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            The Book of JUDGES

CHAPTER 1

1:1 Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that the children of

Israel asked the LORD, saying, Who shall go up for us against the

Canaanites first, to fight against them?

1:2 And the LORD said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the

land into his hand.

1:3 And Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come up with me into

my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise

will go with thee into thy lot. So Simeon went with him.

1:4 And Judah went up; and the LORD delivered the Canaanites and

the Perizzites into their hand: and they slew of them in Bezek ten

thousand men.

1:5 And they found Adonibezek in Bezek: and they fought against

him, and they slew the Canaanites and the Perizzites.

1:6 But Adonibezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him,

and cut off his thumbs and his great toes.

1:7 And Adonibezek said, Threescore and ten kings, having their

thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my

table: as I have done, so God hath requited me. And they brought

him to Jerusalem, and there he died.

1:8 Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and had

taken it, and smitten it with the edge of the sword, and set the city

on fire.

1:9 And afterward the children of Judah went down to fight against the

Canaanites, that dwelt in the mountain, and in the south, and in the

valley.

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1:10 And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron: (now

the name of Hebron before was Kirjatharba:) and they slew

Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai.

1:11 And from thence he went against the inhabitants of Debir: and the

name of Debir before was Kirjathsepher:

1:12 And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjathsepher, and taketh it, to

him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.

1:13 And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, took it:

and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.

1:14 And it came to pass, when she came to him, that she moved him to

ask of her father a field: and she lighted from off her ass; and Caleb

said unto her, What wilt thou?

1:15 And she said unto him, Give me a blessing: for thou hast given me

a south land; give me also springs of water. And Caleb gave her the

upper springs and the nether springs.

1:16 And the children of the Kenite, Moses’ father in law, went up out

of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the

wilderness of Judah, which lieth in the south of Arad; and they

went and dwelt among the people.

1:17 And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they slew the

Canaanites that inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. And

the name of the city was called Hormah.

1:18 Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof, and Askelon with

the coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof.

1:19 And the LORD was with Judah; and he drave out the inhabitants

of the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the

valley, because they had chariots of iron.

1:20 And they gave Hebron unto Caleb, as Moses said: and he expelled

thence the three sons of Anak.

1:21 And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that

inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of

Benjamin in Jerusalem unto this day.

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1:22 And the house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel: and

the LORD was with them.

1:23 And the house of Joseph sent to descry Bethel. (Now the name of

the city before was Luz.)

1:24 And the spies saw a man come forth out of the city, and they said

unto him, Shew us, we pray thee, the entrance into the city, and

we will shew thee mercy.

1:25 And when he shewed them the entrance into the city, they smote

the city with the edge of the sword; but they let go the man and all

his family.

1:26 And the man went into the land of the Hittites, and built a city,

and called the name thereof Luz: which is the name thereof unto

this day.

1:27 Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants of Bethshean and

her towns, nor Taanach and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor

and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and her towns, nor the

inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns: but the Canaanites would

dwell in that land.

1:28 And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the

Canaanites to tribute, and did not utterly drive them out.

1:29 Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer;

but the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them.

1:30 Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the

inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites dwelt among them, and

became tributaries.

1:31 Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Accho, nor the

inhabitants of Zidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah,

nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob:

1:32 But the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of

the land: for they did not drive them out.

1:33 Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Bethshemesh, nor

the inhabitants of Bethanath; but he dwelt among the Canaanites,

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the inhabitants of the land: nevertheless the inhabitants of

Bethshemesh and of Bethanath became tributaries unto them.

1:34 And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain: for

they would not suffer them to come down to the valley:

1:35 But the Amorites would dwell in mount Heres in Aijalon, and in

Shaalbim: yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, so that

they became tributaries.

1:36 And the coast of the Amorites was from the going up to Akrabbim,

from the rock, and upward.

CHAPTER 2

2:1 And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and

said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto

the land which I swear unto your fathers; and I said, I will never

break my covenant with you.

2:2 And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye

shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice:

why have ye done this?

2:3 Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you;

but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a

snare unto you.

2:4 And it came to pass, when the angel of the LORD spake these

words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their

voice, and wept.

2:5 And they called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed

there unto the LORD.

2:6 And when Joshua had let the people go, the children of Israel went

every man unto his inheritance to possess the land.

2:7 And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all

the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the

great works of the LORD, that he did for Israel.

2:8 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being

an hundred and ten years old.

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2:9 And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in

Timnathheres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the

hill Gaash.

2:10 And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and

there arose another generation after them, which knew not the

LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.

2:11 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and

served Baalim:

2:12 And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought

them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods

of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves

unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger.

2:13 And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.

2:14 And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered

them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them

into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not

any longer stand before their enemies.

2:15 Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against

them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn

unto them: and they were greatly distressed.

2:16 Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out

of the hand of those that spoiled them.

2:17 And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a

whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they

turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in,

obeying the commandments of the LORD; but they did not so.

2:18 And when the LORD raised them up judges, then the LORD was

with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies

all the days of the judge: for it repented the LORD because of their

groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them.

2:19 And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned,

and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following

other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased

not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.

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2:20 And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and he said,

Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I

commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice;

2:21 I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the

nations which Joshua left when he died:

2:22 That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the

way of the LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or

not.

2:23 Therefore the LORD left those nations, without driving them out

hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.

CHAPTER 3

3:1 Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by

them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of

Canaan;

3:2 Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to

teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof;

3:3 Namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and

the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from

mount Baalhermon unto the entering in of Hamath.

3:4 And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they

would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which he

commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

3:5 And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites,

and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites:

3:6 And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their

daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

3:7 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and

forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves.

3:8 Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he

sold them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim king of

Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushanrishathaim

eight years.

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3:9 And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD

raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them,

even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.

3:10 And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel,

and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushanrishathaim

king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against

Chushanrishathaim.

3:11 And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz

died.

3:12 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD:

and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel,

because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.

3:13 And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and

went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.

3:14 So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen

years.

3:15 But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD

raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a

man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present

unto Eglon the king of Moab.

3:16 But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit

length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh.

3:17 And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon

was a very fat man.

3:18 And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away

the people that bare the present.

3:19 But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal,

and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep

silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.

3:20 And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlor,

which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message

from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat.

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3:21 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his

right thigh, and thrust it into his belly:

3:22 And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon

the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and

the dirt came out.

3:23 Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the

parlor upon him, and locked them.

3:24 When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that,

behold, the doors of the parlor were locked, they said, Surely he

covereth his feet in his summer chamber.

3:25 And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened

not the doors of the parlor; therefore they took a key, and opened

them: and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.

3:26 And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the

quarries, and escaped unto Seirath.

3:27 And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in

the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down

with him from the mount, and he before them.

3:28 And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath

delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they

went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab,

and suffered not a man to pass over.

3:29 And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all

lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man.

3:30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the

land had rest fourscore years.

3:31 And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the

Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered

Israel.

CHAPTER 4

4:1 And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD,

when Ehud was dead.

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4:2 And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan,

that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which

dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles.

4:3 And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine

hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed

the children of Israel.

4:4 And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel

at that time.

4:5 And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and

Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her

for judgment.

4:6 And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of

Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of

Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and

take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of

the children of Zebulun?

4:7 And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of

Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver

him into thine hand.

4:8 And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go:

but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.

4:9 And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the

journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honor; for the LORD

shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and

went with Barak to Kedesh.

4:10 And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up

with ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him.

4:11 Now Heber the Kenite, which was of the children of Hobab the

father in law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, and

pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which is by Kedesh.

4:12 And they shewed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone

up to mount Tabor.

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4:13 And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred

chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, from

Harosheth of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon.

4:14 And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the

LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the LORD gone

out before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten

thousand men after him.

4:15 And the LORD discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his

host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera

lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet.

4:16 But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto

Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the

edge of the sword; and there was not a man left.

4:17 Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of

Heber the Kenite: for there was peace between Jabin the king of

Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.

4:18 And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my

lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her

into the tent, she covered him with a mantle.

4:19 And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink;

for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him

drink, and covered him.

4:20 Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be,

when any man doth come and enquire of thee, and say, Is there any

man here? that thou shalt say, No.

4:21 Then Jael Heber’s wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer

in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his

temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and

weary. So he died.

4:22 And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him,

and said unto him, Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou

seekest. And when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead,

and the nail was in his temples.

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4:23 So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the

children of Israel.

4:24 And the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed

against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin

king of Canaan.

CHAPTER 5

5:1 Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day,

saying,

5:2 Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people

willingly offered themselves.

5:3 Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto

the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel.

5:4 LORD, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out

of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped,

the clouds also dropped water.

5:5 The mountains melted from before the LORD, even that Sinai from

before the LORD God of Israel.

5:6 In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the

highways were unoccupied, and the travelers walked through

byways.

5:7 The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until

that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.

5:8 They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield

or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?

5:9 My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves

willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD.

5:10 Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and

walk by the way.

5:11 They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places of

drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the

LORD, even the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his

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villages in Israel: then shall the people of the LORD go down to

the gates.

5:12 Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak,

and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.

5:13 Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles

among the people: the LORD made me have dominion over the

mighty.

5:14 Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after

thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down

governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the

writer.

5:15 And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and

also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of

Reuben there were great thoughts of heart.

5:16 Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of

the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings

of heart.

5:17 Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships?

Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches.

5:18 Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto

the death in the high places of the field.

5:19 The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in

Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money.

5:20 They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against

Sisera.

5:21 The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river

Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.

5:22 Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings,

the pransings of their mighty ones.

5:23 Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the

inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the

LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.

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5:24 Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be,

blessed shall she be above women in the tent.

5:25 He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in

a lordly dish.

5:26 She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen’s

hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his

head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples.

5:27 At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he

fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead.

5:28 The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the

lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels

of his chariots?

5:29 Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself,

5:30 Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey; to every man

a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colors, a prey of divers

colors of needlework, of divers colors of needlework on both sides,

meet for the necks of them that take the spoil?

5:31 So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him

be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had

rest forty years.

CHAPTER 6

6:1 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and

the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.

6:2 And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the

Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in

the mountains, and caves, and strong holds.

6:3 And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up,

and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up

against them;

6:4 And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of

the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for

Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.

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6:5 For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came

as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were

without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it.

6:6 And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites;

and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD.

6:7 And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the

LORD because of the Midianites,

6:8 That the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which

said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought you

up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage;

6:9 And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of

the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before

you, and gave you their land;

6:10 And I said unto you, I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods

of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed

my voice.

6:11 And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which

was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his

son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the

Midianites.

6:12 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him,

The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.

6:13 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us,

why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which

our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from

Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into

the hands of the Midianites.

6:14 And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might,

and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have

not I sent thee?

6:15 And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel?

behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my

father’s house.

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6:16 And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou

shalt smite the Midianites as one man.

6:17 And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then

shew me a sign that thou talkest with me.

6:18 Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring

forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry

until thou come again.

6:19 And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes

of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the

broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and

presented it.

6:20 And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the

unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the

broth. And he did so.

6:21 Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was

in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and

there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the

unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his

sight.

6:22 And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD,

Gideon said, Alas, O LORD God! for because I have seen an angel

of the LORD face to face.

6:23 And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou

shalt not die.

6:24 Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it

Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

6:25 And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him,

Take thy father’s young bullock, even the second bullock of seven

years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath,

and cut down the grove that is by it:

6:26 And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this

rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a

burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut

down.

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6:27 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD

had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father’s

household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day,

that he did it by night.

6:28 And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold,

the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that

was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that

was built.

6:29 And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And

when they enquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash

hath done this thing.

6:30 Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that

he may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and

because he hath cut down the grove that was by it.

6:31 And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for

Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to

death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for

himself, because one hath cast down his altar.

6:32 Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal

plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.

6:33 Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the

east were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the

valley of Jezreel.

6:34 But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a

trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him.

6:35 And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; who also was

gathered after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto

Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.

6:36 And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand,

as thou hast said,

6:37 Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on

the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I

know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.

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6:38 And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the

fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full

of water.

6:39 And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me,

and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this

once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and

upon all the ground let there be dew.

6:40 And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and

there was dew on all the ground.

CHAPTER 7

7:1 Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with

him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that

the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the

hill of Moreh, in the valley.

7:2 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee

are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest

Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath

saved me.

7:3 Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying,

Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early

from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and

two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.

7:4 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many;

bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there:

and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with

thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto

thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.

7:5 So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said

unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue,

as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one

that boweth down upon his knees to drink.

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7:6 And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their

mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people

bowed down upon their knees to drink water.

7:7 And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that

lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand:

and let all the other people go every man unto his place.

7:8 So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and

he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained

those three hundred men: and the host of Midian was beneath him

in the valley.

7:9 And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him,

Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine

hand.

7:10 But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down

to the host:

7:11 And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands

be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down

with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that

were in the host.

7:12 And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the

east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and

their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for

multitude.

7:13 And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a

dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo,

a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came

unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent

lay along.

7:14 And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the

sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand

hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.

7:15 And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the

interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the

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host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into

your hand the host of Midian.

7:16 And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he

put a trumpet in every man’s hand, with empty pitchers, and

lamps within the pitchers.

7:17 And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold,

when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so

shall ye do.

7:18 When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow

ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The

sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.

7:19 So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the

outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they

had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and

brake the pitchers that were in their hands.

7:20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the

pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in

their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the

LORD, and of Gideon.

7:21 And they stood every man in his place round about the camp; and

all the host ran, and cried, and fled.

7:22 And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every

man’s sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and

the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of

Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath.

7:23 And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of

Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued

after the Midianites.

7:24 And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim,

saying, come down against the Midianites, and take before them

the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of

Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto

Bethbarah and Jordan.

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7:25 And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and

they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the

winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of

Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.

CHAPTER 8

8:1 And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us

thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the

Midianites? And they did chide with him sharply.

8:2 And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of

you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the

vintage of Abiezer?

8:3 God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb

and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then

their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.

8:4 And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three

hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them.

8:5 And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of

bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am

pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.

8:6 And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and

Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine

army?

8:7 And Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah

and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the

thorns of the wilderness and with briers.

8:8 And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise:

and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had

answered him.

8:9 And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come

again in peace, I will break down this tower.

8:10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with

them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts

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of the children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty

thousand men that drew sword.

8:11 And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on

the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host; for the host

was secure.

8:12 And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and

took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and

discomfited all the host.

8:13 And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun

was up,

8:14 And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired of

him: and he described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the

elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men.

8:15 And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and

Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of

Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread

unto thy men that are weary?

8:16 And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness

and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.

8:17 And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the

city.

8:18 Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were

they whom ye slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou art, so

were they; each one resembled the children of a king.

8:19 And he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother:

as the LORD liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay

you.

8:20 And he said unto Jether his firstborn, Up, and slay them. But the

youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a

youth.

8:21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as

the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah

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and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their

camels’ necks.

8:22 Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both

thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son also: for thou hast delivered

us from the hand of Midian.

8:23 And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall

my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you.

8:24 And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that

ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had

golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)

8:25 And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread

a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey.

8:26 And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a

thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and

collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and

beside the chains that were about their camels’ necks.

8:27 And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in

Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing

became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.

8:28 Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that

they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in

quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.

8:29 And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.

8:30 And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for

he had many wives.

8:31 And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son,

whose name he called Abimelech.

8:32 And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried

in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

8:33 And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children

of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made

Baalberith their god.

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8:34 And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God,

who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on

every side:

8:35 Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely,

Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto

Israel.

CHAPTER 9

9:1 And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his

mother’s brethren, and communed with them, and with all the

family of the house of his mother’s father, saying,

9:2 Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether

is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are

threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over

you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.

9:3 And his mother’s brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men

of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow

Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother.

9:4 And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the

house of Baalberith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light

persons, which followed him.

9:5 And he went unto his father’s house at Ophrah, and slew his

brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons,

upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of

Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.

9:6 And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of

Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the

pillar that was in Shechem.

9:7 And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of

mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto

them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may

hearken unto you.

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9:8 The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they

said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.

9:9 But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness,

wherewith by me they honor God and man, and go to be promoted

over the trees?

9:10 And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us.

9:11 But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness,

and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?

9:12 Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us.

9:13 And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which

cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?

9:14 Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over

us.

9:15 And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king

over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not,

let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.

9:16 Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have

made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and

his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his

hands;

9:17 (For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and

delivered you out of the hand of Midian:

9:18 And ye are risen up against my father’s house this day, and have

slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and

have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the

men of Shechem, because he is your brother;)

9:19 If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with

his house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also

rejoice in you:

9:20 But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men

of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the

men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour

Abimelech.

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9:21 And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there,

for fear of Abimelech his brother.

9:22 When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel,

9:23 Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of

Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with

Abimelech:

9:24 That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal

might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother,

which slew them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him

in the killing of his brethren.

9:25 And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of the

mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them:

and it was told Abimelech.

9:26 And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren, and went over to

Shechem: and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him.

9:27 And they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards,

and trode the grapes, and made merry, and went into the house of

their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech.

9:28 And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is

Shechem, that we should serve him? is not he the son of Jerubbaal?

and Zebul his officer? serve the men of Hamor the father of

Shechem: for why should we serve him?

9:29 And would to God this people were under my hand! then would I

remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army,

and come out.

9:30 And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the

son of Ebed, his anger was kindled.

9:31 And he sent messengers unto Abimelech privily, saying, Behold,

Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren be come to Shechem; and,

behold, they fortify the city against thee.

9:32 Now therefore up by night, thou and the people that is with thee,

and lie in wait in the field:

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9:33 And it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, thou

shalt rise early, and set upon the city: and, behold, when he and the

people that is with him come out against thee, then mayest thou do

to them as thou shalt find occasion.

9:34 And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by

night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies.

9:35 And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entering of

the gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people that

were with him, from lying in wait.

9:36 And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there

come people down from the top of the mountains. And Zebul said

unto him, Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as if they were

men.

9:37 And Gaal spake again, and said, See there come people down by

the middle of the land, and another company come along by the

plain of Meonenim.

9:38 Then said Zebul unto him, Where is now thy mouth, wherewith

thou saidst, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? is not

this the people that thou hast despised? go out, I pray now, and

fight with them.

9:39 And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with

Abimelech.

9:40 And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were

overthrown and wounded, even unto the entering of the gate.

9:41 And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and

his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem.

9:42 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into

the field; and they told Abimelech.

9:43 And he took the people, and divided them into three companies,

and laid wait in the field, and looked, and, behold, the people were

come forth out of the city; and he rose up against them, and smote

them.

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9:44 And Abimelech, and the company that was with him, rushed

forward, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and the

two other companies ran upon all the people that were in the

fields, and slew them.

9:45 And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the

city, and slew the people that was therein, and beat down the city,

and sowed it with salt.

9:46 And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they

entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith.

9:47 And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of

Shechem were gathered together.

9:48 And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people

that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut

down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his

shoulder, and said unto the people that were with him, What ye

have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done.

9:49 And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and

followed Abimelech, and put them to the hold, and set the hold on

fire upon them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died

also, about a thousand men and women.

9:50 Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez,

and took it.

9:51 But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all

the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut it to them,

and gat them up to the top of the tower.

9:52 And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and

went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.

9:53 And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech’s

head, and all to brake his skull.

9:54 Then he called hastily unto the young man his armorbearer, and

said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of

me, A women slew him. And his young man thrust him through,

and he died.

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9:55 And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they

departed every man unto his place.

9:56 Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did

unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren:

9:57 And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their

heads: and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of

Jerubbaal.

CHAPTER 10

10:1 And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of

Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir

in mount Ephraim.

10:2 And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was

buried in Shamir.

10:3 And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and

two years.

10:4 And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had

thirty cities, which are called Havothjair unto this day, which are in

the land of Gilead.

10:5 And Jair died, and was buried in Camon.

10:6 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD,

and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the

gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children

of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD,

and served not him.

10:7 And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold

them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the

children of Ammon.

10:8 And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel:

eighteen years, all the children of Israel that were on the other side

Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.

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10:9 Moreover the children of Ammon passed over Jordan to fight also

against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of

Ephraim; so that Israel was sore distressed.

10:10 And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, We have

sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and

also served Baalim.

10:11 And the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Did not I deliver

you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children

of Ammon, and from the Philistines?

10:12 The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did

oppress you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their

hand.

10:13 Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will

deliver you no more.

10:14 Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver

you in the time of your tribulation.

10:15 And the children of Israel said unto the LORD, We have sinned: do

thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only,