about 1336.

u ver. 9. Ps. 78. 34.

|| Or, the son of Gemini. Heb. shut of his right hand, ch. 20. 16.

x Josh. 4. 20.

|| Or, graven images.

15 But when the children of Israel " cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present 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 present unto Eglon king of Moab and Eglon was a very fat man.

18 And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present.

19 But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.

20 And Ehud came unto him; and Heb. a par- he was sitting in a summer parlour, lour of coolwhich he had for himself alone: and ing. See Am. 3. 15. Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat.

|| Or, it came out at the fundament.

21 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly:

22 And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out.

23 Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them.

24 When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour were locked, they said, Surely Or, doeth his he covereth his feet in his summer

easement,

1 Sam. 24. 3.

chamber.

Israel oppressed by Jabin.

B. C.

the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before about 1336. them.

1 Sam. 17. 47.

28 And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath deliv-a ch. 7. 9, 15. ered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jor-b Josh. 2. 7. dan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass oyer.

b

ch. 12. 5

29 And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all + lusty, and all men of valour; and Heb. fat. there escaped not a man.

d

30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the c ver. 11. land had rest fourscore years. 31 And after him was Shamgard ch. 5. 6, 8. the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an oxgoad: 'and he also delivered Israel.

CHAPTER IV.

Deborah and Barak deliver Israel from Jabin and

Sisera. 18 Jael killeth Sisera.

1 Sam. 13. 19, 22.

1 Sam. 17. 47, 50.

f ch. 2. 16.

5 And she dwelt under the palm Gen. $5. 8. tree of Deborah, between Ramah and Beth-el in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.

6 And she sent and called Barak about 1296. the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh-i Heb. 11. 32. k Josh. 19. $7. naphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?

m

7 And 'I will draw unto thee, to the river Kishon, Sisera the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand.

8 And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.

9 And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine

Ex. 14. 4. mch. 5. 21.

1 Kings 18. 40. Ps. 83. 9, 10.

honour; for the LORD shall "sell Sisabout 1296. era into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.

1 ch. 2 14.

Deat 9.3. Sam. 5. 24. P1. 68, 7. la 52 12

1 Pa. 3, 9, 10. See Josh. 10.

+ geb. unto

354.

10 ¶ And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with ten thousand men rat his feet and Deborah went up with him.

11 Now Heber the Kenite, which was of the children of Hobab the father in law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, 'which is by Kedesh.

12 And they shewed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to mount Tabor.

13 And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon.

14 And Deborah said unto

Song of Deborah and Barak.

B. C.

+ Heb. put.

nail of the tent, and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly about 1296. unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died.

22 And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest. And when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail was in his temples.

23 So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel.

z Ps. 18. 47.

The song of Deborah and Barak. HEN sang Deborah and Barak

a

LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hand is not the LORD gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.

15 And the LORD discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet.

16 But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; and there was not a man left.

17 Howbeit Sisera 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 Heber the Kenite.

18 And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him

rag, or, with a mantle.

525.

7 ch. 5. 26.

19 And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink and covered him.

20 Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and inquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No.

21 Then Jael Heber's wife took a

saying,

b

2 Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.

a See Ex. 15.1. Ps. 18, title.

b Ps. 18. 47. c2 Chr. 17. 16.

3. Ps. 2. 10.

3 Hear, O ye kings; give ear, Od Deut. 32. 1, ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel.

e

e Deut. 33. 2. Ps. 68. 7.

Ps. 68. 8.
Is. 64. 3.
Hab. 3. 3, 10.

4 LORD, when thou wentest out off 2 Sam. 22. 8. Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds & Deut. 4. 11. also dropped water.

5 The mountains + melted from be-† fore the LORD, even that Sinai from before the LORD God of Israel.

6 In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through by-† ways.

7 The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.

12 "Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.

13 Then he made him that remaineth y have dominion over the nobles among the people the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty.

a

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 Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on t foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great + thoughts

e See Josh. 13. of heart. 25, 31.

f Josh. 19. 29, 31.

|| Or, port.

Il Or, creeks.

g ch. 4. 10.

17 Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? f Asher continued on the seashore, and abode in his breaches.

18 Zebulun and Naphtali were a Heb. exposed people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field.

to reproach.

h ch. 4. 16. Ps. 44. 12. See ver. 30.

of Deborah and Barak.

B. C.

| hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, about 1296. when she had pierced and stricken through his temples.

↑ Heb. she hammered

tween.

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

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

† Heb. destroyed.

29 Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to her- Heb. her self,

30 Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey; † to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides, 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 sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.

CHAPTER VI.

The Israelites for their sin are oppressed by Midian. 8 A prophet rebuketh them. 11 An angel sendeth Gideon for their deliverance. 17 Gideon asketh for a sign. 21 His present is consumed with fire. 25 Gideon destroyeth Baal's altar, and offereth a sacrifice unto the Lord. 28 The men of the city demand his death. 31 Joash defendeth his son, and calleth him Jerubbaal. 33 Gideon's army. 36 The sign of the fleece.

a

words.

s Ex. 15. 9. Heb. to the head of a

man.

Ps. 25. 9, 10.

2 Sam. 25.4.

x Ps. 19. 5.

11. Ps. 77.

17, 18.

k ch. 4. 15.

+ Heb. paths.

1 ch. 4. 7.

|| Or, tramplings, or, plungings.

Neh. 3. 5.

20 They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.

21 The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.

22 Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the "prancings, the prancings of their mighty ones.

23 Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the m ch. 21. 9, 10. inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.

2 And the hand of Midian † prevail- Heb. was ed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the 1 Sam. 18. 6. Heb. 11. 38. mountains, and caves, and strong holds.

3 And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the chil- ch. 3. 13. dren of the east, even they came up against them;

4 And they encamped against them, and 'destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.

5 For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number and they entered into the land to destroy it.

Gideon sent to save Israel.

B. C. about 1249.

Heb. a man a prophet.

P&. 44 2,3.

* 2 Kings 17. 35, 37, 38. Jer. 10. 2.

1 Josh. 17. 2.

Heb. 11. 32.

Heb to cause

to flee.

ch 13.3. Lake L. 11,

Josh. 1. 5.

I. 56. 1. & 65.

7 ¶ And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because of the Midianites,

8 That the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, 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 oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land;

10 And I said 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.

11 ¶ And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abi-ezrite: and his son

m

Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, † to hide it from the Midianites. 12 And the "angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.

13 And Gideon said unto him, O my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and P30 P. 28. 49. Pwhere be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? 2 Chr. 15.2 but now the LORD hath 'forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.

He destroyeth Baal's altar.

15 And he said unto him, O my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.

21 Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there | rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight.

16 And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one

man.

e

e See 1 Kings 18. 33, 34.

Lev. 9. 24. 1 Kings 18. 38. 2 Chr. 7.1.

e ch. 13. 21.

22 And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, Ŏ Lord God! for Gen. 16. 13. because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face.

17 And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me.

18 Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again.

& 32. 30. Ex. 33. 20. ch. 13. 22.

19 And Gideon went in, and made Ha kid of ready ta kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto

26 And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, Heb. strong in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and 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.

31 And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for

ner.