Judges

21 chapters · 618 verses · 1,714 SCL clause lines

Chapter 1

1:1After that Joshua was dead, the children of Israel asked YHWH, saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites, to fight first against them?
1:2And YHWH said, Judah shall go up:behold, I have given the land into his hand.
1:3And Judah said to Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my lot,that we may fight against the Canaanites:and I likewise will go with you into your lot:so Simeon went with him.
1:4Then Judah went up,and YHWH delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hands,and they slew of them in Bezek ten thousand men.
1:5And they found Adoni-bezek in Bezek:and they fought against him,and slew the Canaanites,and the Perizzites.
1:6But Adoni-bezek fled,and they pursued after him,and caught him,and cut off the thumbs of his hands and of his feet.
1:7And Adoni-bezek said, Seventy Kings having the thumbs of their hands and of their feet cut off, gathered bread under my table:as I have done, so Elohim has rewarded me. So they brought him to Jerusalem,and there he died.
1:8(Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem,and had taken it and smitten it with the edge of the sword,and had set the city on fire.)
1:9Afterward also the children of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites,that dwelt in the mountain,and toward the South,and in the low country.
1:10And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron, which Hebron beforetime was called Kirjath:and they slew Sheshai,and Ahiman and Talmai.
1:11And from there he went to the inhabitants of Debir,and the name of Debir in old time was Kirjath.
1:12And Caleb said, He that smites Kirjath,and takes it, even to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.
1:13And Othniel the son of Kenaz Caleb's younger brother took it, to whom he gave Achsah his daughter to wife.
1:14And when she came to him, she moved him to ask of her father a field,and she lighted off her donkey,and Caleb said to her, What will you?
1:15And she answered him, Give me a blessing:for you have given me a South country, give me also springs of water:and Caleb gave her the springs above and the springs beneath.
1:16And the children of Kenite Moses' father-in-law went up out of the city of the palm trees with the children of Judah, into the wilderness of Judah, that lies in the South of Arad, and went and dwelt among the people.
1:17But Judah went with Simeon his brother,and they slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath,and utterly destroyed it,and called the name of the city Hormah.
1:18Also Judah took Azzah with the coasts of it, and Ashkelon with the coasts of it, and Ekron with the coasts of it.
1:19And YHWH was with Judah,and he possessed the mountains:for he could not drive out the inhabitants of the valleys, because they had chariots of iron.
1:20And they gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses had said,and he expelled from there the three sons of Anak.
1:21But the children of Benjamin did not cast out the Jebusites,that inhabited Jerusalem:therefore the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.
1:22They also that were of the house of Joseph, went up to Bethel,and YHWH was with them,
1:23And the house of Joseph caused to view Bethel (and the name of the city beforetime was Luz)
1:24And the spies saw a man come out of the city,and they said to him, Show us, please, the way into the city,and we will show you chesed.
1:25And when he had showed them the way into the city, they smote the city with the edge of the sword,but they let the man and all his household depart.
1:26Then the man went into the land of the Hittites, and built a city, and called the name of it Luz, which is the name of it to this day.
1:27Neither did Manasseh destroy Beth with her towns, nor Taanach with her towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor with her towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam with her towns,neither the inhabitants of Megiddo with her towns:but the Canaanites dwelled still in that land.
1:28Nevertheless when Israel was strong, they put the Canaanites to tribute,and expelled them not wholly.
1:29Likewise Ephraim expelled not the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer,but the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them.
1:30Neither did Zebulun expel the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol,but the Canaanites dwelt among them,and became tributaries.
1:31Neither did Asher cast out the inhabitants of Acco, nor the inhabitants of Sidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob,
1:32But the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites the inhabitants of the land:for they did not drive them out.
1:33Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Shemesh, nor the inhabitants of Beth,but dwelt among the Canaanites the inhabitants of the land:nevertheless the inhabitants of Shemesh,and of Beth became tributaries to them.
1:34And the Amorites drove the children of Dan into the mountain:so that they suffered them not to come down to the valley.
1:35And the Amorites dwelt still in mount Heres in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim, and when the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, they became tributaries:
1:36And the coast of the Amorites was from Akrabbim, even from Selah and upward.

Chapter 2

2:1And an Angel of YHWH came up from Gilgal to Bochim,and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt,and have brought you to the land which I had sworn to your fathers,and said, I will never break my covenant with you.
2:2You also shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land,but shall break down their altars:but you have not obeyed my voice. Why have you done this?
2:3Therefore, I said also, I will not cast them out before you,but they shall be as thorns to your sides,and their gods shall be your destruction.
2:4And when the Angel of YHWH spoke these words to all the children of Israel, the people lifted up their voice,and wept.
2:5Therefore they called the name of that place, Bochim,and offered sacrifices there to YHWH.
2:6Now when Joshua had sent the people away, the children of Israel went every man into his inheritance, to possess the land.
2:7And the people had served YHWH all the days of Joshua,and all the days of the Elders that outlived Joshua, which had seen all the great works of YHWH that he did for Israel.
2:8But Joshua the son of Nun the servant of YHWH died, when he was a hundred and ten years old:
2:9And they buried him in the coasts of his inheritance, in Timnath in mount Ephraim, on the Side of mount Gaash.
2:10And so all that generation was gathered to their fathers,and another generation arose after them, which neither knew YHWH, nor yet the works, which he had done for Israel.
2:11Then the children of Israel did wickedly in the sight of YHWH,and served Baalim,
2:12And forsook YHWH Elohim of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt,and followed other gods, even the gods of the people that were round about them,and bowed to them,and provoked YHWH to anger.
2:13So they forsook YHWH,and served Baal,and Ashtoreths.
2:14And the wrath of YHWH was hot against Israel,and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers,that spoiled them,and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about them, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies.
2:15Wherever they went out, the hand of YHWH was sore against them, as YHWH had said,and as YHWH had sworn to them:so he punished them sore.
2:16Notwithstanding, YHWH raised up Judges, which delivered them out of the hands of their oppressors.
2:17But yet they would not obey their Judges: for they went a whoring after other gods, and worshiped them, and turned quickly out of the way, in which their fathers walked, obeying the commandments of YHWH: they did not so.
2:18And when YHWH had raised them up Judges, YHWH was with the Judge,and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the Judge (for YHWH had compassion on their groaning, because of them that oppressed them and tormented them)
2:19Yet when the Judge was dead, they returned,and did worse than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them and worship them:they ceased not from their own inventions, nor from their rebellious way.
2:20Therefore the wrath of YHWH was kindled against Israel,and he said, Because this people has transgressed my covenant, which I commanded their fathers,and has not obeyed my voice,
2:21Therefore will I no more cast out before them any of the nations, which Joshua left when he died,
2:22That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of YHWH, to walk in it, as their fathers kept it, or not.
2:23So YHWH left those nations,and drove them not out immediately,neither delivered them into the hand of Joshua.

Chapter 3

3:1These now are the nations which YHWH left,that he might prove Israel by them (even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan,
3:2Only to make the generations of the children of Israel to know,and to teach them war, which at least their predecessors knew not)
3:3Five princes of the Philistines,and all the Canaanites,and the Sidonians,and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Hermon until one come to Hamath.
3:4And these remained to prove Israel by them, namely, whether they would obey the commandments of YHWH, who he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.
3:5And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, the Hittites,and the Amorites,and the Perizzites,and the Hivites,and the Jebusites,
3:6And they took their daughters to be their wives,and gave their daughters to their sons,and served their gods.
3:7So the children of Israel did wickedly in the sight of YHWH,and forgot YHWH their Elohim,and served Baalim,and Asherahs.
3:8Therefore the wrath of YHWH was kindled against Israel,and he sold them into the hand of Hand cushan-rishathaim King of Aram-naharaim,and the children of Israel served Hand cushan-rishathaim eight years.
3:9And when the children of Israel cried to YHWH, YHWH stirred up a savior to the children of Israel,and he saved them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.
3:10And the Spirit of YHWH came upon him,and he judged Israel,and went out to war:and YHWH delivered Cushan- rishathaim king of Aram into his hand,and his hand prevailed against Cushan- rishathaim.
3:11So the land had rest forty years,and Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
3:12Then the children of Israel again committed wickedness in the sight of YHWH:and YHWH strengthened Eglon King of Moab against Israel, because they had committed wickedness before YHWH.
3:13And he gathered to him the children of Ammon,and Amalek,and went and smote Israel,and they possessed the city of palm trees.
3:14So the children of Israel served Eglon king of Moab eighteen years.
3:15But when the children of Israel cried to YHWH, YHWH stirred them up a savior, Ehud the son of Gera the son of Jemini, a man lame of his right hand:and the children of Israel sent a present by him to Eglon King of Moab.
3:16And Ehud made him a dagger with two edges of a cubit length,and he did gird it under his clothing upon his right thigh,
3:17And he presented the gift to Eglon King of Moab (and Eglon was a very fat man)
3:18And when he had now presented the present, he sent away the people that bore you present,
3:19But he turned again from the quarries,that were by Gilgal,and said, I have a secret errand to you, O King. Who said, Keep silence:and all that stood about him, went out from him.
3:20Then Ehud came to him. (and he sat alone in a summer arose, which he had) and Ehud said, I have a message to you from Elohim. Then he arose out of his throne,
3:21And Ehud put forth his left hand,and took the dagger from his right thigh,and thrust it into his belly,
3:22So that the haft went in after the blade,and the fat closed about the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly,but the dirt came out.
3:23Then Ehud got himself out into the porch,and shut the doors of the upper upon him,and locked them.
3:24And when he was gone out, his servants came:who seeing that the doors of the upper were locked, they said, Surely he does his easement in his summer chamber.
3:25And they waited until they were ashamed:and seeing he opened not the doors of the upper, they took the key,and opened them,and behold, their lord was fallen dead on the earth.
3:26So Ehud escaped (while they stayed) and was passed the quarries,and escaped to Seirah.
3:27And when he came home, he blew a trumpet in mount Ephraim,and the children of Israel went down with him from the mountain,and he went before them.
3:28Then he said to them, Follow me:for YHWH has delivered your enemies, even Moab into your hand. So they went down after him,and took the passages of Jordan toward Moab,and fords not a man to pass over.
3:29And they slew of the Moab the same time about ten thousand men, all fed men,and all were warriors,and there escaped not a man.
3:30So Moab was subdued that day, under the hand of Israel:and the land had rest fourscore years.
3:31And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad,and he also delivered Israel.

Chapter 4

4:1And the children of Israel began again to do wickedly in the sight of YHWH when Ehud was dead.
4:2And YHWH sold them into the hand of Jabin King of Canaan,that reigned in Hazor, whose chief Captain was called Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles.
4:3Then the children of Israel cried to YHWH:(for he had nine hundred chariots of iron,and twenty years he had vexed the children of Israel very sore)
4:4And at that time Deborah a Prophetess the wife of Lapidoth judged Israel.
4:5And this Deborah dwelt under a palm tree, between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim,and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.
4:6Then she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh of Naphtali,and said to him, Has not YHWH Elohim of Israel commanded, saying, Go,and draw toward mount Tabor,and take with you ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?
4:7And I will draw to you to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army with his chariots,and his multitude,and will deliver him into your hand.
4:8And Barak said to her, If you will go with me, I will go:but if you will not go with me, I will not go.
4:9Then she answered, I will surely go with you,but this journey that you take, shall not be for your honor:for YHWH shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh.
4:10And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh,and he went up on his feet with ten thousand men,and Deborah went up with him.
4:11(Now Heber the Kenite, which was of the children of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, was departed from the Kenites,and pitched his tent until the plain of Zaanaim, which is by Kedesh)
4:12Then they showed Sisera,that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to Mount Tabor.
4:13And Sisera called for all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron,and all the people that were with him from Harosheth of the Gentiles, to the river Kishon.
4:14Then Deborah said to Barak, Up:for this is the day that YHWH has delivered Sisera into your hand. Is not YHWH gone out before you? So Barak went down from mount Tabor,and ten thousand men after him.
4:15And YHWH destroyed Sisera and all his chariots,and all his host with the edge of the sword before Barak, so that Sisera alighted down off his chariot,and fled away on his feet.
4:16But Barak pursued after the chariots,and after the host to Harosheth of the Gentiles:and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword:there was not a man left.
4:17However Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite:(for peace was between Jabin the king of Hazor,and between the house of Heber the Kenite)
4:18And Jael went out to meet Sisera,and said to him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me:fear not. And when he had turned in to her into her tent, she covered him with a mantle.
4:19And he said to her, Give me, please, a little water to drink:for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk,and gave him drink,and covered him.
4:20Again he said to her, Stand in the door of the tent,and when any man does come and inquire of you, saying, Is any man there? You shall say, No.
4:21Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent,and took a hammer in her hand,and went softly to him,and smote the nail into his temples,and fastened it into the ground, (for he was fast a sleep and weary) and so he died.
4:22And behold, as Barak pursued after Sisera, Jael came out to meet him,and said to him, Come,and I will show you the man, whom you seek:and when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead,and the nail in his temples.
4:23So Elohim brought down Jabin the King of Canaan that day before the children of Israel.
4:24And the hand of the children of Israel prospered,and prevailed against Jabin the King of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin King of Canaan.

Chapter 5

5:1Then sang Deborah,and Barak the son of Abinoam the same day, saying,
5:2Praise YHWH for the avenging of Israel,and for the people that offered themselves willingly.
5:3Hear, you Kings, listen, you princes:I, even I will sing to YHWH:I will sing praise to YHWH Elohim of Israel.
5:4YHWH, when you went out of Seir, when you departed out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled,and the heavens rained, the clouds also dropped water.
5:5The mountains melted before YHWH, as did that Sinai before YHWH Elohim of Israel.
5:6In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael the high ways were unoccupied,and the travelers walked through by ways.
5:7The towns were not inhabited:they decayed, I say, in Israel, until I Deborah came up, which rose up a mother in Israel.
5:8They chose new gods:then was war in the gates. Was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand of Israel?
5:9My heart is set on the governors of Israel,and on them that are willing among the people:praise YHWH.
5:10Speak you that ride on white donkeys, you that dwell by In,and that walk by the way.
5:11From the noise of archers among the watering places:there shall they rehearse the righteousness of YHWH, his righteousness of his towns in Israel:then did the people of YHWH go down to the gates.
5:12Up Deborah, up, arise,and sing a song:arise Barak,and lead your captivity captive, the son of Abinoam.
5:13For they that remain, have dominion over the mighty of the people:YHWH has given me dominion over the strong.
5:14Of Ephraim their root arose against Amalek:and after you, Benjamin shall fight against your people, O Amalek:of Machir came rulers,and of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer.
5:15And the Princes of Issachar were with Deborah,and Issachar,and also Barak:he was set on his feet in the valley:for the divisions of Reuben were great thoughts of heart.
5:16Why abode you among the sheepfolds, to hear the searchings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben were great thoughts of heart.
5:17Gilead abode beyond Jordan:and why does Dan remain in ships? Asher sat on the sea shore,and stayed in his decayed places.
5:18But the people of Zebulun and Naphtali have jeopardized their nepheshes to the death in the high places of the field.
5:19The Kings came and fought:then fought the Kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo:they received no gain of money.
5:20They fought from heaven, even the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.
5:21The River Kishon swept them away,that ancient river the river Kishon. O my nephesh, you have marched valiantly.
5:22Then were the horses' broken with the oft beating together of their mighty men.
5:23Curse Meroz: (said the Angel of YHWH) curse the inhabitants of it, because they came not to help YHWH, to help YHWH against the mighty.
5:24Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite shall be blessed above other women:blessed shall she be above women dwelling in tents.
5:25He asked water,and she gave him milk:she brought forth butter in a lordly dish.
5:26She put her hand to the nail,and her right hand to the workmen's hammer:with the hammer smote she Sisera:she smote off his head, after she had wounded,and pierced his temples.
5:27He bowed him down at her feet, he fell down,and lay still:at her feet he bowed him down,and fell:and when he had sank down, he lay there dead.
5:28The mother of Sisera looked out at a window,and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long a coming? Why do the wheels delay of his chariots?
5:29Her wise ladies answered her, Yes. She answered herself with her own words,
5:30Have they not gotten,and they divide the spoil? Every man has a maid or two. Sisera has a prey of diverse colored garments, a prey of sundry colors made of needle work:of diverse colors of needle work on both sides,for the chief of the spoil.
5:31So let all Your enemies perish, O YHWH:but they that love him, shall be as the Sun when he rises in his might,and the land had rest forty years.

Chapter 6

6:1Afterward the children of Israel committed wickedness in the sight of YHWH,and YHWH gave them into the hands of Midian seven years.
6:2And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel,and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them dens in the mountains,and caves,and strong holds.
6:3When Israel had sown, then came up the Midianites, the Amalekites,and they of the East,and came upon them,
6:4And camped by them,and destroyed the fruit of the earth, even till you come to Azzah,and left no food for Israel,neither sheep, nor ox, nor donkey.
6:5For they went up,and their cattle,and came with their tents as grasshoppers in multitude:so that they and their camels were without number:and they came into the land to destroy it.
6:6So was Israel exceedingly impoverished by the Midianites:therefore the children of Israel cried to YHWH.
6:7And when the children of Israel cried to YHWH because of the Midianites,
6:8YHWH sent to the children of Israel a Prophet, who said to them, Thus saysYHWH Elohim of Israel, I have brought you up from Egypt,and have brought you out of the house of bondage,
6:9And I have delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians,and out of the hand of all that oppressed you,and have cast them out before you,and given you their land.
6:10And I said to you, I am YHWH your Elohim:fear not the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell:but you have not obeyed my voice.
6:11And the Angel of YHWH came,and sat under the oak which was in Ophrah,that pertained to Joash the father of the Abiezrite,and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.
6:12Then the Angel of YHWH appeared to him,and said to him, YHWH is with you, you valiant man.
6:13To whom Gideon answered, Ah my YHWH, if YHWH be with us, why then is all this come upon us? And where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of,and said, Did not YHWH bring us out of Egypt? But now the Lord has forsaken us,and delivered us into the hand of the Midianites.
6:14And YHWH looked upon him,and said, Go in this your might,and you shall save Israel out of the hands of the Midianites:have not I sent you?
6:15And he answered him, Ah my Adonai, by which shall I save Israel? Behold, my father is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my fathers house.
6:16Then YHWH said to him, I will therefore be with you,and you shall smite the Midianites, as one man.
6:17And he answered him, please, if I have found favor in your sight, then show me a sign,that you talk with me.
6:18Depart not from here, please, until I come to you,and bring my offering,and lay it before you. And he said, I will wait until you come again.
6:19Then Gideon went in,and made ready a kid,and unleavened bread of an Ephah of flour,and put the flesh in a basket,and put the broth in a pot,and brought it out to him under the oak,and presented it.
6:20And the Angel of Elohim said to him, Take the flesh and the unleavened bread,and lay them upon this stone,and pour out the broth:and he did so.
6:21Then the Angel of YHWH put forth the end of the staff that he had in his hand,and touched the flesh and the unleavened bread:and there arose up fire out of the stone,and consumed the flesh and the unleavened bread:so the Angel of YHWH departed out of his sight.
6:22And when Gideon perceived that it was an Angel of YHWH, Gideon then said, Alas, my Adonai YHWH:for because I have seen an Angel of YHWH face to face, I shall die.
6:23And YHWH said to him, Peace be to you:fear not, you shall not die.
6:24Then Gideon made an altar there to YHWH,and called it, YHWH-shalom:to this day it is in Ophrah, of the father of the Abiezrites.
6:25And the same night YHWH said to him, Take your fathers young bullock,and another bullock of seven years old,and destroy the altar of Baal that your father has,and cut down the grove that is by it,
6:26And build an altar to YHWH your Elohim upon the top of this rock, in a plain place:and take the second bullock,and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the grove, which you shall cut down.
6:27Then Gideon took ten men of his servants,and did as YHWH commanded him:but because he feared to do it by day for his fathers household,and the men of the city, he did it by night.
6:28And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was broken,and the grove cut down that was by it,and the second bullock offered upon the altar that was made.
6:29Therefore they said one to another, Who has done this thing? And when they inquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing.
6:30Then the men of the city said to Joash, Bring out your son,that he may die:for he has destroyed the altar of Baal,and has also cut down the grove that was by it.
6:31And Joash said to all that stood by him, Will you plead Baals cause? Or will you save him? He that will contend for him, let him die or the morning. If he be Elohim, let him plead for himself against him that has cast down his altar.
6:32And in that day was Gideon called Jerubbaal,that is, Let Baal plead for himself because he has broken down his altar.
6:33Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and they of the East, were gathered together, and went and pitched in the valley of Jezreel.
6:34But the Spirit of YHWH came upon Gideon,and he blew a trumpet,and Abiezrites was joined with him.
6:35And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, which also was joined with him,and he sent messengers to Asher,and to Zebulun and to Naphtali,and they came up to meet them.
6:36Then Gideon said to Elohim, If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said,
6:37Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the threshing place:if the dew come on the fleece only,and it be dry upon all the earth, then shall I be sure,that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.
6:38And so it was:for he rose up early on the morning,and thrust the fleece together,and wrung the dew out of the fleece,and filled a bowlful of water.
6:39Again, Gideon said to Elohim, Be not angry with me,that I may speak once more:let me prove once again, please, with the fleece:let it now be dry only upon the fleece,and let dew be upon all the ground.
6:40And Elohim did so that same night:for it was dry upon the fleece only,and there was dew on all the ground.

Chapter 7

7:1Then Jerubbaal (who is Gideon) rose up early,and all the people that were with him,and pitched beside the well of Harod, so that the host of the Midianites was on the Side of them in the valley by the hill of Moreh.
7:2And YHWH said to Gideon, The people that are with you, are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands,lest Israel make their vaunt against me,and say, My hand has saved me.
7:3Now therefore proclaim in the audience of the people,and say, Who so is thousand or fearful, let him return,and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people who were at mount Gilead, two and twenty thousand:so ten thousand remained.
7:4And YHWH said to Gideon, The people are yet too many:bring them down to the water,and I will try them for you there:and of whom I say to you, This man shall go with you, the same shall go with you:and of whomever I say to you, This man shall not go with you, the same shall not go.
7:5So he brought down the people to the water. And YHWH said to Gideon, As many as lap the water with their tongues, as a dog laps, them put by themselves,and every one that shall bow down his knees to drink, put apart.
7:6And the number of them that lapped by putting their hands to their mouths, were three hundred men:but all the remnant of the people kneeled down upon their knees to drink water.
7:7Then YHWH said to Gideon, By these three hundred men that lapped, will I save you,and deliver the Midianites into your hand:and let all the other people go every man to his place.
7:8So the people took provisions with them,and their trumpets:and he sent all the rest of Israel, every man to his tent,and retained the three hundred men:and the host of Midian was beneath him in a valley.
7:9And the same night YHWH said to him, Arise, go down to the host:for I have delivered it into your hand.
7:10But if you fear to go down, then go you,and Purah your servant down to the host,
7:11And you shall listen what they say,and so shall your hands be strong to go down to the host. Then went he down and Purah his servant to the outside of the soldiers that were in the host.
7:12And the Midianites,and the Amalekites and all they of the East, lay in the valley like grasshoppers in multitude,and their camels were without number, as the sand which is by the sea side for multitude.
7:13And when Gideon was come, behold, a man told a dream to his neighbor,and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream,and lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled from above into the host of Midian,and came to a tent,and smote it that it fell,and overturned it,that the tent fell down.
7:14And his fellow answered,and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash a man of Israel:for into his hand has Elohim delivered Midian and all the host.
7:15When Gideon heard the dream told,and the interpretation of the same, he worshiped,and returned to the host of Israel,and said, Up:for YHWH has delivered into your hand the host of Midian.
7:16And he divided the three hundred men into three bands,and gave every man a trumpet in his hand with empty pitchers,and lamps within the pitchers.
7:17And he said to them, Look on me,and do likewise, when I come to the side of the host:even as I do, so do you.
7:18When I blow with a trumpet and all that are with me, blow you with trumpets also on every side of the host,and say,For YHWH,and for Gideon.
7:19So Gideon and the hundred men that were with him, came to the outside of the host, in the beginning of the middle watch,and they raised up the watchmen,and they blew with their trumpets,and broke the pitchers that were in their hands.
7:20And the three companies blew with trumpets and broke the pitchers,and held the lamps in their left hands,and the trumpets in their right hands to blow with:and they cried, The sword of YHWH and of Gideon.
7:21And they stood, every man in his place round about the host:and all the host ran,and cried,and fled.
7:22And the three hundred blew with trumpets,and YHWH set every man's sword upon his neighbor,and upon all the host:so the host fled to Beth-hashittah in Zererah,and to the border of Meholah, to Tabbath.
7:23Then the men of Israel being gathered together out of Naphtali,and out of Asher,and out of all Manasseh, pursued after the Midianites.
7:24And Gideon sent messengers to all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites,and take before them the waters to Barah,and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered together and took the waters to Barah,and Jordan.
7:25And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb,and slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb,and slew Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb,and pursued the Midianites,and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon beyond Jordan.

Chapter 8

8:1Then the men of Ephraim said to him, Why have you served us thus that you called us not, when you went to fight with the Midianites? And they rebuked him sharply.
8:2To whom he said, What have I now done in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of grapes of Ephraim better, than the vintage of Abiezer?
8:3Elohim has delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb:and what was I able to do in comparison of you? And when he had thus spoken, then their spirits abated toward him.
8:4And Gideon came to Jordan to pass over, he,and the three hundred men that were with him, weary, yet pursuing them.
8:5And he said to the men of Succoth, Give, please, morsels of bread to the people that follow me (for they be weary) that I may follow after Zebah,and Zalmunna Kings of Midian.
8:6And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hands,that we should give bread to your army?
8:7Gideon then said,Therefore when YHWH has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will tear your flesh with thorns of the wilderness and with briers.
8:8And he went up from there to Penuel,and spoke to them likewise,and the men of Penuel answered him, as the men of Succoth answered.
8:9And he said also to the men of Penuel, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.
8:10Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor,and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand, all that were left of all the hosts of them of the East:for there was slain a hundred and twenty thousand men,that drew swords.
8:11And Gideon went through them that dwelt in Tabernacles on the East side of Nobah and Jogbehah,and smote the host:for the host was careless.
8:12And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he followed after them,and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna,and discomfited all the host.
8:13So Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle, the sun being yet high,
8:14And took a servant of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him: and he wrote to him the princes of Succoth and the Elders of it, even seventy and seven men.
8:15And he came to the men of Succoth,and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, by whom you upbraided me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hands,that we should give bread to your weary men?
8:16Then he took the Elders of the city,and thorns of the wilderness and briers,and did tear the men of Succoth with them.
8:17Also he broke down the tower of Penuel,and slew the men of the city.
8:18Then he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they, whom you slew at Tabor? And they answered, As you are, so were they:every one was like the children of a King.
8:19And he said, They were my brethren, even my mothers children:as YHWH lives, if you had saved their lives, I would not slay you.
8:20Then he said to Jether his firstborn son, Up,and slay them:but the boy drew not his sword:for he feared, because he was yet young.
8:21Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise,and fall upon us:for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose and slew Zebah and Zalmunna,and took away the ornaments,that were on their camels necks.
8:22Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, Reign you over us, both you,and your son,and your sons son:for you have delivered us out of the hand of Midian.
8:23And Gideon said to them, I will not reign over you,neither shall my child reign over you,but YHWH shall reign over you.
8:24Again Gideon said to them, I would ask a request of you,that you would give me every man the earrings of his prey (for they had golden earrings because they were Ishmaelites)
8:25And they answered, We will give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast in it every man the earrings of his prey.
8:26And the weight of the golden earrings that he asked for, was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold, beside collars and jewels,and purple clothing that was on the kings of Midian,and beside the chains that were about their camels necks.
8:27And Gideon made an Ephod there,and put it in Ophrah his city:and all Israel went a whoring there after it, which was the destruction of Gideon and his house.
8:28Thus was Midian brought low before the children of Israel, so that they lift up their heads no more:and the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.
8:29Then Jerubbaal the son of Joash went,and dwelt in his own house.
8:30And Gideon had seventy sons begotten of his body:for he had many wives.
8:31And his concubine that was in Shechem, bore him a son also, whose name he called Abimelech.
8:32So Gideon the son of Joash died in a good age,and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father in Ophrah, of the father of the Abiezrites.
8:33But when Gideon was dead, the children of Israel turned away and went a whoring after Baalim,and made Baal-berith their Elohim.
8:34And the children of Israel remembered not YHWH their Elohim, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side.
8:35Neither showed they chesed on the house of Jerubbaal, or Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had showed to Israel.

Chapter 9

9:1Then Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mothers brethren,and communed with them,and with all the family,and house of his mothers father, saying,
9:2Say, please, in the audience of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you,that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are seventy persons, reign over you, either that one reign over you? Remember also,that I am your bone,and your flesh.
9:3Then his mother's brethren spoke of him in the audience of all the men of Shechem, all these words:and their hearts were moved to follow Abimelech:for said they, He is our brother.
9:4And they gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-berith, with which Abimelech hired vain and light fellows which followed him.
9:5And he went to his fathers house at Ophrah,and slew his brethren, the sons of Jerubbaal, about seventy persons upon one stone:yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left:for he hid himself.
9:6And all the men of Shechem gathered together with all the house of Millo,and came and made Abimelech King in the plain, where the stone was erected in Shechem.
9:7And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim,and lifted up his voice,and cried,and said to them, Listen to me, you men of Shechem,that Elohim may listen to you.
9:8The trees went forth to anoint a King over them,and said to the olive tree, Reign you over us.
9:9But the olive tree said to them, Should I leave my fatness, with which by me they honor Elohim and man, and go to advance me above the trees?
9:10Then the trees said to the fig tree, Come you,and be King over us.
9:11But the fig tree answered them, Should I forsake my sweetness,and my good fruit,and go to advance me above the trees?
9:12Then said the trees to the Vine, Come you,and be king over us.
9:13But the Vine said to them, Should I leave my wine, by which I cheer Elohim and man, and go to advance me above the trees?
9:14Then said all the trees to the bramble, Come you,and reign over us.
9:15And the bramble said to the trees, If you will indeed anoint me King over you, come,and put your trust under my shadow:and if not, the fire shall come out of the bramble,and consume the Cedars of Lebanon.
9:16Now therefore, if you do truly and sincerity to make Abimelech King,and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and with his house,and have done to him according to the deserving of his hands,
9:17(For my father fought for you,and adventured his nephesh,and delivered you out of the hands of Midian.
9:18And you are risen up against my fathers house this day,and have slain his children, about seventy persons upon one stone,and have made Abimelech the son of his maid servant, King over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother)
9:19If you then have let truly and purely with Jerubbaal,and with his house this day, then rejoice with you.
9:20But if not, let a fire come out from Abimelech,and consume the men of Shechem and the house of Millo:also let a fire come forth from the men of Shechem,and from the house of Millo,and consume Abimelech.
9:21And Jotham ran away,and fled,and went to Beer,and dwelt there for fear of Abimelech his brother.
9:22So Abimelech reigned three year over Israel.
9:23But Elohim sent an evil spirit between Abimelech,and the men of Shechem:and the men of Shechem broke their promise to Abimelech,
9:24That the cruelty toward the seventy sons of Jerubbaal and their blood might come and be laid upon Abimelech their brother, who had slain them,and upon the men of Shechem, which had aided him to kill his brethren.
9:25So the men of Shechem set men in wait for him in the tops of the mountains:who robbed all that passed that way by them:and it was told Abimelech.
9:26Then Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren,and they went to Shechem:and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him.
9:27Therefore they went out into the field,and gathered in their grapes and trod them,and made merry,and went into the house of their gods,and did eat and drink,and cursed Abimelech.
9:28Then Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech? And who is Shechem,that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal? And Zebul is his officer? Serve rather the men of Hamor the father of Shechem:for why should we serve him?
9:29Now if only this people were under my hand:then would I put away Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase your army,and come out.
9:30And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his wrath was kindled.
9:31Therefore he sent messengers to Abimelech secretly, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren be come to Shechem,and behold, they fortify the city against you.
9:32Now therefore arise by night, you and the people that is with you,and lie in wait in the field.
9:33And rise early in the morning as soon as the sun is up,and assault the city:and when he and the people that is with him, shall come out against you, do to him what you can.
9:34So Abimelech rose up,and all the people that were with him by night:and they lay in wait against Shechem in four bands.
9:35Then Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entering of the gate of the city:and Abimelech rose up,and the folk that were with him, from lying in wait.
9:36And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there come people down from the tops of the mountains:and Zebul said to him, The shadow of the mountains seem men to you.
9:37And Gaal spoke again,and said, See, there come folk down by the middle of the land,and another band comes by the way of the plain of Meonenim.
9:38Then said Zebul to him, Where is now your mouth,that said, Who is Abimelech,that we should serve him? Is not this the people that you have despised? Go out now, please,and fight with them.
9:39And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem,and fought with Abimelech.
9:40But Abimelech pursued him,and he fled before him,and many were overthrown and wounded, even to the entering of the gate.
9:41And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah:and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren that they should not dwell in Shechem.
9:42And on the morrow, the people went out into the field:which was told Abimelech.
9:43And he took the people,and divided them into three bands,and laid wait in the fields,and looked,and behold, the people were come out of the city,and he rose up against them,and smote them.
9:44And Abimelech,and the bands that were with him, rushed forward,and stood in the entering of the gate of the city:and the two other bands ran upon all the people that were in the field and slew them.
9:45And when Abimelech had fought against the city all that day, he took the city, and slew the people that was in it, and destroyed the city and sowed salt in it.
9:46And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard it, they entered into a hold of the house of the god Berith.
9:47And it was told Abimelech,that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.
9:48And Abimelech got himself up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him:and Abimelech took axes with him,and cut down boughs of trees,and took them,and bore them on his shoulder,and said to the folk that were with him, What you have seen me do, make haste,and do like me.
9:49Then all the people also cut down every man his bough,and followed Abimelech,and put them to the hold,and set the hold on fire with them:so all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.
9:50Then went Abimelech to Thebez,and besieged Thebez,and took it.
9:51But there was a strong tower within the city,and there fled all the men and women,and all the chief of the city,and shut it to them,and went up to the top of the tower.
9:52And Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it,and went hard to the door of the tower to set it on fire.
9:53But a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech's head,and broke his brain pan.
9:54Then Abimelech called hastily his page that bore his armor,and said to him, Draw your sword and slay me,that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his page thrust him through,and he died.
9:55And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man to his own place.
9:56Thus Elohim rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did to his father, in slaying his seventy brethren.
9:57Also all the wickedness of the men of Shechem did Elohim bring upon their heads. So upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.

Chapter 10

10:1After Abimelech there arose to defend Israel, Tola, the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, which dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim.
10:2And he judged Israel three and twenty year and died,and was buried in Shamir.
10:3And after him arose Jair a Gileadite,and judged Israel two and twenty year.
10:4And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty donkey colts,and they had thirty cities, which are called Havoth-jair to this day,and are in the land of Gilead.
10:5And Jair died,and was buried in Camon.
10:6And the children of Israel worked wickedness again in the sight of YHWH,and served Baalim and Ashtoreths,and the gods of Aram,and the gods of Sidon,and the gods of Moab,and the gods of the children of Ammon,and the gods of the Philistines,and forsook YHWH and served not him.
10:7Therefore the wrath of YHWH was kindled against Israel,and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines,and into the hands of the children of Ammon:
10:8Who from that year vexed and oppressed the children of Israel eighteen years, even all the children of Israel that were beyond Jordan, in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.
10:9Moreover, the children of Ammon went over Jordan to fight against Judah,and against Benjamin,and against the house of Ephraim:so that Israel was sore tormented.
10:10Then the children of Israel cried to YHWH, saying, We have sinned against you, even because we have forsaken our own Elohim,and have served Baalim.
10:11And YHWH said to the children of Israel, Did not I deliver you from the Egyptians and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon and from the Philistines?
10:12The Sidonians also,and the Amalekites,and the Maonites did oppress you,and you cried to me and I saved you out of their hands.
10:13Yet you have forsaken me,and served other gods:therefore I will deliver you no more.
10:14Go,and cry to the gods which you have chosen:let them save you in the time of your tribulation.
10:15And the children of Israel said to YHWH, We have sinned:do you to us whatever please you:only please to deliver us this day.
10:16Then they put away the strange gods from among them and served YHWH:and his nephesh was grieved for the misery of Israel.
10:17Then the children of Ammon gathered themselves together,and pitched in Gilead:and the children of Israel assembled themselves,and pitched in Mizpah.
10:18And the people and princes of Gilead said one to another, Whoever will begin the battle against the children of Ammon, the same shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.

Chapter 11

11:1Then Gilead begot Jephthah,and Jephthah the Gileadite was a valiant man,but the son of a harlot.
11:2And Gilead's wife bore him sons,and when the woman children were come to age, they thrust out Jephthah,and said to him, You shall not inherit in our fathers house:for you are the son of a strange woman.
11:3Then Jephthah fled from his brethren,and dwelt in the land of Tob:and there gathered idle fellows to Jephthah,and went out with him.
11:4And in process of time the children of Ammon made war with Israel.
11:5And when the children of Ammon fought with Israel, the Elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah out of the land of Tob.
11:6And they said to Jephthah, Come and be our captain,that we may fight with the children of Ammon.
11:7Jephthah then answered the Elders of Gilead, Did not you hate me,and expel me out of my fathers house? How then have you come to me now in time of your tribulation?
11:8Then the Elders of Gilead said to Jephthah,Therefore we turn again to you now,that you may go with us,and fight against the children of Ammon,and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.
11:9And Jephthah said to the Elders of Gilead, If you bring me home again to fight against the children of Ammon, if YHWH give them before me, shall I be your head?
11:10And the Elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, YHWH be witness between us, if we do not according to your words.
11:11Then Jephthah went with the Elders of Gilead,and the people made him head and captain over them:and Jephthah rehearsed all his words before YHWH in Mizpah.
11:12Then Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What have you to do with me,that you are come against me, to fight in my land?
11:13And the King of the children of Ammon answered to the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took my land, when they came up from Egypt, from Arnon to Jabbok,and to Jordan:now therefore restore those lands quietly.
11:14Yet Jephthah sent messengers again to the King of the children of Ammon,
11:15And said to him, Thus says Jephthah, Israel took not the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon.
11:16But when Israel came up from Egypt,and walked through the wilderness to the red Sea, then they came to Kadesh.
11:17And Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, Let me, please, go through your land:but the King of Edom would not consent:and also they sent to the King of Moab,but he would not:therefore Israel abode in Kadesh.
11:18Then they went through the wilderness,and compassed the land of Edom,and the land of Moab,and came by the Side of the land of Moab,and pitched on the other side of Arnon,and came not within the coast of Moab:for Arnon was the border of Moab.
11:19Also Israel sent messengers to Sihon, King of the Amorites, the King of Heshbon,and Israel said to him, Let us pass, please, by your land to our place.
11:20But Sihon consented not to Israel,that he should go through his coast:but Sihon gathered all his people together,and pitched in Jahaz,and fought with Israel.
11:21And YHWH Elohim of Israel gave Sihon and all his folk into the hands of Israel,and they smote them:so Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country:
11:22And they possessed all the coast of the Amorites, from Arnon to Jabbok,and from the wilderness even to Jordan.
11:23Now therefore YHWH Elohim of Israel has cast out the Amorites before his people Israel,and should you possess it?
11:24Would not you possess that which Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whomever YHWH our Elohim drives out before us, them will we possess.
11:25And are you now far better than Balak the son of Zippor King of Moab? Did he not strive with Israel and fight against them,
11:26When Israel dwelt in Heshbon and in her towns,and in Aroer and in her towns,and in all the cities that are by the coasts of Arnon, three hundred years? Why did you not then recover them in that space?
11:27Therefore, I have not sinned against you:but you do wrong to me by warring against me. YHWH the Judge be judge this day between the children of Israel,and the children of Ammon.
11:28However the King of the children of Ammon did not listen to the words of Jephthah, which he had sent him.
11:29Then the Spirit of YHWH came upon Jephthah,and he passed over to Gilead and to Manasseh,and came to Mizpah in Gilead,and from Mizpah in Gilead he went to the children of Ammon.
11:30And Jephthah vowed a vow to YHWH,and said, If you shall deliver the children of Ammon into my hands,
11:31Then that thing that comes out of the doors of my house to meet me, when I come home in peace from the children of Ammon, shall be YHWH's,and I will offer it for a burnt offering.
11:32And so Jephthah went to the children of Ammon to fight against them,and YHWH delivered them into his hands.
11:33And he smote them from Aroer even till you come to Minnith--twenty, twenty cities,and so forth to Abel of the vineyards, with an exceeding great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were humbled before the children of Israel.
11:34Now when Jephthah came to Mizpah to his house, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and dancing, which was his only child:he had none other son, nor daughter.
11:35And when he saw her, he rent his clothes,and said, Alas my daughter, you have brought me low,and are of them that trouble me:for I have opened my mouth to YHWH,and cannot go back.
11:36And she said to him, My father, if you have opened your mouth to YHWH, do with me as you have promised, seeing that YHWH has avenged you of your enemies the children of Ammon.
11:37Also she said to her father, Do thus much for me:suffer me two months,that I may go to the mountains,and bewail my virginity, I and my fellows.
11:38And he said, Go:and he sent her away two months:so she went with her companions,and lamented her virginity upon the mountains.
11:39And after the end of two months, she turned again to her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed,and she had known no man. And it was a custom in Israel:
11:40The daughters of Israel went year by year to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite, four days in a year.

Chapter 12

12:1And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together,and went Northward,and said to Jephthah, Why went you to fight against the children of Ammon,and did not call us to go with you? We will therefore burn your house upon you with fire.
12:2And Jephthah said to them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon,and when I called you, you delivered me not out of their hands.
12:3So when I saw that you delivered me not, I put my nephesh in my hands,and went upon the children of Ammon:so YHWH delivered them into my hands. Why then are you come upon me now to fight against me?
12:4Then Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead,and fought with Ephraim:and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, You Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites,and among the Manassites.
12:5Also the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites,and when the Ephraimites that were escaped, said, Let me pass, then the men of Gilead said to him, Are you an Ephraimite? If he said, No,
12:6Then they said to him, Say now Shibboleth:and he said, Sibboleth:for he could not so pronounce:then they took him,and slew him at the passages of Jordan:and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites two and forty thousand.
12:7And Jephthah judged Israel six year:then died Jephthah the Gileadite,and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.
12:8After him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel,
12:9Who had thirty sons and thirty daughters, who he sent out,and took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel seven year.
12:10Then Ibzan died,and was buried at Bethlehem.
12:11And after him judged Israel Elon, a Zebulunite,and he judged Israel ten year.
12:12Then Elon the Zebulunite died,and was buried in Aijalon in the country of Zebulun.
12:13And after him Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite judged Israel.
12:14And he had forty sons and thirty nephews that rode on seventy donkey colts:and he judged Israel eight years.
12:15Then died Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite,and was buried in Pirathon, in the land of Ephraim, in the Mount of the Amalekites.

Chapter 13

13:1But the children of Israel continued to commit wickedness in the sight of YHWH,and YHWH delivered them into the hands of the Philistines forty year.
13:2Then there was a man in Zorah of the family of the Danites, named Manoah, whose wife was barren,and bore not.
13:3And the Angel of YHWH appeared to the woman,and said to her, Behold now, you are barren,and bear not:but you shall conceive,and bear a son.
13:4And now therefore beware that you drink no wine, nor strong drink,neither eat any unclean thing.
13:5For lo, you shall conceive and bear a son,and no razor shall come on his head:for the child shall be a Nazirite to Elohim from his birth:and he shall begin to save Israel out of the hands of the Philistines.
13:6Then the wife came,and told her husband, saying, A man of Elohim came to me,and the fashion of him was like the fashion of the Angel of Elohim exceeding fearful,but I asked him not from where he was,neither told he me his name,
13:7But he said to me, Behold, you shall conceive,and bear a son,and now you shall drink no wine, nor strong drink,neither eat any unclean thing:for the child shall be a Nazirite to Elohim from his birth to the day of his death.
13:8Then Manoah entreated YHWH and said, please, my Adonai, Let the man of Elohim, whom you sent, come again now to us,and teach us what we shall do to the child when he is born.
13:9And Elohim heard the voice of Manoah,and the Angel of Elohim came again to the wife, as she sat in the field,but Manoah her husband was not with her.
13:10And the wife made haste and ran,and showed her husband and said to him, Behold, the man has appeared to me,that came to me today.
13:11And Manoah arose and went after his wife,and came to the man,and said to him, Are you the man that spoke to the woman? And he said, Yes.
13:12Then Manoah said, Now let your saying come to pass:but how shall we order the child and do to him?
13:13And the Angel of YHWH said to Manoah, The woman must beware of all that I said to her.
13:14She may eat of nothing that comes of the vine:she shall not drink wine nor strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing:let her observe all that I have commanded her.
13:15Manoah then said to the Angel of YHWH, please, let us retain you, until we have made ready a kid for you.
13:16And the Angel of YHWH said to Manoah, Though you make me abide, I will not eat of your bread,and if you will make a burnt offering, offer it to YHWH:for Manoah knew not that it was an Angel of YHWH.
13:17Again Manoah said to the Angel of YHWH, What is your name,that when your saying is come to pass, we may honor you?
13:18And the Angel of YHWH said to him, Why ask you thus after my name, which is secret?
13:19Then Manoah took a kid with a grain offering,and offered it upon a stone to YHWH:and the Angel did wondrous, while Manoah and his wife looked on.
13:20For when the flame came up toward heaven from the altar, the Angel of YHWH ascended up in the flame of the altar,and Manoah and his wife saw it,and fell on their faces to the ground.
13:21(So the Angel of YHWH did no more appear to Manoah and his wife.) Then Manoah knew that it was an Angel of YHWH.
13:22And Manoah said to his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen Elohim.
13:23But his wife said to him, If YHWH would kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering,and a grain offering of our hands,neither would he have showed us all these things, nor would now have told us any such.
13:24And the wife bore a son,and called his name Samson:and the child grew,and YHWH blessed him.
13:25And the Spirit of YHWH began to strengthen him in the host of Dan, between Zorah,and Eshtaol.

Chapter 14

14:1Now Samson went down to Timnah,and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines,
14:2And he came up and told his father and his mother and said, I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines:now therefore give me her to wife.
14:3Then his father and his mother said to him, Is there never a wife among the daughters of your brethren,and among all my people,that you must go to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said to his father, Give me her,for she pleases me well.
14:4But his father and his mother knew not that it came of YHWH,that he should seek an occasion against the Philistines:for at that time the Philistines reigned over Israel.
14:5Then went Samson and his father and his mother down to Timnah,and came to the vineyards at Timnah:and behold, a young Lion roared upon him.
14:6And the Spirit of YHWH came upon him,and he tare him, as one should have rent a kid,and had nothing in his hand,neither told he his father nor his mother what he had done.
14:7And he went down,and talked with the woman who was beautiful in the eyes of Samson.
14:8And within a few days, when he returned to receive her, he went aside to see the carcass of the Lion:and behold, there was a swarm of bees,and honey in the body of the Lion.
14:9And he took some of it in his hands,and went eating,and came to his father and to his mother,and gave to them,and they did eat:but he did not tell them,that he had taken the honey out of the body of the lion.
14:10So his father went down to the woman,and Samson made there a feast:for so used the young men to do.
14:11And when they saw him, they brought thirty companions to be with him.
14:12Then Samson said to them, I will now put forth a riddle to you:and if you can declare it me within seven days of the feast,and find it out, I will give you thirty sheets,and thirty change of garments.
14:13But if you cannot declare it me, then shall you give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments. And they answered him, Put forth your riddle,that we may hear it.
14:14And he said to them, Out of the eater came meat,and out of the strong came sweetness:and they could not in three days expound the riddle.
14:15And when the seventh day was come, they said to Samson's wife, Entice your husband,that he may declare us the riddle,lest we burn you and your fathers house with fire. Have you called us, to possess us? Is it not so?
14:16And Samson's wife wept before him,and said, Surely you hate me and love me not:for you have put forth a riddle to the children of my people,and have not told it me. And he said to her, Behold, I have not told it my father, nor my mother,and shall I tell it to you?
14:17Then Samson's wife wept before him seven days, while their feast lasted: and when the seventh day came he told her, because she was importunate upon him: so she told the riddle to the children of her people.
14:18And the men of the city said to him the seventh day before the Sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion? Then he said to them, If you had not plowed with my heifer, you had not found out my riddle.
14:19And the Spirit of YHWH came upon him,and he went down to Ashkelon,and slew thirty men of them and spoiled them,and gave change of garments to them, which expounded the riddle:and his wrath was kindled,and he went up to his fathers house.
14:20Then Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.

Chapter 15

15:1But within a while after, in the time of wheat harvest, Samson visited his wife with a kid, saying, I will go in to my wife into the chamber:but her father would not suffer him to go in.
15:2And her father said, I thought that you had hated her:therefore gave I her to your companion. Is not her younger sister fairer than she? Take her, please, instead of the other.
15:3Then Samson said to them, Now am I more blameless than the Philistines:therefore will I do them displeasure.
15:4And Samson went out,and took three hundred foxes,and took firebrands,and turned them tail to tail,and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails.
15:5And when he had set the burned on fire, he sent them out into the standing corn of the Philistines,and burnt up both the torches and the standing corn with the vineyards and olives.
15:6Then the Philistines said, Who has done this? And they answered, Samson the son-in-law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife,and given her to his companion. Then the Philistines came up and burnt her and her father with fire.
15:7And Samson said to them, Though you have done this, yet will I be avenged of you,and then I will cease.
15:8So he smote them hip and thigh with a mighty plague:then he went and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam.
15:9Then the Philistines came up,and pitched in Judah,and were spread abroad in Lehi.
15:10And the men of Judah said, Why are you come up to us? And they answered, To bind Samson are we come up,and to do to him as he has done to us.
15:11Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam,and said to Samson, Know you not that the Philistines are rulers over us? Why then have you done thus to us? And he answered them, As they did to me, so have I done to them.
15:12Again they said to him, We are come to bind you,and to deliver you into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said to them, Swear to me,that you will not fall upon me yourselves.
15:13And they answered him, saying, No,but we will bound you and deliver you to their hand,but we will not kill you. And they bound him with two new cords,and brought him from the rock.
15:14When he came to Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him,and the Spirit of YHWH came upon him,and the cords that were upon his arms, became as flax that was burnt with fire:for the bands loosed from his hands.
15:15And he found a new jawbone of a donkey, and put forth his hand, and caught it, and slew a thousand men with it.
15:16Then Samson said, With the jaw of a donkey are heaps upon heaps:with the jaw of a donkey have I slain a thousand men.
15:17And when he had left speaking, he cast away the jawbone out of his hand,and called that place, Ramath.
15:18And he was very thirsty,and called on YHWH,and said, You have given this great deliverance into the hand of your servant:and now shall I die for thirst,and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?
15:19Then Elohim broke the cheek tooth, that was in the jaw, and water came therefore: and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he was revived: therefore the name of it is called, Hakkore, which is in Lehi to this day.
15:20And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.

Chapter 16

16:1Then went Samson to Azzah,and saw there a harlot,and went in to her.
16:2And it was told to the Gazites, Samson is come here. And they went about,and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city,and were quiet all the night, saying, Abide till the morning early,and we shall kill him.
16:3And Samson slept till midnight,and arose at midnight,and took the doors of the gates of the city,and the two posts and lift them away with the bars,and put them upon his shoulders,and carried them up to the top of the mountain that is before Hebron.
16:4And after this he loved a woman by the river of Sorek, whose name was Delilah:
16:5To whom came the princes of the Philistines, and said to her, Entice him, and see in which his great strength lies, and by what mean we may overcome him, that we may bind him, and punish him, and every one of us shall give you eleven hundred shekels of silver.
16:6And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, please, in which your great strength lies, and with which you might be bound, to do you hurt.
16:7Samson then answered to her, If they bind me with seven green cords,that were never dried, then shall I be weak,and be as another man.
16:8And the princes of the Philistines brought her seven green cords that were not dry, and she bound him with it.
16:9(And she had men lying in wait with her in the chamber) Then she said to him, The Philistines be upon you, Samson. And he broke the cords, as a thread of to is broken, when it feels fire:so his strength was not known.
16:10After Delilah said to Samson, See, you have mocked me and told me lies. please now, tell me with what you might be bound.
16:11Then he answered her, If they bind me with new ropes that never were occupied, then shall I be weak,and be as another man.
16:12Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him with it, and said to him, The Philistines be upon you, Samson: (and men lay in wait in the chamber) and he broke them from his arms, as a thread.
16:13Afterward Delilah said to Samson, Until now you have beguiled me,and told me lies:tell me how you might be bound. And he said to her, If you braided seven locks of my head with the threads of the woof.
16:14And she fastened it with a pin,and said to him, The Philistines be upon you, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep,and went away with the pin of the web and the woof.
16:15Again she said to him, How can you say, I love you, when your heart is not with me? You have mocked me these three times, and have not told me in which your great strength lies.
16:16And because she was importunate upon him with her words continually,and vexed him, his nephesh was pained to the death.
16:17Therefore he told her all his heart,and said to her, There never came razor upon my head:for I am a Nazirite to Elohim from my mother's womb:therefore if I be shaven, my strength will go from me,and I shall be weak,and be like all other men.
16:18And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent,and called for the Princes of the Philistines, saying, Come up once again:for he has showed me all his heart. Then the Princes of the Philistines came up to her,and brought the money in their hands.
16:19And she made him sleep upon her knees,and she called a man,and made him to shave off the seven locks of his head,and she began to vex him,and his strength was gone from him.
16:20Then she said, The Philistines be upon you, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep,and thought, I will go out now as at other times,and shake myself,but he knew not that YHWH was departed from him.
16:21Therefore the Philistines took him,and put out his eyes,and brought him down to Azzah,and bound him with fetters:and he did grind in the prison house.
16:22And the hair of his head began to grow again after that it was shaven.
16:23Then the Princes of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god,and to rejoice:for they said, Our god has delivered Samson our enemy into our hands.
16:24Also when the people saw him, they praised their god:for they said, Our god has delivered into our hands our enemy and destroyer of our country, which has slain many of us.
16:25And when their hearts were merry, they said, Call Samson,that he may make us pastime. So they called Samson out of the prison house,and he was a laughing stock to them,and they set him between the pillars.
16:26Then Samson said to the servant that led him by the hand, Lead me,that I may touch the pillars that the house stands upon,and that I may lean to them.
16:27(Now the house was full of men and women,and there were all the princes of the Philistines:also upon the roof were about three thousand men and women that saw while Samson played)
16:28Then Samson called to YHWH,and said, O Adonai YHWH, please, think upon me:O God, I ask you, strengthen me at this time only,that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.
16:29And Samson laid hold on the two middle pillars Then the house stood,and on which it was born up:on the one with his right hand,and on the other with his left.
16:30Then Samson said, Let my nephesh die with the Philistines: and he bowed him with all his might, and the house fell upon the princes, and upon all the people that were in it. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they who he had slain in his life.
16:31Then his brethren,and all the house of his father came down and took him,and brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol, in the sepulchre of Manoah his father:now he had judged Israel twenty years.

Chapter 17

17:1There was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah,
17:2And he said to his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from you,for the which you cursed,and spoke it, even in my hearing, behold, the silver is with me, I took it. Then his mother said, Blessed be my son of YHWH.
17:3And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had dedicate the silver to YHWH of my hand for my son, to make a graven and molten image. Now therefore I will give it to you again.
17:4And when he had restored the money to his mother, his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, which made of it a graven and molten image, and it was in the house of Micah.
17:5And this man Micah had a house of gods,and made an Ephod,and Teraphim,and consecrated one of his sons, who was his Priest.
17:6In those days there was no King in Israel,but every man did that which was good in his own eyes.
17:7There was also a young man out of Bethlehem Judah, of the family of Judah:who was a Levite,and sojourned there.
17:8And the man departed out of the city, even out of Bethlehem Judah, to dwell where he could find a place:and as he journeyed, he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah
17:9And Micah said to him, from where do you come? And the Levite answered him, I come from Bethlehem Judah,and go to dwell where I may find a place.
17:10Then Micah said to him, Dwell with me,and be to me a father and a Priest,and I will give you ten shekels of silver by year,and a suit of apparel,and your meat and drink. So the Levite went in.
17:11And the Levite was content to dwell with the man,and the young man was to him as one of his own sons.
17:12And Micah consecrated the Levite,and the young man was his Priest,and was in the house of Micah.
17:13Then said Micah, Now I know that YHWH will be good to me, seeing I have a Levite to my Priest.

Chapter 18

18:1In those days there was no King in Israel,and at the same time the tribe of Dan sought them an inheritance to dwell in:for to that time all their inheritance had not fallen to them among the tribes of Israel.
18:2Therefore the children of Dan sent of their family, five men out of their coasts, even men expert in war, out of Zorah and Eshtaol, to view the land and search it out,and said to them, Go,and search out the land. Then they came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah and lodged there.
18:3When they were in the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man the Levite:and being turned in there, they said to him, Who brought you here? Or what are you doing in this place? And what have you to do here?
18:4And he answered them, Thus and thus deals Micah with me,and has hired me,and I am his Priest.
18:5Again they said to him, Inquire now of Elohim,that we may know whether the way which we go, shall be prosperous.
18:6And the Priest said to them, Go in peace:for YHWH guides your way which you go.
18:7Then the five men departed and came to Laish, and saw the people that were in it, which dwelt careless, after the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and sure, because no man made any trouble in the land, or usurped any dominion: also they were far from the Sidonians, and had no business with other men.
18:8So they came again to their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol:and their brethren said to them, What have you done?
18:9And they answered, Arise,that we may go up against them:for we have seen the land,and surely it is very good,and do you sit still? Be not slothful to go and enter to possess the land:
18:10(If you will go, you shall come to a careless people,and the country is large) for Elohim has given it into your hand. It is a place which does lack nothing that is in the world.
18:11Then there departed from there of the family of the Danites, from Zorah and from Eshtaol, six hundred men appointed with instruments of war.
18:12And they went up,and pitched in Jearim in Judah:therefore they called that place, Mahaneh-dan to this day:and it is behind Jearim.
18:13And they went from there to mount Ephraim,and came to the house of Micah.
18:14Then answered the five men,that went to spy out the country of Laish,and said to their brethren, Know you not,that there is in these houses an Ephod,and Teraphim,and a graven and a molten image? Now therefore consider what you have to do.
18:15And they turned that way and came to the house of the young man the Levite, even to the house of Micah,and saluted him peaceably.
18:16And the six hundred men appointed with their weapons of war, which were of the children of Dan, stood by the entering of the gate.
18:17Then the five men that went to spy out the land, went in there,and took the graven image and the Ephod,and the Teraphim,and the molten image:and the Priest stood in the entering of the gate with the six hundred men,that were appointed with weapons of war,
18:18And the other went into Micah's house and went the graven image, the Ephod,and the Teraphim,and the molten image. Then said the Priest to them, What are you doing?
18:19And they answered him, Hold your peace:lay your hand upon your mouth,and come with us to be our father and Priest. Whether is it better that you should be a Priest to the house of one man, or that you should be a Priest to a tribe and to a family in Israel?
18:20And the Priest's heart was glad, and he took the Ephod and the Teraphim, and the graven image, and went among the people.
18:21And they turned and departed,and put the children,and the cattle,and the substance before them.
18:22When they were far off from the house of Micah, the men that were in the houses near to Micah's house, gathered together,and pursued after the children of Dan,
18:23And cried to the children of Dan:who turned their faces,and said to Micah, What ails you,that you make an outcry?
18:24And he said, You have taken away my gods, which I made,and the Priest,and go your ways:and what have I more? How then do you say to me, what ails you?
18:25And the children of Dan said to him, Let not your voice be heard among us,lest angry fellows run upon you,and you lose your life with the lives of your household.
18:26So the children of Dan went their ways:and when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned,and went back to his house.
18:27And they took the things which Micah had made,and the Priest who he had,and came to Laish, to a quiet people and without mistrust,and smote them with the edge of the sword,and burnt the city with fire:
18:28And there was none to help, because Was was far from Sidon, and they had no business with other men: also it was in the valley that lies by Beth. After, they built the city, and dwelt in it,
18:29And called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father who was born to Israel:however the name of the city was Laish at the beginning.
18:30Then the children of Dan set them up the graven image:and Jonathan the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh and his sons were the Priests in the tribe of the Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.
18:31So they set them up the graven image, which Micah's had made, all the while the house of Elohim was in Shiloh.

Chapter 19

19:1Also in those days, when there was no king in Israel, a certain Levite dwelt on the side of mount Ephraim,and took to wife a concubine out of Bethlehem Judah,
19:2And his concubine played the whore there,and went away from him to her fathers house to Bethlehem Judah,and there continued the space of four months.
19:3And her husband arose and went after her, to speak to her heart, and to bring her again: he had also his servant with him, and a couple of donkeys: and she brought him to her fathers house, and when the young woman father saw him, he rejoiced of his coming.
19:4And his father-in-law, the young woman's father detained him:and he abode with him three days:so they did eat and drink,and lodged there.
19:5And when the fourth day came, they arose early in the morning,and he prepared to depart:then the young woman's father said to his son-in-law, Comfort your heart with a morsel of bread,and then go your way.
19:6So they sat down,and did eat and drink both of them together. And the young woman's father said to the man, Be content, please,and stay all night,and let your heart be merry.
19:7And when the man rose up to depart, his father-in-law was earnest:therefore he returned,and lodged there.
19:8And he arose up early the fifth day to depart,and the young woman's father said, Comfort your heart, please:and they stayed until after midday,and they both did eat.
19:9Afterward when the man arose to depart with his concubine and his servant, his father-in-law, the young woman's father said to him, Behold now, the day draws toward even:please, stay all night:behold, the sun goes to rest:lodge here,that your heart may be merry,and Tomorrow get you early upon your way,and go to your tent.
19:10But the man would not stay,but arose and departed,and came over against Jebus, (which is Jerusalem) and his two donkeys laden,and his concubine were with him.
19:11When they were near to Jebus, the day was sore spent,and the servant said to his master, Come, please,and let us turn into this city of the Jebusites,and lodge all night there.
19:12And his master answered him, We will not turn into the city of strangers that are not of the children of Israel,but we will go forth to Gibeah.
19:13And he said to his servant, Come,and let us draw near to one of these places,that we may lodge in Gibeah or in Ramah.
19:14So they went forward upon their way,and the sun went down upon them near to Gibeah, which is in Benjamin.
19:15Then they turned there to go in and lodge in Gibeah:and when he came, he sat him down in a street of the city:for there was no man that took them into his house to lodging.
19:16And behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even,and the man was of mount Ephraim,but dwelt in Gibeah:and the men of the place were the children of In.
19:17And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in the streets of the city:then this old man said, Where are you going,and from where came you?
19:18And he answered him, We came from Bethlehem Judah, to the side of Mount Ephraim:from there am I:and I went to Bethlehem Judah,and go now to the house of YHWH:and no man receives me to house,
19:19Although we have straw and fodder for our donkeys,and also bread and wine for me and your handmaid,and for the boy that is with your servant:we lack nothing.
19:20And the old man said, Peace be with you:as for all that you lack, shall you find with me:only do not lodge in the street all night.
19:21So he brought him into his house,and gave fodder to the donkeys:and they washed their feet,and did eat and drink.
19:22And as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, wicked men beset the house round about,and smote at the door,and spoke to this old man the master of the house saying, Bring forth the man that came into your house that we may know him.
19:23And this man the master of the house went out to them,and said to them, No my brethren, do not so wickedly, please:seeing that this man is come into my house, do not this villainy.
19:24Behold, here is my daughter, a virgin,and his concubine:them will I bring out now,and humble them,and do with them what seems you good:but to this man do not this villainy.
19:25But the men would not listen to him:therefore the man took his concubine,and brought her out to them:and they knew her and abused her all the night to the morning:and when the day began to spring, they let her go.
19:26So the woman came in the dawning of the day,and fell down at the door of the man's house where her Lord was, till the light day.
19:27And her lord arose in the morning,and opened the doors of the house,and went out to go his way,and behold, the woman his concubine was dead at the door of the house and her hands lay upon the threshold.
19:28And he said to her, Up and let us go:but she answered not. Then he took her up upon the donkey,and the man rose up,and went to his place.
19:29And when he was come to his house, he took a knife,and laid hand on his concubine,and divided her in pieces with her bones into twelve parts,and sent her through all quarters of Israel.
19:30And all that saw it, said, There was no such thing done or seen since the time that the children of Israel came up from the land of Egypt to this day:consider the matter, consult and give sentence.

Chapter 20

20:1Then all the children of Israel went out,and the Congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, to YHWH in Mizpah.
20:2And the chief of all the people,and all the tribes of Israel assembled in the Congregation of the people of Elohim four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword.
20:3(Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpah) Then the children of Israel said, How is this wickedness committed?
20:4And the same Levite, the woman husband that was slain, answered and said, I came to Gibeah that is in Benjamin with my concubine to lodge,
20:5And the men of Gibeah arose against me,and beset the house round about upon me by night, thinking to have slain me,and have forced my concubine that she is dead.
20:6Then I took my concubine,and cut her in pieces,and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel:for they have committed abomination and villainy in Israel.
20:7Behold, you are all children of Israel: give your advice, and counsel in this.
20:8Then all the people arose as one man, saying, There shall not a man of us go to his tent,neither any turn into his house.
20:9But now this is that thing which we will do to Gibeah:we will go up by lot against it,
20:10And we will take ten men of the hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel,and a hundred of the thousand,and a thousand of ten thousand to bring provisions for the people that they may do (when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin) according to all the villainy,that it has done in Israel.
20:11So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together, as one man.
20:12And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is committed among you?
20:13Now therefore deliver us those wicked men who are in Gibeah,that we may put them to death,and put away evil from Israel:but the children of Benjamin would not obey the voice of their brethren the children of Israel.
20:14But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities to Gibeah, to come out and fight against the children of Israel.
20:15And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities six and twenty thousand men that drew sword, beside the inhabitants of Gibeah, which were numbered seven hundred chosen men.
20:16Of all this people were seven hundred chosen men, being left handed:all these could sling stones at a hair breadth,and not fail.
20:17Also the men of Israel, beside Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword, even all men of war.
20:18And the children of Israel arose,and went up to the house of Elohim,and asked of God, saying, Which of us shall go up first to fight against the children of Benjamin? And YHWH said, Judah shall be first.
20:19Then the children of Israel arose early and camped against Gibeah.
20:20And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin,and the men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against the beside Gibeah.
20:21And the children of Benjamin came out of Gibeah,and slew down to the ground of the Israelites that day two and twenty thousand men.
20:22And the people, the men of Israel plucked up their hearts,and set their battle again in array in the place where they put them in array the first day.
20:23(For the children of Israel had gone up and wept before YHWH to the evening,and had asked of YHWH, saying, Shall I go again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brethren? And YHWH said, Go up against them)
20:24Then the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day.
20:25Also the second day Benjamin came forth to meet them out of Gibeah,and slew down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men:all they could handle the sword.
20:26Then all the children of Israel went up and all the people came also to the house of God,and wept and sat there before YHWH and fasted that day to the evening,and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before YHWH.
20:27And the children of Israel asked YHWH (for there was the Ark of the covenant of Elohim in those days,
20:28And Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron stood before it at that time) saying, Shall I yet go any more to battle against the children of Benjamin my brethren, or shall I cease? And YHWH said, Go up:for Tomorrow I will deliver them into your hand.
20:29And Israel set men to lie in wait round about Gibeah.
20:30And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin the third day,and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times.
20:31Then the children of Benjamin coming out against the people, were drawn from the city: and they began to smite of the people and kill as at other times, even by the ways in the field (of which one goes up to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah) upon a thirty men of Israel.
20:32(For the children of Benjamin said, They are fallen before us, as at the first. But the children of Israel said, Let us flee and pluck them away from the city to the high ways)
20:33And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place,and put themselves in array at Baal:and the men that lay in wait of the Israel's came forth of their place, even out of the meadows of Geba,
20:34And they came over against Gibeah, ten thousand chosen men of all Israel,and the battle was sore:for they knew not that the evil was near them.
20:35And YHWH smote Benjamin before Israel,and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites the same day five and twenty thousand and a hundred men:all they could handle the sword.
20:36So the children of Benjamin saw that they were stricken down:for the men of Israel gave place to the Benjamites, because they trusted to the men that lay in wait, which they had laid beside Gibeah.
20:37And they that ambush hurried,and broke forth toward Gibeah,and the ambush drew themselves along,and smote all the city with the edge of the sword.
20:38Also the men of Israel had appointed a certain time with the ambush,that they should make a great flame and smoke rise up out of the city.
20:39And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons:for they said, Surely they are stricken down before us, as in the first battle.
20:40But when the flame began to arise out of the city, as a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked back,and behold, the flame of the city began to ascend up to heaven.
20:41Then the men of Israel turned again,and the men of Benjamin were astonished:for they saw that evil was near to them.
20:42Therefore they fled before the men of Israel to the way of the wilderness,but the battle overtook them:also they who came out of the cities, slew them among them.
20:43Thus they compassed the Benjamites about,and chased them at ease,and overran them, even over against Gibeah on the East.
20:44And there were slain of Benjamin eighteen thousand men, who were all men of war.
20:45And they turned and fled to the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon:and they gleaned of them by the way five thousand men,and pursued after them to Gidom,and slew two thousand men of them,
20:46So that all that were slain that day of Benjamin, were five and twenty thousand men that drew sword, which were all men of war:
20:47But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon,and abode in the rock of Rimmon four months.
20:48Then the men of Israel returned to the children of Benjamin,and smote them with the edge of the sword from the men of the city to the beasts,and all that came to hand:also they set on fire all the cities that they could come by.

Chapter 21

21:1Moreover, the men of Israel swore in Mizpah, saying, None of us shall give his daughter to the Benjamin to wife.
21:2And the people came to the house of Elohim and abode there till even before God,and lift up their voices,and wept with great lamentation,
21:3And said, O YHWH Elohim of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel,that this day one tribe of Israel should want?
21:4And on the morning the people rose up and made there an altar,and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.
21:5Then the children of Israel said, Who is he among all the tribes of Israel,that came not up with the Congregation to YHWH? For they had made a great oath concerning him that came not up to YHWH to Mizpah, saying, Let him die the death.
21:6And the children of Israel were sorry for Benjamin their brother,and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.
21:7How shall we do for wives to them that remain, seeing we have sworn by YHWH,that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?
21:8Also they said, Is there any of the tribes of Israel that came not up to Mizpah to YHWH? And behold, there came none of Jabesh Gilead to the host and to the Congregation.
21:9For when the people were viewed;behold, none of the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead were there.
21:10Therefore the Congregation sent there twelve thousand men of the most valiant,and commanded them, saying, Go,and smite the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead with the edge of the sword, both women,and children.
21:11And this is it that you shall do:you shall utterly destroy all the males and all the women that have lain with men.
21:12And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead four hundred maids, virgins that had known no man by lying with any male:and they brought them to the host to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.
21:13Then the whole Congregation sent and spoke with the children of Benjamin that were in the rock of Rimmon,and called peaceably to them:
21:14And Benjamin came again at that time,and they gave them wives which they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh Gilead:but they had not so enough for them.
21:15And the people were sorry for Benjamin, because YHWH had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.
21:16Therefore the Elders of the Congregation said, How shall we do for wives to the remnant? For the women of Benjamin are destroyed.
21:17And they said, there must be an inheritance for them that be escaped of Benjamin,that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.
21:18However we may not give them wives of our daughters:for the children of Israel had sworn, saying, Cursed be he that gives a wife to Benjamin.
21:19Therefore they said, Behold, there is a feast of YHWH every year in Shiloh in a place, which is on the Side of Bethel,and on the Side of the way that goes up from Bethel to Shechem,and on the South of Lebonah.
21:20Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go,and lie in wait in the vineyards.
21:21And when you see that the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances, then come out of the vineyards,and catch you every man a wife of the daughters of Shiloh,and go into the land of Benjamin.
21:22And when their fathers or their brethren come to us to complain, we will say to them, Have pity on them for our sakes, because we reserved not to each man his wife in the war,and because you have not given to them until now, you have sinned.
21:23And the children of Benjamin did so,and took wives of them that danced according to their number:which they took,and went away,and returned to their inheritance,and repaired the cities and dwelt in them.
21:24So the children of Israel departed from there at that time, every man to his tribe,and to his family,and went out from there every man to his inheritance.
21:25In those days there was no King in Israel,but every man did that which was good in his eyes.