16 And he divided the three hundred men 5 And he said unto the men of Succothi, into three companies, and he put a trumpet Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, people that follow me; for they be faint, and and lamps within the pitchers. I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.

17 And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be, that as I do, so shall ye do.

18 When 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.

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?

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.

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; 8 And he went up thence to Penuel, and and they had but newly set the watch: and spake unto them likewise: and the men of they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitch-Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth ers that were in their hands. had answered him.

20 And the three companies blew the 9 And he spake also unto the men of Petrumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held nuel, saying, When I come again in peace, the lamps in their left hands, and the trum-I will break down this tower.

pets in their right hands to blow withal: and 10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifGideon. teen thousand men, all that were left of all 21 And they stood every man in his place the hosts of the children of the east: for there round about the camp: and all the host ran, fell an hundred and twenty thousand men and cried, and fled. that drew sword.

22 And the three hundred blew the trum- 11 And Gideon went up by the way of pets, and the LORD set every man's sword them that dwelt in tents, on the east of Noagainst his fellow, even throughout all the bah and Jogbehah, and smote the host: for host: and the host fled to Beth-shittah in the host was secure.

Zererath, and to the border of Abel-meholah, 12 And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, unto Tabbath. he pursued after them, and took the two 23 And the men of Israel gathered them-kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, selves together out of Naphtali, and out of and discomfited all the host. Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued 13 ¶ And Gideon the son of Joash returnafter the Midianites. ed from battle before the sun was up,

24¶ And Gideon sent messengers through- 14 And caught a young man of the men out all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down of Succoth, and enquired of him and he against the Midianites, and take before them described unto him the princes of Succoth, the waters unto Beth-barah and Jordan. Then and the elders thereof, even threescore and all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves seventeen men. together, and took the waters unto Beth-barah and Jordan.

25 And they took two princes of the Mi dianites, Oreb and Zeeb: and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the wine-press of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.

CHAP. VIII.

ND the men of Ephraim said unto him, A 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.

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?

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.

17 And he beat down the tower of Penuel,

and slew the men of the city.

18 Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor? And they answer2 And he said unto them, What have led, As thou art, so were they; each one redone now in comparison of you? Is not the sembled the children of a king. gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abi-ezer?"

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.

19 And he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother: as the LORD liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you.

20 And he said unto Jether his first-born, Up, and slay them: but the youth drew not his sword; for he feared, because he was yet

41 And Gideon came to Jordan, and pass- a youth. ed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them.

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 or that one reign over you? remember also Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the or- that I am your bone and your flesh. naments that were on their camels' necks. 3 And his mother's brethren spake of him 22 Then the men of Israel said unto Gi- in the ears of all the men of Shechem all deon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy these words: and their hearts inclined to son, and thy son's son also; for thou hast de-follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our livered us from the hand of Midian. brother.

23 And Gideon said unto them, I will not 4 And they gave him threescore and ten rule over you, neither shall my son rule over pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-berith, you the LORD shall rule over you. wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light

24 And Gideon said unto them, I would persons which followed him. desire a request of you, that ye would give 5 And he went unto his father's house at me every man the ear-rings of his prey: (for Ophrah, and slew his brethren, the sons of they had golden ear-rings, because they Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, were Ishmaelites.) upon one stone: notwithstanding, yet Jo25 And they answered, We will willingly tham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left: give them. And they spread a garment, for he hid himself. and did cast therein every man the ear-rings] 6 And all the men of Shechem gathered of his prey. together, and all the house of Millo, and 26 And the weight of the golden ear-rings went and made Abimelech king, by the plain that he requested was a thousand and seven of the pillar that was in Shechem. hundred shekels of gold, besides ornaments, 7 And when they told it to Jotham, he and collars, and purple raiment that was on went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, the kings of Midian, and besides the chains and lifted up his voice and cried, and said unthat were about their camels' necks. to them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you.

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.

8 The trees went forth on a time to anoint king over them; and they said unto the olive-tree, Reign thou over us.

a

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

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

I

11 But the fig-tree said unto them, Should forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees? 12 Then said the trees unto the vine, She-Come thou, and reign over us.

I

28 1 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. 29 ¶ And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.

30 And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.

31 And his concubine that was in chem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.

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 Abi-ezrites.

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 Baal-berith their god.

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:

35 Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.

CHAP. IX.

ND Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal A unto ren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying,

2 Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you,

13 And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?

14 Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.

15 And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.

JUDGES.

But if not, let fire come out from Abi- said unto him, Thou seest the shadow of the ech, and devour the men of Shechem, mountains as if they were men.

the house of Millo; and let fire come out n the men of Shechem, and from the se of Millo, and devour Abimelech. 1 And Jotham ran away, and fled, and nt to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of imelech his brother.

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.

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.

39 And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.

40 And Abimelech chased him, and he fled
before him; and many were overthrown and

24 That the cruelty done to the threescore
41 And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and
nd ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and wounded, even unto the entering of the gate.
eir blood be laid upon Abimelech their
rother, which slew them; and upon the men Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that
f Shechem, which aided him in the killing they should not dwell in Shechem.
of his brethren.

42 And it came to pass on the morrow,
that the people went out into the field; and
they told Abimelech.

43 And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait in the field, and looked, and behold, the people were come forth out of the city; and he rose up against them, and smote them.

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

22 T When Abimelech had reigned three ars over Israel,

23 Then God sent an evil spirit between Dimelech and the men of Shechem; and e men of Shechem dealt treacherously with bimelech:

25 And the men of Shechem set liers in vait for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them; and it was told Abimelech.

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

27 And they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and trode the grapes, and made merry, and went into the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech.

54 Then he called hastily unto the young the LORD, We have sinned: do thou unto us man his armour-bearer, and said unto him, whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say us only, we pray thee, this day. not of me, A woman slew him. And his 16 And they put away the strange gods young man thrust him through, and he died. from among them, and served the LORD: 55 And when the men of Israel saw that and his soul was grieved for the misery of Abimelech was dead, they departed every Israel. man unto his place.

17 Then the children of Ammon were ga56 Thus God rendered the wickedness of thered together, and eneamped in Gilead. Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in and the children of Israel assembled themslaying his seventy brethren : selves together, and encamped in Mizpeh. 57 And all the evil of the men of Shechem 18 And the people, and princes of Gilead did God render upon their heads: and upon said one to another, What man is he that them came the curse of Jotham the son of will begin to fight against the children of Jerubbaal. Ammon? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead. CHAP. XI.

TOW Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah. 2 And Gilead's wife bare him sons: and

CHAP. X.

ND after Abimelech there arose, to de

A fend Israel, Tola the son of Puah, the NOW

son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he
dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim.

2 And be judged Israel twenty and three
years, and died, and was buried in Shamir. his wife's sons grew up, and they thrust out
31 And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not
and judged Israel twenty and two years. inherit in our father's house; for thou art the
4 And he had thirty sons that rode on thir-son of a strange woman.

ty ass-colts, and they had thirty cities, which 3 Then Jephthah fled from his brethren,
are called Havoth-jair unto this day, which and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there
are in the land of Gilead.
were gathered vain men to Jephthah, and
went out with him.

5 And Jair died,and was buried in Camon. 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."

41 And it came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel.

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:

7 And the anger of the LORD was hot 6 And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and against Israel, and he sold them into the be our captain, that we may fight with the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands children of Ammon. of the children of Ammon.

7 And Jephthah said unto the elders of 8 And that year they vexed and oppressed Gilead, Did not ye hate me, and expel me the children of Israel eighteen years, all the out of my father's house? and why are children of Israel that were on the other side come unto now when ye are in distress? Jordan, in the land of the Amorites, which 8 And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephis in Gilead. thah, Therefore we turn again to thee now, 9 Moreover, the children of Ammon passed that thou mayest go with us, and fight over Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against the children of Ammon, and be our against Benjamin, and against the house of head over all the inhabitants of Gilead. Ephraim; so that Israel was sore distressed. 9 And Jephthah said unto the elders of

Je

101 And the children of Israel cried unto Gilead, If ye bring me home again to fight the LORD, saying, We have sinned against against the children of Ammon, and the thee, both because we have forsaken our God, LORD deliver them before me, shall I be and also served Baalim. your head?

11 And the LORD said unto the children of 10 And the elders of Gilead said unto JephIsrael, Did not I deliver you from the Egyp-thah, The LORD be witness between us, if tians, and from the Amorites, from the chil-we do not so according to thy words. dren of Ammon, and from the Philistines?. 11 Then Jephthah went with the elders of

12 The Zidonians also,and the Amalekites, Gilead, and the people made him head and and the Maonites, did oppress you; and ye captain over them: and Jephthah uttered all cried to me, and I delivered you out of their his words before the LORD in Mizpeh. hand. 12 1 And Jephthah sent messengers unto 13 Yet ye have forsaken me, and served the king of the children of Ammon, saying, other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come against me to fight in my land?

more.

13 And the king of the children of Ammon answered unto the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land when they

15 fi And the children of Israel said unto came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto

14 Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen ; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.

Jabbok, and unto Jordan: now therefore restore those lands again peaceably.

14 And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ammon,

15 And said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, Israel took not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon.

16 But when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked through the wilderness unto the Red sea, and came to Kadesh;

I

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

31 Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD's, and will offer it up for a burnt-offering. 32 So Jephthah passed over unto the 17 Then Israel sent messengers unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; king of Edom, saying, Let me, I pray thee, and the LORD delivered them into his hands. pass through thy land: but the king of Edom 33 And he smote them from Aroer, even would not hearken thereto. And in like man- till thou come to Minnith, even twenty cities, ner they sent unto the king of Moab; but he and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a would not consent: and Israel abode inKadesh. very great slaughter. Thus the children of 18 Then they went along through the wil- Ammon were subdued before the children of derness, and compassed the land of Edom, Israel.

and the land of Moab, and came by the east 34 T And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto side of the land of Moab, and pitched on the his house, and, behold, his daughter came other side of Arnon, but came not within the out to meet him with timbrels and with border of Moab: for Arnon was the border dances: and she was his only child; beside of Moab. her he had neither son nor daughter.

19 And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon 35 And it came to pass when he saw her, king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my and Israel said unto him, Let us pass, we pray daughter! thou hast brought me very low, thee, through thy land unto my place. and thou art one of them that trouble me: 20 But Sihon trusted not Israel to pass for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, through his coast: but Sihon gathered all his and I cannot go back. people together, and pitched in Jahaz, and fought against Israel.

36 And she said unto him, My father,if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to 21 And the LORD God of Israel delivered me according to that which hath proceeded Sihon, and all his people, into the hand of out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the LORD Israel, and they smote them: so Israel possess-hath taken vengeance for thee of thine eneed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabit-mies, even of the children of Ammon.

37 And she said unto her father, Let this

ants of that country. 22 And they possessed all the coasts of the thing be done for me; let me alone two Amorites, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, months, that I may go up and down upon and from the wilderness even unto Jordan. the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I 23 So now the LORD God of Israel hath and my fellows. dispossessed the Amorites from before his 38 And he said, Go. And he sent her people Israel, and shouldest thou possess it? away for two months: and she went with 24 Wilt not thou possess that which Che-her companions, and bewailed her virginity mosh thy god giveth thee to possess? So upon the mountains.

whomsoever the LORD our God shall drive 39 And it came to pass, at the end of two out from before us, them will we possess. months, that she returned unto her father, 25 And now, art thou any thing better who did with her according to his vow which than Balak, the son of Zippor king of Mo-he had vowed: and she knew no man. And ab? did he ever strive against Israel, or did it was a custom in Israel,

he ever fight against them,

40 That the daughters of Israel went year. 26 While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her ly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the towns, and in Aroer and her towns, and in all Gileadite four days in a year. the cities that be along by the coasts of Arnon, three hundred years? why therefore did ye not recover them within that time AND the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward,

CHAP. XII.

27 Wherefore I have not sinned against and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thee, but thou doest me wrong to war against thou over to fight against the children of me: the LORD the Judge be judge this day Ammon, and didst not call us to go with between the children of Israel and the chil-thee? we will burn thine house upon thee dren of Ammon. with fire.

28 Howbeit the king of the children of 2 And Jephthah said unto them, I and my Ammon hearkened not unto the words of people were at great strife with the children Jephthah which he sent him. of Ammon; and when I called you, ye deli

29 Then the Spirit of the LORD came vered me not out of their hands. upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead 3 And when I saw that ye delivered me not, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of I put my life in my hands, and passed over Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he pass- against the children of Ammon,and the LORD ed over unto the children of Ammon. delivered them into my hand: wherefore