001:001 It happened after the death of Joshua, the children of Israel
asked of Yahweh, saying, Who shall go up for us first against
the Canaanites, to fight against them?
001:002 Yahweh said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered
the land into his hand.
001:003 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.
001:004 Judah went up; and Yahweh delivered the Canaanites and the
Perizzites into their hand: and they struck of them in Bezek
ten thousand men.
001:005 They found Adoni-Bezek in Bezek; and they fought against him,
and they struck the Canaanites and the Perizzites.
001:006 But Adoni-Bezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him,
and cut off his thumbs and his great toes.
001:007 Adoni-Bezek said, "Seventy kings, having their thumbs and their
great toes cut off, gathered [their food] under my table:
as I have done, so God has requited me." They brought him
to Jerusalem, and he died there.
001:008 The children of Judah fought against Jerusalem, and took it,
and struck it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire.
001:009 Afterward the children of Judah went down to fight against
the Canaanites who lived in the hill country, and in the South,
and in the lowland.
001:010 Judah went against the Canaanites who lived in Hebron
(now the name of Hebron before was Kiriath Arba); and they
struck Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai.
001:011 From there he went against the inhabitants of Debir.
(Now the name of Debir before was Kiriath Sepher.)
001:012 Caleb said, He who strikes Kiriath Sepher, and takes it,
to him will I give Achsah my daughter as wife.
001:013 Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, took it:
and he gave him Achsah his daughter as wife.
001:014 It happened, when she came [to him], that she moved him to ask
of her father a field: and she alighted from off her donkey;
and Caleb said to her, What would you?
001:015 She said to him, Give me a blessing; for that you have set me
in the land of the South, give me also springs of water.
Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.
001:016 The children of the Kenite, Moses' brother-in-law, went up
out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah
into the wilderness of Judah, which is in the south of Arad;
and they went and lived with the people.
001:017 Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they struck the
Canaanites who inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it.
The name of the city was called Hormah.
001:018 Also Judah took Gaza with the border of it, and Ashkelon
with the border of it, and Ekron with the border of it.
001:019 Yahweh was with Judah; and drove out [the inhabitants of]
the hill country; for he could not drive out the inhabitants
of the valley, because they had chariots of iron.
001:020 They gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses had spoken:
and he drove out there the three sons of Anak.
001:021 The children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who
inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children
of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.
001:022 The house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel;
and Yahweh was with them.
001:023 The house of Joseph sent to spy out Bethel. (Now the name
of the city before was Luz.)
001:024 The watchers saw a man come forth out of the city, and they
said to him, Show us, we pray you, the entrance into the city,
and we will deal kindly with you.
001:025 He shown them the entrance into the city; and they struck
the city with the edge of the sword; but they let the man go
and all his family.
001:026 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.
001:027 Manasseh did not drive out [the inhabitants of] Beth Shean and
its towns, nor [of] Taanach and its towns, nor the inhabitants
of Dor and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and
its towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns;
but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.
001:028 It happened, when Israel had grown strong, that they put
the Canaanites to forced labor, and did not utterly
drive them out.
001:029 Ephraim didn't drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer;
but the Canaanites lived in Gezer among them.
001:030 Zebulun didn't drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the
inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites lived among them,
and became subject to forced labor.
001:031 Asher didn't drive 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;
001:032 but the Asherites lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants
of the land; for they did not drive them out.
001:033 Naphtali didn't drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh,
nor the inhabitants of Beth Anath; but he lived
among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land:
nevertheless the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh and of Beth Anath
became subject to forced labor.
001:034 The Amorites forced the children of Dan into the hill country;
for they would not allow them to come down to the valley;
001:035 but the Amorites would dwell in Mount Heres, in Aijalon,
and in Shaalbim: yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed,
so that they became subject to forced labor.
001:036 The border of the Amorites was from the ascent of Akrabbim,
from the rock, and upward.
002:001 The angel of Yahweh came up from Gilgal to Bochim.
He said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought
you to the land which I swore to your fathers; and I said,
I will never break my covenant with you:
002:002 and you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land;
you shall break down their altars. But you have not listened
to my voice: why have you done this?
002:003 Therefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you;
but they shall be [as thorns] in your sides, and their gods
shall be a snare to you.
002:004 It happened, when the angel of Yahweh spoke these words
to all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up
their voice, and wept.
002:005 They called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed
there to Yahweh.
002:006 Now when Joshua had sent the people away, the children of Israel
went every man to his inheritance to possess the land.
002:007 The people served Yahweh all the days of Joshua, and all
the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen
all the great work of Yahweh that he had worked for Israel.
002:008 Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Yahweh, died, being one
hundred ten years old.
002:009 They buried him in the border of his inheritance in
Timnath Heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, on the north
of the mountain of Gaash.
002:010 Also all that generation were gathered to their fathers:
and there arose another generation after them, who didn't
know Yahweh, nor yet the work which he had worked for Israel.
002:011 The children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight
of Yahweh, and served the Baals;
002:012 and they forsook Yahweh, the God of their fathers, who brought
them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods,
of the gods of the peoples who were round about them, and bowed
themselves down to them: and they provoked Yahweh to anger.
002:013 They forsook Yahweh, and served Baal and the Ashtaroth.
002:014 The anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel, and he delivered
them into the hands of spoilers who despoiled them;
and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about,
so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.
002:015 Wherever they went out, the hand of Yahweh was against them
for evil, as Yahweh had spoken, and as Yahweh had sworn to them:
and they were sore distressed.
002:016 Yahweh raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand
of those who despoiled them.
002:017 Yet they didn't listen to their judges; for they played the
prostitute after other gods, and bowed themselves down to them:
they turned aside quickly out of the way in which their
fathers walked, obeying the commandments of Yahweh;
[but] they didn't do so.
002:018 When Yahweh raised them up judges, then Yahweh was with the judge,
and saved them out of the hand of their enemies all the days
of the judge: for it grieved Yahweh because of their groaning
by reason of those who oppressed them and vexed them.
002:019 But it happened, when the judge was dead, that they turned back,
and dealt more corruptly than their fathers, in following
other gods to serve them, and to bow down to them; they didn't
cease from their doings, nor from their stubborn way.
002:020 The anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel; and he said,
Because this nation have transgressed my covenant which I
commanded their fathers, and have not listened to my voice;
002:021 I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them
of the nations that Joshua left when he died;
002:022 that by them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep
the way of Yahweh to walk therein, as their fathers did
keep it, or not.
002:023 So Yahweh left those nations, without driving them out hastily;
neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.
003:001 Now these are the nations which Yahweh left, to prove Israel
by them, even as many [of Israel] as had not known all
the wars of Canaan;
003:002 only that the generations of the children of Israel might know,
to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing of it:
003:003 [namely], the five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites,
and the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon,
from Mount Baal Hermon to the entrance of Hamath.
003:004 They were [left], to prove Israel by them, to know whether they
would listen to the commandments of Yahweh, which he commanded
their fathers by Moses.
003:005 The children of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites,
and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites,
and the Jebusites:
003:006 and they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave
their own daughters to their sons and served their gods.
003:007 The children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight
of Yahweh, and forgot Yahweh their God, and served the Baals
and the Asheroth.
003:008 Therefore the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel, and he sold
them into the hand of Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia:
and the children of Israel served Cushan Rishathaim eight years.
003:009 When the children of Israel cried to Yahweh, Yahweh raised
up a savior to the children of Israel, who saved them,
even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.
003:010 The Spirit of Yahweh came on him, and he judged Israel;
and he went out to war, and Yahweh delivered Cushan Rishathaim
king of Mesopotamia into his hand: and his hand prevailed
against Cushan Rishathaim.
003:011 The land had rest forty years. Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
003:012 The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight
of Yahweh: and Yahweh strengthened Eglon the king of Moab
against Israel, because they had done that which was evil
in the sight of Yahweh.
003:013 He gathered to him the children of Ammon and Amalek;
and he went and struck Israel, and they possessed the city
of palm trees.
003:014 The children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.
003:015 But when the children of Israel cried to Yahweh, Yahweh raised
them up a savior, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite,
a man left-handed. The children of Israel sent tribute by him
to Eglon the king of Moab.
003:016 Ehud made him a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length;
and he girded it under his clothing on his right thigh.
003:017 He offered the tribute to Eglon king of Moab: now Eglon was
a very fat man.
003:018 When he had made an end of offering the tribute, he sent away
the people who bore the tribute.
003:019 But he himself turned back from the quarries that were by Gilgal,
and said, I have a secret errand to you, king. He said,
Keep silence. All who stood by him went out from him.
003:020 Ehud came to him; and he was sitting by himself alone in the cool
upper room. Ehud said, I have a message from God to you.
He arose out of his seat.
003:021 Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the sword from his
right thigh, and thrust it into his body:
003:022 and the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed
on the blade, for he didn't draw the sword out of his body;
and it came out behind.
003:023 Then Ehud went forth into the porch, and shut the doors
of the upper room on him, and locked them.
003:024 Now when he was gone out, his servants came; and they saw,
and behold, the doors of the upper room were locked; and they said,
Surely he is covering his feet in the upper chamber.
003:025 They waited until they were ashamed; and behold, he didn't open
the doors of the upper room: therefore they took the key,
and opened [them], and behold, their lord was fallen down dead
on the earth.
003:026 Ehud escaped while they waited, and passed beyond the quarries,
and escaped to Seirah.
003:027 It happened, when he had come, that he blew a trumpet in
the hill country of Ephraim; and the children of Israel went
down with him from the hill country, and he before them.
003:028 He said to them, Follow after me; for Yahweh has delivered your
enemies the Moabites into your hand. They went down after him,
and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites,
and didn't allow a man to pass over.
003:029 They struck of Moab at that time about ten thousand men,
every lusty man, and every man of valor; and there escaped
not a man.
003:030 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel.
The land had rest eighty years.
003:031 After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck
of the Philistines six hundred men with an oxgoad:
and he also saved Israel.
004:001 The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight
of Yahweh, when Ehud was dead.
004:002 Yahweh sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan,
who reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose army was Sisera,
who lived in Harosheth of the Gentiles.
004:003 The children of Israel cried to Yahweh: for he had nine hundred
chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed
the children of Israel.
004:004 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, she judged
Israel at that time.
004:005 She lived under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel
in the hill country of Ephraim: and the children of Israel
came up to her for judgment.
004:006 She sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of
Kedesh Naphtali, and said to him, Hasn't Yahweh, the God
of Israel, commanded, [saying], Go and draw to Mount Tabor,
and take with you ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali
and of the children of Zebulun?
004:007 I will draw to you, to the river Kishon, Sisera, the captain
of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude;
and I will deliver him into your hand.
004:008 Barak said to her, If you will go with me, then I will go;
but if you will not go with me, I will not go.
004:009 She said, I will surely go with you: notwithstanding, the journey
that you take shall not be for your honor; for Yahweh
will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. Deborah arose,
and went with Barak to Kedesh.
004:010 Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh;
and there went up ten thousand men at his feet:
and Deborah went up with him.
004:011 Now Heber the Kenite had separated himself from the Kenites,
even from the children of Hobab the brother-in-law of Moses,
and had pitched his tent as far as the oak in Zaanannim,
which is by Kedesh.
004:012 They told Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up
to Mount Tabor.
004:013 Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred
chariots of iron, and all the people who were with him,
from Harosheth of the Gentiles, to the river Kishon.
004:014 Deborah said to Barak, Up; for this is the day in which Yahweh has
delivered Sisera into your hand; hasn't Yahweh gone out before you?
So Barak went down from Mount Tabor, and ten thousand
men after him.
004:015 Yahweh confused Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his army,
with the edge of the sword before Barak; and Sisera alighted
from his chariot, and fled away on his feet.
004:016 But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the army,
to Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the army of Sisera
fell by the edge of the sword; there was not a man left.
004:017 However Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael
the wife of Heber the Kenite; for there was peace between Jabin
the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.
004:018 Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said to him, Turn in, my lord,
turn in to me; don't be afraid. He came in to her into the tent,
and she covered him with a rug.
004:019 He said to her, Please give me a little water to drink;
for I am thirsty. She opened a bottle of milk, and gave
him drink, and covered him.
004:020 He said to her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be,
when any man does come and inquire of you, and say, Is there
any man here? that you shall say, No.
004:021 Then Jael Heber's wife took a tent peg, and took a hammer
in her hand, and went softly to him, and struck the pin
into his temples, and it pierced through into the ground;
for he was in a deep sleep; so he swooned and died.
004:022 Behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him,
and said to him, Come, and I will show you the man whom you seek.
He came to her; and behold, Sisera lay dead, and the tent
peg was in his temples.
004:023 So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before
the children of Israel.
004:024 The hand of the children of Israel prevailed more and more
against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed
Jabin king of Canaan.
005:001 Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying,
005:002 Because the leaders took the lead in Israel, because the people
offered themselves willingly, be blessed, Yahweh!
005:003 Hear, you kings! Give ear, you princes! I, [even] I,
will sing to Yahweh. I will sing praise to Yahweh,
the God of Israel.
005:004 Yahweh, when you went forth out of Seir, when you marched out
of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the sky also dropped.
Yes, the clouds dropped water.
005:005 The mountains quaked at the presence of Yahweh, even Sinai,
at the presence of Yahweh, the God of Israel.
005:006 In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael,
the highways were unoccupied. The travelers walked through byways.
005:007 The rulers ceased in Israel. They ceased until I, Deborah, arose;
Until I arose a mother in Israel.
005:008 They chose new gods. Then war was in the gates. Was there
a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?
005:009 My heart is toward the governors of Israel, who offered
themselves willingly among the people. Bless Yahweh!
005:010 Tell [of it], you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit
on rich carpets, and you who walk by the way.
005:011 Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing
water, there they will rehearse the righteous acts
of Yahweh, [Even] the righteous acts of his rule in Israel.
Then the people of Yahweh went down to the gates.
005:012 Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, utter a song!
Arise, Barak, and lead away your captives, you son of Abinoam.
005:013 Then a remnant of the nobles [and] the people came down.
Yahweh came down for me against the mighty.
005:014 Those whose root is in Amalek came out of Ephraim, after you,
Benjamin, among your peoples. Governors come down out of Machir.
Those who handle the marshal's staff came out of Zebulun.
005:015 The princes of Issachar were with Deborah. As was Issachar,
so was Barak. They rushed into the valley at his feet.
By the watercourses of Reuben, there were great resolves of heart.
005:016 Why did you sit among the sheepfolds, To hear the whistling
for the flocks? At the watercourses of Reuben There were
great searchings of heart.
005:017 Gilead lived beyond the Jordan. Why did Dan remain in ships?
Asher sat still at the haven of the sea, and lived by his creeks.
005:018 Zebulun was a people that jeopardized their lives to the deaths;
Naphtali also, on the high places of the field.
005:019 The kings came and fought, then the kings of Canaan fought at
Taanach by the waters of Megiddo. They took no plunder of silver.
005:020 From the sky the stars fought. From their courses,
they fought against Sisera.
005:021 The river Kishon swept them away, that ancient river,
the river Kishon. My soul, march on with strength.
005:022 Then the horse hoofs stamped because of the prancings,
the prancings of their strong ones.
005:023 Curse Meroz, said the angel of Yahweh. Curse bitterly
its inhabitants, because they didn't come to help Yahweh,
to help Yahweh against the mighty.
005:024 Jael shall be blessed above women, the wife of Heber the Kenite;
blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
005:025 He asked for water. She gave him milk. She brought him butter
in a lordly dish.
005:026 She put her hand to the tent peg, and her right hand to
the workmen's hammer. With the hammer she struck Sisera.
She struck through his head. Yes, she pierced and struck
through his temples.
005:027 At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay. At her feet he bowed,
he fell. Where he bowed, there he fell down dead.
005:028 Through the window she looked out, and cried: Sisera's mother
looked through the lattice. Why is his chariot so long in coming?
Why do the wheels of his chariots wait?
005:029 Her wise ladies answered her, Yes, she returned answer to herself,
005:030 Have they not found, have they not divided the spoil? A lady,
two ladies to every man; to Sisera a spoil of dyed garments,
A spoil of dyed garments embroidered, Of dyed garments
embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the spoil?
005:031 So let all your enemies perish, Yahweh, but let those who love
him be as the sun when it rises forth in its strength.
The land had rest forty years.
006:001 The children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight
of Yahweh: and Yahweh delivered them into the hand of
Midian seven years.
006:002 The hand of Midian prevailed against Israel; and because of
Midian the children of Israel made them the dens which are
in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds.
006:003 So it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up,
and the Amalekites, and the children of the east; they came
up against them;
006:004 and they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase
of the earth, until you come to Gaza, and left no sustenance
in Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor donkey.
006:005 For they came up with their livestock and their tents;
they came in as locusts for multitude; both they and their
camels were without number: and they came into the land
to destroy it.
006:006 Israel was brought very low because of Midian; and the children
of Israel cried to Yahweh.
006:007 It happened, when the children of Israel cried to Yahweh
because of Midian,
006:008 that Yahweh sent a prophet to the children of Israel:
and he said to them, Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, I
brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of
the house of bondage;
006:009 and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians,
and out of the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them
out from before you, and gave you their land;
006:010 and I said to you, I am Yahweh your God; you shall not
fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.
But you have not listened to my voice.
006:011 The angel of Yahweh came, and sat under the oak which
was in Ophrah, that pertained to Joash the Abiezrite:
and his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress,
to hide it from the Midianites.
006:012 The angel of Yahweh appeared to him, and said to him,
Yahweh is with you, you mighty man of valor.
006:013 Gideon said to him, Oh, my lord, if Yahweh is with us, why then
has all this happened to us? and where are all his wondrous
works which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not Yahweh
bring us up from Egypt? but now Yahweh has cast us off,
and delivered us into the hand of Midian.
006:014 Yahweh looked at him, and said, Go in this your might,
and save Israel from the hand of Midian: have not I sent you?
006:015 He said to him, Oh, Lord, with which shall I save Israel? behold,
my family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least
in my father's house.
006:016 Yahweh said to him, Surely I will be with you, and you shall
strike the Midianites as one man.
006:017 He said to him, If now I have found favor in your sight,
then show me a sign that it is you who talk with me.
006:018 Please don't go away, until I come to you, and bring out
my present, and lay it before you. He said, I will wait
until you come again.
006:019 Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes
of an ephah of meal: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put
the broth in a pot, and brought it out to him under the oak,
and presented it.
006:020 The angel of God said to him, Take the flesh and the unleavened
cakes, and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth.
He did so.
006:021 Then the angel of Yahweh put forth the end of the staff that was
in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes;
and there went up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh
and the unleavened cakes; and the angel of Yahweh departed
out of his sight.
006:022 Gideon saw that he was the angel of Yahweh; and Gideon said,
Alas, Lord Yahweh! because I have seen the angel of Yahweh
face to face.
006:023 Yahweh said to him, Peace be to you; don't be afraid:
you shall not die.
006:024 Then Gideon built an altar there to Yahweh, and called it
Yahweh is Peace{or, Yahweh Shalom}: to this day it is still
in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
006:025 It happened the same night, that Yahweh said to him,
Take your father's bull, even the second bull seven years old,
and throw down the altar of Baal that your father has,
and cut down the Asherah that is by it;
006:026 and build an altar to Yahweh your God on the top of this stronghold,
in the orderly manner, and take the second bull, and offer
a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which you
shall cut down.
006:027 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as Yahweh
had spoken to him: and it happened, because he feared his
father's household and the men of the city, so that he could
not do it by day, that he did it by night.
006:028 When the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold,
the altar of Baal was broken down, and the Asherah was cut
down that was by it, and the second bull was offered on
the altar that was built.
006:029 They said one to another, Who has done this thing?
When they inquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son
of Joash has done this thing.
006:030 Then the men of the city said to Joash, Bring out your son,
that he may die, because he has broken down the altar of Baal,
and because he has cut down the Asherah that was by it.
006:031 Joash said to all who stood against him, Will you contend
for Baal? Or will you save him? he who will contend for him,
let him be put to death while [it is yet] morning:
if he be a god, let him contend for himself, because one has
broken down his altar.
006:032 Therefore on that day he named him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal
contend against him, because he has broken down his altar.
006:033 Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children
of the east assembled themselves together; and they passed over,
and encamped in the valley of Jezreel.
006:034 But the Spirit of Yahweh came on Gideon; and he blew a trumpet;
and Abiezer was gathered together after him.
006:035 He sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; and they also were
gathered together after him: and he sent messengers to Asher,
and to Zebulun, and to Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.
006:036 Gideon said to God, If you will save Israel by my hand,
as you have spoken,
006:037 behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor;
if there be dew on the fleece only, and it be dry on all the ground,
then shall I know that you will save Israel by my hand,
as you have spoken.
006:038 It was so; for he rose up early on the next day, and pressed
the fleece together, and wrung the dew out of the fleece,
a bowl full of water.
006:039 Gideon said to God, Don't let your anger be kindled against me,
and I will speak but this once: Please let me make a trial
just this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only on
the fleece, and on all the ground let there be dew.
006:040 God did so that night: for it was dry on the fleece only,
and there was dew on all the ground.
007:001 Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people who were with him,
rose up early, and encamped beside the spring of Harod:
and the camp of Midian was on the north side of them,
by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.
007:002 Yahweh said to Gideon, The people who are with you are
too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand,
lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, My own hand
has saved me.
007:003 Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whoever is
fearful and trembling, let him return and depart from Mount Gilead.
There returned of the people twenty-two thousand; and there
remained ten thousand.
007:004 Yahweh said to Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them
down to the water, and I will try them for you there:
and it shall be, that of whom I tell you, This shall go with you,
the same shall go with you; and of whoever I tell you,
This shall not go with you, the same shall not go.
007:005 So he brought down the people to the water: and Yahweh said
to Gideon, Everyone who laps of the water with his tongue,
as a dog laps, him shall you set by himself; likewise everyone
who bows down on his knees to drink.
007:006 The number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth,
was three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed
down on their knees to drink water.
007:007 Yahweh said to Gideon, By the three hundred men who lapped
will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into your hand;
and let all the people go every man to his place.
007:008 So the people took food in their hand, and their trumpets;
and he sent all the men of Israel every man to his tent,
but retained the three hundred men: and the camp of Midian
was beneath him in the valley.
007:009 It happened the same night, that Yahweh said to him, Arise, get you
down into the camp; for I have delivered it into your hand.
007:010 But if you fear to go down, go you with Purah your servant
down to the camp:
007:011 and you shall hear what they say; and afterward shall
your hands be strengthened to go down into the camp.
Then went he down with Purah his servant to the outermost
part of the armed men who were in the camp.
007:012 The Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of
the east lay along in the valley like locusts for multitude;
and their camels were without number, as the sand which is
on the seashore for multitude.
007:013 When Gideon had come, behold, there was a man telling a dream
to his fellow; and he said, Behold, I dreamed a dream;
and behold, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp
of Midian, and came to the tent, and struck it so that it fell,
and turned it upside down, so that the tent lay flat.
007:014 His fellow answered, This is nothing else save the sword
of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: into his hand
God has delivered Midian, and all the army.
007:015 It was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream,
and the interpretation of it, that he worshiped; and he returned
into the camp of Israel, and said, Arise; for Yahweh has
delivered into your hand the army of Midian.
007:016 He divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put
into the hands of all of them trumpets, and empty pitchers,
with torches within the pitchers.
007:017 He said to them, Look on me, and do likewise: and behold,
when I come to the outermost part of the camp, it shall be that,
as I do, so shall you do.
007:018 When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then blow
you the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say,
For Yahweh and for Gideon.
007:019 So Gideon, and the hundred men who were with him,
came to the outermost part of the camp in the beginning
of the middle watch, when they had but newly set the watch:
and they blew the trumpets, and broke in pieces the pitchers
that were in their hands.
007:020 The three companies blew the trumpets, and broke the pitchers,
and held the torches in their left hands, and the trumpets
in their right hands with which to blow; and they cried,
The sword of Yahweh and of Gideon.
007:021 They stood every man in his place round about the camp;
and all the army ran; and they shouted, and put [them] to flight.
007:022 They blew the three hundred trumpets, and Yahweh set every
man's sword against his fellow, and against all the army;
and the army fled as far as Beth Shittah toward Zererah,
as far as the border of Abel Meholah, by Tabbath.
007:023 The men of Israel were gathered together out of Naphtali, and out
of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after Midian.
007:024 Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country
of Ephraim, saying, Come down against Midian, and take before
them the waters, as far as Beth Barah, even the Jordan.
So all the men of Ephraim were gathered together, and took
the waters as far as Beth Barah, even the Jordan.
007:025 They took the two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb;
and they killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb they
killed at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian:
and they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon
beyond the Jordan.
008:001 The men of Ephraim said to him, Why have you served us thus, that you
didn't call us, when you went to fight with Midian? They did
chide with him sharply.
008:002 He said to them, What have I now done in comparison with you?
Isn't the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than
the vintage of Abiezer?
008:003 God has delivered into your hand the princes of Midian, Oreb
and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison with you?
Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.
008:004 Gideon came to the Jordan, [and] passed over, he, and the three
hundred men who were with him, faint, yet pursuing.
008:005 He said to the men of Succoth, Please give loaves of bread
to the people who follow me; for they are faint, and I am
pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.
008:006 The princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna
now in your hand, that we should give bread to your army?
008:007 Gideon said, Therefore when Yahweh has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna
into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns
of the wilderness and with briers.
008:008 He went up there to Penuel, and spoke to them in like manner;
and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of
Succoth had answered.
008:009 He spoke also to the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again
in peace, I will break down this tower.
008:010 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their armies with them,
about fifteen thousand men, all who were left of all the army
of the children of the east; for there fell one hundred twenty
thousand men who drew sword.
008:011 Gideon went up by the way of those who lived in tents
on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and struck the army;
for the army was secure.
008:012 Zebah and Zalmunna fled; and he pursued after them;
and he took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna,
and confused all the army.
008:013 Gideon the son of Joash returned from the battle from
the ascent of Heres.
008:014 He caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him:
and he described for him the princes of Succoth, and the elders
of it, seventy-seven men.
008:015 He came to the men of Succoth, and said, See Zebah and Zalmunna,
concerning whom you did taunt me, saying, Are the hands
of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give
bread to your men who are weary?
008:016 He took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness
and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.
008:017 He broke down the tower of Penuel, and killed the men of the city.
008:018 Then said he to Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were
they whom you killed at Tabor? They answered, As you are,
so were they; each one resembled the children of a king.
008:019 He said, They were my brothers, the sons of my mother:
as Yahweh lives, if you had saved them alive, I would
not kill you.
008:020 He said to Jether his firstborn, Up, and kill them.
But the youth didn't draw his sword; for he feared,
because he was yet a youth.
008:021 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise you, and fall on us;
for as the man is, so is his strength. Gideon arose,
and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and took the crescents that
were on their camels' necks.
008:022 Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, Rule you over us,
both you, and your son, and your son's son also; for you
have saved us out of the hand of Midian.
008:023 Gideon said to them, I will not rule over you, neither shall
my son rule over you: Yahweh shall rule over you.
008:024 Gideon said to them, I would make a request of you,
that you would give me every man the earrings of his spoil.
(For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)
008:025 They answered, We will willingly give them. They spread a garment,
and did cast therein every man the earrings of his spoil.
008:026 The weight of the golden earrings that he requested was one thousand
and seven hundred [shekels] of gold, besides the crescents,
and the pendants, and the purple clothing that was on
the kings of Midian, and besides the chains that were about
their camels' necks.
008:027 Gideon made an ephod of it, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah:
and all Israel played the prostitute after it there;
and it became a snare to Gideon, and to his house.
008:028 So Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, and they
lifted up their heads no more. The land had rest forty years
in the days of Gideon.
008:029 Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and lived in his own house.
008:030 Gideon had seventy sons conceived from his body;
for he had many wives.
008:031 His concubine who was in Shechem, she also bore him a son,
and he named him Abimelech.
008:032 Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried
in the tomb of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
008:033 It happened, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of
Israel turned again, and played the prostitute after the Baals,
and made Baal Berith their god.
008:034 The children of Israel didn't remember Yahweh their God,
who had delivered them out of the hand of all their enemies
on every side;
008:035 neither shown they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal,
[who is] Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had
shown to Israel.
009:001 Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his
mother's brothers, and spoke with them, and with all the family
of the house of his mother's father, saying,
009:002 Please speak in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is
better for you, that all the sons of Jerubbaal, who are
seventy persons, rule over you, or that one rule over you?
Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.
009:003 His mother's brothers spoke of him in the ears of all the men
of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined
to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother.
009:004 They gave him seventy [pieces] of silver out of the house of
Baal Berith, with which Abimelech hired vain and light fellows,
who followed him.
009:005 He went to his father's house at Ophrah, and killed his brothers
the sons of Jerubbaal, being seventy persons, on one stone:
but Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left;
for he hid himself.
009:006 All the men of Shechem assembled themselves together,
and all the house of Millo, and went and made Abimelech king,
by the oak of the pillar that was in Shechem.
009:007 When they told it to Jotham, he went and stood on the top
of Mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried,
and said to them, Listen to me, you men of Shechem, that God
may listen to you.
009:008 The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them;
and they said to the olive tree, Reign you over us.
009:009 But the olive tree said to them, Should I leave my fatness,
with which by me they honor God and man, and go to wave back
and forth over the trees?
009:010 The trees said to the fig tree, Come you, and reign over us.
009:011 But the fig tree said to them, Should I leave my sweetness,
and my good fruit, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?
009:012 The trees said to the vine, Come you, and reign over us.
009:013 The vine said to them, Should I leave my new wine, which cheers
God and man, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?
009:014 Then said all the trees to the bramble, Come you,
and reign over us.
009:015 The bramble said to the trees, If in truth you anoint me
king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade;
and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour
the cedars of Lebanon.
009:016 Now therefore, if you have dealt truly and righteously,
in that you have made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt
well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him
according to the deserving of his hands
009:017 (for my father fought for you, and adventured his life,
and delivered you out of the hand of Midian:
009:018 and you are risen up against my father's house this day,
and have slain his sons, seventy persons, on one stone,
and have made Abimelech, the son of his female servant,
king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother);
009:019 if you then have dealt truly and righteously with Jerubbaal
and with his house this day, then rejoice you in Abimelech,
and let him also rejoice in you:
009:020 but if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour
the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come
out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo,
and devour Abimelech.
009:021 Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and lived there,
for fear of Abimelech his brother.
009:022 Abimelech was prince over Israel three years.
009:023 God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem;
and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:
009:024 that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come,
and that their blood might be laid on Abimelech their brother,
who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who strengthened
his hands to kill his brothers.
009:025 The men of Shechem set an ambush for him on the tops of the mountains,
and they robbed all who came along that way by them:
and it was told Abimelech.
009:026 Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brothers, and went over
to Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their trust in him.
009:027 They went out into the field, and gathered their vineyards,
and trod [the grapes], and held festival, and went into the house
of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech.
009:028 Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem,
that we should serve him? Isn't he the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul
his officer? serve you the men of Hamor the father of Shechem:
but why should we serve him?
009:029 Would that this people were under my hand! then would I
remove Abimelech. He said to Abimelech, Increase your army,
and come out.
009:030 When Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal
the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled.
009:031 He sent messengers to Abimelech craftily, saying, Behold, Gaal the
son of Ebed and his brothers are come to Shechem; and behold,
they constrain the city [to take part] against you.
009:032 Now therefore, up by night, you and the people who are with you,
and lie in wait in the field:
009:033 and it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up,
you shall rise early, and rush on the city; and behold,
when he and the people who are with him come out against you,
then may you do to them as you shall find occasion.
009:034 Abimelech rose up, and all the people who were with him, by night,
and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies.
009:035 Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entrance of
the gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people
who were with him, from the ambush.
009:036 When Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there come
people down from the tops of the mountains. Zebul said to him,
You see the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.
009:037 Gaal spoke again and said, Behold, there come people down
by the middle of the land, and one company comes by the way
of the oak of Meonenim.
009:038 Then said Zebul to him, Where is now your mouth, that you said,
Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? is not this
the people that you have despised? go out now, I pray,
and fight with them.
009:039 Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.
009:040 Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and there fell
many wounded, even to the entrance of the gate.
009:041 Abimelech lived at Arumah: and Zebul drove out Gaal and
his brothers, that they should not dwell in Shechem.
009:042 It happened on the next day, that the people went out into the field;
and they told Abimelech.
009:043 He took the people, and divided them into three companies,
and laid wait in the field; and he looked, and behold,
the people came forth out of the city; He rose up against them,
and struck them.
009:044 Abimelech, and the companies that were with him, rushed forward,
and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city:
and the two companies rushed on all who were in the field,
and struck them.
009:045 Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took
the city, and killed the people who were therein:
and he beat down the city, and sowed it with salt.
009:046 When all the men of the tower of Shechem heard of it,
they entered into the stronghold of the house of Elberith.
009:047 It was told Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem
were gathered together.
009:048 Abimelech got him up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people
who were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand,
and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it up,
and laid it on his shoulder: and he said to the people
who were with him, What you have seen me do, make haste,
and do as I have done.
009:049 All the people likewise cut down every man his bough,
and followed Abimelech, and put them to the stronghold,
and set the stronghold on fire on them; so that all the men
of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.
009:050 Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez,
and took it.
009:051 But there was a strong tower within the city, and there fled
all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut
themselves in, and got them up to the roof of the tower.
009:052 Abimelech came to the tower, and fought against it, and drew
near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
009:053 A certain woman cast an upper millstone on Abimelech's head,
and broke his skull.
009:054 Then he called hastily to the young man his armor bearer,
and said to him, Draw your sword, and kill me, that men not say
of me, A woman killed him. His young man thrust him through,
and he died.
009:055 When the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed
every man to his place.
009:056 Thus God requited the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did
to his father, in killing his seventy brothers;
009:057 and all the wickedness of the men of Shechem did God requite
on their heads: and on them came the curse of Jotham
the son of Jerubbaal.
010:001 After Abimelech there arose to save Israel Tola the son of Puah,
the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he lived in Shamir
in the hill country of Ephraim.
010:002 He judged Israel twenty-three years, and died, and was
buried in Shamir.
010:003 After him arose Jair, the Gileadite; and he judged
Israel twenty-two years.
010:004 He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkey colts, and they
had thirty cities, which are called Havvoth Jair to this day,
which are in the land of Gilead.
010:005 Jair died, and was buried in Kamon.
010:006 The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight
of Yahweh, and served the Baals, and the Ashtaroth, and the gods
of Syria, 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 they forsook Yahweh, and didn't serve him.
010:007 The anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel, and he sold
them into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand
of the children of Ammon.
010:008 They vexed and oppressed the children of Israel that year:
eighteen years [oppressed they] all the children of Israel
that were beyond the Jordan in the land of the Amorites,
which is in Gilead.
010:009 The children of Ammon passed over the Jordan to fight also
against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house