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.

And when they were come unto the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man the Levite, and turned in thither, and said unto him, "Who brought thee hither? And what makest thou in this place? And what hast thou here?"

And they said unto him, "Ask of God, I pray thee, that we may know whether the way which we go, shall be prosperous or no."

Then the five men departed and came to Laish, and saw the people that were therein, how they dwelt careless, and after the manner of the Sidonians: still, and without casting of perils, and that no man made any trouble in the land or usurped any dominion, and how they were far from the Sidonians and had no business with any nation.

And they came unto their brethren, to Zorah, and Eshtaol. And their brethren said unto them, "What tidings bring you?"

And they said, "Up, and let us go unto them, for we have seen the land, that it is very good. Haste therefore and be not slothful to depart and go and conquer the land.

And they went and pitched in Kiriathjearim in Judah. Wherefore the place is called Mahanahdan unto this day, which is on the back side of Kiriathjearim.

And they went thence unto mount Ephraim, and came to the house of Micah.

And they turned thitherward and came to the house of the young man the Levite in the house of Micah, and saluted him peaceably.

And they answered him, "Hold thy peace, and put thine hand upon thy mouth, and come with us, and be unto us a father and a priest. Whether is it better for thee to be a priest? Unto the house of one man, or to be priest unto a tribe or a kindred in Israel?"

And they turned and departed, and put the children, the cattle and their costly things before them.

When they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men that were in the houses that were by Micah's house, made an outcry, and followed after the children of Dan and called unto them.

And they turned their faces, and said unto Micah, "What aileth thee, that thou makest an outcry?"

And so the children of Dan went their ways. And when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back unto his house again.

And they took the things which Micah had made, and the priest which he had, and went unto Laish, even unto a people that were at rest and without mistrust, and smote them with the edge of the sword and burnt the city with fire.

And there was no man to help, because it was far from Sidon, and they had no meddling with any other nation. And the city stood in the valley that lieth by Bethrehob. And they built the city and dwelt therein.

And the children of Dan set them up the graven image. And Jonathan the son of Gershon, the son of Manasseh and his sons were the priests unto the tribe of the Danites, until they were carried away out of the land captive.

And they set them up the carved image which Micah made, all the while that the house of God was in Shiloh.

And his father-in-law, the damsel's father, kept him that he abode with him three days and so they ate and drank and lodged there.

The fourth day they arose early in the morning, and the man stood up to depart. But the damsel's father said unto his son-in-law, "Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread and then go your way."

And they sat down and did eat and drink both of them together. Then said the damsel's father unto the man, "Go to, I pray thee, and tarry all night and let thine heart be merry."

And he rose up early the fifth day to depart. Then said the damsel's father, "Comfort thine heart": and so made him tarry until after midday. And they did eat both of them together.

And when they were fast by Jebus, the day was sore spent and the young man said unto his master, "Come I pray thee and let us turn in, into this city of the Jebusites and lodge all night there."

And they went forward upon their way, and the sun went down upon them when they were fast by Gibeah which is in Benjamin.

And they turned thitherward to go and lodge all night in Gibeah. And when they came in, they sat them down in a street of the city, for there was no man took them in to lodge.

And he brought him into his house, and gave fodder unto his asses. And they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.

And as they were making their hearts merry, the men of the city which were wicked, set the house round about, and thrust at the door, and spake to the man of the house, the old man, saying, "Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may know him."

But the men would not hearken to him. Nevertheless the man took his concubine and brought her out unto them, and they had to do with her, and entreated her shamefully, all the night even unto the morning. And when the day began to spring, they let her go.

And I took my concubine and cut her in pieces and sent her throughout all the lands of the inheritance of Israel. For they have committed abomination and folly in Israel.

And we will take ten men of the hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of the thousand, and a thousand out of the ten thousand, to fetch victuals for the people to make that they may go against Gibeah Benjamin, according to all the folly, that they have wrought in Israel."

And the folk of the children of Israel plucked up their hearts, and went to again and made battle in the same place where they did the first day:

but they went first up and wept before the LORD unto evening, and asked of the LORD saying, "Shall we go again to battle against the children of Benjamin, our brethren?"

And they asked the LORD - for there was the ark of the covenant of God, in those days;

and Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron waiting upon it at that time - and they said, "Shall we go out any more to battle against the children of Benjamin our brethren, or shall we cease?" And the LORD said, "Go. For tomorrow I will deliver them into your hands."

Then came the children of Benjamin against the people, till they were drawn a great way from the city. And they began to smite of the people dead - as twice before, by two highways of which one goeth up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah through the field - upon a thirty men of Israel.

It seemed the children of Benjamin, that the other had been put to the worse. For the men of Israel gave room to Benjamin, because they trusted unto the layers in wait which they had laid against Gibeah.

And the appointment of the men of Israel with the layers in wait to run upon Benjamin with the sword, was when they should make the smoke rise up out of the city.

And the men of Israel fled in the battle. And Benjamin began to smite dead of the children of Israel, about a thirty persons, for they supposed that the other had been put to the worse before them, as in the first battle.

When the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin were abashed: for they saw that evil approached them.

And they turned before the men of Israel into the way that leadeth to the wilderness, the other following them at the hard heels. And beside that they of the city destroyed them in the middle of them.

And they compassed Benjamin about, and chased them to Menuah, and overran them before Gibeah on the east side.

And they turned and fled to the wilderness ward and unto the rock of pomegranates. And the other slew by the way of the rest of them, five thousand men, and sticked unto them until they came to Gidom, and slew two thousand more of them.

And then the men of Israel turned back again unto the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword in the cities, both man and beast and all that came to hand, and moreover set all the cities they could come by on fire.

And the children of Israel asked, "Who are they among all the tribes of Israel that came not with the congregation unto the LORD?" For they had made a great oath concerning them that came not up to the LORD to Mizpeh, saying that they should surely die.

Then they said, "What are they of the tribes of Israel that came not up to Mizpeh to the LORD?" And behold there came none of the inhabiters of Jabeshgilead unto the congregation.

And they found among the inhabiters of Jabeshgilead four hundred damsels; virgins that had known no man by lying with any male. And they brought them unto the host to Shiloh which is in the land of Canaan.

and Benjamin came again at that time, and they gave them the women which they had saved alive of the women of Jabeshgilead. But they so sufficed them not.

And they said, "There must be an inheritance for them that be escaped of Benjamin that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel:

Then they said, "Behold, there is a feast of the LORD yearly in Shiloh which is on the north side of Bethel, and on the east side of the way that goeth from Bethel to Shechem and south from Lebanon."

And they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, "Go and lie in wait in the vineyards.

And the children of Benjamin did even so: and took them wives according to the number of them of the dancers which they caught. And then they went and returned unto their inheritance, and built their cities and dwelt in them.

The name of the man was Elimelech, and his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion and they were Ephraimites, out of Bethlehem Judah. And when they came into the land of Moab, they continued there.

which took them wives of the nations of the Moabites: the one's name Orpah and the other's Ruth. And when they had dwelled there about a ten years,

Wherefore she departed out of the place where she was, and her two daughters with her. And as they went by the way returning unto the land of Judah,

Then they cried and wept and said unto her, "We will go with thee unto thy folk."

Would ye tarry after them, till they were of age? Or would ye for them so long refrain from taking of husbands? Not so, my daughters: for it grieveth me much for your sakes, that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me."

Therewith they cried and wept again. Howbeit, Orpah kissed her mother-in-law but Ruth abode still by her.

And so they went both together until they came to Bethlehem. And when they were come to Bethlehem, it was noised through all the city, and the women said, "Is not this Naomi?"

And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem and said unto the harvest men, "The LORD be with you." And they answered him, "The LORD bless thee."

Thine eyes are on a field that shall be reaped: go after the maidens therefore, for I have charged the young men, that they touch thee not. Moreover when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels and drink of that which the lads have drawn."

And Ruth the Moabite said, "He bade me also that I should continue with his young men until they had ended all that harvest he hath."

And then he said, "Blessed be thou in the LORD my daughter, for thou hast showed more goodness in the latter end, than at the beginning; inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether they were poor or rich.

Then he took ten men of the elders of the city and said, "Sit ye down here." And they sat down.

Then Hannah rose up after that they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh. And Eli the priest sat upon a stool by one of the side posts of the temple of the LORD.

And they rose up early and bowed themselves before the LORD, and then returned and went to their house to Ramah. And Elkanah lay by his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her.