Sifera killed. Chap. v. Deborahs Song. sty and the opened a bottle of milk, and the people: the LORD made me have dogave him drink, and covered him. minion over the mighty. 20 Again he said unto her, Stand in the 14 Out of Ephraim was there a root of door of the tent, and it shall be when any them against Amalek: after thee Benjaman doeth come and enquire of thee, and min, among thy people: out of Machir say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt came down governours, and out of Zebufay, No. Jun they that handle the pen off writer. 21 Then Jael Hebers wife, took a nail 15 And the princes of Ilfachar were with of the tent, and took an hammer in her Deborah: even Iffachar and allo Barak, hand, and went softly unto him, and fimote he was fent on foot into the valley: for the nail into his temples, and faftened it the divifions of Reuben there were great into the ground: (for he was falt afleep, thoughts of heart. and weary) fo he died. 16 Why abodest thou among the sheep 22 And behold, as Barak pursued Sifera, fold, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? Jael came out to meet him, and faid unto for the divitions of Reuben, there were him, Come, and I will shew thee the man great fearchings of heart. whom thou feekeft. And when he came 17 Gilead abode beyond Jordan: && why into her tent, behold, Sifera lay dead, and did Dan remain in ships? After continued the nail was in his temples. 23 So Godfubdued on that day, Jabin the king of Canaan, before the children of Ifrael. 24 And the hand of the children ofIfrael profpered, and prevailed against Jabin the king of Canaan, untill they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan. CHAP. V, The song of Deboraband Barak. on the fea-shore, & abode in his breaches. 18 Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded 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 Taanah by the waters of Megiddo, they took nogain of money. 20 They fought from heaven, the stars in their courses fought against Sifera. THen fang Deborah, and Barak the font The river of Kishon wept them away, that ancient river, the river Kifhon: foul, thou hast troden down strength. 3 Hear, Oyekings, give ear, O ye prin- fings of their mighty ones. ces; I, even I will fing unto the LORD, I 23 Curseye Meroz, (said the angel of will ting praise to LORD God of Ifrael, the LORD) curseye bitterly the inhabi4 LORD, when thou wentest out of Seir, tants thereof: because they came not to when thou marchedst out of the field of E- the help of the LORD to the help of the dom, the earth trembled, and the heavens LORD against the mighty. dropped, the clouds also dropped water. 24 Bleffed above women shall Jael the 5 The mountains melted from before wife of Heber the Kenitebe, blessed shall the LORD, even that Sinai from before the she be above women in the tent. LORD God of Ifrael. 6 In the dayes of Shamgar the fon of Anath, in the days of Jael, the high-wayes were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through by-wayes. 7 The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Ifrael untill that I Deborah arofe, that I arose a mother in Ifrael. 25 He asked water, and she gave him milk, the brought forth butter in a lordly dish. 26 She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmens hammer: and with the hammer she smote Sifera, the smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples. 8 They chose new Gods, then was war in the gates: was there a shieldor spear seen among forty thousand in Ifrael? he bowed, there he fell down dead. 27 At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed he fell; where 9. My heart is toward the ge, ernours of 28 The Mother of Sifera looked out at Ifrael, that offered themselves willingly a window, and cried through the latteffe, among the people: Blesseye the LORD. Why is his chariot so long in coming? το Speak ye that ride on white afes, ye why tarry the wheels of his chariots? that fit in judgment, and walk by the way. 29 Her wife ladies answeredher, yea, II They that are delivered from the noife the returned answer to her felf. of arehers in the places of drawing wa- 30. Have they not spead? have they nor ters, there shall they rehearse the righ- divided the prey, to every man a damfel or teous acts of the LORD, even the righteous two? to Sifera a prey of divers colours, a acts towards the inbabitants of his vil prey of divers colours of needle-work, of lages in Ifrael: then shall the people of divers colours of needle-work on both the LORD go down to the gates. fides, meet for the neck of thers that take 12 Awake, awake Deborah: awake, the spoil? awake, utter a fong: arife Barak, and lead 3r So let all thine enemies perish, O thy captivity captive, thou son of Abi- 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. noam. 13 Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles ainong CHAP And so it was when I frael had fowen, → that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them: Judges. Gideon deliveret's them. 4 And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of y earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no fustenance for Ifrael, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass. 5. For they came up with their cattel, and their tents, and they came as grashoppers for multitude, for both they and their camels were without number: and they entred into the land to destroy it. 6 And Israel was greatly impoverished, because of the Midianites; and the children of Ifrael cried unto the LORD. 7 And it came to pass when the children of Ifrael cried unto the LORD, because of the Midianites; 8 That the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Ifrael, which laid unto them, Thus faith the LORD God of Ifrael, I brought you up from Egypt, & 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: to And I faid unto you, I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites in whose land yedwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice. And there came an angel of the LORD, and fate under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abi-ezrite: and his fon Gideon threshed wheat by the wine-press, to hide it from the Midianites. 12 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and faid unto him, The LORD 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 17 And he faid unto him, if now I have found grace in thy fight, then shew mea fign that thou talkest with me. 18 Depart not thence, I p ay thee, untill I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. Andhefaid, I will tarry untill thou come again. 19 And Gideon went in, and inade ready a kid, & 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 him under the oak, and presented it. 20 And the angel of God faid unto hini,. Take the Hesh, 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 staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh, and the unleavened cakes: and there rofeup fire out of the rock, and confumed the flesh and. the unleavened cakes: then the angel of the LORD departed out of his fight. 22 And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon Laid, Alas, O LORD God: for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face 23 And the LORD fall unto him, Peace be unto thee, fear not, thou shalt nor die. 24 Then Gideon built analer there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovah shalom: unto this dayitis yerin yitis yerin Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites. 25 And it came to pass the fame night, that the LORD said unto him, Take thy fathers young bullock, even the second bul lock of feven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is 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 second bullock, and offer a burnt-facrifice with the wood of the grove which thott shalt cut down. 27 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had faid unto him: and fo it was, because he feared his fathers houshold, 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 early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was caft down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, & the fecond bullock was offered upon the altar that was built. miracles which our fathers told us of, fay-29 And they faid one to another, Who ing, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. 14. And the LORD Jlooked upon him, and faid, Goin this thy might, and thou shalt fave Ifrael from the hand of the Midianites: have not I fent thee? 15 And hefaidunto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall Isave Ifrael? behold, my family is poor in Manasleh, and I am the leaft in my fathers house. 16 And the LORD faid unto him, Sure hath done this thing? And when they en- Gideons army. Chap. vii. He is encouraged. 32 Therefore ony day he called him Jerub- 6 And the number of them that lapped baal, faying, Let Baal plead against him, putting their hand to their mouth, were because be hath thrown down his altar. three hundred men: but all the rest of the 33 Then all the Midianites and the people bowed down upon their knees to Amalekites, and the childreu of the eaft were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel. 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 every man unto his place. 34. But the spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, and thine hand: and let all the other people go Abi-ezer was gathered after him. 35 Andherent messengers throughout 8 Soy people took victuals in their hand, all Manatleh, whoalso was gathered after and their trumpets: & he sent all the rest of him, andhesent messengers unto Asher, Ifrael, every man unto his tent, & retained and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali, those three hundred men: and the host of and they came up to meet them. Midian was beneath him in the valley. 36 And Gideon faid unto God, If 9 And it came to pass the fame night, thou wilt fave Ifrael by mine hand, as thou haft faid, 37 Behold, I will put a fleece of woolin the floor: andifthe dew be on the fleece onely, and it be dry upon all the earth befide, then shall I know that thou wilt save Trael by mine hand, as thou hast faid. that the LORD faid unto him, Arife, get thee down unto the hoft, for I have delivereditinto thine hand. to But if thou fear to go down, gothou with Phurah thy fervant down to hoft. II And thou shalt hear what they say, and afterwards thal thine hands bestrenghtened to go down unto hoft. Then went he outfide of the armed men y were in hoft. 12 Andy Midianites, & the Amalekites, 38 And it was fo: for he refe up early on themorrow and thrust the fleece to down with Phurah his fervant, unto the gether, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water. 39 And Gideon faid unto God, Let not and all the children of east, lay along in thine anger be hot against me, and I will the valley like grashoppers for multitude; fpeak but this once: let me prove, I pray and their camels were without number, as thee, but thise with the fleece; let it the fand by the fea-fide for multitude. Hoyue dry onely upon the fleece, and up- 13 And when Gideon was come, behold, on all the ground let there be dew. 40 And God did to that night for it was dry upon the fleece onely, and there was dew on all the ground. CHAP. VII. 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 host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and I Gideons army. 9 He is encouraged by the overturned it, that the tent lay along. dream and interpretation of the barley 14 And his fellow answered, and faid, cake. 24 Oreband Zeeb. This is nothing elfe fave the sword of Gi T Hen Jerubbaal (who is Gideon) and deon the son of Joash, a man of Ifrael: for all the people that were with him, into his hand hath God delivered Midian, rofe up early, and pitched befide the Well and all the hoft. of Harod: fo that the host of the Midia- 15 Andit wasso, when Gideon heard nites were on the north-fide of them by the telling of the dream, and the interthe hill of Moreh, in the valley. pretation thereof, that he worshipped, and 2 And the LORD faid unto Gideon, The returned into the hoft of Ifrael, and faid, people that are with thee, are to many for Arife, for the LORD hath delivered into me to give Midianites into their hands, your hand the host of Midian. left Ifrael vaunt themfelves against me, 16 And he dividedthe three hundred faying, Mine own hand hath saved me. men into three companies, and he puta 3 Now therefore goto, proclaim in the trumpet in every mans hand, with empty ears of the people, faying, Whosoever is pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers. fearfull and afraid, let him return and de- 17 And he said unto them, Look on me, part early from mount Gilead: and there and do likewife: and behold, when I come returned of the people twenty and two to the out-fide of the camp, it shall be that thousand, & there remained ten thousand, as I do, fso shall ye do. 4 And the LORD faid unto Gideon, The 18 When I blow with a trumpet, I and all people are yet to many: bring them down that are with me, then blow ye the trumunto the water, and I will try them for pets alfo on every fide of all the camp, and thee there: and it shall be that of whom I say, The sword of the LORD, & of Gideon. fay unto thee, This shall go with thee, the 19 So Gideon & the hundred men that fame thall go with thee; and of whomfo- were with him, came unto the out-fide of ever I say unto thee, This shall not go the camp, in the oeginning of the middle with thee, the same shall not go. watch, and they had but newly fet the 5 So he brought downy people unto the watch, and they blew the trumpets, and water and the LORD faid unto Gideon: brake § pitchersthat were in their hands. Every one that lappeth of the water with 20 And the three companies blew the his tongue as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou trumpets, and brake the pitchers and held fet by himself; likewise every one that the lamps in their left hands, and the boweth down upon his knees to drink. trumpets in their right hands to blow wichall 1 Greb and Zeeb. 21 And they stood every man in his Place, round about the camp: and all the hoft ran, and cried, and fled. 22 And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD fet every mans sword against his fellow, even throughout all the hoft: and the hoft fled to Bethshittah, in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath. 23 And the men of Ifrael gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manafieh, and pursued after the Midianites. 24 And Gideon sent messengers thorowout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against y Midianites, & take before them the waters unto Beth-barah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves 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 rock Oreb,and Zeeb, they flew at & wine-press of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreband Zeeb, to Gideon on the other fideJordan. CHAP. VIII. I The Ephramites pacified. 17 Zeba and Zalmunna. 33 The Ifraelites idolatry and ingratitude. And men of Ephraim said unto him, Why haft thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not when thou wentelt to fight with the Midianites? And they did chide with him sharply. 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 then the vintage of Abiezer? 3 God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreband Zeeb and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then their anger was abated toward him, when he hadyaid that. 4 And Gideon came to Jordan, & paffed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them. 5. And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loavs 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, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hands, that we should give bread unto thine army? 7 And Gideon faia, Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zal munna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness, and with briers. 8 And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewife: and the men of Penuel answered him, as the men of Succoth had answered him. 9 And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower. 10 Now Zebah and Zalmwana were fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hofts of the children of the eaft: for there fell an hundred & twenty thousand men that drew fword. And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents, on the east of Nobah, and Jogbehah, and smote the hoft for the hoft was fecure, 12 And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the hoft. 13 And Gideon the fon of Joash returned from battel before the fun was up, 14 And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired of him: and he described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men. 15 And he came unto the men of Succoth, and faid, Behold, Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid me, faying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary? 15 And he took the elders of the city, & thorns of the wildernels, and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth. 17 And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and flew the men of the city. 18 Then faid he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye ye flew at Tabor? and they answered, As thou art, so were they, each one resembled the children of a king. 19 And he faid, They were my brethren, even the fons of my mother: as the LORD liveth, ifye had saved them alive, I would not flay you. 20 And he said unto Jether his firstborn, Up, andilay them: but the youth drew not his fword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth. 21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rife thou and fall upon us: for as the man is fo is his strength. And Gideon arose, & flew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments y were on their camels necks. 22 Then the men of Ifrael faid unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy fon, thy fons son also: for thou haft delivered us from the hand of Midian, 23 And Gideon faid unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my fon rute over you: the LORD shall rule over you. 24 And Gideon faid unto them, I would defire a request of you, that you would give me every man the ear-rings of his prey: (for they had golden earrings, because they were Illimäelites.) 25 And they answered. We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey. 26 Andy weight of the golden ear-rings that he required, was a thousand & seven hundred shekels of gold, beside ornaments and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, & beside chains that were about their camels necks. k Midian fubdued Chap. ix. 27 And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city even in Ophrah; and all Ifrael went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon and to his house. 28 Thus was Midian fubdued before the children of Ifrael, so that they lifted up their heads no more: and the countrey was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon. 29 And Jerubbaal the fon of Joalh went and dwelt in his own house. 20 And Gideon had threescore and ten fons of his body begotten: for he had many wives. 31 Andhis concubine that was in Shechem, the also bare him afon, whose name he called Abimelech. 32. And Gideon the fon of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the fepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites. Fothams parable faid unto them, Hearken unto me, you men of Schechem, that God may hearken unto you. 8 The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them, and they faid unto the olive-tree, Reign thou over us, 9 But the olive-tree faid unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? To And the trees faid unto the fig tree, 12 Then faid the trees unto the vine, Come thou and reign over us. 13 And the vine laid unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promotedovery trees? 14 Then faid all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reigneover us. 33 And it came to pass affoon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Ifrael turnedagain, and wenta whoreing after Baalim, and made Baal-berith their god. and if not, let fire come out of the bram 15 And the bramble faid unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint meking over you, then come and put your truft in my shadow 34 And the children of Ifrael remem- ble, and devoure the cedars of Lebanon. bred not the LORD their God, who had 16 Now therefore, if ye have done delivered them out of the hands of all truly and fincerely, in that ye have made their enemies on every fide: Abimelechking, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal, and his house, and have 35 Neither shewed they kindness to the houfe of Jerubbaal, namely Gideon, ac- doneunto him, according to the defer cording to all the goodness which he had thewed unto Ifrael. CHAP. IX. 1 Abimelech made king. 7 lotbams parable. 22 Gaals conspiracy. A Nd Abimelech the fon of Jerubbaal went to Shechem, unto his mothers brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mothers father, faying, 2 Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all themen of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the fons of Jerubbaal (which are threefcore and ten perfons) reign over you, orthat one reign over you? remember also, that I am your bone and flesh. 3 And his mothers brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts enclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, He is our brother. 4 And they gave him threescore and ten Pieces of lilver, out of the house of Baal berith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light perfons, which followed him. ving of his hands: 17 (Formy Father fought for you, and adventured his lire far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian: 18 And ye are rifen up against my fathers house this day, and have flain his fons, threescore and ten perfons upon one stone, and have made Abimelech the fon of his maid servant king, over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother) 19 Ifve then have dealt truly and fincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoiceye in Abimelech, and let him alfo rejoicein you: 20 But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the man of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and fromy house of Millo,& devourAbimelech 21 And Jotham ran away and tied, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother. 22 When Abimelech had reigned three yearsover Ifrael, 23 Then God fent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem:and the men of Shechem dealt treacheroully with Abimelech: And he went unto his fathers house at Ophrah, and flew his brethren the fons of Jerubbaal, being threescore andten per- 24 That the cruelty done to the three Fous, upon one ftone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself. 6 Andall the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went and made Abimelech king by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem. 7 And when they toldit to Jotham, he went and stoodin the top of mount Geri zim, and lift up his voice and cried, and score and ten fons of Jerubbaal might come and their blood be laid upon Abime lech 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 camealong that way by him: and it was told Abimetech. 26 And Gaal the son of Ebed came with |