Gideon's fleece. JUDGES, VII. ye save him? he that will plead for him, B. C. 1249. 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. 32 Therefore on that day he called him 1 Jerubbaal," saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar. 1 i.e. Let Baal plead. a 1 Sa.12.11. 2 Sa.11.21. Jerubbei.e. Let the the sheth; shameful Hos.9.10. 35 And he sent messengers throughoute 1 Sa.14.6. 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. 36 And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said, 37 Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said. Ex.4,1,&c. g Ge. 46.2,3 38 And it was so: for he rose up early Jos.1.5,9. on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl-full of water.i i Is.35.7. ¡ Ge.18.32. 1 Sa.14.9,10. I ver. 13-15. 39 And Gideon said unto God, Let not Ge.24.14. 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. 40 And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground. CHAP. VII. 4 or, ranks by fire. Ex.13.18. Ps.107.33, 35. c.6.5,33. Gideon's stratagem. 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. 5 So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink. 6 And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water. 7 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. 8 So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he sent all the rest of Israel, every man unto his tent, and retained those three hundred men. And the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley. 9 And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand. 10 But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host: 11 And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host. 12 And the Midianites, and the Amalekites, and all the children of the east, layalong in the valley like grasshoppers" for THEN Jerubbaal, (who is Gideon,) P.118.10.-12. multitude; and their camels were without 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. c.6.32. 8 s Ps.33.16. number, as the sand by the sea-side for multitude. 13 And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake P 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. 14 And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host. 15 And it was 80, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the 5 interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and into your hand the host of Midian. 4 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The trumpets in said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered 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 the hand of all of them. 212 16 And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put 6 a Gideon's victory. JUDGES, VIII. 1 or, firebrands, or, torches. trumpet in every man's hand, with empty B. C. 1249. pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers. 17 And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be, that a Ge.33.17. as I do, so shall ye do. 18 When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon. Ps.60.6. Ge.25.13. 37.25,28. 23 And the men of Israel gathered them-Nu.32.35,42. selves together out of Naphtali, and out of p c.18.27. Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites. 8 1 Th.5.3. Ps.83.11. r c.3.27,28. 6 terrified. 8 Jno.1.28. 7 writ. 24 And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim," saying, Come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Beth-barah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Beth-barah and Jordan. 25 And they took two princes of the c.8.3. Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the wine-press of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of u ver.6.7. Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan. t Ps.83.11,12. A him, Why hast thou served us thus, a 25. 18.11. of Ephrain said unto c.12.1. 8 that thou calledst us not when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? and they did chide with him 10 sharply. 2 And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abi-ezer? 3 God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then their 12 anger was abated toward him, when he had said that. Sa.19.11. 4 And Succoth and Penuel punished. Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them. 5 And he said unto the men of " Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian. 6 And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army? 7 And Gideon said, Therefore, when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then d I will 2 tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers. 8 And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise: and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him. 9 And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower. 10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell 3 an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword. 11 And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents, on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host: for the host was secure. P 12 And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and 6 discomfited all the host. 13 And Gideon, the son of Joash, returned from battle before the sun was up, 14 And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired of him: and he described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men. 15 And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom "ye did upbraid ine, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary? 16 And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth. 17 And he beat down the " tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city. 9 18 Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou art, so were they; each one 11 resembled the children of a king. 19 And he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother: as the LORD liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you. Gideon's ephod. JUDGES, IX. 20 And he said unto Jether his first-born, B. C. 1209. Up, and slay them: but the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth. 21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the ac.8.31. man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments1 that were on their camels' necks. 1 or, like the moon. Is.3.18. 22 Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou and thy son, and thy son's son also; for c.8.30. thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian. d The cruelty of Abimelech the house of Jerubbaal, namely Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel. CHAP. IX. 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, 2 Speak, I pray you in the cars of all what is the men of Shechem, 2 Whether is better good? for whether, &c. 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. d1 Sa.8.7. 23 And Gideon said unto them, I will note Ge.29.14. rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you. 24 And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would] give me every man the ear-rings of his after. prey: (for they had golden ear-rings, because they were Ishmaelites.) 25 And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey. 1 Sa.25.11. 1 Ki.20.11. 2 Ch.13.7. 26 And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold, beside ornaments, and collars, and purple rai-4 or, sweet ment that was on the kings of Midian, and jewels. beside the chains that were about their camels' necks. 27 And Gideon made an ephod thereof, c.17.5. and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring 5 or, oal. k Ps.105.39. their heads no more: and the country was n 2 Ki.14.9. 29 And Jerubbaal, the son of Joash, went and dwelt in his own house. 30 And Gideon had threescore and ten sons 6 of his body begotten: for he had many wives. 31 And his concubine, that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech, 8 o Ps.104.15. pc.9.2,5. down for other trees. 8 set. Ge.25.8. q c.9.18. 32 And Gideon, the son of Joash, died in a good r old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites. Job 5.26. & c.2.17,19. as Git Pr.31.6. Ec.10.19. 33 And it came to pass, as soon deon was dead, that the children of Israel u c.9.4. turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baal-berith " their 106.13,21. god. 9 or, thistle. 10 c.9.16-19. x Is.39.2. 34 And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who had y ver.20. delivered them out of the hands of all their Nu.21.28. 214 3 And his mother's brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined 3 to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother. 4 And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-berith, wherewith Abimelech hired & vain and light persons, which followed him. 5 And he went unto his father's house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren, the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding, yet Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, was left: for he hid himself. 6 And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went and made Abimelech king, by the plain 5 of the pillar that was in Shechem. 7 And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, m and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you. 8 The trees" went forth on a time to anoint a king over them: and they said unto the olive-tree, Reign thou over us. 9 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? 10 And the trees said to the fig-tree, Come thou, and reign over us. 11 But the fig-tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees? 12 Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us. 13 And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? 14 Then said all the trees unto the 9 bramble, Come thou, and reign over us. 15 And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow; and if not, let fire come out of the Gaal's insurrection. JUDGES, IX. Abimelech's vengean e. bramble, and devour the cedars of Le- B. C. 1209. heard the words of Gaal, the son of Ebed, banon. 1 kindled. his anger was 31 And he sent messengers unto Abime a Is.2.13. Eze.31.3. 1 or, hot. to Tormah. 16 Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely in that ye have made Abi-2 craftily, or, lech 2 privily, saying, Behold, Gaal, the melech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands; 17 (For my father fought for you, and c.7. 3 adventured his life far, and delivered you 3 cast. out of the hand of Midian; 18 And ye are risen up against my fa- c.8.35. ther's house this day, and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maid-servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother;) 19 If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you; e 20 But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech. 21 And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother. 22 When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel, Ec.9.10. e Is.8.6. Ph.3.3. ver.15.56,57. 28a.20.14. 5 navel. son of Ebed, and his brethren, be come to Shechem; and, behold, they fortify the city against thee. 32 Now, therefore, up by night, thou and the people that is with thee, and lie in wait in the field. 33 And it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, thou shalt rise early, and set upon the city: and, behold, when he and the people that is with him come out against thee, then mayest thou do to them as 4 thou shalt find occasion. 34 And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies. 35 And Gaal, the son of Ebed, went out, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, from lying in wait. 36 And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there come people down from the top of the mountains. And Zebul said unto him, Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as if they were men. 37 And Gaal spake again, and said, See, 1 Sa.16.14. there come people down by the 5 middle of the land, and another company come along by the plain of 6 Meonenim. 1 Ki.12.15. 22.22,23. Is.19.14. 2 Th.2.11,12. 23 Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously or, the re with Abimelech: . i garders of the times. De.18.14. 24 That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might Is.33.1. j ver.28,29. come, and their blood be laid upon Abi-1 Ki.2.32. melech their brother, which slew them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided ' him in the killing of his brethren. 25 And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them: and it was told Abimelech. 26 And Gaal, the son of Ebed, came with his brethren, and went over to Shechem: and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him. 27 And they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and trode the grapes, and made merry, and went into or, songs. the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech. 28 And Gaal, the son of Ebed, said, Who ism 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? 38 Then said Zebul unto him, Where is now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst, j 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. 39 And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech. 40 And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him; and many were overthrown and wounded, even unto the entering of the gate. 41 And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem. 42 And it came to pass on the morrow that the people went out into the field: and they told Abimelech. 43 And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait in the field, and looked, and, behold the people were come forth out of the city; and he rose up against them, and smote them. 44 And Abimelech, and the company that was with him, rushed forward, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and the two other companies ran upon all the people that were in the fields, and slew them. 45 And Abimelech fought against the city all that day: and he took the city, and slew the people that was therein and beat down the city, and sowed it with salt." Abimelech's death. JUDGES, XI. 46 And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith." 47 And it was told Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together. B. C. 1206. a1 Ki.11.33. b c.8.33. c1 Sa. 12.9,10. Israel oppressed by the Ammonites. Syria, and the gods of " Zidon, and the gods 48 And Abimelech gat him up to mount 2 49 And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon them; so that all the e1 Sa.28.15. f Ex.14.30. 8 And that year they vexed and 1 oppressed the children of Israel eighteen years, all the children of Israel that were on the other side Jordan, in the land of the Amo 9 (Moreover, the children of Ammon passed over Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against. the house of Ephraim;) so that Israel was sore distressed." 10 And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim. 11 And the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Did not I deliver you from the Nu.21.21-25. Egyptians, and from the Amorites, & c.3.12-15,31. from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines? i h 12 The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand. k 13 Yet ye have forsaken me," and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more. 14 Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation. 15 And the children of Israel said unto the LORD, We have sinned; do thou? unto us whatsoever 3 seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day. 16 And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was 5 grieved for the misery of Israel. 4 17 Then the children of Ammon were 6 gathered together, and encamped in Gilead: and the children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpeh." 18 And the people and princes of Gilead said one to another, What man is he that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead. mighty man of valour, and he was the 9 or, the villages of Jair. son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah. z Ge.21.10. Nu.32.41. 3.7. 6.1. 13.1. face of. 5 And Jair died, and was buried in Camon. 216 2 And Gilead's wife bare him sons: and his wife's sons grew up, and they thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father's house; for thou art the son of a strange woman. 3 Then Jephthah fled 10 from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there |