King James

« Judges 1 »
King James Bible
War against Remaining Canaanites
(Joshua 13:1-7)
1Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that the children of Israel asked the LORD, saying,
Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them? 2And the LORD said,
Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand. 3And Judah said unto Simeon
his brother, Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise
will go with thee into thy lot. So Simeon went with him. 4And Judah went up; and the LORD
delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand: and they slew of them in Bezek ten
thousand men. 5And they found Adonibezek in Bezek: and they fought against him, and they slew
the Canaanites and the Perizzites. 6But Adonibezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught
him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes. 7And Adonibezek said, Threescore and ten kings,
having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered [their meat] under my table: as I have
done, so God hath requited me. And they brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died.
Jerusalem and Hebron Captured
8Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and had taken it, and smitten it with the
edge of the sword, and set the city on fire. 9And afterward the children of Judah went down to
fight against the Canaanites, that dwelt in the mountain, and in the south, and in the valley. 10And
Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron: (now the name of Hebron before [was]
Kirjatharba:) and they slew Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai.
Additional Cities Captured
(Joshua 15:13-19)
11And from thence he went against the inhabitants of Debir: and the name of Debir before [was]
Kirjathsepher: 12And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjathsepher, and taketh it, to him will I give
Achsah my daughter to wife. 13And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, took it: and
he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife. 14And it came to pass, when she came [to him], that she
moved him to ask of her father a field: and she lighted from off [her] ass; and Caleb said unto her,
What wilt thou? 15And she said unto him, Give me a blessing: for thou hast given me a south land;
give me also springs of water. And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the nether springs.
16And the children of the Kenite, Moses' father in law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the
children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which [lieth] in the south of Arad; and they went
and dwelt among the people. 17And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they slew the
Canaanites that inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. And the name of the city was called
Hormah. 18Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof, and Askelon with the coast thereof, and
Ekron with the coast thereof. 19And the LORD was with Judah; and he drave out [the inhabitants
of] the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of
iron. 20And they gave Hebron unto Caleb, as Moses said: and he expelled thence the three sons of
Anak. 21And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem; but
the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem unto this day.
22And the house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel: and the LORD [was] with them.
23And the house of Joseph sent to descry Bethel. (Now the name of the city before [was] Luz.)
24And the spies saw a man come forth out of the city, and they said unto him, Shew us, we pray
thee, the entrance into the city, and we will shew thee mercy. 25And when he shewed them the
entrance into the city, they smote the city with the edge of the sword; but they let go the man and
all his family. 26And the man went into the land of the Hittites, and built a city, and called the
name thereof Luz: which [is] the name thereof unto this day.
Places Not Conquered
27Neither did Manasseh drive out [the inhabitants of] Bethshean and her towns, nor Taanach and
her towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and her towns,
nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns: but the Canaanites would dwell in that land. 28And
it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, and did not utterly
drive them out.
29Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwelt in
Gezer among them.
30Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol; but the
Canaanites dwelt among them, and became tributaries.
31Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Accho, nor the inhabitants of Zidon, nor of Ahlab,
nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob: 32But the Asherites dwelt among the
Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: for they did not drive them out.
33Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Bethshemesh, nor the inhabitants of Bethanath;
but he dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: nevertheless the inhabitants of
Bethshemesh and of Bethanath became tributaries unto them.
34And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain: for they would not suffer them to
come down to the valley: 35But the Amorites would dwell in mount Heres in Aijalon, and in
Shaalbim: yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, so that they became tributaries. 36And
the coast of the Amorites [was] from the going up to Akrabbim, from the rock, and upward.
« Judges 2 »
King James Bible
Israel Rebuked at Bochim
1And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of
Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never
break my covenant with you. 2And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye
shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?
3Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be [as thorns] in
your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you. 4And it came to pass, when the angel of the
LORD spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and
wept. 5And they called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there unto the LORD.
The Death of Joshua
(Joshua 24:29-33)
6And when Joshua had let the people go, the children of Israel went every man unto his inheritance
to possess the land. 7And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of
the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that he did for
Israel. 8And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, [being] an hundred and ten
years old. 9And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathheres, in the mount of
Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash. 10And also all that generation were gathered unto
their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet
the works which he had done for Israel.
Israel's Unfaithfulness
(Isaiah 43:22-28; Jeremiah 2:23-37)
11And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim: 12And they
forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed
other gods, of the gods of the people that [were] round about them, and bowed themselves unto
them, and provoked the LORD to anger. 13And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and
Ashtaroth. 14And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the
hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about,
so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies. 15Whithersoever they went out, the
hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn
unto them: and they were greatly distressed.
Judges Raised Up
16Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that
spoiled them. 17And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after
other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their
fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the LORD; [but] they did not so. 18And when the
LORD raised 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
groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them. 19And it came to pass, when
the judge was dead, [that] they returned, and corrupted [themselves] more than their fathers, in
following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own
doings, nor from their stubborn way. 20And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and he
said, Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers,
and have not hearkened unto my voice; 21I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them
of the nations which Joshua left when he died: 22That through them I may prove Israel, whether
they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep [it], or not.
23Therefore the LORD left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he
them into the hand of Joshua.
« Judges 3 »
King James Bible
Nations Left to Test Israel
1Now these [are] the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, [even] as many [of
Israel] as had not known all the wars of Canaan; 2Only that the generations of the children of
Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof;
3[Namely], five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites
that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baalhermon unto the entering in of Hamath. 4And they
were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of
the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses. 5And the children of Israel
dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites:
6And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and
served their gods.
Othniel
7And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and
served Baalim and the groves. 8Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he
sold them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel
served Chushanrishathaim eight years.
9And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the
children of Israel, who delivered them, [even] Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.
10And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the
LORD delivered Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed
against Chushanrishathaim. 11And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
Ehud Delivers the Israelites
12And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened
Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD. 13And
he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and
possessed the city of palm trees. 14So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab
eighteen years.
15But 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. 16But 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. 17And he brought the present
unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon [was] a very fat man. 18And when he had made an end to
offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present. 19But 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. 20And Ehud came unto him; and
he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a
message from God unto thee. And he arose out of [his] seat. 21And Ehud put forth his left hand,
and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly: 22And 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. 23Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the
parlour upon him, and locked them.
24When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the
parlour [were] locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber. 25And they
tarried till they were ashamed: 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.
26And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath.
27And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim,
and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them. 28And he said
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 suffered not
a man to pass over. 29And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and
all men of valour; and there escaped not a man. 30So Moab was subdued that day under the hand
of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.
Shamgar
31And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with
an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.
« Judges 4 »
King James Bible
Deborah and Barak
1And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead. 2And the
LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose
host [was] Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles. 3And the children of Israel cried unto
the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the
children of Israel.
4And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time. 5And she dwelt
under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of
Israel came up to her for judgment. 6And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of
Kedeshnaphtali, 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? 7And 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. 8And 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. 9And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not
be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose,
and went with Barak to Kedesh. 10And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went
up with ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him.
11Now 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.
12And they shewed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to mount Tabor. 13And
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. 14And Deborah said
unto Barak, Up; for this [is] the day in which the 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. 15And 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. 16But 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.
Jael Kills Sisera
17Howbeit 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. 18And 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 with a mantle. 19And 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. 20Again 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. 21Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went
softly 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. 22And, 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.
23So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel. 24And the
hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they
had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.
« Judges 5 »
King James Bible
The Song of Deborah and Barak
(Deuteronomy 32:1-47)
1Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,
2Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.
3Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, [even] I, will sing unto the LORD; I will sing [praise] to
the LORD God of Israel.
4LORD, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth
trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water.
5The mountains melted from before the LORD, [even] that Sinai from before the LORD God of
Israel.
6In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and
the travellers walked through byways.
7[The inhabitants of] the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I
arose a mother in Israel.
8They chose new gods; then [was] war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty
thousand in Israel?
9My heart [is] toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people.
Bless ye the LORD.
10Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way.
11[They that are delivered] from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water, there shall
they rehearse the righteous acts of the LORD, [even] the righteous acts [toward the inhabitants] of
his villages in Israel: then shall the people of the LORD go down to the gates.
12Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive,
thou son of Abinoam.
13Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: the LORD
made me have dominion over the mighty.
14Out 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.
15And the princes of Issachar [were] with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on
foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben [there were] great thoughts of heart.
16Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of
Reuben [there were] great searchings of heart.
17Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea
shore, and abode in his breaches.
18Zebulun and Naphtali [were] a people [that] jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high
places of the field.
19The kings came [and] fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of
Megiddo; they took no gain of money.
20They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.
21The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast
trodden down strength.
22Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the pransings of their mighty
ones.
23Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because
they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.
24Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above
women in the tent.
25He asked water, [and] she gave [him] milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish.
26She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer; and with the hammer
she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples.
27At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there
he fell down dead.
28The 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?
29Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself,
30Have 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?
31So 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.
« Judges 6 »
King James Bible
Midian Oppresses Israel
1And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the
hand of Midian seven years. 2And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: [and] because of the
Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which [are] in the mountains, and caves, and
strong holds. 3And [so] it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the
Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them; 4And 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. 5For 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. 6And Israel was greatly impoverished
because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD.
7And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because of the Midianites,
8That 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; 9And 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; 10And 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.
The Call of Gideon
11And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which [was] in Ophrah, that
[pertained] unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide
[it] from the Midianites. 12And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The
LORD [is] with thee, thou mighty man of valour. 13And Gideon said 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, saying, 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. 14And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go
in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?
15And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family [is] poor in
Manasseh, and I [am] the least in my father's house. 16And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will
be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.
Gideon's Offering Consumed with Fire
17And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou
talkest with me. 18Depart 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.
19And Gideon went in, and made ready a 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 him under the oak, and
presented [it]. 20And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes,
and lay [them] upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so. 21Then 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. 22And when Gideon
perceived that he [was] an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord GOD! for because I have
seen an angel of the LORD face to face. 23And the LORD said unto him, Peace [be] unto thee; fear
not: thou shalt not die.
Gideon Destroys Baal's Altar
24Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it [is]
yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
25And 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 down the altar of Baal that thy
father hath, and cut down the grove that [is] by it: 26And 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
sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down. 27Then 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.
28And 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. 29And 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. 30Then 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. 31And Joash said unto all that
stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save 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, because [one]
hath cast down his altar. 32Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead
against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.
Gideon's Army
33Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together,
and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel. 34But the Spirit of the LORD came upon
Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him. 35And 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.
The Signs of the Fleece
36And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said, 37Behold, 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 [beside], then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.
38And 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. 39And Gideon said unto God, 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. 40And God
did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.
« Judges 7 »
King James Bible
Gideon's Army of Three Hundred
1Then 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.
2And 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 vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath
saved me. 3Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, 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.
4And the LORD said unto Gideon, 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. 5So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD
said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt
thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink. 6And 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. 7And the LORD said unto
Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine
hand: and let all the [other] people go every man unto his place. 8So 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.
Gideon's Dream
9And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the
host; for I have delivered it into thine hand. 10But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy
servant down to the host: 11And thou shalt hear 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. 12And the Midianites and the Amalekites and 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. 13And 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. 14And 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.
Gideon Defeats Midian
15And it was [so], when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that
he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered
into your hand the host of Midian. 16And 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.
17And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of
the camp, it shall be [that], as I do, so shall ye do. 18When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that
[are] with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, [The sword]
of the LORD, and of Gideon.
19So 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. 20And 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. 21And they stood every
man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled. 22And the three
hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, even
throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, [and] to the border of
Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath. 23And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of
Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites.
24And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the
Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of
Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. 25And
they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb,
and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb
and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.
« Judges 8 »
King James Bible
Gideon Defeats Zebah and Zalmunna
1And 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. 2And 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 Abiezer? 3God 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 said that.
4And Gideon came to Jordan, [and] passed over, he, and the three hundred men that [were] with
him, faint, yet pursuing [them]. 5And he said unto the men of 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. 6And the princes of Succoth said, [Are] the hands of Zebah and
Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army? 7And Gideon said,
Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your
flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers. 8And he went up thence to Penuel, and
spake unto them likewise: and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had
answered [him]. 9And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace,
I will break down this tower.
10Now Zebah and Zalmunna [were] in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand
[men], all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell an hundred and
twenty thousand men that drew sword. 11And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in
tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host: for the host was secure. 12And
when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah
and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host.
13And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun [was up], 14And caught a young
man of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him: and he described unto him the princes of
Succoth, and the elders thereof, [even] threescore and seventeen men. 15And he came unto the
men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid me, saying,
[Are] the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy
men [that are] weary? 16And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and
briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth. 17And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and
slew the men of the city.
18Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men [were they] whom ye slew at
Tabor? And they answered, As thou [art], so [were] they; each one resembled the children of a
king. 19And he said, They [were] my brethren, [even] the sons of my mother: [as] the LORD
liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you. 20And he said unto Jether his firstborn, Up,
[and] slay them. But the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he [was] yet a youth.
21Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man [is, so is] his
strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that
[were] on their camels' necks.
Gideon's Ephod
22Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy
son's son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian. 23And Gideon said unto them, I
will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you. 24And
Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the
earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they [were] Ishmaelites.) 25And they
answered, We will willingly give [them]. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every
man the earrings of his prey. 26And the weight of the golden earrings 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.
27And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, [even] in Ophrah: and all Israel went
thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.
Forty Years of Peace
28Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more.
And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.
29And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house. 30And Gideon had threescore
and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives. 31And his concubine that [was] in
Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.
Gideon's Death
32And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his
father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
33And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and
went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith their god. 34And the children of Israel
remembered not the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies
on every side: 35Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, [namely], Gideon,
according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.
« Judges 9 »
King James Bible
Abimelech's Conspiracy
1And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother's brethren, and communed
with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying, 2Speak, I pray you,
in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether [is] better for you, either that all the sons of
Jerubbaal, [which are] threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you?
remember also that I [am] your bone and your flesh. 3And his mother's brethren spake of him in
the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech;
for they said, He [is] our brother. 4And they gave him threescore and ten [pieces] of silver out of
the house of Baalberith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which followed him.
5And he went unto his father's house at Ophrah, and slew 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. 6And all 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.
Jotham's Parable
7And when they told [it] to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up
his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may
hearken unto you. 8The trees went forth [on a time] to anoint a king over them; and they said
unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us. 9But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my
fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? 10And
the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, [and] reign over us. 11But the fig tree said unto them,
Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees? 12Then
said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, [and] reign over us. 13And the vine said unto them,
Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
14Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, [and] reign over us. 15And 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, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.
16Now 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: 18And 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 maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he [is] your brother;) 19If ye then have
dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, [then] rejoice ye in Abimelech,
and let him also rejoice in you: 20But if not, 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. 21And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and
dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
Gaal Conspires with the Shechemites
22When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel, 23Then God sent an evil spirit between
Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:
24That 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
aided him in the killing of his brethren. 25And 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.
26And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren, and went over to Shechem: and the men of
Shechem put their confidence in him. 27And they went out into the fields, and gathered their
vineyards, and trode [the grapes], and made merry, and went into the house of their god, and did
eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech. 28And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who [is] Abimelech, and
who [is] Shechem, that we should serve him? [is] not [he] the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his
officer? serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: for why should we serve him? 29And
would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to
Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.
30And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was
kindled. 31And he sent messengers unto Abimelech privily, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed
and his brethren be come to Shechem; and, behold, they fortify the city against thee. 32Now
therefore up by night, thou and the people that [is] with thee, and lie in wait in the field: 33And 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.
Abimelech Sows the City with Salt
34And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that [were] with him, by night, and they laid wait
against Shechem in four companies. 35And 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. 36And 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. 37And Gaal spake again and said, See there come people down by the
middle of the land, and another company come along by the plain of Meonenim. 38Then said Zebul
unto him, Where [is] now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst, Who [is] Abimelech, that we should
serve him? [is] not this the people that thou hast despised? go out, I pray now, and fight with
them. 39And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech. 40And
Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown [and] wounded, [even]
unto the entering of the gate. 41And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his
brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem.
42And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told
Abimelech. 43And 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. 44And Abimelech, and the company 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. 45And Abimelech fought against the city all that
day; and he took the city, and slew the people that [was] therein, and beat down the city, and
sowed it with salt.
46And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard [that], they entered into an hold of the
house of the god Berith. 47And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem
were gathered together. 48And Abimelech gat him up to mount 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]. 49And 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.
A Millstone Dropped on Abimelech
50Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it. 51But 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. 52And Abimelech came unto the tower,
and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire. 53And a certain
woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech's head, and all to brake his skull. 54Then he
called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, 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. 55And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man unto
his place.
Jotham's Curse Fulfilled
56Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his
seventy brethren: 57And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads: and
upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.
« Judges 10 »
King James Bible
Tola Leads Israel
1And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of
Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim. 2And he judged Israel twenty and three years,
and died, and was buried in Shamir.
Jair Leads Israel
3And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years. 4And he had thirty
sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair unto this
day, which [are] in the land of Gilead. 5And Jair died, and was buried in Camon.
Philistine and Ammonite Oppression
6And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and
Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of
the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him.
7And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the
Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon. 8And that year they vexed and oppressed
the children of Israel: eighteen years, all the children of Israel that [were] on the other side Jordan
in the land of the Amorites, which [is] in Gilead. 9Moreover the children of Ammon passed over
Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim; so
that Israel was sore distressed.
10And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, We have sinned against thee, both
because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim. 11And the LORD said unto the children
of Israel, [Did] not [I deliver you] from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of
Ammon, and from the Philistines? 12The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did
oppress you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand. 13Yet ye have forsaken me,
and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more. 14Go and cry unto the gods which ye
have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation. 15And the children of Israel said
unto the LORD, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us
only, we pray thee, this day. 16And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served
the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.
17Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. And the children
of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpeh. 18And the people [and] princes
of Gilead said one to another, What man [is he] that will begin to fight against the children of
Ammon? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.
« Judges 11 »
King James Bible
Jephthah Delivers Israel
1Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he [was] the son of an harlot: and
Gilead begat Jephthah. 2And Gilead's wife bare him sons; and his wife's sons grew up, and they
thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father's house; for thou [art]
the son of a strange woman. 3Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob:
and there were gathered vain men to Jephthah, and went out with him.
4And it came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel. 5And
it was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to
fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob: 6And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain,
that we may fight with the children of Ammon. 7And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, Did
not ye hate me, and expel me out of my father's house? and why are ye come unto me now when
ye are in distress? 8And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, Therefore we turn again to thee
now, that thou mayest go with us, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be our head over
all the inhabitants of Gilead. 9And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home
again to fight against the children of Ammon, and the LORD deliver them before me, shall I be your
head? 10And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, The LORD be witness between us, if we do
not so according to thy words. 11Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people
made him head and captain over them: and Jephthah uttered all his words before the LORD in
Mizpeh.
12And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What hast thou
to do with me, that thou art come against me to fight in my land? 13And the king of the children of
Ammon answered unto the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when they
came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jordan: now therefore restore those
[lands] again peaceably. 14And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of
Ammon: 15And said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, Israel took not away the land of Moab, nor the
land of the children of Ammon: 16But when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked through the
wilderness unto the Red sea, and came to Kadesh; 17Then Israel sent messengers unto the king of
Edom, saying, Let me, I pray thee, pass through thy land: but the king of Edom would not hearken
[thereto]. And in like manner they sent unto the king of Moab: but he would not [consent]: and
Israel abode in Kadesh. 18Then they went along through the wilderness, and compassed the land
of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the east side of the land of Moab, and pitched on the
other side of Arnon, but came not within the border of Moab: for Arnon [was] the border of Moab.
19And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel
said unto him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy land into my place. 20But Sihon trusted not
Israel to pass through his coast: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and pitched in Jahaz,
and fought against Israel. 21And the LORD God of Israel delivered Sihon and all his people into the
hand of Israel, and they smote them: so Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the
inhabitants of that country. 22And they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon even
unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto Jordan. 23So now the LORD God of Israel hath
dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, and shouldest thou possess it? 24Wilt not
thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever the LORD our
God shall drive out from before us, them will we possess. 25And now [art] thou any thing better
than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight
against them, 26While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her towns, and in Aroer and her towns, and in
all the cities that [be] along by the coasts of Arnon, three hundred years? why therefore did ye not
recover [them] within that time? 27Wherefore I have not sinned against thee, but thou doest me
wrong to war against me: the LORD the Judge be judge this day between the children of Israel and
the children of Ammon. 28Howbeit the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the
words of Jephthah which he sent him.
Jephthah's Tragic Vow
29Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and
passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over [unto] the children of
Ammon. 30And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver
the children of Ammon into mine hands, 31Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the
doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be
the LORD'S, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering. 32So Jephthah passed over unto the children
of Ammon to fight against them; and the LORD delivered them into his hands. 33And he smote
them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minnith, [even] twenty cities, and unto the plain of the
vineyards, with a very great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the
children of Israel.
34And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him
with timbrels and with dances: and she [was his] only child; beside her he had neither son nor
daughter. 35And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my
daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have
opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back. 36And she said unto him, My father, [if]
thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out
of thy mouth; forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, [even] of
the children of Ammon. 37And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me alone
two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my
fellows. 38And he said, Go. And he sent her away [for] two months: and she went with her
companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains. 39And it came to pass at the end of
two months, that she returned unto her father, who did with her [according] to his vow which he
had vowed: and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel, 40[That] the daughters of Israel
went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.
« Judges 12 »
King James Bible
Jephthah Defeats Ephraim
1And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto
Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call
us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire. 2And Jephthah said unto them, I
and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye
delivered me not out of their hands. 3And when I saw that ye delivered [me] not, I put my life in
my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into my
hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me? 4Then Jephthah
gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote
Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites [are] fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, [and]
among the Manassites. 5And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites:
and it was [so], that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me go over; that the
men of Gilead said unto him, [Art] thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay; 6Then said they unto him,
Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce [it] right. Then
they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the
Ephraimites forty and two thousand.
7And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in [one of]
the cities of Gilead.
Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon
8And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. 9And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters,
[whom] he sent abroad, and took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged
Israel seven years. 10Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Bethlehem.
11And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years. 12And Elon the
Zebulonite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the country of Zebulun.
13And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel. 14And he had forty sons and
thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years. 15And
Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in
the mount of the Amalekites.
« Judges 13 »
King James Bible
The Birth of Samson
1And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them
into the hand of the Philistines forty years.
2And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name [was] Manoah;
and his wife [was] barren, and bare not. 3And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman,
and said unto her, Behold now, thou [art] barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and
bear a son. 4Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not
any unclean [thing]: 5For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no rasor shall come on his
head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel
out of the hand of the Philistines. 6Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of
God came unto me, and his countenance [was] like the countenance of an angel of God, very
terrible: but I asked him not whence he [was], neither told he me his name: 7But he said unto me,
Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat
any unclean [thing]: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death.
8Then Manoah intreated the LORD, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send
come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born. 9And God
hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again unto the woman as she sat in
the field: but Manoah her husband [was] not with her. 10And the woman made haste, and ran, and
shewed her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto
me the [other] day. 11And Manoah arose, and went after his wife, and came to the man, and said
unto him, [Art] thou the man that spakest unto the woman? And he said, I [am]. 12And Manoah
said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the child, and [how] shall we do unto
him? 13And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the woman let her
beware. 14She may not eat of any [thing] that cometh of the vine, neither let her drink wine or
strong drink, nor eat any unclean [thing]: all that I commanded her let her observe.
15And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have
made ready a kid for thee. 16And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Though thou detain
me, I will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the
LORD. For Manoah knew not that he [was] an angel of the LORD. 17And Manoah said unto the
angel of the LORD, What [is] thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee
honour? 18And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing
it [is] secret? 19So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered [it] upon a rock unto the
LORD: and [the angel] did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on. 20For it came to pass,
when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in
the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on [it], and fell on their faces to the
ground.
21But the angel of the LORD did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew
that he [was] an angel of the LORD. 22And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because
we have seen God. 23But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he would not
have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have shewed us
all these [things], nor would as at this time have told us [such things] as these.
24And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD
blessed him. 25And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan
between Zorah and Eshtaol.
« Judges 14 »
King James Bible
Samson's Marriage
1And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the
Philistines. 2And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in
Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife. 3Then his father
and his mother said unto him, [Is there] never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or
among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson
said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well. 4But his father and his mother knew
not that it [was] of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time
the Philistines had dominion over Israel.
5Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of
Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him. 6And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily
upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and [he had] nothing in his hand: but he
told not his father or his mother what he had done. 7And he went down, and talked with the
woman; and she pleased Samson well.
Samson's Riddle
8And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and,
behold, [there was] a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion. 9And he took thereof in
his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did
eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.
10So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young
men to do. 11And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be
with him.
12And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it
me within the seven days of the feast, and find [it] out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty
change of garments: 13But if ye cannot declare [it] me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and
thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.
14And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth
sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle.
15And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband,
that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye
called us to take that we have? [is it] not [so]? 16And Samson's wife wept before him, and said,
Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my
people, and hast not told [it] me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told [it] my father nor
my mother, and shall I tell [it] thee? 17And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast
lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him:
and she told the riddle to the children of her people.
18And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What [is]
sweeter than honey? and what [is] stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye had not
plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.
19And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men
of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle.
And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house. 20But Samson's wife was [given]
to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.
« Judges 15 »
King James Bible
Samson Denied his Wife
1But it came to pass within a while after, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife
with a kid; and he said, I will go in to my wife into the chamber. But her father would not suffer
him to go in. 2And her father said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her; therefore I
gave her to thy companion: [is] not her younger sister fairer than she? take her, I pray thee,
instead of her.
Samson Defeats the Philistines
3And Samson said concerning them, Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, though I
do them a displeasure. 4And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands,
and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails. 5And when he had set
the brands on fire, he let [them] go into the standing corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both the
shocks, and also the standing corn, with the vineyards [and] olives. 6Then the Philistines said, Who
hath done this? And they answered, Samson, the son in law of the Timnite, because he had taken
his wife, and given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father
with fire. 7And Samson said unto them, Though ye have done this, yet will I be avenged of you,
and after that I will cease. 8And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went
down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam.
9Then the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread themselves in Lehi. 10And the men
of Judah said, Why are ye come up against us? And they answered, To bind Samson are we come
up, to do to him as he hath done to us. 11Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of
the rock Etam, and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines [are] rulers over us? what
[is] this [that] thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I
done unto them. 12And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may deliver
thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them, Swear unto me, that ye will not
fall upon me yourselves. 13And they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast, and
deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee. And they bound him with two new
cords, and brought him up from the rock.
14[And] when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the LORD
came mightily upon him, and the cords that [were] upon his arms became as flax that was burnt
with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands. 15And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and
put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.
16And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I
slain a thousand men.
17And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out
of his hand, and called that place Ramathlehi. 18And he was sore athirst, and called on the LORD,
and said, Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die
for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised? 19But God clave an hollow place that [was]
in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he
revived: wherefore he called the name thereof Enhakkore, which [is] in Lehi unto this day. 20And
he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.
« Judges 16 »
King James Bible
Samson Escapes Gaza
1Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her. 2[And it was told] the
Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither. And they compassed [him] in, and laid wait for him all
night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is day,
we shall kill him. 3And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the
gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put [them] upon his
shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that [is] before Hebron.
Samson and Delilah
4And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name [was]
Delilah. 5And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see
wherein his great strength [lieth], and by what [means] we may prevail against him, that we may
bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred [pieces] of silver.
6And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength [lieth], and
wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee. 7And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with
seven green withs that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man. 8Then the
lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withs which had not been dried, and she
bound him with them. 9Now [there were] men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And
she said unto him, The Philistines [be] upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of
tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.
10And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: now tell me, I
pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound. 11And he said unto her, If they bind me fast with
new ropes that never were occupied, then shall I be weak, and be as another man. 12Delilah
therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him, The Philistines [be] upon
thee, Samson. And [there were] liers in wait abiding in the chamber. And he brake them from off
his arms like a thread.
13And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith
thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with
the web. 14And she fastened [it] with the pin, and said unto him, The Philistines [be] upon thee,
Samson. And he awaked out of his sleep, and went away with the pin of the beam, and with the
web.
Delilah Discovers the Secret
15And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart [is] not with me? thou
hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength [lieth]. 16And
it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, [so] that his soul was
vexed unto death; 17That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a rasor
upon mine head; for I [have been] a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven,
then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any [other] man.
18And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the
Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath shewed me all his heart. Then the lords of the
Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand. 19And she made him sleep upon
her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head;
and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him. 20And she said, The Philistines [be]
upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before,
and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him. 21But the Philistines took
him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass;
and he did grind in the prison house. 22Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he
was shaven.
Samson's Vengeance and Death
23Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon
their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.
24And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our god hath delivered into
our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which slew many of us.
25And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may
make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and
they set him between the pillars. 26And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer
me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them. 27Now
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.
28And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and
strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines
for my two eyes. 29And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood,
and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left. 30And
Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with [all his] might; and the
house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that [were] therein. So the dead which he slew
at his death were more than [they] which he slew in his life. 31Then 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 buryingplace of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years.
« Judges 17 »
King James Bible
Micah's Idolatry
1And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name [was] Micah. 2And he said unto his mother,
The eleven hundred [shekels] of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and
spakest of also in mine ears, behold, the silver [is] with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed
[be thou] of the LORD, my son. 3And when he had restored the eleven hundred [shekels] of silver
to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the LORD from my hand for
my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee.
4Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred [shekels] of silver,
and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they
were in the house of Micah. 5And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and
teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest. 6In those days [there was] no
king in Israel, [but] every man did [that which was] right in his own eyes.
7And there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah of the family of Judah, who [was] a Levite,
and he sojourned there. 8And the man departed out of the city from Bethlehemjudah to sojourn
where he could find [a place]: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he
journeyed. 9And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, I [am] a Levite
of Bethlehemjudah, and I go to sojourn where I may find [a place]. 10And Micah said unto him,
Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten [shekels] of silver by
the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in. 11And the Levite was
content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons. 12And Micah
consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.
13Then said Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to [my]
priest.
« Judges 18 »
King James Bible
The Danites Settle in Laish
1In those days [there was] no king in Israel: and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought them
an inheritance to dwell in; for unto that day [all their] inheritance had not fallen unto them among
the tribes of Israel. 2And the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their coasts, men of
valour, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to search it; and they said unto
them, Go, search the land: who when they came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, they
lodged there. 3When 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]? and what hast thou here? 4And he said unto them, Thus and thus
dealeth Micah with me, and hath hired me, and I am his priest. 5And they said unto him, Ask
counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be
prosperous. 6And the priest said unto them, Go in peace: before the LORD [is] your way wherein
ye go.
7Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people that [were] therein, how they
dwelt careless, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure; and [there was] no magistrate
in the land, that might put [them] to shame in [any] thing; and they [were] far from the Zidonians,
and had no business with [any] man. 8And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol:
and their brethren said unto them, What [say] ye? 9And they said, Arise, that we may go up
against them: for we have seen the land, and, behold, it [is] very good: and [are] ye still? be not
slothful to go, [and] to enter to possess the land. 10When ye go, ye shall come unto a people
secure, 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.
11And there went from thence of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six
hundred men appointed with weapons of war. 12And they went up, and pitched in Kirjathjearim, in
Judah: wherefore they called that place Mahanehdan unto this day: behold, [it is] behind
Kirjathjearim. 13And they passed thence unto mount Ephraim, and came unto the house of Micah.
Danites Take Micah's Idols
14Then answered the five men that went to spy out the country of Laish, and said 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 consider what ye have to do. 15And they turned thitherward,
and came to the house of the young man the Levite, [even] unto the house of Micah, and saluted
him. 16And the six hundred men appointed with their weapons of war, which [were] of the children
of Dan, stood by the entering of the gate. 17And the five men that went to spy 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 priest stood in the entering of the gate with the six hundred men [that
were] appointed with weapons of war. 18And these went into Micah's house, and fetched the
carved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. Then said the priest unto them,
What do ye? 19And they said unto him, Hold thy peace, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and go
with us, and be to us a father and a priest: [is it] better for thee to be a priest unto the house of
one man, or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel? 20And the priest's heart was
glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst of
the people.
21So they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle 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
near to Micah's house were gathered together, and overtook the children of Dan. 23And they cried
unto the children of Dan. And they turned their faces, and said unto Micah, What aileth thee, that
thou comest with such a company? 24And he said, Ye have taken away my gods 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? 25And the children of Dan said unto him, Let not thy voice be heard among
us, lest angry fellows run upon thee, and thou lose thy life, with the lives of thy household. 26And
the children of Dan went their way: and when Micah saw that they [were] too strong for him, he
turned and went back unto his house.
27And they took [the things] which Micah had made, and the priest which he had, and came unto
Laish, unto a people [that were] at quiet and secure: and they smote them with the edge of the
sword, and burnt the city with fire. 28And [there was] no deliverer, because it [was] far from
Zidon, and they had no business with [any] man; and it was in the valley that [lieth] by Bethrehob.
And they built a city, and dwelt therein. 29And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name
of Dan their father, who was born unto Israel: howbeit the name of the city [was] Laish at the first.
30And the children of Dan set up the graven image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of
Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.
31And they set them up Micah's graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God
was in Shiloh.
« Judges 19 »
King James Bible
The Levite and his Concubine
1And it came to pass in those days, when [there was] no king in Israel, that there was a certain
Levite sojourning on the side of mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of
Bethlehemjudah. 2And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto
her father's house to Bethlehemjudah, and was there four whole months. 3And her husband arose,
and went after her, to speak friendly unto her, [and] to bring her again, having his servant with
him, and a couple of asses: and she brought him into her father's house: and when the father of
the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him. 4And his father in law, the damsel's father, retained
him; and he abode with him three days: so they did eat and drink, and lodged there. 5And it came
to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early in the morning, that he rose up to depart: and the
damsel's father said unto his son in law, Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward
go your way. 6And they sat down, and did eat and drink both of them together: for the damsel's
father had said unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry all night, and let thine heart be
merry. 7And when the man rose up to depart, his father in law urged him: therefore he lodged
there again. 8And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart: and the damsel's father
said, Comfort thine heart, I pray thee. And they tarried until afternoon, and they did eat both of
them. 9And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father in
law, the damsel's father, said unto him, Behold, now the day draweth toward evening, I pray you
tarry all night: behold, the day groweth to an end, lodge here, that thine heart may be merry; and
to morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home.
10But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over against
Jebus, which [is] Jerusalem; and [there were] with him two asses saddled, his concubine also
[was] with him. 11[And] when they [were] by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said
unto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn in into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it.
12And his master said unto him, We will not turn aside hither into the city of a stranger, that [is]
not of the children of Israel; we will pass over to Gibeah. 13And he said unto his servant, Come,
and let us draw near to one of these places to lodge all night, in Gibeah, or in Ramah. 14And they
passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them [when they were] by Gibeah,
which [belongeth] to Benjamin. 15And they turned aside thither, to go in [and] to lodge in Gibeah:
and when he went in, he sat him down in a street of the city: for [there was] no man that took
them into his house to lodging.
16And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even, which [was] also of
mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah: but the men of the place [were] Benjamites. 17And
when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in the street of the city: and the old man
said, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou? 18And he said unto him, We [are] passing
from Bethlehemjudah toward the side of mount Ephraim; from thence [am] I: and I went to
Bethlehemjudah, but I [am now] going to the house of the LORD; and there [is] no man that
receiveth me to house. 19Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses; and there is bread
and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man [which is] with thy servants:
[there is] no want of any thing. 20And the old man said, Peace [be] with thee; howsoever [let] all
thy wants [lie] upon me; only lodge not in the street. 21So he brought him into his house, and
gave provender unto the asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.
Gibeah's Crime
22[Now] as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial,
beset the house round about, [and] beat at the door, and spake to the master of the house, the
old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may know him. 23And
the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and said unto them, Nay, my brethren,
[nay], I pray you, do not [so] wickedly; seeing that this man is come into mine house, do not this
folly. 24Behold, [here is] my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, and
humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good unto you: but unto this man do not so vile
a thing. 25But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took his concubine, and brought her
forth unto them; and they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning: and when the
day began to spring, they let her go. 26Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell
down at the door of the man's house where her lord [was], till it was light.
27And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went out to go his
way: and, behold, the woman his concubine was fallen down [at] the door of the house, and her
hands [were] upon the threshold. 28And he said unto her, Up, and let us be going. But none
answered. Then the man took her [up] upon an ass, and the man rose up, and gat him unto his
place. 29And 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 coasts of
Israel. 30And 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: consider of it, take
advice, and speak [your minds].
« Judges 20 »
King James Bible
The Decree of the Assembly
1Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man,
from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, unto the LORD in Mizpeh. 2And the chief of
all the people, [even] of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people
of God, four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword. 3(Now the children of Benjamin heard
that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpeh.) Then said the children of Israel, Tell [us], how
was this wickedness? 4And the Levite, the husband of the woman that was slain, answered and
said, I came into Gibeah that [belongeth] to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge. 5And the
men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round about upon me by night, [and] thought
to have slain me: and my concubine have they forced, that she is dead. 6And I took my concubine,
and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel: for they
have committed lewdness and folly in Israel. 7Behold, ye [are] all children of Israel; give here your
advice and counsel.
8And all the people arose as one man, saying, We will not any [of us] go to his tent, neither will we
any [of us] turn into his house. 9But now this [shall be] the thing which we will do to Gibeah; [we
will go up] by lot against it; 10And we will take ten men of an hundred throughout all the tribes of
Israel, and an hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch victual for the
people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that
they have wrought in Israel. 11So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit
together as one man.
12And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness [is]
this that is done among you? 13Now 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 Israel. But the children of
Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel: 14But the children
of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against
the children of Israel. 15And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities
twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, beside the inhabitants of Gibeah, which were
numbered seven hundred chosen men. 16Among all this people [there were] seven hundred
chosen men lefthanded; every one could sling stones at an hair [breadth], and not miss.
17And the men of Israel, beside Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew
sword: all these [were] men of war.
Civil War against Benjamin
(2 Samuel 2:12-32; 2 Chronicles 13:4-19; Matthew 13:33-33; Luke 13:20-21)
18And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God, and
said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the LORD
said, Judah [shall go up] first.
19And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah. 20And the men
of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel put themselves in array to
fight against them at Gibeah. 21And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and
destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men. 22And the
people the men of Israel encouraged themselves, and set their battle again in array in the place
where they put themselves in array the first day. 23(And the children of Israel went up and wept
before the LORD until even, and asked counsel of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up again to battle
against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the LORD said, Go up against him.)
Defeat of the Benjamites
24And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day. 25And
Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the
ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword. 26Then all
the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and
sat there before the LORD, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace
offerings before the LORD. 27And the children of Israel inquired of the LORD, (for the ark of the
covenant of God [was] there in those days, 28And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron,
stood before it in those days,) saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of
Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And the LORD said, Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them
into thine hand.
29And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah. 30And the children of Israel went up against the
children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other
times. 31And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, [and] were drawn away from
the city; and they began to smite of the people, [and] kill, as at other times, in the highways, of
which one goeth up to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of
Israel. 32And the children of Benjamin said, They [are] smitten down before us, as at the first. But
the children of Israel said, Let us flee, and draw them from the city unto the highways. 33And all
the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put themselves in array at Baaltamar: and the liers
in wait of Israel came forth out of their places, [even] out of the meadows of Gibeah. 34And there
came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was sore: but they
knew not that evil [was] near them. 35And the LORD smote Benjamin before Israel: and the
children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and an hundred
men: all these drew the sword.
36So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten: for the men of Israel gave place to the
Benjamites, because they trusted unto the liers in wait which they had set beside Gibeah. 37And
the liers in wait hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah; and the liers in wait drew [themselves] along,
and smote all the city with the edge of the sword. 38Now there was an appointed sign between the
men of Israel and the liers in wait, that they should make a great flame with smoke rise up out of
the city. 39And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began to smite [and] kill of
the men of Israel about thirty persons: for they said, Surely they are smitten down before us, as
[in] the first battle. 40But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a pillar of smoke,
the Benjamites looked behind them, and, behold, the flame of the city ascended up to heaven.
41And when the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin were amazed: for they saw that
evil was come upon them. 42Therefore they turned [their backs] before the men of Israel unto the
way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and them which [came] out of the cities they
destroyed in the midst of them. 43[Thus] they inclosed the Benjamites round about, [and] chased
them, [and] trode them down with ease over against Gibeah toward the sunrising. 44And there fell
of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these [were] men of valour. 45And they turned and fled
toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the highways five
thousand men; and pursued hard after them unto Gidom, and slew two thousand men of them.
46So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew the
sword; all these [were] men of valour. 47But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness
unto the rock Rimmon, and abode in the rock Rimmon four months. 48And the men of Israel
turned again upon the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well
the men of [every] city, as the beast, and all that came to hand: also they set on fire all the cities
that they came to.
« Judges 21 »
King James Bible
Mourning the Tribe of Benjamin
1Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter
unto Benjamin to wife. 2And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even
before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore; 3And said, O LORD God of Israel, why is this
come to pass in Israel, that there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel? 4And it came to pass
on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and
peace offerings.
5And the children of Israel said, Who [is there] among all the tribes of Israel that came not up with
the congregation unto the LORD? For they had made a great oath concerning him that came not
up to the LORD to Mizpeh, saying, He shall surely be put to death. 6And the children of Israel
repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.
7How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the LORD that we will
not give them of our daughters to wives?
Provision for Benjamin's Survival
8And they said, What one [is there] of the tribes of Israel that came not up to Mizpeh to the LORD?
And, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabeshgilead to the assembly. 9For the people
were numbered, and, behold, [there were] none of the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead there. 10And
the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest, and commanded them,
saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead with the edge of the sword, with the women
and the children. 11And this [is] the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy every male, and
every woman that hath lain by man. 12And they found among the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead four
hundred young virgins, that had known no man by lying with any male: and they brought them
unto the camp to Shiloh, which [is] in the land of Canaan.
13And the whole congregation sent [some] to speak to the children of Benjamin that [were] in the
rock Rimmon, and to call peaceably unto them. 14And Benjamin came again at that time; and they
gave them wives which they had saved alive of the women of Jabeshgilead: and yet so they
sufficed them not. 15And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the LORD had
made a breach in the tribes of Israel.
16Then the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing
the women are destroyed out of Benjamin? 17And they said, [There must be] an inheritance for
them that be escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel. 18Howbeit we may
not give them wives of our daughters: for the children of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed [be] he
that giveth a wife to Benjamin.
19Then they said, Behold, [there is] a feast of the LORD in Shiloh yearly [in a place] which [is] on
the north side of Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goeth up from Bethel to Shechem,
and on the south of Lebonah. 20Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go
and lie in wait in the vineyards; 21And see, and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to
dance in dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of the
daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin. 22And it shall be, when their fathers or their
brethren come unto us to complain, that we will say unto them, Be favourable unto them for our
sakes: because we reserved not to each man his wife in the war: for ye did not give unto them at
this time, [that] ye should be guilty. 23And the children of Benjamin did so, and took [them] wives,
according to their number, of them that danced, whom they caught: and they went and returned
unto their inheritance, and repaired the cities, and dwelt in them. 24And the children of Israel
departed thence at that time, every man to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from
thence every man to his inheritance.
25In those days [there was] no king in Israel: every man did [that which was] right in his own eyes.