And when the LORD raised up judges unto them, the LORD was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hands of their enemies all the days of the judge: for the LORD had compassion over their sorrowings which they had by the reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them.

And the spirit of the LORD came upon him. And he judged Israel, and went out to war. And the LORD sold Cushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. So that his hand was mighty over Cushanrishathaim.

And he said unto them, "Follow me: for the LORD hath delivered your enemies, the Moabites into your hands." And they descended after him and took the passages of Jordan from the Moabites, and suffered not a man to pass over.

"Then they that had escaped, reigned over the proudest of the people. The LORD reigneth over the strong.

And then Gideon came to Jordan and passed over, both he and the three hundred men that were with him, very faint and yet followed the chase.

Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, "Reign over us, both thou, thy son and thy son's son, for thou hast delivered us out of the hands of the Midianites."

And Gideon said unto them, "I will not reign over you, neither shall my children reign over you, but the LORD shall reign over you."

"Say, I pray you, in the ears of all the inhabiters of Shechem: whether is better for you that all the sons of Jerubbaal which are seventy persons reign over you, either that one reign over you. And remember thereto, that I am your bones and your flesh."

The trees went to anoint a king over them, and said unto the olive tree, 'Reign over us.'

But the olive tree said unto them, 'Should I leave my fatness which both God and man praiseth in me, and go to be promoted over the trees?'

Then said the trees to the fig tree, 'Come thou and be king over us.'

And the fig tree answered them, 'Should I forsake my sweetness and my good fruit, and should go to be promoted over the trees?'

Then said the trees unto the vine, 'Come thou and be king over us.'

And the vine answered, 'Should I leave my wine that cheereth both God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?'

Then said all the trees unto the furze-bush, 'Come thou and reign over us.'

And the furze bush said unto the trees, "If it will be true that ye will anoint me king over you, then come and rest under my shadow, and ye shall see that a fire shall come out of the furze-bush and waste the cypress trees of Lebanon!'

and ye are risen up against my father's house this day. And have slain his children, even seventy persons upon one stone and have made Abimelech - the son of his maidservant - king over the citizens of Shechem, because he is your brother.

Moreover, the children of Ammon went over Jordan to fight against Judah, Benjamin, and the house of Ephraim: so that Israel was sore cumbered.

And the company of the lords of Gilead said each to other, "Whosoever will begin the battle against the children of Ammon, the same shall be head over all the inhabiters of Gilead."

And the elders of Gilead answered Jephthah, "Therefore we turn again to thee now, that thou go with us, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be our head over all the inhabiters of Gilead."

Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead. And the people made him head and ruler over them. And Jephthah rehearsed all his words in Mizpeh.

Then the spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah. And he passed over Gilead and Manasseh, and came to Mizpeh that lieth in Gilead, and from thence unto the children of Ammon.

Moreover, the men of Gilead took the passages of Jordan from the Ephraimites. And when those Ephraimites that were escaped said, "Let us go over," then the men of Gilead said unto them, "Ye are Ephraimites." And they said, "Nay."

But his father and mother wist not that it was the LORD's doing, and that he sought an occasion of the Philistines, which at that time reigned over Israel.

Then three thousand men of Judah went down to the cave of the rock Etam, and said to Samson, "Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? Wherefore then hast thou served us thus?" And he answered them, "As they served me, so have I served them."

- unto whom came the lords of the Philistines, and said unto her, "Flatter with him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may have power over him, that we may bind him, to bring him under, and we will give every man eleven hundred silverlings."