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JDG EN_ULT en_English_ltr Mon Jun 17 2024 14:06:48 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time) tc

1 And it happened, after the death of Joshua, that the sons of Israel asked of Yahweh, saying, “Who will go up for us against the Canaanite in the beginning, to fight against him?” 2 And Yahweh said, “Judah will go up. Behold, I have given the land into his hand.” 3 Then Judah said to Simeon, his brother, “Go up with me into my allotment, and let us fight against the Canaanite. And I will also go with you myself into your allotment.” So Simeon went with him. 4 And Judah went up, and Yahweh gave the Canaanite and the Perizzite into their hand. And at Bezek they struck 10,000 men. 5 And they found Adoni-Bezek at Bezek, and they fought against him. And they struck the Canaanite and the Perizzite. 6 Then Adoni-Bezek fled, but they pursued after him, and they seized him, and they cut off the thumbs of his hands and his feet. 7 And Adoni-Bezek said, “70 kings with the thumbs of their hands and their feet cut off were gathering beneath my table. According to what I have done, so God has repaid to me.” Then they brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there.

8 And the sons of Judah fought with Jerusalem and captured it. And they struck it to the mouth of the sword, and they sent the city into fire. 9 And afterward the sons of Judah went down to fight with the Canaanite living in the hill country and the Negev and the Shephelah. 10 Then Judah went down to the Canaanite living in Hebron. (Now the name of Hebron previously was Kiriath Arba.) And they struck Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai.

11 And he went from there against the dwellers of Debir. (Now the name of Debir previously was Kiriath Sepher.) 12 And Caleb said, “Whoever strikes Kiriath Sepher and takes it, I will then give to him Aksah, my daughter, for a wife.” 13 And Othniel, the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, the one younger than him, captured it. So he gave to him Aksah, his daughter, for a wife. 14 Now it happened, in the coming of her, that she persuaded him to request the field from her father. And she descended from upon the donkey, and Caleb said to her, “What for you?” 15 And she said to him, “Give to me a blessing. Since you have given me land of the Negev, you shall also give to me springs of waters.” So Caleb gave to her the upper springs and the lower springs.

16 Now the sons of the Kenite, the father-in-law of Moses, went up from the City of Palms with the sons of Judah to the wilderness of Judah that is in the Negev of Arad. And he went and he dwelled with the people. 17 Then Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they struck the Canaanite dwelling in Zephath. And they devoted it, and they called the name of the city Hormah. 18 And Judah captured Gaza and the territory of it and Ashkelon and the territory of it and Ekron and the territory of it. 19 Now it happened that Yahweh was with Judah and he possessed the hill country. But he did not dispossess the dwellers of the valley, for chariotry of iron was to them. 20 But they gave Hebron to Caleb, according to what Moses had spoken, and he dispossessed from there the three sons of the Anak. 21 But the Jebusite, the dweller of Jerusalem, the sons of Benjamin did not dispossess. So the Jebusite has dwelled with the sons of Benjamin in Jerusalem until this day.

22 And the house of Joseph, they too went up to Bethel, and Yahweh was with them. 23 And the house of Joseph spied upon Bethel. (Now the name of the city previously was Luz.) 24 And the observers saw a man going out from the city, and they said to him, “Show us, please, the entrance of the city, and we will do kindness with you.” 25 So he showed them the entrance of the city, and they struck the city to the mouth of the sword, but the man and all of his family they sent away. 26 Then the man went to the land of the Hittites and he built a city, and he called the name of it Luz. That is the name of it until this day.

27 But Manasseh did not dispossess Beth Shan and its daughters or Taanach and its daughters or the dwellers of Dor and its daughters or the dwellers of Ibleam and its daughters or the dwellers of Megiddo and its daughters, for the Canaanite had resolved to dwell in that land. 28 Now it happened that Israel became strong and he put the Canaanite to forced labor, but he did not dispossess him.

29 And Ephraim did not dispossess the Canaanite, the dweller of Gezer, so the Canaanite dwelled in the midst of him in Gezer.

30 Zebulun did not dispossess the dwellers of Kitron or the dwellers of Nahalol, so the Canaanite dwelled in his midst. But they became forced labor.

31 Asher did not dispossess the dwellers of Akko or the dwellers of Sidon or Ahlab or Akzib or Helbah or Aphek or Rehob. 32 So the Asherite dwelled in the midst of the Canaanite, the dweller of the land, because he did not dispossess him.

33 Naphtali did not dispossess the dwellers of Beth Shemesh or the dwellers of Beth Anath. So he dwelled in the midst of the Canaanite, the dwellers of the land. But the dwellers of Beth Shemesh and Beth Anath became forced labor for them.

34 And the Amorite, they pressed the sons of Dan into the hill country, for he did not allow him to go down into the valley. 35 And the Amorite resolved to dwell at Mount Heres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim, but the hand of the house of Joseph became heavy and they became forced labor. 36 Now the border of the Amorite was from the Ascent of Akrabbim, from Sela and upward.

2 And the angel of Yahweh went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said, “I am bringing you up from Egypt, and I have brought you to the land that I swore to your fathers. And I have said, ‘I will forever not break my covenant with you. 2 And you, you shall not cut a covenant with the dwellers of this land. Their altars you shall demolish.’ But you have not heard my voice. What is this you have done? 3 And I have also said, ‘I will not expel them from the face of you, but they will be to you in the sides, and their gods will be to you for a snare.’ ” 4 Now it happened, as the angel of Yahweh spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice and wept. 5 So they called the name of that place Bokim, and they sacrificed to Yahweh there.

6 And Joshua dismissed the people, and the sons of Israel went, a man to his inheritance, to possess the land. 7 And the people served Yahweh all of the days of Joshua and all of the days of the elders who had lengthened their days after Joshua, who had seen all of the great deed of Yahweh that he had done for Israel. 8 And Joshua, the son of Nun, the servant of Yahweh, died, a son of 110 years. 9 And they buried him within the border of his inheritance in Timnath Heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, to the north of Mount Gaash. 10 And all of that generation was also gathered to its fathers, and another generation arose after them who did not know Yahweh and also the deed that he had done for Israel.

11 Then the sons of Israel did evil in the eyes of Yahweh, and they served the Baals. 12 And they forsook Yahweh, the God of their fathers, the one having brought them out from the land of Egypt, and they went after other gods, from the gods of the peoples who were around them, and they bowed down to them. So they angered Yahweh. 13 And they forsook Yahweh and they served Baal and the Ashtoreths. 14 Then the nose of Yahweh burned against Israel, and he gave them into the hand of plunderers, and they plundered them. And he sold them into the hand of their enemies from around, and they were not able anymore to stand to the face of their enemies. 15 In all that they went out, the hand of Yahweh was against them for calamity, just as Yahweh had spoken and just as Yahweh had sworn to them. And it narrowed to them greatly.

16 Then Yahweh raised up judges, and they saved them from the hand of their plunderers. 17 But even to their judges they did not listen. For they whored after other gods and they bowed down to them. They turned quickly from the way that their fathers had walked, to hear the commandments of Yahweh. They did not do thus. 18 For when Yahweh raised up for them judges, then Yahweh was with the judge and he saved them from the hand of their enemies all of the days of the judge. For Yahweh had compassion because of their groaning from the face of their afflicters and their oppressors. 19 But it happened, at the death of the judge, they turned and acted corruptly more than their fathers, to walk after other gods, to serve them, and to bow down to them. They did not drop any of their deeds or any of their stubborn ways. 20 So the nose of Yahweh burned against Israel and he said, “In that this nation has transgressed my covenant that I commanded their fathers and they have not listened to my voice, 21 I also will not continue to dispossess from the face of them any of the nations that Joshua left when he died, 22 for the testing of Israel by them, whether they will be keeping the way of Yahweh, to walk in them just as their fathers kept them, or not.” 23 So Yahweh left those nations, so as not to dispossess them quickly, and he did not give them into the hand of Joshua.

3 Now those nations that Yahweh left for the testing of Israel by them, all who had not known any of the wars of Canaan, 2 only for the knowing of the generations of the sons of Israel, to teach them warfare, only who previously had not known them, 3 were the five rulers of the Philistines, and all of the Canaanite and the Sidonian and the Hivite, the dweller of the mountain of Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo Hamath. 4 And they were for the testing of Israel by them, to know whether they would hear the commandments of Yahweh, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses. 5 So the sons of Israel dwelled in the midst of the Canaanite, the Hittite, and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite. 6 And they took their daughters for themselves as wives, and they gave their daughters to their sons, and they served their gods.

7 So the sons of Israel did evil in the eyes of Yahweh. And they forgot Yahweh their God and they served the Baals and the Asherahs. 8 Then the nose of Yahweh burned against Israel and he sold them into the hand of Cushan-Rishathaim, the king of Aram Naharaim. And the sons of Israel served Cushan-Rishathaim eight years. 9 Then the sons of Israel cried out to Yahweh, and Yahweh raised up a savior for the sons of Israel, and he saved them: Othniel, the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, the one younger than him. 10 And the Spirit of Yahweh was upon him, and he judged Israel. And he went out to war, and Yahweh gave Cushan-Rishathaim, the king of Aram, into his hand. So his hand was strong against Cushan-Rishathaim. 11 And the land rested 40 years. Then Othniel, the son of Kenaz, died.

12 Then the sons of Israel resumed to do evil in the eyes of Yahweh. So Yahweh strengthened Eglon, the king of Moab, against Israel, upon that they did evil in the eyes of Yahweh. 13 And he gathered to him the sons of Ammon and Amalek, and he went and struck Israel, and they possessed the City of Palms. 14 So the sons of Israel served Eglon, the king of Moab, 18 years.

15 Then the sons of Israel cried out to Yahweh, and Yahweh raised up a savior for them, Ehud, the son of Gera, a Benjaminite, a man impeded in his right hand. And the sons of Israel sent tribute by his hand to Eglon, the king of Moab. 16 And Ehud made a sword for himself, and two mouths were to it; a cubit was its length. And he bound it onto his right thigh beneath his clothing. 17 Then he brought the tribute to Eglon, the king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man. 18 Now it happened, when he had finished bringing the tribute, that he sent away the people, the bearers of the tribute. 19 But he himself turned back from the carved images that were at Gilgal, and he said, “A word of secrecy is to me for you, O king.” And he said, “Hush!” So all of the ones standing around him went out from around him. 20 Then Ehud came to him. Now he was sitting in the upper room of coolness that was to him, alone. And Ehud said, “A word from God is to me for you.” And he arose from upon the throne. 21 Then Ehud stretched out his left hand and took the sword from upon his right thigh, and he thrust it into his belly. 22 And the handle also went in after the blade, and the fat closed around the handle, for he did not pull the sword from his belly, and excrement came out. 23 Then Ehud went out to the porch, and he closed the doors of the upper room behind him and bolted them.

24 And he went out, and his servants came, and they looked, and behold, the doors of the upper room were bolted. So they said, “Surely he is covering his feet in the chamber of coolness.” 25 So they waited until they felt ashamed, but behold, he was not opening the doors of the upper room. So they took the opener and they opened them, and behold, their lord was fallen on the ground, dead.

26 But Ehud escaped during their delaying, and he passed the carved images, and he fled to Seirah. 27 Now it happened at his coming that he blew on the shofar in the hill country of Ephraim. Then the sons of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he was to the face of them. 28 Now he had said to them, “Follow after me, for Yahweh has given your enemies, Moab, into your hand.” So they went down after him and they captured the fords of the Jordan opposite Moab, and they did not allow anyone to cross over. 29 And they struck Moab at that time, about 10,000 men. Each was robust and each was a man of strength, but not one escaped. 30 So Moab was subdued on that day under the hand of Israel, and the land rested 80 years.

31 After him was Shamgar, the son of Anath, and he struck Philistines, 600 men, with a goad of the ox. So he also saved Israel.

4 And the sons of Israel resumed to do evil in the eyes of Yahweh after Ehud died. 2 And Yahweh sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. Now the commander of his army was Sisera, and he was dwelling in Harosheth Haggoyim. 3 Then the sons of Israel cried out to Yahweh, for 900 chariots of iron were to him, and he oppressed the sons of Israel with might 20 years.

4 Now Deborah, a woman, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, she was judging Israel at that time. 5 And she was sitting beneath 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. 6 And she sent and called for Barak, the son of Abinoam, from Kedesh Naphtali, and she said to him, “Has not Yahweh, the God of Israel, commanded, ‘Go and draw out at Mount Tabor, and you shall take with you 10,000 men from the sons of Naphtali and from the sons of Zebulun? 7 And I will draw out to you, to the river of Kishon, Sisera, the commander of the army of Jabin, and his chariotry and his multitude, and I will give him into your hand.’ ” 8 And Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, then I will go, but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” 9 And she said, “Going, I will go with you, only that it will not be your honor upon the way that you are going, for Yahweh will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. 10 Then Barak summoned Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh. And 10,000 men went up at his feet, and Deborah went up with him.

11 Now Heber the Kenite had separated himself from Kain, from the sons of Hobab, the father-in-law of Moses. And he had pitched his tent near an oak tree in Zaanannim, which is near Kedesh.

12 And they reported to Sisera that Barak, the son of Abinoam, had gone up to Mount Tabor. 13 So Sisera summoned all of his chariotry, 900 chariots of iron, and all of the people who were with him, from Harosheth Haggoyim to the river of Kishon. 14 Then Deborah said to Barak, “Arise! For this is the day when Yahweh has given Sisera into your hand. Has not Yahweh gone out to the face of you?” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor, and 10,000 men were after him. 15 And Yahweh panicked Sisera and all of the chariotry and all of the army, to the mouth of the sword to the face of Barak. So Sisera descended from upon the chariot and fled on his feet. 16 But Barak pursued after the chariotry and after the army unto Harosheth Haggoyim, and all of the army of Sisera fell by the mouth of the sword. Not even one remained.

17 But Sisera fled on his feet to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, for there was peace between Jabin, king of Hazor, and the house of Heber the Kenite. 18 And Jael went out to meet Sisera and she said to him, “Turn aside, my lord, turn aside to me. Do not fear.” So he turned aside to her, into the tent, and she covered him with a blanket. 19 And he said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty.” So she opened a skin of milk and let him drink, and she covered him. 20 And he said to her, “Stand at the entrance of the tent, and it shall be, if anyone comes and asks you and says, ‘Is there anyone here?’ then you shall say ‘No one.’ ” 21 Then Jael, the wife of Heber, took a peg of the tent, and she put the hammer in her hand, and she came to him in secret, and she drove the peg into his temple and pounded it into the ground, for he was sleeping deeply and was weary, and he died. 22 And behold, Barak was pursuing Sisera, and Jael came out to meet him, and she said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man whom you are seeking.” So he came to her, and behold, Sisera had fallen dead, and the peg was in his temple.

23 So on that day God subdued Jabin, the king of Canaan, to the face of the sons of Israel. 24 For going, the hand of the sons of Israel went and became severe against Jabin, the king of Canaan, until that they destroyed Jabin, the king of Canaan.

5 So Deborah and Barak, the son of Abinoam, sang on that day, saying:

2 “For the loosening of long hair in Israel,

for the volunteering of the people, bless Yahweh!

3 Listen, kings! Give ear, rulers! I, to Yahweh, even I, may I sing.

I will make music to Yahweh, the God of Israel.

4 Yahweh, at your going forth from Seir,

at your marching from the field of Edom,

the earth shook, the heavens also dripped,

the dark clouds also dripped water.

5 The mountains flowed from the face of Yahweh,

this is Sinai from the face of Yahweh,

the God of Israel.

6 In the days of Shamgar, the son of Anath,

in the days of Jael,

roads ceased,

and walkers of paths walked crooked roads.

7 The peasantry ceased in Israel,

they ceased,

until when I, Deborah, arose,

when I arose, a mother in Israel!

8 He chose new gods,

then fighting was at the gates;

was a shield seen, or a spear,

among 40,000 in Israel?

9 My heart is to the commanders of Israel,

the ones volunteering themselves among the people.

Bless Yahweh!

10 Riders of white donkeys, sitters on carpet,

walkers on the road, consider!

11 From the voice of the singers at the watering places,

there they celebrate the righteous acts of Yahweh,

the righteous acts of his peasantry in Israel.

Then the people of Yahweh went down to the gates.

12 Awake, awake, Deborah!

Awake, awake, speak a song!

Arise, Barak,

and take captive your captivity, son of Abinoam.

13 Then the remnant came down to the nobles,

the people of Yahweh came down to me against the warriors.

14 From Ephraim, their root is in Amalek;

after you, Benjamin, with your peoples;

from Machir, commanders came down;

and from Zebulun, the ones holding the scepter of a scribe.

15 And my commanders in Issachar were with Deborah,

and as Issachar, so Barak;

into a valley he was sent at his feet.

Among the divisions of Reuben,

great were the searchings of the heart.

16 Why did you sit among the sheepfolds?

To hear the piping for the flocks?

As for the divisions of Reuben,

great were the searchings of the heart.

17 Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan,

and Dan, why does he sojourn on ships?

Asher abode at the coast of the seas,

and he stays among his harbors.

18 Zebulun was a people reproaching its soul unto death,

also Naphtali on the heights of the field.

19 Kings came, they fought;

then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach,

by the waters of Megiddo.

Plunder of silver they did not take.

20 From the heavens the stars fought,

from their courses they fought against Sisera.

21 The river of Kishon swept them away,

the river of antiquity, the river of Kishon.

March on, my soul, in strength!

22 Then the hooves of a horse beat,

from the galloping, the galloping of his mighty ones.

23 ‘Curse Meroz!’ said the angel of Yahweh.

‘Cursing, you shall curse the dwellers of it,

because they did not come to the aid of Yahweh,

to the aid of Yahweh against the warriors.’

24 Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, is blessed from women,

from women in the tent she is blessed.

25 Water he requested, milk she gave;

in a bowl of nobles she brought curdled milk.

26 They reached out, her hand to the peg

and her right hand to a hammer of workmen.

And she struck Sisera, she crushed his head,

and she shattered and pierced his temple.

27 Between her feet, he bowed, he fell, he lay down.

Between her feet he bowed, he fell.

At where he bowed, there he fell, destroyed.

28 Through the window she looked and wailed,

the mother of Sisera, through the lattice,

‘Why has his chariot delayed to come?

Why do the hoofbeats of his chariots tarry?’

29 The wise of her princesses answered,

she also returned her answer to herself:

30 ‘Are they not finding, are they not dividing spoil,

a maiden, two maidens to the head of a warrior,

spoil of dyed fabrics for Sisera,

spoil of dyed fabrics and embroidery,

dyed fabric and two embroideries for the necks of the spoil?’

31 So may all of your enemies perish, Yahweh!

But may the lovers of him be like the going forth of the sun in its strength.”

Then the land rested 40 years.

6 And the sons of Israel did evil in the eyes of Yahweh, so Yahweh gave them into the hand of Midian seven years. 2 So the hand of Midian prevailed over Israel. From the face of Midian, the sons of Israel made for themselves dens, which were in the mountains, and caves and strongholds. 3 Now it happened, when Israel sowed, that Midian came up and Amalek and the sons of the east, that they came up against him. 4 And they encamped among them, and they ruined the produce of the land until your coming to Gaza. And they did not leave sustenance in Israel or sheep or ox or donkey. 5 For they and their livestock would come up, and their tents, and they would come like the abundance of the locust in multitude. And of them and of their camels there was no counting. And they came into the land to destroy it. 6 And Israel was impoverished greatly from the face of Midian, so the sons of Israel cried out to Yahweh.

7 Now it happened, when the sons of Israel cried out to Yahweh on account of Midian, 8 that Yahweh sent a man, a prophet, to the sons of Israel, and he said to them, “Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: ‘I brought you up from Egypt, and I brought you out from the house of slaves. 9 I rescued you from the hand of Egypt and from the hand of all of your oppressors. And I drove them out from your face, and I gave to you their land. 10 And I said to you, “I am Yahweh your God. You shall not fear the gods of the Amorite, when you are dwelling in their land.” But you have not heard my voice.’ ”

11 Now the angel of Yahweh came and sat beneath the oak that was in Ophrah, which was to Joash the Abiezrite. And Gideon, his son, was threshing wheat in the winepress to hide from the face of Midian. 12 And the angel of Yahweh appeared to him and said to him, “Yahweh is with you, warrior of valor!” 13 And Gideon said to him, “Excuse me, my lord, but if Yahweh is with us, then why has all of this happened to us? And where are all of his wonders that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not Yahweh bring us up from Egypt?’ But now Yahweh has forsaken us and given us into the palm of Midian.” 14 But Yahweh turned to him and said, “Go in this strength of yours, and you shall save Israel from the palm of Midian. Have I not sent you?” 15 And he said to him, “Excuse me, my lord, by what shall I save Israel? Behold, my thousand is the weak one in Manasseh, and I am the young one in the house of my father.” 16 Then Yahweh said to him, “Because I will be with you, and you will strike Midian as one man.” 17 And he said to him, “Please, if I have found favor in your eyes, then do for me a sign that you are speaking with me. 18 Please do not depart from this place until my coming to you, and I will bring out my offering and set it to your face.” And he said, “I will stay until your returning.”

19 Then Gideon went and he prepared a kid of goats and, from an ephah of flour, unleavened bread. The meat, he put in a basket, and the broth, he put in a pot. And he brought them out to him at under the oak tree, and he presented them. 20 And the angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened bread and place them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” And he did so. 21 Then the angel of Yahweh stretched out the end of the staff that was in his hand. And he touched upon the meat and upon the unleavened bread, and fire came up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. Then the angel of Yahweh went from his eyes. 22 And Gideon saw that he was the angel of Yahweh, and Gideon said, “Alas, my Lord Yahweh, for upon that I have seen the angel of Yahweh face to face!” 23 But Yahweh said to him, “Peace to you! Do not fear. You will not die.” 24 Then Gideon built an altar there to Yahweh and he called it Yahweh is Peace. To this day it is still at Ophrah of the Abiezrite.

25 And it happened on that night that Yahweh said to him, “Take the bullock of an ox that is to your father and the second bullock, seven years old, and you shall break down the altar of Baal that is to your father, and you shall cut down the Asherah that is beside it. 26 And you shall build an altar to Yahweh your God on the head of this stronghold, in the arrangement. Then you shall take the second bull and you shall offer an offering on the wood of the Asherah that you shall cut down.” 27 So Gideon took ten men from his servants and he did according to what Yahweh had spoken to him. Now it happened, because he feared the house of his father and the men of the city from doing by day, that he did by night.

28 And the men of the city arose early in the morning, and behold, the altar of Baal was torn down, and the Asherah that was beside it was cut down, and the second bullock had been offered on the built altar. 29 And they said, a man to his fellow, “Who has done this thing?” And they searched and sought, and they said, “Gideon, the son of Joash, has done this thing.” 30 Then the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, because he tore down the altar of Baal and because he cut down the Asherah that was beside it.” 31 But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? Whoever contends for him, may he die, still morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, since one has torn down his altar.” 32 And one called him on that day Jerubbaal, saying, “May Baal contend against him, since he tore down his altar.”

33 Now all of Midian and Amalek and the sons of the east assembled themselves together, and they crossed over and they encamped in the Valley of Jezreel. 34 Then the Spirit of Yahweh wore Gideon, and he blew on the shofar, and he summoned Abiezer after him. 35 And he sent messengers through all of Manasseh, and he summoned him also after him. And he sent messengers through Asher and through Zebulun and through Naphtali, and they went up to meet them.

36 Then Gideon said to God, “If you are saving Israel by my hand just as you have spoken, 37 behold, I am putting a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If dew shall be upon the fleece alone, but on all of the ground is dryness, then I will know that by my hand you will save Israel just as you have spoken.” 38 And it happened that he arose early on the next day and squeezed the fleece and wrung dew from the fleece, the fulness of a bowl of water. 39 Then Gideon said to God, “May your nose not burn against me, but may I speak only this time. May I please test only this time with the fleece? Please may dryness be on the fleece alone, and on all of the ground may dew be.” 40 And God did thus during that night. For dryness was on the fleece alone, and on all of the ground was dew.

7 Then Jerubbaal, that is, Gideon, arose early, and all of the people who were with him, and they encamped beside the spring of Harod. Now the camp of Midian was northward from him, toward the hill of Moreh in the valley.

2 And Yahweh said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for my giving Midian into their hand, lest Israel glorify itself over me, saying, ‘My hand has saved me.’ 3 So now please proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is afraid and trembling, may he turn back and depart from Mount Gilead.’ ” And from the people 22,000 turned back, but 10,000 were left.

4 Then Yahweh said to Gideon, “Still the people are too many. Bring them down to the water, and I will refine it for you there. And it will be, of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go with you, but all of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” 5 So he brought the people down to the water, and Yahweh said to Gideon, “Anyone who laps with his tongue from the water just as a dog laps, you shall set him apart, and anyone who kneels upon his knees to drink.” 6 And the number of the ones lapping with their hand to their mouth was 300 men, and all of the rest of the people knelt upon their knees to drink the water. 7 Then Yahweh said to Gideon, “With the 300 men, the ones lapping, I will save you, and I will give Midian into your hand. But all the people may go, a man to his place.” 8 So the people took provision into their hand and their shofars, but every man of Israel he sent away, a man to his tents, but he held onto the 300 men. Now the camp of Midian was to him from below, in the valley.

9 And it happened during that night that Yahweh said to him, “Arise! Go down into the camp, for I have given it into your hand. 10 But if you fear to go down, go down, you and Purah your servant, to the camp, 11 and you shall hear what they are speaking, and afterward, your hands will be strong and you shall go down against the camp.” So he went down, he and Purah his servant, to the edge of the armed ones who were in the camp. 12 Now Midian and Amalek and all of the sons of the east were lying in the valley like the locust in multitude. And to their camels there was not a number, like the sand that is along the edge of the sea in multitude. 13 And Gideon came, and behold, a man was recounting a dream to his comrade. And he said, “Behold, I dreamed a dream, and behold, a loaf of bread of barley was tumbling into the camp of Midian, and it came to the tent and struck it and it fell, for it overturned it upwards, and the tent fell.” 14 And his comrade answered and said, “This is nothing except if it is the sword of Gideon, the son of Joash, the man of Israel. God has given into his hand Midian and all of the camp.”

15 And it happened, when Gideon heard the recounting of the dream and its interpretation, that he bowed down. And he returned to the camp of Israel and said, “Arise, for Yahweh has given the camp of Midian into your hand!” 16 Then he divided the 300 men into three companies, and he put shofars in the hand of all of them, and empty jars, and torches inside of the jars. 17 And he said to them, “You shall look at me, and thus you shall do. And behold, as I am arriving at the edge of the camp, then it shall be, just as I do, thus shall you do. 18 And I will blow on the shofar, I and all who are with me, and you shall blow on the shofars, also you, around all of the camp. And you shall say, ‘For Yahweh and for Gideon!’ ”

19 So Gideon and the 100 men who were with him came to the edge of the camp, at the start of the middle watch. Stationing, they had just stationed the guards, and they blew on the shofars and shattered the jars that were in their hand. 20 Then the three companies blew on the shofars and broke the jars. And they held the torches in their left hand and the shofars in their right hand to blow. And they called out, “A sword for Yahweh and for Gideon.” 21 And they stood, a man in his place, around the camp, and all of the camp ran and cried out and fled. 22 And they blew the 300 shofars, and Yahweh set the sword of a man against his comrade and against all of the camp. And the camp fled unto Beth Shittah, toward Zererah, unto the edge of Abel Meholah, by Tabbath. 23 Then a man of Israel from Naphtali and from Asher and from all of Manasseh was summoned, and they pursued after Midian.

24 And Gideon sent messengers through all of the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down to meet Midian and capture before them the waters unto Beth Barah and the Jordan.” So every man of Ephraim was summoned, and they captured the waters unto Beth Barah and the Jordan. 25 And they captured the two commanders of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. And they killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and they killed Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. And they chased after Midian, and they brought the head of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, from across the Jordan.

8 And the men of Ephraim said to him, “What is this thing you have done to us, not calling to us when you went to fight against Midian?” And they contended with him in strength. 2 But he said to them, “What have I now done like you? Are not the gleanings of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer? 3 God has given into your hand the commanders of Midian, Oreb, and Zeeb! So what was I able to do like you?” Then their spirit abated toward him, upon him speaking this word.

4 Then Gideon came to the Jordan. Crossing over, he and the 300 men who were with him were weary, but pursuing. 5 And he said to the men of Succoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the people who are at my feet, for they are weary, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.” 6 But the leaders of Succoth said, “Is the palm of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we are giving bread to your army?” 7 So Gideon said, “Therefore, in the giving of Yahweh of Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will thrash your flesh with thorns of the wilderness and briers.” 8 Then he went up from there to Penuel, and he spoke to them like this, but the men of Penuel answered him just as the men of Succoth had answered. 9 And he said also to the men of Penuel, saying, “In my returning in peace, I will tear down this tower.”

10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor and their camps were with them, about 15, 000, all of the ones remaining from all of the camp of the sons of the east, and the ones having fallen were 120, 000 men drawing the sword. 11 Then Gideon went up the road of the ones lodged in tents, from the east to Nobah and Jogbehah. And he struck the camp, and the camp was in security. 12 Then Zebah and Zalmunna fled, but he pursued after them, and he captured the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna. And he made all of the camp tremble.

13 Then Gideon, the son of Joash, returned from the battle through the Ascent of Heres. 14 And he captured a youth from the men of Succoth and he questioned him. And he wrote for him the leaders of Succoth and its elders, 77 men. 15 Then he went to the men of Succoth and said, “Behold, Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you taunted me, saying, ‘Is the palm of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we are giving bread to your weary men?’ ” 16 And took the elders of the city and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and he taught the men of Succoth with them. 17 Then he tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.

18 Then he said to Zebah and to Zalmunna, “Where are the men whom you killed at Tabor?” And they said, “As you are, so they were. Each was like the form of the sons of the king.” 19 And he said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother! The life of Yahweh, if you had let them live, I would not have killed you.” 20 Then he said to Jether his firstborn, “Arise, kill them!” But the youth did not draw his sword, for he feared, for he was still a youth. 21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Arise yourself and strike us! For like a man is his strength.” So Gideon arose and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and he took the ornaments that were on the necks of their camels.

22 Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, both you and your son and the son of your son, for you have saved us from the hand of Midian.” 23 But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you myself, and my son will not rule over you. Yahweh will rule over you.” 24 But Gideon said to them, “Let me request a request from you, that a man give to me an earring of his spoil.” For earrings of gold were to them, for they were Ishmaelites. 25 And they said, “Giving, we will give.” And they spread out a cloak, and a man threw an earring of his spoil there. 26 Now the weight of the earrings of gold that he requested was 1,700 gold, apart from the ornaments and the pendants and the purple robes that were on the kings of Midian and apart from the chains that were on the necks of their camels. 27 Then Gideon made it into an ephod and placed it in his city, in Ophrah, and all of Israel whored after it there. And it was for a snare to Gideon and to his house. 28 So Midian was subdued to the face of the sons of Israel, and they did not continue to lift their head. And the land rested forty years in the days of Gideon. 29 And Jerubbaal, the son of Joash, went and lived in his house.

30 Now to Gideon were 70 sons coming from his thigh, for many wives were to him. 31 And his concubine, who was in Shechem, bore to him, she too, a son, and he made his name Abimelek. 32 And Gideon, the son of Joash, died in good old age, and he was buried in the tomb of Joash his father at Ophrah of the Abiezerite.

33 Now it happened, when Gideon died, that the sons of Israel turned and whored after the Baals. And they made for themselves Baal-Berith as a god. 34 And the sons of Israel did not remember Yahweh, their God, the one having delivered them from the hand of all of their enemies from around. 35 And they did not do covenant faithfulness with the house of Jerubbaal, Gideon, according to all of the good that he did with Israel.

9 Now Abimelek, the son of Jerubbaal, went to Shechem to the brothers of his mother, and he spoke to them and to all of the clan of the house of the father of his mother, saying, 2 “Please speak in the ears of all of the lords of Shechem, ‘What is better for you, 70 men ruling over you, all of the sons of Jerubbaal, or one man ruling over you?’ Now remember that I am your bone and your flesh.” 3 And the brothers of his mother spoke all of these things for him in the ears of all of the lords of Shechem, and their heart turned after Abimelek, for they said, “He is our brother.” 4 Then they gave 70 silver to him from the house of Baal-Berith, and with them Abimelek hired worthless and reckless men, and they went after him. 5 Then he went to the house of his father in Ophrah and he killed his brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal, 70 men upon one stone. But Jotham was left, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, for he had hidden himself. 6 Then all of the lords of Shechem and all of Beth Millo gathered themselves, and they went and made Abimelek reign as king beside the oak of the pillar that was in Shechem.

7 And they declared to Jotham, and he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim, and he lifted his voice and cried out and said to them, “Listen to me, lords of Shechem, that God may listen to you! 8 Going, the trees went to anoint a king over them. And they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’ 9 But the olive tree said to them, ‘Should I discontinue my fatness, which, by it, they honor gods and men, that I should go to wave over the trees?’ 10 So the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come, you reign over us.’ 11 But the fig tree said to them, ‘Should I discontinue my sweetness and my good fruit, that I should go to wave over the trees?’ 12 So the trees said to the vine, ‘Come, you reign over us.’ 13 But the vine said to them, ‘Should I discontinue my new wine, cheering gods and men, that I should go to wave over the trees?’ 14 So all of the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come, you reign over us.’ 15 And the thornbush said to the trees, ‘If in truth you are anointing me as king over you, come, shelter in my shade. But if not, may fire go forth from the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!’ 16 So now, if you have acted in truth and in integrity and made Abimelek reign, and if you have done good with Jerubbaal and with his house, and if according to the deserving of his hands you have done to him, 17 that my father fought for you and threw his life in front and delivered you from the hand of Midian— 18 but today you have arisen against the house of my father and have killed his sons, 70 men upon one stone, and you have made Abimelek, the son of his female slave, reign over the lords of Shechem because he is your brother— 19 now if you have acted in truth and in integrity with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, rejoice in Abimelek, and may he also rejoice in you. 20 But if not, may fire go forth from Abimelek, and may it consume the lords of Shechem and Beth Millo, and may fire go forth from the lords of Shechem and from Beth Millo, and may it consume Abimelek.” 21 Then Jotham escaped and fled, and he went to Beer. And he dwelled there from the face of Abimelek his brother.

22 And Abimelek ruled over Israel three years. 23 Then God sent a bad spirit between Abimelek and between the lords of Shechem, and the lords of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelek, 24 the violence of the 70 sons of Jerubbaal to come, and their blood to put, upon Abimelek their brother who killed them and upon the lords of Shechem who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers. 25 And the lords of Shechem put ambushers against him on the tops of the hills, and they robbed everyone who passed by them on the road, and it was told to Abimelek.

26 Then Gaal, the son of Ebed, came with his brothers and they went over into Shechem. And the lords of Shechem trusted in him. 27 And they went out into the field and cut off their vineyards and trod, and they made offerings and went into the house of their god, and they ate and drank and cursed Abimelek. 28 Then Gaal, the son of Ebed, said, “Who is Abimelek, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his deputy? Serve the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem. But why should we ourselves serve him? 29 Now who will give this people into my hand? Then I would remove Abimelek.” And he said to Abimelek, “Increase your army and come out.”

30 And Zebul, the ruler of the city, heard the words of Gaal, the son of Ebed, and his nose burned. 31 And he sent messengers to Abimelek in deceit, saying, “Behold, Gaal, the son of Ebed, and his brothers are come to Shechem, and behold, they are inciting the city against you. 32 So now arise at night, you and the people who are with you, and hide in the field. 33 And it shall happen in the morning, as the sun rises, you shall start early and you shall rush against the city. And behold, he and the people who are with him will be coming out against you, and you shall do to him according to what your hand finds.”

34 So Abimelek and all of the people who were with him arose at night, and they ambushed against Shechem, in four companies. 35 And Gaal, the son of Ebed, went out and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city, and Abimelek and the people who were with him arose from the ambush. 36 And Gaal saw the people and he said to Zebul, “Behold, a people is coming down from the tops of the hills!” But Zebul said to him, “The shadow of the hills, you are seeing as men.” 37 And Gaal resumed to speak more and he said, “Behold, people are coming down from the navel of the land, and one company is coming along the way of the Oak of the Diviners.” 38 Then Zebul said to him, “Where now is your mouth, by which you said, ‘Who is Abimelek, that we should serve him?’ Is this not the people that you despised? Indeed, go out now and fight with it.” 39 So Gaal went out to the face of the lords of Shechem, and he fought with Abimelek. 40 And Abimelek pursued him, and he fled from his face. And many wounded fell, up to the entrance of the gate.

41 Then Abimelek dwelt in Arumah. And Zebul drove out Gaal and his brothers from dwelling in Shechem. 42 And it happened on the next day that the people went out to the field, and they reported this to Abimelek. 43 So he took the people and divided them into three companies and hid in the field. Then he saw and behold, the people were gone out from the city, and he arose against them and killed them. 44 For Abimelek and the companies that were with him rushed out. And they stood at the entrance of the gate of the city, while two of the companies rushed against all who were in the field and killed them. 45 And Abimelek fought with the city all of that day. And he captured the city, and he killed the people who were in it. Then he tore down the city and sowed it with salt.

46 And all of the lords of the tower of Shechem heard, and they entered into the citadel of the house of El-Berith. 47 And it was reported to Abimelek that all of the lords of the tower of Shechem had assembled themselves. 48 So Abimelek went up Mount Zalmon, he and all of the people who were with him, and Abimelek took axes in his hand. And he cut a branch of the trees and lifted it and set it on his shoulder and said to the people who were with him, “What you have seen I have done, hurry, do like me.” 49 So all the people also cut, a man a branch, and they went after Abimelek. And they set them against the citadel, and they burned the citadel upon them with fire. So all of the men of the tower of Shechem also died, about 1,000 men and women.

50 Then Abimelek went to Thebez and encamped against Thebez, and he captured it. 51 But a strong tower was in the midst of the city, and all of the men and women and all of the lords of the city fled there. And they closed it behind them and went up onto the roof of the tower. 52 Then Abimelek came to the tower and fought with it. And he came near to the entrance of the tower to burn it with fire. 53 But one woman threw an upper millstone onto the head of Abimelek, and it crushed his skull. 54 Then he cried hastily to the young man bearing his armor and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say about me, ‘A woman killed him.’ ” So his young man stabbed him, and he died. 55 And the men of Israel saw that Abimelek had died, and they went away, a man to his place. 56 So God turned back the evil of Abimelek, which he did to his father by killing his 70 brothers. 57 And all of the evil of the men of Shechem, God turned back upon their head, and the curse of Jotham, the son of Jerubbaal, came upon them.

10 Now after Abimelek, Tola, the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, arose to save Israel. And he was dwelling in Shamir, in the hill country of Ephraim. 2 And he judged Israel 23 years. Then he died and was buried in Shamir.

3 And after him Jair the Gileadite arose. And he judged Israel 22 years. 4 And it was to him 30 sons, riding on 30 donkeys. And 30 cities were to them, they call them Havvoth Jair to this day, which are in the land of Gilead. 5 Then Jair died, and he was buried in Kamon.

6 Then the sons of Israel resumed to do evil in the eyes of Yahweh. And they served the Baals and the Ashtoreths and the gods of Aram and the gods of Sidon and the gods of Moab and the gods of the sons of Ammon and the gods of the Philistines. And they forsook Yahweh and did not serve him. 7 Then the nose of Yahweh burned against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the sons of Ammon. 8 And they shattered and crushed the sons of Israel in that year. For 18 years, all the sons of Israel who were on the other side of the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead. 9 Then the sons of Ammon crossed the Jordan to fight also with Judah and with Benjamin and with the house of Ephraim, and it narrowed to Israel greatly.

10 Then the sons of Israel cried out to Yahweh, saying, “We have sinned against you, for we have forsaken our God and served the Baals.” 11 Then Yahweh said to the sons of Israel, “Was it not from the Egyptians and from the Amorite and from the sons of Ammon and from the Philistines 12 and the Sidonians and Amalek and Maon, when they oppressed you, that you cried out to me and I saved you from their hand? 13 Yet you have forsaken me and served other gods. Therefore I will not continue to save you. 14 Go and cry out to the gods upon whom you have chosen. Let them save you in the time of your distress.” 15 But the sons of Israel said to Yahweh, “We have sinned. You do to us according to all of the good in your eyes. Only please deliver us this day.” 16 And they removed the foreign gods from the midst of them, and they served Yahweh. And his soul wore out with the trouble of Israel.

17 Now the sons of Ammon were summoned, and they encamped in Gilead. So the sons of Israel gathered themselves, and they encamped at Mizpah. 18 Then the people, the leaders of Gilead, said, a man to his fellow, “Who is the man who will begin to fight with the sons of Ammon? He will be the head for all of the dwellers of Gilead.”

11 Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a warrior of valor, but he was the son of a whoring woman. Now Gilead had begotten Jephthah. 2 And the wife of Gilead bore sons to him, and the sons of the wife grew up, and they drove out Jephthah and said to him, “You will not inherit in the house of our father, for you are the son of another woman.” 3 So Jephthah fled from the face of his brothers, and he dwelled in the land of Tob. And worthless men collected themselves to Jephthah, and they went out with him.

4 Now it happened after some days that the sons of Ammon fought with Israel. 5 And it happened, when the sons of Ammon fought with Israel, that the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob. 6 And they said to Jephthah, “Come, and you shall be a commander for us so we may fight with the sons of Ammon.” 7 But Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “Do you not hate me, since you drove me from the house of my father? So why have you come to me now, when trouble is to you?” 8 Then the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “Therefore we have now returned to you. So you shall come with us and fight with the sons of Ammon, and you shall be for us the head of all of the dwellers of Gilead.” 9 Then Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “If you have brought me back to fight with the sons of Ammon and Yahweh gives them over to my face, I will be the head for you.” 10 And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “May Yahweh be hearing the things between us if not, according to your word, thus we do!” 11 So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people set him over them as head and as commander. And Jephthah spoke all of his words to the face of Yahweh at Mizpah.

12 Then Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the sons of Ammon, saying, “What to me and to you, that you have come against me to fight in my land?” 13 And the king of the sons of Ammon said to the messengers of Jephthah, “Because Israel took my land in his coming up from Egypt, from the Arnon and to the Jabbok and to the Jordan. So now return them in peace.” 14 Then Jephthah resumed and sent messengers again to the king of the sons of Ammon, 15 and said to him, “Thus says Jephthah: ‘Israel did not take the land of Moab or the land of the sons of Ammon. 16 But in their coming up from Egypt, Israel went through the wilderness to the Sea of Reeds, and he came to Kadesh. 17 Then Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, “Please may I pass through your land.” But the king of Edom did not listen. And he also sent to the king of Moab, but he did not consent. So Israel dwelled in Kadesh. 18 Then he went through the wilderness and circled the land of Edom and the land of Moab, and he went from the rising of the sun to the land of Moab. And they encamped on the other side of the Arnon, but they did not enter within the border of Moab, for the Arnon was the border of Moab. 19 Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon, the king of the Amorite, the king of Heshbon, and Israel said to him, “Please, may we pass through your land to my place?” 20 But Sihon did not trust Israel passing through his border. So Sihon assembled all of his people, and they encamped at Jahaz, and he fought with Israel. 21 Then Yahweh, the God of Israel, gave Sihon and all of his people into the hand of Israel, and they struck them. So Israel possessed all of the land of the Amorite inhabiting that land. 22 And they possessed all of the border of the Amorite, from the Arnon to the Jabbok and from the wilderness to the Jordan. 23 And now, Yahweh, the God of Israel, has dispossessed the Amorite from the face of his people Israel. So will you possess it? 24 What Chemosh your god causes you to possess, will you not possess it? And all of what Yahweh our God has dispossessed from our face, we will possess it. 25 And now, being better, are you being better than Balak, the son of Zippor, the king of Moab? Contending, did he contend with Israel, or fighting, did he fight with them? 26 In the dwelling of Israel in Heshbon and in its daughters and in Aroer and in its daughters and in all of the cities that are upon the banks of the Arnon, 300 years, why then did you not deliver during that time? 27 So I have not sinned against you, but you are doing me wrong by fighting with me. Yahweh, the judge, will judge today between the sons of Israel and between the sons of Ammon.’ ” 28 But the king of the sons of Ammon did not listen to the words of Jephthah that he sent to him.

29 Then the Spirit of Yahweh was upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh, and he passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he passed through to the sons of Ammon. 30 And Jephthah vowed a vow to Yahweh and said, “If giving, you will give the sons of Ammon into my hand, 31 then it shall be, the one coming out, whoever comes out of the doors of my house to greet me in my returning in peace from the sons of Ammon, that he will be to Yahweh, and I will offer him as a burnt offering.” 32 Then Jephthah passed through to the sons of Ammon to fight with them, and Yahweh gave them into his hand. 33 And he struck them from Aroer and to your coming to Minnith, twenty cities, and to Abel Keramim, a very great slaughter. So the sons of Ammon were subdued from the face of the sons of Israel.

34 Then Jephthah came to Mizpah, to his house, and behold, his daughter was coming out to greet him with timbrels and with dances. And except her alone, there was not to him a son or daughter apart from her. 35 And it happened, as he saw her, that he tore his garments and said, “Alas, my daughter! Causing to bow, you have caused me to bow, and you are among the ones troubling me! For I have opened my mouth to Yahweh, and I am not able to turn back.” 36 But she said to him, “My father, you have opened your mouth to Yahweh. Do to me according to what came forth from your mouth, after what Yahweh has done for you: vengeances against your enemies, against the sons of Ammon.” 37 Then she said to her father, “May this thing be done for me. Refrain from me two months so I may go, and I will go down upon the hills and weep upon my virginity, I and my companions.” 38 And he said, “Go.” Then he sent her away for two months. And she went, she and her companions, and she wept upon her virginity on the hills. 39 And it happened at the end of two months that she returned to her father, and he did to her his vow that he had vowed. And she had not known a man. And it became a custom in Israel. 40 From days to days the daughters of Israel go to commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite, four days in the year.

12 And a man of Ephraim was summoned, and he crossed over northward. And they said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight with the sons of Ammon but did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house over you with fire.” 2 And Jephthah said to them, “I was a man of strife, I and my people and the sons of Ammon, exceedingly. And I summoned you, but you did not save me from their hand. 3 And I saw that you were not a savior, and I put my life in my palm and crossed over against the sons of Ammon, and Yahweh gave them into my hand. So why have you come up to me this day to fight with me?” 4 And Jephthah assembled all of the men of Gilead and fought with Ephraim. And the men of Gilead struck Ephraim because they said, “You, Gilead, are fugitives of Ephraim in the midst of Ephraim, in the midst of Manasseh.” 5 And Gilead captured the fords of the Jordan to Ephraim. And it happened, when the fugitives of Ephraim said, “Let me cross over,” then the men of Gilead said to him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he said, “No,” 6 then they said to him, “Please say ‘Shibboleth.’ ” And he said “Sibboleth,” for he was not able to pronounce it correctly. Then they seized him and slaughtered him at the fords of the Jordan. And at that time 42, 000 from Ephraim fell.

7 And Jephthah judged Israel six years. And Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried among the cities of Gilead.

8 And after him Ibzan from Bethlehem judged Israel. 9 And 30 sons were to him. And 30 daughters he sent outside, and 30 daughters he brought in for his sons from outside. And he judged Israel seven years. 10 Then Ibzan died and was buried in Bethlehem.

11 And after him Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel. And he judged Israel ten years. 12 Then Elon the Zebulunite died and was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.

13 And after him Abdon, the son of Hillel, the Pirathonite, judged Israel. 14 And 40 sons and 30 sons of sons were to him, riding on 70 donkeys. And he judged Israel eight years. 15 Then Abdon, the son of Hillel, the Pirathonite, died and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekite.

13 Then the sons of Israel resumed to do evil in the eyes of Yahweh, so Yahweh gave them into the hand of the Philistines 40 years.

2 Now there was one man from Zorah, from the clan of the Danite, and his name was Manoah. And his wife was barren and had not given birth. 3 And the angel of Yahweh appeared to the woman and said to her, “Behold, please, you are barren and have not given birth, but you will conceive and bear a son. 4 And now, please be careful and do not drink wine or beer, and do not eat any unclean thing.

5 For behold, you will conceive and bear a son. And a razor will not go up on his head, for the boy will be a Nazirite of God from the womb. And he will begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines.” 6 And the woman came and said to her husband, saying, “A man of God came to me, and his appearance was like the appearance of the angel of God, very awesome. And I did not ask him from where he was, and he did not declare his name to me. 7 And he said to me, ‘Behold, you will conceive and bear a son. And now, do not drink wine or beer, and do not eat any unclean thing, for the boy will be a Nazirite of God from the womb until the day of his death.’ ”

8 And Manoah prayed to Yahweh and said, “Please, my Lord, the man of God whom you sent, please let him come again to us and teach us what we should do for the boy, the one to be born.” 9 And God listened to the voice of Manoah, and the angel of God came again to the woman. And she was abiding in the field, but Manoah her husband was not with her. 10 And the woman hurried and ran and declared to her husband and said to him, “Behold, the man has appeared to me who came to me on a day.” 11 And Manoah arose and went after his wife. And he came to the man and said to him, “Are you the man who spoke to this woman?” And he said, “I am.” 12 And Manoah said, “Now may your words come to pass. What will be the manner of the boy and his work?” 13 And the angel of Yahweh said to Manoah, “Of all that I said to this woman, let her be careful. 14 Of all that comes forth from the vine of wine, she shall not eat, and wine or beer, she shall not drink, and any unclean thing, she shall not eat. All that I have commanded her, she shall keep.”

15 And Manoah said to the angel of Yahweh, “Please let us detain you, and we will prepare to your face a kid of goats.” 16 And the angel of Yahweh said to Manoah, “If you detain me, I will not eat of your bread. But if you prepare a burnt offering, to Yahweh you shall offer it.” For Manoah did not know that he was the angel of Yahweh. 17 Then Manoah said to the angel of Yahweh, “What is your name, that when your words come to pass, then we may honor you?” 18 And the angel of Yahweh said to him, “Why do you ask this about my name, since it is wonderful?” 19 And Manoah took the kid of goats and the grain offering and offered them on a rock to Yahweh. And he was being wonderful in doing, and Manoah and his wife were watching. 20 For it happened, in the going up of the flame from the altar toward the heavens, that the angel of Yahweh went up in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife were watching, and they fell on their faces to the ground.

21 And the angel of Yahweh did not resume again to appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was the angel of Yahweh. 22 And Manoah said to his wife, “Dying, we shall die, for we have seen God.” 23 But his wife said to him, “If Yahweh desired to kill us, he would not have taken from our hand a burnt offering and a grain offering, and he would not have shown us all these things, and at this time he would not have made us hear things like this.”

24 And the woman bore a son, and she called his name Samson. And the boy grew, and Yahweh blessed him.

25 And the Spirit of Yahweh began to agitate him in Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and between Eshtaol.

14 And Samson went down to Timnah, and he saw a woman in Timnah from the daughters of the Philistines. 2 And he went up and declared to his father and to his mother and said, “I saw a woman in Timnah from the daughters of the Philistines. And now, get her for me for a wife.” 3 And his father and his mother said to him, “Is there not among the daughters of your brothers and among all of my people a woman, that you are going to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” And Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she is right in my eyes.” 4 But his father and his mother did not know that it was from Yahweh, for he was seeking an occasion against the Philistines. For at that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel.

5 And Samson went down, and his father and his mother, to Timnah. And they came to the vineyards of Timnah, and behold, a young lion of lions was roaring to meet him. 6 Then the Spirit of Yahweh rushed on him, and he tore it as the tearing of a kid, and there was not anything in his hand. And he did not declare to his father or to his mother what he had done. 7 And he went down and spoke to the woman, and she was right in the eyes of Samson. 8 And he returned after some days to take her, and he turned to see the carcass of the lion, and behold, a swarm of bees was in the body of the lion, and honey. 9 And he scraped it into his palms, and going, he walked, and eating, he walked, to his father and to his mother. And he gave to them, and they ate, but he did not declare to them that he had scraped the honey from the body of the lion.

10 And his father went down to the woman, and Samson made a feast there, for thus the young men would do. 11 And it happened, in their seeing him, that they took 30 companions, and they were with him. 12 And Samson said to them, “Please let me put a riddle to you. If declaring, you declare it to me during the seven days of the feast and you find it, then I will give to you 30 linen garments and 30 changes of clothes. 13 But if you are not able to declare it to me, then you will give to me 30 linen garments and 30 changes of clothes.” And they said to him, “Put your riddle and we will hear it.” 14 So he said to them,

“From the eater came forth food,

and from the strong came forth sweet.”

And they were not able to declare the riddle for three days.

15 And it happened on the seventh day that they said to the wife of Samson, “Entice your husband that he may declare to us the riddle, lest we burn you and the house of your father with fire. Did you invite us to dispossess us? Is it not so?” 16 And the wife of Samson wept on him, and she said, “You only hate me, and you do not love me! You have put a riddle to the sons of my people, but you have not declared it to me.” And he said to her, “Behold, to my father and to my mother I have not declared it, so will I tell it to you?” 17 And she wept on him for the seven days during which the feast was to them. And it happened on the seventh day that he declared it to her, for she had pressed him. And she declared the riddle to the sons of her people. 18 And the men of the city said to him on the seventh day, before the sun came in,

“What is sweeter than honey?

And what is stronger than a lion?”

And he said to them,

“If you had not plowed with my heifer,

you would not have found my riddle.”

19 And the Spirit of Yahweh rushed on him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and he struck 30 men from them. And he took their spoils, and he gave the changes of clothes to the declarers of the riddle. And his nose burned, and he went up to the house of his father. 20 And the wife of Samson became to his companion who had accompanied him.

15 And it happened after some days, in the days of the harvest of wheat, that Samson visited his wife with a kid of goats. And he said, “I will go in to my wife, to the chamber.” But her father would not allow him to go in. 2 And her father said, “Saying, I said that hating, you hated her, so I gave her to your companion. Is not her younger sister better than she? Please let her be to you instead of her.” 3 And Samson said to them, “This time I will be blameless regarding the Philistines when I do harm to them.” 4 And Samson went and caught 300 foxes, and he took torches, and he turned tail to tail, and he put one torch between two of the tails, in the middle. 5 And he kindled fire in the torches and sent them into the standing grain of the Philistines, and he burned from stack and to standing grain, and to grove of olive tree. 6 And the Philistines said, “Who has done this?” And they said, “Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite, because he took his wife and gave her to his companion.” And the Philistines went up and burned her and her father with fire. 7 And Samson said to them, “If you have done like this, then if I avenge against you, then afterward I will stop.” 8 Then he struck them leg on thigh, a great striking. And he went down and stayed in the cleft of the rock of Etam.

9 And the Philistines went up and encamped in Judah, and they spread out in Lehi. 10 And the men of Judah said, “Why have you come up against us?” And they said, “We have come up to bind Samson, to do to him just as he has done to us.” 11 Then 3,000 men from Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam, and they said to Samson, “Do you not know that the Philistines are ruling over us? So what is this you have done to us?” And he said to them, “Just as they did to me, so I have done to them.” 12 And they said to him, “We have come down to bind you, to give you into the hand of the Philistines.” And Samson said to them, “Swear to me that you will not strike me yourselves.” 13 And they spoke to him, saying, “No, but binding, we will bind you and we will give you into their hand, but putting to death, we will not put you to death.” Then they bound him with two new ropes and brought him up from the rock.

14 He came to Lehi, and the Philistines shouted to meet him. Then the Spirit of Yahweh rushed on him, and the ropes that were on his arms became like flax that they burn with fire, and his bonds melted from on his hands. 15 And he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, and he stretched out his hand and took it, and with it he struck 1,000 men. 16 And Samson said,

“With the jawbone of a donkey,

a heap, two heaps,

with the jawbone of a donkey

I have struck 1,000 men.”

17 And it happened in his finishing to speak, that he threw the jawbone from his hand, so he called that place Ramath-lehi. 18 But he was very thirsty, so he called to Yahweh and said, “You have given this great salvation by the hand of your servant, and now shall I die of thirst and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?” 19 Then God split open the hollow place that is in Lehi, and water came out from it. And he drank and his spirit returned, and he revived. Therefore, he called its name En-hakkore, which is in Lehi to this day. 20 And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines 20 years. 16 Now Samson went to Gaza and he saw a woman there, a harlot, and he went in to her. 2 And it was told to the Gazites, saying, “Samson has come here.” So they encircled and they lay in ambush for him all of the night at the gate of the city. And they kept themselves quiet all of the night, saying, “At the light of the morning, then we will kill him.” 3 Now Samson lay down until the middle of the night, but he arose in the middle of the night, and he seized the doors of the gate of the city and the two doorposts. And he pulled them up with the bar, and he put them on his shoulders, and he brought them up to the head of the hill that is at the face of Hebron. 4 Now it happened afterward that he loved a woman in the Valley of Sorek, and her name was Delilah. 5 And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and they said to her, “Entice him and see in what his great strength is and in what we shall overcome him, that we may bind him to humble him. And we ourselves will give to you, a man, 1,100 silver.” 6 So Delilah said to Samson, “Please declare to me in what is your great strength and in what you may be bound to humble you.” 7 And Samson said to her, “If they bind me with seven fresh cords that have not been dried, then I will weaken and I will be like one of man.” 8 Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven fresh cords that had not been dried, and she bound him with them. 9 Now the ambush was staying for her in the room. And she said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” But he broke the cords just as a string of flax is broken in its touching fire. So his strength was not known. 10 And Delilah said to Samson, “Behold, you have deceived me and spoken lies to me. Now please declare to me in what you may be bound.” 11 And he said to her, “If binding, they bind me with new ropes with which work has not been done, then I will weaken and I will be like one of man.” 12 So Delilah took new ropes, and she bound him with them. And she said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And the ambush was staying in the room. But he broke them from upon his arms like thread. 13 Then Delilah said to Samson, “Up to now you have deceived me and spoken lies to me. Declare to me in what you may be bound!” So he said to her, “If you weave the seven locks of my head with the warp.” 14 So she drove with the peg, and she said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” But he awoke from his sleep and pulled the peg from the weaving and the warp. 15 Then she said to him, “How do you say, ‘I love you,’ yet your heart is not with me? These three times you have deceived me and you have not declared to me in what is your great strength.” 16 And it happened that she pressed him with her words all of the days and she urged him, and his soul wore out to death. 17 So he declared to her all of his heart, and he said to her, “A razor has not gone up on my head, for I have been a Nazirite of God from the womb of my mother. If I were shaved, then my strength would turn from me, and I would weaken and I would be like all of man.” 18 Then Delilah saw that he had declared to her all of his heart. So she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come up one time, for he has declared to me all of his heart.” Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her, and they brought up the silver in their hand. 19 And she put him to sleep on her knees, and she called to a man, and she shaved the seven locks of his head, and she began to humble him, and his strength turned from upon him. 20 And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he woke from his sleep, and he said, “I will go out like time upon time, and I will shake myself.” But he himself did not know that Yahweh had turned from upon him. 21 And the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes. And they brought him down to Gaza and they bound him with bronze fetters. And he was grinding in the house of prisoners. 22 But the hair of his head began to grow after it had been shaved. 23 Now the lords of the Philistines gathered themselves to sacrifice a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and for celebration, for they said, “Our god has given into our hand Samson, our enemies.” 24 And the people saw him, and they praised their god, for they said, “Our god has given into our hand our enemy and the devastator of our land, and who multiplied our slain.” 25 And it happened, when their heart was good, that they said, “Call for Samson, that he may make us laugh.” So they called for Samson from the house of prisoners, and he caused laughter to their faces. And they made him stand between the columns. 26 And Samson said to the young man holding onto his hand, “Let me rest. Let me feel the columns upon which the house is set so I may support myself on them.” 27 Now the house was full of men and women, and all of the lords of the Philistines were there, and on the roof were about 3, 000 men and women, watching to laughing of Samson. 28 Then Samson called to Yahweh and he said, “My lord Yahweh, please remember me, and please strengthen me only this time, O God, so I may avenge myself with one vengeance against the Philistines for my two eyes.” 29 And Samson grasped the two columns of the center upon which the house was set, and he leaned himself against them, one on his right and one on his left. 30 Then Samson said, “My soul shall die with the Philistines!” And he stretched out with his strength, and the house fell on the lords and on all of the people who were in it. So the ones dying whom he killed at his death were more than those he killed in his life. 31 Then his brothers and all of the house of his father went down. And they lifted him and they went up and they buried him between Zorah and between Eshtaol in the burial place of Manoah, his father. And he had judged Israel 20 years. 17 Now there was a man from the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Micah. 2 And he said to his mother, “The 1,100 silver that was taken from you, and you swore, and also you spoke in my ears, behold, the silver is with me. I myself took it.” His mother said, “Blessed be my son by Yahweh!” 3 And he returned the 1, 100 silver to his mother, and his mother said, “Consecrating, I consecrate the silver to Yahweh, from my hand to my son to make an idol and a molded image. And now, I return it to you.” 4 And he returned the silver to his mother, and his mother took 200 silver and she gave it to a refiner. And he made it into an idol and a molded image, and it was in the house of Micah. 5 And the man Micah, to him was a house of gods. And he made an ephod and teraphim, and he filled the hand of one of his sons, and he was to him for a priest. 6 In those days a king was not in Israel. A man did the right in his eyes. 7 Now there was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah, from the clan of Judah. Now he was a Levite, and he was sojourning there. 8 And the man went from the city, from Bethlehem in Judah, to sojourn in where he might find. And he entered the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, to make his way. 9 And Micah said to him, “From where have you come?” And he said to him, “I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, and I am going to sojourn in where I may find.” 10 And Micah said to him, “Stay with me and be to me for a father and for a priest, and I myself will give to you ten silver for the days, and a set of garments and your sustenance.” So the Levite went in. 11 And the Levite was willing to stay with the man, and the young man became to him like one from his sons. 12 And Micah filled the hand of the Levite, and the young man was to him for a priest, and he was in the house of Micah. 13 Then Micah said, “Now I know that Yahweh will be good to me, because the Levite is to me for a priest.” 18 In those days a king was not in Israel. Now in those days, the tribe of the Danite was seeking for itself an inheritance to dwell, for one had not fallen to it up to that day in the midst of the tribes of Israel for an inheritance. 2 And the sons of Dan sent from their clan five men, men from their borders, sons of valor from Zorah and from Eshtaol, to spy on the land and to examine it. And they said to them, “Go, examine the land.” And they entered the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and they lodged there. 3 They were near the house of Micah, and they recognized the voice of the young man, the Levite. So they turned aside there and said to him, “Who brought you here? And what are you doing in this place? And what is to you here?” 4 And he said to them, “Like this and like this Micah has done for me: now he has hired me, and I am to him for a priest.” 5 And they said to him, “Please inquire of God that we may know, will our way prosper, upon which we are going?” 6 And the priest said to them, “Go in peace, your way upon which you are going is before Yahweh.” 7 So the five men went, and they came to Laish. And they saw the people who were in the midst of it dwelling in security, according to the manner of the Sidonians, reposing and being secure. And no one possessing restraint was humiliating for a thing in the land. And they were far from the Sidonians, and no thing was to them with man. 8 So they came to their brothers in Zorah and Eshtaol. And their brothers said to them, “What you?” 9 And they said, “Arise, and let us go up against them! For we have seen the land, and behold, it is very good. And are you being silent? May you not slacken yourselves to go to enter to possess the land! 10 When you go, you will come to a people being secure, and the land is broad at two hands. For God has given it into your hand, a place where no lack is there of any thing that is on the earth.” 11 So they journeyed from there, from the clan of the Danite, from Zorah and Eshtaol, 600 men girded with weapons of war. 12 And they went up and camped at Kiriath Jearim in Judah. Upon this they call that place Mahaneh Dan to this day. Behold, it is beside Kiriath Jearim. 13 And they passed over from there to the hill country of Ephraim, and they came to the house of Micah. 14 Then the five men having gone to spy on the land of Laish, answered and said to their brothers, “Do you know that in these houses are an ephod and teraphim and an idol and a molded image? And now, consider what you shall do.” 15 So they turned aside there, and they entered into the house of the young man, the Levite, at the house of Micah, and they asked of him concerning peace. 16 Now the 600 men girded with weapons of war who were from the sons of Dan had stationed themselves at the entrance of the gate. 17 And the five men having gone to spy on the land came up. They entered there. They took the idol and the ephod and the teraphim and the molded image. And the priest was stationing himself at the entrance of the gate with the 600 men girded with weapons of war. 18 And these entered the house of Micah and took the idol, the ephod and the teraphim and the molded image. And the priest said to them, “What are you doing?” 19 And they said to him, “Be quiet! Put your hand over your mouth and come with us and be to us for a father and for a priest. Is the good your being a priest for the house of one man or your being a priest for a tribe and for a clan in Israel?” 20 And the heart of the priest was good, and he took the ephod and the teraphim and the idol, and he went in the midst of the people. 21 And they turned and they went. And they put the children and the cattle and the wealth to their faces. 22 They themselves had gone far from the house of Micah, and the men who were in the houses that were near the house of Micah assembled themselves, and they overtook the sons of Dan. 23 And they called to the sons of Dan, and they turned their faces and they said to Micah, “What to you, that you have assembled yourself?” 24 And he said, “My gods, which I made, you took, and the priest, and you went. And what is still to me? So what is this, you say to me, ‘What to you?’ ” 25 And sons of Dan said to him, “You should not make your voice heard among us, lest men bitter of soul strike you and you gather your soul and the soul of your house.” 26 And the sons of Dan went on their way, for Micah perceived that they were stronger than him. And he turned and returned to his house. 27 But they themselves took what Micah had made and the priest who was to him. And they came to Laish, to a people reposing and being secure. And they struck them to the mouth of the sword, and they burned the city with fire. 28 And there was not a deliverer, for it was far from Sidon and no thing was to them with man. Now it was in the valley that is to Beth Rehob. And they built the city, and they dwelled in it. 29 And they called the name of the city Dan, by the name of their father Dan, who was born to Israel. However, Laish was the name of the city at the first. 30 And the sons of Dan raised up the idol for themselves. And Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests for the tribe of the Danite until the day of the exile of the land. 31 So they set up for themselves the idol of Micah that he had made, all of the days of the being of the house of God at Shiloh. 19 Now it happened in those days, and a king was not in Israel, that a man, a Levite, was sojourning in the flanks of the hill country of Ephraim. He took for himself a woman, a concubine, from Bethlehem in Judah. 2 But his concubine whored against him, and she went from with him to the house of her father, to Bethlehem in Judah. And she was there days, four months. 3 And her husband arose and went after her to speak to her heart to cause her to return. And his young man was with him, and a pair of donkeys. And she brought him into the house of her father, and the father of the young woman saw him, and he was glad to meet him. 4 And his father-in-law, the father of the young woman, prevailed upon him, and he stayed with him three days. And they ate and they drank and they lodged there. 5 And it happened on the fourth day that they got up early in the morning and he arose to go, but the father of the young woman said to his son-in-law, “Strengthen your heart with a piece of bread, and afterward you shall go.” 6 So they sat down, and the two of them ate together, and they drank. Then the father of the young woman said to the man, “Please consent and lodge, and may your heart be good.” 7 But the man arose to go, but his father-in-law urged him, so he stayed and lodged there. 8 And he got up early in the morning on the fifth day to go, but the father of the young woman said, “Please strengthen your heart.” So they lingered until the declining of the day, and the two of them ate. 9 And the man arose to go, he and his concubine and his young man. But his father-in-law, the father of the young woman, said to him, “Behold, please, the day has subsided toward evening. Please lodge. Behold the declining of the day. Lodge here, and may your heart be good. Then you shall get up early tomorrow to your road, and you shall go to your tent.” 10 But the man was not willing to lodge, so he arose and he went. And he came to before Jebus (it is Jerusalem). Now with him was the pair of donkeys, saddled, and his concubine was with him. 11 They were beside Jebus, and the day had gone down greatly. So the young man said to his master, “Come, please, and let us turn aside into this city of the Jebusite, and we shall lodge in it.” 12 But his master said to him, “We shall not turn aside into a city of a foreigner, where none from the sons of Israel are here. But we shall cross over to Gibeah.” 13 And he said to his young man, “Come, and let us approach to one of the places, and we shall lodge in Gibeah or in Ramah.” 14 So they crossed over and they went. And the sun went down on them near Gibeah, which is to Benjamin. 15 So they turned aside there to enter to lodge in Gibeah. And they entered and they sat down in the open area of the city, but no one was receiving them into the house to lodge. 16 Then behold, an old man coming from his work, from the field in the evening. And the man was from the hill country of Ephraim, and he was sojourning in Gibeah. But the men of the place were Benjaminite. 17 And he lifted his eyes, and he saw the traveling man in the open area of the city. And the old man said, “Where are you going and from where are you coming?” 18 He said to him, “We are crossing over from Bethlehem in Judah to the flanks of the hill country of Ephraim. I am from there, and I went to Bethlehem in Judah, and I am going to the house of Yahweh. But there is not a man receiving me into the house. 19 But there is even straw and even fodder for our donkeys, and there is even bread and wine for me and for your maidservant and for the young man with your servants. There is no need of anything.” 20 But the old man said, “Peace to you! Surely all of your need is upon me. Surely you must not lodge in the open area.” 21 So he brought him into his house, and he mixed for the donkeys, and they washed their feet, and they ate and they drank. 22 They were making their heart good, but behold, men of the city, men of sons of wickedness, encircled themselves around the house, pounding repeatedly on the door. And they spoke to the old man, the master of the house, saying, “Bring out the man who came to your house, that we may know him.” 23 But the man, the master of the house, went out to them and said to them, “No, my brothers, please do not act wickedly! After that this man has come into my house, you must not do this outrage! 24 Behold, my virgin daughter and his concubine. Please let me bring them out, and you may humble them and do to them the good in your eyes. But to this man do not do this thing of outrage!” 25 But the men did not consent to listen to him. So the man seized his concubine and made her go out to them outside. And they knew her and they abused her all of the night until the morning. Then they let her go at the rising of the dawn. 26 And the woman came at the turning of the morning, and she fell down at the entrance of the house of the man where her master was there, until the light. 27 And her master arose in the morning, and he opened the doors of the house and went out to go on his way. And behold, the woman, his concubine, fallen at the entrance of the house, and her hands were on the threshold. 28 And he said to her, “Arise, and let us go.” But there was no answering, so he took her on the donkey, and the man arose and went to his place. 29 And he came to his house, and he took a knife, and he seized his concubine, and he cut her to her bones, into 12 pieces, and he sent her into all of the border of Israel. 30 And it happened, everyone was seeing, and he said, “Like this has not been done and has not been seen from the day of the coming up of the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt up to this day. Set for yourselves upon it! Take counsel, and speak!” 20 Then all of the sons of Israel came forth, and the congregation was assembled as one man, from Dan and unto Beersheba and the land of Gilead, to Yahweh at Mizpah. 2 And the cornerstones of all of the people, all of the tribes of Israel, stationed themselves within the assembly of the people of God, 400,000, a man, a footsoldier drawing a sword. 3 Now the sons of Benjamin heard that the sons of Israel had gone up to Mizpah. And the sons of Israel said, “Say how this evil has been done.” 4 So the man, the Levite, the husband of the murdered woman, answered and said, “To Gibeah that is to Benjamin I came, I and my concubine, to lodge.” 5 And the lords of Gibeah arose against me, and they encircled the house at night against me. Me, they intended to kill, but my concubine, they humbled, and she died. 6 And I took back my concubine, and I cut her up, and I sent her into every field of the inheritance of Israel, because they have done lewdness and outrage in Israel. 7 Behold, all of you sons of Israel, give to yourselves a word and advice here.” 8 And all of the people arose as one man, saying, “We will not go back, a man to his tent, and we will not return, a man to his house! 9 And now this is the thing that we should do to Gibeah, against it by lot. 10 Now we will take ten men of a hundred from all of the tribes of Israel, and a hundred from a thousand, and a thousand from a myriad, to get provision for the people, to do at their coming to Gibeah in Benjamin according to all of the outrage that it did in Israel.” 11 So every man of Israel was gathered against the city as one man, associates. 12 And the tribes of Israel sent men into all of the tribes of Benjamin, saying, “What is this evil that has been done among you? 13 And now, give over the men, the sons of wickedness, who are in Gibeah, that we may kill them so that we may burn up evil from Israel.” But they were not willing, Benjamin, to listen to the voice of their brothers, the sons of Israel. 14 Then the sons of Benjamin gathered themselves from the cities to Gibeah, to come out to battle with the sons of Israel. 15 And the sons of Benjamin mobilized themselves on that day from the cities, 26,000 men drawing a sword, besides 700 chosen men from the dwellers of Gibeah who mobilized themselves. 16 Among all of this people were 700, a chosen man, impeded in his right hand, each of them slinging with a stone at a hair and he would not miss. 17 And the men of Israel, besides Benjamin, mobilized themselves, 400,000 men drawing a sword, each of them a man of war. 18 And they arose and went up to Bethel. And the sons of Israel inquired of God, and they said, “Who should go up for us at the start to the battle with the sons of Benjamin?” And Yahweh said, “Judah at the start.” 19 So the sons of Israel arose in the morning, and they camped near Gibeah. 20 And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin. And the men of Israel arrayed themselves for battle against Gibeah. 21 And the sons of Benjamin came out from Gibeah, and they destroyed down to the ground 22,000 men from Israel on that day. 22 But the people, the men of Israel, strengthened themselves, and they resumed to array for battle at the place where they had arrayed there on the first day. 23 For the sons of Israel had gone up and wept to the face of Yahweh until the evening. And they had inquired of Yahweh, saying, “Shall I resume to approach to battle with the sons of Benjamin, my brother?” And Yahweh had said, “Go up against him.” 24 So the sons of Israel drew near to the sons of Benjamin on the second day. 25 And Benjamin came forth to meet them from Gibeah on the second day, and they destroyed to the ground yet 18,000 men from the sons of Israel, all of these drawers of a sword. 26 Then all of the sons of Israel went up, and all of the people, and they came to Bethel. And they wept, and they sat there to the face of Yahweh, and they fasted on that day until the evening, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings to the face of Yahweh. 27 Then the sons of Israel inquired of Yahweh, for the Box of the Covenant of God was there in those days 28 (and Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, was standing to the face of it in those days), saying, “Shall I resume again to go out to battle with the sons of Benjamin, my brother, or shall I stop?” And Yahweh said, “Go up, for tomorrow I will give him into your hand.” 29 So Israel set ambushers against Gibeah all around. 30 And the sons of Israel went up against the sons of Benjamin on the third day, and they arrayed against Gibeah as time upon time. 31 And the sons of Benjamin came out to meet the people. They were drawn from the city, and they began to strike down some of the people, slain as time upon time on the roads, of which one went up to Bethel and one to Gibeah by the field, about 30 men of Israel. 32 And the sons of Benjamin said, “They are being beaten to our faces as at the first.” But the sons of Israel had said, “Let us flee and let us draw him from the city to the roads.” 33 Then every man of Israel arose from his place, and they arrayed at Baal Tamar. And the ambush of Israel gushed from his place, from Maareh Gibeah. 34 And 10,000 men, chosen from all of Israel, came from opposite Gibeah, and the battle was heavy. But they did not know that harm was touching upon them. 35 So Yahweh defeated Benjamin to the face of Israel. And the sons of Israel destroyed Benjamin on that day, 25,100 men, all of them drawing a sword. 36 And the sons of Benjamin saw that they were defeated. For the men of Israel had given place to Benjamin because they were confident in the ambush that they had set against Gibeah. 37 And the ambush hurried and spread out against Gibeah, and the ambush marched out and struck all of the city to the mouth of the sword. 38 Now a sign was to the men of Israel with the ambush: “Make great” for them sending up a signal of smoke from the city 39 when the men of Israel retreated from the battle. And Benjamin began to strike, the slain among the men of Israel were about 30 men. For they said, “Surely being beaten, he is being beaten to our faces, as in the first battle.” 40 But the signal began to go up from the city, a column of smoke, and Benjamin turned after it, and behold, the whole of the city had gone up to the heavens. 41 And a man of Israel turned, and a man of Benjamin was alarmed, for he saw that harm had touched upon him. 42 So they turned to the face of the men of Israel to the way of the wilderness, but the battle overtook him, and those who were from the cities were destroying him in the midst of him. 43 They surrounded Benjamin, they caused to pursue, with ease they trampled him unto before Gibeah, from the rising of the sun. 44 And they fell from Benjamin, 18,000 men, all of them men of valor. 45 And they turned and fled to the wilderness, to the rock of Rimmon. And they gleaned along the pathways 5,000 men. And they pursued closely after him unto Gidom, and they struck from him 2,000 men. 46 So on that day all of the fallen ones from Benjamin were 25,000 men drawing a sword, all of them men of valor. 47 But 600 men turned and fled to the wilderness, to the rock of Rimmon, and they stayed at the rock of Rimmon four months. 48 Then the men of Israel returned to the sons of Benjamin, and they struck them to the mouth of the sword, from a city of entirety to cattle to everything found. Also, all of the cities found, they sent into fire. 21 Now a man of Israel had sworn at Mizpah, saying, “A man from us shall not give his daughter to Benjamin for a wife.” 2 And the people came to Bethel, and they sat there until the evening to the face of God. And they lifted their voice and wept a great weeping. 3 And they said, “Why, Yahweh, God of Israel, should this be in Israel, to be missing today one tribe from Israel?” 4 And it happened the next day that the people arose early and built an altar there and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. 5 And the sons of Israel said, “Who is it who did not go up with the assembly from all of the tribes of Israel to Yahweh?” For a great oath had been against whoever did not go up to Yahweh at Mizpah, saying, “Dying, he shall be caused to die.” 6 And the sons of Israel repented themselves toward Benjamin, his brother. And they said, “Today one tribe has been hewn from Israel. 7 What shall we do for them, for the remaining ones, for a wife, since we ourselves have sworn to Yahweh not to give to them from our daughters for a wife?” 8 And they said, “Who is the one from the tribes of Israel who did not go up to Yahweh at Mizpah?” And behold, a man had not come to the camp from Jabesh Gilead for the assembly. 9 And the people counted themselves, and behold, a man was not there from the dwellers of Jabesh Gilead. 10 So the congregation sent 12,000 men there from the sons of the army and they commanded them, saying, “Go, and you shall strike the dwellers of Jabesh Gilead to the mouth of the sword, even the women and the children. 11 And this is the thing that you shall do: every male and every woman having known the lying of a male, you shall devote.” 12 And they found among the dwellers of Jabesh Gilead 400 young women, a virgin who had not known a man by the lying of a male, and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh, which was in the land of Canaan. 13 And all of the congregation sent and spoke to the sons of Benjamin who were at the rock of Rimmon, and they called out peace to them. 14 So Benjamin returned at that time, and they gave to them the women who were alive from the women of Jabesh Gilead. But they did not find enough for them. 15 And the people repented itself for Benjamin, for Yahweh had made a breach in the tribes of Israel. 16 So the elders of the congregation said, “What shall we do for wives for the remaining ones, since a woman has been destroyed from Benjamin?” 17 And they said, “A possession of the escapee of Benjamin, so a tribe will not be wiped out from Israel. 18 But we ourselves are not able to give wives to them from our daughters, because the sons of Israel have sworn, saying, ‘Cursed is the one giving a wife to Benjamin.’ ” 19 So they said, “Behold, a feast of Yahweh is at Shiloh from days to days.” (That is from the north to Bethel, from the rising of the sun to the road going up from Bethel to Shechem and from the south to Lebonah.) 20 So they commanded the sons of Benjamin, saying, “Go and lie in ambush in the vineyards. 21 And you shall look, and behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then you shall come out from the vineyards, and you shall catch for yourselves a man his wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and you shall go to the land of Benjamin. 22 And it will happen, when their fathers or their brothers come to contend with us, that we will say to them, ‘Grant us them, for we did not take, a man his wife, in the battle. For you have not given to them at this time, that you should be guilty.’ ” 23 And the sons of Benjamin did thus, and they carried away wives for their number from the ones dancing, whom they caught. And they went and returned to their inheritance, and they built the cities and dwelled in them. 24 Then the sons of Israel disbursed themselves from there at that time, a man to his tribe and to his clan, and they went away from there, a man to his inheritance. 25 In those days a king was not in Israel. A man did the right in his eyes.