And Judah went up, and the LORD delivered the Cananites and Perezites into their hands. And they slew of them in Bezek ten thousand men.

And they found Adonibezek in Bezek. And they fought against him, and slew the Cananites and Perezites.

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

Then Adonibezek said, "Three score and ten kings having their thumbs and great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my table wherefore as I have done so God hath done to me again." And they brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died.

And from thence they went to the inhabiters of Debir, whose name in old time was called Kiriathsepher.

and as they went she counseled him to ask of her father a field. And then she lighted off her ass, and Caleb said unto her, "What aileth thee?"

And Judah went and Simeon with him, and they slew the Cananites that inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it, and called the name of the city Hormah.

And the LORD was with Judah that he conquered the mountains, but they could not drive out the inhabiters of the valleys, because they had chariots of iron.

And they gave Hebron unto Caleb as Moses said. And he expelled thence the three sons of Anak.

And the spies saw a man come out of the city and they said unto him, "Show us the way into the city, and we will show thee mercy."

And he showed them the way into the city, and they smote it with the edge of the sword, but let the man and all his household go free.

But as soon as Israel was waxed mighty, they put the Cananites to tribute: but expelled them not.

And so the Amorites went and dwelled in mount Heres in Aijalon and in Shaalbim. Neverthelater, the hand of Joseph waxed heavy upon them, so that they became tributaries.

Wherefore I have likewise determined that I will not cast them out before you: that they may be a fall unto you, and their gods shall be snares unto you."

whom they buried in the coasts of his inheritance: even in Timnathserah in mount Ephraim on the north side of the hill Gaash.

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

Wherefore the LORD waxed angry with Israel, and delivered them unto the hands of raveners to spoil them and sold them into the hands of their enemies round about them, so that they had no power any longer to stand before their enemies.

But unto whatsoever thing they went, the hand of the LORD was upon them with evil luck, even as the LORD promised them, and as he sware unto them. And they were sore vexed.

and yet for all that they would not hearken unto their judges: But went a whoring after strange gods and bowed themselves unto them, and turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in obeying the commandments of the LORD, and did not so.

And when the LORD raised up judges unto them, the LORD was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hands of their enemies all the days of the judge: for the LORD had compassion over their sorrowings which they had by the reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them.

Yet for all that, as soon as the judge was dead they turned and did worse than their fathers in following strange gods, and in serving them, and ceased not from their inventions nor from their malicious ways.

and that to prove Israel through them whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein as their fathers did or not."

Those remained to prove Israel by, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

they took the daughters of them to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

And then the children of Israel went to again, and committed wickedness in the sight of the LORD. And then the LORD hardened Eglon the king of the Moabites, against the children of Israel, because they had committed wickedness before the LORD.

And then they cried unto the LORD. And the LORD stirred them up a saver, Ehud the son of Gera, the son of Jemini, a man that could do nothing handsomely with his right hand. And when the children of Israel sent a present by him unto Eglon the king of the Moabites,

and he himself turned back from the idols at Gilgal, and caused to say thus: "I have a secret thing to tell thee, O king." And the king commanded to keep silence, and all they that stood about him went out from him.

When he was gone out, his servants came and looked. And behold, the doors of the parlor were locked. And they said, "Ah, he is doing of his easement in his summer chamber."

And when they had tarried till they were ashamed, for no man did the doors of the parlor open: then they took a key and opened them. And behold, their lord was fallen down dead upon the earth.

But Ehud escaped while they tarried, and was gone beyond the idols and escaped into Seirah.

And he said unto them, "Follow me: for the LORD hath delivered your enemies, the Moabites into your hands." And they descended after him and took the passages of Jordan from the Moabites, and suffered not a man to pass over.

And they slew of the Moabites, the same time, upon a ten thousand men, all nobles, and men of might: that there escaped not a man,

And the hand of the children of Israel prospered and was sore upon Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had brought him to nought.

In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath and in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied. And they that walked by paths, went by ways that set compasses about.

"God chose new fashions of war, for when they had war at their gates: there was not seen, among forty thousand, either shield or spear in Israel.

Now the archers did cry, where men draw water; there shall they tell of the justice of the LORD, and of the justice of his uplandish folk in Israel. And then the people of the LORD went down unto the gates.

"Then they that had escaped, reigned over the proudest of the people. The LORD reigneth over the strong.

Kings came and fought. Then fought the king of Canaan at Taanach, upon the water of Megiddo. But the silver that they coveted, they carried not away.

Then they mauled the horses' legs, that their mighty coursers left prancing.

'Curse Meroz,' bade the angel of the LORD, 'Curse, Curse the inhabiters thereof because they came not forth to help the LORD, to help the LORD among the mighty.'

'Haply, they have found, and divide, the spoil. A maid, yea two maids for a piece: a spoil of divers colours for Sisera, a spoil of divers colours with broidered works, divers coloured broidered works for the neck for a prey.'

So, perish all thine enemies LORD: but they that love thee, let them be as the sun rising in his might!" And the land had rest forty years.

For when Israel had sown then came the Midianites, the Amalekites, and they of the east country upon them and pitched their tents against them,

for they came with their cattle and households even as grasshoppers in multitude: so that both they and also their camels were without number. And they entered the land to destroy it.

But then the LORD said unto him, "I will be with thee: and thou shalt smite the Midianites, as they were but one man."

And they said one to another, "Who hath done this thing?" And they enquired and asked. And it was told them that Gideon the son of Joash had done it.

When all the Midianites, the Amalekites and they of the east were gathered together and had gone and pitched in the valley of Jezreel,

And they took victuals with them for the folk, and their trumpets. And he sent all the rest of Israel, every man unto his tent, and kept the three hundred with him. And the host of Midian was beneath him in a valley.

and hearken what they say, and so shall thine hands be strong, and then thou shalt go down unto the host." Then he went down with Phurah his lad, even hard unto the men of arms that were in the host.

And the Midianites, the Amalekites, and all they of the east, lay along in the valley, like unto grasshoppers in multitude, and their camels were without number, even as the sand by the seaside in multitude.

And so Gideon, and the three hundred men that were with him, came unto the side of the host in the beginning of the middle watch, and raised up the watchmen. And they blew with their trumpets and brake the pitchers that were in their hands.

And all three companies blew with trumpets and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right, to blow with all. And they cried, "The sword of the LORD and of Gideon!"

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

And as the three hundred blew with trumpets, the LORD set every man's sword upon his neighbour, throughout all the host. And the host fled until they came to Bethshittah, to Zererah, and to the edge of Abelmeholah beside Tabbath.

And they took two captains of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb, and slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb at the press Zeeb and followed after Midian. And brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.

And the men of Ephraim said unto him, "Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledest us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites?" And they chode with him a good.

And he said unto the men of Succoth, "Give I pray you cakes of bread unto the people that follow me: for they be fainty, that I may follow after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian."

Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor and their hosts with them, upon a fifteen thousand, which were all that were left of all the hosts of them of the east. And they that were slain were a hundred and twenty thousand men that drew swords.

And then said unto Zebah and Zalmunna, "What manner men were they which ye slew at Tabor?" And they answered, "The likeness of thee and them is all one, even after the fashion of the children of a king."

And he said, "They were my brethren, even my mother's children. And as truly as the LORD liveth, if ye had saved their lives, I would not slay you."

Neverthelater, Gideon said unto them, "I would desire a certain request of you: even that you would give me, every man, the earrings of his prey." For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.

And they said, "We will do it." And they spread a mantle and did cast thereinto every man the earrings of his prey.

Thus were the Midianites brought low before the children of Israel, so that they lift up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.

Neither showed they mercy on the house of Jerubbaal, otherwise called Gideon, according to all the goodness which he showed them.

And his mother's brethren rehearsed of him in the audience of all the citizens of Shechem, all these words, and moved their hearts to follow Abimelech, in that they said how he was their brother.

And they gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baalberith, with which Abimelech hired vain and light persons which went with him.

And they went unto his father's house at Ophrah, and slew all his brethren, the sons of Jerubbaal, even seventy persons upon one stone. Notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal escaped, for he hid himself.

And they went out into the fields and gathered in their grapes and trod them and made merry: and went into the house of their God, and did eat and drink and cursed Abimelech.

and sent messengers unto Abimelech privily saying, "Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren be come to Shechem: and behold they set the city against thee.

And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night. And they laid await to the city in four companies.

And Abimelech chased him that he fled before him and many were overthrown and slain, even until they came unto the entering of the gate.

And when all the men of the town of Shechem heard that, they entered into a stronghold of the house of their god Baalberith.

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

And they put away the strange gods from them and served the LORD. And the misery of Israel grieved his soul.

But Gilead's wife bare him sons, which when they were come to age, thrust out of Jephthah, and said unto him, "Thou shalt not inherit in our father's house, for thou art the son of a strange woman."

And the king of the children of Ammon answered unto the messengers of Jephthah, "Because Israel took away my land, when they came out of Egypt, even from Arnon unto Jabbok and from thence unto Jordan, now therefore restore those lands again with fair means."

But when Israel came out of Egypt, they walked through the wilderness, even unto the reed sea, and came to Kadesh,

and sent messengers unto the king of Edom saying, 'Let us, we pray thee, go through thy land.' But the king of Edom would not agree thereto. And in like manner they sent unto the king of Moab, but he would not consent. And so Israel abode still in Kadesh.

And then they went along through the wilderness, and compassed the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came along by the east side of the land of Moab, and pitched on the other side of the river of Arnon, and came not within the coasts of the Moabites: for Arnon was their utmost border.

And they conquered all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness unto Jordan.

And Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with the Ephraimites. And the men of Gilead smote the Ephraimites, because they said, "Ye Gileadites are but renegades of Ephraim among the Ephraimites and the Manassites!"

Moreover, the men of Gilead took the passages of Jordan from the Ephraimites. And when those Ephraimites that were escaped said, "Let us go over," then the men of Gilead said unto them, "Ye are Ephraimites." And they said, "Nay."

Then the other answered, "Then say, 'Shibboleth.'" And they said, "Syboleth" - and could not so pronounce. Whereupon the others took them and slew them at the passages of Jordan. And there were overthrown at that time, of the Ephraimites, forty two thousand.

Then went Samson and his father and his mother down to Timnah. And when they came to the vineyards of Timnah, behold, a young lion roared upon him.

And he took of the honey in his hands and went eating, and came to his father and mother, and gave them also. And they did eat. But he told them not, that he had taken the honey out of the carcass of the Lion.

And when her friends saw him, they brought thirty companions to bear fellowship.

But and if you cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty shirts and thirty changes of garments." And they answered him, "Put forth thy riddle and let us hear it."

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

And when the seventh day was come, they said unto Samson's wife, "Flatter with thine husband, that he may declare us thy riddle, or else we will burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to make us beggars? Or not?"

And the men of Judah said, "Why are ye come against us?" And they answered, "To bind Samson are we come, even to do him as he hath done to us."

Then three thousand men of Judah went down to the cave of the rock Etam, and said to Samson, "Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? Wherefore then hast thou served us thus?" And he answered them, "As they served me, so have I served them."

And they said unto him, "We are come to bind thee and to deliver thee into the hands of the Philistines." And Samson said unto them, "Sware unto me, that ye shall not hurt me yourselves."

And they said, "We will not hurt thee, save only bind thee and deliver thee unto their hands: But we will not kill thee." And so they bound him with two new cords and brought him up from the rock.

And it was told the Gazites, that Samson was come thither. And they went about and laid a wait for him all night in the gate of the city, but were still all the night, saying, "Tarry till the morning that it be day, and then let us kill him."

And Delilah took new ropes and bound him therewith, and said unto him, "The Philistines be upon thee, Samson." And there were layers of wait in the chamber. And he brake them from off his arms, as they had been but a thread.

Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together, for to offer a solemn offering unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, "Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hands."

And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, "Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, that destroyed our country and slew many of us."

And when their hearts were merry, they said, "Send for Samson and let him play before us." And they fetched Samson out of the prison house, and he played before them, and they set him between the pillars.

and said, "My soul die with the Philistines," and bowed them with might. And the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people that were therein. And so the dead which he slew at his death, were more than they which he slew in his life.

And the children of Dan sent of their kindreds five men of activity, out of their coasts, even out of Zorah and Eshtaol, to view the land and search it out, and said unto them, "Go and search out the land." And they came to mount Ephraim, even to the house of Micah and lodged there.