Reference: Government Of The Hebrews
Watsons
GOVERNMENT OF THE HEBREWS. The posterity of Jacob, while remaining in Egypt, maintained, notwithstanding the augmentation of their numbers, that patriarchal form of government which is so prevalent among the nomades. Every father of a family exercised a father's authority over those of his own household. Every tribe obeyed its own prince, ????, who was originally the first-born of the founder of the tribe, but who, in process of time, appears to have been elected. As the people increased in numbers, various heads of families united together, and selected some individual from their own body, who was somewhat distinguished, for their leader. Perhaps the choice was made merely by tacit consent; and, without giving him the title of ruler in form, they were willing, while convinced of his virtues, to render submission to his will. Such a union of families was denominated "the house of the father;" and "the house of the father of the families," Nu 3:24,30,35. In other instances, although the number varied, being sometimes more and sometimes less than a thousand, it was denominated, ???? ?????, a thousand. "Now therefore present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes, and by your thousands;" "the thousands of Judah;" "the thousands of Israel," &c, 1Sa 10:19; 23:23; Jg 6:15; Nu 26:5-50. The heads of these united families were designated "heads of thousands," Nu 1:16; 10:4. They held themselves in subjection to the "princes of the tribes." Both the princes and heads of families are mentioned under the common names of ?????, seniors or senators, and ????? ???? heads of tribes. Following the law of reason, and the rules established by custom, they governed with a paternal authority the tribes and united families; and, while they left the minor concerns to the heads of individual families, aimed to superintend and promote the best interests of the community generally. Originally, it fell to the princes of the tribes themselves to keep genealogical tables: subsequently, they employed scribes especially for this purpose, who, in the progress of time, acquired so great authority, that under the name of ??????, translated, in the English version, officers, they were permitted to exercise a share in the government of the nation. It was by magistrates of this description that the Hebrews were governed while they remained in Egypt; and the Egyptian kings made no objection to it, Ex 3:16; 5:1,14-15,19.
2. The posterity of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were set apart and destined to the great object of preserving and transmitting the true religion, Ge 18:16-20; 17:9-14; 12:3; 22:18; 28:14. Having increased in numbers, it appeared very evident that they could not live among nations given to idolatry without running the hazard of becoming infected with the same evil. They were, therefore, in the providence of God, assigned to a particular country, the extent of which was so small, that they were obliged, if they would live independently of other nations, to give up in a great measure the life of shepherds, and devote themselves to agriculture. Farther: very many of the Hebrews during their residence in Egypt had fallen into idolatrous habits. These were to be brought back again to the knowledge of the true God, and all were to be excited to engage in those undertakings which should be found necessary for the support of the true religion. All the Mosaic institutions aim at the accomplishment of these objects. The fundamental principle, therefore, of those institutions was this,
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And I will bless those who bless thee, and he who curses thee I will curse. And in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
And God said to Abraham, And as for thee, thou shall keep my covenant, thou, and thy seed after thee throughout their generations. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee: every male among you shall be circumcised. read more. And ye shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be a sign of a covenant between me and you. And he who is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations: he who is born in the house, or bought with money of any foreigner that is not of thy seed. He who is born in thy house, and he who is bought with thy money, must be circumcised. And my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.
And the men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom. And Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. And LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that which I do, read more. since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of LORD, to do righteousness and justice, to the end that LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he has spoke And LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous,
and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou have obeyed my voice.
And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shall spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south. And in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say to them, LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, I have surely visited you, and [seen] that which is done to you i
And afterward Moses and Aaron came, and said to Pharaoh, Thus says LORD, the God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.
And the officers of the sons of Israel, whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Why have ye not fulfilled your task both yesterday and today, in making brick as formerly? Then the officers of the sons of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, saying, Why do thou deal thus with thy servants?
And the officers of the sons of Israel saw that they were in affliction, when it was said, Ye shall not diminish anything from your bricks, [your] daily tasks.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood about Moses from the morning to the evening. And when Moses' father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou do to the people? Why do thou sit by thyself, and all the people stand about thee from morning to evening? read more. And Moses said to his father-in-law, Because the people come to me to inquire of God. When they have a matter, they come to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor. And I make them know the statutes of God, and his laws. And Moses' father-in-law said to him, The thing that thou do is not good. Thou will surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee, for the thing is too heavy for thee. Thou are not able to perform it thyself alone. Hearken now to my voice. I will give thee counsel, and God be with thee. Be thou for the people toward God, and bring thou the cases to God. And thou shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and shall show them the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do. Moreover thou shall provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating unjust gain, and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens, and let them judge the people at all seasons. And it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring to thee, but every small matter they shall judge themselves. So shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear [the burden If thou shall do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shall be able to endure, and all this people also shall go to their place in peace. So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said. And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens, and they judged the people at all seasons. The hard cases they brought to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
Ye have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings, and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be my own possession from among all peoples, for all the earth is mine,
And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which LORD commanded him. And all the people answered together, and said, All that LORD has spoken we will do. And Moses reported the words of the people to LORD.
Behold, I send a [heavenly] agent before thee, to keep thee by the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Take ye heed before him, and hearken to his voice, provoke him not. For he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him. read more. But if thou shall indeed hearken to his voice, and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to thine enemies, and an adversary to thine adversaries. For my [heavenly] agent shall go before thee, and bring thee in to the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Canaanite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, and I will cut them off. Thou shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works, but thou shall utterly overthrow them, and break their pillars in pieces. And ye shall serve LORD your God, and he will bless thy bread, and thy water, and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee. There shall none cast her young, nor be barren, in thy land; I will fulfill the number of thy days. I will send my terror before thee, and will destroy all the people to whom thou shall come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs to thee. And I will send the hornet before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee. I will not drive them out from before thee in one year, lest the land become desolate, and the beasts of the field multiply against thee. Little by little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land. And I will set thy border from the Red Sea even to the sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the River. For I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and thou shall drive them out before thee. Thou shall make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me, for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to thee.
And Moses came and told the people all the words of LORD, and all the ordinances. And all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which LORD has spoken will we do. And Moses wrote all the words of LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and built an altar below the mount, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. read more. And he sent young men of the sons of Israel, who offered burnt-offerings, and sacrificed peace-offerings of oxen to LORD. And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basins, and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people. And they said, All that LORD has spoken will we do, and be obedient. And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant that LORD has made with you concerning all these words.
And Moses said, Consecrate yourselves today to LORD, yea, every man against his son, and against his brother, that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.
If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them, then I will give your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.
then I will give your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. And your threshing shall reach to the vintage, and the vintage shall reach to the sowing time, and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely.
And your threshing shall reach to the vintage, and the vintage shall reach to the sowing time, and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely. And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lay down, and none shall make you afraid. And I will cause evil beasts to cease out of the land, nor shall the sword go through your land.
And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lay down, and none shall make you afraid. And I will cause evil beasts to cease out of the land, nor shall the sword go through your land. And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.
And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. And five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase ten thousand, and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.
And five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase ten thousand, and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. And I will have respect to you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and will establish my covenant with you.
And I will have respect to you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and will establish my covenant with you. And ye shall eat old storage long kept, and ye shall bring forth the old because of the new.
And ye shall eat old storage long kept, and ye shall bring forth the old because of the new. And I will set my tabernacle among you, and my soul shall not abhor you.
And I will set my tabernacle among you, and my soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.
And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people. I am LORD your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen. And I have broken the bars of your yoke, and made you go upright.
I am LORD your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen. And I have broken the bars of your yoke, and made you go upright. But if ye will not hearken to me, and will not do all these commandments,
But if ye will not hearken to me, and will not do all these commandments, and if ye shall reject my statutes, and if your soul abhors my ordinances, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant,
and if ye shall reject my statutes, and if your soul abhors my ordinances, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant, I also will do this to you: I will appoint terror over you, even consumption and fever, that shall consume the eyes, and make the soul to pine away. And ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.
I also will do this to you: I will appoint terror over you, even consumption and fever, that shall consume the eyes, and make the soul to pine away. And ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be smitten before your enemies. Those who hate you shall rule over you, and ye shall flee when no man pursues you.
And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be smitten before your enemies. Those who hate you shall rule over you, and ye shall flee when no man pursues you. And if for these things ye will not yet hearken to me, then I will chastise you seven times more for your sins.
And if for these things ye will not yet hearken to me, then I will chastise you seven times more for your sins. And I will break the pride of your power. And I will make your sky as iron, and your earth as brass,
And I will break the pride of your power. And I will make your sky as iron, and your earth as brass, and your strength shall be spent in vain, for your land shall not yield its increase, nor shall the trees of the land yield their fruit.
and your strength shall be spent in vain, for your land shall not yield its increase, nor shall the trees of the land yield their fruit. And if ye walk contrary to me, and will not hearken to me, I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins.
And if ye walk contrary to me, and will not hearken to me, I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins. And I will send the beast of the field among you, which shall rob you of your sons, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number, and your ways shall become desolate.
And I will send the beast of the field among you, which shall rob you of your sons, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number, and your ways shall become desolate. And if by these things ye will not be reformed to me, but will walk contrary to me,
And if by these things ye will not be reformed to me, but will walk contrary to me, then I also will walk contrary to you, and I will smite you, even I, seven times for your sins.
then I also will walk contrary to you, and I will smite you, even I, seven times for your sins. And I will bring a sword upon you that shall execute the vengeance of the covenant, and ye shall be gathered together within your cities. And I will send the pestilence among you, and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enem
And I will bring a sword upon you that shall execute the vengeance of the covenant, and ye shall be gathered together within your cities. And I will send the pestilence among you, and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enem When I break your staff of bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver your bread again by weight, and ye shall eat, and not be satisfied.
When I break your staff of bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver your bread again by weight, and ye shall eat, and not be satisfied. And if for all this ye will not hearken to me, but walk contrary to me,
And if for all this ye will not hearken to me, but walk contrary to me, then I will walk contrary to you in wrath, and I also will chastise you seven times for your sins.
then I will walk contrary to you in wrath, and I also will chastise you seven times for your sins. And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters ye shall eat.
And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters ye shall eat. And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your sun-images, and cast your dead bodies upon the bodies of your idols, and my soul shall abhor you.
And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your sun-images, and cast your dead bodies upon the bodies of your idols, and my soul shall abhor you. And I will make your cities a waste, and will bring your sanctuaries to desolation, and I will not smell the savor of your sweet odors.
And I will make your cities a waste, and will bring your sanctuaries to desolation, and I will not smell the savor of your sweet odors. And I will bring the land into desolation, and your enemies who dwell in it shall be astonished at it.
And I will bring the land into desolation, and your enemies who dwell in it shall be astonished at it. And I will scatter you among the nations, and I will draw out the sword after you, and your land shall be a desolation, and your cities shall be a waste.
And I will scatter you among the nations, and I will draw out the sword after you, and your land shall be a desolation, and your cities shall be a waste. Then the land shall enjoy its Sabbaths, as long as it lays desolate, and ye are in your enemies' land, even then shall the land rest, and enjoy its Sabbaths.
Then the land shall enjoy its Sabbaths, as long as it lays desolate, and ye are in your enemies' land, even then shall the land rest, and enjoy its Sabbaths. As long as it lays desolate it shall have rest, even the rest which it had not in your Sabbaths, when ye dwelt upon it.
As long as it lays desolate it shall have rest, even the rest which it had not in your Sabbaths, when ye dwelt upon it. And as for those who are left of you, I will send a faintness into their heart in the lands of their enemies. And the sound of a driven leaf shall chase them, and they shall flee as a man flees from the sword, and they shall fall w
And as for those who are left of you, I will send a faintness into their heart in the lands of their enemies. And the sound of a driven leaf shall chase them, and they shall flee as a man flees from the sword, and they shall fall w And they shall stumble one upon another, as it were before the sword, when no man pursues. And ye shall have no power to stand before your enemies.
And they shall stumble one upon another, as it were before the sword, when no man pursues. And ye shall have no power to stand before your enemies. And ye shall perish among the nations, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up.
And ye shall perish among the nations, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up. And those who are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies' lands, and also in the iniquities of their fathers they shall pine away with them.
And those who are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies' lands, and also in the iniquities of their fathers they shall pine away with them. And they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, in their trespass which they trespassed against me, and also that, because they walked contrary to me,
And they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, in their trespass which they trespassed against me, and also that, because they walked contrary to me, I also walked contrary to them, and brought them into the land of their enemies. If then their uncircumcised heart be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity,
I also walked contrary to them, and brought them into the land of their enemies. If then their uncircumcised heart be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity, then I will remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember, and I will remember the land.
then I will remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember, and I will remember the land. The land also shall be left by them, and shall enjoy its Sabbaths while it lays desolate without them. And they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity, because, even because they rejected my ordinances, and their soul abh
The land also shall be left by them, and shall enjoy its Sabbaths while it lays desolate without them. And they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity, because, even because they rejected my ordinances, and their soul abh And yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them, for I am LORD their God,
And yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them, for I am LORD their God, but for their sakes I will remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God. I am LORD.
but for their sakes I will remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God. I am LORD. These are the statutes and ordinances and laws, which LORD made between him and the sons of Israel on mount Sinai by Moses.
These are the statutes and ordinances and laws, which LORD made between him and the sons of Israel on mount Sinai by Moses.
These are those who were called from the congregation, the rulers of the tribes of their fathers. They were the heads of the thousands of Israel.
And the ruler of the fathers' house of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael.
And the ruler of the fathers' house of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.
And the ruler of the fathers' house of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. They shall encamp on the side of the tabernacle northward.
And LORD spoke to Moses, saying, Take the Levites from among the sons of Israel, and cleanse them. read more. And thus thou shall do to them to cleanse them: sprinkle the water of expiation upon them, and let them cause a razor to pass over all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and cleanse themselves. Then let them take a young bullock, and its meal-offering--fine flour mingled with oil. And thou shall take another young bullock for a sin-offering. And thou shall present the Levites before the tent of meeting. And thou shall assemble the whole congregation of the sons of Israel, and thou shall present the Levites before LORD. And the sons of Israel shall lay their hands upon the Levites. And Aaron shall offer the Levites before LORD for a wave-offering on the behalf of the sons of Israel, that it may be theirs to do the service of LORD. And the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks, and offer thou the one for a sin-offering, and the other for a burnt-offering, to LORD, to make atonement for the Levites. And thou shall set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for a wave-offering to LORD. Thus shall thou separate the Levites from among the sons of Israel, and the Levites shall be mine. And after that the Levites shall go in to do the service of the tent of meeting. And thou shall cleanse them, and offer them for a wave-offering. For they are wholly given to me from among the sons of Israel; instead of all who open the womb, even the first-born of all the sons of Israel, I have taken them to me. For all the first-born among the sons of Israel are mine, both man and beast. On the day that I smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself. And I have taken the Levites instead of all the first-born among the sons of Israel. And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the sons of Israel, to do the service of the sons of Israel in the tent of meeting, and to make atonement for the sons of Israel, that there be no plague am Thus did Moses, and Aaron, and all the congregation of the sons of Israel, to the Levites. According to all that LORD commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so the sons of Israel did to them. And the Levites purified themselves from sin, and they washed their clothes. And Aaron offered them for a wave-offering before LORD, and Aaron made atonement for them to cleanse them. And after that the Levites went in to do their service in the tent of meeting before Aaron, and before his sons. As LORD had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so they did to them. And LORD spoke to Moses, saying, This is that which belongs to the Levites: From twenty-five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service in the work of the tent of meeting. And from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the work, and shall serve no more, but shall minister with their brothers in the tent of meeting, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shall thou do to the Levites concerning their charges.
And if they blow but one, then the rulers, the heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves to thee.
And LORD said to Moses, Gather to me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou know to be the elders of the people, and officers over them. And bring them to the tent of meeting, that they may stand there with thee.
While the flesh was yet between their teeth, before it was chewed, the anger of LORD was kindled against the people, and LORD smote the people with a very great plague. And the name of that place was called Kibrothhattaavah, because there they buried the people who lusted. read more. From Kibrothhattaavah the people journeyed to Hazeroth, and they abode at Hazeroth.
And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. And they said, Has LORD indeed spoken only with Moses? Has he not spoken also with us? And LORD heard it. read more. Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men who were upon the face of the earth. And LORD spoke suddenly to Moses, and to Aaron, and to Miriam, Come out ye three to the tent of meeting. And the three came out. And LORD came down in a pillar of cloud, and stood at the door of the tent, and called Aaron and Miriam. And they both came forth. And he said, Hear now my words. If there be a prophet among you, I LORD will make myself known to him in a vision. I will speak with him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so. He is faithful in all my house. With him I will speak mouth to mouth, even manifestly, and not in dark speeches, and he shall behold the form of LORD. Why then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses? And the anger of LORD was kindled against them, and he departed. And the cloud removed from over the tent. And, behold, Miriam was leprous, as snow. And Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous. And Aaron said to Moses, Oh, my lord, lay not, I pray thee, sin upon us, in which we have done foolishly, and in which we have sinned. Let her not, I pray, be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother's womb. And Moses cried to LORD, saying, Heal her, O God, I beseech thee. And LORD said to Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? Let her be shut up outside the camp seven days, and after that she shall be brought in again. And Miriam was shut up outside the camp seven days. And the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again.
Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the sons of Israel.
And while the sons of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks upon the Sabbath day. And those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation. read more. And they put him in ward, because it had not been declared what should be done to him. And LORD said to Moses, The man shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp. And all the congregation brought him outside the camp, and stoned him to death with stones, as LORD commanded Moses. And LORD spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the sons of Israel, and bid them that they make for them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of each border a cord of blue. And it shall be to you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of LORD, and do them, and that ye not follow after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to play the harlot, that ye may remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God. I am LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. I am LORD your God.
Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took, and they rose up before Moses, with certain of the sons of Israel, two hundred and fifty rulers of the congregation, called to the assembly, men of renown, read more. and they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said to them, Ye take too much upon you, since all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and LORD is among them. Why then do ye lift up yourselves And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face.
And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face. And he spoke to Korah and to all his company, saying, In the morning LORD will show who are his, and who is holy, and will cause him to come near to him, even him whom he shall choose will he cause to come near to him. read more. This do: Take you censers, Korah, and all his company, and put fire in them, and put incense upon them before LORD tomorrow. And it shall be that the man whom LORD chooses, he [is] holy. Ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi.
And LORD spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the sons of Israel, and take rods from them, one for each fathers' house, from all their rulers according to their fathers' houses, twelve rods. Write thou every man's name upon his rod. read more. And thou shall write Aaron's name upon the rod of Levi, for there shall be one rod for each head of their fathers' houses. And thou shall lay them up in the tent of meeting before the testimony, where I meet with you. And it shall come to pass, that the rod of the man whom I shall choose shall bud. And I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the sons of Israel, which they murmur against you. And Moses spoke to the sons of Israel. And all their rulers gave him rods, for each ruler one, according to their fathers' houses, even twelve rods, and the rod of Aaron was among their rods. And Moses laid up the rods before LORD in the tent of the testimony. And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses went into the tent of the testimony, and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and put forth buds, and produced blossoms, and bore ripe almonds. And Moses brought out all the rods from before LORD to all the sons of Israel. And they looked, and took every man his rod. And LORD said to Moses, Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept for a sign against the sons of rebellion, that thou may make an end of their murmurings against me, that they not die. Thus Moses did. As LORD commanded him, so he did.
Reuben, the first-born of Israel. The sons of Reuben: [of] Hanoch, the family of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the family of the Palluites; of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the family of the Carmites. read more. These are the families of the Reubenites. And those who were numbered of them were forty-three thousand and seven hundred and thirty. And the sons of Pallu: Eliab. And the sons of Eliab: Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. These are that Dathan and Abiram, who were renown men of the congregation, who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah when they strove against LORD, and the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah when that company died, that time the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men, and they became an example. Notwithstanding, the sons of Korah did not die. The sons of Simeon according to their families: of Nemuel, the family of the Nemuelites; of Jamin, the family of the Jaminites; of Jachin, the family of the Jachinites; of Zerah, the family of the Zerahites; of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites. These are the families of the Simeonites, twenty-two thousand and two hundred. The sons of Gad according to their families: of Zephon, the family of the Zephonites; of Haggi, the family of the Haggites; of Shuni, the family of the Shunites; of Ozni, the family of the Oznites; of Eri, the family of the Erites; of Arod, the family of the Arodites; of Areli, the family of the Arelites. These are the families of the sons of Gad according to those who were numbered of them, forty thousand and five hundred. The sons of Judah: Er and Onan, and Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. And the sons of Judah according to their families were: of Shelah, the family of the Shelanites; of Perez, the family of the Perezites; of Zerah, the family of the Zerahites. And the sons of Perez were: of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Hamul, the family of the Hamulites. These are the families of Judah according to those who were numbered of them, seventy-six thousand and five hundred. The sons of Issachar according to their families: [of] Tola, the family of the Tolaites; of Puvah, the family of the Punites; of Jashub, the family of the Jashubites; of Shimron, the family of the Shimronites. These are the families of Issachar according to those who were numbered of them, sixty-four thousand and three hundred. The sons of Zebulun according to their families: of Sered, the family of the Seredites; of Elon, the family of the Elonites; of Jahleel, the family of the Jahleelites. These are the families of the Zebulunites according to those who were numbered of them, sixty thousand and five hundred. The sons of Joseph according to their families: Manasseh and Ephraim. The sons of Manasseh: of Machir, the family of the Machirites; and Machir begat Gilead; of Gilead, the family of the Gileadites. These are the sons of Gilead: [of] Iezer, the family of the Iezerites; of Helek, the family of the Helekites; and [of] Asriel, the family of the Asrielites; and [of] Shechem, the family of the Shechemites; and [of] Shemida, the family of the Shemidaites; and [of] Hepher, the family of the Hepherites. And Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but daughters, and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. These are the families of Manasseh, and those who were numbered of them were fifty-two thousand and seven hundred. These are the sons of Ephraim according to their families: of Shuthelah, the family of the Shuthelahites; of Becher, the family of the Becherites; of Tahan, the family of the Tahanites. And these are the sons of Shuthelah: of Eran, the family of the Eranites. These are the families of the sons of Ephraim according to those who were numbered of them, thirty-two thousand and five hundred. These are the sons of Joseph after their families. The sons of Benjamin according to their families: of Bela, the family of the Belaites; of Ashbel, the family of the Ashbelites; of Ahiram, the family of the Ahiramites; of Shephupham, the family of the Shuphamites; of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites. And the sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: [of Ard], the family of the Ardites; of Naaman, the family of the Naamites. These are the sons of Benjamin according to their families, and those who were numbered of them were forty-five thousand and six hundred. These are the sons of Dan according to their families: of Shuham, the family of the Shuhamites. These are the families of Dan according to their families. All the families of the Shuhamites, according to those who were numbered of them, were sixty-four thousand and four hundred. The sons of Asher according to their families: of Imnah, the family of the Imnites; of Ishvi, the family of the Ishvites; of Beriah, the family of the Berites. Of the sons of Beriah: of Heber, the family of the Heberites; of Malchiel, the family of the Malchielites. And the name of the daughter of Asher was Serah. These are the families of the sons of Asher according to those who were numbered of them, fifty-three thousand and four hundred. The sons of Naphtali according to their families: of Jahzeel, the family of the Jahzeelites; of Guni, the family of the Gunites; of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites; of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites. These are the families of Naphtali according to their families, and those who were numbered of them were forty-five thousand and four hundred.
Then the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph, drew near. And these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, and H
Then the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph, drew near. And these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, and H And they stood before Moses, and before Eleazar the priest, and before the rulers and all the congregation, at the door of the tent of meeting, saying,
And they stood before Moses, and before Eleazar the priest, and before the rulers and all the congregation, at the door of the tent of meeting, saying, Our father died in the wilderness, and he was not among the company of those who gathered themselves together against LORD in the company of Korah, but he died in his own sin, and he had no sons.
Our father died in the wilderness, and he was not among the company of those who gathered themselves together against LORD in the company of Korah, but he died in his own sin, and he had no sons. Why should the name of our father be taken away from among his family, because he had no son? Give to us a possession among the brothers of our father.
Why should the name of our father be taken away from among his family, because he had no son? Give to us a possession among the brothers of our father. And Moses brought their case before LORD.
And LORD spoke to Moses, saying, The daughters of Zelophehad speak right. Thou shall surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father's brothers, and thou shall cause the inheritance of their father to pass to them.
The daughters of Zelophehad speak right. Thou shall surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father's brothers, and thou shall cause the inheritance of their father to pass to them. And thou shall speak to the sons of Israel, saying, If a man dies, and has no son, then ye shall cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter.
And thou shall speak to the sons of Israel, saying, If a man dies, and has no son, then ye shall cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter. And if he has no daughter, then ye shall give his inheritance to his brothers. read more. And if he has no brothers, then ye shall give his inheritance to his father's brothers. And if his father has no brothers, then ye shall give his inheritance to his kinsman who is next to him of his family, and he shall possess it. And it shall be to the sons of Israel a statute [and] ordinance, as LORD commanded Mose
And the heads of the fathers of the family of the sons of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of the sons of Joseph, came near, and spoke before Moses, and before the rulers, the heads of the fathers of
And the heads of the fathers of the family of the sons of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of the sons of Joseph, came near, and spoke before Moses, and before the rulers, the heads of the fathers of And they said, LORD commanded my lord to give the land for inheritance by lot to the sons of Israel. And my lord was commanded by LORD to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother to his daughters.
And they said, LORD commanded my lord to give the land for inheritance by lot to the sons of Israel. And my lord was commanded by LORD to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother to his daughters. And if they be married to any of the sons of the [other] tribes of the sons of Israel, then their inheritance will be taken away from the inheritance of our fathers, and will be added to the inheritance of the tribe to which they s
And if they be married to any of the sons of the [other] tribes of the sons of Israel, then their inheritance will be taken away from the inheritance of our fathers, and will be added to the inheritance of the tribe to which they s And when the jubilee of the sons of Israel shall be, then their inheritance will be added to the inheritance of the tribe to which they shall belong. So their inheritance will be taken away from the inheritance of the tribe of our
And when the jubilee of the sons of Israel shall be, then their inheritance will be added to the inheritance of the tribe to which they shall belong. So their inheritance will be taken away from the inheritance of the tribe of our And Moses commanded the sons of Israel according to the word of LORD, saying, The tribe of the sons of Joseph speak right.
And Moses commanded the sons of Israel according to the word of LORD, saying, The tribe of the sons of Joseph speak right. This is the thing which LORD commands concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, saying, Let them be married to whom they think best, only into the family of the tribe of their father shall they be married.
This is the thing which LORD commands concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, saying, Let them be married to whom they think best, only into the family of the tribe of their father shall they be married. So no inheritance of the sons of Israel shall remove from tribe to tribe, for the sons of Israel shall cling each one to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.
So no inheritance of the sons of Israel shall remove from tribe to tribe, for the sons of Israel shall cling each one to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers. And every daughter, who possesses an inheritance in any tribe of the sons of Israel, shall be wife to one of the family of the tribe of her father, that the sons of Israel may possess every man the inheritance of his fathers.
And every daughter, who possesses an inheritance in any tribe of the sons of Israel, shall be wife to one of the family of the tribe of her father, that the sons of Israel may possess every man the inheritance of his fathers. So no inheritance shall move from one tribe to another tribe, for the tribes of the sons of Israel shall cling each one to his own inheritance.
So no inheritance shall move from one tribe to another tribe, for the tribes of the sons of Israel shall cling each one to his own inheritance. Even as LORD commanded Moses, so did the daughters of Zelophehad,
These are the commandments and the ordinances which LORD commanded by Moses to the sons of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.
Thou shall make judges and officers for thee in all thy gates, which LORD thy God gives thee, according to thy tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.
then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him from there, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die.
And the officers shall speak to the people, saying, What man is there who has built a new house, and has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it.
Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak to him. And if he stands, and says, I do not want to take her, then his brother's wife shall come to him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face. And she shall answer and say, So shall it be done to the man who does not build up his brother's h
Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do. Ye stand this day all of you before LORD your God--your heads, your tribes, your elders, and your officers, even all the men of Israel, read more. your little ones, your wives, and thy sojourner who is in the midst of thy camps, from the hewer of thy wood to the drawer of thy water-- that thou may enter into the covenant of LORD thy God, and into his oath, which LORD thy God makes with thee this day, that he may establish thee this day to himself for a people, and that he may be to thee a God, as he spoke to thee, and as he swore to thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath,
Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to witness against them.
Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to witness against them.
So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel near by their tribes, and the tribe of Judah was taken. And he brought near the family of Judah, and he took the family of the Zerahites. And he brought near the family of the Zerahites man by man, and Zabdi was taken. read more. And he brought near his household man by man, and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. And Joshua said to Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to LORD, the God of Israel, and make confession to him, and tell me now what thou have done. Hide it not from me. And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Of a truth I have sinned against LORD, the God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: When I saw among the spoil a goodly Babylon mantle, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them. And, behold, they are hid in the ground in the midst of my tent So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent. And, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it.
And all Israel, and their elders and officers, and their judges, stood on this side of the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of LORD, as well the sojourner as the home born, half
And the sons of Israel did not smite them, because the rulers of the congregation had sworn to them by LORD, the God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the rulers. But all the rulers said to all the congregation, We have sworn to them by LORD, the God of Israel, now therefore we may not touch them.
And the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the sons of Israel out of Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go to the land of Gilead, to the land of their possession, o And when they came to the region about the Jordan that is in the land of Canaan, the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by the Jordan, a great altar to look upon. read more. And the sons of Israel heard say, Behold, the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built an altar in the forefront of the land of Canaan, in the region about the Jordan, on the side that pertains t And when the sons of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the sons of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up against them to war. And the sons of Israel sent Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest, to the sons of Reuben, and to the sons of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, and with him ten rulers, one ruler of a fathers' house for each of the tribes of Israel. And they were each man of them head of their fathers' houses among the thousands of Israel. And they came to the sons of Reuben, and to the sons of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, to the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them, saying, Thus says the whole congregation of LORD, What trespass is this that ye have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following LORD, in that ye have built for you an altar, to rebel this day against LORD? Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day, although there came a plague upon the congregation of LORD, that ye must turn away this day from following LORD? And it will be, seeing ye rebel today against LORD, that tomorrow he will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel. However, if the land of your possession is unclean, then pass ye over to the land of the possession of LORD, in which LORD's tabernacle dwells, and take possession among us, but do not rebel against LORD, nor rebel against us, in b Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in what was set apart, and wrath fell upon all the congregation of Israel? And that man did not perish alone in his iniquity. Then the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered, and spoke to the heads of the thousands of Israel, The Mighty One, God, LORD, the Mighty One, God, LORD, he knows, and Israel he shall know, if it is in rebellion, or if in trespass against LORD (do not save us this day), that we have built us an altar to turn away from following LORD, or if to offer burnt-offering or meal-offering on it, or if to offer sacrifices of peace-offerings on it, let LORD himself require it, and if we have not [rather] out of carefulness done this, from purpose, saying, In time to come your sons might speak to our sons, saying, What have ye to do with LORD, the God of Israel? For LORD has made the Jordan a border between us and you, ye sons of Reuben and sons of Gad. Ye have no portion in LORD. So your sons might make our sons cease from fearing LORD. Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt-offering, nor for sacrifice, but it shall be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we may do the service of LORD before him with our burnt-offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace-offerings, that your sons may n Therefore we said, It shall be, when they so say to us or to our generations in time to come, that we shall say, Behold the pattern of the altar of LORD, which our fathers made, not for burnt-offering, nor for sacrifice, but it is Far be it from us that we should rebel against LORD, and turn away this day from following LORD, to build an altar for burnt-offering, for meal-offering, or for sacrifice, besides the altar of LORD our God that is before his tabern And when Phinehas the priest, and the rulers of the congregation, even the heads of the thousands of Israel that were with him, heard the words that the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the sons of Manasseh spoke, it pleased And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said to the sons of Reuben, and to the sons of Gad, and to the sons of Manasseh, This day we know that LORD is in the midst of us, because ye have not committed this trespass against LORD. And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the rulers, returned from the sons of Reuben, and from the sons of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, to the land of Canaan, to the sons of Israel, and brought them word again. And the thing pleased the sons of Israel. And the sons of Israel blessed God, and spoke no more of going up against them to war, to destroy the land in which the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad dwelt. And the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad called the altar [Ed]. For, [they said], it is a witness between us that LORD is God.
And it came to pass after many days, when LORD had given rest to Israel from all their enemies round about, and Joshua was old and well stricken in years;
And it came to pass after many days, when LORD had given rest to Israel from all their enemies round about, and Joshua was old and well stricken in years; that Joshua called for all Israel, for their elders and for their heads, and for their judges and for their officers, and said to them, I am old and well stricken in years,
that Joshua called for all Israel, for their elders and for their heads, and for their judges and for their officers, and said to them, I am old and well stricken in years,
And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God.
And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God.
And it came to pass after the death of Joshua, that the sons of Israel asked of LORD, saying, Who shall go up for us first against the Canaanites, to fight against them?
And it came to pass after the death of Joshua, that the sons of Israel asked of LORD, saying, Who shall go up for us first against the Canaanites, to fight against them? And LORD said, Judah shall go up. Behold, I have delivered the land into his hand.
And LORD said, Judah shall go up. Behold, I have delivered the land into his hand. And Judah said to Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites, and I likewise will go with thee into thy lot. So Simeon went with him.
And the sons of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who inhabited Jerusalem, but the Jebusites dwell with the sons of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day. And the house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel, and LORD was with them.
And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh. And there went up ten thousand men at his feet, and Deborah went up with him.
And he said to him, Oh, LORD, with what shall I save Israel? Behold, my family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.
And the men of Israel were gathered together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after Midian. And Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill-country of Ephraim, saying, Come down against Midian, and take before them the waters, as far as Beth-barah, even the Jordan. So all the men of Ephraim were gathered together, and
And the men of Ephraim said to him, Why have thou done thus to us, that thou did not call us when thou went to fight with Midian? And they chided with him sharply. And he said to them, What have I now done in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer? read more. God has delivered into your hand the rulers of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb, and what was I able to do in comparison with you? Then their anger was abated toward him when he had said that.
And he caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him. And he described for him the rulers of Succoth, and the elders of it, seventy-seven men.
And his mother's brothers 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. And they gave him seventy [pieces] of silver out of the house of Baal-berith, with which Abimelech hired vain and unstable fellows who followed him. read more. And he went to his father's house at Ophrah, and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, being seventy men, upon one stone, but Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself. And all the men of Shechem assembled themselves together, and all the house of Millo, and went and made Abimelech king by the oak of the pillar that was in Shechem. And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried out, and said to them, Hearken to me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken to you. The trees went forth a time to anoint a king over them. And they said to the olive tree, Reign thou over us. But the olive tree said to them, Should I leave my fatness with which by me they honor God and man, and go to wave to and fro over the trees? And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us. But the fig tree said to them, Should I leave my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to wave to and fro over the trees? And the trees said to the vine, Come thou, and reign over us. And the vine said to them, Should I leave my new wine, which cheers God and man, and go to wave to and fro over the trees? Then all the trees said to the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us. And the bramble said to the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade, and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon. Now therefore, if ye have dealt truly and uprightly, in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him according to the deed of his hands (for my father fought for you, and ventured his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian, and ye have risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, seventy men, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maid-servant, king over the men of Shechem because he is your brother), if ye then have dealt truly and uprightly with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you, 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. And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother. And Abimelech was ruler over Israel three years. And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem, and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech, that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and that their blood might be laid upon Abimelech their brother who killed them, and upon the men of Shechem who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers. And the men of Shechem set ambushes for him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who came along that way by them, and it was told Abimelech. And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brothers, and went over to Shechem, and the men of Shechem put their trust in him. And they went out into the field, and gathered their vineyards, and trod [the grapes], and held festival, and went into the house of their god, and ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech. 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 ye the men of Hamor the father of Shechem, but why should we serve him? And would that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out. And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled. And he sent messengers to Abimelech privately, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem, and, behold, they are fortifying the city against thee. Now therefore, up by night, thou and the people who are with thee, and lay in wait in the field. And it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, thou shall rise early, and rush upon the city, and, behold, when he and the people who are with him come out against thee, then thou may do to them as thou shall find And Abimelech rose up, and all the people who were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies. 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 who were with him, from the ambushment. And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there comes people down from the tops of the mountains. And Zebul said to him, Thou see the shadow of the mountains as if they were men. And Gaal spoke again and said, See, there comes people down by the middle of the land, and one company comes by the way of the oak of Meonenim. Then Zebul said to him, Where is now thy mouth, that thou said, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? Is not this the people that thou have despised? Go out now, I pray, and fight with them. And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech. And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and there fell many wounded, even to the entrance of the gate. And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah, and Zebul drove out Gaal and his brothers, that they should not dwell in Shechem. And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field, and they told Abimelech. And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait in the field. And he looked, and, behold, the people came forth out of the city. And he rose up against them, and smote them. And Abimelech, and the companies who were with him, rushed forward, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city, and the two companies rushed upon all who were in the field, and smote them. And Abimelech fought against the city all that day. And he took the city, and killed the people that were in it, and he beat down the city, and sowed it with salt. And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered into the stronghold of the house of El-berith.
Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, and he was the son of a harlot, and Gilead begot Jephthah. And Gilead's wife bore sons to him. And when his wife's sons grew up, they drove out Jephthah, and said to him, Thou shall not inherit in our father's house, for thou are the son of another woman. read more. Then Jephthah fled from his brothers, and dwelt in the land of Tob. And vain fellows were gathered to Jephthah, and they went out with him. And it came to pass after a while, that the sons of Ammon made war against Israel. And it was so, that, when the sons of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob.
And it was so, that, when the sons of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob. And they said to Jephthah, Come and be our chief, that we may fight with the sons of Ammon. read more. And Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, Did ye not hate me, and drive me out of my father's house? And why have ye come to me now when ye are in distress? And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, For that reason we turned again to thee now, that thou may go with us, and fight with the sons of Ammon. And thou shall be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead. And Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home again to fight with the sons of Ammon, and LORD delivers them before me, shall I be your head? And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, LORD shall be witness between us. Surely according to thy word so will we do. Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and chief over them. And Jephthah spoke all his words before LORD in Mizpah.
Then all the sons of Israel went out. And the congregation was assembled as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, to LORD at Mizpah.
So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man. And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that has come to pass among you? read more. Now therefore deliver up the men, the base fellows, who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brothers the sons of Israel. And the sons of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities to Gibeah, to go out to battle against the sons of Israel. And the sons of Benjamin were numbered on that day out of the cities twenty-six thousand men who drew a sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were numbered seven hundred chosen men. Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men left-handed. Every one could sling stones at a hair-breadth, and not miss. And the men of Israel, besides Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men who drew a sword. All these were men of war. And the sons of Israel arose, and went up to Bethel, and asked counsel of God. And they said, Who shall go up for us first to battle against the sons of Benjamin? And LORD said, Judah first.
And the sons of Israel arose, and went up to Bethel, and asked counsel of God. And they said, Who shall go up for us first to battle against the sons of Benjamin? And LORD said, Judah first. And the sons of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah. read more. And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin. And the men of Israel set the battle in array against them at Gibeah. And the sons of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites on that day twenty-two thousand men. And the people, the men of Israel, encouraged themselves, and set the battle again in array in the place where they set themselves in array the first day. And the sons of Israel went up and wept before LORD until evening. And they asked of LORD, saying, Shall I again draw near to battle against the sons of Benjamin my brother? And LORD said, Go up against him. And the sons of Israel came near against the sons of Benjamin the second day. And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the sons of Israel again eighteen thousand men. All these drew the sword. Then all the sons of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came to Bethel, and wept, and sat there before LORD, and fasted that day until evening, and they offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before LORD. And the sons of Israel asked of LORD (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,
And the sons of Israel asked of LORD (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, 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 sons of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And LORD said, Go up, for tomorrow I will del
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 sons of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And LORD said, Go up, for tomorrow I will del And Israel set an ambushment against Gibeah round about. read more. And the sons of Israel went up against the sons of Benjamin on the third day, and set themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times. And the sons of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city. And they began to smite and kill of the people as at other times, in the highways, of which one goes up to Bethel, and the other to Gibeah, in And the sons of Benjamin said, They are smitten down before us as at the first. But the sons of Israel said, Let us flee, and draw them away from the city to the highways. And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and set themselves in array at Baal-tamar, and the ambushment of Israel broke forth out of their place, even out of Maareh-geba. And there came opposite Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was severe, but they knew not that evil was close upon them. And LORD smote Benjamin before Israel, and the sons of Israel destroyed of Benjamin that day twenty-five thousand and a hundred men. All these drew the sword. So the sons of Benjamin saw that they were smitten, for the men of Israel gave place to Benjamin because they trusted to the ambushment whom they had set against Gibeah. And the ambushment hastened, and rushed upon Gibeah. And the ambushment drew themselves along, and smote all the city with the edge of the sword. Now the appointed sign between the men of Israel and the ambushment was, that they should make a great cloud of smoke rise up out of the city. And the men of Israel turned in the battle, and Benjamin began to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons, for they said, Surely they are smitten down before us as in the first battle. But when the cloud began to arise up out of the city in a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and, behold, the whole of the city went up [in smoke] to heaven. And the men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were dismayed, for they saw that evil had come upon them. Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel to the way of the wilderness. But the battle followed hard after them, and those who came out of the cities destroyed them in the midst of it. They enclosed the Benjamites round about, [and] chased them, [and] trod them down at [their] resting-place, as far as opposite Gibeah toward the sunrise. And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men. All these [were] men of valor. And they turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon. And they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men, and followed hard after them to Gidom, and smote of them two thousand men. So that all who fell that day of Benjamin were twenty-five thousand men who drew the sword. All these [were] men of valor.
And LORD said to Samuel, Hearken to the voice of the people in all that they say to thee, for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them.
that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.
And Samuel called the people together to LORD to Mizpah. And he said to the sons of Israel, Thus says LORD, the God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you, read more. but ye have this day rejected your God who himself saves you out of all your calamities and your distresses, and ye have said to him, No, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before LORD by your tribes, and by y
but ye have this day rejected your God who himself saves you out of all your calamities and your distresses, and ye have said to him, No, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before LORD by your tribes, and by y So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken. read more. And he brought the tribe of Benjamin near by their families, and the family of the Matrites was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken. But when they sought him, he could not be found. Therefore they asked of LORD further, Is there yet a man to come here? And LORD answered, Behold, he has hid himself among the baggage. And they ran and fetched him from there. And when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward. And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom LORD has chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, Live, O king!
Then Samuel said to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there. And all the people went to Gilgal. And there they made Saul king before LORD in Gilgal, and there they offered sacrifices of peace-offerings before LORD, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
If ye will fear LORD, and serve him, and hearken to his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of LORD, then both ye and also the king who reigns over you shall be followers of LORD your God. But if ye will not hearken to the voice of LORD, but rebel against the commandment of LORD, then the hand of LORD will be against you as it was against your fathers.
And Samuel said to the people, Fear not. Ye have indeed done all this evil, yet turn not aside from following LORD, but serve LORD with all your heart. And turn ye not aside after vain things which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain. read more. For LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake, because it has pleased LORD to make you a people to himself.
Only fear LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart, for consider what great things he has done for you. But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king.
And the Philistines assembled themselves together to fight with Israel: thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea-shore in multitude. And they came up, and encamped in Michmash, When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were distressed), then the people hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in coverts, and in pits. read more. Now some of the Hebrews had gone over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead, but as for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel [had appointed], but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattered from him. And Saul said, Bring here the burnt-offering to me, and the peace-offerings. And he offered the burnt-offering. And it came to pass that, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt-offering, behold, Samuel came, and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him. And Samuel said, What have thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines assembled themselves together at Michmash, therefore I said, Now the Philistines will come down upon me to Gilgal, and I have not entreated the favor of LORD. I forced myself therefore, and offered the burnt-offering. And Samuel said to Saul, Thou have done foolishly. Thou have not kept the commandment of LORD thy God, which he commanded thee. For now LORD would have established thy kingdom upon Israel forever, but now thy kingdom shall not continue. LORD has sought for him a man after his own heart, and LORD has appointed him to be prince over his people, because thou have not kept that which LORD commanded thee.
And Samuel said to Saul, LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel. Now therefore hearken thou to the voice of the words of LORD. Thus says LORD of hosts, I have remembered that which Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him in the way when he came up out of Egypt. read more. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not, but kill both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and donkey. And Saul summoned the people, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah. And Saul came to the city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley. And Saul said to the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them, for ye showed kindness to all the sons of Israel when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the And Saul smote the Amalekites, from Havilah as thou go to Shur, that is before Egypt. And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. But everything that was vile and refuse, that they dest Then the word of LORD came to Samuel, saying, I regret that I have set up Saul to be king, for he has turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments. And Samuel was angry, and he cried out to LORD all night. And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, and it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set up for him a monument, and turned, and passed on, and went down to Gilgal. And Samuel came to Saul. And Saul said to him, Blessed be thou of LORD. I have performed the commandment of LORD. And Samuel said, What then means this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear? And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to LORD thy God, and the rest we have utterly destroyed. Then Samuel said to Saul, Stop, and I will tell thee what LORD has said to me this night. And he said to him, Say on. And Samuel said, Though thou were little in thine own sight, were thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel? And LORD anointed thee king over Israel. And LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go, and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed. Why then did thou not obey the voice of LORD, but did fly upon the spoil, and did that which was evil in the sight of LORD? And Saul said to Samuel, Yes, I have obeyed the voice of LORD, and have gone the way which LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the devoted things, to sacrifice to LORD thy God in Gilgal. And Samuel said, Has LORD as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. Because thou have rejected the word of LORD, he has also rejected thee from being king. And Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of LORD, and thy words, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me that I may worship LORD. And Samuel said to Saul, I will not return with thee, for thou have rejected the word of LORD, and LORD has rejected thee from being king over Israel. And as Samuel turned about to go away, [Saul] laid hold upon the skirt of his robe, and it tore. And Samuel said to him, LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and has given it to a neighbor of thine, who is better than thou. And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent, for he is not a man that he should repent. Then he said, I have sinned. Yet honor me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship LORD thy God. So Samuel turned again after Saul, and Saul worshipped LORD.
And LORD said to Samuel, How long will thou mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill thy horn with oil, and go. I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for me a king among And Samuel said, How do I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me. And LORD said, Take a heifer with thee, and say, I have come to sacrifice to LORD. read more. And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show thee what thou shall do. And thou shall anoint to me him whom I name to thee.
See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking-places where he hides himself, and come ye again to me of a certainty. And I will go with you, and it shall come to pass, if he is in the land, that I will search him out among a
Then all the tribes of Israel came to David to Hebron, and spoke, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh. In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was thou who led out and brought in Israel. And LORD said to thee, Thou shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and thou shall be prince over Israel. read more. So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron. And king David made a covenant with them in Hebron before LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel.
And I will establish his kingdom forever, if he is constant to do my commandments and my ordinances, as at this day. Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of LORD, and in the audience of our God, observe and seek out all the commandments of LORD your God, that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance to you read more. And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind, for LORD searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts. If thou seek him, he will be Take heed now, for LORD has chosen thee to build a house for the sanctuary. Be strong, and do it.
Be it known now to the king, that, if this city be built, and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and in the end it will be hurtful to the kings.
Also we certify to you, that concerning any of the priests and Levites, the singers, porters, Nethinim, or servants of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll, upon them.
but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth. And he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.