companies. Abimelech overcometh him. Abimelech, and devour the men of She- they laid wait against Shechem in four chem, and the houfe 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 Ifrael, 23 Then God fent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech : 24 That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten fons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which flew them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his brethren. 25 And the men of Shechem fet 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 fon 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 the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and curfed Abimelech. 28 And Gaal the fon of Ebed faid, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? is not be the fon of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? ferve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: for why should we ferve him? 29 And would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech, And he faid to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out. 30 And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the fon of Ebed, his anger was kindled. 31 And he fent meffengers unto Abimelech privily, faying, Behold, Gaal the fon 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: 35 And Gaal the fon 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, fròm lying in wait. 36 And when Gaal saw the people, he faid to Zebul, Behold, there come people down from the top of the mountains. And Zebul faid unto him, Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as if they were men. 37 And Gaal fpake again and faid, See there come people down by the middle of the land, and another company come along by the plain of Meonenim. 38 Then faid Zebul unto him, Where is now thy mouth, wherewith thou faidft, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? is not this the people that thou haft defpifed? 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 chafed 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 thruft out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem. 42 And it came to pafs on the mor row, 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, be hold, the people were come forth out of the city; and he rose up against them, and fmote them. 44 And Abimelech, and the company that was with him, rufhed forward, and ftood 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 flew them. 45 And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and flew the people that was therein, and beat down the city, and fowed it with falt. 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. 33 And it shall be, that in the morning, as foon as the fun is up, thou fhalt rife early, and fet upon the city: and, behold, when he and the people that is with him 48 And Abimelech gat him up to mount come out against thee, then mayeft thou Zalmon, he and all the people that avere do to them as thou fhalt find occafion. with him; and Abimelech took an ax 34 And Abimelech rofe up, and all the in his hand, and cut down a bough people that were with him, by night, and from the trees, and took it, and laid it 1 Abimelech flain. JUDGES. Ifrael oppreffed by the Ammonites. 7 ¶ And the anger of the LORD was hot against Ifrael, and he fold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon. on his fhoulder, and said unto the people gods of Moab, and the gods of the chilthat were with him, What ye have feen dren of Ammon, and the gods of the me do, make hafte, and do as I have done. Philiftines, and forfook the LORD, and 49 And all the people likewife cut down ferved not him.. every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them to the hold, and fet the hold on fire upon them; fo that all the men of the tower of Shechem died alfo, about a thousand men and women.. 50 Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it. 51 But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut it to them, and gat them up to the top of the tower. 52 And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire. 53 And a certain woman caft a piece of a milftone upon Abimelech's head, and all to break his fcull. 54 Then he called haftily unto the young man his armourbearer, and faid unto him, Draw thy fword, and flay me, that men fay not of me, A woman flew him. And his young man thruft him through, and he died. 55 And when the men of Ifrael faw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place. 56 Thus God rendered the wickednefs of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in flaying his feventy brethren: 57 And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads: and upon them came the curfe of Jotham the fon of Jerubbaal. ND after Abimelech there arofe to A Nefend Ifrael Tola the son of Puah, the fon of Dodo, a man of Iffachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim. 2 And he judged Ifrael twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir. 3 And after him arofe Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Ifrael twenty and two years. 4 And he had thirty fons that rode on thirty afs colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havoth-jair unto this day, which are in the land of Gilead. And Jair died, and was buried in Camon. 6 And the children of Ifrael did evil 8 And that year they vexed and oppreffed the children of Ifrael eighteen years, all the children of Ifrael that were on the other fide Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead. 9 Moreover the children of Ammon paffed over Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim; fo that Ifrael was fore distressed. 10 And the children of Ifrael cried unto the LORD, faying, We have finned against thee, both because we have forfaken our God, and also served Baalim. II And the LORD faid unto the children of Ifrael, Did not I deliver you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines? s podr 12 The Zidonians alfo, and the Ama lekites, and the Maonites, did opprefs. you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand. 13 Yet ye have forfaken me, and ferved other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more. 14 Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chofen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation. 15 ¶ And the children of Ifrael said unto the LORD, We have finned: do thou unto us whatsoever feemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day. 16 And they put away the ftrange gods from among them, and ferved the LORD: and his foul was grieved for the misery of Ifrael.m A 17 Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gi. lead. And the children of Ifrael affembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpeh. 18 And the people and princes of Gilead faid one to another, What man is be that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he fhall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead. SVORIST CHAP. XI. Jephthah's covenant with the Gileadites. 30 His vow. 34 He performeth it on bis daughter. again in the fight of the LORD, and ferved Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was Baalim, and Afhtaroth, and the gods of the fon of an harlot and Gilead begat Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the Jephthah. Jephthab made captain. Chap. xi, His treaty with the Ammonites: gypt, and walked through the wilderness: unto the Red fea, and came to Kadesh; And Gilead's wife bare him fons; and his wife's fons grew up, and they thruft out Jephthah, and faid unto him, Thou 17 Then Ifrael fent messengers unto the fhalt not inherit in our father's houfe; king of Edom, faying, Let me, I pray for thou art the fon of a ftrange woman. thee, pass through thy land: but the 3 Then Jephthah fled from his bre-king of Edom would not hearken thereto. thren, and dwelt in the land of Tob: And in like manner they fent unto the and there were gathered vain men to king of Moab: but he would not confent: Jephthah, and went out with him; and Ifrael abode in Kadesh. 4 And it came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against Ifrael. 5 And it was fo, that when the children of Ammon made war against Ifrael, the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob: 6 And they said unte Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon. 7 And Jephthah faid unto the children of Gilead, Did not ye hate me, and expel me out of my father's houfe? and why are ye come unto me now when ye are in diftrefs? 8 And the elders of Gilead faid unto Jephthah, Therefore we turn again to thee now, that thou mayeft go with us, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead. 9 And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home again to fight against the children of Ammon, and the LORD deliver them before me, fhall I be your head? 10 And the elders of Gilead faid unto Jephthah, The LORD be witness between us, if we do not fo according to thy words. II Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and captain over them: and Jephthah uttered all his words before the LORD in Mizpeh. 18 Then they went along through the wilderness, and compaffed the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the east fide of the land of Moab, and pitched on the other fide of Arnon, but came not within the border of Moab: for Arnon was the border of Moab. 19 And Ifrael fent meffengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Hefhbon; and Ifrael faid unto him, Let us pafs, we pray thee, through thy land into my place. 1. 20 But Sihon trusted not Ifrael to pass through his coaft: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and pitched in Jahaz, and fought against Ifrael. 21 And the LORD God of Ifrael delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Ifrael, and they fmote them: fo Ifrael poffeffed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country. 22 And they poffeffed all the coast of the Amorites, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto Jordan. 23 So now the LORD God of Ifrael hath difpoffeffed the Amorites from before his people Ifrael, and shouldest thou` poffefs it? 24 Wilt not thou poffefs that which Chemoth thy god giveth thee to poffefs? fo whomfoever the LORD our God fhall drive out from before us, them will we poffefs. 12 And Jephthah fent meffengers unto 25 And now art thou any thing better the king of the children of Ammon, fay-than Balak the fon of Zippor, king of ing, What haft thou to do with me, that Moab? did he ever ftrive against Ifrael, thou art come against me to fight in my or did he ever fight against them, land? 26 While Ifrael dwelt in Heshbon and 13 And the king of the children of Am-her towns, and in Aroer and her towns, mon anfwered unto the meffengers of and in all the cities that be along by the Jephthah, Because Ifrael took away my coafts of Arnon, three hundred years? land, when they came up out of Egypt, why therefore did ye not recover them from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto within that time? Jordan, now therefore reftore thofe lands again peaceably. 27 Wherefore I have not finned againft thee, but thou doeft me wrong to war a14 And Jephthah fent meffengers against me: the LORD the Judge be judge gain unto the king of the children of this day between the children of Ifrael Ammon: and the children of Ammon. 15 And faid unto him, Thus faith 28 Howbeit the king of the children of Jephthah, Ifrael took not away the land Ammon hearkened not unto the words of Moab, nor the land of the children of of Jephthah which he sent him. Ammon: 29 Then the Spirit of the LORD came 16 But when Ifrael came up from E-upon Jephthah, and he paffed over Gilead, Jephthah's rafh vow. JUDGES. The Ephraimites flain. and paffed over ND Ephraim gathered Mizpen of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of themfelves together, and went northGilead he paffed over unto the children ward, and faid unto Jephthah, Whereof Ammon. fore paffedft thou over to fight against 30 And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the children of Ammon, and didft not the LORD, and faid, If thou shalt with-call us to go with thee? we will burn out fail deliver the children of Ammon thine houfe upon thee with fire. into mine hands, 31 Then it shall be, that whatfoever cometh forth of the doors of my houfe to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, fhall furely be the LORD's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering. 32 So Jephthah paffed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the LORD delivered them into his hands. 33 And he fmote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minneth, even twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a very great flaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were fubdued before the children of Ifrael. 34 And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his houfe, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and he was his only child; befide her he had neither fon nor daughter. 35 And it came to pafs, when he faw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou haft brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back. 2 And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great ftrife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands. me 3 And when I faw that ye delivered not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me? 4 Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead fmote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manaffites. 5 And the Gileadites took the paffages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was fo, that when thofe Ephraimites which were efcaped faid, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead faid unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he faid, Nay; 6 Then faid they unto him, Say now |Shibboleth: and he faid Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right: Then they took him, and flew him at the pallages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand. 36 And the faid unto him, My father, if thou haft opened thy mouth unto the 71 And Jephthah judged Ifrael fix LORD, do to me according to that which years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadhath proceeded out of thy mouth; for-ite, and was buried in one of the cities afmuch as the LORD hath taken ven- of Gilead. geance for thee of thine enemies, even 8 And after him Ibzan of Beth-lehem of the children of Ammon. judged Ifrael. 37 And the faid unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my fellows. 38 And he faid, Go. And he fent her away for two months: and she went with her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains. 39 And it came to pafs at the end of two months, that the returned unto her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and the knew no man. And it was a cuftom in Ifrael, 9 And he had thirty fons, and thirty daughters, suhom he fent abroad, and took in thirty daughters from abroad for his fons. And he judged Ifrael feven years. 10 Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Beth-lehem. II And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Ifrael; and he judged Ifrael ten years. 12 And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the country of Zebulun. 13 And after him Abdon the fon of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Ifrael. 40 That the daughters of Ifrael went 14 And he had forty fons and thirty yearly to lament the daughter of Jeph-nephews, that rode on threefcore and thah the Gileadite four days in a year. ten afs colts: and he judged Ifrael eight CHAP. XII. years. 1The Ephraimites difcerned by Shibboleth, 15 And Abdon the fon of Hillel the and flain by the Gileadites, 7 Jephthah Pirathonite died, and was buried in Pi dieth. rathon An angel appeareth to Manoah. Chap. xiii, xiv. rathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites. CHAP. XIII. Ifrael is in the band of the Philistines. 2 An angel appeareth to Manoah's wife. 8 The angel appeareth to Manoah. 15 Manoah's facrifice, whereby the angel is difcovered. 24 Samfon is born. ND the children of Ifrael did evil Samfon's birth. 13 And the angel of the LORD faid unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware. 14 She may not eat of any thing that cometh of the vine, neither let her drink wine or frong drink, nor eat any unclean thing: all that I commanded her let her observe. A again in the fight of the LORD; and of the LORD, : Is And Manoah faid unto the angel pray thee, let us detain shall have made ready a the LORD delivered them into the hand thee, until we 2 T And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not. 3 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and faid unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a fon. 4 Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor ftrong drink, and eat not any unclean thing: 5 For, lo, thou fhalt conceive, and bear a fon; and no razor fhall come on his head: for the child fhall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he fhall begin to deliver Ifrael out of the hand of the Philiftines. 6 Then the woman came and told her husband, faying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible but I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his name: 7 But he said unto me, Behold, thou thalt conceive, and bear a fon; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing: for the child fhall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death. 8¶ Then Manoah intreated the LORD, and faid, O my LORD, let the man of God which thou didst fend come again unto us, and teach us what we fhall do unto the child that fhall be born." 9 And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again unto the woman as fhe fat in the field: but Manoah her husband was not with her 10 And the woman made hafte, and ran, and fhewed her husband, and faid unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the other day. II And Manoah arose, and went after his wife, and came to the man, and faid unto him, Art thou the man that spakest unto the woman? and he faid, I am. 16 And the angel of the LORD faid unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the LORD. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the Lord. 17 And Manoah faid unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy fayings come to pass we may do thee honour? 18 And the angel of the LORD faid. unto him, Why afkeft thou thus after my name, feeing it is fecret? 19 So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the LORD: and the angel did wonderoufly; and Manoah and his wife looked on. 20 For it came to pafs, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the LORD afcended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground. 21 But the angel of the Loap did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the LORD. 22 And Manoah faid unto his wife, We shall furely die, because we have feen God. 23 But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have fhewed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us fuch things as thefe. 24 ¶ And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samfon : and the child grew, and the LORD bleffed him. 25 And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol. CHAP. XIV. 1 Samfon defireth a wife of the Philiftines. 10 His marriage feaft, 12 and riddle. 19 He Spoileth thirty Philistines. 12 And Manoah faid, Now let thy words come to pafs. How fhall we order the child, and bow fhall we do unto him? 2 And he came up, and told his father And Samfon went down to Timnath, faw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philiftines. and |