This eBook was produced by David Widger
with the help of Derek Andrew's text from January 1992 and the work of Bryan Taylor in November 2002.
Book 07 Judges
07:001:001 Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that the children of Israel asked the LORD, saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them?
07:001:002 And the LORD said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand.
07:001:003 And Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with thee into thy lot. So Simeon went with him.
07:001:004 And Judah went up; and the LORD delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand: and they slew of them in Bezek ten thousand men.
07:001:005 And they found Adonibezek in Bezek: and they fought against
him, and they slew the Canaanites and the Perizzites.
07:001:006 But Adonibezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught
him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes.
07:001:007 And Adonibezek said, Threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my table: as I have done, so God hath requited me. And they brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died.
07:001:008 Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and
had taken it, and smitten it with the edge of the sword, and
set the city on fire.
07:001:009 And afterward the children of Judah went down to fight against
the Canaanites, that dwelt in the mountain, and in the south,
and in the valley.
07:001:010 And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron:
(now the name of Hebron before was Kirjatharba:) and they slew
Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai.
07:001:011 And from thence he went against the inhabitants of Debir: and
the name of Debir before was Kirjathsepher:
07:001:012 And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjathsepher, and taketh it,
to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.
07:001:013 And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, took
it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.
07:001:014 And it came to pass, when she came to him, that she moved him
to ask of her father a field: and she lighted from off her
ass; and Caleb said unto her, What wilt thou?
07:001:015 And she said unto him, Give me a blessing: for thou hast given
me a south land; give me also springs of water. And Caleb gave
her the upper springs and the nether springs.
07:001:016 And the children of the Kenite, Moses' father in law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which lieth in the south of Arad; and they went and dwelt among the people.
07:001:017 And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. And the name of the city was called Hormah.
07:001:018 Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof, and Askelon with the coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof.
07:001:019 And the LORD was with Judah; and he drave out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron.
07:001:020 And they gave Hebron unto Caleb, as Moses said: and he expelled thence the three sons of Anak.
07:001:021 And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem unto this day.
07:001:022 And the house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel: and
the LORD was with them.
07:001:023 And the house of Joseph sent to descry Bethel. (Now the name
of the city before was Luz.)
07:001:024 And the spies saw a man come forth out of the city, and they
said unto him, Shew us, we pray thee, the entrance into the
city, and we will shew thee mercy.
07:001:025 And when he shewed them the entrance into the city, they smote
the city with the edge of the sword; but they let go the man
and all his family.
07:001:026 And the man went into the land of the Hittites, and built a
city, and called the name thereof Luz: which is the name
thereof unto this day.
07:001:027 Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants of Bethshean and her towns, nor Taanach and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns: but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.
07:001:028 And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the
Canaanites to tribute, and did not utterly drive them out.
07:001:029 Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in
Gezer; but the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them.
07:001:030 Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor
the inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites dwelt among
them, and became tributaries.
07:001:031 Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Accho, nor the
inhabitants of Zidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of
Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob:
07:001:032 But the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: for they did not drive them out.
07:001:033 Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Bethshemesh, nor the inhabitants of Bethanath; but he dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: nevertheless the inhabitants of Bethshemesh and of Bethanath became tributaries unto them.
07:001:034 And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain: for they would not suffer them to come down to the valley:
07:001:035 But the Amorites would dwell in mount Heres in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim: yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, so that they became tributaries.
07:001:036 And the coast of the Amorites was from the going up to Akrabbim, from the rock, and upward.
07:002:001 And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.
07:002:002 And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land;
ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my
voice: why have ye done this?
07:002:003 Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before
you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods
shall be a snare unto you.
07:002:004 And it came to pass, when the angel of the LORD spake these
words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted
up their voice, and wept.
07:002:005 And they called the name of that place Bochim: and they
sacrificed there unto the LORD.
07:002:006 And when Joshua had let the people go, the children of Israel
went every man unto his inheritance to possess the land.
07:002:007 And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that he did for Israel.
07:002:008 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old.
07:002:009 And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in
Timnathheres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of
the hill Gaash.
07:002:010 And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers:
and there arose another generation after them, which knew not
the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.
07:002:011 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim:
07:002:012 And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger.
07:002:013 And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.
07:002:014 And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.
07:002:015 Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed.
07:002:016 Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.
07:002:017 And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they
went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto
them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers
walked in, obeying the commandments of the LORD; but they did
not so.
07:002:018 And when the LORD raised them up judges, then the LORD was
with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their
enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the LORD
because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed
them and vexed them.
07:002:019 And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they
returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in
following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them;
they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn
way.
07:002:020 And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice;
07:002:021 I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died:
07:002:022 That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep
the way of the LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep
it, or not.
07:002:023 Therefore the LORD left those nations, without driving them
out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of
Joshua.
07:003:001 Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel
by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars
of Canaan;
07:003:002 Only that the generations of the children of Israel might
know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew
nothing thereof;
07:003:003 Namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites,
and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount
Lebanon, from mount Baalhermon unto the entering in of Hamath.
07:003:004 And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they
would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which he
commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.
07:003:005 And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites,
Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and
Jebusites:
07:003:006 And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods.
07:003:007 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves.
07:003:008 Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushanrishathaim eight years.
07:003:009 And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.
07:003:010 And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim.
07:003:011 And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
07:003:012 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.
07:003:013 And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and
went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.
07:003:014 So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab
eighteen years.
07:003:015 But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.
07:003:016 But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh.
07:003:017 And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon
was a very fat man.
07:003:018 And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away
the people that bare the present.
07:003:019 But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.
07:003:020 And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat.
07:003:021 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly:
07:003:022 And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out.
07:003:023 Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them.
07:003:024 When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour were locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber.
07:003:025 And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the parlour; therefore they took a key, and opened them: and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.
07:003:026 And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath.
07:003:027 And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them.
07:003:028 And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over.
07:003:029 And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all
lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man.
07:003:030 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the
land had rest fourscore years.
07:003:031 And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.
07:004:001 And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead.
07:004:002 And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan,
that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera,
which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles.
07:004:003 And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had
nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily
oppressed the children of Israel.
07:004:004 And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged
Israel at that time.
07:004:005 And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.
07:004:006 And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?
07:004:007 And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand.
07:004:008 And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.
07:004:009 And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.
07:004:010 And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him.
07:004:011 Now Heber the Kenite, which was of the children of Hobab the father in law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which is by Kedesh.
07:004:012 And they shewed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to mount Tabor.
07:004:013 And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon.
07:004:014 And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which
the LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the
LORD gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount
Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.
07:004:015 And the LORD discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all
his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that
Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his
feet.
07:004:016 But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto
Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell
upon the edge of the sword; and there was not a man left.
07:004:017 Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the
wife of Heber the Kenite: for there was peace between Jabin
the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.
07:004:018 And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in,
my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in
unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle.
07:004:019 And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to
drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and
gave him drink, and covered him.
07:004:020 Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it
shall be, when any man doth come and enquire of thee, and say,
Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No.
07:004:021 Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an
hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the
nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he
was fast asleep and weary. So he died.
07:004:022 And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet
him, and said unto him, Come, and I will shew thee the man
whom thou seekest. And when he came into her tent, behold,
Sisera lay dead, and the nail was in his temples.
07:004:023 So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel.
07:004:024 And the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.
07:005:001 Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day,
saying,
07:005:002 Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people
willingly offered themselves.
07:005:003 Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing
unto the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel.
07:005:004 LORD, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water.
07:005:005 The mountains melted from before the LORD, even that Sinai from before the LORD God of Israel.
07:005:006 In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways.
07:005:007 The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel,
until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.
07:005:008 They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a
shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?
07:005:009 My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered
themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD.
07:005:010 Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment,
and walk by the way.
07:005:011 They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the LORD, even the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his villages in Israel: then shall the people of the LORD go down to the gates.
07:005:012 Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.
07:005:013 Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty.
07:005:014 Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer.
07:005:015 And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar,
and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the
divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart.
07:005:016 Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings
of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great
searchings of heart.
07:005:017 Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships?
Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches.
07:005:018 Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives
unto the death in the high places of the field.
07:005:019 The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in
Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money.
07:005:020 They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought
against Sisera.
07:005:021 The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the
river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.
07:005:022 Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings,
the pransings of their mighty ones.
07:005:023 Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.
07:005:024 Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite
be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
07:005:025 He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth
butter in a lordly dish.
07:005:026 She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples.
07:005:027 At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead.
07:005:028 The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots?
07:005:029 Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself,
07:005:030 Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil?
07:005:031 So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that
love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And
the land had rest forty years.
07:006:001 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD:
and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven
years.
07:006:002 And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because
of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens
which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds.
07:006:003 And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came
up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even
they came up against them;
07:006:004 And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of
the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance
for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.
07:006:005 For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it.
07:006:006 And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites;
and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD.
07:006:007 And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto
the LORD because of the Midianites,
07:006:008 That the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage;
07:006:009 And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out
of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from
before you, and gave you their land;
07:006:010 And I said unto you, I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods
of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not
obeyed my voice.
07:006:011 And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.
07:006:012 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
07:006:013 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.
07:006:014 And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might,
and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites:
have not I sent thee?
07:006:015 And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save
Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the
least in my father's house.
07:006:016 And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and
thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.
07:006:017 And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight,
then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me.
07:006:018 Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again.
07:006:019 And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it.
07:006:020 And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.
07:006:021 Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight.
07:006:022 And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O LORD God! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face.
07:006:023 And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.
07:006:024 Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
07:006:025 And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto
him, Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock
of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy
father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it:
07:006:026 And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this
rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and
offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou
shalt cut down.
07:006:027 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD
had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his
father's household, and the men of the city, that he could not
do it by day, that he did it by night.
07:006:028 And when the men of the city arose early in the morning,
behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut
down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon
the altar that was built.
07:006:029 And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And
when they enquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of
Joash hath done this thing.
07:006:030 Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son,
that he may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal,
and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it.
07:006:031 And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar.
07:006:032 Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.
07:006:033 Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel.
07:006:034 But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him.
07:006:035 And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; who also was gathered after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.
07:006:036 And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said,
07:006:037 Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.
07:006:038 And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.
07:006:039 And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.
07:006:040 And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.
07:007:001 Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were
with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod:
so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of
them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.
07:007:002 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee
are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands,
lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand
hath saved me.
07:007:003 Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.
07:007:004 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.
07:007:005 So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.
07:007:006 And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.
07:007:007 And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that
lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine
hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his
place.
07:007:008 So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets:
and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent,
and retained those three hundred men: and the host of Midian
was beneath him in the valley.
07:007:009 And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand.
07:007:010 But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host:
07:007:011 And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine
hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he
down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men
that were in the host.
07:007:012 And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of
the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for
multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand
by the sea side for multitude.
07:007:013 And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along.
07:007:014 And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.
07:007:015 And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.
07:007:016 And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and
he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and
lamps within the pitchers.
07:007:017 And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and,
behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be
that, as I do, so shall ye do.
07:007:018 When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then
blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and
say, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.
07:007:019 So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto
the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch;
and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the
trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands.
07:007:020 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the
pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the
trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried,
The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.
07:007:021 And they stood every man in his place round about the camp; and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.
07:007:022 And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath.
07:007:023 And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites.
07:007:024 And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan.
07:007:025 And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.
07:008:001 And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us
thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight
with the Midianites? And they did chide with him sharply.
07:008:002 And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of
you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than
the vintage of Abiezer?
07:008:003 God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb
and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then
their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.
07:008:004 And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them.
07:008:005 And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves
of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint,
and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.
07:008:006 And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and
Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto
thine army?
07:008:007 And Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah
and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with
the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.
07:008:008 And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise:
and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had
answered him.
07:008:009 And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.
07:008:010 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.
07:008:011 And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on
the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host; for the
host was secure.
07:008:012 And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and
took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and
discomfited all the host.
07:008:013 And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up,
07:008:014 And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired of him: and he described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men.
07:008:015 And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary?
07:008:016 And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.
07:008:017 And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.
07:008:018 Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were
they whom ye slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou art, so
were they; each one resembled the children of a king.
07:008:019 And he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my
mother: as the LORD liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I
would not slay you.
07:008:020 And he said unto Jether his firstborn, Up, and slay them. But
the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was
yet a youth.
07:008:021 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels' necks.
07:008:022 Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian.
07:008:023 And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you.
07:008:024 And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you,
that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For
they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)
07:008:025 And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they
spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings
of his prey.
07:008:026 And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels' necks.
07:008:027 And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even
in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it:
which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.
07:008:028 Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that
they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in
quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.
07:008:029 And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own
house.
07:008:030 And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten:
for he had many wives.
07:008:031 And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a
son, whose name he called Abimelech.
07:008:032 And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was
buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the
Abiezrites.
07:008:033 And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the
children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after
Baalim, and made Baalberith their god.
07:008:034 And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God,
who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies
on every side:
07:008:035 Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal,
namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had
shewed unto Israel.
07:009:001 And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his
mother's brethren, and communed with them, and with all the
family of the house of his mother's father, saying,
07:009:002 Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.
07:009:003 And his mother's brethren spake of him in the ears of all the
men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to
follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother.
07:009:004 And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of
the house of Baalberith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and
light persons, which followed him.
07:009:005 And he went unto his father's house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.
07:009:006 And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem.
07:009:007 And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you.
07:009:008 The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.
07:009:009 But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
07:009:010 And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us.
07:009:011 But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?
07:009:012 Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over
us.
07:009:013 And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which
cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
07:009:014 Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign
over us.
07:009:015 And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me
king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and
if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the
cedars of Lebanon.
07:009:016 Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye
have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with
Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to
the deserving of his hands;
07:009:017 (For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian:
07:009:018 And ye are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother;)
07:009:019 If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you:
07:009:020 But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech.
07:009:021 And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
07:009:022 When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel,
07:009:023 Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:
07:009:024 That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his brethren.
07:009:025 And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of
the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by
them: and it was told Abimelech.
07:009:026 And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren, and went over
to Shechem: and the men of Shechem put their confidence in
him.
07:009:027 And they went out into the fields, and gathered their
vineyards, and trode the grapes, and made merry, and went into
the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed
Abimelech.
07:009:028 And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is
Shechem, that we should serve him? is not he the son of
Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? serve the men of Hamor the
father of Shechem: for why should we serve him?
07:009:029 And would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.
07:009:030 And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled.
07:009:031 And he sent messengers unto Abimelech privily, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren be come to Shechem; and, behold, they fortify the city against thee.
07:009:032 Now therefore up by night, thou and the people that is with thee, and lie in wait in the field:
07:009:033 And it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, thou shalt rise early, and set upon the city: and, behold, when he and the people that is with him come out against thee, then mayest thou do to them as thou shalt find occasion.
07:009:034 And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him,
by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four
companies.
07:009:035 And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entering
of the gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people
that were with him, from lying in wait.
07:009:036 And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there come people down from the top of the mountains. And Zebul said unto him, Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.
07:009:037 And Gaal spake again, and said, See there come people down by the middle of the land, and another company come along by the plain of Meonenim.
07:009:038 Then said Zebul unto him, Where is now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? is not this the people that thou hast despised? go out, I pray now, and fight with them.
07:009:039 And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.
07:009:040 And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown and wounded, even unto the entering of the gate.
07:009:041 And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and
his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem.
07:009:042 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out
into the field; and they told Abimelech.
07:009:043 And he took the people, and divided them into three companies,
and laid wait in the field, and looked, and, behold, the
people were come forth out of the city; and he rose up against
them, and smote them.
07:009:044 And Abimelech, and the company that was with him, rushed
forward, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city:
and the two other companies ran upon all the people that were
in the fields, and slew them.
07:009:045 And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and slew the people that was therein, and beat down the city, and sowed it with salt.
07:009:046 And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they
entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith.
07:009:047 And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of
Shechem were gathered together.
07:009:048 And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his shoulder, and said unto the people that were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done.
07:009:049 And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.
07:009:050 Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it.
07:009:051 But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut it to them, and gat them up to the top of the tower.
07:009:052 And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and
went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.