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The fong of Deborah and Barak.

JUDGES.

Ifrael oppreffed by Midian. tinued on the fea shore, and abode in his against Ifrael: and because of the Midibreaches. anites the children of Ifrael made them

18 Zebulun and Naphtali were a peo-the dens which are in the mountains, and ple that jeoparded their lives unto the caves, and strong holds. death in the high places of the field.

19 The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money.

20 They fought from heaven; the stars in their courfes fought against Sifera.

3 And fo it was, when Ifrael had fown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them;

4 And they encamped against them, and deftroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no fuftenance for Ifrael, neither sheep, nor

21 The river of Kifhon fwept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon.ox, nor afs. O my foul, thou haft trodden down ftrength.

5 For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and

22 Then were the horfehoofs broken by the means of the pranfings, the pranf-their camels were without number: and ings of their mighty ones.

23 Curfe ye Meroz, faid the angel of the LORD, curfe ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.

24 Bleffed above women fhall Jael the wite of Heber the Kenite be, bleffed fhall the be above women in the tent.

they entered into the land to destroy it. 6 And Ifrael was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Ifrael cried unto the LORD.

7 And it came to pafs, when the children of Ifrael cried unto the LORD because of the Midianites,

8 That the LORD fent a prophet unto the children of Ifrael, which faid unto 25 He asked water, and the gave him them, Thus faith the LORD God of Ifmilk; fhe brought forth butter in a lord-rael, I brought you up from Egypt, and ly dish. brought you forth out of the house of bondage.

26 She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer; 9 And I delivered you out of the hand and with the hammer the fmote Sifera, of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of the fmote off his head, when she had pierc-all that oppreffed you, and drave them out ed and ftricken through his temples. from before you, and gave you their land;

27 At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell : where he bowed, there he fell down dead.

28 The mother of Sifera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot fo long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots?

29 Her wife ladies anfwered her, yea, the returned answer to herself,

30 Have they not fped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a damfel or two; to Sifera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both fides, meet for the necks of them that | take the spoil?

31 So let all thine enemies perifh, O LORD: but let them that love him be as the fun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had reft forty years. CHAP. VI.

I The Ifraelites for their fin are oppreffed by Midian. 7 A prophet rebuketh them. 11 Gideon delivereth them.

AND the children of Ifrael did evil

in

the fight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.

2 And the hand of Midian prevailed

To And I faid 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.

II And there came an angel of the LORD, and fat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abi-ezrite: and his fon Gideon threshed wheat by the wineprefs, to hide it from the Midianites.

12 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and faid unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.

13 And Gideon faid 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, faying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forfaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.

14 And the LORD looked upon him, and faid, Go in this thy might, and thou fhalt fave Ifrael from the hand of the Mi

dianites: have not I fent thee?

15 And he faid unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith fhall I fave Ifrael? behold, my family is poor in Manaffeh, and I am the leaft in my father's house.

7

16 And

Gideon delivereth them.

Chap. vii.

Gideon's fleece: His army.

16 And the LORD faid unto him, Surely enquired and asked, they said, Gideon the I will be with thee, and thou fhalt fmite fon of Joafh hath done this thing. the Midianites as one man.

17 And he faid unto him, If now I have found grace in thy fight, then fhew me a fign that thou talkeft with me.

18 Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my prefent, and fet it before thee. And he faid, I will tarry until thou come again. 19 And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a bas ket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and prefented it.

20 And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth.. And he did fo.

21 Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the fleth and the unleavened cakes; and there rofe up fire out of the rock, and confumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his fight.

22 And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon faid, Alas, O Lord God! for because I have feen an angel of the LORD face to face. 23 And the LORD faid unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou fhalt not die. 24 Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahfhalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites,

25 And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD faid unto him, Take thy father's young bullock, even the fecond bullock of feven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it:

26 And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the fecond bullock, and offer a burnt facrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt

cut down.

27 Then Gideon took ten men of his fervants, and did as the LORD had faid unto him and fo it was, because he feared his father's houfhold, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.

28 And when the men of the city arofe

30 Then the men of the city faid unto Joafh, Bring out thy fon, 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.

31 And Joafh faid unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye fave 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 caft down his altar.

32 Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, faying, Let Baal plead against him, becaufe he hath thrown down his altar.

33 Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel.

34 But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abi-ezer was gathered after him.

35 And he fent meffengers throughout all Manaffeh; who alfo was gathered after him and he fent meffengers unto Afher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.

36 And Gideon faid unto God, If thou wilt fave Ifrael by mine hand, as thou haft faid,

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 befide, then fhall I know that thou wilt fave Ifrael by mine hand, as thou hast said.

38 And it was fo: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thruft the fleece to gether, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.

39 And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will fpeak 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 fo that night for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

CHAP. VII.

t Gideon's army. 9 He is encouraged by the dream, and interpretation of the barley cake. 24 Oreb and Zeeb.

HEN Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and

early in the morning, behold, the altar of T and all the people that were with Baal was caft down, and the grove was him, rofe up early, and pitched befide the cut down that was by it, and the fecond well of Harod: fo that the hoft of the Mibullock was offered upon the altar that dianites were on the north fide of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley. 29 And they faid one to another, Who 2 And the LORD faid unto Gideon, hath done this thing? and when they The people that are with thee are too

was built.

P 2

many

Gideon's fratagem.

JUDGES.

The Midianites overthrown.

many for me to give the Midianites into hold, there was a man that told a dream their hands, left Ifrael vaunt themfelves unto his fellow, and faid, Behold, I againft me, faying, Mine own hand hath dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barfaved me. ley bread tumbled into the host of Mi

3 Now therefore go to, proclaim indian, and came unto a tent, and fmote the ears of the people, faying, Whofo- it that it fell, and overturned it, that the ever is fearful and afraid, let him return tent lay along.

and depart early from mount Gilead. 14 And his fellow anfwered and said, And there returned of the people twenty | This is nothing elfe fave the fword of and two thousand; and there remained Gideon the fon of Joath, a man of Ifrael: ten thousand. for into his hand hath God delivered 4 And the LORD faid unto Gideon, Midian, and all the hoft. The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it fhall be, that of whom I fay unto thee, This fhall go with thee, the fame fhall go with thee; and of whomfoever I fay unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the fame fhall not go.

5 So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD faid unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him fhalt thou fet by himfelf; likewife 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 reft of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.

7 And the LORD faid unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I fave 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 fent all the rest of Ifrael every man unto his tent, and retained thofe three hundred men and the hoft of Midian was beneath him in the valley.

91 And it came to pafs the fame night, that the LORD faid unto him, Arife, get thee down unto the hoft; for I have delivered it into thine hand.

10 But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy fervant down to the host:

11 And thou shalt hear what they fay; and afterwards fhall thine hands be ftrengthened to go down unto the hoft. Then went he down with Phurah his fervant unto the outfide of the armed men that were in the host.

12 And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the fand by the fea fide for multitude.

13 And when Gideon was come, be6

15 And it was fo, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the hoft of Ifrael, and faid, Arife; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the hoft of Midian.

16 And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.

17 And he faid unto them, Look on me, and do likewife: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it fhall be that, as I do, fo fhall ye do.

18 When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets alfo on every fide of all the camp, and fay, The favord of the Lord, and of Gideon.

19 So Gideon, and the hundred men that avere with him, came unto the outfide of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly fet the watch and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands.

20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow aithal: and they cried, The fword of the LORD, and of Gideon.

21 And they ftood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the hoft ran, and cried, and fled.

22 And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD fet every man's fword against his fellow, even throughout all the hoft; and the hoft fled to Bethfhittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abel-meholah, unto Tabbath.

23 And the men of Ifrael gathered themfeves together out of Naphtali, and out of Afher, and out of all Manaffeh, and pursued after the Midianites.

24 And Gideon fent meffengers 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 toge

threr,

The Bpbraimites pacified.

Chap. viii. ther, and took the waters unto Beth-barah and Jordan.

25 And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they New Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they flew at the wineprefs of Zeeb, and purfued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other fide Jordan.

CHAP. VIII.

The Ephraimites pacified. 4 Zebab and Zalmunna. 33 The Ifraelites' idolatry and ingratitude.

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ND the men of Ephraim faid unto

that thou calledft us not, when thou wenteft to fight with the Midianites? and they did chide with him fharply.

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 anger was abated toward him, when he had faid that.

4 T And Gideon came to Jordan, and paffed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet purfuing them.

5 And he faid 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 faid, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army?

7 And Gideon faid, Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wildernefs and with briers.

8 And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewife; and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him.

9 And he spake alfo unto the men of Penuel, faying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.

10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hofts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hofts of the children of the eaft: for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew fword.

Succoth and Penuel deftroyed, fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zal. munna, and difcomfited all the hoft. 13 And Gideon the fon of Joash re-. turned from battle before the fun was up, 14 And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired of him? and he defcribed unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even threefcore and feventeen men.

15 And he came unto the men of Suc coth, and faid, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid me, we faying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zal

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 flew the men of the city,

18 Then faid he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye flew at Tabor? and they anfwered, As thou art, fo were they; each one refembled the children of a king.

19 And he faid, They were my bre thren, even the fons of my mother; as the LORD liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not flay you.

20 And he faid unto Jether his firft born, Up, and flay them. But the youth drew not his fword: for he feared, be cause he was yet a youth.

21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rife thou, and fall upon us for as the man is, fo is his ftrength. And Gideon arofe, and flew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels' necks.

22 Then the men of Ifrael faid unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy fon, and thy son's fon alfo: for thou haft delivered us from the hand of Midian,

23 And Gideon faid unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my fon rule over you; the LORD fhall rule over you.

24 And Gideon faid unto them, I would defire a requeft of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Íthmaelites.)

25 And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did caft therein every man the earrings of his prey.

II And Gideon went up by the way of 26 And the weight of the golden earthem that dwelt in tents on the caft of rings that he requested was a thousand Nobah and Jogbehah, and fmote the hoft: and feven hundred Shekels of gold; befor the hoft was fecure. fide ornaments, and collars, and purple 12 And when Zebah and Zalmunna raiment that was on the kings of MiP 3

dian,

Gideon's ephod, and death.

JUDGES. dian, and befide the chains that were about their camels' necks.

Jotham's parable.

5 And he went unto his father's houfe at Ophrah, and flew his brethren the fons 27 And Gideon made an ephod thereof, of Jerubbaal, being threefcore and ten and put it in his city, even in Ophrah : perfons, upon one ftone: notwithstandand all Ifrael went thither a whoring after ing yet Jotham the youngest fon of Jerubit which thing became a fnare unto Gi-baal was left; for he hid himself. deon, and to his houfe.

28 Thus was Midian fubdued before the children of Ifrael, fo that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietnefs forty years in the days of Gideon.

29 And Jerubbaal the son of Joafh went and dwelt in his own houfe.

30 And Gideon had threefcore and ten fons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.

31 And his concubine that was in Shechem, fhe alfo bare him a fon, whofe name he called Abimelech.

32 And Gideon the son of Joafh died in a good old age, and was buried in the fepulchre of Joath his father, in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites.

33 And it came to pass, as foon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Ifrael turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baal-berith their god.

34 And the children of Ifrael remembered not the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every fide:

35 Neither thewed they kindness to the houfe of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodnefs which he had fhewed unto Ifrael.

CHAP. IX.

6 And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the houfe of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem.

7¶ And when they told it to Jotham, he went and ftood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and faid 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 faid unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.

9 But the olive tree faid unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?

ro And the trees faid to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us.

II But the fig tree faid unto them, Should I forfake my fweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?

12 Then faid the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us.

13 And the vine faid unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?

14 Then faid all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us. 15 And the bramble faid unto the trees, 1 Abimelech is made king by the Shechem- If in truth ye anoint me king over you, ites. 7 Jotham by a parable rebuketh then come and put your truft in my fhathem. 22 Gaal's confpiracy. 56 fo-dow: and if not, let fire come out of the tham's curfe fulfilled. bramble, and devour the cedars of Le,

Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal banon

went to Shechem unto his mother's brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the houfe of his mother's father, faying,

16 Now therefore, if ye have done truly and fincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his houfe, and have done unto him according to the deferving of his hands;

2 Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the fons of Jerub- 17 (For my father fought for you, and baal, which are threefcore and ten per-adventured his life far, and delivered fons, reign over you, or that one reign you out of the hand of Midian : over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.

3 And his mother's brethren fpake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for. they faid, He is our brother.

18 And ye are rifen up againft my father's houfe this day, and have flain his fons, threefcore and ten perfons, upon one ftone, and have made Abimelech, the fon of his maid fervant, king over the men of Shechem, becaufe he is your brother;) 19 If ye then have dealt truly and finAnd they gave him threefcore and ten cerely with Jerubbaal and with his houfe pieces of filver out of the houfe of Baal-this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, berith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and let him alfo rejoice in you: and light perfons, which followed him. 20 But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech,

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