the hands of fpoilers that spoiled them, and he fold them into the hands of their eneImies round about, fo that they could not any longer itand before their enemies. is Whitherfoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was agaiift then for evil, as the LORD had faid, and as the LORD had [worn unto them: and they were greatly dütreffed. 16 Nevertheless, the LORD raifed up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of thofe that fpoiled them. 17 And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring af ter other gods, and bowed themfeives unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the LORD; but they did not fo. 18 And when the LORD raifed 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 groan ings, by reafon of them that opprelied thein, and vexed them.) 19 And it came to pafs, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themfelves more than their fathers, in follow ing other gods to ferve them, and to bow down unto them: they ceafed not from their own doings, nor from their ftubborn way. 20 And the anger of the LORD was hot againft Ifrael; and he faid, because that this people hath tranfgrefied my covenant which commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice, 21 I alfo will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Jo thua left when he died; 22 That through them I may prove Ifracl, whether they will keep the way of the LORD, to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it or not. 23 Therefore the LORD left thofe nations, without driving them out haftily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua. CHAP. II. 3 The nations that were left to prove Ifrael : 5 by communion with them they commit idolatry. 9 Othniel delivereth them from Chughan-rifhathaim. 12 Of Ehud, &c. Ow thefe are the nations which the Loko left to prove Ifrael by them; (even as many of Ifrael as had not known all the wars of Canaan; 2 Only that the generations of the children of Ifrael might know to teach them war, at the least fuch as before knew nothing thereof :) 3 Namely, five lords of the Fhilistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal-hermon unto the entering in of Hamath. 4 And they were to prove Ifrael by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Mofes. And the children of Ifrael dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites: 6 And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their fons, and ferved their gods. 7 And the children of Ifrael did evil in the fight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and ferved Baalim and the groves; 8 Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot againft Ifrael, and he fold them into the hand of Chuthan-rishathaim, king of Mefopotamia: and the children of Ifrael ferved Chuthan-rithathaim eight years. 9 And when the children of Hrael cried unto the LORD, the LORD raifed up a deliverer to the children of Ifrael, who delivered them, even Othniel the fon of Kenaz, Calebs younger brother. 10 And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Ifrael, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chufhan-rithathaim king of Mefopotamia, into his hand; and his hand prevailed againit Chuthan-rifhathaim. 11 And the land had rett forty years; and Othniel the fon of Renaz, died. 12 And the children of Ifracl did evil again in the fight of the LORD: and the Load ftrengthened Eglon the king of Moab againft Ifrael, becaule they had done evil in the fight of the LORD. 13 And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and fmote Ifrael, and poffeffed the city of pahn-trees. 14 So the children of Ifrael ferved Egton the king of Moab eighteen years. 15 But when the children of Ifrael cried unto the LORD, the LORD raifed them up a deliverer, Ehud the fon of Gera, a Benjamite, a man left-handed: and by him the children of Ifrael fent a prefent unto Eglon the king of Moab. 16 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. 17 And he brought the prefent unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man. 18 And when he had made an end to offer the prefent, he fent away the people that bare the prefent. 19 But he himfelf turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and faid, I have a fecret errand unto thee, O king: who faid, Keep filence. And all that stood by him went out from him. zo And Ehud came unto him; and he was fitting in a fummer-parlour, which he had for himself, aione: and Ehud faid, I have a metlage from God unto thee. And he arofe out of his feat. 21 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrutt it into his belly. 22 And the haft alfo went in after the blade; and the fat clofed upon the blade, fo that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly: and the dirt came out. 23 Then Ehud went forth through the porch, aud fhist the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them. 24 When he was gone out his fervants came; and when they faw, that beliold, the doors of the parlour quere locked, they faid, Surely he covereth his feet in his fummerchamber 25 And they tarried till they were afhamed; 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. 26 And Ehud efcaped while they tarried, and paffed beyond the quarries, and efcaped unta Seirath. 27 And it came to pafs when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Ifrael went down with him from the mount, and he before them. 28 And he faid 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 fuffered not a man to pass over. 29 And they flew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lutty, and all men of valour; and there efcaped not a man. 30 So Moab was fubdued that day under the hand of Ifrael. And the land had rett fourscore years. 31 And after him was Shamgar the fon of Anath, which few of the Philistines fix hundred men with an ox-goad: and he alfo delivered Ifrael. CHAP. IV. Deborah and Barak deliver Ifrael from Jabin and Sifera. 18 Yael killeth Sifera. A in the fight of the LORD, when Ehud Nd the children of Ifrael again did evil was dead. 2 And the LORD fold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whofe hott was Sifera, which dwelt in Harotheth of the Gentiles. 3 And the children of Ifrael cried unto the LORD; for he had nine hundred chariots of iron: and twenty years he mightily opprefsed the children of Ifrael. 4 T And Deborah a prophetefs, the wife of Lapidoth, the judged Ifrael at that time. 5 And the dwelt under the palm-tree of Deborah, between Ramah and Beth-el in mount Ephraim; and the children of Ifrael came up to her for judgment. 6 And the fent and called Barak the fon of Abinoan, out of Kedeih-naphtali, and faid unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Irael commanded, faving, Go, and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thoufand men of the children of Naphtali, and of the children of Zebulun? 7 And I will draw unto thee, to the river Kithon, Sisera, the captain of Jabins army, with his charints, and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand. 8 And Barak faid unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go; but if theu wilt not go with me, then I will not go. 9 And the faid, I will furely go with thee: notwithstanding, the journey that thou takeft fhall not be for thine honour; for the LORD fhall feli Sifera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arofe, and went with Barak to Kadefh. 10 And Barak called Zebulun and Naph tali to Kadeth; and he went up with ten thoufand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him. II Now Heber the Kenite, which was off the children of Hobab, the father-in-law of Mofes, had fevered himfelf from the Kenites, and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which is by Kcdefh. fon of Abinoam, was gone up to mount Tabor. 12 And they thewed Šifera, that Barak the 13 And Sifera gathered together all his chariots, event nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, from Harofheth of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon. this is the day in which the LORD hath 14 And Deborah faid unto Barak, Up; for delivered Sifera into thine hand: is not the LORD gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thoufand men after him. 15 And the LORD difcomfited-Sifera, and all his chariots, and all his holt, with the edge of the fword, before Barak: fo that Sitera, lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet. 16 But Barak purfued after the chariots, and after the hoit, ento Harotheth of the Gentiles: and all the hott of Sifera fell upon the edge of the fword; and there was not a man left. 17 Howbeit, Sifera 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 Heher the Kenite. 18 And Jael went out to meet Sifera, and faid unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me, fear not: and when he had turncd in unto her into the tent, the covered him with a mantle. 19 And he faid unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thir fty: and the opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him. 20 Again he faid unto her, Stand in the door of the tent; and it thall be, when any man doth come and enquire of thee, and lay, is there any man here? that thou thalt fay, No. 21 Then Jael Hebers wife, took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went foftly unto him, and finote the nail into his temples, and fattened it into the ground: (for he was faft alleep, and weary:) fo he died. 22 And, behold, as Barak purfued Sifera, Jael came out to meet him, and faid unto hin, Come, and I will thew thee the inan whoin thou feekeft. And when he came into her tent, behold, Sifera lay dead, and the nail ruas in his temples. 23 So God fubdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Ifrael. 24 And the hatid of the children of Ifrael profpered, and prevailed againft Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan. CHAP. V. The long of Deborah and Barak. Then Gang Deborah, and Barak the fon of Abinoam, on that day, faying, 2 Praife ye the LORD for the avenging of Ifrael, when the people willingly offered themselves. 3 Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes: 1, even 1, will fing unto the Load: I will fing praife to the LORD God of Hrael, 4 Loan, when thou wentelt out of Seir, when thou marchedit out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds alfo dropped water. 5 The mountains melted from before the LORD, even that Sinai from before the LORD God of Hirael. 6 In the days of Shamgar the fon of Anath, in the days of Jack, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through by-ways. The inhabitants of the villages ceafed, they ceafed in Ifrael, until that I Deborah arole, that I arole a mother in lirael. 8 They chofe new gods; then toas war in the gates: was there a fhield or fpear feen among forty thoufand in Ifracl? 9 My heart is toward the governors of Ifrael, that offered themfelves willingly among the people. Blefs ye the LORD. 10 Speak, ye that ride on white affes, ye that fit in judgment, and walk by the way. 11 They that are delivered from the noife of archers in the places of drawing water; there fhall they rehearse the righteous acis of the LORD, even the righteous acts torvard the inhabitants of his villages in lirael: then fhall the people of the LORD go down to the gates. 12 Awake, awake, Deborah; awake, awake; utter a fong: arife, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou fon of Abinoam. 13 Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: 24 Bleffed above women thall Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, be; bleffed fhall the be above women in the tent 25 He asked water, and the gave him milk; fhe brought forth butter in a lordly dish. 26 She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmans hammer: and with the hammer the fmote Sifera; the fmute off his head, when the had pierced and tricken through his temples. 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 herfelf, 30 Have they not fped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two? to Sifera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needle-work, of divers colours of needle-work on both fides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil? 31 So let all thine enemies perish, 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. 1 The Ifraelites, for their fin, oppreffed by Midian: 8 a prophet rebuketh them: 11 Gideon delivereth them, the LORD made me have dominion over the ANd the children of Israel did evil in the mighty. 14 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. 15 And the princes of Ifachar were with Deborah; even Iffachar, and alfo Barak: he was fent on foot into the valley. For the divifions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart. 16 Why abodest thou among the fheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks!" For the divifions of Reuben there were great fearchings of heart. 17 Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in thips? Ather continued on the fea-fhore, and abode in his breaches. 18 Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jcoparded their lives unto the 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 ftars in their courfes fought againit Sifera. 21 The river of Kithon Iwept them away, that ancient river, the river Kihon. O ny foul, thou haft trodden down ftrength. 22 Then were the horte-hoofs broken by the means of the prancings, the prancings of their mighty ones. 23 Curfe ye Meroz, (faid the angel of the LORD,) curfe ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; becaufe they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD againit the nighty, fight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian feven years. 2 And the hand of Midian prevailed againft Ifrael: and because of the Midianites the children, of lfrael made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds. 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 agamft them, and deftroyed the increafe of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza; and left no fuftenance for Ifrael, neither theep, nor ox, nor afs. 5 For they came up with their cattle, and their tents, and they came as grafhoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to deltroy it. 6 And Ifrael was greatly impoverished becaufe of the Midianites; and the children of Ifrael cried unto the LORD. 7 And it came to pafs, when the chil dren of Ifrael cried unto the LORD becaufe of the Midianites, 8 That the LORD fent a prophet unto the children of Ifrael, which faid unto them, Thus faith the LORD God of Ifrael, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage; 9 And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppreffed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land: 3 10 And I said unto you, I am the LORD your God; tear not the gods of the Amorites, in whofe land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice. 11 And there came an angel of the LORD, and fat under an oak which runs in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joath the Abiezrite: and his fon Gideon threthed wheat by the wine-prefs, to hide it from the Midianites. 12 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto hun, 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 shalt fave Ifrael from the hand of the Midianites: have not I fent thee? 15 And he faid unto him, Oh, my Lord, wherewith thall I fave Ifrael? behold, my family is poor in Manaffeh, and 1 am the leaft in my fathers house. 16 And the LORD faid unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt fmite the Midianites as one man, 17 And he faid unto him, If now I have found grace in thy fight, then thew me a fign that thou talkett 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 fald, I will tarry until thou come again. 19 And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of Hour: 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 prefented it. 20 And the angel of God faid unto him, Take the fleth 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 ftaff 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. zz And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the Losv, 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 shalt not die. 24 Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovah-thalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites. 25 And it came to pafs the fame night, that the LORD faid unto him, Take thy fathers young bullock, even the fecond bullock of feven years old, and throw the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that it 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-Lacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou thalt cut down. 27 Then Gideon took ten men of his fer vants, and did as the LORD had faid unto him: and so it was, becaufe he feared his fathers household, 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 hath done this thing? And when they en- 30 Then the men of the city faid unto 31 And Joafh faid unto all that tood agafuit 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, becante 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 Amalckites, and the children of the eait, 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 Abiezer was gathered after him.. 35 And he fent meffengers throughout all Manaffeh; who alfo was gathered after him: and he fent mellengers unto Ather, 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 hatt faid, 37 Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the ficece only, and it be dry upon all the earth befide, then thall I know that thou wilt fave lirael by mine hand, as thou hast faid. 38 And it was fo: for he rofe up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl-full of water. 39 And Gideon faid 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 CHAP. VII. 2 And the LORD faid unto Gideon, The me to give the Midianites into their hands, left Ifrael vaunt themfelves against me, faySag, Mine own hand hath faved me. 3. Now therefore, go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, faying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid let him return, and depart early from mount Gilead: and there returned of the people twenty and two thoufaud, and there remained ten thousand. 4 Arid the LORD faid unto Gideon, The people ars yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there and it thall be, that of whom I fay unto thee, This thall go with thee, the lame thail go with thee, and of whomfoever I fay unto thee, This fhall not go with thee, the fame thall not go. 5 So he brought down the people anto the water: and the LORD faid unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him thalt thou fet by himself: 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 hi their hand, and their trumpets: and he fent all the reft of Ifrael, every man unto his tent, and retained thofe three hundred men. And the hoft of Midian was beneath him in the valley. 9 And it came to pafs the fame night, that the LORD faid unto him, Arife, get thee down unto the hoft; for I have deli vered it into thine hand. 10 But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy fervant down to the holt. 11 And thou thalt hear what they fay, and afterward thall thine hands be ftrengthen ed to go down unto the hott. Then went he down with Phural his fervant unto the outfide of the armed men that were in the hott. 12 And the Midianites, and the Amalekites, and all the children of the east, lay along in the valley like grafhoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the fand by the fea-side for multitude. in every mans 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 outfide of the camp, it shall be, that as I do, fo thall 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 ford of the LonD, and of Gideon. 191 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. 20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trum pets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The word of the LORD and of Gideon. 21 And they flood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the hott ran, and cried and fled. 22 And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD fet every mans fword against his fellow, even throughout all the hott, and the boft fled to Beth-thittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abel-meholah, unto Tabbath. 23 And the men of Ifrael gathered themfelves together out of Naphtali, and out of Afher, and out of all Manafleh, and pursued after the Midianites. 24 And Gideon fent meffengers throughout all mount Ephraim, faying, Come down. against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Beth-barah and Jor dan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themfelves together, and took the waters unto Beth-barah and Jordan. 25 And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb: and they flew Oreb upon the rock Oreh, and Zeeb they Bew at the wine.prefs of Zeeh, and purfucd Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other fide Jordan. С НА Р. VIII. 1 The Ephramites pacified. 10 Zebah and Zalmuna. 33 The Iraelites idolatry and Ingratitude. 13 And when Gideon was come, behold, A Why haft thou ferved us thus, that thou there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and faid, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley-bread tumbled into the loft of Midian, and came unto a tent, and note it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along. 14 And his fellow anfwered and faid, This is nothing elfe fave the word of Gideon the fon of Joath, a man of Ifrael: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the hott. 15 And it was fo, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Ifrael, and faid, Arife; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the hott of Midian. 16 And he divided the three hundred men wo three companies, and he put a trumpet Nd the men of Ephraim faid unto him calledit us not when thou wenteft to fight with the Midianites? And they did chide with him tharply. 2 And he faid unto them, What have I done now in comparifon 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- And Gideon came to Jordan, and pafs ed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet purfuing them. 5 And he did unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, |