JUDGES.

The parable of Jotham. Conspiracy of Gaal. ed together, and all the house of Millo, Abimelech and the men of Sechem; and and went and made Abimelech king, by the men of Shechem dealt treacherously the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem. with Abimelech:

7 And when they told it to Jotham, 24 That the cruelty done to the threehe went and stood in the top of mount Ge-score and ten sons of Jerubbaal might rizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, come, and their blood be laid upon Abiand said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye melech their brother which slew them, men of Shechem, that God may hearken and upon the men of Shechem which unto you. aided him in the killing of his brethren.

8 The trees went forth on a time to 25 And the men of Shechem set liers in anoint a king over them; and they said wait for him in the top of the mountains, unto the olive-tree, Reign thou over us.

9 But the olive-tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?

and they robbed all that came along that way by them: and it was told Abimelech.

26 And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren, and went over to Shechem: and the men of Shechem put their confi

10 And the trees said to the fig-tree, dence in him. Come thou, and reign over us.

27 And they went out into the fields, 11 But the fig-tree said unto them, and gathered their vineyards, and trode Should I forsake my sweetness, and my the grapes, and made merry, and went good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?

12 Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us.

into the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech.

28 And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, 13 And the vine said unto them, Should that we should serve him? is not he the son I leave my wine, which cheereth God and of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? man, and go to be promoted over the trees? Serve the men of Hamor the father of

14 Then said all the trees unto the Shechem: for why should we serve him?

bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.

29 And would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.

30 And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled.

15 And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon. 16 Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Abi- 31 And he sent messengers unto Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well melech privily, saying, Behold, Gaal the with Jerubbaal and his house, and have son of Ebed, and his brethren, be come done unto him according to the deserving to Shechem; and behold, they fortify the

of his hands:

17 (For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian:

city against thee.

32 Now therefore up by night, thou, and the people that is with thee, and lie in wait in the field:

18 And ye are risen up against my fa- 33 And it shall be, that in the morning, ther's house this day, and have slain his as soon as the sun is up, thou shalt rise sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one early, and set upon the city: and behold, stone, and have made Abimelech, the son when he and the people that is with him of his maid-servant, king over the men of come out against thee, then mayest thou Shechem, because he is your brother:) do to them as thou shalt find occasion.

19 If ye then have dealt truly and sin- 34 And Abimelech rose up, and all cerely with Jerubbaal and with his house the people that were with him, by night, this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and they laid wait against Shechem in and let him also rejoice in you:

four companies.

20 But if not, let fire come out from 35 And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, Abimelech, and devour the men of She- and stood in the entering of the gate of the chem, and the house of Millo; and let fire city: and Abimelech rose up, and the peocome out from the men of Shechem, and ple that were with him, from lying in wait. from the house of Millo, and devour Abi- 36 And when Gaal saw the people, he melech.

said to Zebul, Behold, there come people

21 And Jotham ran away, and fled, and down from the top of the mountains. And went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Zebul said unto him, Thou seest the sha• Abimelech his brother.

dow of the mountains as if they were men. 37 And Gaal spake again, and said, See, there come people down by the mid

22 When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel, 23 Then God sent an evil spirit between dle of the land, and another company

Abimelech overcomes him.

The Israelites oppressed.

CHAP. X. come along by the plain of Meonenim. the door of the tower to burn it with fire. 53 And a certain woman cast a piece of 38 Then said Zebul unto him, Where is now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst, a millstone upon Abimelech's head, and all Who is Abimelech, that we should serve to break his skull. him? is not this the people that thou hast 54 Then he called hastily unto the despised? go out, I pray p now, and fight young man his armour-bearer, and said word, and slay me, 39 And Gaal went out before the men that men say not of me, A woman slew of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech. him. And his young man thrust him 40 And Abimelech chased him, and he through, and he died.

with them.

unto him, Draw thy sword,

fled before him, and many were over- 55 And when the men of Israel saiv thrown and wounded, even unto the en- that Abimelech was dead, they departed tering of the gate.

every man unto his place. 41 And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: 56 Thus God rendered the wickedand Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, ness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren: 42 And it came to pass on the morrow, 57 And all the evil of the men of Shethat the people went out into the field; chem did God render upon their heads:

that they should not dwell in Shechem.

and they told Abimelech.

and upon them came the curse of Jotham 43 And he took the people, and divided the son of Jerubbaal.

CHAP. X.

ND after Abimelech there

arose to

them into three companies, and laid wait in the field, and looked, and behold, the people were come forth out of the city; A defend Israel Tola the son of Puah, and he rose up against them, and smote the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and

them.

44 And Abimelech, and the company that was with him, rushed forward, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and the two other companies ran upon all the people that were in the fields, and slew them.

he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim.

2 And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir.

3 And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years. 4 And he had thirty sons that rode on

45 And Abimelech fought against the thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, city all that day; and he took the city, and which are called Havoth-jair unto this of Gilead. slew the people that was therein, and beat day, which are in the land of C

down the city, and sowed it with salt.

5 And Jair died, and was buried in Ca

46 And when all the men of the mon. 6 And the children of Israel did evil tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into a hold of the house of the god again in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of

Berith.

47 And it was told Abimelech, that all Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the the men of the tower of Shechem were gods of Moab, and the gods of the chilgathered together.

48

dren of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served

up to mount And Abimelech gat him Zalmon, he and all the people that were not him.

7 And the anger of the LORD was hot with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the against Israel, and he sold them into the trees, and took it, and laid it on his shoul- hands of the Philistines, and into the hands der, and said unto the people that were of the children of Ammon.

with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done.

8 And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel eighteen

9 Moreover, the children of Ammon passed over Jordan, to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against

49 And all the people likewise cut years, all the children of Israel that were down every man his bough, and followed on the other side Jordan in the land of the Abimelech, and put them to the hold, and Amorites, which is in Gilead. set the hold on fire upon them: so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women. 50 Then went Abimelech to Thebez, the house of Ephraim: so that Israel was and encamped against Thebez, and took it. sore distressed. 51 But there was a strong tower within 10 And the children of Israel cried the city, and thither fled all the men and unto the LORD, saying, We have sinned women, and all they of the city, and shut against thee, both because we have forit to them, and gat them up to the top of saken our God, and also served Baalim. the tower.

11 And the LORD said unto the children 52 And Abimelech came unto the tower, of Israel, Did not I deliver you from the and fought against it, and went hard unto Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from

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Jephthah's covenant

JUDGES.

with the Gileadites.

the children of Ammon, and from the Phi- Gilead, If ye bring me home again to fight listines?

12 The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites did oppress you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand.

13 Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you

no more.

against the children of Ammon, and the LORD deliver them before me, shall I be your head?

10 And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, The LORD be witness between us, if we do not so according to thy words. 11 Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head

14 Go and cry unto the gods which ye and captain over them: and Jephthah uthave chosen; let them deliver you in the tered all his words before the LORD in time of your tribulation.

Mizpeh.

15 And the children of Israel said 12 And Jephthah sent messengers unto the LORD, We have sinned: do thou unto the king of the children of Ammon, unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto saying, What hast thou to do with me, thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this that thou art come against me to fight in day.

my land?

16 And they put away the strange gods 13 And the king of the children of Amfrom among them, and served the LORD: mon answered unto the messengers of and his soul was grieved for the misery of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my Israel.. land, when they came up out of Egypt,

17 Then the children of Ammon were from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto gathered together, and encamped in Gi- Jordan: now therefore restore those lands lead. And the children of Israel assem-again peaceably. bled themselves together, and encamped 14 And Jephthah sent messengers again in Mizpeh. unto the king of the children of Ammon: 18 And the people and princes of Gi15 And said unto him, Thus saith lead said one to another, What man is he Jephthah, Israel took not away the land that will begin to fight against the children of Moab, nor the land of the children of of Ammon? he shall be head over all the Ammon: inhabitants of Gilead.

CHAP. XI.

16 But when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked through the wilderness mighty man of valour, and he was 17 Then Israel sent messengers unto the son of a harlot: and Gilead begat the king of Edom, saying, Let me, I pray Jephthah. thee, pass through thy land: but the king 2 And Gilead's wife bare him sons; and of Edom would not hearken thereto. And his wife's sons grew up, and they thrust out in like manner they sent unto the king of Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt Moab; but he would not consent. And not inherit in our father's house; for thou Israel abode in Kadesh.

Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a unto the Red sea, and came to Kadesh;

art the son of a strange woman.

18 Then they went along through the

3 Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, wilderness, and compassed the land of and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there Edom, and the land of Moab, and came were gathered vain men to Jephthah, and by the east side of the land of Moab, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, but

went out with him.

4 And it came to pass in process of came not within the border of Moab: for time, that the children of Ammon made Arnon was the border of Moab. war against Israel.

19 And Israel sent messengers unto

5 And it was so, that when the children Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of of Ammon made war against Israel, the Heshbon; and Israel said unto him, Let us elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out pass, we pray thee, through thy land unto of the land of Tob: my place,

6 And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon.

20 But Sihon trusted not Israel to pass through his coast: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and pitched in Jahaz,

7 And Jephthah said unto the elders of and fought against Israel. Gilead, Did not ye hate me, and expel me 21 And the LORD God of Israel deliverout of my father's house? and why are ye ed Sihon and all his people into the hand come unto me now when ye are indistress? of Israel, and they smote them: so Israel 8 And the elders of Gilead said unto possessed all the land of the Amorites, the

Jephthah, Therefore we turn again to thee inhabitants of that country. now, that thou mayest go with us, and 22 And they possessed all the coasts of fight against the children of Ammon, and be the Amorites, from Arnon even unto Jabburhead over all the inhabitants of Gilead. bok, and from the wilderness even unto 9 And Jephthah said unto the elders of Jordan.

He makes a rash vow.

CHAP. XII.

The Ephraimites slain. 23 So now the LORD God of Israel hath LORD, do to me according to that which dispossessed the Amorites from before his hath proceeded out of thy mouth; foraspeople Israel, and shouldest thou possess it? much as the LORD hath taken vengeance 24 Wilt not thou possess that which for thee of thine enemies, even of the chilChemosh thy god giveth thee to possess? dren of Ammon.

So whomsoever the LORD our God shall 37 And she said unto her father, Let drive out from before us, them will we this thing be done for me: Let me alone two months, that I may go up and down possess. 25 And now art thou any thing better upon the mountains, and bewail my virthan Balak the son of Zippor king of Mo-ginity, I and my fellows. ab? did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them,

38 And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months: and she went with her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains.

26 While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her towns, and in Aroer and her towns, and in all the cities that be along by the 39 And it came to pass at the end of coasts of Arnon, three hundred years? two months, that she returned unto her fawhy therefore did ye not recover them ther, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she knew within that time? 27 Wherefore I have not sinned against no man. And it was a custom in Israel, 40 That the daughters of Israel went of Jephthee, but thou doest me wrong to war judge yearly to lament the daughter a year. against me: the LORD the Judge be this day between the children of Israel thah the Gileadite four days in and the children of Ammon. 28 Howbeit, the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the words of Jephthah which he sent him.

CHAP. XII.

ND the men of Ephraim gathered A themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore

29 Then the Spirit of the LORD came passedst thou over to fight against the upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gi- children of Ammon, and didst not call us lead, and Manasseh, and passed over Miz- to go with thee? we will burn thine house peh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh

of Gilead upon thee with fire.

he passed over unto the children of Am

mon.

30 And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,

2 And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of theirhands, 3 And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Am

31 Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to mon, and the LORD delivered them into meet me, when I return in peace from the my hand: wherefore then are ye come children of Ammon, shall surely be the up unto me this day, to fight against me?

LORD's, and I will offer it up for a burntoffering.

32 So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them: and the LORD delivered them into his hands.

4 Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites. 5 And the Gileadites took the passages

33 And he smote them from Aroer even till thou come to Minnith, even twenty of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards, it was so, that when those Ephraimites with a very great slaughter. Thus the which were escaped, said, Let me go over; children of Ammon were subdued before that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay; the children of Israel. 34 And Jephthah came to Mizpeh 6 Then said they unto him, Say now unto his house, and behold, his daughter Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for came out to meet him with timbrels and he could not frame to pronounce it right. with dances: and she was his only child; Then they took him and slew him at besides her he had neither son nor daughter. the passages of Jordan. And there fell 35 And it came to pass, when he saw at that time of the Ephraimites forty and her, thathe rent his clothes, and said, Alas, two thousand. 7 And Jephthah judged Israel six years : my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was me: for I have opened my mouth unto buried in one of the cities of Gilead. the Lord, and I cannot go back.

8 And after him Ibzan of Beth-lehem

36 And she said unto him, My father, judged Israel. if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the 9 And he had thirty sons and thirty

215

4

:

JUDGES.

Manoah's wife sees an angel The birth of Samson. daughters whom he sent abroad, and took 10 And the woman made haste, and in thirty daughters from abroad for his ran, and shewed her husband, and said sons: and he judged Israel seven years. unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared 10 Then died Ibzan, and was buried at unto me, that came unto me the other day. 11 And Manoah arose, and went after

Beth-lehem.

11 And after him Elon, a Zebulon- his wife, and came to the man, and said ite, judged Israel, and he judged Israel unto him, Art thou the man that spakest ten years. unto the woman? And he said, I am. 12 And Elon the Zebulonite died, and 12 And Manoah was buried in Ajalon in the country of words come to pass. Zebulun.

the child, and how

13 And after him Abdon the son of him? Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel.

said, Now let thy How shall we order shall we do unto

13 And the angel of the LORD said unto

14 And he had forty sons and thirty Manoah, Of all that I said unto the woman, nephews, that rode on threescore and ten let her beware.

ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years.

14 She may not eat of any thing that

15 And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pi- cometh of the vine, neither let her drink rathonite died, and was buried in Pira-wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount thing: all that I commanded her let her of the Amalekites.

A

observe.

CHAP. XIII. 15 And Manoah said unto the angel ND the children of Israel did evil of the LORD, I pray thee, let us detain again in the sight of the LORD; and thee, until we shall have made ready a the LORD delivered them into the hand of kid for thee. the Philistines forty years.

16 And the angel of the LORD said unto 2 And there was a certain man of Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer name was Manoah; and his wife was bar- a burnt-offering, thou must offer it unto ren, and bare not. the LORD. For Manoah knew not that he

3. And the angel of the Lord appeared was an angel of the LORD. unto the woman, and said unto her, Be- 17 And Manoah said unto the angel of hold, now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a

son.

4 Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine, nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing:

5 For lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.

the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass, we may do thee honour?

18 And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?

19 So Manoah took a kid, with a meatoffering, and offered it upon a rock unto the LORD; and the angel did wondrously, and Manoah and his wife looked on.

20 For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar,

6. Then the woman came and told that the angel of the LORD ascended in her husband, saying, A man of God came the flame of the altar, and Manoah and unto me, and his countenance was like his wife looked on it, and fell on their the countenance of an angel of God, faces to the ground. very terrible: but I asked him not whence 21 But the angel of the LORD did no he was, neither told he me his name : more appear to Manoah and to his wife.

7 But he said unto me, Behold, thou Then Manoah knew that he was an angel shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now of the LORD.

drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat 22 And Manoah said unto his wife, any unclean thing: for the child shall We shall surely die, because we have be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the seen God.

day of his death.

23 But his wife said unto him, If the

8 Then Manoah entreated the LORD, LORD were pleased to kill us, he would and said, O my Lord, let the man of God not have received a burnt-offering and a which thou didst send come again unto us, meat-offering at our hands, neither would and teach us what we shall do unto the he have shewed us all these things, nor child that shall be born. would as at this time have told us such

9 And God hearkened to the voice of things as these. Manoah; and the angel of God came 24 And the woman bare a son, and again unto the woman as she sat in the called his name Samson. And the child field: but Manoah her husband was not grew, and the LORD blessed him. with her.

25 And the Spirit of the LORD began