Micahs images. he don b. my CHAP. XVII, XVIII. pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them. 27 Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport. 28 And Samson called unto the LORD, and faid, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, onely this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes. 29 And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars, upon which the house stood, and on which it was born up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left. 30 And Samson said, Lettme die with the Philistines: and he bowed himself with all bis might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein: so the dead which he flew at his death, were mo ten they which he flew in his life. 31 Then his brethren, and all the house of his father, came down and took him; and brought him up. and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol, in the burying-place of Manoah his father: and he judged Ifrael twenty ycares. Nd man of mount Ephraim, And there was a man of 2 And he faid unto his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of filver, that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakett of alfo in mine eares; behold, the silver is with me, I took it. And his mother faid, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my fonne. 3 And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of filver to his mother, his mother faid, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the LORD, from my hand, for my fonne, to make a graven image, and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee. 4 Yet he restored the money unto his mother, and his mother took two hundred shekels of filver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image, and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah. 5 And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and † confecrated one of his fonnes, who became 3.4. his prieft. сп. 31. hand filled 6 In those dayes there was no king in Ifp.18.1 rael, but every man did that which was right 1.25. in his own eyes. Micah and the Levite. 79 And there was a young man out of Beth-lehem-judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there. 8 And the man departed out of the city' from Beth-lehem-judah, to fojourn where he could finde a place: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, tas the jour- & Heb in neyed. making his 9 And Micah faid unto him, whence co-ge mest thou? And he faid unto him, Lam a Levite of Beth-lehem-judah, and I go to fojourn where I may finde a place. 10 And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten shekels of filver by the yeare, and † † a fuit of apparel, and thy vi- Or, a dous tuals. So the Levite went in. II And the Levite was content to dwell with the man, and the young man was unto him as one of his sonnes. 12 And Micah confecrated the Levite, and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah. 13 Then faid Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me good, feeing I have a Levite to my priest. CHAP. XVIII. The Danites send five men to seek our an inheritance. 3 Al IN* those dayes there was no king ble fur,&c tHeb.an arder of gar ments. in Ifrael: * Chap. 17 and in those dayes the tribe of the Danites 6. fought them an inheritance to dwell in: for andriag unto that day all their inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Ifrael. 2 And the children of Dan sent of their family, five men from their coasts, † men of valour, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spie out t Heb.. the land, and to fearch it; and they said unto fonnes. them, Go, search the land: who when they came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, they lodged there. 3 When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man the Levite: and they turned in thither, and said unto him, who brought thee hither and what makest thou in this place?& what hast thou here? 4 And he faid unto them, Thus and thus 5 And they faid unto him, Ask counsel, we Dd 3 The Danites fend to fearch Laish. JUDGES. : Heb. girded. 8 And they came unto their brethren to Zorah, and Eihtaol: and their brethren faid unto them, What fay ye? 9 And they faid, Arife, that we may go up against them: for we have feen the land, and behold: it is very good and are ye still? be not flothfull to go, and to enter to poffefse the land. 10 When ye go, ye shall come unto a people fecure, and to a large land:for God hath given it into your hands: a place where there is no want of any thing that is in the earth. 11 And there went from thence of the family of the Danites out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, fix hundred men, † appointed with weapons of warre. 12 And they went up, and pitched in Kir. ath-jearim, in Judah: wherefore they called that place Mahaneh-dan, unto this day: behold, it is behinde Kirjath-jearim. 13. And they passed thence unto mount Ephraim, and came unto the house of Micah. 14. Then answered the five men that went to spie out the countrey of Laifh, and faid unto their brethren, Do ye know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image? now therefore confider what ye have to do. F 15 And they turned thitherward, and came to the house of the yong man the Levite, even unto the house of Micah, and † faluted him, He asked 16 And the fix hundred men appointed with their weapons of warre, which were of the children of Dan, stood by the entring of the gate.. bum of peace 17 And the five men that went to spie out the land, went up, and came in thither, and took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image: and the prieft stood in the entring of the gate, with th the fix hundred men that were appointed with weapons of warre. 18 And these went into Micahs house, and fetched the carved image, the ephod, and th the teraphim, and the molten image: then faid the priest unto them, What do ye? 19 And they faid unto him, Hold thy peace, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a prieft: : is it better for thee to be a priest unto the house of The Danites fet up idolatry. one man, or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family in Ifrael ? 20 And the priests heart was glad, and he took the ephod, & the teraphim, and the graven image, & went in the midst of the people. 21 So they turned and departed, and put the little ones, and the cattel, and the carriage before them.. 22 And when they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men that were in the houses neare to Micahs house, were gathered together, and overtook the children of Dan. 23 And they cried unto the children of Dan: and they turned their faces, and faid unto Micah, what aileth thee, Tthat thou comest with Heb. the such a company? theu art together. 24 And he faid, Ye have taken away my gods gathered which I made, and the priest, and ye are gone away: and what have I more? and what is this that ye say unto me, What aileth thee? ; 25 And the children of Dan faid unto him, Let not thy voice be heard among us, left, angry fellows run upon thee, and thou lole Heb.bite thy life, with the lives of thy houshold. in of Sout 1. 26 And the children of Dan went their way: and when Micah faw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back unto his houfe. ८ 27 And they took the things which Micah had made, and the priest which he had, and came unto Laifh, unto a people that were at quiet, & fecure: and they fmote them with the edge of the sword, & burnt the city with fire. 28 And there was no deliverer, because it was farre from Zidon, and they had no bufineffe with any man; and it was in the valley that lieth by Beth-rehob; and they built a city, and dwelt therein. 29 And they called the name of the city* Josh. 19. Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who 47. was born unto Ifrael: howbeit the name of the city was Laish at the first, 30 And the children of Dan fet up the graven image: and Jonathan the foune of Gershom, the fonne of Manaffch, he and his fonnes, were priests to the tribe of Dan, untill the day of the captivity of the land. mount 6 And they fat down and did eat and drink both of them together: for the damfels father had faid unto the man, Be content. I pray thee, and tarry all night, and let thine heart be 11 And when they were by Jebus, the day was farre spent, and the fervant faid unto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn in unto this city of the Jebufites, and lodge in it. 12 And his master faid unto him, We will not turn atide hither into the city of a stranger, that is not of the children of Ifrael, we will paffe over to Gibeah. 13 And he faid unto his servant, Come, and let us draw neare to one of these places 15 And they turned aside thither, to go in and to lodge in Gibeah: and when he went in, he fat him down in a street of the city: for there was no man that took them into his house to lodging. : 16 And behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even, which was alfo of mount Ephraim ; and he sojourned in Gibeah, but the men of the place were Benjamites. 17 And when he had lift up his eyes, he law a wayfaring man in the street of the city: and the old man faid, Whither goest thou Pand whence comest thou ? 18. And he said unto him, We are paffing from Beth-lehem-judah, toward the side of mount Ephraim, from thence am I:and I went to Beth-lehem-judah, but I am now going to the house of the LORD, and there is no man that † receiveth me to house. Heb. ga 19 Yet there is both straw and provender fisereth. for our affes, and there is bread and wine alfo for me and for thy handmaid, and for the young man which is with thy fervants: there is no want of any thing. 20 And the old man faid, Peace be with thee; howsoever, let all thy wants lie upon me; onely lodge not in the street. 21 So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the affes: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink. 22 Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain fonnes of Belial, befet the house round about, and beat at the doore, and spake to the master of the house, the old man, faying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may know him. 23 And the man the master of the house 'Gen.19.6 went out unto them, & faid unto them, Nay, my brethren, nay, I pray you, do not so wickedly; feeing that this man is come into mine house, do not this folly. 24 Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine, them I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what feemeth good unto you: but unto this man do not Tso vile a thing. .Hob. the 2.25 But the men would not hearken to him: mitter of fo the man took his concubine, & Frought her this follym. forth unto them; and they knew her, and abufed her all the night untill the morning and when the diy began to fpring, they let her go. 26 Them Dd The Levites complaint. • Heb. the man the Levire Heb. humbled. JUDGES. 26 Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the doore of the mans house, where her lord was, till it was light. 27 And her lord rose up in the morning, & opened the doorts of the house, and went out to go his way:and behold, the woman his concubine was fallen down at the doore of the house, and her hands were upon the threshold. 28 And he said unto her, Up, and let us be going:but none anfwered. Then the man took her up upon an affe, and the man rose up, and gat him unto his place. 29 And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, together with her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the coafts of Ifrael. 30 And it was so, that all that saw it, said, There was no such deed done nor seen, from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt, unto this day:confider of it, take advise, and speak your mindes. CHAP. XX. The Levite in a generall affembly declareth his wrong. 8 The decree of the affembly. 12 The Benjamites being cited, make head against the Israelites. 18 The Ifraelites in two bartels lose fourty thousand. 26 They destroy by a stratageme all the Benjamites, except fix hundred. T Hen all the children of Ifrael went out, & the congregation was gathered together, as one man, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, with the land of Gilead, unto the LORDin Mizpeh. 2 And the chief of all the people, even of all the tribes of Ifrael, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, foure hundred thousand footmen that drew sword. 3 (Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Ifrael were gone up to Mizpeh) Then said the children of Ifrael, Tell us, how was this wickednesse? 4 And † the Levite the husband of the woman that was slain, answered and faid, I came into Gibeah that belongeth to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge. And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round about upon me by night, and thought to have flain me: and my concubine have they † forced, that she is dead. 6 And I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the countrey of the inheritance of Ifrael: for they have committed lewdnesse and folly in Ifrael. 7 Behold, ye are all children of Ifrael, give here your advice and counsel. 8 And all the people arose as one man, faying, We will not any of us go to his tent, neither will we any of us turn into his house. The Ifraelues warre 9 But now, this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah, we will go up by lot against it; 10 And we will take ten men of an hundred throughout all the tribes of Ifrael, and an hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch victuall for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have wrought in Ifrael. 11. So all the men of Ifrael were gathered against the city, Teknit together as one man. t. Heb. 12 And the tribes of Ifrael sent men fellowus. through al the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickednesse is this that is done among you? 13 Now therefore deliver us the men, the children of Belial, which are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Ifrael. But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Ifrael: 14 But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities, untoGibeah, to go out to battel against the childten of Ifrael. 15 And the children of Benjamin were numbred at that time out of the cities, twenty and fix thousand men that drew sword, beside the inhabitants of Gibeah, which were numbred seven hundred chosen men. 16 Among all this people there were seven hundred chofen men * left-handed, every one * Chap. 3 could fling stones at an hair-breadth, and not 15. misse, 17 And the men of Ifrael, beside Benjamin, were numbred foure hundred thousand men that drew (word; all these were men of warre. 18 And the children of Ifrael arose, and went up to the house of God, and asked counfel of God, and faid, Which of us shall go up first to the battel against the children of Benjamin? And the LORD faid, Judah shal go up first. 19 And the children of Ifrael rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah. 20 And the men of Ifrael went out to battel against Benjamin, and the men of Ifrael put themselves in aray to fight against them at Gibeah. 21 And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Ifraelites that day, twenty and two thousand men. 22 And the people the men of Ifrael encouraged themselves, and set their battel again in aray in the place where they put themfelves in aray the first day. 23 (And the children of Ifrael went up and wept before the LORD untilleven, andasked coun counsel of the LORD, saying, shall I go up again to battel against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the LORD faid, Go up against him) 24 And the children of Ifrael came neare against the children of Benjamin the second day. 25 And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Ifrael again, eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword.. 26 Then all the children of Ifrael, and all the people went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and fat there before the LORD, and fafted that day untill even, and offered burnt-offerings, and peace-offerings before the LORD. ! 27 And the children of Ifrael inquired of the LORD, (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those dayes, or shall 28 And Phinehas the sonne of Eleazar the fonne of Aaron, stood before it in those dayes) saying, Shal I yet again go out to battel against the children of Benjamin my brother, I cease? And the LORD faid, Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand. 29 And Ifrael fet liers in wait round about Gibeah, 30 And the children of Ifrael went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in aray against Gibeah, as at other times. The Benjamites overcome. 39. And when the men of Ifrael retired in Heb. to the battel, Benjamin began † to smite and kill smite the of the men of Ifrael about thirty perfons; for wounded. they faid, Surely they are smitten down before us, as in the first battel. 40 But when the flame began to arife up out of the citie, with a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behinde them, and behold, the Heb. the flame of the city afcended up to heaven. whole con fumption. them. 4: And when the men of Ifrael turned again, the men of Benjamin were amazed: for they faw that evil † was come upon them. Heb. 42 Therefore they turned their backs before touched the men of Ifrael, unto the way of the wilderneffe, but the battel overtook them: and them which came out of the cities, they destroyed in the midst of them. 43 Thus they enclosed the Benjamites round, about, and chased them, and trode them down # with eafe † over against Gibeah toward the For, from funne-rifing. Menuchah.. &ε, 44 And there fell of Benjamin eighteen Heb. ante thousand men; all these were men of va-over against 31 And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the citie, and they began to smite of the peocof the ple, and kill as at other times, in the high-lour. waves, of which one goeth up to the house ded as of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, eba to de Bethel about thirty men of Israel. 32 And the children of Benjamin said, They are smitten down before us as at the first: but the children of Ifrael said, Let us flee, & draw them from the citie, unto the high wayes... 33 And all the men of Ifrael rofeup out of their place, and put themselves in aray at Baaltamar: and the liers in wait of Ifrael came forth out of their places, even out of the medows of Gibeah. 34 And there came against Gibeah ten thou fand chosen men out of all Israel and the battel was fore: but they knew not that evil was neare them. 45 And they turned and fled toward the wildernesse unto the rock of Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the high-wayes five thousand men, and pursued hard after them unto Gideon, and flew two thousand men of them. : |