And the children of Israel gave by lot unto the Levites these cities with their suburbs as the LORD commanded by Moses.

And they gave them Kiriatharba of the father of Anak, which is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, with the suburbs of the same round about it.

And the kindreds of the children of Kohath that were Levities - that is to say the other children of Kohath - had the cities of their lot, out of the tribe of Ephraim.

And now the LORD hath given rest unto your brethren as he promised them. Wherefore, return and go unto your tents and unto the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side Jordan.

But in any wise take exceeding good heed that ye do the commandment and law which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you: which is, that ye love the LORD your God, and walk in his ways and keep his commandments, and cleave unto him, and serve him with all your hearts and all your souls."

And the children of Ruben, the children of Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh, returned and departed from the children of Israel out of Shiloh which is in the land of Canaan, to go unto the country of Gilead, and to the land of their possession, wherein they were possessed at the mouth of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

"Thus say the whole congregation of the LORD: 'What transgression is this that ye have transgressed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from after the LORD and to build you an altar for to rebel this day against the LORD?

Is the wicked deed of Peor too little for us, whereof we are not cleansed unto this day, and there was a plague in the congregation of the LORD?

Notwithstanding, if the land of your possession be unclean, then come over unto the land of the possession of the LORD, where the LORD's tabernacle dwelleth, and be possessed among us. But rebel not against the LORD nor against us, to build you any other altar save the altar of the LORD our God.

"The mighty God Jehovah, he knoweth, and Israel shall know if; it be to rebel or transgress against the LORD, then the LORD save us not this day.

Or else if we have built us an altar to turn from following the LORD, or to offer thereon burnt offering or meat offerings, or to offer peace offerings thereon: let the LORD require it.

Saying, 'That the LORD hath made Jordan a border between us and you, ye children of Ruben and of Gad: ye have no part therefore in the LORD.' And so shall your children make our children cease from fearing the LORD.

And therefore we said, 'Let us cause an altar to be made, not for burnt offerings, nor sacrifices,

but it shall be a witness between us and you and our generations after us, that we should serve the LORD, with our offerings, sacrifices and peace offerings: and that your children should not say to ours in time to come: ye have no part in the LORD.'

And we thought if they should so say to us, or to our generations in time to come, that we would say again, 'Behold the fashion of the altar which our fathers made, neither for burnt offerings nor sacrifices, but that it should be a witness between us and you.'

God forbid that we should rebel against the LORD and that we should turn this day from after him, and build an altar for burnt offerings nor sacrifices, save the altar of the LORD our God that is before his tabernacle."

And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said unto the children of Ruben, of Gad and of Manasseh, "This day we perceive that the LORD is among us, because ye have not done this trespass against the LORD. Now have ye delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the LORD."

And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar Ed, because it is a witness between us, that the LORD is God.

And the LORD your God shall expel and cast them out before you, and ye shall conquer their lands, as the LORD your God hath said unto you.

Be, therefore, exceeding strong that ye take heed to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye bow not aside therefrom, to the righthand or to the left:

But that ye stick fast unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day.

So shall the LORD cast out before you great nations and mighty, as ye see how no man hath stand before you hitherto.

One of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God he fighteth for you, as he hath said unto you.

And as all good things are come upon you, which the LORD your God promised you: so shall the LORD bring upon you all evil until he have destroyed you from off this good land, which the LORD your God hath given you

And I gave unto Isaac, Jacob and Esau. And I gave unto Esau mount Seir to possess it. But Jacob and his children went down into Egypt.

Then I sent Moses and Aaron. And I plagued Egypt, after the manner as I did among them, and after that I brought you out,

But if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, then choose you this day, whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served, that were on the other side of the water, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land, ye dwelt. As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

For the LORD our God, he it is that brought us and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, the house of bondage, and which did those miracles in our sight, and preserved us in all the way we went and among all the nations which we came through.

And the LORD did cast out before us all the nations with the Amorites which dwelt in the land, wherefore we will serve the LORD - for he is our God."

But Joshua said unto the people, "Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is a holy God and cannot bear your transgression and sin.

And Joshua said unto all the people, "Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us for it hath heard all the words of the LORD which he spake with us. It shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye lie unto your God."

Whom they buried in the country of his inheritance, even in Timnathserah which is in mount Ephraim, on the north side of the hill of Gaash.

Then Judah said unto Simeon his brother, "Come with me into my lot, and let us fight against the Cananites: And I likewise will go with thee into thy lot." And so Simeon went with him.

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

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

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.

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."

These are the nations which the LORD left to tempt Israel, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan.

And as the children of Israel dwelt among the Cananites, Hittites, Amorites, Perezites, Hivites, and Jebusites,

and brought the present unto Eglon the king of the Moabites. As for Eglon, he was a very fat man.

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 the LORD sold them into the hands of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor, whose captain of war was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the gentiles.

Then said Deborah unto Barak, "Up, for this is the day in which the LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hands: for the LORD is gone out before thee." And so Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.

Then Jael, Heber's wife, took a nail of the tent, and a hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail thorough the temples of his head into the ground, as he slumbered being weary: And so he died.

And behold, as Barak followed after Sisera, Jael came out against him, and said unto him, "Come and I will show thee the man whom thou seekest." And when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail through his temples.

The lords of Issachar were with Deborah. And as Barak, even so was Issachar sent into the valley afoot. But in the divisions of Reuben, were great imaginations of heart.

But Zebulun is a people that put their lives in jeopardy of death, and Naphtali in like manner, even unto the top of the fields.

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.

and destroyed the increase of the earth even unto Gaza, and left no sustenance in Israel; neither sheep, ox or ass,

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.

And I said unto you, I am the LORD your God, and therefore fear not the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But you have not obeyed my voice."

And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said, "The LORD is with thee, thou man of might."

And Gideon answered him, "Oh my Lord; if the LORD be with us, why is all this come upon us? Yea, and where be his miracles which our fathers told us of and said, 'The LORD brought us out of Egypt'? But now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites."

And he answered him, "Oh Lord, wherewith should I save Israel? Behold my kindred is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house."

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

Then Gideon made an altar there unto the LORD and called it Jehovah Shalom; The LORD is the Peace. Which unto this day is yet in Ophrah that pertaineth unto the father of the Abiezrites.

And the same night the LORD said unto him, "Take an ox of thy father's and another of seven years old, and destroy the altar of Baal that belongeth unto thy father, and cut down the grove that is about it,

Then Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the LORD bade him. But because he durst not do it by day for fear of his father's household and of the men of the city, he did it by night.

And Gideon said unto God, "If thou wilt save Israel by my hand as thou hast said:

Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the threshing place. And if the dew be on the fleece only, and dry upon all the earth beside: then I shall be sure that thou wilt save Israel by my hand as thou saidest."

And the LORD said unto Gideon, "The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel make her vaunt to my dishonour and say, 'Our own hand hath saved us.'

And when he had brought down the people unto the water, the LORD said unto Gideon, "As many as lap the water with their tongues, as dogs do, them put by themselves; and so do them that kneel down upon their knees to drink."

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 his fellow answered and said, this is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel, into whose hand God hath delivered Midian and all the host."

and said unto them, "Look on me and do likewise: and behold, when I come to the side of the host, even as I do, so do you.

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 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.

God hath delivered into your hands the lords of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. And what was I able to do like as you have done?" And then their spirits abated from off him, when he had said that.

And he went thence to Phanuel, and spake unto them likewise. And the men of Phanuel answered him as did the men of Succoth.

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."

Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, "Rise thou and fall upon us; for as the man is, so is his strength." And Gideon arose and slew them: and he took away the chains that were on their camels' necks.

Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, "Reign over us, both thou, thy son and thy son's son, for thou hast delivered us out of the hands of the Midianites."

And his concubine that dwelt in Shechem bare him a son also, whose name he called Abimelech.

But as soon as Gideon was dead, the children of Israel turned away and went a whoring after Baal, and made Baalberith their God,

"Say, I pray you, in the ears of all the inhabiters of Shechem: whether is better for you that all the sons of Jerubbaal which are seventy persons reign over you, either that one reign over you. And remember thereto, that I am your bones and your flesh."

The trees went to anoint a king over them, and said unto the olive tree, 'Reign over us.'

Then said the trees to the fig tree, 'Come thou and be king over us.'

Then said the trees unto the vine, 'Come thou and be king over us.'

Then said all the trees unto the furze-bush, 'Come thou and reign over us.'

- forasmuch as my father fought for you and adventured his life, and rid you out of the hands of the Midianites -

and ye are risen up against my father's house this day. And have slain his children, even seventy persons upon one stone and have made Abimelech - the son of his maidservant - king over the citizens of Shechem, because he is your brother.

And Gaal the son of Ebed said, "What is Abimelech, and what is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and Zebul is his officer? Serve such as come of Hamor the father of Shechem. For what reason is it that we should serve him?

Now, therefore, up by night, both thou and all the people that is with thee, and lie in wait in the fields.

And rise early in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, and come upon the city. And when he and the people that is with him come out against thee, do to him what thine hands shall be able."

Then said Zebul unto him, "Where is now thy mouth that said, 'What fellow is Abimelech, that we should serve him?' These are the people that thou so despisest. Go out now a fellowship and fight with them."

And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and had thirty cities for them, which are called the towns of Jair unto this day, and are in the land of Gilead.

But the children of Israel said unto the LORD, "We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever please thee, and deliver us only at this time."

and said unto him, "Come and be our captain, and let us fight with the children of Ammon."

And the elders of Gilead answered Jephthah, "Therefore we turn again to thee now, that thou go with us, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be our head over all the inhabiters of Gilead."

And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, "The LORD be witness between us if we do not according to thy words."

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 Israel sent messengers unto Sihon, king of the Amorites, and king of Heshbon, and said unto him, 'Let us pass through thy land unto our own country.'

And she said unto him, "My father, if thou have opened thy mouth unto the LORD, then do with me according to that proceeded out of thy mouth, forasmuch as the LORD hath avenged thee of thine enemies the children of Ammon."