cā‑́nă‑ăn‑ītes dwelt among them, and became tributaries.
31 ¶ Neither did Ăsh‑́ĕr drive out the inhabitants of Ăc‑́c͟hō, nor the inhabitants of Zī‑́dŏn, nor of Äh‑́lăb, nor of Ăc͟h‑́zĭb, nor of Hĕl‑́băh, nor of Ā‑́phĭk, nor of Rē‑́hŏb:
32 But the Ăsh‑́ĕr‑ītes dwelt among the Cā‑́nă‑ăn‑ītes, the inhabitants of the land: for they did not drive them out.
33 ¶ Neither did Năph‑́tă‑lī drive out the inhabitants of Bĕth–shē‑́mĕsh, nor the inhabitants of Bĕth–́ă‑năth; but he dwelt among the Cā‑́nă‑ăn‑ītes, the inhabitants of the land: nevertheless the inhabitants of Bĕth–shē‑́mĕsh and of Bĕth–́ă‑năth became tributaries unto them.
34 And the Ăm‑́ō‑rītes forced the children of Dăn into the mountain: for they would not suffer them to come down to the valley:
35 But the Ăm‑́ō‑rītes would dwell in mount Hē‑́rĕṡ in A᷍i‑́jă‑lŏn, and in Shā‑ăl‑́bĭm: yet the hand of the house of Jō‑́ṡĕph prevailed, so that they became tributaries.
36 And the coast of the Ăm‑́ō‑rītes [was] from the going up to Ăk‑răb‑́bĭm, from the rock, and upward.
CHAPTER 2
And an angel of the LORD came up from Gĭl‑́găl to Bō‑́c͟hĭm, and said, I made you to go up out of Ē‑́ġy̆pt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.
2 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?
3 Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be [as thorns] in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.
4 And it came to pass, when the angel of the LORD spake these words unto all the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.
5 And they called the name of that place Bō‑́c͟hĭm: and they sacrificed there unto the LORD.
6 ¶ And when Jŏsh‑́ū‑ă had let the people go, the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl went every man unto his inheritance to possess the land.
7 And the people served the LORD all the days of Jŏsh‑́ū‑ă, and all the days of the elders that out­lived Jŏsh‑́ū‑ă, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that he did for Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
8 And Jŏsh‑́ū‑ă the son of Nŭn, the servant of the LORD, died, [being] an hundred and ten years old.
9 And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Tĭm‑́năth–heres, in the mount of Ē‑́phră‑ĭm, on the north side of the hill Gā‑́ăsh.
10 And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
11 ¶ And the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Bā‑́ă‑lĭm:
12 And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Ē‑́ġy̆pt, 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.
13 And they forsook the LORD, and served Bā‑́ăl and Ăsh‑́tă‑rōth.
14 ¶ And the anger of the LORD was hot against Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, 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.
15 Whither­soever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed.
16 ¶ Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.
17 And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed them­selves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the LORD; [but] they did not so.
18 And when the LORD raised them up judges, then the LORD was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the LORD because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them.
19 And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, [that] they returned, and corrupted [them­selves] more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.
20 ¶ And the anger of the LORD was hot against Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl; and he said, Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice;
21 I also will not hence­forth drive out any from before them of the nations which Jŏsh‑́ū‑ă left when he died:
22 That through them I may prove Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep [it], or not.
23 Therefore the LORD left those nations, with­out driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Jŏsh‑́ū‑ă.
CHAPTER 3
Now these [are] the nations which the LORD left, to prove Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl by them, [even] as many [of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl] as had not known all the wars of Cā‑́nă‑ăn;
2 Only that the generations of the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof;
3 [Namely], five lords of the Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ, and all the Cā‑́nă‑ăn‑ītes, and the Ṡī‑dō‑́nĭ‑ăns, and the Hī‑́vītes that dwelt in mount Lĕb‑́ă‑no̱n, from mount Bā‑́ăl–hĕr‑́mo̱n unto the entering in of Hā‑́măth.
4 And they were to prove Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Mō‑́ṡĕṡ.
5 ¶ And the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl dwelt among the Cā‑́nă‑ăn‑ītes, Hĭt‑́tītes, and Ăm‑́ō‑rītes, and Pĕ‑rĭz‑́zītes, and Hī‑́vītes, and Jĕb‑́ū‑ṡītes:
6 And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods.
7 And the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Bā‑́ă‑lĭm and the groves.
8 ¶ Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, and he sold them into the hand of Chû‑́shăn–rĭsh‑ă‑thā‑́ĭm king of Mĕs‑ŏ‑pŏ‑tā‑́mĭ‑ă: and the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl served Chû‑́shăn–rĭsh‑ă‑thā‑́ĭm eight years.
9 And when the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, who delivered them, [even] Ŏth‑́nĭ‑ĕl the son of Kē‑́năz, Cā‑́lĕb’s younger brother.
10 And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chû‑́shăn–rĭsh‑ă‑thā‑́ĭm king of Mĕs‑ŏ‑pŏ‑tā‑́mĭ‑ă into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chû‑́shăn–rĭsh‑ă‑thā‑́ĭm.
11 And the land had rest forty years. And Ŏth‑́nĭ‑ĕl the son of Kē‑́năz died.
12 ¶ And the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened Ĕg‑́lŏn the king of Mō‑́ăb against Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.
13 And he gathered unto him the children of Ăm‑́mo̱n and Ăm‑́ă‑lĕk, and went and smote Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, and possessed the city of palm trees.
14 So the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl served Ĕg‑́lŏn the king of Mō‑́ăb eighteen years.
15 But when the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ē‑́hŭd the son of Gē‑́ră, a Bĕn‑́jă‑mīte, a man left­handed: and by him the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl sent a present unto Ĕg‑́lŏn the king of Mō‑́ăb.
16 But Ē‑́hŭd made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh.
17 And he brought the present unto Ĕg‑́lŏn king of Mō‑́ăb: and Ĕg‑́lŏn [was] a very fat man.
18 And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present.
19 But he him­self turned again from the quarries that [were] by Gĭl‑́găl, 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.
20 And Ē‑́hŭd came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for him­self alone. And Ē‑́hŭd said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of [his] seat.
21 And Ē‑́hŭd put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly:
22 And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out.
23 Then Ē‑́hŭd went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them.
24 When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour [were] locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber.
25 And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the parlour; therefore they took a key, and opened [them]: and, behold, their lord [was] fallen down dead on the earth.
26 And Ē‑́hŭd escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Sē‑ī‑́răth.
27 And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ē‑́phră‑ĭm, and the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl went down with him from the mount, and he before them.
28 And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Mō‑́ăb‑ītes into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jôr‑́dăn toward Mō‑́ăb, and suffered not a man to pass over.
29 And they slew of Mō‑́ăb at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man.
30 So Mō‑́ăb was subdued that day under the hand of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl. And the land had rest fourscore years.
31 ¶ And after him was Shăm‑́gär the son of Ā‑́năth, which slew of the Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
CHAPTER 4
And the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ē‑́hŭd was dead.
2 And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jā‑́bĭn king of Cā‑́nă‑ăn, that reigned in Hā‑́zôr; the captain of whose host [was] Sĭs‑́ĕ‑ră, which dwelt in Hă‑rō‑́shĕth of the Ġĕn‑́tīleṡ.
3 And the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
4 ¶ And Dĕb‑́ŏ‑răh, a prophetess, the wife of Lăp‑́ĭ‑dōth, she judged Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl at that time.
5 And she dwelt under the palm tree of Dĕb‑́ŏ‑răh between Rā‑́măh and Bĕth–́ĕl in mount Ē‑́phră‑ĭm: and the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl came up to her for judgment.
6 And she sent and called Bâr‑́ăk the son of Ă‑bĭn‑́ō‑ăm out of Kē‑́dĕsh–năph‑́tă‑lī, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl commanded, [saying], Go and draw toward mount Tā‑́bôr, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Năph‑́tă‑lī and of the children of Zĕ‑bū‑́lŭn?
7 And I will draw unto thee to the river Kī‑́shŏn Sĭs‑́ĕ‑ră, the captain of Jā‑́bĭn’s army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand.
8 And Bâr‑́ăk 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.
9 And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwith­standing the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell Sĭs‑́ĕ‑ră into the hand of a woman. And Dĕb‑́ŏ‑răh arose, and went with Bâr‑́ăk to Kē‑́dĕsh.
10 ¶ And Bâr‑́ăk called Zĕ‑bū‑́lŭn and Năph‑́tă‑lī to Kē‑́dĕsh; and he went up with ten thousand men at his feet: and Dĕb‑́ŏ‑răh went up with him.
11 Now Hē‑́bĕr the Kē‑́nīte, [which was] of the children of Hō‑́băb the father in law of Mō‑́ṡĕṡ, had severed him­self from the Kē‑́nītes, and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zā‑ă‑nā‑́ĭm, which [is] by Kē‑́dĕsh.
12 And they shewed Sĭs‑́ĕ‑ră that Bâr‑́ăk the son of Ă‑bĭn‑́ō‑ăm was gone up to mount Tā‑́bôr.
13 And Sĭs‑́ĕ‑ră gathered together all his chariots, [even] nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that [were] with him, from Hă‑rō‑́shĕth of the Ġĕn‑́tīleṡ unto the river of Kī‑́shŏn.
14 And Dĕb‑́ŏ‑răh said unto Bâr‑́ăk, Up; for this [is] the day in which the LORD hath delivered Sĭs‑́ĕ‑ră into thine hand: is not the LORD gone out before thee? So Bâr‑́ăk went down from mount Tā‑́bôr, and ten thousand men after him.
15 And the LORD discomfited Sĭs‑́ĕ‑ră, and all [his] chariots, and all [his] host, with the edge of the sword before Bâr‑́ăk; so that Sĭs‑́ĕ‑ră lighted down off [his] chariot, and fled away on his feet.
16 But Bâr‑́ăk pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Hă‑rō‑́shĕth of the Ġĕn‑́tīleṡ: and all the host of Sĭs‑́ĕ‑ră fell upon the edge of the sword; [and] there was not a man left.
17 Howbeit Sĭs‑́ĕ‑ră fled away on his feet to the tent of Jā‑́ĕl the wife of Hē‑́bĕr the Kē‑́nīte: for [there was] peace between Jā‑́bĭn the king of Hā‑́zôr and the house of Hē‑́bĕr the Kē‑́nīte.
18 ¶ And Jā‑́ĕl went out to meet Sĭs‑́ĕ‑ră, 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.
19 And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him.
20 Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and inquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No.
21 Then Jā‑́ĕl Hē‑́bĕr’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.
22 And, behold, as Bâr‑́ăk pursued Sĭs‑́ĕ‑ră, Jā‑́ĕl 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, Sĭs‑́ĕ‑ră lay dead, and the nail [was] in his temples.
23 So God subdued on that day Jā‑́bĭn the king of Cā‑́nă‑ăn before the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
24 And the hand of the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl prospered, and prevailed against Jā‑́bĭn the king of Cā‑́nă‑ăn, until they had destroyed Jā‑́bĭn king of Cā‑́nă‑ăn.
CHAPTER 5
Then sang Dĕb‑́ŏ‑răh and Bâr‑́ăk the son of Ă‑bĭn‑́ō‑ăm on that day, saying,
2 Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, when the people willingly offered them­selves.
3 Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, [even] I, will sing unto the LORD; I will sing [praise] to the LORD God of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
4 LORD, when thou wentest out of Sē‑́ĭr, when thou marchedst out of the field of Ē‑́do̱m, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water.
5 The mountains melted from before the LORD, [even] that Sī‑́na᷍i from before the LORD God of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
6 In the days of Shăm‑́gär the son of Ā‑́năth, in the days of Jā‑́ĕl, the high­ways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways.
7 [The inhabitants of] the villages ceased, they ceased in Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, until that I Dĕb‑́ŏ‑răh arose, that I arose a mother in Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
8 They chose new gods; then [was] war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl?
9 My heart [is] toward the governors of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, that offered them­selves willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD.
10 Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way.
11 [They that are delivered] from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the LORD, [even] the righteous acts [toward the inhabitants] of his villages in Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl: then shall the people of the LORD go down to the gates.
12 Awake, awake, Dĕb‑́ŏ‑răh: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Bâr‑́ăk, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Ă‑bĭn‑́ō‑ăm.
13 Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty.
14 Out of Ē‑́phră‑ĭm [was there] a root of them against Ăm‑́ă‑lĕk; after thee, Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn, among thy people; out of Mā‑́c͟hĭr came down governors, and out of Zĕ‑bū‑́lŭn they that handle the pen of the writer.
15 And the princes of Ĭs‑́să‑c͟här [were] with Dĕb‑́ŏ‑răh; even Ĭs‑́să‑c͟här, and also Bâr‑́ăk: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Re᷍u‑́bĕn [there were] great thoughts of heart.
16 Why abodest thou among the sheep­folds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Re᷍u‑́bĕn [there were] great searchings of heart.
17 Gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd abode beyond Jôr‑́dăn: and why did Dăn remain in ships? Ăsh‑́ĕr continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches.
18 Zĕ‑bū‑́lŭn and Năph‑́tă‑lī [were] a people [that] jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field.
19 The kings came [and] fought, then fought the kings of Cā‑́nă‑ăn in Tā‑́ă‑năc͟h by the waters of Mĕ‑gĭd‑́dō; they took no gain of money.
20 They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sĭs‑́ĕ‑ră.
21 The river of Kī‑́shŏn swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kī‑́shŏn. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.
22 Then were the horse­hoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the pransings of their mighty ones.
23 Curse ye Mē‑́rŏz, 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.
24 Blessed above women shall Jā‑́ĕl the wife of Hē‑́bĕr the Kē‑́nīte be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
25 He asked water, [and] she gave [him] milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish.
26 She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the work­men’s hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sĭs‑́ĕ‑ră, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples.
27 At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead.
28 The mother of Sĭs‑́ĕ‑ră 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?
29 Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to her­self,
30 Have they not sped? have they [not] divided the prey; to every man a damsel [or] two; to Sĭs‑́ĕ‑ră 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?
31 So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but [let] them that love him [be] as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.
CHAPTER 6
And the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Mĭd‑́ĭ‑ăn seven years.
2 And the hand of Mĭd‑́ĭ‑ăn prevailed against Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl: [and] because of the Mĭd‑́ĭ‑ă‑nītes the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl made them the dens which [are] in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds.
3 And [so] it was, when Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl had sown, that the Mĭd‑́ĭ‑ă‑nītes came up, and the Ă‑măl‑́ĕk‑ītes, and the children of the east, even they came up against them;
4 And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gā‑́ză, and left no sustenance for Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.
5 For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; [for] both they and their camels were with­out number: and they entered into the land to destroy it.
6 And Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl was greatly impoverished because of the Mĭd‑́ĭ‑ă‑nītes; and the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl cried unto the LORD.
7 ¶ And it came to pass, when the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl cried unto the LORD because of the Mĭd‑́ĭ‑ă‑nītes,
8 That the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, which said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, I brought you up from Ē‑́ġy̆pt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage;
9 And I delivered you out of the hand of the Ē‑ġy̆p‑́ti̅ăns, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land;
10 And I said unto you, I [am] the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the Ăm‑́ō‑rītes, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice.
11 ¶ And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which [was] in Ŏph‑́răh, that [pertained] unto Jō‑́ăsh the Ā‑́bī–ĕz‑́rīte: and his son Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n threshed wheat by the wine­press, to hide [it] from the Mĭd‑́ĭ‑ă‑nītes.
12 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD [is] with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
13 And Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n 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 Ē‑́ġy̆pt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Mĭd‑́ĭ‑ă‑nītes.
14 And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl from the hand of the Mĭd‑́ĭ‑ă‑nītes: have not I sent thee?
15 And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, where­with shall I save Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl? behold, my family [is] poor in Mă‑năs‑́sēh, and I [am] the least in my father’s house.
16 And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Mĭd‑́ĭ‑ă‑nītes as one man.
17 And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me.
18 Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set [it] before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again.
19 ¶ And Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ē‑́phäh 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].
20 And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay [them] upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.
21 ¶ Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that [was] in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight.
22 And when Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n perceived that he [was] an angel of the LORD, Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n said, Alas, O Lord GOD! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face.
23 And the LORD said unto him, Peace [be] unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.
24 Then Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jĕ‑hō‑́văh–shā‑́lŏm: unto this day it [is] yet in Ŏph‑́răh of the Ā‑́bī–ĕz‑́rītes.
25 ¶ And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Take thy father’s young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Bā‑́ăl that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that [is] by it:
26 And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down.
27 Then Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n 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.
28 ¶ And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Bā‑́ăl 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.
29 And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they inquired and asked, they said, Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n the son of Jō‑́ăsh hath done this thing.
30 Then the men of the city said unto Jō‑́ăsh, Bring out thy son, that he may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Bā‑́ăl, and because he hath cut down the grove that [was] by it.
31 And Jō‑́ăsh said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Bā‑́ăl? 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.
32 Therefore on that day he called him Jĕr‑ŭb‑bā‑́ăl, saying, Let Bā‑́ăl plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.
33 ¶ Then all the Mĭd‑́ĭ‑ă‑nītes and the Ă‑măl‑́ĕk‑ītes and the children of the east were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jĕz‑́re᷍el.
34 But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n, and he blew a trumpet; and Ā‑́bī–ē‑́zĕr was gathered after him.
35 And he sent messengers through­out all Mă‑năs‑́sēh; who also was gathered after him: and he sent messengers unto Ăsh‑́ĕr, and unto Zĕ‑bū‑́lŭn, and unto Năph‑́tă‑lī; and they came up to meet them.
36 ¶ And Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n said unto God, If thou wilt save Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl by mine hand, as thou hast said,
37 Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; [and] if the dew be on the fleece only, and [it be] dry upon all the earth [beside], then shall I know that thou wilt save Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl by mine hand, as thou hast said.
38 And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.
39 And Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n 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.
40 And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.
CHAPTER 7
Then Jĕr‑ŭb‑bā‑́ăl, who [is] Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n, and all the people that [were] with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Hâr‑́ŏd: so that the host of the Mĭd‑́ĭ‑ă‑nītes were on the north side of them, by the hill of Mō‑́rēh, in the valley.
2 And the LORD said unto Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n, The people that [are] with thee [are] too many for me to give the Mĭd‑́ĭ‑ă‑nītes into their hands, lest Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl vaunt them­selves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.
3 Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Who­soever [is] fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.
4 And the LORD said unto Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n, 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.
5 So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n, 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.
6 And the number of them that lapped, [putting] their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.
7 And the LORD said unto Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Mĭd‑́ĭ‑ă‑nītes into thine hand: and let all the [other] people go every man unto his place.
8 So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he sent all [the rest of] Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl every man unto his tent, and retained those three hundred men: and the host of Mĭd‑́ĭ‑ăn was beneath him in the valley.
9 ¶ And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand.
10 But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phū‑́răh thy servant down to the host:
11 And thou shalt hear what they say; and after­ward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phū‑́răh his servant unto the out­side of the armed men that [were] in the host.
12 And the Mĭd‑́ĭ‑ă‑nītes and the Ă‑măl‑́ĕk‑ītes 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.
13 And when Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n 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 Mĭd‑́ĭ‑ăn, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and over­turned it, that the tent lay along.
14 And his fellow answered and said, This [is] nothing else save the sword of Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n the son of Jō‑́ăsh, a man of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl: [for] into his hand hath God delivered Mĭd‑́ĭ‑ăn, and all the host.
15 ¶ And it was [so], when Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host of Mĭd‑́ĭ‑ăn.
16 And he divided the three hundred men [into] three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man’s hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.
17 And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the out­side of the camp, it shall be [that], as I do, so shall ye do.
18 When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that [are] with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, [The sword] of the LORD, and of Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n.
19 ¶ So Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n, 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.
20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow [withal]: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n.
21 And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.
22 And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man’s sword against his fellow, even through­out all the host: and the host fled to Bĕth–shĭt‑́tăh in Zĕr‑́ĕ‑răth, [and] to the border of Ā‑́bĕl–mĕ‑hō‑́lăh, unto Tăb‑́băth.
23 And the men of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl gathered them­selves together out of Năph‑́tă‑lī, and out of Ăsh‑́ĕr, and out of all Mă‑năs‑́sēh, and pursued after the Mĭd‑́ĭ‑ă‑nītes.
24 ¶ And Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n sent messengers through­out all mount Ē‑́phră‑ĭm, saying, Come down against the Mĭd‑́ĭ‑ă‑nītes, and take before them the waters unto Bĕth–bâr‑́ăh and Jôr‑́dăn. Then all the men of Ē‑́phră‑ĭm gathered them­selves together, and took the waters unto Bĕth–bâr‑́ăh and Jôr‑́dăn.
25 And they took two princes of the Mĭd‑́ĭ‑ă‑nītes, Ôr‑́ĕb and Ze᷍eb; and they slew Ôr‑́ĕb upon the rock Ôr‑́ĕb, and Ze᷍eb they slew at the wine­press of Ze᷍eb, and pursued Mĭd‑́ĭ‑ăn, and brought the heads of Ôr‑́ĕb and Ze᷍eb to Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n on the other side Jôr‑́dăn.
CHAPTER 8
And the men of Ē‑́phră‑ĭm said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Mĭd‑́ĭ‑ă‑nītes? And they did chide with him sharply.
2 And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you? [Is] not the gleaning of the grapes of Ē‑́phră‑ĭm better than the vintage of Ā‑́bī–ē‑́zĕr?
3 God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Mĭd‑́ĭ‑ăn, Ôr‑́ĕb and Ze᷍eb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.
4 ¶ And Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n came to Jôr‑́dăn, [and] passed over, he, and the three hundred men that [were] with him, faint, yet pursuing [them].
5 And he said unto the men of Sŭc‑́cōth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they [be] faint, and I am pursuing after Zē‑́bäh and Zăl‑mŭn‑́nă, kings of Mĭd‑́ĭ‑ăn.
6 ¶ And the princes of Sŭc‑́cōth said, [Are] the hands of Zē‑́bäh and Zăl‑mŭn‑́nă now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army?
7 And Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n said, Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zē‑́bäh and Zăl‑mŭn‑́nă into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.
8 ¶ And he went up thence to Pĕn‑́ū‑ĕl, and spake unto them likewise: and the men of Pĕn‑́ū‑ĕl answered him as the men of Sŭc‑́cōth had answered [him].
9 And he spake also unto the men of Pĕn‑́ū‑ĕl, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.
10 ¶ Now Zē‑́bäh and Zăl‑mŭn‑́nă [were] in Kär‑́kôr, 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.
11 ¶ And Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Nō‑́băh and Jŏg‑́bĕ‑häh, and smote the host: for the host was secure.
12 And when Zē‑́bäh and Zăl‑mŭn‑́nă fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Mĭd‑́ĭ‑ăn, Zē‑́bäh and Zăl‑mŭn‑́nă, and discomfited all the host.
13 ¶ And Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n the son of Jō‑́ăsh returned from battle before the sun [was up],
14 And caught a young man of the men of Sŭc‑́cōth, and inquired of him: and he described unto him the princes of Sŭc‑́cōth, and the elders thereof, [even] threescore and seventeen men.
15 And he came unto the men of Sŭc‑́cōth, and said, Behold Zē‑́bäh and Zăl‑mŭn‑́nă, with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, [Are] the hands of Zē‑́bäh and Zăl‑mŭn‑́nă now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy men [that are] weary?
16 And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Sŭc‑́cōth.
17 And he beat down the tower of Pĕn‑́ū‑ĕl, and slew the men of the city.
18 ¶ Then said he unto Zē‑́bäh and Zăl‑mŭn‑́nă, What manner of men [were they] whom ye slew at Tā‑́bôr? And they answered, As thou [art], so [were] they; each one resembled the children of a king.
19 And he said, They [were] my brethren, [even] the sons of my mother: [as] the LORD liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you.
20 And he said unto Jē‑́thĕr his first­born, Up, [and] slay them. But the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he [was] yet a youth.
21 Then Zē‑́bäh and Zăl‑mŭn‑́nă said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man [is, so is] his strength. And Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n arose, and slew Zē‑́bäh and Zăl‑mŭn‑́nă, and took away the ornaments that [were] on their camels’ necks.
22 ¶ Then the men of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl said unto Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Mĭd‑́ĭ‑ăn.
23 And Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you.
24 ¶ And Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n 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] Ĭsh‑́mā‑ĕ‑lītes.)
25 And they answered, We will willingly give [them]. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the ear­rings of his prey.
26 And the weight of the golden ear­rings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred [shē‑́kĕls] of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that [was] on the kings of Mĭd‑́ĭ‑ăn, and beside the chains that [were] about their camels’ necks.
27 And Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n made an ē‑́phŏd thereof, and put it in his city, [even] in Ŏph‑́răh: and all Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n, and to his house.
28 ¶ Thus was Mĭd‑́ĭ‑ăn subdued before the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n.
29 ¶ And Jĕr‑ŭb‑bā‑́ăl the son of Jō‑́ăsh went and dwelt in his own house.
30 And Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.
31 And his concubine that [was] in Shē‑́c͟hĕm, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h.
32 ¶ And Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n the son of Jō‑́ăsh died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Jō‑́ăsh his father, in Ŏph‑́răh of the Ā‑́bī–ĕz‑́rītes.
33 And it came to pass, as soon as Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n was dead, that the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl turned again, and went a whoring after Bā‑́ă‑lĭm, and made Bā‑́ăl–bē‑́rĭth their god.
34 And the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl remembered not the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side:
35 Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jĕr‑ŭb‑bā‑́ăl, [namely], Gĭd‑́ĕ‑o̱n, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
CHAPTER 9
And Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h the son of Jĕr‑ŭb‑bā‑́ăl went to Shē‑́c͟hĕm unto his mother’s brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying,
2 Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shē‑́c͟hĕm, Whether [is] better for you, either that all the sons of Jĕr‑ŭb‑bā‑́ăl, [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.
3 And his mother’s brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shē‑́c͟hĕm all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h; for they said, He [is] our brother.
4 And they gave him threescore and ten [pieces] of silver out of the house of Bā‑́ăl–bē‑́rĭth, where­with Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h hired vain and light persons, which followed him.
5 And he went unto his father’s house at Ŏph‑́răh, and slew his brethren the sons of Jĕr‑ŭb‑bā‑́ăl, [being] threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwith­standing yet Jō‑́thăm the youngest son of Jĕr‑ŭb‑bā‑́ăl was left; for he hid him­self.
6 And all the men of Shē‑́c͟hĕm gathered together, and all the house of Mĭl‑́lō, and went, and made Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h king, by the plain of the pillar that [was] in Shē‑́c͟hĕm.
7 ¶ And when they told [it] to Jō‑́thăm, he went and stood in the top of mount Gĕ‑rī‑́zĭm, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shē‑́c͟hĕm, that God may hearken unto you.
8 The trees went forth [on a time] to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.
9 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?
10 And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, [and] reign over us.
11 But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?
12 Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, [and] reign over us.
13 And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
14 Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, [and] reign over us.
15 And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, [then] come [and] put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lĕb‑́ă‑no̱n.
16 Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h king, and if ye have dealt well with Jĕr‑ŭb‑bā‑́ăl and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands;
17 (For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Mĭd‑́ĭ‑ăn:
18 And ye are risen up against my father’s house this day, and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h, the son of his maid­servant, king over the men of Shē‑́c͟hĕm, because he [is] your brother;)
19 If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jĕr‑ŭb‑bā‑́ăl and with his house this day, [then] rejoice ye in Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h, and let him also rejoice in you:
20 But if not, let fire come out from Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h, and devour the men of Shē‑́c͟hĕm, and the house of Mĭl‑́lō; and let fire come out from the men of Shē‑́c͟hĕm, and from the house of Mĭl‑́lō, and devour Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h.
21 And Jō‑́thăm ran away, and fled, and went to Be᷍er, and dwelt there, for fear of Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h his brother.
22 ¶ When Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h had reigned three years over Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl,
23 Then God sent an evil spirit between Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h and the men of Shē‑́c͟hĕm; and the men of Shē‑́c͟hĕm dealt treacherously with Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h:
24 That the cruelty [done] to the threescore and ten sons of Jĕr‑ŭb‑bā‑́ăl might come, and their blood be laid upon Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h their brother, which slew them; and upon the men of Shē‑́c͟hĕm, which aided him in the killing of his brethren.
25 And the men of Shē‑́c͟hĕm 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 Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h.
26 And Gā‑́ăl the son of Ē‑́bĕd came with his brethren, and went over to Shē‑́c͟hĕm: and the men of Shē‑́c͟hĕm put their confidence in him.
27 And they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and trode [the grapes], and made merry, and went into the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h.
28 And Gā‑́ăl the son of Ē‑́bĕd said, Who [is] Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h, and who [is] Shē‑́c͟hĕm, that we should serve him? [is] not [he] the son of Jĕr‑ŭb‑bā‑́ăl? and Zē‑́bŭl his officer? serve the men of Hā‑́môr the father of Shē‑́c͟hĕm: for why should we serve him?
29 And would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h. And he said to Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h, Increase thine army, and come out.
30 ¶ And when Zē‑́bŭl the ruler of the city heard the words of Gā‑́ăl the son of Ē‑́bĕd, his anger was kindled.
31 And he sent messengers unto Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h privily, saying, Behold, Gā‑́ăl the son of Ē‑́bĕd and his brethren be come to Shē‑́c͟hĕm; and, behold, they fortify the city against thee.
32 Now therefore up by night, thou and the people that [is] with thee, and lie in wait in the field:
33 And it shall be, [that] in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, thou shalt rise early, and set upon the city: and, behold, [when] he and the people that [is] with him come out against thee, then mayest thou do to them as thou shalt find occasion.
34 ¶ And Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h rose up, and all the people that [were] with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shē‑́c͟hĕm in four companies.
35 And Gā‑́ăl the son of Ē‑́bĕd went out, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h rose up, and the people that [were] with him, from lying in wait.
36 And when Gā‑́ăl saw the people, he said to Zē‑́bŭl, Behold, there come people down from the top of the mountains. And Zē‑́bŭl said unto him, Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as [if they were] men.
37 And Gā‑́ăl spake again and said, See there come people down by the middle of the land, and another company come along by the plain of Mē‑ō‑́nĕ‑nĭm.
38 Then said Zē‑́bŭl unto him, Where [is] now thy mouth, where­with thou saidst, Who [is] Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h, that we should serve him? [is] not this the people that thou hast despised? go out, I pray now, and fight with them.
39 And Gā‑́ăl went out before the men of Shē‑́c͟hĕm, and fought with Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h.
40 And Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h chased him, and he fled before him, and many were over­thrown [and] wounded, [even] unto the entering of the gate.
41 And Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h dwelt at Ă‑rû‑́măh: and Zē‑́bŭl thrust out Gā‑́ăl and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shē‑́c͟hĕm.
42 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h.
43 And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait in the field, and looked, and, behold, the people [were] come forth out of the city; and he rose up against them, and smote them.
44 And Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h, 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.
45 And Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h 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.
46 ¶ And when all the men of the tower of Shē‑́c͟hĕm heard [that], they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith.
47 And it was told Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h, that all the men of the tower of Shē‑́c͟hĕm were gathered together.
48 And Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h gat him up to mount Zăl‑́mŏn, he and all the people that [were] with him; and Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h 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].
49 And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h, and put [them] to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon them; so that all the men of the tower of Shē‑́c͟hĕm died also, about a thousand men and women.
50 ¶ Then went Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h to Thē‑́bĕz, and encamped against Thē‑́bĕz, and took it.
51 But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut [it] to them, and gat them up to the top of the tower.
52 And Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
53 And a certain woman cast a piece of a mill­stone upon Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h’s head, and all to brake his skull.
54 Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.
55 And when the men of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl saw that Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h was dead, they departed every man unto his place.
56 ¶ Thus God rendered the wickedness of Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren:
57 And all the evil of the men of Shē‑́c͟hĕm did God render upon their heads: and upon them came the curse of Jō‑́thăm the son of Jĕr‑ŭb‑bā‑́ăl.
CHAPTER 10
And after Ă‑bĭm‑́ĕ‑lĕc͟h there arose to defend Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl Tō‑́lă the son of Pū‑́ăh, the son of Dō‑́dō, a man of Ĭs‑́să‑c͟här; and he dwelt in Shā‑́mĭr in mount Ē‑́phră‑ĭm.
2 And he judged Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shā‑́mĭr.
3 ¶ And after him arose Jā‑́ĭr, a Gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd‑īte, and judged Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl twenty and two years.
4 And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Hā‑́vōth–jā‑́ĭr unto this day, which [are] in the land of Gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd.
5 And Jā‑́ĭr died, and was buried in Cā‑́mŏn.
6 ¶ And the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Bā‑́ă‑lĭm, and Ăsh‑́tă‑rōth, and the gods of Sy̆r‑́ĭ‑ă, and the gods of Zī‑́dŏn, and the gods of Mō‑́ăb, and the gods of the children of Ăm‑́mo̱n, and the gods of the Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ, and forsook the LORD, and served not him.
7 And the anger of the LORD was hot against Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, and he sold them into the hands of the Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ, and into the hands of the children of Ăm‑́mo̱n.
8 And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl: eighteen years, all the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl that [were] on the other side Jôr‑́dăn in the land of the Ăm‑́ō‑rītes, which [is] in Gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd.
9 More­over the children of Ăm‑́mo̱n passed over Jôr‑́dăn to fight also against Jûd‑́ăh, and against Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn, and against the house of Ē‑́phră‑ĭm; so that Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl was sore distressed.
10 ¶ And the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl cried unto the LORD, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Bā‑́ă‑lĭm.
11 And the LORD said unto the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, [Did] not [I deliver you] from the Ē‑ġy̆p‑́ti̅ăns, and from the Ăm‑́ō‑rītes, from the children of Ăm‑́mo̱n, and from the Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ?
12 The Zī‑dō‑́nĭ‑ăns also, and the Ă‑măl‑́ĕk‑ītes, and the Mā‑́ŏn‑ītes, did oppress you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand.
13 Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more.
14 Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.
15 ¶ And the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl said unto the LORD, We have sinned: do thou unto us what­soever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day.
16 And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
17 Then the children of Ăm‑́mo̱n were gathered together, and encamped in Gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd. And the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl assembled them­selves together, and encamped in Mĭz‑́pēh.
18 And the people [and] princes of Gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd said one to another, What man [is he] that will begin to fight against the children of Ăm‑́mo̱n? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd.
CHAPTER 11
Now Jĕph‑́thăh the Gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd‑īte was a mighty man of valour, and he [was] the son of an harlot: and Gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd begat Jĕph‑́thăh.
2 And Gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd’s wife bare him sons; and his wife’s sons grew up, and they thrust out Jĕph‑́thăh, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father’s house; for thou [art] the son of a strange woman.
3 Then Jĕph‑́thăh fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tŏb: and there were gathered vain men to Jĕph‑́thăh, and went out with him.
4 ¶ And it came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ăm‑́mo̱n made war against Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
5 And it was so, that when the children of Ăm‑́mo̱n made war against Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, the elders of Gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd went to fetch Jĕph‑́thăh out of the land of Tŏb:
6 And they said unto Jĕph‑́thăh, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ăm‑́mo̱n.
7 And Jĕph‑́thăh said unto the elders of Gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd, 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?
8 And the elders of Gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd said unto Jĕph‑́thăh, Therefore we turn again to thee now, that thou mayest go with us, and fight against the children of Ăm‑́mo̱n, and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd.
9 And Jĕph‑́thăh said unto the elders of Gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd, If ye bring me home again to fight against the children of Ăm‑́mo̱n, and the LORD deliver them before me, shall I be your head?
10 And the elders of Gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd said unto Jĕph‑́thăh, The LORD be witness between us, if we do not so according to thy words.
11 Then Jĕph‑́thăh went with the elders of Gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd, and the people made him head and captain over them: and Jĕph‑́thăh uttered all his words before the LORD in Mĭz‑́pēh.
12 ¶ And Jĕph‑́thăh sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ăm‑́mo̱n, saying, What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come against me to fight in my land?
13 And the king of the children of Ăm‑́mo̱n answered unto the messengers of Jĕph‑́thăh, Because Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl took away my land, when they came up out of Ē‑́ġy̆pt, from Är‑́nŏn even unto Jăb‑́bo̱k, and unto Jôr‑́dăn: now therefore restore those [lands] again peaceably.
14 And Jĕph‑́thăh sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ăm‑́mo̱n:
15 And said unto him, Thus saith Jĕph‑́thăh, Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl took not away the land of Mō‑́ăb, nor the land of the children of Ăm‑́mo̱n:
16 But when Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl came up from Ē‑́ġy̆pt, and walked through the wilderness unto the Red sea, and came to Kā‑́dĕsh;
17 Then Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl sent messengers unto the king of Ē‑́do̱m, saying, Let me, I pray thee, pass through thy land: but the king of Ē‑́do̱m would not hearken [thereto]. And in like manner they sent unto the king of Mō‑́ăb: but he would not [consent]: and Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl abode in Kā‑́dĕsh.
18 Then they went along through the wilderness, and compassed the land of Ē‑́do̱m, and the land of Mō‑́ăb, and came by the east side of the land of Mō‑́ăb, and pitched on the other side of Är‑́nŏn, but came not within the border of Mō‑́ăb: for Är‑́nŏn [was] the border of Mō‑́ăb.
19 And Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl sent messengers unto Sī‑́hŏn king of the Ăm‑́ō‑rītes, the king of Hĕsh‑́bŏn; and Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl said unto him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy land into my place.
20 But Sī‑́hŏn trusted not Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl to pass through his coast: but Sī‑́hŏn gathered all his people together, and pitched in Jā‑́hăz, and fought against Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
21 And the LORD God of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl delivered Sī‑́hŏn and all his people into the hand of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, and they smote them: so Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl possessed all the land of the Ăm‑́ō‑rītes, the inhabitants of that country.
22 And they possessed all the coasts of the Ăm‑́ō‑rītes, from Är‑́nŏn even unto Jăb‑́bo̱k, and from the wilderness even unto Jôr‑́dăn.
23 So now the LORD God of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl hath dispossessed the Ăm‑́ō‑rītes from before his people Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, and shouldest thou possess it?
24 Wilt not thou possess that which C͟hē‑́mŏsh thy god giveth thee to possess? So whom­soever the LORD our God shall drive out from before us, them will we possess.
25 And now [art] thou any thing better than Bā‑́lăk the son of Zĭp‑́pôr, king of Mō‑́ăb? did he ever strive against Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, or did he ever fight against them,
26 While Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl dwelt in Hĕsh‑́bŏn and her towns, and in Ă‑rō‑́ĕr and her towns, and in all the cities that [be] along by the coasts of Är‑́nŏn, three hundred years? why therefore did ye not recover [them] within that time?
27 Wherefore I have not sinned against thee, but thou doest me wrong to war against me: the LORD the Judge be judge this day between the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl and the children of Ăm‑́mo̱n.
28 Howbeit the king of the children of Ăm‑́mo̱n hearkened not unto the words of Jĕph‑́thăh which he sent him.
29 ¶ Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jĕph‑́thăh, and he passed over Gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd, and Mă‑năs‑́sēh, and passed over Mĭz‑́pēh of Gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd, and from Mĭz‑́pēh of Gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd he passed over [unto] the children of Ăm‑́mo̱n.
30 And Jĕph‑́thăh vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt with­out fail deliver the children of Ăm‑́mo̱n into mine hands,
31 Then it shall be, that what­soever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ăm‑́mo̱n, shall surely be the LORD’S, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.
32 ¶ So Jĕph‑́thăh passed over unto the children of Ăm‑́mo̱n to fight against them; and the LORD delivered them into his hands.
33 And he smote them from Ă‑rō‑́ĕr, even till thou come to Mĭn‑́nĭth, [even] twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a very great slaughter. Thus the children of Ăm‑́mo̱n were subdued before the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
34 ¶ And Jĕph‑́thăh came to Mĭz‑́pēh 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.
35 And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back.
36 And she said unto him, My father, [if] thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, [even] of the children of Ăm‑́mo̱n.
37 And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my fellows.
38 And he said, Go. And he sent her away [for] two months: and she went with her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains.
39 And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto her father, who did with her [according] to his vow which he had vowed: and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl,
40 [That] the daughters of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl went yearly to lament the daughter of Jĕph‑́thăh the Gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd‑īte four days in a year.
CHAPTER 12
And the men of Ē‑́phră‑ĭm gathered them­selves together, and went north­ward, and said unto Jĕph‑́thăh, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ăm‑́mo̱n, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire.
2 And Jĕph‑́thăh said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ăm‑́mo̱n; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands.
3 And when I saw that ye delivered [me] not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ăm‑́mo̱n, and the LORD delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me?
4 Then Jĕph‑́thăh gathered together all the men of Gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd, and fought with Ē‑́phră‑ĭm: and the men of Gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd smote Ē‑́phră‑ĭm, because they said, Ye Gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd‑ītes [are] fugitives of Ē‑́phră‑ĭm among the Ē‑́phră‑ĭm‑ītes, [and] among the Mă‑́năs‑́sītes.
5 And the Gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd‑ītes took the pass­ages of Jôr‑́dăn before the Ē‑́phră‑ĭm‑ītes: and it was [so], that when those Ē‑́phră‑ĭm‑ītes which were escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd said unto him, [Art] thou an Ē‑́phră‑ĭm‑īte? If he said, Nay;
6 Then said they unto him, Say now Shĭb‑́bŏ‑lĕth: and he said Sĭb‑́bŏ‑lĕth: for he could not frame to pronounce [it] right. Then they took him, and slew him at the pass­ages of Jôr‑́dăn: and there fell at that time of the Ē‑́phră‑ĭm‑ītes forty and two thousand.
7 And Jĕph‑́thăh judged Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl six years. Then died Jĕph‑́thăh the Gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd‑īte, and was buried in [one of] the cities of Gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd.
8 ¶ And after him Ĭb‑́zăn of Bĕth–́lĕ‑hĕm judged Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
9 And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, [whom] he sent abroad, and took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl seven years.
10 Then died Ĭb‑́zăn, and was buried at Bĕth–́lĕ‑hĕm.
11 ¶ And after him Ē‑́lŏn, a Zĕ‑bū‑́lo̱n‑īte, judged Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl; and he judged Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl ten years.
12 And Ē‑́lŏn the Zĕ‑bū‑́lo̱n‑īte died, and was buried in A᷍i‑́jă‑lŏn in the country of Zĕ‑bū‑́lŭn.
13 ¶ And after him Ăb‑́dŏn the son of Hĭl‑́lĕl, a Pī‑rā‑́thŏn‑īte, judged Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
14 And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl eight years.
15 And Ăb‑́dŏn the son of Hĭl‑́lĕl the Pī‑rā‑́thŏn‑īte died, and was buried in Pī‑rā‑́thŏn in the land of Ē‑́phră‑ĭm, in the mount of the Ă‑măl‑́ĕk‑ītes.
CHAPTER 13
And the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ forty years.
2 ¶ And there was a certain man of Zôr‑́ăh, of the family of the Dăn‑́ītes, whose name [was] Mă‑nō‑́ăh; and his wife [was] barren, and bare not.
3 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou [art] barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.
4 Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean [thing]:
5 For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no rasor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Năz‑́ă‑rīte unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl out of the hand of the Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ.
6 ¶ Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance [was] like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible: but I asked him not whence he [was], neither told he me his name:
7 But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean [thing]: for the child shall be a Năz‑́ă‑rīte to God from the womb to the day of his death.
8 ¶ Then Mă‑nō‑́ăh 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.
9 And God hearkened to the voice of Mă‑nō‑́ăh; and the angel of God came again unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Mă‑nō‑́ăh her husband [was] not with her.
10 And the woman made haste, and ran, and shewed her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the [other] day.
11 And Mă‑nō‑́ăh 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].
12 And Mă‑nō‑́ăh said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the child, and [how] shall we do unto him?
13 And the angel of the LORD said unto Mă‑nō‑́ăh, Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware.
14 She may not eat of any [thing] that cometh of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean [thing]: all that I commanded her let her observe.
15 ¶ And Mă‑nō‑́ăh said unto the angel of the LORD, I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee.
16 And the angel of the LORD said unto Mă‑nō‑́ăh, 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 Mă‑nō‑́ăh knew not that he [was] an angel of the LORD.
17 And Mă‑nō‑́ăh said unto the angel of the LORD, What [is] thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour?
18 And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it [is] secret?
19 So Mă‑nō‑́ăh took a kid with a meat offering, and offered [it] upon a rock unto the LORD: and [the angel] did wondrously; and Mă‑nō‑́ăh and his wife looked on.
20 For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar. And Mă‑nō‑́ăh and his wife looked on [it], and fell on their faces to the ground.
21 But the angel of the LORD did no more appear to Mă‑nō‑́ăh and to his wife. Then Mă‑nō‑́ăh knew that he [was] an angel of the LORD.
22 And Mă‑nō‑́ăh said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God.
23 But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have shewed us all these [things], nor would as at this time have told us [such things] as these.
24 ¶ And the woman bare a son, and called his name Săm‑́so̱n: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him.
25 And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dăn between Zôr‑́ăh and Ĕsh‑́tā‑ŏl.
CHAPTER 14
And Săm‑́so̱n went down to Tĭm‑́năth, and saw a woman in Tĭm‑́năth of the daughters of the Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ.
2 And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Tĭm‑́năth of the daughters of the Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ: now therefore get her for me to wife.
3 Then his father and his mother said unto him, [Is there] never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ? And Săm‑́so̱n said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.
4 But his father and his mother knew not that it [was] of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ: for at that time the Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ had dominion over Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
5 ¶ Then went Săm‑́so̱n down, and his father and his mother, to Tĭm‑́năth, and came to the vineyards of Tĭm‑́năth: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.
6 And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and [he had] nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.
7 And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Săm‑́so̱n well.
8 ¶ And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, [there was] a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion.
9 And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.
10 ¶ So his father went down unto the woman: and Săm‑́so̱n made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.
11 And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.
12 ¶ And Săm‑́so̱n 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:
13 But if ye cannot declare [it] me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.
14 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.
15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Săm‑́so̱n’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]?
16 And Săm‑́so̱n’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?
17 And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people.
18 And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What [is] sweeter than honey? and what [is] stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.
19 ¶ And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ăsh‑́kĕ‑lo̱n, 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.
20 But Săm‑́so̱n’s wife was [given] to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.
CHAPTER 15
But it came to pass within a while after, in the time of wheat harvest, that Săm‑́so̱n 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.
2 And her father said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her; therefore I gave her to thy companion: [is] not her younger sister fairer than she? take her, I pray thee, instead of her.
3 ¶ And Săm‑́so̱n said concerning them, Now shall I be more blame­less than the Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ, though I do them a displeasure.
4 And Săm‑́so̱n went and caught three hundred foxes, and took fire­brands, and turned tail to tail, and put a fire­brand in the midst between two tails.
5 And when he had set the brands on fire, he let [them] go into the standing corn of the Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ, and burnt up both the shocks, and also the standing corn, with the vineyards [and] olives.
6 ¶ Then the Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ said, Who hath done this? And they answered, Săm‑́so̱n, the son in law of the Tĭm‑́nīte, because he had taken his wife, and given her to his companion. And the Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ came up, and burnt her and her father with fire.
7 ¶ And Săm‑́so̱n said unto them, Though ye have done this, yet will I be avenged of you, and after that I will cease.
8 And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Ē‑́tăm.
9 ¶ Then the Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ went up, and pitched in Jûd‑́ăh, and spread them­selves in Lē‑́hī.
10 And the men of Jûd‑́ăh said, Why are ye come up against us? And they answered, To bind Săm‑́so̱n are we come up, to do to him as he hath done to us.
11 Then three thousand men of Jûd‑́ăh went to the top of the rock Ē‑́tăm, and said to Săm‑́so̱n, Knowest thou not that the Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ [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.
12 And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ. And Săm‑́so̱n said unto them, Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me your­selves.
13 And they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee. And they bound him with two new cords, and brought him up from the rock.
14 ¶ [And] when he came unto Lē‑́hī, the Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ shouted against him: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that [were] upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands.
15 And he found a new jaw­bone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men there­with.
16 And Săm‑́so̱n said, With the jaw­bone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.
17 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jaw­bone out of his hand, and called that place Rā‑́măth–lē‑́hī.
18 ¶ And he was sore athirst, and called on the LORD, and said, Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?
19 But God clave an hollow place that [was] in the jaw, and there came water there­out; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: wherefore he called the name thereof Ĕn–hăk‑kôr‑́ē, which [is] in Lē‑́hī unto this day.
20 And he judged Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl in the days of the Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ twenty years.
CHAPTER 16
Then went Săm‑́so̱n to Gā‑́ză, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her.
2 [And it was told] the Gā‑́zītes, saying, Săm‑́so̱n 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.
3 And Săm‑́so̱n 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 Hē‑́brŏn.
4 ¶ And it came to pass after­ward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sôr‑́ĕk, whose name [was] Dĕ‑lī‑́lăh.
5 And the lords of the Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ 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.
6 ¶ And Dĕ‑lī‑́lăh said to Săm‑́so̱n, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength [lieth], and where­with thou mightest be bound to afflict thee.
7 And Săm‑́so̱n 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.
8 Then the lords of the Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ brought up to her seven green withs which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.
9 Now [there were] men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ [be] upon thee, Săm‑́so̱n. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.
10 And Dĕ‑lī‑́lăh said unto Săm‑́so̱n, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: now tell me, I pray thee, where­with thou mightest be bound.
11 And he said unto her, If they bind me fast with new ropes that never were occupied, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.
12 Dĕ‑lī‑́lăh therefore took new ropes, and bound him there­with, and said unto him, The Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ [be] upon thee, Săm‑́so̱n. And [there were] liers in wait abiding in the chamber. And he brake them from off his arms like a thread.
13 And Dĕ‑lī‑́lăh said unto Săm‑́so̱n, 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.
14 And she fastened [it] with the pin, and said unto him, The Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ [be] upon thee, Săm‑́so̱n. And he awaked out of his sleep, and went away with the pin of the beam, and with the web.
15 ¶ And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart [is] not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength [lieth].
16 And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, [so] that his soul was vexed unto death;
17 That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a rasor upon mine head; for I [have been] a Năz‑́ă‑rīte 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.
18 And when Dĕ‑lī‑́lăh saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ, saying, Come up this once, for he hath shewed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ came up unto her, and brought money in their hand.
19 And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.
20 And she said, The Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ [be] upon thee, Săm‑́so̱n. 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.
21 ¶ But the Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gā‑́ză, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.
22 Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven.
23 Then the lords of the Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dā‑́gŏn their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Săm‑́so̱n our enemy into our hand.
24 And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which slew many of us.
25 And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Săm‑́so̱n, that he may make us sport. And they called for Săm‑́so̱n out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars.
26 And Săm‑́so̱n 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.
27 Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ [were] there; and [there were] upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Săm‑́so̱n made sport.
28 And Săm‑́so̱n 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 Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ for my two eyes.
29 And Săm‑́so̱n 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.
30 And Săm‑́so̱n said, Let me die with the Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ. 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.
31 Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought [him] up, and buried him between Zôr‑́ăh and Ĕsh‑́tā‑ŏl in the burying­place of Mă‑nō‑́ăh his father. And he judged Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl twenty years.
CHAPTER 17
And there was a man of mount Ē‑́phră‑ĭm, whose name [was] Mī‑́căh.
2 And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred [shē‑́kĕls] 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.
3 And when he had restored the eleven hundred [shē‑́kĕls] 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.
4 Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred [shē‑́kĕls] 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 Mī‑́căh.
5 And the man Mī‑́căh had an house of gods, and made an ē‑́phŏd, and tĕr‑́ă‑phĭm, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.
6 In those days [there was] no king in Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, [but] every man did [that which was] right in his own eyes.
7 ¶ And there was a young man out of Bĕth–́lĕ‑hĕm–jû‑́dăh of the family of Jûd‑́ăh, who [was] a Lē‑́vīte, and he sojourned there.
8 And the man departed out of the city from Bĕth–́lĕ‑hĕm–jû‑́dăh to sojourn where he could find [a place]: and he came to mount Ē‑́phră‑ĭm to the house of Mī‑́căh, as he journeyed.
9 And Mī‑́căh said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, I [am] a Lē‑́vīte of Bĕth–́lĕ‑hĕm–jû‑́dăh, and I go to sojourn where I may find [a place].
10 And Mī‑́căh said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten [shē‑́kĕls] of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Lē‑́vīte went in.
11 And the Lē‑́vīte was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons.
12 And Mī‑́căh consecrated the Lē‑́vīte; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Mī‑́căh.
13 Then said Mī‑́căh, Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Lē‑́vīte to [my] priest.
CHAPTER 18
In those days [there was] no king in Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl: and in those days the tribe of the Dăn‑́ītes sought them an inheritance to dwell in; for unto that day [all their] inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
2 And the children of Dăn sent of their family five men from their coasts, men of valour, from Zôr‑́ăh, and from Ĕsh‑́tā‑ŏl, to spy out the land, and to search it; and they said unto them, Go, search the land: who when they came to mount Ē‑́phră‑ĭm, to the house of Mī‑́căh, they lodged there.
3 When they [were] by the house of Mī‑́căh, they knew the voice of the young man the Lē‑́vīte: 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?
4 And he said unto them, Thus and thus dealeth Mī‑́căh with me, and hath hired me, and I am his priest.
5 And they said unto him, Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous.
6 And the priest said unto them, Go in peace: before the LORD [is] your way wherein ye go.
7 ¶ Then the five men departed, and came to Lā‑́ĭsh, and saw the people that [were] therein, how they dwelt care­less, after the manner of the Zī‑dō‑́nĭ‑ăns, 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 Zī‑dō‑́nĭ‑ăns, and had no business with [any] man.
8 And they came unto their brethren to Zôr‑́ăh and Ĕsh‑́tā‑ŏl: and their brethren said unto them, What [say] ye?
9 And they said, Arise, that we may go up against them: for we have seen the land, and, behold, it [is] very good: and [are] ye still? be not slothful to go, [and] to enter to possess the land.
10 When ye go, ye shall come unto a people secure, and to a large land: for God hath given it into your hands; a place where [there is] no want of any thing that [is] in the earth.
11 ¶ And there went from thence of the family of the Dăn‑́ītes, out of Zôr‑́ăh and out of Ĕsh‑́tā‑ŏl, six hundred men appointed with weapons of war.
12 And they went up, and pitched in Kĭr‑́jăth–jē‑́ă‑rĭm, in Jûd‑́ăh: wherefore they called that place Mā‑́hă‑nēh–dăn unto this day: behold, [it is] behind Kĭr‑́jăth–jē‑́ă‑rĭm.
13 And they passed thence unto mount Ē‑́phră‑ĭm, and came unto the house of Mī‑́căh.
14 ¶ Then answered the five men that went to spy out the country of Lā‑́ĭsh, and said unto their brethren, Do ye know that there is in these houses an ē‑́phŏd, and tĕr‑́ă‑phĭm, and a graven image, and a molten image? now therefore consider what ye have to do.
15 And they turned thither­ward, and came to the house of the young man the Lē‑́vīte, [even] unto the house of Mī‑́căh, and saluted him.
16 And the six hundred men appointed with their weapons of war, which [were] of the children of Dăn, stood by the entering of the gate.
17 And the five men that went to spy out the land went up, [and] came in thither, [and] took the graven image, and the ē‑́phŏd, and the tĕr‑́ă‑phĭm, and the molten image: and the priest stood in the entering of the gate with the six hundred men [that were] appointed with weapons of war.
18 And these went into Mī‑́căh’s house, and fetched the carved image, the ē‑́phŏd, and the tĕr‑́ă‑phĭm, and the molten image. Then said the priest unto them, What do ye?
19 And they said unto him, Hold thy peace, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest: [is it] better for thee to be a priest unto the house of one man, or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family in Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl?
20 And the priest’s heart was glad, and he took the ē‑́phŏd, and the tĕr‑́ă‑phĭm, and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people.
21 So they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle and the carriage before them.
22 ¶ [And] when they were a good way from the house of Mī‑́căh, the men that [were] in the houses near to Mī‑́căh’s house were gathered together, and over­took the children of Dăn.
23 And they cried unto the children of Dăn. And they turned their faces, and said unto Mī‑́căh, What aileth thee, that thou comest with such a company?
24 And he said, Ye have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and ye are gone away: and what have I more? and what [is] this [that] ye say unto me, What aileth thee?
25 And the children of Dăn 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.
26 And the children of Dăn went their way: and when Mī‑́căh saw that they [were] too strong for him, he turned and went back unto his house.
27 And they took [the things] which Mī‑́căh had made, and the priest which he had, and came unto Lā‑́ĭsh, 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.
28 And [there was] no deliverer, because it [was] far from Zī‑́dŏn, and they had no business with [any] man; and it was in the valley that [lieth] by Bĕth–rē‑́hŏb. And they built a city, and dwelt therein.
29 And they called the name of the city Dăn, after the name of Dăn their father, who was born unto Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl: howbeit the name of the city [was] Lā‑́ĭsh at the first.
30 ¶ And the children of Dăn set up the graven image: and Jŏn‑́ă‑thăn, the son of Gĕr‑́shŏm, the son of Mă‑năs‑́sēh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dăn until the day of the captivity of the land.
31 And they set them up Mī‑́căh’s graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shī‑́lōh.
CHAPTER 19
And it came to pass in those days, when [there was] no king in Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, that there was a certain Lē‑́vīte sojourning on the side of mount Ē‑́phră‑ĭm, who took to him a concubine out of Bĕth–́lĕ‑hĕm–jû‑́dăh.
2 And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father’s house to Bĕth–́lĕ‑hĕm–jû‑́dăh, and was there four whole months.
3 And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto her, [and] to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of asses: and she brought him into her father’s house: and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.
4 And his father in law, the damsel’s father, retained him; and he abode with him three days: so they did eat and drink, and lodged there.
5 ¶ And it came to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early in the morning, that he rose up to depart: and the damsel’s father said unto his son in law, Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and after­ward go your way.
6 And they sat down, and did eat and drink both of them together: for the damsel’s father had said unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry.
7 And when the man rose up to depart, his father in law urged him: therefore he lodged there again.
8 And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart: and the damsel’s father said, Comfort thine heart, I pray thee. And they tarried until after­noon, and they did eat both of them.
9 And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father in law, the damsel’s father, said unto him, Behold, now the day draweth toward evening, I pray you tarry all night: behold, the day groweth to an end, lodge here, that thine heart may be merry; and to morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home.
10 But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over against Jē‑́bŭs, which [is] Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm; and [there were] with him two asses saddled, his concubine also [was] with him.
11 [And] when they [were] by Jē‑́bŭs, 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 Jĕb‑́ū‑ṡītes, and lodge in it.
12 And his master said unto him, We will not turn aside hither into the city of a stranger, that [is] not of the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl; we will pass over to Gĭb‑́ĕ‑ăh.
13 And he said unto his servant, Come, and let us draw near to one of these places to lodge all night, in Gĭb‑́ĕ‑ăh, or in Rā‑́măh.
14 And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them [when they were] by Gĭb‑́ĕ‑ăh, which [belongeth] to Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn.
15 And they turned aside thither, to go in [and] to lodge in Gĭb‑́ĕ‑ăh: 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.
16 ¶ And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even, which [was] also of mount Ē‑́phră‑ĭm; and he sojourned in Gĭb‑́ĕ‑ăh: but the men of the place [were] Bĕn‑́jă‑mītes.
17 And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in the street of the city: and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou?
18 And he said unto him, We [are] passing from Bĕth–́lĕ‑hĕm–jû‑́dăh toward the side of mount Ē‑́phră‑ĭm; from thence [am] I: and I went to Bĕth–́lĕ‑hĕm–jû‑́dăh, but I [am now] going to the house of the LORD; and there [is] no man that receiveth me to house.
19 Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for thy hand­maid, and for the young man [which is] with thy servants: [there is] no want of any thing.
20 And the old man said, Peace [be] with thee; how­soever [let] all thy wants [lie] upon me; only lodge not in the street.
21 So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.
22 ¶ [Now] as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Bē‑́lĭ‑ăl, 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.
23 And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and said unto them, Nay, my brethren, [nay], I pray you, do not [so] wickedly; seeing that this man is come into mine house, do not this folly.
24 Behold, [here is] my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing.
25 But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took his concubine, and brought her forth unto them; and they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning: and when the day began to spring, they let her go.
26 Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of the man’s house where her lord [was], till it was light.
27 And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went out to go his way: and, behold, the woman his concubine was fallen down [at] the door of the house, and her hands [were] upon the threshold.
28 And he said unto her, Up, and let us be going. But none answered. Then the man took her [up] upon an ass, and the man rose up, and gat him unto his place.
29 ¶ And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, [together] with her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the coasts of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
30 And it was so, that all that saw it said, There was no such deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl came up out of the land of Ē‑́ġy̆pt unto this day: consider of it, take advice, and speak [your minds].
CHAPTER 20
Then all the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dăn even to Be᷍er–shē‑́bă, with the land of Gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd, unto the LORD in Mĭz‑́pēh.
2 And the chief of all the people, [even] of all the tribes of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, presented them­selves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand foot­men that drew sword.
3 (Now the children of Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn heard that the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl were gone up to Mĭz‑́pēh.) Then said the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, Tell [us], how was this wickedness?
4 And the Lē‑́vīte, the husband of the woman that was slain, answered and said, I came into Gĭb‑́ĕ‑ăh that [belongeth] to Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn, I and my concubine, to lodge.
5 And the men of Gĭb‑́ĕ‑ăh 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.
6 And I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her through­out all the country of the inheritance of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl: for they have committed lewdness and folly in Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
7 Behold, ye [are] all children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl; give here your advice and counsel.
8 ¶ And all the people arose as one man, saying, We will not any [of us] go to his tent, neither will we any [of us] turn into his house.
9 But now this [shall be] the thing which we will do to Gĭb‑́ĕ‑ăh; [we will go up] by lot against it;
10 And we will take ten men of an hundred through­out all the tribes of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, 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 Gĭb‑́ĕ‑ăh of Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn, according to all the folly that they have wrought in Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
11 So all the men of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl were gathered against the city, knit together as one man.
12 ¶ And the tribes of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl sent men through all the tribe of Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn, saying, What wickedness [is] this that is done among you?
13 Now therefore deliver [us] the men, the children of Bē‑́lĭ‑ăl, which [are] in Gĭb‑́ĕ‑ăh, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl. But the children of Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl:
14 But the children of Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn gathered them­selves together out of the cities unto Gĭb‑́ĕ‑ăh, to go out to battle against the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
15 And the children of Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn were numbered at that time out of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, beside the inhabitants of Gĭb‑́ĕ‑ăh, which were numbered seven hundred chosen men.
16 Among all this people [there were] seven hundred chosen men left­handed; every one could sling stones at an hair [breadth], and not miss.
17 And the men of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, beside Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn, were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword: all these [were] men of war.
18 ¶ And the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl 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 Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn? And the LORD said, Jûd‑́ăh [shall go up] first.
19 And the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gĭb‑́ĕ‑ăh.
20 And the men of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl went out to battle against Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn; and the men of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl put them­selves in array to fight against them at Gĭb‑́ĕ‑ăh.
21 And the children of Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn came forth out of Gĭb‑́ĕ‑ăh, and destroyed down to the ground of the Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl‑ītes that day twenty and two thousand men.
22 And the people the men of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl encouraged them­selves, and set their battle again in array in the place where they put them­selves in array the first day.
23 (And the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl 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 Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn my brother? And the LORD said, Go up against him.)
24 And the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl came near against the children of Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn the second day.
25 And Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn went forth against them out of Gĭb‑́ĕ‑ăh the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl again eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword.
26 ¶ Then all the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, 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.
27 And the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl inquired of the LORD, (for the ark of the covenant of God [was] there in those days,
28 And Phĭn‑́ĕ‑hăṡ, the son of Ĕl‑ē‑ā‑́zär, the son of A᷍a‑́ro̱n, stood before it in those days,) saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn my brother, or shall I cease? And the LORD said, Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand.
29 And Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl set liers in wait round about Gĭb‑́ĕ‑ăh.
30 And the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl went up against the children of Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn on the third day, and put them­selves in array against Gĭb‑́ĕ‑ăh, as at other times.
31 And the children of Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn 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 Gĭb‑́ĕ‑ăh in the field, about thirty men of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
32 And the children of Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn said, They [are] smitten down before us, as at the first. But the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl said, Let us flee, and draw them from the city unto the high­ways.
33 And all the men of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl rose up out of their place, and put them­selves in array at Bā‑́ăl–tā‑́mär: and the liers in wait of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl came forth out of their places, [even] out of the meadows of Gĭb‑́ĕ‑ăh.
34 And there came against Gĭb‑́ĕ‑ăh ten thousand chosen men out of all Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, and the battle was sore: but they knew not that evil [was] near them.
35 And the LORD smote Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn before Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl: and the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl destroyed of the Bĕn‑́jă‑mītes that day twenty and five thousand and an hundred men: all these drew the sword.
36 So the children of Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn saw that they were smitten: for the men of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl gave place to the Bĕn‑́jă‑mītes, because they trusted unto the liers in wait which they had set beside Gĭb‑́ĕ‑ăh.
37 And the liers in wait hasted, and rushed upon Gĭb‑́ĕ‑ăh; and the liers in wait drew [them­selves] along, and smote all the city with the edge of the sword.
38 Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl and the liers in wait, that they should make a great flame with smoke rise up out of the city.
39 And when the men of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl retired in the battle, Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn began to smite [and] kill of the men of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl about thirty persons: for they said, Surely they are smitten down before us, as [in] the first battle.
40 But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a pillar of smoke, the Bĕn‑́jă‑mītes looked behind them, and, behold, the flame of the city ascended up to heaven.
41 And when the men of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl turned again, the men of Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn were amazed: for they saw that evil was come upon them.
42 Therefore they turned [their backs] before the men of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl 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.
43 [Thus] they inclosed the Bĕn‑́jă‑mītes round about, [and] chased them, [and] trode them down with ease over against Gĭb‑́ĕ‑ăh toward the sun­rising.
44 And there fell of Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn eighteen thousand men; all these [were] men of valour.
45 And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rĭm‑́mo̱n: 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.
46 So that all which fell that day of Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn were twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword; all these [were] men of valour.
47 But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the rock Rĭm‑́mo̱n, and abode in the rock Rĭm‑́mo̱n four months.
48 And the men of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl turned again upon the children of Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn, 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.
CHAPTER 21
Now the men of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl had sworn in Mĭz‑́pēh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn to wife.
2 And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore;
3 And said, O LORD God of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, why is this come to pass in Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, that there should be to day one tribe lacking in Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl?
4 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.
5 And the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl said, Who [is there] among all the tribes of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl 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 Mĭz‑́pēh, saying, He shall surely be put to death.
6 And the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl repented them for Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl this day.
7 How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?
8 ¶ And they said, What one [is there] of the tribes of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl that came not up to Mĭz‑́pēh to the LORD? And, behold, there came none to the camp from Jā‑́bĕsh–gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd to the assembly.
9 For the people were numbered, and, behold, [there were] none of the inhabitants of Jā‑́bĕsh–gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd there.
10 And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jā‑́bĕsh–gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children.
11 And this [is] the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman that hath lain by man.
12 And they found among the inhabitants of Jā‑́bĕsh–gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd four hundred young virgins, that had known no man by lying with any male: and they brought them unto the camp to Shī‑́lōh, which [is] in the land of Cā‑́nă‑ăn.
13 And the whole congregation sent [some] to speak to the children of Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn that [were] in the rock Rĭm‑́mo̱n, and to call peaceably unto them.
14 And Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn came again at that time; and they gave them wives which they had saved alive of the women of Jā‑́bĕsh–gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd: and yet so they sufficed them not.
15 And the people repented them for Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn, because that the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
16 ¶ Then the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn?
17 And they said, [There must be] an inheritance for them that be escaped of Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
18 Howbeit we may not give them wives of our daughters: for the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl have sworn, saying, Cursed [be] he that giveth a wife to Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn.
19 Then they said, Behold, [there is] a feast of the LORD in Shī‑́lōh yearly [in a place] which [is] on the north side of Bĕth–́ĕl, on the east side of the high­way that goeth up from Bĕth–́ĕl to Shē‑́c͟hĕm, and on the south of Lĕ‑bō‑́năh.
20 Therefore they commanded the children of Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards;
21 And see, and, behold, if the daughters of Shī‑́lōh come out to dance in dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of Shī‑́lōh, and go to the land of Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn.
22 And it shall be, when their fathers or their brethren come unto us to complain, that we will say unto them, Be favourable unto them for our sakes: because we reserved not to each man his wife in the war: for ye did not give unto them at this time, [that] ye should be guilty.
23 And the children of Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn 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.
24 And the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl 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.
25 In those days [there was] no king in Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl: every man did [that which was] right in his own eyes.