Rotherham - Judges

Chapter 1

1:1  And it came to pass, after the death of Joshua, that the sons of Israel asked of Yahweh, saying,—Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites, first, to make war upon them?

1:2  And Yahweh said—Judah, shall go,—lo! I have delivered the land into his power.

1:3  Then said Judah, unto Simeon his brother—Come up with me into the territory allotted me, and let us make war on the Canaanites, then will, I also, go with thee, into thy territory. So Simeon went with him.

1:4  And Judah went up, and Yahweh delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand,—and they smote them in Bezek, ten thousand men.

1:5  And they found Adoni-bezek in Bezek, and fought with him,—and smote the Canaanites and the Perizzites.

1:6  But Adoni-bezek fled, and they pursued him,—and took him, and cut off his thumbs, and his great toes.

1:7  Then said Adoni-bezek—Seventy kings, with their thumbs and great toes cut off, have been picking up crumbs under my table, as I have done, so, hath God requited me. And they brought him into Jerusalem, and he died there.

1:8  And the sons of Judah made war upon Jerusalem, and captured it, and smote it with the edge of the sword,—and, the city, they set on fire.

1:9  And, afterwards, the sons of Judah went down to make war upon the Canaanites,—dwelling in the hill country, and in the south, and in the lowland.

1:10  And Judah went against the Canaanites who were dwelling in Hebron, now, the name of Hebron, formerly, was Kiriath-arba,—and they smote Sheshai and Ahiman, and Talmai.

1:11  And he went from thence, against the inhabitants of Debir,—now, the name of Debir, formerly, was Kiriath-sepher.

1:12  And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kiriath-sepher, and captureth it, I will give unto him Achsah my daughter, to wife.

1:13  Then Othniel, son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, captured it,—and he gave him Achsah his daughter, to wife.

1:14  And it came pass, when she came, that she moved him to ask of her father a field, and, when she alighted from off the ass, Caleb said unto her—What aileth thee?

1:15  And she said unto him—Give me a present; for, south land, hast thou given me, give me therefore pools of water. So Caleb gave her Upper-pools, and Lower-pools.

1:16  Now, the sons of the Kenite, father-in-law of Moses, had come up from the city of palm-trees, with the sons of Judah, into the wilderness of Judah, which is in the south of Arad,—so they went and dwelt with the people.

1:17  Then went Judah, with Simeon his brother, and they smote the Canaanites dwelling in Zephath,—and devoted it to destruction, and the name of the city was called Hormah.

1:18  And Judah captured Gaza with the boundaries thereof, and Ashkelon, with the boundaries thereof,—and Ekron, with the boundaries thereof.

1:19  And it same to pass that Yahweh was with Judah, and he took possession of the hill country,—but did not dispossess the inhabitants of the vale, because they had, chariots of iron.

1:20  So they gave unto Caleb Hebron, as spake Moses,—and he drave out from thence the three sons of Anak.

1:21  But, the Jebusites dwelling in Jerusalem, the sons of Benjamin did not drive out,—but the Jebusites have dwelt with the sons of Benjamin, in Jerusalem, unto this day.

1:22  Then went up the house of Joseph—they also,—unto Bethel,—and, Yahweh, was with them.

1:23  And the house of Joseph sent to spy out Bethel,—now, the name of the city, formerly, was, Luz.

1:24  So the watchers saw a man, coming forth from the city,—and they said unto him—Shew us, we pray thee, the way to get into the city, and we will deal with thee, in lovingkindness.

1:25  And he shewed them the way to get into the city, and they smote the city, with the edge of the sword,—but, the man and all his family, they let go.

1:26  And the man went into the land of the Hittites,—and built a city, and called the name thereof, Luz, that, is the name thereof, unto this day.

1:27  But Manasseh took not possession of Beth-shean and her towns, nor of Taanach and her towns, nor dispossessed 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 were determined to remain in this land;

1:28  when Israel, however, had waxed strong, they put the Canaanites under tribute,—though they, dispossessed, them not.

1:29  And, Ephraim, dispossessed not the Canaanites who were dwelling in Gezer,—so the Canaanites remained in their midst, in Gezer.

1:30  Zebulun, dispossessed not the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol,—but the Canaanites remained in their midst, and came under tribute.

1:31  Asher, dispossessed not the inhabitants of Acco, 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 in the midst of the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land,—for they dispossessed them not.

1:33  Naphtali, dispossessed not the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh nor the inhabitants of Beth-anath, but they dwelt in the midst of the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land,—and, the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, and of Beth-anath, became theirs, under tribute.

1:34  And the Amorites forced the sons of Dan into the hill country,—for they suffered them not to come down into the vale;

1:35  and, though the Amorites were determined to remain in the hill country of Heres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim, yet was the hand of the house of Joseph heavy, so that they came under tribute.

1:36  And, the boundary of the Amorites, was from the ascent of Akrabbim, from Sela and upwards.

Chapter 2

2:1  And the messenger of Yahweh came up from Gilgal, unto Bochim. And he said—I led you up out of Egypt, and brought you into the land, which I had sworn unto your fathers, And I said, I will not break my covenant with you, to times age-abiding;

2:2  But, ye, must not solemnise a covenant with the inhabitants of this land, Their altars, must ye tear down,—But ye have not hearkened unto my voice, what is this ye have done?

2:3  Wherefore also I said, I will not drive them out from before you,—but they shall be your adversaries, and, their gods, shall become unto you a snare.

2:4  And it came to pass, when the messenger of Yahweh had spoken these words unto all the sons of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.

2:5  So they called the name of that place, Bochim, and offered sacrifice there, unto Yahweh.

2:6  Now, when Joshua had let the people go, the sons of Israel went their way, every man to his inheritance, to take possession of the land.

2:7  And the people served Yahweh all the days of Joshua,—and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of Yahweh which he had wrought for Israel.

2:8  So then Joshua, the son of Nun, the servant of Yahweh, died,—being a hundred and ten years old.

2:9  And they buried him within the bounds of his inheritance, in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim,—on the north of Mount Gaash.

2:10  All that generation also, were gathered unto their fathers,—and there arose another generation, after them, who had not known Yahweh, nor even the work which he had wrought for Israel.

2:11  So the sons of Israel did the thing that was wicked in the sight of Yahweh,—and served the Baals;

2:12  and forsook Yahweh, the God of their fathers, who brought them up out of the land of Egypt, and went after other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were round about them, and bowed themselves down unto them,—and angered Yahweh.

2:13  Yea, they forsook Yahweh,—and did service unto the Baal and unto Ashtaroth.

2:14  Then kindled the anger of Yahweh upon Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of spoilers, who plundered them,—and he sold them into the hand of their enemies round about, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies.

2:15  Whithersoever they went out, the hand of Yahweh was found to be against them for misfortune, as spake Yahweh, and as sware Yahweh unto them,—and they were distressed exceedingly.

2:16  And, though Yahweh raised up judges,—who saved them out of the hand of them that plundered them,

2:17  yet, even unto their judges, did thy not hearken, for they went unchastely astray after other gods, and bowed themselves down to them,—they turned aside speedily out of the way wherein their fathers who hearkened unto the commandments of Yahweh, walked, they did not so.

2:18  And, when Yahweh raised them up judges, then was Yahweh with the judges, and saved them out of the hand of their enemies, all the days of the judge,—for Yahweh was grieved at their outcry, because of them who oppressed them, and ill-treated them.

2:19  But, when the judge was dead, they again broke faith more than their fathers, by going their way after other gods, by serving them, and bowing themselves down to them,—they ceased not from their doings nor from their stubborn way.

2:20  So then the anger of Yahweh kindled upon Israel, and he said—Forasmuch as this nation have transgressed my covenant, which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice,

2:21  I also, will no further dispossess a man from before them,—from among the nations which Joshua left remaining, when he died;

2:22  that I may, by them, put Israel to the proof,—whether they are going to be observant of the way of Yahweh, to walk therein as their fathers observed it, or not.

2:23  Thus then Yahweh left these nations, not dispossessing them speedily,—neither had he delivered them into the hand of Joshua

Chapter 3

3:1  Now, these, are the nations which Yahweh left, that he might, by them, put Israel to the proof,—all who had not known any of the wars of Canaan;

3:2  that the generations of the sons of Israel might certainly get to know, by being taught to make war,—such, at least, as aforetime knew nothing thereof:—

3:3  five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Zidonians, and the Hivites dwelling in Mount Lebanon,—from Mount Baal-hermon as far as the entering in of Hamath.

3:4  So then [these] were [left], that, by them, he might put Israel to the proof,—to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of Yahweh which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

3:5  And thus, the sons of Israel, dwelt in the midst of the Canaanites,—the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites;

3:6  and took their daughters to be their wives, their own daughters moreover, gave they unto their sons, and they served their gods.

3:7  Thus did the sons of Israel the thing that was wicked in the sight of Yahweh, and forgat Yahweh their God,—and served the Baals and the Asherahs.

3:8  Then kindled the anger of Yahweh upon Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia,—and the sons of Israel served Chushan-rishathaim, eight years.

3:9  And the sons of Israel made outcry unto Yahweh, so Yahweh raised up a saviour unto the sons of Israel, who saved them,—even Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.

3:10  And the Spirit of Yahweh came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war, and Yahweh delivered into his hand, Chushan-rishathaim, king of Syria,—and his hand prevailed over Chushan-rishathaim.

3:11  And the land had rest forty years,—and Othniel son of Kenaz, died.

3:12  And the sons of Israel again did the thing that was wicked, in the sight of Yahweh,—and Yahweh emboldened Eglon, king of Moab, against Israel, because they did the thing that was wicked in the sight of Yahweh;

3:13  and he gathered unto him, the sons of Ammon, and Amalek,—and came and smote Israel, and took possession of the city of palm-trees.

3:14  So the sons of Israel served Eglon king of Moab, eighteen years.

3:15  And the sons of Israel made outcry unto Yahweh, and Yahweh raised up unto them a saviour, Ehud son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man left-handed,—and the sons of Israel sent, by his hand, a present, unto Eglon king of Moab.

3:16  So Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length,—and girded it under his raiment, upon his right thigh.

3:17  So he offered the present unto Eglon, king of Moab,—now, Eglon, was an exceedingly fat man.

3:18  And so it was, when he had made an end of offering the present, that he sent away the people who had been bearing the present;

3:19  but, he himself, turned back from the images that were by Gilgal, and said, A secret word, have I, unto thee, O king! And he said—Silence! Thereupon went out from his presence all who had been standing near him.

3:20  And, Ehud, came in unto him, he, having been sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself, alone, and Ehud said, A divine word, have I, unto thee. So he arose from off his seat.

3:21  And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the sword from off his right thigh,—and thrust it into his body;

3:22  and, the handle also, went in after the blade, and the flesh closed upon the blade, for he withdrew not the sword out of his body,—and he came out into the ante-chamber.

3:23  And, when Ehud came out into the porch, he closed the doors of the parlour upon him, and bolted them.

3:24  When, he, had come out, his servants, went in, and looked, and lo! the doors of the parlour were bolted,—so they said, Surely he covereth his feet, in the summer chamber.

3:25  But, though they tarried a long time, yet lo! he opened not the doors of the parlour,—so they took the key, and opened [them], when lo! their lord, fallen to the ground dead.

3:26  But, Ehud, escaped while they delayed,—yea, he, passed the images, and escaped into Seirah.

3:27  And so it was, when he came, that he blew with a horn, throughout the hill country of Ephraim,—and the sons of Israel came down with him, out of the hill country, he, being before them.

3:28  And he said unto them—Come down after me, for Yahweh hath delivered your enemies, the Moabites, into your hand. So they came down after him, and captured the fords of the Jordan, towards Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over.

3:29  And they smote of Moab, at that time, about ten thousand men, every one a mighty man, and every one a man of valour,—and, there escaped not a man.

3:30  And Moab was subdued on that day, under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest eighty years, and Ehud judged them until his death.

3:31  And, after him, was Shamgar, son of Anath, who smote of the Philistines, six hundred men, with an ox-goad,—and, he also, saved Israel.

Chapter 4

4:1  And the sons of Israel again did the thing that was wicked in the sight of Yahweh,—when, Ehud, was dead.

4:2  So Yahweh sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor,—now, the prince of his host, was Sisera, and, he, dwelt in Harosheth of the nations.

4:3  And the sons of Israel made outcry unto Yahweh,—for he had, nine hundred chariots of iron, and, he, oppressed the sons of Israel heavily, twenty years.

4:4  And, Deborah, a woman who was a prophetess, wife of Lapidoth, she, was judging Israel, at that time:

4:5  she used to sit, therefore, under 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.

4:6  And she sent and called for Barak son of Abinoam, out of Kadesh-naphtali,—and said unto him—Hath not Yahweh God of Israel, commanded,—Come and draw towards Mount Tabor, and bring with thee—ten thousand men, of the sons of Naphtali, and of the sons of Zebulun;

4:7  and I will draw unto thee, unto the torrent of Kishon, Sisera, prince of the host of Jabin, with his chariots, and with his multitude,—and will deliver him into thy hand?

4:8  And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then will I go—but, if thou wilt not go with me, I will not go.

4:9  And she said—I will, go, with thee; only, it shall not be, thine own honour, that shall arise from the journey which thou art about to take, for, into the hand of a woman, will Yahweh sell Sisera. So Deborah arose, and went with Barak, towards Kadesh.

4:10  And Barak called together Zebulun and Naphtali, towards Kadesh, and there went up at his feet—ten thousand men,—and Deborah, went up with him.

4:11  Now, Heber the Kenite, had separated himself from the Kenites, even from the sons of Hobab, father-in-law of Moses,—and moved his tent as far as the oak of Zaanaim, which is near Kadesh.

4:12  And they told Sisera that Barak, son of Abinoam, had gone up to Mount Tabor.

4:13  So Sisera called together all his chariots—nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him,—from Harosheth of the nations, unto the torrent of Kishon.

4:14  Then said Deborah unto Barak—Up! for, this, is the day on which Yahweh hath delivered Sisera into thy hand, hath not, Yahweh, gone forth before thee? So Barak went down from Mount Tabor, with ten thousand men after him.

4:15  And Yahweh put to flight Sisera and all the chariots and all the host, with the edge of the sword, before Barak,—so Sisera alighted from his chariot, and fled on foot.

4:16  Now, Barak, pursued the chariots, and the host, as far as Harosheth of the nations,—and all the host of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword, there was not left so much as one.

4:17  Now, Sisera, had fled on foot, unto the tent of Jael, wife of Heber the Kenite, for there was peace between Jabin, king of Hazer, and the house of Heber the Kenite.

4:18  And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him: Turn aside, my lord, turn aside with me, do not fear. So he turned aside with her into the tent, and she threw over him a coverlet.

4:19  And he said unto her—Let me drink, I pray thee, a little water, for I am thirsty. So she opened the bottle of milk, and gave him to drink, and spread over him the coverlet.

4:20  And he said unto her, Stand at the entrance of the tent,—and it shall be, if any man come and ask thee and say—Is there here a man? that thou shalt say, There is not.

4:21  Then took Jael, wife of Heber, the tent-pin, and put the mallet in her hand, and went in unto him, softly, and smote the tent-pin into his temples, and it pierced through into the ground,—he being fast asleep and shrouded in darkness, and he died.

4:22  And lo! Barak—in pursuit of Sisera! So Jael went forth to meet him, and said unto him, Come and let me shew thee—the man whom thou art seeking. And he came in with her, and lo! Sisera—lying dead, with the tent-pin in his temples.

4:23  Thus God subdued, on that day, Jabin king of Canaan,—before the sons of Israel.

4:24  And the hand of the sons of Israel went on, waxing more and more heavy upon Jabin king of Canaan,—until they had cut off Jabin king of Canaan.

Chapter 5

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

5:2  For the leadership of leaders in Israel, For the volunteering of the people,—Bless ye Yahweh!

5:3  Hear, ye kings! Give ear, ye princes! I, unto Yahweh,—I, will sing, Will make melody to Yahweh, God of Israel.

5:4  O Yahweh! When thou didst come forth out of Seir, When thou didst march along out of the field of Edom, Earth, trembled, Heaven also, poured forth,—Yea, dark clouds, poured forth waters;

5:5  From, mountains, came down streams In presence of Yahweh,—From this Sinai, In presence of Yahweh, God of Israel.

5:6  In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the roads were forsaken,—and, the frequenters of highways, betook them to roundabout paths:

5:7  There was a failure of rulers, in Israel, a failure,—until I arose, a Deborah, arose, a mother in Israel:—

5:8  They chose gods that were new, Then,—war at the gates! Was there, a shield, to be seen? or a spear? among forty thousand in Israel?

5:9  My heart [saith] —for the governors of Israel, for the volunteers among the people, Bless ye Yahweh!

5:10  Ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit on carpets, and ye that walk upon the road, speak!

5:11  In the place of the noise of bowmen among the wells, there, laud ye—the righteous acts of Yahweh, the righteous acts of his rule over Israel. Then, had come down to the gates the people of Yahweh.

5:12  Awake! awake! Deborah, Awake! awake! utter words of song,—Arise! Barak, and bind fast thy captives, O son of Abinoam!

5:13  Then, came down a remnant to the nobles—a people,—Yahweh, came down with me against the mighty.

5:14  Out of Ephraim, [came down] they whose root was in Amalek, After thee, Benjamin, among thy tribes,—Out of Machir, had come down governors, And, out of Zebulun, such as bear aloft the staff of the marshal;

5:15  And, my princes in Issachar, were with Deborah, yea, Issachar, was the support of Barak, Into the vale rushed they forth at his feet. Among the divisions of Reuben, great were the resolves of the heart:

5:16  Wherefore abodes thou among the folds? To hear the mocking of the flocks? The divisions of Reuben, had great counsellings of heart.

5:17  Gilead, beyond the Jordan, took his rest, but, Dan, wherefore remained he with the ships? Asher, abode by the shore of the seas, and, by his creeks, must needs rest.

5:18  Zebulun—a people that scorned their souls unto death; and, Naphtali,—upon the heights of the field.

5:19  On came kings, they fought, Then, fought the kings of Canaan, In Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo,—Plunder of silver, they took not away!

5:20  From heaven, was the battle fought,—The stars in their courses, fought against Sisera.

5:21  The torrent of Kishon, swept them away, the torrent of olden times, the torrent of Kishon! Let my soul march along, with victorious strength!

5:22  Then, stamped hoofs of horses, With the gallopings, gallopings of his mighty steeds.

5:23  Curse ye Meroz, saith the messenger of Yahweh, Curse ye with a curse, the inhabitants thereof,—because they came not in to the help of Yahweh, to the help of Yahweh, against the mighty.

5:24  Blessed above women, shall be Jael, wife of Heber the Kenite,—Above women in the tent, be blessed:

5:25  Water, he asked, Milk, she gave,—In a bowl for nobles, presented cream:

5:26  Her hand, to the tent-pin, put she forth, and, her right hand, to the toilers’ mallet,—Then smote she Sisera, She shattered his head, Yea she split open and pierced through his temples:

5:27  Between her feet, he bowed—he fell, he lay,—Between her feet, he bowed—he fell, Where he bowed, There, he fell—destroyed!

5:28  Through the window, looked out and shrilly cried, The mother of Sisera, through the lattice,—Why is his chariot ashamed to come? Why delay the wheels of his chariot?

5:29  The wise ladies, her princesses, responded,—Nay! she, returned answer to, herself:—

5:30  Is it not They keep finding—dividing spoil, One damsel, two damsels, to every several hero, Spoil, of divers coloured raiment for Sisera, Spoil, of divers coloured raiment, embroidered, Coloured raiment richly embroidered, on the necks of them who are taken as spoil?

5:31  So, perish all thine enemies, O Yahweh, But be, they who love him, as the going forth of the sun, in his might! And the land had rest forty years.

Chapter 6

6:1  And the sons of Israel did the thing that was wicked, in the sight of Yahweh,—so Yahweh delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years;

6:2  and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel,—because of Midian, did the sons of Israel prepare for themselves the hollows which were in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds.

6:3  And so it used to be, if Israel had sown, then came up Midian and Amalek and the sons of the east, yea came up against them,

6:4  and encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the land, until thou comest unto Gaza,—neither left they sustenance in Israel, nor sheep nor ox, nor ass;

6:5  for, they with their cattle, used to come up, with their tents—yea they used to come like locusts, for multitude, both they and their cattle, were without number,—so they came into the land, to lay it waste.

6:6  Thus was Israel greatly impoverished, because of Midian,—and the sons of Israel made outcry unto Yahweh.

6:7  And it came to pass, when the sons of Israel cried unto Yahweh,—on account of Midian,

6:8  then sent Yahweh a prophet unto the sons of Israel,—who said unto them—Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel, I, led you up out of Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of servants;

6:9  Yea I rescued you out of the hand of Egypt, and out of the hand of all who oppressed you,—that I might drive them out from before you, and I gave unto you their land;

6:10  Yea and I said to you,—I, Yahweh, am your God, Ye must not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye are about to dwell,—But ye have not hearkened unto my voice.

6:11  Then came the messenger of Yahweh, and sat down under the oak which was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash, the Abiezrite; and, Gideon his son, was beating out wheat in the winepress, to escape the notice of the Midianites;

6:12  so the messenger of Yahweh appeared unto him,—and said unto him, Yahweh, is with thee, thou mighty man of valour!

6:13  And Gideon said unto him—Pardon, my lord! if Yahweh be with us, then wherefore hath all this befallen us? and where are all his wonders, which our fathers have recounted to us—saying, Was it not, out of Egypt, that Yahweh brought us up? But, now, hath Yahweh abandoned us, and delivered us into the hand of Midian.

6:14  And Yahweh, turned unto him, and said—Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel, out of the hand of Midian,—have I not sent thee?

6:15  And he said unto him—Pardon, O my Lord! How, shall I save Israel? Lo! my thousand, is the poorest in Manasseh, and, I, am the youngest in the house of my father.

6:16  And Yahweh said unto him—I will be with thee,—so shalt thou smite the Midianites, as one man.

6:17  And he said unto him, If, I beseech thee, I have found favour in thine eyes, then wilt thou work for me a sign, that it is, thou, who art speaking with me.

6:18  Do not, I beseech thee, withdraw from hence, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said: I, will tarry until thou return.

6:19  So, Gideon, went in, and made ready a kid of the goats, and, of an ephah of meal, unleavened cakes, the flesh, he put in a basket, and, the broth, he put in a pot,—and brought them forth unto him, under the oak, and presented them.

6:20  And the messenger of God said unto him—Take the flesh and the cakes, and set them on this crag, and, the broth, do thou pour out. And he did so.

6:21  Then the messenger of Yahweh put forth the end of the staff, that was in his hand, and touched the flesh, and the cakes,—and there came up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh, and the cakes, and, the messenger of Yahweh, had departed out of his sight.

6:22  Then saw Gideon that, the messenger of Yahweh, it was,—so Gideon said—Alas, My Lord Yahweh! forasmuch as I have seen the messenger of Yahweh, face to face!

6:23  And Yahweh said unto him—Peace be unto thee! Do not fear,—thou shalt not die.

6:24  So Gideon built there an altar unto Yahweh, and called it, Yahweh-shalom. Unto this day, it remaineth, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

6:25  And it came to pass, on that night, that Yahweh said unto him—Take the young bullock that belongeth to thy father, even the second bullock of seven years,—and throw thou down the altar of Baal, that belongeth to thy father, and, the sacred stem that is by it, shalt thou cut down.

6:26  Then shalt thou build an altar, unto Yahweh thy God, on the top of this fort, with the pile,—and shalt take the second bullock, and cause it to go up as an ascending-sacrifice, with the wood of the sacred stem which thou shalt cut down.

6:27  So Gideon took ten men from among his servants, and did as Yahweh had spoken unto him,—and so it was that, as he too much feared the house of his father, and the men of the city, to do it by day, he did it by night.

6:28  And the men of the city rose up early in the morning, and lo! the altar of Baal, had been overthrown, and, the sacred stem that was by it, had been cut down, and the second bullock had been caused to ascend upon the altar that had been built.

6:29  So they said, one to another, Who hath done this thing? And they inquired, and made search, and it was said, Gideon son of Joash, hath done this thing.

6:30  So the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring forth thy son, that he may die,—because he hath overthrown the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the sacred stem that was by it.

6:31  And Joash said unto all who stood by him—Will, ye, plead for Baal, or will, ye, save him? Whoso pleadeth for him, let him be put to death while it is yet morning,—if, a god, he be let him plead for himself, because one hath overthrown his altar.

6:32  So he was called on that day, Jerubbaal, saying,—Let Baal, plead against him. Because he had overthrown his altar.

6:33  Now, all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the sons of the east, were gathered together,—and they crossed over and pitched in the vale of Jezreel.

6:34  But, the spirit of Yahweh, clothed Gideon,—so he blew with a horn, and Abiezer was gathered after him.

6:35  Messengers also, sent he throughout all Manasseh, and, they also, were gathered after him,—messengers also, sent he throughout Asher, and throughout Zebulun, and throughout Naphtali, and they came up to meet them.

6:36  And Gideon said unto God,—If thou art about to bring salvation, by my hand, unto Israel, as thou hast spoken,

6:37  lo! I am placing a woollen fleece, on the threshing-floor,—if, dew, be on the fleece alone and, on all the ground, it be dry, then shall I know that thou wilt bring salvation, by my hand, unto Israel, as thou hast spoken.

6:38  And it was so, and he rose up early, on the morrow, and pressed together the fleece,—and wrung out the dew from the fleece, a small bowl full of water.

6:39  Then said Gideon unto God, Let not thine anger kindle upon me, but let me speak, only this once,—Let me, I pray thee, put to the proof, only this once, with the fleece, I pray thee, let it be dry on the fleece alone, while, on all the ground, there be dew.

6:40  And God did so on that night,—and it was dry on the fleece alone, while, on all the ground, there was dew.

Chapter 7

7:1  Then Jerubbaal, the same, is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and encamped by the fountain of Harod,—and, the camp of Midian, was on the north of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the vale.

7:2  And Yahweh said unto Gideon, Too many, are the people that are with thee, for me to deliver the Midianites into their hand,—lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand, hath saved me.

7:3  Now, therefore, proclaim, I pray thee, in the ears of the people, saying, Whoso feareth and trembleth—let him turn and go back from Mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty-two thousand, and, ten thousand, remained.

7:4  Then said Yahweh unto Gideon—Yet, are the people too many, take them down unto the waters, that I may prove them for thee, there,—and it shall be, that, he of whom I say unto thee, This one, shall go with thee, the same, shall go with thee, and, every one of whom I say unto thee, This one, shall not go with thee, the same, shall not go.

7:5  So he took down the people unto the waters,—and Yahweh said unto Gideon—Every one that lappeth with his tongue of the water, as a dog lappeth, thou shalt set him by himself, likewise, every one that boweth down upon his knees, to drink.

7:6  And so it was, that, the number of them that lapped with their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men,—but, all the rest of the people, bowed down on their knees, to drink water.

7:7  Then said Yahweh unto Gideon—By the three hundred men that lapped, will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thy hand; and let, all [the rest of] the people, go every man to his own place.

7:8  So the people took provisions in their hand, and their horns, but, every man of Israel besides, sent he away every man to his home, whereas, the three hundred men, he retained. Now, the camp of Midian, was beneath him in the vale.

7:9  And it came to pass, on that night, that Yahweh said unto him, Arise! go down against the camp,—for I have delivered it into thy hand.

7:10  Or, if, thou, art afraid to go down, go down—thou and Purah thy young man, unto the camp;

7:11  so shalt thou hear what they shall say,—and, afterward, shall thy hands grow strong, and thou shalt go down against the camp. Then went he down, he and Purah his young man, unto the outmost part of the armed men that were in the camp.

7:12  Now, the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the sons of the east, were lying along in the vale, like locusts for multitude,—their camels also, were without number, as the sand that is by the sea side, for multitude.

7:13  And Gideon came in, and lo! a man relating to his neighbour a dream,—and he said—Lo! a dream, have I dreamt, and lo! a round cake of barley bread tumbling into the camp of Midian, and it came as far as the tent—and smote it that it fell, and turned it upside down, and the tent lay along.

7:14  Then responded his neighbour and said:—Nothing else, is this, than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, a man of Israel,—God hath delivered into his hand, both Midian and all the host.

7:15  And it was so, when Gideon heard the story of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he bowed himself down,—and returned unto the camp of Israel, and said—Arise! for Yahweh hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.

7:16  And he divided the three hundred men, into three companies,—and put horns into the hands of them all, with empty pitchers, and torches inside the pitchers.

7:17  Then he said unto them, On me, shall ye look, and, in like manner, shall ye do,—and lo! when I am coming unto the outermost part of the camp, then shall it be, that, as I do, so, shall ye do.

7:18  When I shall blow with the horn, I and all who are with me, then shall, ye also, round about all the camp, blow with your horns, and shall say, For Yahweh and for Gideon!

7:19  So Gideon came, and the hundred men that were with him, unto the outermost part of the camp, at the beginning of the middle watch, they had but, newly set, the watchers,—and they blew with the horns, and brake in pieces the pitchers, that were in their hand.

7:20  Yea the three companies blew with the horns, and shivered the pitchers, and caught hold—with their left hands—of the torches, while, in their right hands, were the horns, to blow with,—and they cried, A sword for Yahweh, and for Gideon!

7:21  And they stood still, every man in his place, round about the camp,—and all the host ran and shouted, and fled.

7:22  When the three hundred blew the horns, Yahweh set the sword of every man, against his neighbour, and against all the host,—and the host fled, as far as the Place of Acacias, towards Zererath, as far as the border of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath.

7:23  And the men of Israel were called together, out of Naphtali and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh,—and pursued Midian.

7:24  And, messengers, did Gideon send through all the hill country of Ephraim, saying—Go down to meet Midian, and capture, before them, the waters, as far as Beth-barah, and the Jordan. So all the men of Ephraim were called out, and captured the waters, as far as Beth-barah, and the Jordan.

7:25  And they captured the two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb, and slew Oreb at Oreb’s Rock, and, Zeeb, they slew at Zeeb’s Winepress, and pursued Midian,—and, the heads of Oreb and Zeeb, brought they in unto Gideon at the ford of the Jordan.

Chapter 8

8:1  And the men of Ephraim said unto him—What is this thing thou hast done to us, in not calling us, when thou wentest to fight with Midian? And they did chide with him, sharply.

8:2  And he said unto them, What have I done, now, in comparison with you? Is not the grape-gleaning of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?

8:3  Into your hand, hath God delivered the princes of Midian—Oreb and Zeeb, what then had I been able to do in comparison with you? Then, was their spirit softened toward him, when he had spoken this word.

8:4  And Gideon came towards the Jordan, being about to pass over—he, and the three hundred men who were with him, faint yet pursuing.

8:5  So he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread to the people that are following me; for, faint, they are, and, I, am in pursuit of Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.

8:6  And the princes of Succoth said, Are the palms of the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in thy power,—that we should give to thine army bread?

8:7  And Gideon said, Therefore, when Yahweh hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my power, then will I tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness, and with the nettles.

8:8  So he went up from thence, to Penuel, and spake unto them in like manner,—and the men of Penuel answered him, as had answered the men of Succoth.

8:9  So he spake to the men of Penuel also, saying,—When I return with success, I will break down this tower.

8:10  Now, Zebah and Zalmunna, were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand, all that were left out of all the host of the sons of the east,—and, the fallen, were a hundred and twenty thousand men, who had drawn the sword.

8:11  So Gideon went up by the way of the tent-dwellers, on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host, when, the host, had become secure.

8:12  And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, then he pursued them, and captured the two kings of Midian—Zebah and Zalmunna, and, all the host, put he in terror.

8:13  And Gideon son of Joash returned from the battle,—from the ascent of Heres;

8:14  and caught a young man, of the men of Succoth, and enquired of him,—so he wrote down for him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, seventy-seven men.

8:15  Then came he in unto the men of Succoth, and said, Lo! Zebah and Zalmunna,—concerning whom ye did taunt me, saying—Are the palms of the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in thy power, that we should give to thy weary men bread?

8:16  So he took the elders of the city, and the thorns of the wilderness and the nettles, and taught therewith the men of Succoth:

8:17  the tower of Penuel also, brake he down,—and slew the men of the city.

8:18  Then said he unto Zebah and unto Zalmunna, What manner of men were they, whom ye slew at Tabor? And they said, As thou art, so were they, each one, as handsome as the sons of a king.

8:19  And he said: My brethren, sons of my mother, they were! As Yahweh liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not have slain you.

8:20  So he said to Jether his firstborn, Up! slay them. But the youth drew not his sword, for he feared, because he was yet a youth.

8:21  Then said Zebah and Zalmunna—Up! thou, and fall upon us, for, like the man, is his might. So Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took the crescents that were on the necks of their camels.

8:22  Then said the men of Israel, unto Gideon, Rule over us—even thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son,—for thou hast saved us out of the power of Midian.

8:23  And Gideon said unto them, I, will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you,—Yahweh, shall rule over you.

8:24  And Gideon said unto them—I would make to you a request, Give me, then, every man the nose-ring of his spoil. For they had, nose-rings of gold, for, Ishmaelites, they were.

8:25  And they said, We will, freely give. So they spread out a mantle, and cast therein, every man the nose-ring of his spoil.

8:26  And so it was, that the weight of the nose-rings of gold which he requested, was a thousand and seven hundred [shekels] of gold,—besides the crescents, and the pendants, and the raiment of purple that were upon the kings of Midian, and besides the ornaments that were on the necks of their camels.

8:27  And Gideon made thereof an Ephod, and set it up in his own city, in Ophrah, and all Israel went unchastely astray after it there,—so it became, to Gideon and to his house, a snare.

8:28  Thus was Midian subdued, before the sons of Israel, neither did they again lift up their head,—and the land had rest forty years, in the days of Gideon.

8:29  So then Jerubbaal, son of Joash, went and dwelt in his own house.

8:30  And, Gideon, had seventy sons, sprung from his own loins,—for, many wives, had he.

8:31  And, his concubine who was in Shechem, she also, bare him a son,—and he gave him the name of Abimelech.

8:32  And Gideon, son of Joash, died in a good old age,—and was buried in the grave of Joash his father, in Ophrah, of the Abiezrites.

8:33  And it came to pass that, as soon as Gideon was dead, the sons of Israel turned back, and went unchastely astray after the Baals,—and appointed them Baal-berith, to be god:

8:34  so the sons of Israel remembered not Yahweh, their own God,—who had rescued them out of the hand of all their enemies, on every side;

8:35  neither dealt they in lovingkindness with the house of Jerubbaal [namely] Gideon,—according to all the goodness wherewith he had dealt with Israel.

Chapter 9

9:1  Then went Abimelech son of Jerubbaal, to Shechem, unto the brethren of his mother,—and spake unto them, and unto all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying;

9:2  Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the owners of Shechem—Which is better for you, that there should rule over you, seventy men, all sons of Jerubbaal, or that there should rule over you, one man? And remember that, your bone and your flesh, am I.

9:3  So the brethren of his mother spake for him, in the ears of all the owners of Shechem, all these words,—and their heart inclined after Abimelech, for they said—Our own brother, is he.

9:4  So they gave him seventy pieces of silver, out of the house of Baal-berith,—and Abimelech hired therewith, loose and unstable men, and they followed him.

9:5  And he entered the house of his father, at Ophrah, and slew his brethren, sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, upon one stone,—but there remained Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, for he had hidden himself.

9:6  Then were gathered together all the owners of Shechem, and all the house of Millo, and they went and made Abimelech king,—by the oak of the pillar, that was in Shechem.

9:7  And, when it was told Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried aloud,—and said unto them—Hearken unto me, ye owners of Shechem, and may God, hearken unto you.

9:8  The trees, went their way, to anoint over them, a king,—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, which, in me, gods and men do honour,—and go to wave to and fro, over the trees?

9:10  Then said the trees unto the fig-tree,—Come! thou reign over us.

9:11  But the fig-tree said unto them, Should I leave my sweetness, and mine excellent increase,—and go to wave to and fro, over the trees?

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

9:13  But the vine said unto them, Should I leave my new wine, that rejoiceth gods and men,—and go to wave to and fro, over the trees?

9:14  Then said all the trees, unto the bramble,—Come, thou, to reign over us.

9:15  And the bramble said unto the trees, If, in truth, ye are about to anoint me to be king over you, come, take refuge in my shade,—but, if not, there shall come forth fire out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.

9:16  Now, therefore, if, in truth and sincerity, ye have acted, in making Abimelech king,—and if ye have dealt, well, with Jerubbaal and with his house, and if, according to the deserving of his hands, ye have done unto him;

9:17  in that my father fought for you, and cast his soul away from before him, and rescued you out of the hand of Midian;—

9:18  yet have, ye, risen up against the house of my father, to-day, and slain his sons—seventy men, upon one stone,—and made Abimelech, son of his maidservant, king over the owners of Shechem, because he is, your brother;

9:19  if then, in truth and in sincerity, ye have dealt with Jerubbaal and with his house, this day, 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 owners of Shechem, and the house of Millo,—and let fire come out from the owners of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech!

9:21  And Jotham hasted away, and fled, and went to Beer,—and dwelt there, away from the face of Abimelech his brother.

9:22  And Abimelech ruled over Israel three years.

9:23  Then God let go a spirit of mischief between Abimelech and the owners of Shechem,—and the owners of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:

9:24  that the cruel wrong to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might [come upon them],—and that their blood might be laid upon Abimelech their brother, who slew them, and upon the owners of Shechem who strengthened his hands, to slay his brethren.

9:25  So the owners of Shechem set for him liers in wait, upon the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who crossed over them by the road,—and it was told Abimelech.

9:26  And Gaal son of Ebed came, with his brethren, and they passed through to Shechem,—and the owners of Shechem put their trust in him.

9:27  Then went they out into the fields, and gathered the fruit of their vineyards and trode [the grapes], and held a vintage festival,—and entered the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and poured contempt on Abimelech.

9:28  And Gaal son of Ebed said: Who is Abimelech—and who is the son of Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? Serve ye the men of Hamor, Shechem’s father, but why should, we, serve him?

9:29  Would, then, this people were in my hand! that I might set aside Abimelech,—and say to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out!

9:30  And, when Zubul, governor of the city, heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, then was kindled his anger.

9:31  And he sent messengers unto Abimelech, by deceit, saying,—Lo! Gaal son of Ebed, and his brethren, are coming into Shechem; and lo! are fortifying the city against thee.

9:32  Now, therefore, up by night, thou and the people that are with thee, and lie in wait in the field;

9:33  and it shall be, in the morning, about sunrise, thou shalt get up early, and spread thyself out against the city,—when lo! he and the people that are with him coming out against thee, so shalt thou do unto him as thy hand shall find opportunity.

9:34  So Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night,—and they lay in wait above Shechem, in four companies.

9:35  Then came forth Gaal son of Ebed, and took his stand at the opening of the gate of the city,—so Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, from the place of ambush.

9:36  And, when Gaal saw the people, he said unto Zebul, Lo! people coming down from the tops of the mountains. And Zebul said unto him, The shadow of the mountains, thou seest, like men.

9:37  Then did Gaal yet further speak, and say—Lo! people coming down from the highest part of the land,—and one company, coming in by way of the Conjurers’ Terebinth.

9:38  So then Zebul said unto him—Where, then, is thy mouth that kept on saying, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? Is not, this, the people which thou didst despise? Go forth, I pray thee, now, and fight with them!

9:39  And Gaal went forth before the owners of Shechem,—and fought against Abimelech.

9:40  And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him,—and there fell a multitude of slain as far as the entering of the gate.

9:41  Then dwelt Abimelech in 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 forth into the field,—and they told Abimelech.

9:43  So he took the people and divided them into three companies, and lay in wait in the field,—and he looked, and lo! the people coming forth out of the city, so he rose up against them, and smote them.

9:44  And, Abimelech, and the companies that were with him, spread themselves out, and [one of the companies] took their stand at the opening of the gate of the city,—while, the two companies, spread themselves out against all that were in the field, and smote them.

9:45  And, Abimelech, fought against the city, all that day, and captured the city, the people also that were therein, he slew,—and brake down the city, and sowed it with salt.

9:46  And, when all the owners of the tower of Shechem heard, they entered into the basement of the house of El-berith.

9:47  And it was told Abimelech, that all the owners of the tower of Shechem had gathered themselves together.

9:48  So Abimelech went up 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 lifted it, and laid it on his shoulder,—and said unto the people that were with him—What ye have seen me do, haste! do likewise.

9:49  So, even all the people cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and laid them over the basement, and set it on fire over them who were therein,—even all the men of the tower of Shechem died about a thousand men and women.

9:50  Then went Abimelech unto Thebez,—and encamped against Thebez, and captured it.

9:51  Now, a strong tower, was in the midst of the city, and there fled thither all the men and the women, and all the owners of the city, and shut themselves in,—and went up on the roof of the tower.

9:52  And Abimelech came in as far as the tower, and fought against it,—and so came near, as far as the entrance of the tower, to burn it with fire.

9:53  And a certain woman cast an upper millstone upon the head of Abimelech,—and brake in pieces his skull.

9:54  Then called he hastily unto the young man bearing his armour, and said unto him—Draw thy sword, and put me to death, lest they say of me, A woman, slew him! So his young man thrust him through, and he died.

9:55  And, when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was, dead, they went their way every man to his own place.

9:56  Thus did God requite the wickedness of Abimelech, which he had done to his father, in slaying his seventy brethren;

9:57  all the wickedness also, of the men of Shechem, did God requite upon their own head,—and so brought in upon, them the curse of Jotham, son of Jerubbaal.

Chapter 10

10:1  And there arose, after Abimelech, to save Israel—Tola son of Puah son of Dodo, a man of Issachar,—and, he, used to sit in Shamir, in the hill country of Ephraim;

10:2  and he judged Israel, twenty-three years,—and died, and was buried in Shamir.

10:3  And there arose, after him, Jair the Gileadite,—and judged Israel twenty-two years.

10:4  Now he had thirty sons, that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had, thirty cities,—they are called Havvoth-jair, until this day, which are in the land of Gilead.

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

10:6  And the sons of Israel again did the thing that was wicked in the sight of Yahweh, and served the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the sons of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines,—and forsook Yahweh, and served him not.

10:7  So the anger of Yahweh kindled upon Israel,—and he sold them into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the sons of Ammon;

10:8  and they enfeebled and oppressed the sons of Israel in that year,—eighteen years, did they this unto all the sons of Israel who were beyond the Jordan, in the land of the Amorites, that was in Gilead.

10:9  And the sons of Ammon crossed the Jordan, to fight, even against Judah and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim,—so that Israel was sore distressed.

10:10  Then did the sons of Israel make outcry unto Yahweh, saying,—We have sinned against thee, because we have forsaken our God, and have served the Baals.

10:11  Then said Yahweh unto the sons of Israel,—Was it not, from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, and from the sons of Ammon, and from the Philistines, [that I saved you] ?

10:12  The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, oppressed you,—and ye made outcry unto me, and I saved you out of their hand.

10:13  Yet have, ye, forsaken me, and served other gods,—therefore will I not again save you.

10:14  Go and make outcry unto the gods whom ye have chosen,—they, must save you, in the time of your tribulation.

10:15  And the sons of Israel said unto Yahweh—We have sinned, do, thou, with us, according to all that is fitting in thine eyes,—only rescue us, we beseech thee this day.

10:16  And they put away the gods of the stranger out of their midst, and served Yahweh,—and his soul was impatient of the misery of Israel.

10:17  Now the sons of Ammon were called out, and they encamped in Gilead,—and the sons of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpah.

10:18  Then said the people, the princes of Gilead, one to another, Who is the man that will begin to fight against the sons of Ammon? he shall become head to all the inhabitants of Gilead.

Chapter 11

11:1  Now, Jephthah the Gileadite, was a mighty man of valour, but, he, was the son of an unchaste woman,—yet Gilead was the father of Jephthah.

11:2  And the wife of Gilead bare him sons,—and, when the wife’s sons grew up, they thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him—Thou shalt not inherit with the house of our father, for, son of an alien woman, art thou.

11:3  So Jephthah fled from the face of his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob,—and there gathered about Jephthah unemployed men, who went forth with him.

11:4  And so it came to pass, after a time,—that the sons of Ammon made war with Israel.

11:5  When, therefore, it came to pass that the sons of Ammon made war with Israel, then went the elders of Gilead, to summon Jephthah out of the land of Tob.

11:6  And they said to Jephthah, Oh! come and be our commander,—that we may do battle with the sons of Ammon.

11:7  But Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, Have not, ye, hated me, and thrust me out from the house of my father? Wherefore then, are ye come unto me, now, when ye are in distress?

11:8  And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah—Therefore, have we, now, returned unto thee, that, if thou go with us, and do battle with the sons of Ammon, then shalt thou become our head, for all the inhabitants of Gilead.

11:9  And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead—If ye do bring me back to do battle with the sons of Ammon, and Yahweh deliver them up before me, shall, I myself, become your head?

11:10  And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah—Yahweh himself, will be hearkening between us, if, according to thy word, so, we do not.

11:11  Then went Jephthah with the elders of Gilead, and the people set him over them, as head and commander,—and Jephthah spake all his words before Yahweh, in Mizpah.

11:12  So then Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the sons of Ammon, saying,—What occasion is there between us, that thou shouldst have come unto me, to fight against my land?

11:13  And the king of the sons of Ammon said unto the messengers of Jephthah—Because Israel took away my land, when they came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto the Jabbok, and unto the Jordan,—now, therefore, restore them in peace.

11:14  And Jephthah yet once more sent messengers unto the king of the sons of Ammon;

11:15  and said unto him, Thus, saith Jephthah,—Israel took not away the land of Moab, or the land of the sons of Ammon;

11:16  for, when they came up out of Egypt, and Israel journeyed through the desert as far as the Red Sea, and came in unto Kadesh,

11:17  then did Israel send messengers unto the king of Edom, saying—Let me pass, I pray thee, through thy land, but the king of Edom hearkened not, unto the king of Moab also, sent they, but he would not consent,—so Israel abode in Kadesh.

11:18  Then journeyed they through the desert, and went round the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and so came, from the rising of the sun, to the land of Moab, but encamped beyond Arnon,—and entered not within the boundary of Moab, for, Arnon, is the boundary of Moab.

11:19  Then did Israel send messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, king of Heshbon,—and Israel said unto him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy land as far as my own place.

11:20  But Sihon trusted not Israel, to pass through his boundary, so Sihon gathered together all his people, and encamped in Jahaz,—and fought against Israel.

11:21  Then did Yahweh, God of Israel, deliver up Sihon, and all his people, into the hand of Israel, and they smote them,—so Israel took possession of all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that land.

11:22  Yea they took possession of all the territory of the Amorites,—from Arnon, even as far as the Jabbok, and from the desert, even as far as the Jordan.

11:23  Now, therefore, it was, Yahweh God of Israel, that dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel,—and shalt, thou, possess it?

11:24  What Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess, that, wilt thou not possess? and, whatsoever Yahweh our God hath set before us to possess, that, shall we not possess?

11:25  Now, therefore, art thou, really better, than Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab? Hath there been any, striving at all, with Israel, or any, fighting at all, with them,

11:26  all the time that Israel hath been dwelling in Heshbon and in her towns, and in Aroer and in her towns, and in all the cities that are on the banks of Arnon,—for three hundred years? Wherefore, then, have ye not made a rescue within that time?

11:27  I, therefore, have not sinned against thee; but, thou, art doing me a wrong, in fighting against me,—Let Yahweh, the Judge, give judgment today, between the sons of Israel, and the sons of Ammon!

11:28  But the king of the sons of Ammon hearkened not unto the words of Jephthah, which he sent unto him.

11:29  Then came upon Jephthah the spirit of Yahweh, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh,—and passed through Mizpeh of Gilead, and, from Mizpeh of Gilead, he passed through [unto] the sons of Ammon.

11:30  And Jephthah vowed a vow unto Yahweh, and said,—If thou wilt, deliver, the sons of Ammon into my hand,

11:31  then shall it be, that, whosoever cometh forth out of the doors of my house, to meet me, when I return successful, from the sons of Ammon, shall belong unto Yahweh, and I will offer him up, as an ascending-sacrifice.

11:32  So then Jephthah passed over unto the sons of Ammon, to fight against them,—and Yahweh delivered them into his hand;

11:33  and he smote them, from Aroer even till thou enterest in to Minnith, even twenty cities, and as far as Abel-keramim, with an exceeding great smiting,—and thus were the sons of Ammon subdued before the sons of Israel.

11:34  Then came Jephthah towards Mizpah, unto his own house, and lo! his daughter, coming forth to meet him, with timbrels, and with dances,—and, she, was none other than his only child, he had not, besides her, either son or daughter.

11:35  And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said—Alas! my daughter, Thou hast, brought me low, Even, thou, hast come to be among them who trouble me,—Yet, I, opened wide my mouth unto Yahweh, and cannot go back.

11:36  And she said unto him—My father! Thou hast opened wide thy mouth unto Yahweh, Do with me, according to that which hath gone forth out of thy mouth,—after that Yahweh hath exacted for thee an avenging from thine enemies, from the sons of Ammon.

11:37  And she said unto her father, Let this thing, be done for me,—Let me alone two months, that I may depart, and go down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my companions.

11:38  And he said—Depart. So he let her go, for two months,—and she departed, she and her companions, and bewailed her virginity, upon the mountains.

11:39  And it came to pass, at the end of two months, that she returned unto her father, and he fulfilled on her his vow which he had vowed,—she not having known man. And it became a statute, in Israel:—

11:40  From year to year, departed the daughters of Israel, to lament aloud for the daughter of Jephthah, the Gileadite, four days in the year.

Chapter 12

12:1  And the men of Ephraim were called together, and passed over northward,—and said unto Jephthah—Wherefore didst thou pass over to do battle with the sons of Ammon, and, for us, didst not call, to go with thee? Thy house, will we consume over thee with fire.

12:2  And Jephthah said unto them, Great strife, had, I and my people, even with the sons of Ammon; but, when I cried unto you for help, ye saved me not out of their hand.

12:3  So, when I saw that thou wast not going to save, then put I my life in my hand, and passed over against the sons of Ammon, and Yahweh delivered them into my hand. Wherefore, then, have ye come up against me this day, to fight against me?

12:4  And Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim,—and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said—Fugitives of Ephraim, are, ye, O ye Gileadites, in the midst of Ephraim, in the midst of Manasseh.

12:5  And the Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan, against the Ephraimites,—and so it was, that, when the fugitives of Ephraim said, Let me pass over, the men of Gilead said to him, An Ephraimite, art thou? and, if he said—Nay!

12:6  they said to him, Come now, say Shibboleth, and, if he said Sibboleth, and he could not take heed to speak in that manner, then laid they hold on him, and slew him at the fords of the Jordan,—and there fell, at that time, of the Ephraimites, forty-two thousand.

12:7  And, when Jephthah had judged Israel six years, then Jephthah the Gileadite died, and was buried in [one of] the cities of Gilead.

12:8  And there judged Israel, after him, Ibzan of Bethlehem.

12:9  And so it was, he had thirty sons, and, thirty daughters, sent he abroad, while, thirty daughters, brought he from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years.

12:10  And Ibzan died, and was buried in Bethlehem.

12:11  And, after him, did Elon the Zebulunite judge Israel,—and he judged Israel, ten years.

12:12  And Elon the Zebulunite died, and was buried in Aijalon, in the land of Zebulun.

12:13  And there judged Israel, after him, Abdon son of Hillel, the Pirathonite.

12:14  And so it was, he had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy ass colts,—and he judged Israel eight years.

12:15  And Abdon son of Hillel, the Pirathonite died,—and was buried in Pirathon, in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.

Chapter 13

13:1  And the sons of Israel again did the thing that was wicked in the sight of Yahweh,—so Yahweh delivered them up into the hand of the Philistines, forty years.

13:2  And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, and, his name, was Manoah; and, his wife, was barren, and had borne no child.

13:3  And the messenger of Yahweh appeared unto the woman,—and said unto her—Lo! I pray thee, thou, art barren, and hast borne no child, but thou shalt conceive, and shalt bear a son.

13:4  Now, therefore, beware, I pray thee, and do not drink wine or strong drink,—nor eat anything unclean;

13:5  for lo! thou, art about to conceive and bear a son, and no, razor, shall come on his head, for, one separate unto God, shall the boy be from his birth,—and, he, shall begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.

13:6  So the woman came in, and told her husband, saying, A man of God, came unto me, and, his, appearance, was as the appearance of the messenger of God, reverend exceedingly,—and I asked him not whence he was, and, his name, he told me not.

13:7  But he said unto me, Lo! thou art about to conceive, and bear a son,—now, therefore, do not drink wine or strong drink, nor eat anything unclean, for, one separate unto God, shall the boy be, from his birth until the day of his death.

13:8  Then Manoah made entreaty unto Yahweh, and said: Pardon, O My Lord! the man of God whom thou didst send, I pray thee, let him come again unto us, that he may teach us what we are to do, unto the boy that is to be born.

13:9  And God hearkened unto the voice of Manoah,—and the messenger of God came again unto the woman, as, she, was sitting in the field, Manoah her husband, not being with her.

13:10  So the woman made haste, and ran, and told her husband,—and said unto him, Lo! the man, hath appeared unto me, who came the other day unto me.

13:11  Then Manoah arose, and followed his wife,—and came unto the man, and said unto him—Art, thou, the man that spake unto the wife? And he said—I am.

13:12  And Manoah said, Now, let thy words come to pass,—What shall be the rule for the boy, and his work?

13:13  And the messenger of Yahweh said unto Manoah,—Of all that I said unto the woman, let her beware.

13:14  Of nothing that cometh of the vine, may she eat, nor wine nor strong drink, let her drink, nor, anything unclean, let her eat,—all that I commanded her, let her observe.

13:15  And Manoah said unto the messenger of Yahweh,—I pray thee, let us detain thee, that we may make ready for thy presence, a kid.

13:16  But the messenger of Yahweh said unto Manoah—Though thou detain me, yet will I not eat of thy food, and, though thou make ready an ascending-sacrifice, unto Yahweh, must thou cause it to ascend. For Manoah had not discerned that, the angel of Yahweh, he was.

13:17  Then said Manoah unto the messenger of Yahweh, What is thy name,—that, when thy word cometh to pass, we may do thee honour?

13:18  And the messenger of Yahweh said unto him, Wherefore is it, that thou shouldst ask after my name,—seeing that, it, is Wonderful?

13:19  So Manoah took the kid, and the meal-offering, and caused them to ascend upon the rock unto Yahweh, who was about to do, wondrously, while Manoah and his wife were looking on.

13:20  And it came to pass, when the flame ascended from off the altar, towards the heavens, that the messenger of Yahweh ascended in the flame of the altar,—while Manoah and his wife were looking on. Then fell they on their faces, to the earth.

13:21  And the messenger of Yahweh did no more appear unto Manoah or unto his wife. Then, Manoah knew that, the messenger of Yahweh, he was.

13:22  And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall, die,—for, upon God, have we looked.

13:23  But his wife said unto him, If Yahweh had been pleased to put us to death, he would not have received at our hand, an ascending-sacrifice and a meal-offering, nor would he have shewed us all these things,—and, at such a time, have let us hear the like of this!

13:24  So the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson,—and the boy grew, and Yahweh blessed him.

13:25  And the spirit of Yahweh began to urge him to and fro, in the camp of Dan,—between Zorah and Eshtaol.

Chapter 14

14:1  And Samson went down to Timnath,—and saw a woman in Timnath, of the daughters of the Philistines.

14:2  So he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said—A woman, have I seen in Timnath, of the daughters of the Philistines,—now, therefore, take her for me, to wife.

14:3  And his father and his mother said to him—Is there not, among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, a woman, that thou art going away to take a woman from among the uncircumcised Philistines? But Samson said unto his father—Take, her, for me, for, she, is pleasant in mine eyes.

14:4  Now, his father and his mother, knew not, that, from Yahweh, it was, that, an occasion, he was seeking of the Philistines,—at that time, the Philistines having dominion over Israel.

14:5  So Samson went down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath,—and they came as far as the vineyards of Timnath, when lo! a young lion, roaring to meet him.

14:6  And the Spirit of Yahweh, came suddenly over him, and he tore it in pieces as if he had torn in pieces a kid, there being, nothing at all, in his hand,—but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.

14:7  So he went down, and spake unto the woman,—and she was pleasant in the eyes of Samson.

14:8  And he returned, after a time, to take her, and went aside to see the carcass of the lion,—and lo! a swarm of bees, in the body of the lion, and, honey,

14:9  which he took into his hands, and went on—eating as he went, and came unto his father and unto his mother, and gave unto them, and they did eat,—but he told them not that, out of the carcass of the lion, he had taken the honey.

14:10  And his father went down unto the woman,—and Samson made there a banquet, for, so, used the young men, to do.

14:11  And it came to pass, because they feared him, that they took thirty companions, who remained with him.

14:12  And Samson said unto them, I pray you let me put you forth a riddle,—if ye, tell, it me, within the seven days of the banquet, and find it out, then will I give you thirty linen wraps and thirty changes of raiment;

14:13  but, if ye cannot tell me, then shall, ye, give me thirty linen wraps, and thirty changes of raiment. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.

14:14  And he said to them—Out of the eater, came forth food, And, out of the strong, came forth sweetness. But they could not tell the riddle, in three days.

14:15  And it came to pass, on the fourth day, that they said to Samson’s wife, Entice thy husband, that he may tell us the riddle, lest we burn thee and the house of thy father, with fire. Was it not, to impoverish us, that ye invited us—was it not?

14:16  And the wife of Samson wept upon him, and said—Thou dost, altogether hate me, and dost not love me, a riddle, hast thou put forth to the sons of my people, and, unto me, thou hast not told it! And he said to her, Lo! to my own father and mother, have I not told it, and, to thee, shall I tell it?

14:17  So she wept upon him the seven days,—while their banquet lasted,—and it came to pass, on the seventh day, that he told her, because she urged him, and she told the riddle unto the sons of her people.

14:18  And the men of the city said to him, on the seventh day—ere yet the sun went in, What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion? And he said to them: If ye had not ploughed with my heifer, Ye had not found out my riddle!

14:19  And the Spirit of Yahweh, came suddenly over him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and smote of them thirty men, and took their garments, and gave the changes [of raiment] to them who had told the riddle,—and his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father’s house.

14:20  And the wife of Samson was given unto his companion who had served him as his friend.

Chapter 15

15:1  And it came to pass, after a time, in the days of wheat-harvest, that Samson went to visit his wife, with a kid, and he said—I will go in unto my wife, in the chamber. But her father would not suffer him to go in.

15:2  And her father said—I, thought, that thou didst, hate, her, so I gave her to thy companion,—Is not, her younger sister, fairer than she? Pray let her be thine, in her stead.

15:3  And Samson said of them, I shall be more blameless, this time, than the Philistines,—though I should do them a mischief.

15:4  So Samson went, and caught three hundred jackals,—and took torches, and turned tail to tail, and put one torch between the two tails, in the midst.

15:5  And, when he had set fire to the torches, he let them go into the standing corn of the Philistines,—and set fire, both to the stack of sheaves and to the standing corn, and besides to the olive plantation.

15:6  Then said the Philistines—Who hath done this? And they said—Samson, son-in-law of the Timnite, because he hath taken his wife, and given her to his companion. So the Philistines went up and burned her and her father, with fire.

15:7  And Samson said to them, Though ye do the like of this, yet will I be avenged upon you, and, afterwards, will I cease.

15:8  So he smote them, leg on thigh, with a great smiting,—and went down and dwelt in a cleft of the crag Etam.

15:9  Then went up the Philistines, and encamped in Judah,—and were spread abroad in Lehi.

15:10  And the men of Judah said, Wherefore have ye come up against us? And they said—To bind Samson, are we come up, to do unto him as he hath done unto us.

15:11  Then went down three thousand men out of Judah, unto the cleft of the crag Etam, and said unto Samson—Knowest thou not that the Philistines are lording it over us? What, then, is this thou hast done to us? And he said unto them, As they have done to me, so, have I done to them.

15:12  And they said to him—To bind thee, are we come down, to deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said to them, Swear to me, that ye will not fall upon me, yourselves.

15:13  And they answered him, saying—Nay; but we will, bind, thee, and deliver thee into their hand, but we will not, put thee to death. So they bound him with two new ropes, and took him up from the crag.

15:14  He, was coming in as far as Lehi, and, the Philistines, came shouting to meet him,—when the Spirit of Yahweh came suddenly over him, and the ropes that were upon his arms became as threads of flax which have been ignited with fire, so that his bonds melted from off his hands.

15:15  Then found he the jawbone of an ass newly-slain,—so he thrust forth his hand, and took it, and smote therewith, a thousand men.

15:16  And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass,—have I piled them up in heaps! With the jawbone of an ass, have I smitten a thousand men!

15:17  And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand,—and called the name of that place, Ramath-lehi.

15:18  And he was sore athirst, so he cried unto Yahweh, and said, Thou thyself, hast given, into the hand of thy servant, this great salvation,—and, now, must I die of thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?

15:19  So then God clave open the hollow that is in Lehi, and there came therefrom water, and he drank, and his spirit came back, and he revived,—for this cause, called he the name thereof—Ain-hakkore, which is in Lehi, until this day.

15:20  And he judged Israel, in the days of the Philistines, twenty years.

Chapter 16

16:1  Then went Samson unto Gaza,—and saw there an unchaste woman, and went in unto her.

16:2  And it was told the Gazites, saying—Samson hath come in hither. So they came round, and lay in wait for him, all the night, in the gate of the city,—but kept themselves quiet all the night, saying, Until the light of the morning, then will we slay him.

16:3  And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took hold of the doors of the gate of the city, and of the two doorposts, and tare them away, with the bar, and put them on his shoulders,—and carried them up to the top of the hill that faceth Hebron.

16:4  And it came to pass, after this, that he loved a woman in the ravine of Shorek, whose, name, was Delilah.

16:5  So the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said to her—Entice him, and see wherein lieth his great strength, and wherewith we may prevail against him, and bind him, to humble him,—and, we, will give thee, every man, eleven hundred pieces of silver.

16:6  So Delilah said unto Samson, Do tell me, I pray thee, wherein lieth thy great strength,—and wherewith thou mightest be bound, to humble thee.

16:7  And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green cords, that have not been dried, then shall I become weak, and be as any other man.

16:8  So the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green cords, that had not been dried,—and she bound him therewith.

16:9  Now, the liers in wait, were tarrying for her, in an inner chamber,—and she said unto him,—The Philistines, are upon thee, Samson! And he snapped the cords as a thread of tow is broken, when fire bloweth thereon, so his strength was not discovered.

16:10  And Delilah said unto Samson, Lo! thou hast been laughing at me, and speaking unto me falsehoods,—Now, do tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound.

16:11  And he said unto her, If they, bind me fast, with new ropes, wherewith work was never done, then shall I become weak, and be as any other man.

16:12  So Delilah took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him—The Philistines, are upon thee, Samson! Now, the liers in wait, were tarrying in an inner chamber. And he snapped them off his arms like a thread.

16:13  And Delilah said unto Samson—Hitherto, hast thou been laughing at me, and speaking unto me falsehoods, do tell me, wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weave the seven braids of my head with the warp.

16:14  So she beat them up with the pin, and said unto him, The Philistines, are upon thee, Samson! And he awaked out of his sleep, and pulled out the pin of the loom, and the warp.

16:15  And she said unto him—How canst thou say, I love thee, when, thy heart, is not with me? These three times, hast thou laughed at me, and hast not told me wherein lieth thy great strength.

16:16  And it came to pass, when she urged him with her words continually, and pressed him, that his soul became impatient, unto death;

16:17  so he told her all his heart, and said to her—No, razor, hath come on my head, for, one separate unto God, have I been, from my birth,—if I were shaven, then would depart from me my strength, and I should become weak, and be as any other man.

16:18  And, when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying—Come up this once, for he hath told me all his heart. And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought up the silver in their hand.

16:19  And she made him sleep upon her knees, and called for a man, and caused him to shave off the seven braids of his head,—and she began to humble him, and his strength departed from him.

16:20  And she said—The Philistines, are upon thee, Samson! And he awoke out of his sleep, and said—I will go out now, as time after time, and shake myself free: he, not knowing, that, Yahweh, had departed from him.

16:21  And the Philistines seized him, and put out his eyes,—and took him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of bronze, and it came to pass that he used to grind in the prison.

16:22  And the hair of his head began to grow, after he had been shaven.

16:23  Now, the lords of the Philistines, had gathered themselves together to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice,—and they said, Our god hath delivered into our hand, Samson our enemy.

16:24  And, when the people saw him, they praised their god,—for they said—Our god hath delivered into our hand our enemy, even him who laid waste our land, and who multiplied our slain.

16:25  And it came to pass, when their heart was merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make sport for us. So they called for Samson out of the prison, and he made sport before them, and they stationed him between the pillars.

16:26  And Samson said unto the youth that held him by his hand, Place me where I may feel the pillars whereon the house resteth, that I may lean upon them.

16:27  Now, the house, was full of men and women, there, also were all the lords of the Philistines,—and, on the roof, were about three thousand men and women, looking on while Samson made sport.

16:28  So then Samson cried unto Yahweh, and said,—My Lord Yahweh! remember me, I pray thee,—and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be avenged, with one avenging, for my two eyes, upon the Philistines.

16:29  Then did Samson grasp the two middle pillars, whereon the house rested, and whereon it was upheld, and he braced himself against them,—the one with his right hand, and the other with his left.

16:30  And Samson said—Let my soul die with the Philistines! And he bowed mightily, and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead, whom he slew at his death, were more than they whom he slew in his life.

16:31  Then came down his brethren, and all the house of his father, and lifted him, and carried him up, and buried him, between Zorah and Eshtaol, in the buryingplace of Manoah his father,—he, having judged Israel twenty years.

Chapter 17

17:1  And there was a man of the hill country of Ephraim, whose, name, was Micah.

17:2  And he said unto his mother—The eleven hundred pieces of silver that were taken by thee, when, thou, didst utter a curse, and didst also say in my hearing, Lo! the silver, is with me! I took it. Then said his mother, Blessed, be my son by Yahweh.

17:3  And, when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said—I had, hallowed, the silver unto Yahweh out of mine own hand, for my son, to make a graved (molten) image, now, therefore, I will restore it unto thee.

17:4  But he restored the silver to his mother,—so his mother took two hundred pieces of silver, and gave it to the silversmith, who made thereof a graved (molten) image, and it was in the house of Micah.

17:5  Now, the man Micah, had a house of gods,—and he made an ephod, and teraphim, and installed one of his sons, who became his priest.

17:6  In those days, there was no king in Israel,—every man did, that which was right in his own eyes.

17:7  And there was a young man out of Bethlehem-judah, of the family of Judah,—he, being a Levite, and, he, being a sojourner there.

17:8  So the man took his journey out of the city, out of Bethlehem-judah, to sojourn, wheresoever he could find [a home],—and he came into the hill country of Ephraim, as far as the house of Micah, in pursuing his journey.

17:9  And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him—A Levite, am I, from Bethlehem-judah, and, I, am taking my journey to sojourn, wheresoever I can find [a home] .

17:10  And Micah said unto him—Dwell with me, and be to me a father and a priest, and, I, will give thee ten pieces of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy sustenance. So the Levite went.

17:11  And the Levite was content to dwell with the man,—and the young man became to him, as one of his sons.

17:12  And Micah installed the Levite, and the young man became his priest,—and remained in the house of Micah.

17:13  Then said Micah—Now, I know that Yahweh will do me good,—seeing I have a Levite as my priest.

Chapter 18

18:1  In those days, there was no king in Israel,—and, in those days, the tribe of the Danites was seeking for itself an inheritance to dwell in for there had not fallen to them, unto that day, in the midst of the tribes of Israel, enough for an inheritance.

18:2  So then the sons of Dan sent, out of their family, five men out of their bounds—men who were sons of valour—out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol—to spy out the land, and to explore it, and they said unto them, Go! explore the land. And they came into the hill country of Ephraim, as far as the house of Micah, and lodged there.

18:3  They, being by the house of Micah, knew the voice of the young man, the Levite,—so they turned aside there, and said to him—Who brought thee in hither? and what art thou doing in this place, and what hast thou here?

18:4  And he said unto them, Thus and so, hath Micah dealt with me, and hath hired me, and I am become his priest.

18:5  So they said unto him—Ask of God, we pray thee,—that we may know whether the journey on which we are going shall have good success.

18:6  And the priest said unto them—Go! and prosper,—before Yahweh, is your journey on which ye go.

18:7  So the five men went their way, and entered Laish,—and saw the people who were therein, dwelling securely, after the manner of the Zidonians, quietly and securely, and there was no one to reproach them with anything in the land, none to possess himself of dominion, they being, far away, from the Zidonians, and having no dealings with any one.

18:8  So they came unto their brethren, in Zorah and Eshtaol,—and their brethren said unto them—Why are ye minded to do nothing?

18:9  And they said—Arise! and let us go up against them, for we have seen the land, and lo! it is very good,—are, ye, then, minded to do nothing? do not be too slothful to go, and enter, and take possession of the land.

18:10  When ye do enter, ye will enter amongst a people secure, and, the land, is of ample bounds,—yea God hath delivered it into your hands,—a place where there is no lack of anything that is in the earth.

18:11  So there brake up from thence, out of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men, begirt with weapons of war.

18:12  And they went up and encamped in Kiriath-jearim, in Judah,—wherefore they have called that place, Mahaneh-dan—unto this day, lo! it is behind Kiriath-jearim.

18:13  And they passed on from thence unto the hill country of Ephraim,—and came as far as the house of Micah.

18:14  Then responded the five men who had been to spy out the land of Laish, and said unto their brethren, Know ye that there are in these houses, an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image,—now, therefore, know what ye will do!

18:15  So they turned aside thither, and entered into the house of the young man the Levite, the house of Micah,—and asked him of his welfare.

18:16  Now, the six hundred men, begirt with weapons of war, were standing at the entrance of the gate,—they being of the sons of Dan.

18:17  Then went up the five men who had been to spy out the land, they came in thither, they took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image,—now, the priest, was standing at the entrance of the gate, with the six hundred men who were begirt with weapons of war.

18:18  But, when, these, had entered the house of Micah, and taken the graven image and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image, the priest said unto them, What are ye doing?

18:19  And they said unto him—Hold thy peace, lay thy hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and become to us a father and a priest,—is it better that thou be priest to the house of one man, or that thou be priest to a tribe and to a family in Israel?

18:20  Then was the heart of the priest glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image,—and came into the midst of the people.

18:21  So they turned, and went their way,—and put the little ones, and the cattle, and the goods, before them.

18:22  They, had gone a good way from the house of Micah, when, the men that were in the houses near to the house of Micah, were called out and overtook the sons of Dan.

18:23  And they called unto the sons of Dan, who turned their faces,—and said unto Micah, What aileth thee, that thou hast called out thy neighbours?

18:24  And he said—My gods which I had made, ye have taken away, and the priest, and have departed, and what have I more? How then is it that ye can say unto me, What aileth thee?

18:25  And the sons of Dan said unto him, Do not let thy voice be heard among us,—lest men embittered in soul fall upon you, and thou gather in thy life and the lives of thy household.

18:26  And the sons of Dan went on their journey,—and, when Micah saw that they were, too strong, for him, he turned and went back unto his house.

18:27  They, therefore, took what Micah had made, and the priest that he had, and came upon Laish, upon a people quiet and secure, and smote them with the edge of the sword,—the city also, burned they with fire.

18:28  And there was no one to rescue, because it was, far, from Zidon, and they had no, dealings, with any one, it, being in the vale that pertaineth to Beth-rehob. Then built they the city, and dwelt therein,

18:29  and called the name of the city, Dan, by the name of Dan their father, who was born to Israel,—howbeit, Laish, was the name of the city, at the first.

18:30  And the sons of Dan set up for themselves the graven image,—and, Jonathan, son of Gershom, son of Moses, he and his sons, became priests to the tribe of the Danites, until the day of the captivity of the land.

18:31  So they set up for themselves the graven image of Micah, which he had made,—[and let it remain] all the days that the house of God was in Shiloh.

Chapter 19

19:1  And it came to pass in those days, when, king, there was none in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the farther side of the hill country of Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehem-judah.

19:2  And his concubine went astray against him, and departed from him, unto the house of her father, in Bethlehem-judah,—and remained there, the space of four months.

19:3  Then arose her husband, and went after her, to speak unto her heart, that he might bring her back again, having his young man with him, and a couple of asses,—and she brought him into the house of her father, and, when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.

19:4  And his father-in-law, the father of the damsel, constrained him, and he abode with him three days,—and they did eat and drink, and lodged there.

19:5  And it came to pass, on the fourth day, when they arose early in the morning, and gat up to go, that the father of the damsel said unto his son-in-law,—Stay thy heart with a morsel of bread, and, afterwards, ye shall go your way.

19:6  So they both of them sat down and did eat together, and drink. Then said the father of the damsel unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry the night, and let thy heart be glad.

19:7  And, when the man rose up to go, his father-in-law pressed him, so he turned back and tarried the night there.

19:8  And, when he arose early on the morning of the fifth day, to go, the father of the damsel said—Come now, stay thy heart, and tarry ye until the decline of the day. And they did eat, both of them.

19:9  And, when the man rose up to go—he and his concubine and his young man,—his father-in-law, the father of the damsel, said to him, Come now, see! the day hath sunk down towards evening, come now! tarry the night; lo! the day goeth down, tarry the night here, and let thy heart be glad, so shall ye rise early to-morrow for your journey, and thou shalt go thy way to thine own home.

19:10  But the man would not tarry the night, but rose up and went his way, and came as far as over against Jebus, the same, is Jerusalem,—and, with him, were a couple of asses, saddled, his concubine also, was with him.

19:11  They being by Jebus, and, the day, having gone far down, the young man said unto his lord—Do come, I pray thee, and let us turn aside into this city of the Jebusites, and tarry the night therein.

19:12  And his lord said unto him, We will not turn aside into a city of aliens, who are, not of the sons of Israel,—but will pass on as far as Gibeah.

19:13  And he said to his young man, Come and let us draw near unto one of the places,—and tarry the night in Gibeah, or in Ramah.

19:14  So they passed on, and went their way,—and the sun went in upon them beside Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin.

19:15  Then turned they aside there, to go in and tarry the night in Gibeah,—so he went in and abode in the broadway of the city; and there was no one minded to take them into a house, to tarry the night.

19:16  But lo! an old man, coming in from his work, out of the field, in the evening, and, the man, was from the hill country of Ephraim, he himself, being a sojourner in Gibeah,—but, the men of the place, were Benjamites.

19:17  So he lifted up his eyes, and saw a wayfaring man in the broadway of the city,—and the old man said—Whither goest thou? and from whence hast thou come?

19:18  And he said unto him—We, are passing along, from Bethlehem-judah, unto the farther side of the hill country of Ephraim, whence I am, but I have been as far as Bethlehem-judah, and now, unto the house of Yahweh, am I going, and there is no one minded to take me into a house.

19:19  Nevertheless, straw and fodder too, is there for our asses, yea moreover, bread and wine, there are for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man that is with thy servants,—there is lack, of nothing.

19:20  And the old man said—Thou art welcome! only, all thy wants, be on me,—by no means, in the broadway, mayest thou lodge.

19:21  So he brought him into his house, and gave provender to the asses,—and they bathed their feet, and did eat and drink.

19:22  They, were gladdening their heart, when lo! men of the city, men of the sons of the Abandoned One, beset the house round about, beating violently against the door,—and they spake unto the old man the owner of the house, saying, Bring forth the man that hath entered into thy house, that we may know him.

19:23  And the man, the owner of the house, went forth unto them, and said unto them, Do not, my brethren, do not act vilely, I pray you,—after this man hath entered into my house, do not commit this impiety.

19:24  Lo, my virgin daughter, and his concubine, I must needs now bring, them, forth, and ye must humble, them, and do, unto them, what seemeth good in your own eyes,—but, unto this man, must ye not do this impious thing!

19:25  But the men would not hearken unto him, so the man laid hold on his concubine, and brought her forth unto them, outside,—and they knew, her, and abused her all the night, until the morning, and let her go at the uprisings of the dawn.

19:26  So the woman came in at the turnings of the morning,—and fell down at the entrance of the man’s house where her lord was, and [lay there] till it was light.

19:27  So then her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went forth, to go on his journey,—when lo! the woman, his concubine, fallen at the entrance of the house, with her hands upon the threshold.

19:28  And he said unto her—Up! and let us be going. But there was no answer. So he took her up on the ass, and the man rose up, and went his way to his own place.

19:29  And, when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces,—and sent her throughout all the bounds of Israel.

19:30  And so it was, that every one who beheld said—There hath not happened, nor been seen the like of this, from the day when the sons of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt, until this day: Put it to yourselves contemning it, take counsel and speak!

Chapter 20

20:1  Then went forth all the sons of Israel, and the assembly came together as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba with the land of Gilead,—unto Yahweh at Mizpah.

20:2  And the chiefs of all the people—all the tribes of Israel—presented themselves in the convocation of the people of God,—four hundred thousand footmen, that drew the sword.

20:3  And the sons of Benjamin heard that the sons of Israel had gone up to Mizpah. Then said the sons of Israel, Tell [us], In what manner was brought to pass this vileness?

20:4  And the Levite, husband of the woman that was cut in pieces, responded and said,—Into Gibeah that pertaineth to Benjamin, I entered, I and my concubine, to tarry the night.

20:5  And the owners of Gibeah rose up against me, and beset the house, for my sake, by night,—me, they thought to slay, and, my concubine, they so humbled, that she died.

20:6  So I laid hold on my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel,—because they had wrought lewdness and impiety, in Israel.

20:7  Lo! ye all, are sons of Israel,—give your word and counsel, here.

20:8  Then arose all the people, as one man, saying,—No man of us will go to his tent, and no man of us will turn aside to his house.

20:9  Now, therefore, this is the thing, that we will do to Gibeah,—[Go] against it by lot;

20:10  and we will take ten men of a hundred, of all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand of ten thousand, to fetch provisions for the people,—that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the impiety that it hath wrought in Israel.

20:11  So all the men of Israel were gathered together against the city, as one man knit together.

20:12  And the tribes of Israel sent men throughout all the divisions of Benjamin, saying,—What is this vile thing that hath been brought to pass, among you?

20:13  Now, therefore, deliver up the men—the sons of the Abandoned One—who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and vileness be consumed out of Israel. But [the sons of] Benjamin would not hearken unto the voice of their brethren, the sons of Israel.

20:14  Then did the sons of Benjamin gather themselves together out of the cities, unto Gibeah,—to go forth to battle against the sons of Israel.

20:15  And the sons of Benjamin were numbered on that day, out of the cities, twenty-six thousand men, that drew the sword,—besides, of the inhabitants of Gibeah, were numbered seven hundred chosen men.

20:16  Out of all this people, were seven hundred chosen men, left-handed,—any one of whom could sling with a stone to a hair’s-breadth, and not miss.

20:17  And, the men of Israel, were numbered, apart from Benjamin, four hundred thousand men, that drew the sword,—every one of these being a man of war.

20:18  And they arose, and went up to Bethel, and asked of God, and the sons of Israel said, Who shall go up for us first, to fight against the sons of Benjamin? And Yahweh said—Judah, first.

20:19  And the sons of Israel arose in the morning,—and encamped against Gibeah.

20:20  And the men of Israel went forth, to fight against Benjamin,—so the men of Israel set themselves in array against them, to fight against Gibeah.

20:21  Then came forth the sons of Benjamin out of Gibeah,—and laid low of Israel, on that day, twenty-two thousand men, to the ground.

20:22  And the people, the men of Israel, encouraged themselves,—and again set themselves in array for battle in the place where they had set themselves in array on the first day.

20:23  Now the sons of Israel had gone up, and wept before Yahweh, until the evening, and asked of Yahweh, saying, Shall I again draw near to battle against the sons of Benjamin, my brother? And Yahweh said, Go up against him.

20:24  So the sons of Israel came near against the sons of Benjamin, on the second day.

20:25  And Benjamin came forth to meet them out of Gibeah, on the second day, and laid low, of the sons of Israel, yet eighteen thousand men, to the ground,—all these, drew the sword.

20:26  Then went up all the sons of Israel, and all the people, and came to Bethel, and wept, and tarried there before Yahweh, and fasted on that day, until the evening,—and caused to go up ascending-sacrifices and peace-offerings, before Yahweh.

20:27  And the sons of Israel asked of Yahweh,—there, being the ark of the covenant of God, in those days;

20:28  and Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, was standing before it in those days, saying: Shall I yet again go forth to battle, against the sons of Benjamin, my brother, or shall I forbear? And Yahweh said—Go up, for, to-morrow, will I deliver him into thy hand.

20:29  And Israel set liers in wait against Gibeah, round about.

20:30  So the sons of Israel went up against the sons of Benjamin, on the third day,—and set themselves in array against Gibeah, as time after time.

20:31  And the sons of Benjamin came forth against the people, they were drawn away from the city,—and began to smite of the people, slaying as time after time, in the highways, whereof, one, goeth up to Bethel, and, the other, to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men in Israel.

20:32  Then said the sons of Benjamin, They are, being smitten, before us, as at the first. But the sons of Israel had said—Let us flee, and draw them away from the city, into the highways.

20:33  And, all the men of Israel, rose up out of their place, and set themselves in array in Baal-tamar,—and, the liers in wait of Israel, began to break forth out of their place, out of the forest of Gibeah.

20:34  And there came over against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men, out of all Israel, and the battle was severe,—they, not knowing that disaster was overtaking them.

20:35  Thus Yahweh smote Benjamin before Israel, and the sons of Israel destroyed in Benjamin, that day, twenty-five thousand and one hundred men,—all these, drew the sword.

20:36  So the sons of Benjamin saw that they were smitten,—and that the men of Israel had given place to Benjamin, because they trusted to the liers in wait, whom they had set near Gibeah.

20:37  And, the liers in wait, hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah,—and the liers in wait marched forward, and smote all the city with the edge of the sword.

20:38  Now, the appointed sign, between the men of Israel and the liers in wait, had been,—to cause a great cloud of smoke to ascend out of the city.

20:39  So, when the men of Israel turned in the battle,—and, the Benjamites, began to smite and slay of the sons of Israel, about thirty men, for they said, Yea! they are, smitten, before us, as in the first battle,

20:40  then, the cloud, began to ascend out of the city, a pillar of smoke,—and the Benjamites looked behind them, and lo! the whole city flamed up towards the heavens.

20:41  And, when, the men of Israel, turned, then were the men of Benjamin dismayed,—for they saw that disaster had overtaken them.

20:42  And, when they turned before the men of Israel unto the way of the desert, the battle, over took them,—while, as for them that came out of the cities, they began to destroy them in their midst:—

20:43  they hemmed in the Benjamites, they pursued them, with ease, trode they them down,—as far as over against Gibeah, towards sunrise.

20:44  So there fell of Benjamin, eighteen thousand men,—all these being men of valour.

20:45  And, when they turned and fled towards the desert unto the cliff Rimmon, then gleaned they of them, in the highways, five thousand men,—and they followed hard after them as far as Gidom, and smote of them, two thousand men.

20:46  So then it came to pass that, all the fallen of Benjamin, were twenty-five thousand men, that drew the sword, on that day,—all these being men of valour.

20:47  But there turned and fled, towards the desert, unto the cliff Rimmon, six hundred men,—who abode in the cliff Rimmon, four months.

20:48  Thus, the men of Israel, turned against the sons of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, beginning with the city, each and every one down to the beast, even to every one that was met with,—moreover, all the cities they came to, they set on fire.

Chapter 21

21:1  Now, the men of Israel, had sworn in Mizpah, saying,—Not a man from among us, shall give his daughter unto Benjamin, to wife.

21:2  So then the people came to Bethel, and abode there, until the evening, before God,—and lifted up their voice, and wept bitterly,

21:3  and said, Wherefore, O Yahweh, God of Israel, hath this come about in Israel,—that there should be lacking, to-day, out of Israel, one tribe?

21:4  And it came to pass, on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there, an altar,—and offered ascending-sacrifices, and peace-offerings.

21:5  And the sons of Israel said, Who was there that came not up, in the convocation, out of all the tribes of Israel, unto Yahweh? For, the great oath, had been taken, as to any who came not up unto Yahweh at Mizpah, saying—He shall be, put to death.

21:6  And the sons of Israel grieved for Benjamin, their brother,—and they said, There is cut off, to-day, one tribe out of Israel.

21:7  What are we to do for them who remain, for wives,—seeing that, we ourselves, have sworn by Yahweh, not to give them of our daughters, for wives?

21:8  So they said, What one of the tribes of Israel is there, that hath not come up unto Yahweh at Mizpah? And lo! no man had come into the camp, out of Jabesh-gilead, unto the convocation:

21:9  When the people were numbered, lo! there was not there a man of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead.

21:10  So the assembly sent thither twelve thousand men, of the sons of valour,—and commanded them, saying:—Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead, with the edge of the sword, with the women, and the little ones.

21:11  And, this, is the thing that ye shall do,—Every male, and every woman that hath cohabited with man, shall ye devote to destruction.

21:12  And they found—of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead—four hundred young women, virgins, who had not cohabited with man,—so they brought them into the camp, at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.

21:13  Then the whole assembly sent, and spake unto the sons of Benjamin, who were in the cliff Rimmon,—and proclaimed to them, peace.

21:14  So Benjamin returned at that time, and they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-gilead,—but they found not for them [to suffice], even so.

21:15  Now, the assembly, had grieved for Benjamin,—because Yahweh had made a breach, in the tribes of Israel.

21:16  So then, the elders of the assembly said, What are we to do for them who remain, for wives,—for womankind, hath been destroyed out of Benjamin?

21:17  And they said, There is an inheritance for the escaped of Benjamin,—and there must not be wiped out, a tribe, out of Israel.

21:18  Yet, we, may not give them wives, of our own daughters, For the sons of Israel had sworn, saying, Cursed, be he that giveth a wife to Benjamin.

21:19  Then said they—Lo! the festival of Yahweh in Shiloh, from year to year, Which [Shiloh] is on the north of Bethel, towards sunrise, by the highway that goeth up from Bethel, towards Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.

21:20  And they commanded the sons of Benjamin, saying,—Go and lie in wait in the vineyards;

21:21  and look, and lo! if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then shall ye come forth out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife, of the daughters of Shiloh,—and go your way to the land of Benjamin.

21:22  And it shall be, when their fathers, or their brethren, come in to complain to us, that we will say unto them—As a favour to us, grant them, because we took not for each man his wife in the battle,—for, ye yourselves, gave them not unto them, so as, now, to be guilty.

21:23  And the sons of Benjamin did so, and carried off wives, according to their number, of them who were dancing, whom they seized,—and they went their way, and returned unto their inheritance, and built the cities, and dwelt therein.

21:24  And the sons of Israel at that time went their several ways from thence, every man to his own tribe, and to his own family,—yea they went forth from thence, every man to his own inheritance.

21:25  In those days, there was no king in Israel,—every man did, that which was right in his own eyes.