And it came to pass, after the death of Jeshua, that the sons of Israel asked of Yahweh, saying, - Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites, first, to make war upon them?

Then said Judah, unto Simeon his brother - Come up with me into the territory allotted me, and let us make war on the Canaanites, then will, I also, go with thee, into thy territory. So Simeon went with him.

Then said Adoni-bezek - Seventy kings, with their thumbs and great toes cut off, have been picking up crumbs under my table, as I have done, so, hath God requited me. And they brought him into Jerusalem, and he died there.

And it came pass, when she came, that she moved him to ask of her father a field, and, when she alighted from off the ass, Caleb said unto her - What aileth thee?

Now, the sons of the Kenite, father-in-law of Moses, had come up from the city of palm-trees, with the sons of Judah, into the wilderness of Judah, which is in the south of Arad, - so they went and dwelt with the people.

So they gave unto Caleb Hebron, as spake Moses, - and he drave out from thence the three sons of Anak.

So the watchers saw a man, coming forth from the city, - and they said unto him - Shew us, we pray thee, the way to get into the city, and we will deal with thee, in lovingkindness.

And the man went into the land of the Hittites, - and built a city, and called the name thereof, Luz, that, is the name thereof, unto this day.

But, ye, must not solemnise a covenant with the inhabitants of this land, Their altars, must ye tear down, - But ye have not hearkened unto my voice, what is this ye have done?

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.

So then the anger of Yahweh kindled upon Israel, and he said - Forasmuch as this nation have transgressed my covenant, which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice,

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.

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: -

five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Zidonians, and the Hivites dwelling in Mount Lebanon, - from Mount Baal-hermon as far as the entering in of Hamath.

Now, Heber the Kenite, had separated himself from the Kenites, even from the sons of Hobab, father-in-law of Moses, - and moved his tent as far as the oak of Zaanaim, which is near Kadesh.

Then said Deborah unto Barak - Up! for, this, is the day on which Yahweh hath delivered Sisera into thy hand, hath not, Yahweh, gone forth before thee? So Barak went down from Mount Tabor, with ten thousand men after him.

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.

Out of Ephraim, came down they whose root was in Amalek, After thee, Benjamin, among thy tribes, - Out of Machir, had come down governors, And, out of Zebulun, such as bear aloft the staff of the marshal;

Through the window, looked out and shrilly cried, The mother of Sisera, through the lattice, - Why is his chariot ashamed to come? Why delay the wheels of his chariot?

The wise ladies, her princesses, responded, - Nay! she, returned answer to, herself: -

Is it not They keep finding - dividing spoil, One damsel, two damsels, to every several hero, Spoil, of divers coloured raiment for Sisera, Spoil, of divers coloured raiment, embroidered, Coloured raiment richly embroidered, on the necks of them who are taken as spoil?

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 encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the land, until thou comest unto Gaza, - neither left they sustenance in Israel, nor sheep nor ox, nor ass;

Yea and I said to you, - I, Yahweh, am your God, Ye must not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye are about to dwell, - But ye have not hearkened unto my voice.

so the messenger of Yahweh appeared unto him, - and said unto him, Yahweh, is with thee, thou mighty man of valour!

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 he said unto him - Pardon, O my Lord! How, shall I save Israel? Lo! my thousand, is the poorest in Manasseh, and, I, am the youngest in the house of my father.

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

And he said unto him, If, I beseech thee, I have found favour in thine eyes, then wilt thou work for me a sign, that it is, thou, who art speaking with me.

Then saw Gideon that, the messenger of Yahweh, it was, - so Gideon said - Alas, My Lord Yahweh! forasmuch as I have seen the messenger of Yahweh, face to face!

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.

Then shalt thou build an altar, unto Yahweh thy God, on the top of this fort, with the pile, - and shalt take the second bullock, and cause it to go up as an ascending-sacrifice, with the wood of the sacred stem which thou shalt 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 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 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.

Now, therefore, proclaim, I pray thee, in the ears of the people, saying, Whoso feareth and trembleth - let him turn and go hack from Mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty-two thousand, and, ten thousand, remained.

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.

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.

And Gideon came in, and lo! a man relating to his neighbour a dream, - and he said - Lo! a dream, have I dreamt, and lo! a round cake of barley bread tumbling into the camp of Midian, and it came as far as the tent - and smote it that it fell, and turned it upside down, and the tent lay along.

Then responded his neighbour and said: - Nothing else, is this, than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, a man of Israel, - God hath delivered into his hand, both Midian and all the host.

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.

And, messengers, did Gideon send through all the hill country of Ephraim, saying - Go down to meet Midian, and capture, before them, the waters, as far as Beth-barah, and the Jordan. So all the men of Ephraim were called out, and captured the waters, as far as Beth-barah, and the Jordan.

And the men of Ephraim said unto him - What is this thing thou hast done to us, in not calling us, when thou wentest to fight with Midian? And they did chide with him, sharply.

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

So he went up from thence, to Penuel, and spake unto them in like manner, - and the men of Penuel answered him, as had answered the men of Succoth.

Then said he unto Zebah and unto Zalmunna, What manner of men were they, whom ye slew at Tabor? And they said, As thou art, so were they, each one, as handsome as the sons of a king.

And he said: My brethren, sons of my mother, they were! As Yahweh liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not have slain you.

Then said Zebah and Zalmunna - Up! thou, and fall upon us, for, like the man, is his might. So Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took the crescents that were on the necks of their camels.

Then said the men of Israel, unto Gideon, Rule over us - even thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, - for thou hast saved us out of the power of Midian.

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:

Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the owners of Shechem - Which is better for you, that there should rule over you, seventy men, all sons of Jerubbaal, or that there should rule over you, one man? And remember that, your bone and your flesh, am I.

So the brethren of his mother spake for him, in the ears of all the owners of Shechem, all these words, - and their heart inclined after Abimelech, for they said - Our own brother, is he.

The trees, went their way, to anoint over them, a king, - and they said unto the olive tree - Reign thou over us.

Then said the trees unto the fig-tree, - Come! thou reign over us.

Then said the trees unto the vine, - Come! thou, reign over us.

Then said all the trees, unto the bramble, - Come, thou, to reign over us.

yet have, ye, risen up against the house of my father, to-day, and slain his sons - seventy men, upon one stone, - and made Abimelech, son of his maidservant, king over the owners of Shechem, because he is, your brother;

And Gaal son of Ebed said: Who is Abimelech - and who is the son of Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? Serve ye the men of Hamor, Shechem's father, but why should, we, serve him?

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 then Zebul said unto him - Where, then, is thy mouth that kept on saying, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? Is not, this, the people which thou didst despise? Go forth, I pray thee, now, and fight with them!

And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, - and there fell a multitude of slain as far as the entering of the gate.

And Abimelech came in as far as the tower, and fought against it, - and so came near, as far as the entrance of the tower, to burn it with fire.

Now he had thirty sons, that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had, thirty cities, - they are called Havvoth-jair, until this day, which are in the land of Gilead.

And the sons of Israel said unto Yahweh - We have sinned, do, thou, with us, according to all that is fitting in thine eyes, - only rescue us, we beseech thee this day.

Then said the people, the princes of Gilead, one to another, Who is the man that will begin to fight against the sons of Ammon? he shall become head to all the inhabitants of Gilead.

And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah - Therefore, have we, now, returned unto thee, that, if thou go with us, and do battle with the sons of Ammon, then shalt thou become our head, for all the inhabitants of Gilead.

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 went Jephthah with the elders of Gilead, and the people set him over them, as head and commander, - and Jephthah spake all his words before Yahweh, in Mizpah.

So then Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the sons of Ammon, saying, - What occasion is there between us, that thou shouldst have come unto me, to fight against my land?

for, when they came up out of Egypt, and Israel journeyed through the desert as far as the Red Sea, and came in unto Kadesh,

Then journeyed they through the desert, and went round the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and so came, from the rising of the sun, to the land of Moab, but encamped beyond Arnon, - and entered not within the boundary of Moab, for, Arnon, is the boundary of Moab.

Then did Israel send messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, king of Heshbon, - and Israel said unto him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy land as far as my own place.

Yea they took possession of all the territory of the Amorites, - from Arnon, even as far as the Jabbok, and from the desert, even as far as the Jordan.

What Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess, that, wilt thou not possess? and, whatsoever Yahweh our God hath set before us to possess, that, shall we not possess?

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 he smote them, from Aroer even till thou enterest in to Minnith, even twenty cities, and as far as Abel-keramim, with an exceeding great smiting, - and thus were the sons of Ammon subdued before the sons of Israel.

And the men of Ephraim were called together, and passed over northward, - and said unto Jephthah - Wherefore didst thou pass over to do battle with the sons of Ammon, and, for us, didst not call, to go with thee? Thy house, will we consume over thee with fire.

And so it was, he had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy ass colts, - and he judged Israel eight years.

So the woman came in, and told her husband, saying, A man of God, came unto me, and, his, appearance, was as the appearance of the messenger of God, reverend exceedingly, - and I asked him not whence he was, and, his name, he told me not.

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 God hearkened unto the voice of Manoah, - and the messenger of God came again unto the woman, as, she, was sitting in the field, Manoah her husband, not being with her.

And Manoah said unto the messenger of Yahweh, - I pray thee, let us detain thee, that we may make ready for thy presence, a kid.

Then said Manoah unto the messenger of Yahweh, What is thy name, - that, when thy word cometh to pass, we may do thee honour?

And the messenger of Yahweh said unto him, Wherefore is it, that thou shouldst ask after my name, - seeing that, it, is Wonderful?

But his wife said unto him, If Yahweh had been pleased to put us to death, he would not have received at our hand, an ascending-sacrifice and a meal-offering, nor would he have shewed us all these things, - and, at such a time, have let us hear the like of this!

And his father and his mother said to him - Is there not, among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, a woman, that thou art going away to take a woman from among the uncircumcised Philistines? But Samson said unto his father - Take, her, for me, for, she, is pleasant in mine eyes.

So Samson went down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, - and they came as far as the vineyards of Timnath, when lo! a young lion, roaring to meet him.

And the Spirit of Yahweh, came suddenly over him, and he tore it in pieces as if he had torn in pieces a kid, there being, nothing at all, in his hand, - but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.

which he took into his hands, and went on - eating as he went, and came unto his father and unto his mother, and gave unto them, and they did eat, - but he told them not that, out of the carcass of the lion, he had taken the honey.

And it came to pass, on the fourth day, that they said to Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may tell us the riddle, lest we burn thee and the house of thy father, with fire. Was it not, to impoverish us, that ye invited us - was it not?

And the men of the city said to him, on the seventh day - ere yet the sun went in, What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion? And he said to them: If ye had not ploughed with my heifer, Ye had not found out my riddle!

And the wife of Samson was given unto his companion who had served him as his friend.

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 the men of Judah said, Wherefore have ye come up against us? And they said - To bind Samson, are we come up, to do unto him as he hath done unto us.

Then went down three thousand men out of Judah, unto the cleft of the crag Etam, and said unto Samson - Knowest thou not that the Philistines are lording it over us? What, then, is this thou hast done to us? And he said unto them, As they have done to me, so, have I done to them.

He, was coming in as far as Lehi, and, the Philistines, came shouting to meet him, - when the Spirit of Yahweh came suddenly over him, and the ropes that were upon his arms became as threads of flax which have been ignited with fire, so that his bonds melted from off his hands.