Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there were gathered worthless men to Jephthah, and went out with him.

And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, judged Israel at that time.

And Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my allotted portion, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with you into your allotted portion. So Simeon went with him.

And they found Adonibezek in Bezek: and they fought against him, and they slew the Canaanites and the Perizzites.

That the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, who said unto them, Thus says the LORD God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage;

Therefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.

And the trees said to the fig tree, Come you, and reign over us.

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.

And they were to test 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.

And he spoke also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.

In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travelers walked through byways.

But Adonibezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes.

And Adonibezek said, Threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered scraps under my table: as I have done, so God has requited me. And they brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died.

And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron: (now the name of Hebron before was Kiriatharba:) and they slew Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai.

And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What have you to do with me, that you are come against me to fight in my land?

So the people took provisions 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.

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?

Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and had taken it, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire.

That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There has not come a razor upon my 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.

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.

And Caleb said, He that strikes Kiriathsepher, and takes it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter as wife.

And from there he went against the inhabitants of Debir: and the name of Debir before was Kiriathsepher:

And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drove them out from before you, and gave you their land;

And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh in Naphtali, and said unto him, Has not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?

And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, I pray you, let us detain you, until we shall have made ready a kid for you.

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 lies to the south of Arad; and they went and dwelt among the people.

And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and cut down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men.

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 until this day.

And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter as wife.

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

But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?

And the old man said, Peace be with you; however let all your needs lie upon me; only lodge not in the street.

And she said unto him, Give me a blessing: for you have given me the south land; give me also springs of water. And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.

Also Judah took Gaza with its border, and Askelon with its border, and Ekron with its border.

And it came to pass, when she came to him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she got down from her donkey; and Caleb said unto her, What do you want?

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.

And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites:

And the spies saw a man come forth out of the city, and they said unto him, Show us, we pray you, the entrance into the city, and we will show you mercy.

And it came to pass, when the angel of the LORD spoke these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voices, and wept.

And they gave Hebron unto Caleb, as Moses said: and he expelled from there the three sons of Anak.

And the house of Joseph sent to spy out Bethel. (Now the name of the city before was Luz.)

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.

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 a hundred and twenty thousand men that drew the sword.

And when he showed them the entrance into the city, they struck the city with the edge of the sword; but they let go the man and all his family.

And the house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel: and the LORD was with them.

And I said unto you, I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell: but you have not obeyed my voice.

And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice your husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn you and your father's house with fire: have you called us to take what we have? is it not so?

The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.

And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Arise, get you down unto the host; for I have delivered it into your hand.

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

And when Joshua had let the people go, the children of Israel went every man unto his inheritance to possess the land.

And Barak said unto her, If you will go with me, then I will go: but if you will not go with me, then I will not go.

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 has showed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand.

And the man went into the land of the Hittites, and built a city, and called the name thereof Luz: which is its name until this day.

And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor.

And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to forced labor, and did not utterly drive them out.

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.

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

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.

And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where are all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD has forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.

And they called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there unto the LORD.

And I will draw unto you by the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into your hand.

But if you fear to go down, go with Phurah your servant down to the host:

And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, who knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.

And they put away the foreign gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.

And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgot the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the idol poles.

And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ammon:

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

And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, You do but hate me, and love me not: you have put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and have not told it to me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it to my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it to you?

They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?

And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is your name, that when your sayings come to pass we may do you honor?

And you shall hear what they say; and afterward shall your 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.

And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpah.

Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants of Bethshean and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, nor the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages: but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.

So Manoah took a kid with a grain offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the LORD: and the angel did a wondrous thing; and Manoah and his wife looked on.

And Joshua, the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being a hundred and ten years old.

And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him: and he described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men.

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.

Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Acco, nor the inhabitants of Sidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob:

And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the meat 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.

And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they played the harlot with 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.

Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, who delivered them out of the hand of those that plundered them.

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 the LORD had compassion because of their groanings because of them that oppressed them and vexed them.

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 nations to the river of Kishon.

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.

And they said unto him, Hold your peace, lay your hand upon your mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest: is it better for you to be a priest to the house of one man, or that you be a priest to a tribe and a family in Israel?

And the LORD God of Israel delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they defeated them: so Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country.

And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and routed all the host.

And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why ask you thus after my name, seeing it is wonderful?

And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna with whom you did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread unto your men that are weary?

And Samson said, With the jawbone of a donkey, heaps upon heaps, with the jawbone of a donkey have I slain a thousand men.

And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth you 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.

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

And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up,

And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.

And she said, I will surely go with you: nevertheless the journey that you take shall not be for your honor; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.

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 rug.

Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom you slew at Tabor? And they answered, As you are, so were they; each one resembled the children of a king.

But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the army, unto Harosheth of the nations: and all the host of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; and there was not a man left.

Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites dwelt among them, and became forced laborers.

Now therefore, if you have done truly and sincerely, in that you have made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands;

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.

Yet you have forsaken me, and served other gods: therefore I will deliver you no more.

And he had forty sons and thirty grandsons, that rode on threescore and ten donkey colts: and he judged Israel eight years.

My heart is toward the rulers of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless you the LORD.

So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel.

Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them.

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.

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.

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

And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else except the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand has God delivered Midian, and all the host.

If you then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice you in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you:

But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of bronze; and he did grind in the prison house.

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.

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.

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.

Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, and he was the son of a harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah.

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.

And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and struck the host: for the host felt secure.

But Sihon trusted not Israel to pass through his territory: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and encamped in Jahaz, and fought against Israel.

And said unto him, Thus says Jephthah, Israel took not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon:

Will you not possess that which Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whomsoever the LORD our God shall drive out from before us, them will we possess.

Then the lords of the Philistines gathered themselves together to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god has delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.

Then Israel sent messengers unto the king of Edom, saying, Let me, I pray you, pass through your land: but the king of Edom would not listen. And in like manner they sent unto the king of Moab: but he would not consent: and Israel abode in Kadesh.

And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If you shall without fail deliver the children of Ammon into my hands,

Then they went along through the wilderness, and went around the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the east side of the land of Moab, and encamped on the other side of Arnon, but came not within the border of Moab: for Arnon was the border of Moab.

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

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

Wherever 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.

Now Heber the Kenite, who was of the children of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, had separated himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent as far as the oak of Zaanaim, which is by Kedesh.

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.

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 pressed him so: and she told the riddle to the children of her people.

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.

Speak, you that ride on white donkeys, you that sit in judgment, and walk by the way.

And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said unto him, Let us pass, we pray you, through your land into my place.

And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.

And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this your might, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent you?

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.

And the children of Israel said unto the LORD, We have sinned: do you unto us whatsoever seems good unto you; deliver us only, we pray you, this day.

Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, and humble you them, and do with them what seems good unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing.

And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God.

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.

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.

And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.

When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow you the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.

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 left-handed: and by him the children of Israel sent tribute unto Eglon the king of Moab.

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.

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 broke the pitchers that were in their hands.

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 evening, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.

And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger.

Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

I also will no longer drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died:

But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a grain offering at our hands, neither would he have showed us all these things, nor would at this time have told us such things as these.

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.

And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites, and take the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan.

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 my house, do not this folly.

However the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven.

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 you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have found out my riddle.

Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to test Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan;

Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead your captives captive, you son of Abinoam.

And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.

And they possessed all the territory of the Amorites, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto Jordan.

But Ehud made himself a dagger which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he did gird it under his clothes upon his right thigh.

And after Abimelech there arose to deliver Israel Tola the son of Puah the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, and he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim.

And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of plunderers that plundered them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.

And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.

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 struck it so that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay flat.

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 whom he slew at his death were more than they whom he slew in his life.

And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and its villages, and in Aroer and its villages, and in all the cities that are along by the borders of Arnon, three hundred years? why therefore did you not recover them within that time?

However the king of the children of Ammon heeded not unto the words of Jephthah which he sent him.

Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:

And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our god has delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, who slew many of us.

And the woman bore a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him.

And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make sport for us. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made sport for them: and they set him between the pillars.

Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after you, Benjamin, among your people; out of Machir came down rulers, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer.

And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, Why passed you over to fight against the children of Ammon, and did not call us to go with you? we will burn your house upon you with fire.

Therefore I have not sinned against you, but you do me wrong to war against me: the LORD the Judge be judge this day between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon.

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

So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and struck Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.

So now the LORD God of Israel has driven out the Amorites from before his people Israel, and should you possess it?

And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.

Then Jael, Heber's wife, took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and drove the peg into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died.

However Sisera fled away on foot 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.

And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty donkey colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair unto this day, which are in the land of Gilead.

Depart not from here, I pray you, until I come unto you, and bring forth my present, and set it before you. And he said, I will tarry until you come again.

And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.

Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,

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 resolves of heart.

And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the LORD has delivered Sisera into your hand: is not the LORD gone out before you? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.

And they showed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to mount Tabor.

Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the fords of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand.

And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Take your father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the idol pole that is by it:

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.

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 it, take counsel, and speak your minds.

Then he made him that remains have dominion over the nobles among the people: the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty.

But he himself turned back at the stone images that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret message unto you, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.

And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshiped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD has delivered into your hand the host of Midian.

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 burying place of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years.

And the Gileadites took the fords of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was so that when those Ephraimites who were escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, are you an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay;

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;

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.

And Gilead's wife bore him sons; and his wife's sons grew up, and they thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him, you shall not inherit in our father's house; for you are the son of another woman.

And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose army was Sisera, who dwelt in Harosheth of the nations.

And he brought the tribute unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man.

And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years.

Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the meat and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight.

So let all your enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him be as the sun when it goes forth in its might. And the land had rest forty years.

And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord GOD! for I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face.

And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, Did not you hate me, and expel me out of my father's house? and why are you come unto me now when you are in distress?

And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer chamber, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto you. And he arose out of his seat.

Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead struck down Ephraim, because they said, You Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites.

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.

And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in your sight, then show me a sign that you talk with me.

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.

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

And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, The LORD be witness between us, if we do not so according to your words.

And the priest's heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the household gods, and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people.

LORD, when you went out of Seir, when you marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water.

Praise you the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.

And you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall throw down their altars: but you have not obeyed my voice: why have you done this?

And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto you; fear not: you shall not die.

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 tomorrow I will deliver them into your hand.

And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.

And the border of the Amorites was from the ascent of Akrabbim, from the rock, and upward.

And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly:

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 Mizpah.

And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, If you bring me home again to fight against the children of Ammon, and the LORD deliver them before me, shall I be your head?

And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.

Gilead abode beyond the Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode by his inlets.

Curse you Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, Curse you bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.

And now are you anything better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them,

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

Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule you over us, both you, and your son, and your son's son also: for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.

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

And Elon the Zebulunite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the country of Zebulun.

And the LORD routed Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his army, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera got down from his chariot, and fled away on foot.

And it shall be, when their fathers or their brethren come unto us to complain, that we will say unto them, Be favorable unto them for our sakes: because we reserved not to each man his wife in the war: for you did not give unto them at this time, that you should be guilty.

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.

And he said unto her, Up, and let us be going. But there was no answer. Then the man took her up upon a donkey, and the man rose up, and got himself unto his place.

And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why have you served us thus, that you called us not, when you went to fight with the Midianites? And they did argue with him sharply.

And it was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah out of the land of Tob:

Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the chamber behind him, and locked them.

Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent.

And after him Elon, a Zebulunite, judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years.

And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made themselves the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strongholds.

And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.

And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, Therefore we turn again to you now, that you may go with us, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.

And the LORD said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand.

Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man does come and inquire of you, and say, Is there any man here? that you shall say, No.

And the angel of God said unto him, Take the meat and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.

Why abode you among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.

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 entrance of Hamath.

That through them I may test Israel, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.

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.

Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at least those who before knew nothing thereof;

And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, you delivered me not out of their hands.

And she said, The Philistines be upon you, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he knew not that the LORD was departed from him.

And the LORD defeated Benjamin before Israel: and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and a hundred men: all these drew the sword.

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.

And the three companies blew the trumpets, and broke the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands for blowing: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.

And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and he said, Because this people has transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice;

And it came to pass, when he had finished speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that place Ramathlehi.

And it came to pass, when he had 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 was before them.

And when he had finished presenting the tribute, he sent away the people that bore the tribute.

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 greatly distressed.

Thus they surrounded the Benjamites, and chased them, and trod them down with ease opposite Gibeah toward the east.

And the men in ambush hastened, and rushed upon Gibeah; and the men in ambush moved out, and struck all the city with the edge of the sword.

And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Though you detain me, I will not eat of your food: and if you will offer a burnt offering, you must offer it unto the LORD. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the LORD.

They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.

And his mother's brethren spoke of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother.

The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money.

And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD.

And the hilt 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 his entrails came out.

And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and for twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.

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: nevertheless yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.

And when I saw that you 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: why then are you come up unto me this day, to fight against me?

Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field.

And Jair died, and was buried in Kamon.

So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.

And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the stone images, and escaped unto Seirath.

And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, my own hand has saved me.

And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and allowed not a man to pass over.

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 forced laborers.

And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that you would give me every man the earrings of his spoil. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)

So the children of Benjamin saw that they were defeated: for the men of Israel gave place to the Benjamites, because they trusted unto the men in ambush which they had set beside Gibeah.

He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish.

The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, you have trodden down strength.

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.

And he said unto her, Give me, I pray you, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a skin of milk, and gave him a drink, and covered him.

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

And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, We have sinned against you, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim.

And Gideon made an ephod of it, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went there and played the harlot with it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.

And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother's brethren, and spoke with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying,

And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you.

And you 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;)

And that year they harassed 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.

And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he sent outside for marriage, and took in thirty daughters from outside for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years.

Therefore the LORD left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.

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.

Hear, O you kings; give ear, O you princes; I, even I, will sing unto the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel.

When he had gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlor were locked, they said, Surely he is relieving himself in his summer chamber.

And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will show you the man whom you seek. And when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the peg was in his temples.

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.

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.

And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into your hand: and let all the other people go, every man unto his place.

Have they not sped? have they not divided the spoil; to every man a young woman or two; to Sisera a spoil of many colors, a spoil of many colors of needlework, of many colors of needlework on both sides, suitable for the necks of them that take the spoil?

Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise you, 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.

And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the chamber; therefore they took a key, and opened them: and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the floor.

Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Bethlehem.

And Gideon had threescore and ten sons, his own offspring: for he had many wives.

And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all strong, and all men of valor; and there escaped not a man.

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 you do.

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.

And build an altar unto the LORD your 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 idol pole which you shall cut down.

And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison to you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?

In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

And Gideon came to the Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them.

The mountains melted from before the LORD, even that Sinai from before the LORD God of Israel.

And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they are faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.

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?

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 of Jordan.

So he brought him into his house, and gave fodder unto the donkeys: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.

Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out your son, that he may die: because he has cast down the altar of Baal, and because he has cut down the idol pole that was by it.

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.

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.

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

God has delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison to you? Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.

And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will test them for you there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto you, This one shall go with you, the same shall go with you; and of whomsoever I say unto you, This one shall not go with you, the same shall not go.

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.

The trees went forth once to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign you over us.

And he went up there to Penuel, and spoke unto them likewise: and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him.

And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till you come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor donkey.

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.

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.

So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that laps the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, him shall you set by himself; likewise every one that bows down upon his knees to drink.

And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the idol pole was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built.

Then were the horses' hoofs thundering by means of the gallopings, the gallopings of their mighty ones.

And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bore him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.

And they said one to another, Who has done this thing? And when they inquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing.

And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.

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.

She put her hand to the tent peg, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer; and with the hammer she struck Sisera, she crushed his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples.

Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there a harlot, and went in unto her.

And Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.

Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself,

And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain: for they would not allow them to come down to the valley:

But the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: for they did not drive them out.

And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his spoil.

And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread unto your army?

And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar that was in Shechem.

And Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines.

And he was very thirsty, and called on the LORD, and said, you have given this great deliverance into the hand of your servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?

When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel,

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 forced laborers unto them.

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?

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.

So they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle and the goods in front of them.

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.

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

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.

And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim:

And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Baalberith, with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless persons, who followed him.

That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, who slew them; and upon the men of Shechem, who aided him in the killing of his brethren.

Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Which is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, who are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.

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.

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.

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?

(And the children of Israel went up and wept before the LORD until evening, 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.)

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

In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

For, lo, you shall conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come upon 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.

But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, with which by me they honor God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?

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

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 changes of clothing unto them who expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.

Then the spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon.

And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because of the Midianites,

And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.

And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead.

And Jephthah came to Mizpah unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; besides her he had neither son nor daughter.

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 spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into your house, that we may know him.

Then it shall be, that whatsoever comes 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.

But God split a hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water out of it; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: therefore he called the name thereof Enhakkore, which is in Lehi unto this day.

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

But Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his best man.

And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he tore him as he would have torn a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.

And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah.

And Gideon said unto God, If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said,

Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and encamped 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.

And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray you, and strengthen me, I pray you, only this once, O God, that I may be avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.

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.

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.

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

And the LORD was with Judah; and he drove out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron.

And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and cut down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword.

And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, {} Behold now, you are barren, and bear not: but you shall conceive, and bear a son.

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 Mizpah.

She may not eat of any thing that comes of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing: all that I commanded her let her observe.

And they cried unto the children of Dan. And they turned their faces, and said unto Micah, What ails you, that you come with such a company?

And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.

And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day.

And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Allow me that I may feel the pillars upon which the house stands, that I may lean upon them.

And he said, you have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and you are gone away: and what have I more? and what is this that you say unto me, What ails you?

But the spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him.

And it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, you shall rise early, and set upon the city: and, behold, when he and the people that are with him come out against you, then may you do to them as you shall find occasion.

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 goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.

But it came to pass after a while, 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 allow him to go in.

In those days there was no king in Israel: and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought themselves an inheritance to dwell in; for unto that day all their inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israel.

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.

Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnah, and came to the vineyards of Timnah: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.

And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and played the harlot after Baalim, and made Baalberith their god.

And he struck them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock of Etam.

And the children of Dan said unto him, Let not your voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows run upon you, and you lose your life, with the lives of your household.

And the children of Israel departed from there at that time, every man to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from there every man to his inheritance.

And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcass of the lion.

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 awesome: but I asked him not from where he was, neither told he me his name:

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 territory of Israel.

And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of one with his right hand, and of the other with his left.

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

And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if you can certainly declare it to me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing:

And his concubine played the harlot against him, and went away from him unto her father's house to Bethlehemjudah, and was there four whole months.

Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpah, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin as wife.

And the man Micah had a shrine, and made an ephod, and household gods, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.

And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born unto Israel: however the name of the city was Laish at the first.

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.

Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men, left-handed; every one could sling stones at a hair's breadth, and not miss.

And the children of Israel inquired of the LORD, (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,

Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together, and went over, and encamped in the valley of Jezreel.

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.

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.

But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over opposite Jebus, which is Jerusalem; and there were with him two donkeys saddled, his concubine also was with him.

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 dawn, they let her go.

And he found a new jawbone of a donkey, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men with it.

And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth food, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle.

Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people that were there, how they dwelt safely, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure; and there was no magistrate in the land, that might shame them in anything; and they were far from the Zidonians, and had no business with any man.

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 lament my virginity, I and my companions.

And they took the things which Micah had made, and the priest that he had, and came unto Laish, unto a people that were quiet and secure: and they struck them with the edge of the sword, and burnt the city with fire.

And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put themselves in array at Baaltamar: and the men in ambush from Israel came forth out of their places, even out of the meadows of Gibeah.

And the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their territory, men of valor, 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.

And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at evening, who was also of mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah: but the men of the place were Benjamites.

Then Manoah entreated the LORD, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God whom you did send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born.

And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from you, about which you cursed, and spoke of also in my ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be you of the LORD, my son.

Then answered the five men that went to spy out the country of Laish, and said unto their brethren, Do you know that there is in these houses an ephod, and household gods, and a graven image, and a molten image? now therefore consider what you have to do.

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.

And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he tore his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! you have brought me very low, and you are one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back.

But he said unto me, Behold, you shall 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.

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 lies by Bethrehob. And they built a city, and dwelt in it.

And Delilah said unto Samson, Until now you have mocked me, and told me lies: tell me how you might be bound. And he said unto her, If you weave the seven locks of my head with the web.

Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there no woman among the daughters of your brethren, or among all my people, that you go to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleases me well.

And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson has come here. And they surrounded the place, 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.

And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God, and said, Who of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the LORD said, Judah shall go up first.

And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them when they were near Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin.

Then the Philistines went up, and encamped in Judah, and spread themselves in Lehi.

That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.

And he crushed them from Aroer, even till you 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.

And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to strike the people, and kill, as at other times, in the highways, by which one goes up to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel.

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.

And she said unto him, My father, if you have opened your mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which has proceeded out of your mouth; since the LORD has taken vengeance for you of your enemies, even of the children of Ammon.

And Gideon the son of Joash died at a good old age, and was buried in the sepulcher of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

And Israel set men in ambush round about Gibeah.

And they set them up Micah's graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.

And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took torches, and turned tail to tail, and put a torch in the midst between two tails.

And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see where his great strength lies, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will all give you eleven hundred pieces of silver.

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 you.

And he sent messengers unto Abimelech secretly, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren are come to Shechem; and, behold, they fortify the city against you.

And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death;

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 a hill that is before Hebron.

And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me as a wife.

And there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.

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.

And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give you ten shekels of silver a year, and a suit of apparel, and your living. So the Levite went in.

And see, and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances, then come you out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he has thrown down his altar.

And the congregation sent there twelve thousand of the most valiant men, and commanded them, saying, Go and strike the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children.

So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.

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.

Yet there is both straw and fodder for our donkeys; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for your handmaid, and for the young man who is with your servants: there is no lack of any thing.

And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will you plead for Baal? will you save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death while it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one has cast down his altar.

And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till evening before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept greatly;

And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon: and they cut down of them in the highways five thousand men; and pursued hard after them unto Gidom, and slew two thousand men of them.

And the children of Benjamin said, They are struck 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.

And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into a stronghold of the house of the god Berith.

And she said unto him, How can you say, I love you, when your heart is not with me? you have mocked me these three times, and have not told me where your great strength lies.

And Manoah arose, and went after his wife, and came to the man, and said unto him, are you the man that spoke unto the woman? And he said, I am.

And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they laid in wait against Shechem in four companies.

And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and slew the people that were therein, and beat down the city, and sowed it with salt.

And when he had set the torches on fire, he let them go into the standing grain of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks, and also the standing grain, with the vineyards and olives.

Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it.

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.

Now therefore deliver us the men, the children of Belial, who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But the children of Benjamin would not listen to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel:

And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech's head, and broke his skull.

What 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 as wives?

And Samson said concerning them, Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, though I do them harm.

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:

Then he called hastily unto the young man his armorbearer, and said unto him, Draw your sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.

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 Mizpah, saying, He shall surely be put to death.

And they turned aside there, to go in and to lodge in Gibeah: and when he went in, he sat himself down in a street of the city: for there was no man that took them into his house to lodge.

And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw the wayfaring man in the street of the city: and the old man said, where do you go? and from where do you come?

And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father-in-law, the young woman's father, said unto him, Behold, now the day draws toward evening, I pray you tarry all night: behold, the day grows to an end, lodge here, that your heart may be merry; and tomorrow get you early on your way, that you may go home.

And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware.

And the woman made haste, and ran, and showed her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man has appeared unto me, that came unto me the other day.

And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons.

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 it, then shall I know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.

And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray you, where your great strength lies, and with what you might be bound to afflict you.

And Gideon said unto God, Let not your anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me test, I pray you, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.

And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was fierce: but Benjamin knew not that evil was near them.

Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the silversmith, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah.

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.

And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.

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,

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 donkeys: and she brought him into her father's house: and when the father of the young woman saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.

And he took some of it 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 them not that he had taken the honey out of the carcass of the lion.

And his father-in-law, the young woman's father, detained him; and he abode with him three days: so they did eat and drink, and lodged there.

And there went from there of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men armed with weapons of war.

Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon you, Samson. And he broke the cords, as a thread of yarn is broken when it touches the fire. So his strength was not known.

And Manoah said, Now let your words come to pass. How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him?

And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their brethren said unto them, What say you?

And they said, What one is there of the tribes of Israel that came not up to Mizpah to the LORD? And, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabeshgilead to the assembly.

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.

And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green cords that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.

And this is the thing that you shall do, you shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman that has lain with a man.

And when they were near Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said unto his master, Come, I pray you, and let us turn in into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it.

Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock of Etam, and said to Samson, Know you not that the Philistines are rulers over us? what is this that you have done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them.

And they went up, and encamped in Kiriathjearim, in Judah: therefore they called that place Mahanehdan unto this day: behold, it is west of Kiriathjearim.

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.

And her father said, I verily thought that you had utterly hated her; therefore I gave her to your companion: is not her younger sister fairer than she? take her, I pray you, instead of her.

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

And she fastened it with the pin, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon you, Samson. And he awaked out of his sleep, and went away with the pin of the beam, and with the web.

And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.

And Samson said unto them, Though you have done this, yet will I be avenged of you, and after that I will cease.

(Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpah.) Then said the children of Israel, Tell us, how did this wickedness happen?

And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round about me by night, and thought to have slain me: and my concubine have they so ravished, that she is dead.

For the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead there.

Then the Philistines said, Who has 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.

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.

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.

And it came to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early in the morning, that he rose up to depart: and the young woman's father said unto his son-in-law, Refresh your heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your way.

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.

And his master said unto him, We will not turn aside here into the city of strangers, that is not of the children of Israel; we will pass over to Gibeah.

Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards;

And it was so: for he rose up early the next day, and squeezed the fleece together, and wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.

And he said unto him, We are passing from Bethlehemjudah toward the side of mount Ephraim; from there am I: and I went to Bethlehemjudah, but I am now going to the house of the LORD; and there is no man that receives me into his house.

And they sat down, and did eat and drink both of them together: for the young woman's father had said unto the man, Be content, I pray you, and tarry all night, and let your heart be merry.

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 abomination in Israel.

And the children of Benjamin numbered at that time out of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who numbered seven hundred chosen men.

And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.

Then said Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite as my priest.

And they said unto him, Ask counsel, we pray you, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous.

And the Levite, the husband of the woman that was slain, answered and said, I came into Gibeah that belongs to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge.

And Abimelech went up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an ax 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 you have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done.

And these went into Micah's house, and took the carved image, the ephod, and the household gods, and the molten image. Then said the priest unto them, What are you doing?

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.

And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, you have mocked me, and told me lies: now tell me, I pray you, how you might be bound.

And Gaal spoke again and said, See there come people down from the middle of the land, and another company comes along by the oak of Meonenim.

Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the men in ambush, that they should make a great flame with smoke rising up out of the city.

Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him with them, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon you, Samson. And there were men lying in wait abiding in the chamber. And he broke them from off his arms like a thread.

However we may not give them wives of our daughters: for the children of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed be he that gives a wife to Benjamin.

But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up by lot against it;

And the priest said unto them, Go in peace: the LORD is before your way in which you go.

And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart: and the young woman's father said, Refresh your heart, I pray you. And they tarried until afternoon, and they did eat both of them.

And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin, and struck them with the edge of the sword, the men of every city, as also the beasts, and all that came to hand: also they set on fire all the cities that they came to.

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.

When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man the Levite: and they turned in there, and said unto him, Who brought you here? and what are you doing in this place? and what do you have here?

And Micah said unto him, From where come you? And he said unto him, I am a Levite of Bethlehemjudah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place.

Then the elders of the congregation said, What shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?

And the five men that went to spy out the land went up, and came in there, and took the graven image, and the ephod, and the household gods, and the molten image: and the priest stood in the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men that were armed with weapons of war.

And they spoke unto him, saying, No; but we will bind you securely, and deliver you into their hand: but surely we will not kill you. And they bound him with two new cords, and brought him up from the rock.

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

And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is done among you?

And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem.

Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green cords which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.

And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went near unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.

And we will take ten men of a hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to bring food for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the abomination that they have done in Israel.

And the children of Israel grieved for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.

So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, united together as one man.

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 you still here? be not slothful to go, and to enter to possess the land.

And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown and wounded, even unto the entrance of the gate.

Behold, you are all children of Israel; give here your advice and counsel.

And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

And it came to pass the next day, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.

And the men of Judah said, Why are you come up against us? And they answered, To bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he has done to us.

And he said unto her, If they bind me securely with new ropes that never were used, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.

And they turned aside there, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, even unto the house of Micah, and greeted him.

But if you cannot declare it to me, then shall you give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing. And they said unto him, Put forth your riddle, that we may hear it.

And the six hundred men armed with their weapons of war, who were of the children of Dan, stood by the entrance of the gate.

And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah.

And when the man rose up to depart, his father-in-law urged him: therefore he lodged there again.

And they passed from there unto mount Ephraim, and came unto the house of Micah.

And he said unto them, Thus and thus deals Micah with me, and has hired me, and I am his priest.

Now therefore come up by night, you and the people that are with you, and lie in wait in the field:

And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, from lying in wait.

And said, O LORD God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be today one tribe lacking in Israel?

So that all who fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword; all these were men of valor.

And Benjamin came again at that time; and they gave them wives which they had saved alive of the women of Jabeshgilead: and yet they did not suffice for them.

When you go, you shall come unto a people secure, and to a large land: for God has given it into your hands; a place where there is no lack of any thing that is in the earth.

And the people grieved for Benjamin, because the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.

But there was a strong tower within the city, and there fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut themselves in, and went up to the top of the tower.

And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them against the stronghold, and set the stronghold on fire over them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.

But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel.

Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren:

But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the rock Rimmon, and abode in the rock Rimmon four months.

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 struck them.

And they said, There must be an inheritance for them that are escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.

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

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, you see the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.

And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place.

And they said unto him, We are come down to bind you, that we may deliver you into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them, Swear unto me, that you will not fall upon me yourselves.

Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and those who came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them.

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

Then said Zebul unto him, Where is now your mouth, with which you said, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? is not this the people that you have despised? go out, I pray now, and fight with them.

And it came to pass the next day, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.

And when the men of Israel retreated in the battle, Benjamin began to strike and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons: for they said, Surely they are struck down before us, as in the first battle.

And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.

And the men of Israel, beside Benjamin, numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword: all these were men of war.

And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these were men of valor.

And when the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin were amazed: for they saw that evil was come upon them.