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?

when Israel, however, had waxed strong, they put the Canaanites under tribute, - though they, dispossessed, them not.

And it came to pass, when the messenger of Yahweh had spoken these words unto all the sons of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.

Now, when Joshua had let the people go, the sons of Israel went their way, every man to his inheritance, to take possession of the land.

And the people served Yahweh all the days of Joshua, - and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of Yahweh which he had wrought for Israel.

All that generation also, were gathered unto their fathers, - and there arose another generation, after them, who had not known Yahweh, nor even the work which he had wrought for Israel.

So the sons of Israel did the thing that was wicked in the sight of Yahweh, - and served the Baals;

Then kindled the anger of Yahweh upon Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of spoilers, who plundered them, - and he sold them into the hand of their enemies round about, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies.

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.

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 thus, the sons of Israel, dwelt in the midst of the Canaanites, - the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites;

Thus did the sons of Israel the thing that was wicked in the sight of Yahweh, and forgat Yahweh their God, - and served the Baals and the Asherahs.

Then kindled the anger of Yahweh upon Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia, - and the sons of Israel served Chushan-rishathaim, eight years.

And the sons of Israel made outcry unto Yahweh, so Yahweh raised up a saviour unto the sons of Israel, who saved them, - even Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.

And the Spirit of Yahweh came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war, and Yahweh delivered into his hand, Chushan-rishathaim, king of Syria, - and his hand prevailed over Chushan-rishathaim.

And the sons of Israel again did the thing that was wicked, in the sight of Yahweh, - and Yahweh emboldened Eglon, king of Moab, against Israel, because they did the thing that was wicked in the sight of Yahweh;

and he gathered unto him, the sons of Ammon, and Amalek, - and came and smote Israel, and took possession of the city of palm-trees.

So the sons of Israel served Eglon king of Moab, eighteen years.

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.

And so it was, when he came, that he blew with a horn, throughout the hill country of Ephraim, - and the sons of Israel came down with him, out of the hill country, he, being before them.

And Moab was subdued on that day, under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest eighty years, and Ehud judged them until his death.

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

And the sons of Israel again did the thing that was wicked in the sight of Yahweh, - when, Ehud, was dead.

And the sons of Israel made outcry unto Yahweh, - for he had, nine hundred chariots of iron, and, he, oppressed the sons of Israel heavily, twenty years.

And, Deborah, a woman who was a prophetess, wife of Lapidoth, she, was judging Israel, at that time:

she used to sit, therefore, under the palm-tree of Deborah, between Ramah and Bethel, in the hill country of Ephraim, - and the sons of Israel came up to her, for justice.

And she sent and called for Barak son of Abinoam, out of Kadesh-naphtali, - and said unto him - Hath not Yahweh God of Israel, commanded, - Come and draw towards Mount Tabor, and bring with thee - ten thousand men, of the sons of Naphtali, and of the sons of Zebulun;

Thus God subdued, on that day, Jabin king of Canaan, - before the sons of Israel.

And the hand of the sons of Israel went on, waxing more and more heavy upon Jabin king of Canaan, - until they had cut off Jabin king of Canaan.

For the leadership of leaders in Israel, For the volunteering of the people, - Bless ye Yahweh!

Hear, ye kings! Give ear, ye princes! I, unto Yahweh, - I, will sing, Will make melody to Yahweh, God of Israel.

From, mountains, came down streams In presence of Yahweh, - From this Sinai, In presence of Yahweh, God of Israel.

There was a failure of rulers, in Israel, a failure, - until I arose, a Deborah, arose, a mother in Israel: -

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?

My heart saith - for the governors of Israel, for the volunteers among the people, Bless ye Yahweh!

In the place of the noise of bowmen among the wells, there, laud ye - the righteous acts of Yahweh, the righteous acts of his rule over Israel. Then, had come down to the gates the people of Yahweh.

And the sons of Israel did the thing that was wicked, in the sight of Yahweh, - so Yahweh delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years;

and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel, - because of Midian, did the sons of Israel prepare for themselves the hollows which were in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds.

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 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;

Thus was Israel greatly impoverished, because of Midian, - and the sons of Israel made outcry unto Yahweh.

And it came to pass, when the sons of Israel cried unto Yahweh, - on account of Midian,

then sent Yahweh a prophet unto the sons of Israel, - who said unto them - Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel, I, led you up out of Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of servants;

And Yahweh, turned unto him, and said - Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel, out of the hand of Midian, - have I not sent thee?

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 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.

And Yahweh said unto Gideon, Too many, are the people that are with thee, for me to deliver the Midianites into their hand, - lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand, hath saved me.

So the people took provisions in their hand, and their horns, but, every man of Israel besides, sent he away every man to his home, whereas, the three hundred men, he retained. Now, the camp of Midian, was beneath him in the vale.

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.

And it was so, when Gideon heard the story of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he bowed himself down, - and returned unto the camp of Israel, and said - Arise! for Yahweh hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.

And the men of Israel were called together, out of Naphtali and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, - and pursued Midian.

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 Gideon made thereof an Ephod, and set it up in his own city, in Ophrah, and all Israel went unchastely astray after it there, - so it became, to Gideon and to his house, a snare.

Thus was Midian subdued, before the sons of Israel, neither did they again lift up their head, - and the land had rest forty years, in the days of Gideon.

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:

so the sons of Israel remembered not Yahweh, their own God, - who had rescued them out of the hand of all their enemies, on every side;

neither dealt they in lovingkindness with the house of Jerubbaal namely Gideon, - according to all the goodness wherewith he had dealt with Israel.

And Abimelech ruled over Israel three years.

And, when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was, dead, they went their way every man to his own place.

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

And there arose, after him, Jair the Gileadite, - and judged Israel twenty-two years.

And the sons of Israel again did the thing that was wicked in the sight of Yahweh, and served the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the sons of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, - and forsook Yahweh, and served him not.

So the anger of Yahweh kindled upon Israel, - and he sold them into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the sons of Ammon;

and they enfeebled and oppressed the sons of Israel in that year, - eighteen years, did they this unto all the sons of Israel who were beyond the Jordan, in the land of the Amorites, that was in Gilead.

And the sons of Ammon crossed the Jordan, to fight, even against Judah and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim, - so that Israel was sore distressed.

Then did the sons of Israel make outcry unto Yahweh, saying, - We have sinned against thee, because we have forsaken our God, and have served the Baals.

Then said Yahweh unto the sons of Israel, - Was it not, from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, and from the sons of Ammon, and from the Philistines, that I saved you ?

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.

And they put away the gods of the stranger out of their midst, and served Yahweh, - and his soul was impatient of the misery of Israel.

Now the sons of Ammon were called out, and they encamped in Gilead, - and the sons of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpah.

And so it came to pass, after a time, - that the sons of Ammon made war with Israel.

When, therefore, it came to pass that the sons of Ammon made war with Israel, then went the elders of Gilead, to summon Jephthah out of the land of Tob.

And the king of the sons of Ammon said unto the messengers of Jephthah - Because Israel took away my land, when they came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto the Jabbok, and unto the Jordan, - now, therefore, restore them in peace.

and said a unto him, Thus, saith Jephthah, - Israel took not away the land of Moab, or the land of the sons of Ammon;

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 did Israel send messengers unto the king of Edom, saying - Let me pass, I pray thee, through thy land, but the king of Edom hearkened not, unto the king of Moab also, sent they, but he would not consent, - so Israel abode in Kadesh.

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.

But Sihon trusted not Israel, to pass through his boundary, so Sihon gathered together all his people, and encamped in Jahaz, - and fought against Israel.

Then did Yahweh, God of Israel, deliver up Sihon, and all his people, into the hand of Israel, and they smote them, - so Israel took possession of all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that land.

Now, therefore, it was, Yahweh God of Israel, that dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, - and shalt, thou, possess it?

Now, therefore, art thou, really better, than Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab? Hath there been any, striving at all, with Israel, or any, fighting at all, with them,

all the time that Israel hath been dwelling in Heshbon and in her towns, and in Aroer and in her towns, and in all the cities that are on the banks of Arnon, - for three hundred years? Wherefore, then, have ye not made a rescue within that time?

I, therefore, have not sinned against thee; but, thou, art doing me a wrong, in fighting against me, - Let Yahweh, the Judge, give judgment today, between the sons of Israel, and the sons of Ammon!

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 it came to pass, at the end of two months, that she returned unto her father, and he fulfilled on her his vow which he had vowed, - she not having known man. And it became a statute, in Israel: -

From year to year, departed the daughters of Israel, to lament aloud for the daughter of Jephthah, the Gileadite, four days in the year.

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

And there judged Israel, after him, Ibzan of Bethlehem.

And so it was, he had thirty sons, and, thirty daughters, sent he abroad, while, thirty daughters, brought he from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years.

And, after him, did Elon the Zebulunite judge Israel, - and he judged Israel, ten years.

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

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

And the sons of Israel again did the thing that was wicked in the sight of Yahweh, - so Yahweh delivered them up into the hand of the Philistines, forty years.

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.

Now, his father and his mother, knew not, that, from Yahweh, it was, that, an occasion, he was seeking of the Philistines, - at that time, the Philistines having dominion over Israel.