Wherefore also I said, I will not drive them out from before you, - but they shall be your adversaries, and, their gods, shall become unto you a snare.

Whithersoever they went out, the hand of Yahweh was found to be against them for misfortune, as spake Yahweh, and as sware Yahweh unto them, - and they were distressed exceedingly.

But, when the judge was dead, they again broke faith more than their fathers, by going their way after other gods, by serving them, and bowing themselves down to them, - they ceased not from their doings nor from their stubborn way.

that I may, by them, put Israel to the proof, - whether they are going to be observant of the way of Yahweh, to walk therein as their fathers observed it, or not.

Now, these, are the nations which Yahweh left, that he might, by them, put Israel to the proof, - all who had not known any of the wars of Canaan;

that the generations of the sons of Israel might certainly get to know, by being taught to make war, - such, at least, as aforetime knew nothing thereof: -

So then these were left , that, by them, he might put Israel to the proof, - to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of Yahweh which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

and took their daughters to be their wives, their own daughters moreover, gave they unto their sons, and they served their gods.

And the sons of Israel made outcry unto Yahweh, and Yahweh raised up unto them a saviour, Ehud son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man left-handed, - and the sons of Israel sent, by his hand, a present, unto Eglon king of Moab.

but, he himself, turned back from the images that were by Gilgal, and said, A secret word, have I, unto thee, O king! And he said - Silence! Thereupon went out from his presence all who had been standing near him.

And she said - I will, go, with thee; only, it shall not be, thine own honour, that shall arise from the journey which thou art about to take, for, into the hand of a woman, will Yahweh sell Sisera. So Deborah arose, and went with Barak, towards Kadesh.

Now, Barak, pursued the chariots, and the host, as far as Harosheth of the nations, - and all the host of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword, there was not left so much as one.

And he said unto her, Stand at the entrance of the tent, - and it shall be, if any man come and ask thee and say - Is there here a man? that thou shalt say, There is not.

They chose gods that were new, Then, - war at the gates! Was there, a shield, to be seen? or a spear? among forty thousand in Israel?

Gilead, beyond the Jordan, took his rest, but, Dan, wherefore remained he with the ships? Asher, abode by the shore of the seas, and, by his creeks, must needs rest.

On came kings, they fought, Then, fought the kings of Canaan, In Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo, - Plunder of silver, they took not away!

Blessed above women, shall be Jael, wife of Heber the Kenite, - Above women in the tent, be blessed:

So, perish all thine enemies, O Yahweh, But be, they who love him, as the going forth of the sun, in his might! And the land had rest forty years.

And so it used to be, if Israel had sown, then came up Midian and Amalek and the sons of the east, yea came up against them,

And Gideon said unto him - Pardon, my lord! if Yahweh be with us, then wherefore hath all this befallen us? and where are all his wonders, which our fathers have recounted to us - saying, Was it not, out of Egypt, that Yahweh brought us up? But, now, hath Yahweh abandoned us, and delivered us into the hand of Midian.

And Yahweh said unto him - I will be with thee, - so shalt thou smite the Midianites, as one man.

And Yahweh said unto him - Peace be unto thee! Do not fear, - thou shalt not die.

And it came to pass, on that night, that Yahweh said unto him - Take the young bullock that belongeth to thy father, even the second bullock of seven years, - and throw thou down the altar of Baal, that belongeth to thy father, and, the sacred stem that is by it, shalt thou cut down.

So Gideon took ten men from among his servants, and did as Yahweh had spoken unto him, - and so it was that, as he too much feared the house of his father, and the men of the city, to do it by day, he did it by night.

And the men of the city rose up early in the morning, and lo! the altar of Baal, had been overthrown, and, the sacred stem that was by it, had been cut down, and the second bullock had been caused to ascend upon the altar that had been built.

So the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring forth thy son, that he may die, - because he hath overthrown the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the sacred stem that was by it.

And Joash said unto all who stood by him - Will, ye, plead for Baal, or will, ye, save him? Whoso pleadeth for him, let him be put to death while it is yet morning, - if, a god, he be let him plead for himself, because one hath overthrown his altar.

And Gideon said unto God, - If thou art about to bring salvation, by my hand, unto Israel, as thou hast spoken,

lo! I am placing a woollen fleece, on the threshing-floor, - if, dew, be on the fleece alone and, on all the ground, it be dry, then shall I know that thou wilt bring salvation, by my hand, unto Israel, as thou hast spoken.

Then said Gideon unto God, Let not thine anger kindle upon me, but let me speak, only this once, - Let me, I pray thee, put to the proof, only this once, with the fleece, I pray thee, let it be dry on the fleece alone, while, on all the ground, there be dew.

Then Jerubbaal, the same, is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and encamped by the fountain of Harod, - and, the camp of Midian, was on the north of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the vale.

Then said Yahweh unto Gideon - Yet, are the people too many, take them down unto the waters, that I may prove them for thee, there, - and it shall be, that, he of whom I say unto thee, This one, shall go with thee, the same, shall go with thee, and, every one of whom I say unto thee, This one, shall not go with thee, the same, shall not go.

So he took down the people unto the waters, - and Yahweh said unto Gideon - Every one that lappeth with his tongue of the water, as a dog lappeth, thou shalt set him by himself, likewise, every one that boweth down upon his knees, to drink.

Then said Yahweh unto Gideon - By the three hundred men that lapped, will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thy hand; and let, all the rest of the people, go every man to his own place.

Now, the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the sons of the east, were lying along in the vale, like locusts for multitude, - their camels also, were without number, as the sand that is by the sea side, for multitude.

Then he said unto them, On me, shall ye look, and, in like manner, shall ye do, - and lo! when I am coming unto the outermost part of the camp, then shall it be, that, as I do, so, shall ye do.

When the three hundred blew the horns, Yahweh set the sword of every man, against his neighbour, and against all the host, - and the host fled, as far as the Place of Acacias, towards Zererath, as far as the border of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath.

So Gideon went up by the way of the tent-dwellers, on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host, when, the host, had become secure.

And it came to pass that, as soon as Gideon was dead, the sons of Israel turned back, and went unchastely astray after the Baals, - and appointed them Baal-berith, to be god:

Then were gathered together all the owners of Shechem, and all the house of Millo, and they went and made Abimelech king, - by the oak of the pillar, that was in Shechem.

And the bramble said unto the trees, If, in truth, ye are about to anoint me to be king over you, come, take refuge in my shade, - but, if not, there shall come forth fire out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.

that the cruel wrong to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come upon them , - and that their blood might be laid upon Abimelech their brother, who slew them, and upon the owners of Shechem who strengthened his hands, to slay his brethren.

So the owners of Shechem set for him liers in wait, upon the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who crossed over them by the road, - and it was told Abimelech.

And he sent messengers unto Abimelech, by deceit, saying, - Lo! Gaal son of Ebed, and his brethren, are coming into Shechem; and lo! are fortifying the city against thee.

Now, therefore, up by night, thou and the people that are with thee, and lie in wait in the field;

and it shall be, in the morning, about sunrise, thou shalt get up early, and spread thyself out against the city, - when lo! he and the people that are with him coming out against thee, so shalt thou do unto him as thy hand shall find opportunity.

So Abimelech rose up,, and all the people that were with him, by night, - and they lay in wait above Shechem, in four companies.

Then did Gaal yet further speak, and say - Lo! people coming down from the highest part of the land, - and one company, coming in by way of the Conjurers' Terebinth.

So Abimelech went up Mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him, and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and lifted it, and laid it on his shoulder, - and said unto the people that were with him - What ye have seen me do, haste! do likewise.

So, even all the people cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and laid them over the basement, and set it on fire over them who were therein, - even all the men of the tower of Shechem died about a thousand men and women.

And there arose, after Abimelech, to save Israel - Tola son of Puah son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, - and, he, used to sit in Shamir, in the hill country of Ephraim;

And they said to Jephthah, Oh! come and be our commander, - that we may do battle with the sons of Ammon.

And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah - Yahweh himself, will be hearkening between us, if, according to thy word, so, we do not.

then shall it be, that, whosoever cometh forth out of the doors of my house, to meet me, when I return successful, from the sons of Ammon, shall belong unto Yahweh, and I will offer him up, as an ascending-sacrifice.

And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said - Alas! my daughter, Thou hast, brought me low, Even, thou, hast come to be among them who trouble me, - Yet, I, opened wide my mouth unto Yahweh, and cannot go back.

And she said unto her father, Let this thing, be done for me, - Let me alone two months, that I may depart, and go down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my companions.

for lo! thou, art about to conceive and bear a son, and no, razor, shall come on his head, for, one separate unto God, shall the boy be from his birth, - and, he, shall begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.

But he said unto me, Lo! thou art about to conceive, and bear a son, - now, therefore, do not drink wine or strong drink, nor eat anything unclean, for, one separate unto God, shall the boy be, from his birth until the day of his death.

Then Manoah made entreaty unto Yahweh, and said: Pardon, O My Lord! the man of God whom thou didst send, I pray thee, let him come again unto us, that he may teach us what we are to do, unto the boy that is to be born.

And Manoah said, Now, let thy words come to pass, - What shall be the rule for the boy, and his work?

So the woman hare a son, and called his name Samson, - and the boy grew, and Yahweh blessed him.

And her father said - I, thought, that thou didst, hate, her, so I gave her to thy companion, - Is not, her younger sister, fairer than she? Pray let her be thine, in her stead.

And Samson said of them, I shall be more blameless, this time, than the Philistines, - though I should do them a mischief.

And Samson said to them, Though ye do the like of this, yet will I be avenged upon you, and, afterwards, will I cease.

So Delilah said unto Samson, Do tell me, I pray thee, wherein lieth thy great strength, - and wherewith thou mightest be bound, to humble thee.

And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green cords, that have not been dried, then shall I become weak, and be as any other man.

And Delilah said unto Samson, Lo! thou hast been laughing at me, and speaking unto me falsehoods, - Now, do tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound.

And he said unto her, If they, bind me fast, with new ropes, wherewith work was never done, then shall I become weak, and be as any other man.

And Delilah said unto Samson - Hitherto, hast thou been laughing at me, and speaking unto me falsehoods, do tell me, wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weave the seven braids of my head with the warp.

so he told her all his heart, and said to her - No, razor, hath come on my head, for, one separate unto God, have I been, from my birth, - if I were shaven, then would depart from me my strength, and I should become weak, and be as any other man.

And Samson said unto the youth that held him by his hand, Place me where I may feel the pillars whereon the house resteth, that I may lean upon them.

So then Samson cried unto Yahweh, and said, - My Lord Yahweh! remember me, I pray thee, - and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be avenged, with one avenging, for my two eyes, upon the Philistines.

And he said unto his mother - The eleven hundred pieces of silver that were taken by thee, when, thou, didst utter a curse, and didst also say in my hearing, Lo! the silver, is with me! I took it. Then said his mother, Blessed, be my son by Yahweh.

And Micah said unto him - Dwell with me, and be to me a father and a priest, and, I, will give thee ten pieces of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy sustenance. So the Levite went.

They, being by the house of Micah, knew the voice of the young man, the Levite, - so they turned aside there, and said to him - Who brought thee in hither? and what art thou doing in this place, and what hast thou here?

And they said - Arise! and let us go up against them, for we have seen the land, and lo! it is very good, - are, ye, then, minded to do nothing? do not be too slothful to go, and enter, and take possession of the land.

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

And the sons of Dan said unto him, Do not let thy voice be heard among us, - lest men embittered in soul fall upon you, and thou gather in thy life and the lives of thy household.

and called the name of the city, Dan, by the name of Dan their father, who was born to Israel, - howbeit, Laish, was the name of the city, at the first.

So they both of them sat down and did eat together, and drink. Then said the father of the damsel unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry the night, and let thy heart be glad.

And, when the man rose up to go - he and his concubine and his young man, - his father-in-law, the father of the damsel, said to him, Come now, see! the day hath sunk down towards evening, come now! tarry the night; lo! the day goeth down, tarry the night here, and let thy heart be glad, so shall ye rise early to-morrow for your journey, and thou shalt go thy way to thine own home.

They being by Jebus, and, the day, having gone far down, the young man said unto his lord - Do come, I pray thee, and let us turn aside into this city of the Jebusites, and tarry the night therein.

And the old man said - Thou art welcome! only, all thy wants, be on me, - by no means, in the broadway, mayest thou lodge.

And he said unto her - Up! and let us be going. But there was no answer. So he took her up on the ass, and the man rose up, and went his way to his own place.

And, when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces, - and sent her throughout all the bounds of Israel.

And the owners of Gibeah rose up against me, and beset the house, for my sake, by night, - me, they thought to slay, and, my concubine, they so humbled, that she died.

Now, therefore, this is the thing, that we will do to Gibeah, - Go against it by lot;

Now, therefore, deliver up the men - the sons of the Abandoned One - who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and vileness be consumed out of Israel. But the sons of Benjamin would not hearken unto the voice of their brethren, the sons of Israel.

and said, Wherefore, O Yahweh, God of Israel, hath this come about in Israel, - that there should be lacking, to-day, out of Israel, one tribe?

And the sons of Israel said, Who was there that came not up, in the convocation, out of all the tribes of Israel, unto Yahweh? For, the great oath, had been taken, as to any who came not up unto Yahweh at Mizpah, saying - He shall be, put to death.

What are we to do for them who remain, for wives, - seeing that, we ourselves, have sworn by Yahweh, not to give them of our daughters, for wives?

And they said, There is an inheritance for the escaped of Benjamin, - and there must not be wiped out, a tribe, out of Israel.

Yet, we, may not give them wives, of our own daughters, For the sons of Israel had sworn, saying, Cursed, be he that giveth a wife to Benjamin.

Then said they - Lo! the festival of Yahweh in Shiloh, from year to year, Which Shiloh is on the north of Bethel, towards sunrise, by the highway that goeth up from Bethel, towards Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.

And it shall be, when their fathers, or their brethren, come in to complain to us, that we will say unto them - As a favour to us, grant them, because we took not for each man his wife in the battle, - for, ye yourselves, gave them not unto them, so as, now, to be guilty.