And the lords of Succoth said, "Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hands that we should give bread unto thy company?"

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 Gideon went through them that dwell in tabernacles on the east side of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host: for the host did cast no perils.

Then he came unto the men of Succoth and said, "Behold, Zebah and Zalmunna, with which ye cast me in the teeth saying, 'Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy fainty men?'"

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.

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 the weight of the golden earrings was a thousand and seven hundred sicles of gold, beside brooches, ouches and garments of scarlet that were of the kings of Midian, and beside the chains, that were about their camels' necks.

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.

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

And Gideon the son of Joash died, when he was of a good age, and was buried in the burial of Joash his father, even in Ophrah that pertained unto the father of the Abiezrites.

"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."

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 all the citizens of Shechem gathered together with all the house of Mello, and went and made Abimelech king at a certain oak that was by Shechem.

And when it was told Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lift up his voice and called, and said unto them, "Hearken unto me you citizens of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you.

And the vine answered, 'Should I leave my wine that cheereth both God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?'

And the furze bush said unto the trees, "If it will be true that ye will anoint me king over you, then come and rest under my shadow, and ye shall see that a fire shall come out of the furze-bush and waste the cypress trees of Lebanon!'

But, if ye have not dealt truly, then I pray God a fire may come out of Abimelech and consume the citizens of Shechem and the house of Mello. And that there come a fire out of the citizens of Shechem, and out of the house of Mello and consume Abimelech."

and wished that the wickedness done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come on him, and laid the blood of them unto Abimelech their brother which slew them, and unto the other citizens of Shechem which aided him in the killing of his brethren.

And the citizens of Shechem set men to lay await for him in the top of the mountains, which men robbed all that came along the way by them. And it was told Abimelech.

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."

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 Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entering of the gate of the city. And Abimelech rose up and the folk that were with him, from lying await.

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 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 he took his people and divided them into three companies and lay await in the fields. And when he saw that the people were come out of the city, he ran upon them and laid upon them.

And Abimelech, and the companies that were with him, ran and stood in the entering of the gate of the city. And the two other companies ran upon all the people that were in the fields and slew them.

And then Abimelech fought against the city all that day, and took it, and slew the people that were therein, and destroyed the city and sowed salt in the place.

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 it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together,

he gat him to mount Zalmon, both he and all that were with him, and took axes with him and cut down an arm of a tree, and took it up, and put it on his shoulder, and said unto the folk that were with him, "Whatsoever ye see me do: speed yourselves and do likewise."

And all the people cut down also every man a bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them into the hold, and set the hold a fire upon them: so that all the men of the tower of Shechem were slain, upon a thousand persons what of men and women together.

Then Abimelech called hastily unto the young man that bare his harness, and said unto him, "Draw thy sword and slay me, that men say not of me, 'A woman slew him.'" And his lad thrust him through and he died.

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

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.

which pilled and oppressed the children of Israel in those days eighteen years, all that were on the other side Jordan in the land of the Amorites in Gilead.

Moreover, the children of Ammon went over Jordan to fight against Judah, Benjamin, and the house of Ephraim: so that Israel was sore cumbered.

And for all that, ye have forsaken me, and serve strange gods, wherefore I will help you no more.

But it chanced, in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel.

And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, "Did not ye hate me and expel me out of my father's house? How happeneth it then that you come unto me now in time of your tribulation?"

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."

Then Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon, saying, "What aileth thee with me that thou comest upon me to fight against my land?"

Nay, but what people Chemosh thy god driveth out, that land possess thou. But whatsoever nations the LORD our God expelleth, that land ought we to enjoy.

all the while Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her towns, and in Aroer and her towns, and in all the cities that be along by the coasts of Arnon, three hundredth years? Why didst thou not recover them in all that space?

Then the spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah. And he passed over Gilead and Manasseh, and came to Mizpeh that lieth in Gilead, and from thence unto the children of Ammon.

then that thing that cometh out of the doors of my house against me, when I come home in peace from the children of Ammon, shall be the LORD's, and I will offer it up a burnt offering."

Then Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house. And see, his daughter came out against him, with timbrels and dances, which was his only child: so that beside her he had neither son nor daughter.

And when he saw her, he rent his clothes and said, "Alas, my daughter, thou hast made me stoop, and art one of them that trouble me. For I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and cannot go back."

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."

And she said unto her father, "Do this much for me: let me alone two months that I may go down to the mountains and bewail my virginity with my fellows."

And it became an ordinance in Israel, year by year, that the daughters of Israel should go and lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite, four days in a year.

And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands and went upon the children of Ammon. And the LORD delivered them into my hands. Wherefore then are ye come upon me to fight with me?"

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.

And he had forty sons, and thirty nephews that rode on thirty ass colts.

Then the wife made haste and ran and showed her husband and said to him, "Behold, the man appeared unto me that came the other day unto me."

And Manoah arose and went after his wife and came to the man and said unto him, "Art thou the man that spakest unto my wife?" And he said, "Yea."

And the Angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, "Thy wife must abstain from all that I said unto her:

she may eat of nothing that cometh of the vine tree, nor drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing: But must observe all that I bade her."

And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, "Though thou make me abide, I will not eat of thy meat. And moreover, if thou wilt prepare a burnt offering, that thou must offer unto the LORD." For Manoah wist not that it was an angel of the LORD.

And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, "What is thy name, that when thy saying is come to pass, we may do thee some worship?"

But the angel of the LORD did no more appear unto Manoah and his wife. And then Manoah knew that it was an angel of the LORD,

Then his father and mother said unto him, "Is there never a woman of the daughters of thy brethren, among all my people: but that thou must go and fetch a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines?" And Samson said unto his father, "Give me this woman for she pleaseth me well."

But his father and mother wist not that it was the LORD's doing, and that he sought an occasion of the Philistines, which at that time reigned over Israel.

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 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?"

Then Samson's wife wept unto him and said, "It cannot be but that thou hatest me and lovest me not: for thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my folk and wilt not tell me what it meaneth." And he said, "Behold, I have not told it my father, nor my mother, and should I tell it thee?"

But Samson's wife was given to one of his companions that bare him company.

But it chanced, within a while after, even in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a Kid. And when he supposed to have gone in unto his wife into the chamber, her father would not suffer him to go in,

but said, "I thought that thou hadst hated her, and therefore gave I her unto one of thy companions. Howbeit her younger sister is fairer than she. Take her instead of the other."

Then the Philistines asked who had done that. And it was told them that Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife and given her to one of his companions. And the Philistines came and burnt her and her father with fire.

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 when he came to Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him. And the spirit of the LORD came upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire and the bands loosed from his hands.

But God brake a great tooth that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout. And when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he was refreshed, wherefore the name thereof was called the Well of the Caller-on, which is in Lehi unto this day.

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 Samson took his rest till midnight, and arose at midnight took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two side posts, and rent them off, bars and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of a hill that lieth before Hebron.

And after that he loved a woman, upon the river of Sorek, called Delilah

- unto whom came the lords of the Philistines, and said unto her, "Flatter with him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may have power over him, that we may bind him, to bring him under, and we will give every man eleven hundred silverlings."

And Samson said unto her, "If men bound me with seven ropes of fresh sinews that were never dried, I should be weak and as another man."

And then the lords of the Philistines brought her seven withies that were yet green and never dried and she bound him therewith.

And he said, "If I were bound with new ropes that never were occupied, then should I be weak, and as another man."

And she said unto him, "The Philistines be upon thee, Samson." And he awaked out of his sleep, and plucked and went away with the nail that was in the plaiting and with the hair lace.

Then she said unto him, "How canst thou say that thou lovest me, when thine heart is not with me? For thou hast mocked me this three times, and hast not told wherein thy great strength lieth."

And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent for the Philistines saying, "Come up yet this once, for he hath showed me all his heart." Then the lords of the Philistines came and brought the money in their hands.

And she said, "The Philistines be upon thee, Samson." And he awoke out of his sleep and thought to go out as at other times before and shake himself, and knew not that the LORD was departed from him.

Howbeit, the hair of his head began to grow again after that he was shorn.

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 Samson said unto the lad that led him by the hand, "Set me that I may touch the pillars that the house stands upon, and that I may lean to them."

And the house was full of men and women. And there was all the lords of the Philistines. And there were upon the roof a three thousand men and women, that beheld how Samson played.

And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, "My Lord Jehovah think upon me, and strengthen me at this time only, O God, that I may be avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes."

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.

which said unto his mother, "The eleven hundred silverlings that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst and saidst in mine ears: Behold, the silver is with me for I took it away." Then said his mother, "Blessed be thou my son, in the LORD."

Then said Micah, "Now I am sure that the LORD will be good unto me, seeing I have a Levite to my priest."

In those days there was no king in Israel. And in those days the tribe of Dan sought them an inheritance to dwell in, for unto that time there fell none inheritance unto them among the tribes of Israel.

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 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.

When ye be come, ye shall come unto a people that casteth no perils, and unto a large country: for God hath given into your hands a place wherein is no lack of anything that is in the world."