Before CHRIST cir. 1249.

Gideon destroyeth Baal's altar. was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and d there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the 1 Kings 18. angel of the LORD departed out of his sight.

22 And when Gideon e perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord GOD! f for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face. 23 And the LORD said unto him, g Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.

a Lev. 9. 24.

38. 2 Chr. 7.

1.

ech. 13. 21.

fGen. 16. 13.

& 32. 30.

Ex. 33. 20.

ch. 13. 22. g Dan. 10.

19.

That is, The LORD send peace: See Gen. 22. 15. Jer. 33. 16. Ezek. 48.

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

14. Ex. 17.

35.

ch. 8. 32. Or, and. i Ex. 34. 13.

Deut. 7. 5.

place.

Or, in an orderly

manner.

26 And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, + Heb. and take the second bullock, and strong offer a burnt-sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down. 27 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father's 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 arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built.

29 And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they inquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing.

30 Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, 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.

That is, Let Baal

plead.

31 And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? hek1 Sam. 12. that will plead for him, let him be 11. 2 Sam. put to death whilst it is yet morn-11. 21, Jeing: if he be a god, let him plead rubbesheth; for himself, because one hath cast that is, Let the shamedown his altar. ful thing 32 Therefore on that day he call-plead. ed him Jerubbaal, saying, Let See Jer. 11. Baal plead against him, because he 13. Hos. 9. hath thrown down his altar.

Before CHRIST cir. 1249.

+ Heb.

clothed.

Num. 10.3.

ch. 3. 27. + Heb. was called after him.

p See Ex. 4. 3, 4, 6, 7.

q Gen. 18. 32.

35 And he sent messengers throughout 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 my hand, as thou hast said,

37 P 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 besides, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by my hand, as thou hast said.

38 And it was so: for he rose 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 said unto God, 9 Let not 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.

CHAPTER VII.

1 Gideon's army of two and thirty thou sand is brought to three hundred. 9 He is encouraged by the dream and inter pretation of the barley-cake. 16 His stratagem of trumpets and lamps in pitchers. 24 The Ephraimites take Oreb and Zeeb.

a ch. 6. 32. THEN a Jerubbaal (who is Gideon) 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.

Deut. 8. 17. Is. 10. 13. 1 Cor. 1. 29. 2 Cor. 4. 7.

c Deut. 20.8.

2 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel bvaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved mc.

3 Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, c Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.

4 And the LORD said unto Gi deon, The 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 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

The Midianites

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.

Before CHRIST cir. 1249.

7 And the LORD said unto Gideen, d By the three hundred inen a 1 Sam. 14. that lapped will I save you, and de-6. liver 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

Before

are put to flight. II and all that are with me, then CHRIST blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.

cir. 1249.

h Ex. 14. 13, 14. 2 Chr. 20. 17.

i 2 Kings 7. 7.

k Josh. 6. 4,

thine hand.

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

11 And thou shalt fhear 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 g all the children of the east, lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without 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 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.

f ver. 13, 14, 15. See Gen.

24, 14. 9, 10.

1 Sam. 14.

Or, ranks by fire. Ex. 13. 18.

ch. 6. 5, 33. & 8. 10.

15 T And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and Tthe interpretation thereof, that het Heb. the worshipped, and returned into the breaking host of Israel, and said, Arise; for thereof. the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host 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.

2 Cor. 4. 7. Ps. 83. 9. Is. 9. 4.

m 1 Sam. 14. 20. 2 Chr. 20. 23.

Or, toward.

Heb. lip.

In ch. 3. 27

o ch. 3. 28.

p John 1. 28. ch. 8. 3. Ps. 83. 11. r Is. 10. 26.

s ch. 8. 4.

1. 2 Sam. 19.

41.

19 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 trumpets in their right hands to blow withal and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.

21 And they h stood every man in his place round about the camp i and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.

22 And the three hundred k blew the trumpets, and the LORD set m every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Beth-shittah || in Zererath, and to the † border of Abel-meholah, unto Tabbath.

23 And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites.

24 And Gideon sent messengers throughout all amount 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 P Beth-barah and Jordan.

25 And they took a two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon r the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the wine-press of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.

CHAPTER VIII.

1 Gideon pacifieth the Ephraimites. 4 Suc-
coth and Penuel refuse to relieve Gide-
on's army.
10 Zebah and Zalmunna
are taken. 13 Succoth and Penuel are
destroyed. 17 Gideon revengeth his bre-
thren's death on Zebah and Zalmunna.
22 He refuseth government. 24 His
ephod cause of idolatry. 28 Midian sub-
dued. 29 Gideon's children, and death
33 The Israelites' idolatry and ingra-
titude.

a See ch. 12. AND a the men of Ephraim said unto him, † Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? and they did chide with him sharply.

Heb. What thing is this

thou hast done unto + Heb. strongly.

17 And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and be-brands, or, hold, when I come to the outside of torches. the camp, it shall be that as I do,

so shall ye do.

18 When 1 blow with a trumpet,

b ch. 7. 24,

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 b God hath delivered into your 25. Phil. 2. 3. hands the princes of Midian, Öreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then

220

Gideon pacifieth the Ephraimites. their tanger was abated toward him, when he had said that.

Before CHRIST cir. 1249.

Before CHRIST

cir. 1249.

4 And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three Heb. hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them.

5 And he said unto the men of d 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, e Are the hands of Zebab and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that fwe should give bread unto thine army?

spirit.

c Prov. 15.

1.

d Gen. 33. 17. Ps. 60. 6.

+ Heb. according to the form, &c.

11.

25. 11.

7 And Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, g then I will tear your flesh with a ver. 16. the thorns of the wilderness and Heb. thresh. with briers.

12 And when Zebah and Zal-m Num. 32. munna fled, he pursued after them, 35, 42. and took the two kings of Midian, ch. 18. 27. Zebah and Zalmunna, and † dis-1 Thess. 5. 3. comfited all the host.

13 TAnd 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 inquired

o Ps. 83. 11.

Or, ornaments like the moon.

x1 Sam. 8. 7. & 10. 19. & 12. 12.

y Gen. 25. 13. & 37, 25,

28.

Til Or, sweet jewels.

z ch. 17. 5.

of him and he † described unto Heb. writ. 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

P upbraid me, saying, Are the p ver. 6.
hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now
in thine hand, that we should give
bread unto thy men that are
weary ?

16 q And he took the elders of a ver. 7.
the city, and thorns of the wilder-
ness, and briers, and with them he
ttaught the men of Succoth.
17r Aud he beat down the tower
of Penuel, and slew the men of
the city.

c Deut. 7. 16.

d ch. 5. 31.

e ch. 9. 2, 5.

Heb. going out of his thigh. If ch. 9. 1.

+ Heb. set.

cir. 1209. Gen. 25.8. Job 5. 26. h ver. 27. ch. 6. 24.

i ch. 2. 19.

you.

20 And he said unto Jether his first-born, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth.

21 Then Zebah and Zalmunne said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and u slew Ze bah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels' necks.

22 T Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thon, and thy son, and thy son's son also: for thou hast deli vered us from the hand of Midian.

23 And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: x the LORD shall rule over you.

24 T And Gideon said unto them I would desire a request of you, that you would give me every man the ear-rings of his prey. (For they had golden ear-rings, y 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 ear-rings of his prey.

26 And the weight of the golden ear-rings that he requested, was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and

collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels' necks.

27 And Gideon z made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even a in Ophrah: and all Israel b went thither a whoring after it: which thing became ca snare unto Gideon, and to his house.

28 Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. d And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.

29 And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.

30 And Gideon hade threescore and ten sons † of his body begotten for he had many wives.

31 f And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.

32 1 And Gideon the son of Joash died g in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, hin Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites.

33 And it came to pass i as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and kwent a whoring after Baalim, 1 ch. 9. 4, 46.1 and made Baal-berith their god.

k ch. 2. 17.

CHAPTER IX.

Abimelech by conspiracy with the Shechemites, and murder of his brethren, is made king. 7 Jotham by a parable rebuketh them, and foretelleth their ruin. 22 Gaal conspireth with the Shechemites against him. 30 Zebul revealeth it. 34 Abimelech overcometh them, and soweth the city with salt. 46 He burneth the hold of the god Berith. 50 At Thebez he is slain by (L piece of a millstone. 56 Jotham's curse is fulfilled.

AND Abimelech the son of Je

rubbaal went to Shechem unto

ch. 9. 16, Eccles. 9. 14, 15.

cir. 1209.

4 And they gave him threescore 15. and ten pieces of silver out of the house of e Baal-berith, wherewith e ch. 8. 33. Abimelech hired fvain and light f ch. 11. 3. persons, which followed him.

5 And he went unto his father's house gat Ophrah, and hslew 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 of the piliar that was in Shechem.

2 Chr. 13. 7. Prov. 12. 11. Acts 17. 5.

g

ch. 6. 24. 2 Kings 11. 1, 2.

Before

The Shechemites 1 evolt to Gaal. ness, and my good fruit, and go to CHRIST be promoted over the trees?

eir. 1209.

12 Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us. 13 And the vine said unto them, In Ps. 104. 15. Should I leave my wine, n which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?

14 Then said all the trees unto Or, thistle. the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.

o Is. 30. 2. Dan. 4. 12. Hos. 14. 7. p ver. 20. Num. 21. 28. Ezek. 19. 14.

92 Kings 14.

19. Ps. 104.

16. Is. 2. 13.

& 37. 24. Ezek. 31. 3. r ch. 8. 35.

+ Heb. cast his life.

s ver. 5, 6.

It Is. 8. 6. Phil. 3. 3.

u ver. 15, 56, 57.

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, Plet fire come out of the bramble, and devour the q cedars of Lebanon.

16 Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech 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 adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian:

18 And ye are risen up against my father'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 trejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you:

20 But if not, u 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 x 2 Sam. 20. fled, and went to x Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.

22 When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel,

23 Then y God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem z dealt treacherously with Abimelech:

24 a That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother which slew them, and upon the men of Shechem which faided 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 I him.

Abimelech's vengeance.

29 And e would to God this peo-e 2 Sam. 15. ple were under my hand! then 4. would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.

30 And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal| the son of Ebed, his anger was || kindled.

i Or, hot.

31 And he sent messengers unto Abimelech† privily, saying, Behold, † Heb. Gaal the son of Ebed, and his bre-craftily, or, thren, be come to Shechem; and to Tormah. 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 thou shalt find occasion.

34 1 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.

+ Heb. as thy hand

shall find. & 25. 8. Eccles. 9.

1 Sam. 10. 7.

10.

37 And Gaal spake again, and said, See, there come people down by the middle of the land, and Heb. naanother company come along by the plain of || Meonenim.

vel.

Or, the regarders of the times.

Deut. 18. 14.)

38 Then said Zebul unto him, Where is now thy mouth, where with thou saidst, Who is Abimever. 28, 29. lech 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 A-| rumah and Zebul thrust out Gaall

Before CHRIST cir. 1206.

g ver. 20.

h Deut. 29.

23. 1 Kings

12. 25.

2 Kings 3.
25.
ich. 8. 33.

He is slain at Thebez. 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 coinpany 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 g he took the city, and slew the people that was therein, and h beat down the city, and sowed it with salt.

46 And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into an hold of the house i of the god Berith.

47 And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.

48 And Abimelech gat him up k Ps. 68. 14. to mount k Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his shoulder, and said unto the people that were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done.

+ Heb. I have done.

1 2 Sam. 11. 21.

m So 1 Sam. 31. 4.

n ver. 24. Job 31. 3. Pa. 94. 23.

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 men of the tower of Shechem died also, 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 cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech's head, and all to brake his skull.

54 Then m he called hastily unto the young man his armour-bearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.

55 And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they Prov. 5. 22. departed every man uffto his place.

56 TnThus God rendered the