The Book of Judges

 JDG 1:1  Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that the children of

 Israel asked the LORD, saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites

 first, to fight against them?

JDG 1:2  And the LORD said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the

 land into his hand.

JDG 1:3  And Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my lot,

 that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with thee

 into thy lot. So Simeon went with him.

JDG 1:4  And Judah went up; and the LORD delivered the Canaanites and the

 Perizzites into their hand: and they slew of them in Bezek ten thousand men.

JDG 1:5  And they found Adonibezek in Bezek: and they fought against him, and

 they slew the Canaanites and the Perizzites.

JDG 1:6  But Adonibezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him, and

 cut off his thumbs and his great toes.

JDG 1:7  And Adonibezek said, Threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs and

 their great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my table: as I have done,

 so God hath requited me. And they brought him to Jerusalem, and there he

 died.

JDG 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 set the city on fire.

JDG 1:9  And afterward the children of Judah went down to fight against the

 Canaanites, that dwelt in the mountain, and in the south, and in the valley.

JDG 1:10  And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron: (now the

 name of Hebron before was Kirjatharba:) and they slew Sheshai, and

 Ahiman, and Talmai.

JDG 1:11  And from thence he went against the inhabitants of Debir: and the

 name of Debir before was Kirjathsepher:

JDG 1:12  And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjathsepher, and taketh it, to him

 will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.

JDG 1:13  And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, took it: and

 he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.

JDG 1:14  And it came to pass, when she came to him, that she moved him to ask

 of her father a field: and she lighted from off her ass; and Caleb said unto

 her, What wilt thou?

JDG 1:15  And she said unto him, Give me a blessing: for thou hast given me a

 south land; give me also springs of water. And Caleb gave her the upper

 springs and the nether springs.

JDG 1:16  And the children of the Kenite, Moses' father in law, went up out

 of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of

 Judah, which lieth in the south of Arad; and they went and dwelt among the

 people.

JDG 1:17  And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they slew the Canaanites

 that inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. And the name of the city

 was called Hormah.

JDG 1:18  Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof, and Askelon with the

 coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof.

JDG 1:19  And the LORD was with Judah; and he drave out the inhabitants of the

 mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they

 had chariots of iron.

JDG 1:20  And they gave Hebron unto Caleb, as Moses said: and he expelled

 thence the three sons of Anak.

JDG 1:21  And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that

 inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in

 Jerusalem unto this day.

JDG 1:22  And the house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel: and the

 LORD was with them.

JDG 1:23  And the house of Joseph sent to descry Bethel. (Now the name of the

 city before was Luz.)

JDG 1:24  And the spies saw a man come forth out of the city, and they said

 unto him, Shew us, we pray thee, the entrance into the city, and we will shew

 thee mercy.

JDG 1:25  And when he shewed them the entrance into the city, they smote the

 city with the edge of the sword; but they let go the man and all his family.

JDG 1:26  And the man went into the land of the Hittites, and built a city, and

 called the name thereof Luz: which is the name thereof unto this day.

JDG 1:27  Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants of Bethshean and her

 towns, nor Taanach and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and her towns,

 nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo

 and her towns: but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.

JDG 1:28  And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the

 Canaanites to tribute, and did not utterly drive them out.

JDG 1:29  Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer; but

 the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them.

JDG 1:30  Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the

 inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites dwelt among them, and became

 tributaries.

JDG 1:31  Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Accho, nor the

 inhabitants of Zidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of

 Aphik, nor of Rehob:

JDG 1:32  But the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the

 land: for they did not drive them out.

JDG 1:33  Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Bethshemesh, nor

 the inhabitants of Bethanath; but he dwelt among the Canaanites, the

 inhabitants of the land: nevertheless the inhabitants of Bethshemesh and of

 Bethanath became tributaries unto them.

JDG 1:34  And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain: for

 they would not suffer them to come down to the valley:

JDG 1:35  But the Amorites would dwell in mount Heres in Aijalon, and in

 Shaalbim: yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, so that they became

 tributaries.

JDG 1:36  And the coast of the Amorites was from the going up to Akrabbim, from

 the rock, and upward.

JDG 2:1  And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I

 made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I

 sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.

JDG 2:2  And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye

 shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye

 done this?

JDG 2:3  Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but

 they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto

 you.

JDG 2:4  And it came to pass, when the angel of the LORD spake these words unto

 all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.

JDG 2:5  And they called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed

 there unto the LORD.

JDG 2:6  And when Joshua had let the people go, the children of Israel went

 every man unto his inheritance to possess the land.

JDG 2:7  And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the

 days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works

 of the LORD, that he did for Israel.

JDG 2:8  And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an

 hundred and ten years old.

JDG 2:9  And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathheres,

 in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash.

JDG 2:10  And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and

 there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet

 the works which he had done for Israel.

JDG 2:11  And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and

 served Baalim:

JDG 2:12  And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them

 out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people

 that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the

 LORD to anger.

JDG 2:13  And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.

JDG 2:14  And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered

 them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the

 hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand

 before their enemies.

JDG 2:15  Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them

 for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they

 were greatly distressed.

JDG 2:16  Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out

 of the hand of those that spoiled them.

JDG 2:17  And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a

 whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly

 out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the

 LORD; but they did not so.

JDG 2:18  And when the LORD raised them up judges, then the LORD was with the

 judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days

 of the judge: for it repented the LORD because of their groanings by reason

 of them that oppressed them and vexed them.

JDG 2:19  And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and

 corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to

 serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings,

 nor from their stubborn way.

JDG 2:20  And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and he said,

 Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded

 their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice;

JDG 2:21  I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the

 nations which Joshua left when he died:

JDG 2:22  That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way

 of the LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.

JDG 2:23  Therefore the LORD left those nations, without driving them out

 hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.

JDG 3:1  Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by

 them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan;

JDG 3:2  Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to

 teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof;

JDG 3:3  Namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the

 Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baalhermon

 unto the entering in of Hamath.

JDG 3:4  And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would

 hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers

 by the hand of Moses.

JDG 3:5  And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and

 Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites:

JDG 3:6  And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their

 daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

JDG 3:7  And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and

 forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves.

JDG 3:8  Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold

 them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children

 of Israel served Chushanrishathaim eight years.

JDG 3:9  And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised

 up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel

 the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.

JDG 3:10  And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel, and

 went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia

 into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim.

JDG 3:11  And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

JDG 3:12  And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD:

 and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they

 had done evil in the sight of the LORD.

JDG 3:13  And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went

 and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.

JDG 3:14  So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen

 years.

JDG 3:15  But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised

 them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and

 by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.

JDG 3:16  But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length;

 and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh.

JDG 3:17  And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a

 very fat man.

JDG 3:18  And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the

 people that bare the present.

JDG 3:19  But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by

 Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep

 silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.

JDG 3:20  And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which

 he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee.

 And he arose out of his seat.

JDG 3:21  And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right

 thigh, and thrust it into his belly:

JDG 3:22  And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon

 the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the

 dirt came out.

JDG 3:23  Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the

 parlour upon him, and locked them.

JDG 3:24  When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that,

 behold, the doors of the parlour were locked, they said, Surely he covereth

 his feet in his summer chamber.

JDG 3:25  And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not

 the doors of the parlour; therefore they took a key, and opened them: and,

 behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.

JDG 3:26  And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the

 quarries, and escaped unto Seirath.

JDG 3:27  And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the

 mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the

 mount, and he before them.

JDG 3:28  And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath delivered

 your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and

 took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over.

JDG 3:29  And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all

 lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man.

JDG 3:30  So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land

 had rest fourscore years.

JDG 3:31  And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the

 Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.

JDG 4:1  And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD,

 when Ehud was dead.

JDG 4:2  And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that

 reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in

 Harosheth of the Gentiles.

JDG 4:3  And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine

 hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children

 of Israel.

JDG 4:4  And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at

 that time.

JDG 4:5  And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel

 in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.

JDG 4:6  And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of

 Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded,

 saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men

 of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?

JDG 4:7  And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of

 Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him

 into thine hand.

JDG 4:8  And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but

 if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.

JDG 4:9  And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey

 that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell

 Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to

 Kedesh.

JDG 4:10  And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with

 ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him.

JDG 4:11  Now Heber the Kenite, which was of the children of Hobab the father

 in law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent

 unto the plain of Zaanaim, which is by Kedesh.

JDG 4:12  And they shewed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to

 mount Tabor.

JDG 4:13  And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred

 chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, from Harosheth

 of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon.

JDG 4:14  And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the

 LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the LORD gone out before

 thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.

JDG 4:15  And the LORD discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his

 host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down

 off his chariot, and fled away on his feet.

JDG 4:16  But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto

 Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge

 of the sword; and there was not a man left.

JDG 4:17  Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of

 Heber the Kenite: for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the

 house of Heber the Kenite.

JDG 4:18  And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my

 lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the

 tent, she covered him with a mantle.

JDG 4:19  And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink;

 for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and

 covered him.

JDG 4:20  Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall

 be, when any man doth come and enquire of thee, and say, Is there any man

 here? that thou shalt say, No.

JDG 4:21  Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in

 her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and

 fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died.

JDG 4:22  And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and

 said unto him, Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest. And when

 he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail was in his

 temples.

JDG 4:23  So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the

 children of Israel.

JDG 4:24  And the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed

 against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of

 Canaan.

JDG 5:1  Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,

JDG 5:2  Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people

 willingly offered themselves.

JDG 5:3  Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto

 the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel.

JDG 5:4  LORD, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the

 field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also

 dropped water.

JDG 5:5  The mountains melted from before the LORD, even that Sinai from before

 the LORD God of Israel.

JDG 5:6  In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the

 highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways.

JDG 5:7  The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until

 that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.

JDG 5:8  They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or

 spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?

JDG 5:9  My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves

 willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD.

JDG 5:10  Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk

 by the way.

JDG 5:11  They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places of

 drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the LORD, even

 the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his villages in Israel: then

 shall the people of the LORD go down to the gates.

JDG 5:12  Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and

 lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.

JDG 5:13  Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among

 the people: the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty.

JDG 5:14  Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after thee,

 Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of

 Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer.

JDG 5:15  And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and

 also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben

 there were great thoughts of heart.

JDG 5:16  Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the

 flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.

JDG 5:17  Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher

 continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches.

JDG 5:18  Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto

 the death in the high places of the field.

JDG 5:19  The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach

 by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money.

JDG 5:20  They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against

 Sisera.

JDG 5:21  The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river

 Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.

JDG 5:22  Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the

 pransings of their mighty ones.

JDG 5:23  Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the

 inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the

 help of the LORD against the mighty.

JDG 5:24  Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be,

 blessed shall she be above women in the tent.

JDG 5:25  He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a

 lordly dish.

JDG 5:26  She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen's

 hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when

 she had pierced and stricken through his temples.

JDG 5:27  At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he

 fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead.

JDG 5:28  The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the

 lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his

 chariots?

JDG 5:29  Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself,

JDG 5:30  Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a

 damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours

 of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the

 necks of them that take the spoil?

JDG 5:31  So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him

 be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty

 years.

JDG 6:1  And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the

 LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.

JDG 6:2  And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the

 Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the

 mountains, and caves, and strong holds.

JDG 6:3  And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and

 the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them;

JDG 6:4  And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the

 earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither

 sheep, nor ox, nor ass.

JDG 6:5  For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as

 grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without

 number: and they entered into the land to destroy it.

JDG 6:6  And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the

 children of Israel cried unto the LORD.

JDG 6:7  And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD

 because of the Midianites,

JDG 6:8  That the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said

 unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought you up from

 Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage;

JDG 6:9  And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the

 hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave

 you their land;

JDG 6:10  And I said unto you, I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the

 Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice.

JDG 6:11  And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was

 in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon

 threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.

JDG 6:12  And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The

 LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.

JDG 6:13  And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why

 then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers

 told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD

 hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.

JDG 6:14  And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and

 thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?

JDG 6:15  And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel?

 behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's

 house.

JDG 6:16  And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou

 shalt smite the Midianites as one man.

JDG 6:17  And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then

 shew me a sign that thou talkest with me.

JDG 6:18  Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring

 forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until

 thou come again.

JDG 6:19  And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an

 ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a

 pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it.

JDG 6:20  And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened

 cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.

JDG 6:21  Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in

 his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up

 fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then

 the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight.

JDG 6:22  And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon

 said, Alas, O LORD God! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to

 face.

JDG 6:23  And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt

 not die.

JDG 6:24  Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it

 Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

JDG 6:25  And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Take

 thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and

 throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove

 that is by it:

JDG 6:26  And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock,

 in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt

 sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down.

JDG 6:27  Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had

 said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father's household, and

 the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.

JDG 6:28  And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the

 altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and

 the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built.

JDG 6:29  And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they

 enquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing.

JDG 6:30  Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he

 may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut

 down the grove that was by it.

JDG 6:31  And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for

 Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death

 whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because

 one hath cast down his altar.

JDG 6:32  Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead

 against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.

JDG 6:33  Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the

 east were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of

 Jezreel.

JDG 6:34  But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet;

 and Abiezer was gathered after him.

JDG 6:35  And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; who also was gathered

 after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto

 Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.

JDG 6:36  And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as

 thou hast said,

JDG 6:37  Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be

 on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I

 know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.

JDG 6:38  And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the

 fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.

JDG 6:39  And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and

 I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the

 fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let

 there be dew.

JDG 6:40  And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and

 there was dew on all the ground.

JDG 7:1  Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him,

 rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the

 Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the

 valley.

JDG 7:2  And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too

 many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt

 themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.

JDG 7:3  Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying,

 Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount

 Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there

 remained ten thousand.

JDG 7:4  And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them

 down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be,

 that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with

 thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the

 same shall not go.

JDG 7:5  So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto

 Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog

 lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down

 upon his knees to drink.

JDG 7:6  And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth,

 were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their

 knees to drink water.

JDG 7:7  And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped

 will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the

 other people go every man unto his place.

JDG 7:8  So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he

 sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those three

 hundred men: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley.

JDG 7:9  And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him,

 Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand.

JDG 7:10  But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down

 to the host:

JDG 7:11  And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be

 strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his

 servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host.

JDG 7:12  And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the

 east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their

 camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude.

JDG 7:13  And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream

 unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of

 barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote

 it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along.

JDG 7:14  And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword

 of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God

 delivered Midian, and all the host.

JDG 7:15  And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the

 interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of

 Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host

 of Midian.

JDG 7:16  And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put

 a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the

 pitchers.

JDG 7:17  And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when

 I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do.

JDG 7:18  When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye

 the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the

 LORD, and of Gideon.

JDG 7:19  So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the

 outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but

 newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that

 were in their hands.

JDG 7:20  And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers,

 and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands

 to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.

JDG 7:21  And they stood every man in his place round about the camp; and all

 the host ran, and cried, and fled.

JDG 7:22  And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man's

 sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to

 Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath.

JDG 7:23  And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of

 Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the

 Midianites.

JDG 7:24  And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, come

 down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah

 and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and

 took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan.

JDG 7:25  And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they

 slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of

 Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on

 the other side Jordan.

JDG 8:1  And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus,

 that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites?

 And they did chide with him sharply.

JDG 8:2  And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you? Is

 not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?

JDG 8:3  God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and

 Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then their anger was

 abated toward him, when he had said that.

JDG 8:4  And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred

 men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them.

JDG 8:5  And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread

 unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after

 Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.

JDG 8:6  And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna

 now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army?

JDG 8:7  And Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and

 Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the

 wilderness and with briers.

JDG 8:8  And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise: and the

 men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him.

JDG 8:9  And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in

 peace, I will break down this tower.

JDG 8:10  Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them,

 about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the

 children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that

 drew sword.

JDG 8:11  And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east

 of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host; for the host was secure.

JDG 8:12  And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the

 two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host.

JDG 8:13  And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was

 up,

JDG 8:14  And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired of him:

 and he described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof,

 even threescore and seventeen men.

JDG 8:15  And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and

 Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and

 Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are

 weary?

JDG 8:16  And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and

 briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.

JDG 8:17  And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.

JDG 8:18  Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they

 whom ye slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou art, so were they; each one

 resembled the children of a king.

JDG 8:19  And he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother: as

 the LORD liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you.

JDG 8:20  And he said unto Jether his firstborn, Up, and slay them. But the

 youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth.

JDG 8:21  Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the

 man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and

 Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels' necks.

JDG 8:22  Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both

 thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also: for thou hast delivered us from

 the hand of Midian.

JDG 8:23  And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my

 son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you.

JDG 8:24  And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye

 would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden

 earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)

JDG 8:25  And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a

 garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey.

JDG 8:26  And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a

 thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars,

 and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains

 that were about their camels' necks.

JDG 8:27  And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in

 Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a

 snare unto Gideon, and to his house.

JDG 8:28  Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they

 lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years

 in the days of Gideon.

JDG 8:29  And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.

JDG 8:30  And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he

 had many wives.

JDG 8:31  And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose

 name he called Abimelech.

JDG 8:32  And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried

 in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

JDG 8:33  And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of

 Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith

 their god.

JDG 8:34  And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who had

 delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side:

JDG 8:35  Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely,

 Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.

JDG 9:1  And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother's

 brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his

 mother's father, saying,

JDG 9:2  Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is

 better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore

 and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also

 that I am your bone and your flesh.

JDG 9:3  And his mother's brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of

 Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for

 they said, He is our brother.

JDG 9:4  And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house

 of Baalberith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which

 followed him.

JDG 9:5  And he went unto his father's house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren

 the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone:

 notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid

 himself.

JDG 9:6  And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of

 Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was

 in Shechem.

JDG 9:7  And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount

 Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto

 me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you.

JDG 9:8  The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they

 said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.

JDG 9:9  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?

JDG 9:10  And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us.

JDG 9:11  But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and

 my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?

JDG 9:12  Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us.

JDG 9:13  And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth

 God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?

JDG 9:14  Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over

 us.

JDG 9:15  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.

JDG 9:16  Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have

 made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his

 house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands;

JDG 9:17  (For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and

 delivered you out of the hand of Midian:

JDG 9:18  And ye are risen up against my father's house this day, and have

 slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made

 Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because

 he is your brother;)

JDG 9:19  If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his

 house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in

 you:

JDG 9:20  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.

JDG 9:21  And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for

 fear of Abimelech his brother.

JDG 9:22  When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel,

JDG 9:23  Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of

 Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:

JDG 9:24  That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal

 might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew

 them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his

 brethren.

JDG 9:25  And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of the

 mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them: and it was

 told Abimelech.

JDG 9:26  And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren, and went over to

 Shechem: and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him.

JDG 9:27  And they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and

 trode the grapes, and made merry, and went into the house of their god, and

 did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech.

JDG 9:28  And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem,

 that we should serve him? is not he the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his

 officer? serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: for why should we

 serve him?

JDG 9:29  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.

JDG 9:30  And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son

 of Ebed, his anger was kindled.

JDG 9:31  And he sent messengers unto Abimelech privily, saying, Behold, Gaal

 the son of Ebed and his brethren be come to Shechem; and, behold, they

 fortify the city against thee.

JDG 9:32  Now therefore up by night, thou and the people that is with thee, and

 lie in wait in the field:

JDG 9:33  And it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, thou

 shalt rise early, and set upon the city: and, behold, when he and the people

 that is with him come out against thee, then mayest thou do to them as thou

 shalt find occasion.

JDG 9:34  And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by

 night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies.

JDG 9:35  And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entering of the

 gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him,

 from lying in wait.

JDG 9:36  And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there come

 people down from the top of the mountains. And Zebul said unto him, Thou

 seest the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.

JDG 9:37  And Gaal spake again, and said, See there come people down by the

 middle of the land, and another company come along by the plain of Meonenim.

JDG 9:38  Then said Zebul unto him, Where is now thy mouth, wherewith thou

 saidst, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? is not this the people

 that thou hast despised? go out, I pray now, and fight with them.

JDG 9:39  And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with

 Abimelech.

JDG 9:40  And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were

 overthrown and wounded, even unto the entering of the gate.

JDG 9:41  And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his

 brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem.

JDG 9:42  And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the

 field; and they told Abimelech.

JDG 9:43  And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and

 laid wait in the field, and looked, and, behold, the people were come forth

 out of the city; and he rose up against them, and smote them.

JDG 9:44  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.

JDG 9:45  And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the

 city, and slew the people that was therein, and beat down the city, and sowed

 it with salt.

JDG 9:46  And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered

 into an hold of the house of the god Berith.

JDG 9:47  And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem

 were gathered together.

JDG 9:48  And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that

 were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough

 from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his shoulder, and said unto the

 people that were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I

 have done.

JDG 9:49  And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and

 followed Abimelech, and put them to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon

 them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand

 men and women.

JDG 9:50  Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took

 it.

JDG 9:51  But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all

 the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut it to them, and gat

 them up to the top of the tower.

JDG 9:52  And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went

 hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.

JDG 9:53  And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech's

 head, and all to brake his skull.

JDG 9:54  Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, and said

 unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A women slew

 him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.

JDG 9:55  And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed

 every man unto his place.

JDG 9:56  Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his

 father, in slaying his seventy brethren:

JDG 9:57  And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their

 heads: and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.

JDG 10:1  And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of

 Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in mount

 Ephraim.

JDG 10:2  And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried

 in Shamir.

JDG 10:3  And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and

 two years.

JDG 10:4  And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had

 thirty cities, which are called Havothjair unto this day, which are in the

 land of Gilead.

JDG 10:5  And Jair died, and was buried in Camon.

JDG 10:6  And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the

 LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods

 of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and

 the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him.

JDG 10:7  And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them

 into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of

 Ammon.

JDG 10:8  And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel:

 eighteen years, all the children of Israel that were on the other side Jordan

 in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.

JDG 10:9  Moreover the children of Ammon passed over Jordan to fight also

 against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim; so

 that Israel was sore distressed.

JDG 10:10  And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, We have

 sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served

 Baalim.

JDG 10:11  And the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Did not I deliver you

 from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and

 from the Philistines?

JDG 10:12  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.

JDG 10:13  Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will

 deliver you no more.

JDG 10:14  Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you

 in the time of your tribulation.

JDG 10:15  And the children of Israel said unto the LORD, We have sinned: do

 thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray

 thee, this day.

JDG 10:16  And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the

 LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.

JDG 10:17  Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in

 Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled themselves together, and

 encamped in Mizpeh.

JDG 10:18  And the people and princes of Gilead said one to another, What man

 is he that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall be

 head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.

JDG 11:1  Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the

 son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah.

JDG 11:2  And Gilead's wife bare him sons; and his wife's sons grew up, and

 they thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our

 father's house; for thou art the son of a strange woman.

JDG 11:3  Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob:

 and there were gathered vain men to Jephthah, and went out with him.

JDG 11:4  And it came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ammon

 made war against Israel.

JDG 11:5  And it was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against

 Israel, the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob:

JDG 11:6  And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may

 fight with the children of Ammon.

JDG 11:7  And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, Did not ye hate me, and

 expel me out of my father's house? and why are ye come unto me now when ye

 are in distress?

JDG 11:8  And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, Therefore we turn again

 to thee now, that thou mayest go with us, and fight against the children of

 Ammon, and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.

JDG 11:9  And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home

 again to fight against the children of Ammon, and the LORD deliver them

 before me, shall I be your head?

JDG 11:10  And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, The LORD be witness

 between us, if we do not so according to thy words.

JDG 11:11  Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made

 him head and captain over them: and Jephthah uttered all his words before the

 LORD in Mizpeh.

JDG 11:12  And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon,

 saying, What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come against me to fight

 in my land?

JDG 11:13  And the king of the children of Ammon answered unto the messengers

 of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when they came up out of

 Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jordan: now therefore restore

 those lands again peaceably.

JDG 11:14  And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of

 Ammon:

JDG 11:15  And said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, Israel took not away the

 land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon:

JDG 11:16  But when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked through the

 wilderness unto the Red sea, and came to Kadesh;

JDG 11:17  Then Israel sent messengers unto the king of Edom, saying, Let me, I

 pray thee, pass through thy land: but the king of Edom would not hearken

 thereto. And in like manner they sent unto the king of Moab: but he would not

 consent: and Israel abode in Kadesh.

JDG 11:18  Then they went along through the wilderness, and compassed the land

 of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the east side of the land of

 Moab, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, but came not within the border

 of Moab: for Arnon was the border of Moab.

JDG 11:19  And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, the king

 of Heshbon; and Israel said unto him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy

 land into my place.

JDG 11:20  But Sihon trusted not Israel to pass through his coast: but Sihon

 gathered all his people together, and pitched in Jahaz, and fought against

 Israel.

JDG 11:21  And the LORD God of Israel delivered Sihon and all his people into

 the hand of Israel, and they smote them: so Israel possessed all the land

 of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country.

JDG 11:22  And they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon even

 unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto Jordan.

JDG 11:23  So now the LORD God of Israel hath dispossessed the Amorites from

 before his people Israel, and shouldest thou possess it?

JDG 11:24  Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to

 possess? So whomsoever the LORD our God shall drive out from before us, them

 will we possess.

JDG 11:25  And now art thou any thing better than Balak the son of Zippor, king

 of Moab? did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against

 them,

JDG 11:26  While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her towns, and in Aroer and her

 towns, and in all the cities that be along by the coasts of Arnon, three

 hundred years? why therefore did ye not recover them within that time?

JDG 11:27  Wherefore I have not sinned against thee, but thou doest me wrong to

 war against me: the LORD the Judge be judge this day between the children of

 Israel and the children of Ammon.

JDG 11:28  Howbeit the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the

 words of Jephthah which he sent him.

JDG 11:29  Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over

 Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of

 Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon.

JDG 11:30  And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt

 without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,

JDG 11:31  Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my

 house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall

 surely be the LORD's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.

JDG 11:32  So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against

 them; and the LORD delivered them into his hands.

JDG 11:33  And he smote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minnith, even

 twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a very great

 slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of

 Israel.

JDG 11:34  And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his

 daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his

 only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter.

JDG 11:35  And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and

 said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one

 of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I

 cannot go back.

JDG 11:36  And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto

 the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth;

 forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even

 of the children of Ammon.

JDG 11:37  And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me

 alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my

 virginity, I and my fellows.

JDG 11:38  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.

JDG 11:39  And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto

 her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she

 knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel,

JDG 11:40  That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of

 Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.

JDG 12:1  And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went

 northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight

 against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will

 burn thine house upon thee with fire.

JDG 12:2  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 their hands.

JDG 12:3  And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands,

 and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them

 into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight

 against me?

JDG 12:4  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.

JDG 12:5  And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the

 Ephraimites: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped

 said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an

 Ephraimite? If he said, Nay;

JDG 12:6  Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth:

 for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew

 him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites

 forty and two thousand.

JDG 12:7  And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the

 Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.

JDG 12:8  And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.

JDG 12:9  And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he sent

 abroad, and took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged

 Israel seven years.

JDG 12:10  Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Bethlehem.

JDG 12:11  And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged

 Israel ten years.

JDG 12:12  And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the

 country of Zebulun.

JDG 12:13  And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel.

JDG 12:14  And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore

 and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years.

JDG 12:15  And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in

 Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites.

JDG 13:1  And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD;

 and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.

JDG 13:2  And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites,

 whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not.

JDG 13:3  And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her,

 Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and

 bear a son.

JDG 13:4  Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong

 drink, and eat not any unclean thing:

JDG 13:5  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.

JDG 13:6  Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came

 unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God,

 very terrible: but I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his

 name:

JDG 13:7  But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and

 now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing: for the

 child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death.

JDG 13:8  Then Manoah intreated the LORD, and said, O my Lord, let the man of

 God which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do

 unto the child that shall be born.

JDG 13:9  And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came

 again unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband was not

 with her.

JDG 13:10  And the woman made haste, and ran, and shewed her husband, and said

 unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the other

 day.

JDG 13:11  And Manoah arose, and went after his wife, and came to the man, and

 said unto him, Art thou the man that spakest unto the woman? And he said, I

 am.

JDG 13:12  And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order

 the child, and how shall we do unto him?

JDG 13:13  And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto

 the woman let her beware.

JDG 13:14  She may not eat of any thing that cometh of the vine, neither let

 her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing: all that I

 commanded her let her observe.

JDG 13:15  And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, I pray thee, let us

 detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee.

JDG 13:16  And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I

 will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must

 offer it unto the LORD. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the LORD.

JDG 13:17  And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that

 when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour?

JDG 13:18  And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after

 my name, seeing it is secret?

JDG 13:19  So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a

 rock unto the LORD: and the angel did wonderously; and Manoah and his wife

 looked on.

JDG 13:20  For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off

 the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar. And

 Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground.

JDG 13:21  But the angel of the LORD did no more appear to Manoah and to his

 wife. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the LORD.

JDG 13:22  And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have

 seen God.

JDG 13:23  But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he

 would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands,

 neither would he have shewed us all these things, nor would as at this time

 have told us such things as these.

JDG 13:24  And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child

 grew, and the LORD blessed him.

JDG 13:25  And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of

 Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.

JDG 14:1  And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the

 daughters of the Philistines.

JDG 14:2  And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have

 seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore

 get her for me to wife.

JDG 14:3  Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman

 among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest

 to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his

 father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.

JDG 14:4  But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that

 he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the

 Philistines had dominion over Israel.

JDG 14:5  Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and

 came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against

 him.

JDG 14:6  And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as

 he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his

 father or his mother what he had done.

JDG 14:7  And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson

 well.

JDG 14:8  And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see

 the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey

 in the carcase of the lion.

JDG 14:9  And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his

 father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them

 that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.

JDG 14:10  So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a

 feast; for so used the young men to do.

JDG 14:11  And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty

 companions to be with him.

JDG 14:12  And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you:

 if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and

 find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of

 garments:

JDG 14:13  But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets

 and thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle,

 that we may hear it.

JDG 14:14  And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out

 of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound

 the riddle.

JDG 14:15  And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's

 wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we

 burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to take that we

 have? is it not so?

JDG 14:16  And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate

 me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my

 people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not

 told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee?

JDG 14:17  And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted:

 and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay

 sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people.

JDG 14:18  And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the

 sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion?

 and he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found

 out my riddle.

JDG 14:19  And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to

 Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change

 of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was

 kindled, and he went up to his father's house.

JDG 14:20  But Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as

 his friend.

JDG 15:1  But it came to pass within a while after, in the time of wheat

 harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will go in

 to my wife into the chamber. But her father would not suffer him to go in.

JDG 15:2  And her father said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated

 her; therefore I gave her to thy companion: is not her younger sister fairer

 than she? take her, I pray thee, instead of her.

JDG 15:3  And Samson said concerning them, Now shall I be more blameless than

 the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure.

JDG 15:4  And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands,

 and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails.

JDG 15:5  And when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the

 standing corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks, and also the

 standing corn, with the vineyards and olives.

JDG 15:6  Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they answered,

 Samson, the son in law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and

 given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and

 her father with fire.

JDG 15:7  And Samson said unto them, Though ye have done this, yet will I be

 avenged of you, and after that I will cease.

JDG 15:8  And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went

 down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam.

JDG 15:9  Then the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread

 themselves in Lehi.

JDG 15:10  And the men of Judah said, Why are ye come up against us? And they

 answered, To bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he hath done to us.

JDG 15:11  Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock

 Etam, and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers

 over us? what is this that thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As

 they did unto me, so have I done unto them.

JDG 15:12  And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may

 deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them,

 Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves.

JDG 15:13  And they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast, and

 deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee. And they

 bound him with two new cords, and brought him up from the rock.

JDG 15:14  And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and

 the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon

 his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from

 off his hands.

JDG 15:15  And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and

 took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.

JDG 15:16  And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with

 the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.

JDG 15:17  And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he

 cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that place Ramathlehi.

JDG 15:18  And he was sore athirst, and called on the LORD, and said, Thou hast

 given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I

 die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?

JDG 15:19  But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came

 water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived:

 wherefore he called the name thereof Enhakkore, which is in Lehi unto this

 day.

JDG 15:20  And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.

JDG 16:1  Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto

 her.

JDG 16:2  And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither. And they

 compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the

 city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is day,

 we shall kill him.

JDG 16:3  And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the

 doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them,

 bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top

 of an hill that is before Hebron.

JDG 16:4  And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of

 Sorek, whose name was Delilah.

JDG 16:5  And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her,

 Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we

 may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him; and we will

 give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver.

JDG 16:6  And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great

 strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee.

JDG 16:7  And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withs that

 were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.

JDG 16:8  Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withs

 which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.

JDG 16:9  Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber.

 And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he brake the

 withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his

 strength was not known.

JDG 16:10  And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and told

 me lies: now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound.

JDG 16:11  And he said unto her, If they bind me fast with new ropes that never

 were occupied, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.

JDG 16:12  Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said

 unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And there were liers in wait

 abiding in the chamber. And he brake them from off his arms like a thread.

JDG 16:13  And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told

 me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If

 thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.

JDG 16:14  And she fastened it with the pin, and said unto him, The Philistines

 be upon thee, Samson. And he awaked out of his sleep, and went away with the

 pin of the beam, and with the web.

JDG 16:15  And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine

 heart is not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not

 told me wherein thy great strength lieth.

JDG 16:16  And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and

 urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death;

JDG 16:17  That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not

 come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my

 mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall

 become weak, and be like any other man.

JDG 16:18  And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent

 and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for

 he hath shewed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up

 unto her, and brought money in their hand.

JDG 16:19  And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and

 she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to

 afflict him, and his strength went from him.

JDG 16:20  And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out

 of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake

 myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.

JDG 16:21  But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him

 down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the

 prison house.

JDG 16:22  Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was

 shaven.

JDG 16:23  Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to

 offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said,

 Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.

JDG 16:24  And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said,

 Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our

 country, which slew many of us.

JDG 16:25  And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said,

 Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out

 of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the

 pillars.

JDG 16:26  And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me

 that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean

 upon them.

JDG 16:27  Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the

 Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three thousand men

 and women, that beheld while Samson made sport.

JDG 16:28  And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord God, remember me,

 I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I

 may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.

JDG 16:29  And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house

 stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and

 of the other with his left.

JDG 16:30  And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed

 himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all

 the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were

 more than they which he slew in his life.

JDG 16:31  Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and

 took him, and brought him up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the

 buryingplace of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years.

JDG 17:1  And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah.

JDG 17:2  And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of silver

 that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also in

 mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said,

 Blessed be thou of the LORD, my son.

JDG 17:3  And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his

 mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the LORD from

 my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore

 I will restore it unto thee.

JDG 17:4  Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two

 hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a

 graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah.

JDG 17:5  And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and

 teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.

JDG 17:6  In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that

 which was right in his own eyes.

JDG 17:7  And there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah of the family of

 Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.

JDG 17:8  And the man departed out of the city from Bethlehemjudah to sojourn

 where he could find a place: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of

 Micah, as he journeyed.

JDG 17:9  And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, I

 am a Levite of Bethlehemjudah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place.

JDG 17:10  And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and

 a priest, and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit

 of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in.

JDG 17:11  And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man

 was unto him as one of his sons.

JDG 17:12  And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his

 priest, and was in the house of Micah.

JDG 17:13  Then said Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I

 have a Levite to my priest.

JDG 18:1  In those days there was no king in Israel: and in those days the

 tribe of the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in; for unto that

 day all their inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of

 Israel.

JDG 18:2  And the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their

 coasts, men of valour, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and

 to search it; and they said unto them, Go, search the land: who when they

 came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, they lodged there.

JDG 18:3  When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the

 young man the Levite: and they turned in thither, and said unto him, Who

 brought thee hither? and what makest thou in this place? and what hast thou

 here?

JDG 18:4  And he said unto them, Thus and thus dealeth Micah with me, and hath

 hired me, and I am his priest.

JDG 18:5  And they said unto him, Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we

 may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous.

JDG 18:6  And the priest said unto them, Go in peace: before the LORD is your

 way wherein ye go.

JDG 18:7  Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people

 that were therein, how they dwelt careless, after the manner of the

 Zidonians, quiet and secure; and there was no magistrate in the land, that

 might put them to shame in any thing; and they were far from the Zidonians,

 and had no business with any man.

JDG 18:8  And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their

 brethren said unto them, What say ye?

JDG 18:9  And they said, Arise, that we may go up against them: for we have

 seen the land, and, behold, it is very good: and are ye still? be not

 slothful to go, and to enter to possess the land.

JDG 18:10  When ye go, ye shall come unto a people secure, and to a large land:

 for God hath given it into your hands; a place where there is no want of any

 thing that is in the earth.

JDG 18:11  And there went from thence of the family of the Danites, out of

 Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men appointed with weapons of war.

JDG 18:12  And they went up, and pitched in Kirjathjearim, in Judah: wherefore

 they called that place Mahanehdan unto this day: behold, it is behind

 Kirjathjearim.

JDG 18:13  And they passed thence unto mount Ephraim, and came unto the house

 of Micah.

JDG 18:14  Then answered the five men that went to spy out the country of

 Laish, and said unto their brethren, Do ye know that there is in these houses

 an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image? now therefore

 consider what ye have to do.

JDG 18:15  And they turned thitherward, and came to the house of the young man

 the Levite, even unto the house of Micah, and saluted him.

JDG 18:16  And the six hundred men appointed with their weapons of war, which

 were of the children of Dan, stood by the entering of the gate.

JDG 18:17  And the five men that went to spy out the land went up, and came in

 thither, and took the graven image, and the 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.

JDG 18:18  And these went into Micah's house, and fetched the carved image, the

 ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. Then said the priest unto

 them, What do ye?

JDG 18:19  And they said unto him, Hold thy peace, lay thine hand upon thy

 mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest: is it better for

 thee to be a priest unto the house of one man, or that thou be a priest unto

 a tribe and a family in Israel?

JDG 18:20  And the priest's heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the

 teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people.

JDG 18:21  So they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle

 and the carriage before them.

JDG 18:22  And when they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men that

 were in the houses near to Micah's house were gathered together, and overtook

 the children of Dan.

JDG 18:23  And they cried unto the children of Dan. And they turned their

 faces, and said unto Micah, What aileth thee, that thou comest with such a

 company?

JDG 18:24  And he said, Ye have taken away my gods which I made, and the

 priest, and ye are gone away: and what have I more? and what is this that ye

 say unto me, What aileth thee?

JDG 18:25  And the children of Dan said unto him, Let not thy voice be heard

 among us, lest angry fellows run upon thee, and thou lose thy life, with the

 lives of thy household.

JDG 18:26  And the children of Dan went their way: and when Micah saw that they

 were too strong for him, he turned and went back unto his house.

JDG 18:27  And they took the things which Micah had made, and the priest which

 he had, and came unto Laish, unto a people that were at quiet and secure: and

 they smote them with the edge of the sword, and burnt the city with fire.

JDG 18:28  And there was no deliverer, because it was far from Zidon, and they

 had no business with any man; and it was in the valley that lieth by

 Bethrehob. And they built a city, and dwelt therein.

JDG 18:29  And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan

 their father, who was born unto Israel: howbeit the name of the city was

 Laish at the first.

JDG 18:30  And the children of Dan set up the graven image: and Jonathan, the

 son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the

 tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.

JDG 18:31  And they set them up Micah's graven image, which he made, all the

 time that the house of God was in Shiloh.

JDG 19:1  And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel,

 that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of mount Ephraim, who

 took to him a concubine out of Bethlehemjudah.

JDG 19:2  And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from

 him unto her father's house to Bethlehemjudah, and was there four whole

 months.

JDG 19:3  And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto

 her, and to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of

 asses: and she brought him into her father's house: and when the father

 of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.

JDG 19:4  And his father in law, the damsel's father, retained him; and he

 abode with him three days: so they did eat and drink, and lodged there.

JDG 19:5  And it came to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early in the

 morning, that he rose up to depart: and the damsel's father said unto his son

 in law, Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your

 way.

JDG 19:6  And they sat down, and did eat and drink both of them together: for

 the damsel's father had said unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry

 all night, and let thine heart be merry.

JDG 19:7  And when the man rose up to depart, his father in law urged him:

 therefore he lodged there again.

JDG 19:8  And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart; and the

 damsel's father said, Comfort thine heart, I pray thee. And they tarried

 until afternoon, and they did eat both of them.

JDG 19:9  And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his

 servant, his father in law, the damsel's father, said unto him, Behold, now

 the day draweth toward evening, I pray you tarry all night: behold, the day

 groweth to an end, lodge here, that thine heart may be merry; and to morrow

 get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home.

JDG 19:10  But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and

 departed, and came over against Jebus, which is Jerusalem; and there were

 with him two asses saddled, his concubine also was with him.

JDG 19:11  And when they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant

 said unto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn in into this city

 of the Jebusites, and lodge in it.

JDG 19:12  And his master said unto him, We will not turn aside hither into the

 city of a stranger, that is not of the children of Israel; we will pass over

 to Gibeah.

JDG 19:13  And he said unto his servant, Come, and let us draw near to one

 of these places to lodge all night, in Gibeah, or in Ramah.

JDG 19:14  And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon

 them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin.

JDG 19:15  And they turned aside thither, to go in and to lodge in Gibeah: and

 when he went in, he sat him down in a street of the city: for there was no

 man that took them into his house to lodging.

JDG 19:16  And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at

 even, which was also of mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah: but the

 men of the place were Benjamites.

JDG 19:17  And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in the

 street of the city: and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and whence

 comest thou?

JDG 19:18  And he said unto him, We are passing from Bethlehemjudah toward the

 side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I: and I went to Bethlehemjudah, but I

 am now going to the house of the LORD; and there is no man that receiveth me

 to house.

JDG 19:19  Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses; and there is

 bread and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man which

 is with thy servants: there is no want of any thing.

JDG 19:20  And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever let all thy

 wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street.

JDG 19:21  So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses:

 and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.

JDG 19:22  Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the

 city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, and beat at the

 door, and spake to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth

 the man that came into thine house, that we may know him.

JDG 19:23  And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and said

 unto them, Nay, my brethren, nay, I pray you, do not so wickedly; seeing that

 this man is come into mine house, do not this folly.

JDG 19:24  Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I will

 bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good unto

 you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing.

JDG 19:25  But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took his

 concubine, and brought her forth unto them; and they knew her, and abused her

 all the night until the morning: and when the day began to spring, they let

 her go.

JDG 19:26  Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the

 door of the man's house where her lord was, till it was light.

JDG 19:27  And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the

 house, and went out to go his way: and, behold, the woman his concubine was

 fallen down at the door of the house, and her hands were upon the threshold.

JDG 19:28  And he said unto her, Up, and let us be going. But none answered.

 Then the man took her up upon an ass, and the man rose up, and gat him unto

 his place.

JDG 19:29  And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold

 on his concubine, and divided her, together with her bones, into twelve

 pieces, and sent her into all the coasts of Israel.

JDG 19:30  And it was so, that all that saw it said, There was no such deed

 done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the

 land of Egypt unto this day: consider of it, take advice, and speak your

 minds.

JDG 20:1  Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was

 gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land of

 Gilead, unto the LORD in Mizpeh.

JDG 20:2  And the chief of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel,

 presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred

 thousand footmen that drew sword.

JDG 20:3  (Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were

 gone up to Mizpeh.) Then said the children of Israel, Tell us, how was this

 wickedness?

JDG 20:4  And the Levite, the husband of the woman that was slain, answered and

 said, I came into Gibeah that belongeth to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to

 lodge.

JDG 20:5  And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round

 about upon me by night, and thought to have slain me: and my concubine have

 they forced, that she is dead.

JDG 20:6  And I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her

 throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel: for they have

 committed lewdness and folly in Israel.

JDG 20:7  Behold, ye are all children of Israel; give here your advice and

 counsel.

JDG 20:8  And all the people arose as one man, saying, We will not any of us go

 to his tent, neither will we any of us turn into his house.

JDG 20:9  But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will

 go up by lot against it;

JDG 20:10  And we will take ten men of an hundred throughout all the tribes of

 Israel, and an hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to

 fetch victual for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of

 Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have wrought in Israel.

JDG 20:11  So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit

 together as one man.

JDG 20:12  And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin,

 saying, What wickedness is this that is done among you?

JDG 20:13  Now therefore deliver us the men, the children of Belial, which are

 in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But

 the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the

 children of Israel.

JDG 20:14  But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the

 cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel.

JDG 20:15  And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the

 cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, beside the inhabitants of

 Gibeah, which were numbered seven hundred chosen men.

JDG 20:16  Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men

 lefthanded; every one could sling stones at an hair breadth, and not miss.

JDG 20:17  And the men of Israel, beside Benjamin, were numbered four hundred

 thousand men that drew sword: all these were men of war.

JDG 20:18  And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of

 God, and asked counsel of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the

 battle against the children of Benjamin? And the LORD said, Judah shall go up

 first.

JDG 20:19  And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped

 against Gibeah.

JDG 20:20  And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the

 men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against them at Gibeah.

JDG 20:21  And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed

 down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men.

JDG 20:22  And the people the men of Israel encouraged themselves, and set

 their battle again in array in the place where they put themselves in array

 the first day.

JDG 20:23  (And the children of Israel went up and wept before the LORD until

 even, and asked counsel of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up again to battle

 against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the LORD said, Go up against

 him.)

JDG 20:24  And the children of Israel came near against the children of

 Benjamin the second day.

JDG 20:25  And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second

 day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again

 eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword.

JDG 20:26  Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and

 came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the LORD, and

 fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings

 before the LORD.

JDG 20:27  And the children of Israel enquired of the LORD, (for the ark of the

 covenant of God was there in those days,

JDG 20:28  And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it

 in those days,) saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the

 children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And the LORD said, Go up;

 for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand.

JDG 20:29  And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah.

JDG 20:30  And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin

 on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other

 times.

JDG 20:31  And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were

 drawn away from the city; and they began to smite of the people, and kill, as

 at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to the house of

 God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel.

JDG 20:32  And the children of Benjamin said, They are smitten down before us,

 as at the first. But the children of Israel said, Let us flee, and draw them

 from the city unto the highways.

JDG 20:33  And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put

 themselves in array at Baaltamar: and the liers in wait of Israel came forth

 out of their places, even out of the meadows of Gibeah.

JDG 20:34  And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all

 Israel, and the battle was sore: but they knew not that evil was near them.

JDG 20:35  And the LORD smote Benjamin before Israel: and the children of

 Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and an

 hundred men: all these drew the sword.

JDG 20:36  So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten: for the men

 of Israel gave place to the Benjamites, because they trusted unto the liers

 in wait which they had set beside Gibeah.

JDG 20:37  And the liers in wait hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah; and the liers

 in wait drew themselves along, and smote all the city with the edge of the

 sword.

JDG 20:38  Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the

 liers in wait, that they should make a great flame with smoke rise up out

 of the city.

JDG 20:39  And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began to

 smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons: for they said,

 Surely they are smitten down before us, as in the first battle.

JDG 20:40  But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a pillar

 of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and, behold, the flame of the

 city ascended up to heaven.

JDG 20:41  And when the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin were

 amazed: for they saw that evil was come upon them.

JDG 20:42  Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel unto the

 way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and them which came out

 of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them.

JDG 20:43  Thus they inclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them, and

 trode them down with ease over against Gibeah toward the sunrising.

JDG 20:44  And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these were men

 of valour.

JDG 20:45  And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of

 Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; and

 pursued hard after them unto Gidom, and slew two thousand men of them.

JDG 20:46  So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five

 thousand men that drew the sword; all these were men of valour.

JDG 20:47  But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the rock

 Rimmon, and abode in the rock Rimmon four months.

JDG 20:48  And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of

 Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men of every

 city, as the beast, and all that came to hand: also they set on fire all the

 cities that they came to.

JDG 21:1  Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not

 any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife.

JDG 21:2  And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even

 before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore;

JDG 21:3  And said, O LORD God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel,

 that there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel?

JDG 21:4  And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and

 built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.

JDG 21:5  And the children of Israel said, Who is there among all the tribes of

 Israel that came not up with the congregation unto the LORD? For they had

 made a great oath concerning him that came not up to the LORD to Mizpeh,

 saying, He shall surely be put to death.

JDG 21:6  And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their

 brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.

JDG 21:7  How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn

 by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?

JDG 21:8  And they said, What one is there of the tribes of Israel that came

 not up to Mizpeh to the LORD? And, behold, there came none to the camp from

 Jabeshgilead to the assembly.

JDG 21:9  For the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of the

 inhabitants of Jabeshgilead there.

JDG 21:10  And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the

 valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of

 Jabeshgilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children.

JDG 21:11  And this is the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy

 every male, and every woman that hath lain by man.

JDG 21:12  And they found among the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead four hundred

 young virgins, that had known no man by lying with any male: and they brought

 them unto the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.

JDG 21:13  And the whole congregation sent some to speak to the children of

 Benjamin that were in the rock Rimmon, and to call peaceably unto them.

JDG 21:14  And Benjamin came again at that time; and they gave them wives which

 they had saved alive of the women of Jabeshgilead: and yet so they sufficed

 them not.

JDG 21:15  And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the LORD had

 made a breach in the tribes of Israel.

JDG 21:16  Then the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for wives

 for them that remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?

JDG 21:17  And they said, There must be an inheritance for them that be escaped

 of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.

JDG 21:18  Howbeit we may not give them wives of our daughters: for the

 children of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed be he that giveth a wife to

 Benjamin.

JDG 21:19  Then they said, Behold, there is a feast of the LORD in Shiloh

 yearly in a place which is on the north side of Bethel, on the east side

 of the highway that goeth up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south of

 Lebonah.

JDG 21:20  Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go and

 lie in wait in the vineyards;

JDG 21:21  And see, and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance

 in dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his

 wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

JDG 21:22  And it shall be, when their fathers or their brethren come unto us

 to complain, that we will say unto them, Be favourable unto them for our

 sakes: because we reserved not to each man his wife in the war: for ye did

 not give unto them at this time, that ye should be guilty.

JDG 21:23  And the children of Benjamin did so, and took them wives, according

 to their number, of them that danced, whom they caught: and they went and

 returned unto their inheritance, and repaired the cities, and dwelt in them.

JDG 21:24  And the children of Israel departed thence at that time, every man

 to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from thence every man to

 his inheritance.

JDG 21:25  In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which

 was right in his own eyes.