JUDGES CHAPTER 1
Judges 1:1 And it cometh to pass, after the death of Joshua, that the sons of Israel ask at YHWH, saying, `Who doth go up for us unto the Canaanite, at the commencement, to fight against it?'
1:2 And YHWH saith, `Judah doth go up; lo, I have given the land into his hand.'
1:3 And Judah saith to Simeon his brother, `Go up with me into my lot, and we fight against the Canaanite -- and I have gone, even I, with thee into thy lot;' and Simeon goeth with him.
1:4 And Judah goeth up, and YHWH giveth the Canaanite and the Perizzite into their hand, and they smite them in Bezek -- ten thousand men;
1:5 and they find Adoni-Bezek in Bezek, and fight against him, and smite the Canaanite and the Perizzite.
1:6 And Adoni-Bezek fleeth, and they pursue after him, and seize him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes,
1:7 and Adoni-Bezek saith, `Seventy kings -- their thumbs and their great toes cut off -- have been gathering under my table; as I have done so hath God repaid to me;' and they bring him in to Jerusalem, and he dieth there.
1:8 And the sons of Judah fight against Jerusalem, and capture it, and smite it by the mouth of the sword, and the city they have sent into fire;
1:9 and afterwards have the sons of Judah gone down to fight against the Canaanite, inhabiting the hill-country, and the south, and the low country;
Judges 1:10 and Judah goeth unto the Canaanite who is dwelling in Hebron (and the name of Hebron formerly [is] Kirjath-Arba), and they smite Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai.
1:11 And he goeth thence unto the inhabitants of Debir (and the name of Debir formerly [is] Kirjath-Sepher),
1:12 and Caleb saith, `He who smiteth Kirjath-Sepher -- and hath captured it -- then I have given to him Achsah my daughter for a wife.'
1:13 And Othniel son of Kenaz, younger brother of Caleb, doth capture it, and he giveth to him Achsah his daughter for a wife.
1:14 And it cometh to pass in her coming in, that she persuadeth him to ask from her father the field, and she lighteth from off the ass, and Caleb saith to her, `What -- to thee?'
1:15 And she saith to him, `Give to me a blessing; when the south land thou hast given me -- then thou hast given to me springs of water; and Caleb giveth to her the upper springs and the lower springs.
1:16 And the sons of the Kenite, father-in-law of Moses, have gone up out of the city of palms with the sons of Judah [to] the wilderness of Judah, which [is] in the south of Arad, and they go and dwell with the people.
1:17 And Judah goeth with Simeon his brother, and they smite the Canaanite inhabiting Zephath, and devote it; and [one] calleth the name of the city Hormah.
1:18 And Judah captureth Gaza and its border, and Askelon and its border, and Ekron and its border;
1:19 and YHWH is with Judah, and he occupieth the hill-country, but not to dispossess the inhabitants of the valley, for they have chariots of iron.
Judges 1:20 And they give to Caleb Hebron, as Moses hath spoken, and he dispossesseth thence the three sons of Anak.
1:21 And the Jebusite, inhabiting Jerusalem, the sons of Benjamin have not dispossessed; and the Jebusite dwelleth with the sons of Benjamin, in Jerusalem, till this day.
1:22 And the house of Joseph go up -- even they -- to Beth-El, and YHWH [is] with them;
1:23 and the house of Joseph cause [men] to spy about Beth-El (and the name of the city formerly is Luz),
1:24 and the watchers see a man coming out from the city, and say to him, `Shew us, we pray thee, the entrance of the city, and we have done with thee kindness.'
1:25 And he sheweth them the entrance of the city, and they smite the city by the mouth of the sword, and the man and all his family they have sent away;
1:26 and the man goeth to the land of the Hittites, and buildeth a city, and calleth its name Luz -- it [is] its name unto this day.
1:27 And Manasseh hath not occupied Beth-Shean and its towns, and Taanach and its towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, and the inhabitants of Iblaim and its towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns, and the Canaanite is desirous to dwell in that land;
1:28 and it cometh to pass, when Israel hath been strong, that he setteth the Canaanite to tribute, and hath not utterly dispossessed it.
1:29 And Ephraim hath not dispossessed the Canaanite who is dwelling in Gezer, and the Canaanite dwelleth in its midst, in Gezer.
Judges 1:30 Zebulun hath not dispossessed the inhabitants of Kitron, and the inhabitants of Nahalol, and the Canaanite dwelleth in its midst, and they become tributary.
1:31 Asher hath not dispossessed the inhabitants of Accho, and the inhabitants of Zidon, and Ahlab, and Achzib, and Helbah, and Aphik, and Rehob;
1:32 and the Asherite dwelleth in the midst of the Canaanite, the inhabitants of the land, for it hath not dispossessed them.
1:33 Naphtali hath not dispossessed the inhabitants of Beth-Shemesh, and the inhabitants of Beth-Anath, and he dwelleth in the midst of the Canaanite, the inhabitants of the land; and the inhabitants of Beth-Shemesh and of Beth-Anath have become tributary to them.
1:34 And the Amorites press the sons of Dan to the mountain, for they have not suffered them to go down to the valley;
1:35 and the Amorite is desirous to dwell in mount Heres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim, and the hand of the house of Joseph is heavy, and they become tributary;
1:36 and the border of the Amorite [is] from the ascent of Akrabbim, from the rock and upward.
JUDGES CHAPTER 2
Judges 2:1 And a messenger of YHWH goeth up from Gilgal unto Bochim,
2:2 and saith, `I cause you to come up out of Egypt, and bring you in unto the land which I have sworn to your fathers, and say, I do not break My covenant with you to the age; and ye -- ye make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land -- their altars ye break down; and ye have not hearkened to My voice -- what [is] this ye have done?
2:3 And I also have said, I do not cast them out from your presence, and they have been to you for adversaries, and their gods are to you for a snare.'
2:4 And it cometh to pass, when the messenger of YHWH speaketh these words unto all the sons of Israel, that the people lift up their voice and weep,
2:5 and they call the name of that place Bochim, and sacrifice there to YHWH.
2:6 And Joshua sendeth the people away, and the sons of Israel go, each to his inheritance, to possess the land;
2:7 and the people serve YHWH all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who prolonged days after Joshua, who saw all the great work of YHWH which He did to Israel.
2:8 And Joshua son of Nun, servant of YHWH, dieth, a son of a hundred and ten years,
2:9 and they bury him in the border of his inheritance, in Timnath-Heres, in the hill-country of Ephraim, on the north of mount Gaash;
Judges 2:10 and also all that generation have been gathered unto their fathers, and another generation riseth after them who have not known YHWH, and even the work which He hath done to Israel.
2:11 And the sons of Israel do the evil thing in the eyes of YHWH, and serve the Baalim,
2:12 and forsake YHWH, God of their fathers, who bringeth them out from the land of Egypt, and go after other gods (of the gods of the peoples who [are] round about them), and bow themselves to them, and provoke YHWH,
2:13 yea, they forsake YHWH, and do service to Baal and to Ashtaroth.
2:14 And the anger of YHWH burneth against Israel, and He giveth them into the hand of spoilers, and they spoil them, and He selleth them into the hand of their enemies round about, and they have not been able any more to stand before their enemies;
2:15 in every [place] where they have gone out, the hand of YHWH hath been against them for evil, as YHWH hath spoken, and as YHWH hath sworn to them, and they are distressed -- greatly.
2:16 And YHWH raiseth up judges, and they save them from the hand of their spoilers;
2:17 and also unto their judges they have not hearkened, but have gone a-whoring after other gods, and bow themselves to them; they have turned aside [with] haste out of the way [in] which their fathers walked to obey the commands of YHWH -- they have not done so.
2:18 And when YHWH raised up to them judges -- then was YHWH with the judge, and saved them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for it repenteth YHWH, because of their groaning from the presence of their oppressors, and of those thrusting them away.
2:19 And it hath come to pass, at the death of the judge -- they turn back and have done corruptly above their fathers, to go after other gods, to serve them, and to bow themselves to them; they have not fallen from their doings, and from their stiff way.
Judges 2:20 And the anger of YHWH doth burn against Israel, and He saith, `Because that this nation have transgressed My covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened to My voice --
2:21 I also continue not to dispossess any from before them of the nations which Joshua hath left when he dieth,
2:22 in order to try Israel by them, whether they are keeping the way of YHWH, to go in it, as their fathers kept [it] or not.'
2:23 And YHWH leaveth these nations, so as not to dispossess them hastily, and did not give them into the hand of Joshua.
JUDGES CHAPTER 3
Judges 3:1 And these [are] the nations which YHWH left, to try Israel by them, all who have not known all the wars of Canaan;
3:2 (only for the sake of the generations of the sons of Israel's knowing, to teach them war, only those who formerly have not known them) --
3:3 five princes of the Philistines, and all the Canaanite, and the Zidonian, and the Hivite inhabiting mount Lebanon, from mount Baal-Hermon unto the entering in of Hamath;
3:4 and they are to prove Israel by them, to know whether they obey the commands of YHWH that He commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.
3:5 And the sons of Israel have dwelt in the midst of the Canaanite, the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite,
3:6 and take their daughters to them for wives, and their daughters have given to their sons, and they serve their gods;
3:7 and the sons of Israel do the evil thing in the eyes of YHWH, and forget YHWH their God, and serve the Baalim and the shrines.
3:8 And the anger of YHWH burneth against Israel, and He selleth them into the hand of Chushan-Rishathaim king of Aram-Naharaim, and the sons of Israel serve Chushan-Rishathaim eight years;
3:9 and the sons of Israel cry unto YHWH, and YHWH raiseth a saviour to the sons of Israel, and he saveth them -- Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother;
Judges 3:10 and the Spirit of YHWH is upon him, and he judgeth Israel, and goeth out to battle, and YHWH giveth unto his hand Chushan-Rishathaim king of Aram, and strong is his hand against Chushan-Rishathaim;
3:11 and the land resteth forty years. And Othniel son of Kenaz dieth,
3:12 and the sons of Israel add to do the evil thing in the eyes of YHWH; and YHWH strengtheneth Eglon king of Moab against Israel, because that they have done the evil thing in the eyes of YHWH;
3:13 and he gathereth unto him the Bene-Ammon and Amalek, and goeth and smiteth Israel, and they possess the city of palms;
3:14 and the sons of Israel serve Eglon king of Moab eighteen years.
3:15 And the sons of Israel cry unto YHWH, and YHWH raiseth to them a saviour, Ehud son of Gera, a Benjamite (a man -- shut of his right hand), and the sons of Israel send by his hand a present to Eglon king of Moab;
3:16 and Ehud maketh for himself a sword, and it hath two mouths (a cubit [is] its length), and he girdeth it under his long robe on his right thigh;
3:17 and he bringeth near the present to Eglon king of Moab, and Eglon [is] a very fat man.
3:18 And it cometh to pass, when he hath finished to bring near the present, that he sendeth away the people bearing the present,
3:19 and he himself hath turned back from the graven images which [are] at Gilgal, and saith, `A secret word I have unto thee, O king;' and he saith, `Hush!' and go out from him do all those standing by him.
Judges 3:20 And Ehud hath come unto him, and he is sitting in the upper chamber of the wall which he hath for himself, and Ehud saith, `A word of God I have unto thee;' and he riseth from off the throne;
3:21 and Ehud putteth forth his left hand, and taketh the sword from off his right thigh, and striketh it into his belly;
3:22 and the haft also goeth in after the blade, and the fat shutteth on the blade, that he hath not drawn the sword out of his belly, and it goeth out at the fundament.
3:23 And Ehud goeth out at the porch, and shutteth the doors of the upper chamber upon him, and hath bolted [it];
3:24 and he hath gone out, and his servants have come in, and look, and lo, the doors of the upper chamber are bolted, and they say, `He is only covering his feet in the inner chamber of the wall.'
3:25 And they stay till confounded, and lo, he is not opening the doors of the upper chamber, and they take the key, and open, and lo, their lord is fallen to the earth -- dead.
3:26 And Ehud escaped during their tarrying, and hath passed by the images, and is escaped to Seirath.
3:27 And it cometh to pass, in his coming in, that he bloweth with a trumpet in the hill-country of Ephraim, and go down with him do the sons of Israel from the hill-country, and he before them;
3:28 and he saith unto them, `Pursue after me, for YHWH hath given your enemies, the Moabites, into your hand;' and they go down after him, and capture the passages of the Jordan towards Moab, and have not permitted a man to pass over.
3:29 And they smite Moab at that time, about ten thousand men, all robust, and every one a man of valour, and not a man hath escaped,
Judges 3:30 and Moab is humbled in that day under the hand of Israel; and the land resteth eighty years.
3:31 And after him hath been Shamgar son of Anath, and he smiteth the Philistines -- six hundred men -- with an ox-goad, and he saveth -- he also -- Israel.
JUDGES CHAPTER 4
Judges 4:1 And the sons of Israel add to do the evil thing in the eyes of YHWH when Ehud is dead,
4:2 and YHWH selleth them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who hath reigned in Hazor, and the head of his host [is] Sisera, and he is dwelling in Harosheth of the Goyim;
4:3 and the sons of Israel cry unto YHWH, for he hath nine hundred chariots of iron, and he hath oppressed the sons of Israel mightily twenty years.
4:4 And Deborah, a woman inspired, wife of Lapidoth, she is judging Israel at that time,
4:5 and she is dwelling under the palm-tree of Deborah, between Ramah and Beth-El, in the hill-country of Ephraim, and the sons of Israel go up unto her for judgment.
4:6 And she sendeth and calleth for Barak son of Abinoam, out of Kedesh-Naphtali, and saith unto him, `Hath not YHWH, God of Israel, commanded? go, and thou hast drawn towards mount Tabor, and hast taken with thee ten thousand men, out of the sons of Naphtali, and out of the sons of Zebulun,
4:7 and I have drawn unto thee, unto the brook Kishon, Sisera, head of the host of Jabin, and his chariot, and his multitude, and have given him into thy hand.'
4:8 And Barak saith unto her, `If thou dost go with me, then I have gone; and if thou dost not go with me, I do not go;'
4:9 and she saith, `I do certainly go with thee; only, surely thy glory is not on the way which thou art going, for into the hand of a woman doth YHWH sell Sisera;' and Deborah riseth and goeth with Barak to Kedesh.
Judges 4:10 And Barak calleth Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh, and he goeth up -- at his feet [are] ten thousand men -- and Deborah goeth up with him.
4:11 And Heber the Kenite hath been separated from the Kenite, from the sons of Hobab father-in-law of Moses, and he stretcheth out his tent unto the oak in Zaanaim, which [is] by Kedesh.
4:12 And they declare to Sisera that Barak son of Abinoam hath gone up to mount Tabor,
4:13 and Sisera calleth all his chariots, nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people who [are] with him, from Harosheth of the Goyim, unto the brook Kishon.
4:14 And Deborah saith unto Barak, `Rise, for this [is] the day in which YHWH hath given Sisera into thy hand; hath not YHWH gone out before thee?' And Barak goeth down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.
4:15 And YHWH destroyeth Sisera, and all the chariots, and all the camp, by the mouth of the sword, before Barak, and Sisera cometh down from off the chariot, and fleeth on his feet.
4:16 And Barak hath pursued after the chariots and after the camp, unto Harosheth of the Goyim, and all the camp of Sisera falleth by the mouth of the sword -- there hath not been left even one.
4:17 And Sisera hath fled on his feet unto the tent of Jael wife of Heber the Kenite, for peace [is] between Jabin king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite;
4:18 and Jael goeth out to meet Sisera, and saith unto him, `Turn aside, my lord, turn aside unto me, fear not;' and he turneth aside unto her, into the tent, and she covereth him with a coverlet.
4:19 And he saith unto her, `Give me to drink, I pray thee, a little water, for I am thirsty;' and she openeth the bottle of milk, and giveth him to drink, and covereth him.
Judges 4:20 And he saith unto her, `Stand at the opening of the tent, and it hath been, if any doth come in, and hath asked thee, and said, Is there a man here? that thou hast said, There is not.'
4:21 And Jael wife of Heber taketh the pin of the tent, and taketh the hammer in her hand, and goeth unto him gently, and striketh the pin into his temples, and it fasteneth in the earth -- and he hath been fast asleep, and is weary -- and he dieth.
4:22 And lo, Barak is pursuing Sisera, and Jael cometh out to meet him, and saith to him, `Come, and I shew thee the man whom thou art seeking;' and he cometh in unto her, and lo, Sisera is fallen -- dead, and the pin in his temples.
4:23 And God humbleth on that day Jabin king of Canaan before the sons of Israel,
4:24 and the hand of the sons of Israel goeth, going on and becoming hard on Jabin king of Canaan, till that they have cut off Jabin king of Canaan.
JUDGES CHAPTER 5
Judges 5:1 And Deborah singeth -- also Barak son of Abinoam -- on that day, saying: --
5:2 `For freeing freemen in Israel, For a people willingly offering themselves Bless ye YHWH.
5:3 Hear, ye kings; give ear, ye princes, I, to YHWH, I -- I do sing, I sing praise to YHWH, God of Israel.
5:4 YHWH, in Thy going forth out of Seir, In Thy stepping out of the field of Edom, Earth trembled, also the heavens dropped, Also thick clouds dropped water.
5:5 Hills flowed from the face of YHWH, This one -- Sinai -- From the face of YHWH, God of Israel.
5:6 In the days of Shamgar son of Anath -- In the days of Jael -- The ways have ceased, And those going in the paths go [in] crooked ways.
5:7 Villages ceased in Israel -- they ceased, Till that I arose -- Deborah, That I arose, a mother in Israel.
5:8 He chooseth new gods, Then war [is] at the gates! A shield is not seen -- and a spear Among forty thousand in Israel.
5:9 My heart [is] to the lawgivers of Israel, Who are offering themselves willingly among the people, Bless ye YHWH!
Judges 5:10 Riders on white asses -- Sitters on a long robe -- And walkers by the way -- meditate!
5:11 By the voice of shouters Between the places of drawing water, There they give out righteous acts of YHWH, Righteous acts of His villages in Israel, Then ruled in the gates have the people of YHWH.
5:12 Awake, awake, Deborah; Awake, awake, utter a song; Rise, Barak, and take captive thy captivity, Son of Abinoam.
5:13 Then him who is left of the honourable ones He caused to rule the people of YHWH, He caused me to rule among the mighty.
5:14 Out of Ephraim their root [is] against Amalek. After thee, Benjamin, among thy peoples. Out of Machir came down lawgivers, And out of Zebulun those drawing with the reed of a writer.
5:15 And princes in Issachar [are] with Deborah, Yea, Issachar [is] right with Barak, Into the valley he was sent on his feet. In the divisions of Reuben, Great [are] the decrees of heart!
5:16 Why hast thou abode between the boundaries, To hear lowings of herds? For the divisions of Reuben, Great [are] the searchings of heart!
5:17 Gilead beyond the Jordan did tabernacle, And Dan -- why doth he sojourn [in] ships? Asher hath abode at the haven of the seas, And by his creeks doth tabernacle.
5:18 Zebulun [is] a people who exposed its soul to death, Naphtali also -- on high places of the field.
5:19 Kings came -- they fought; Then fought kings of Canaan, In Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo; Gain of money they took not!
Judges 5:20 From the heavens they fought: The stars from their highways fought with Sisera.
5:21 The brook Kishon swept them away, The brook most ancient -- the brook Kishon. Thou dost tread down strength, O my soul!
5:22 Then broken were the horse-heels, By pransings -- pransings of its mighty ones.
5:23 Curse Meroz -- said a messenger of YHWH, Cursing, curse ye its inhabitants, For they came not to the help of YHWH, To the help of YHWH among the mighty!
5:24 Blessed above women is Jael, Wife of Heber the Kenite, Above women in the tent she is blessed.
5:25 Water he asked -- milk she gave; In a lordly dish she brought near butter.
5:26 Her hand to the pin she sendeth forth, And her right hand to the labourers' hammer, And she hammered Sisera -- she smote his head, Yea, she smote, and it passed through his temple.
5:27 Between her feet he bowed -- He fell, he lay down; Between her feet he bowed, he fell; Where he bowed, there he fell -- destroyed.
5:28 Through the window she hath looked out -- Yea, she crieth out -- the mother of Sisera, Through the lattice: Wherefore is his chariot delaying to come? Wherefore tarried have the steps of his chariot?
5:29 The wise ones, her princesses, answer her, Yea, she returneth her sayings to herself:
Judges 5:30 Do they not find? -- they apportion spoil, A female -- two females -- for every head, Spoil of finger-work for Sisera, Spoil of embroidered finger-work, Finger-work -- a pair of embroidered things, For the necks of the spoil!
5:31 So do all Thine enemies perish, O YHWH, And those loving Him [are] As the going out of the sun in its might!' and the land resteth forty years.
JUDGES CHAPTER 6
Judges 6:1 And the sons of Israel do the evil thing in the eyes of YHWH, and YHWH giveth them into the hand of Midian seven years,
6:2 and the hand of Midian is strong against Israel, from the presence of Midian have the sons of Israel made for themselves the flowings which [are] in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds.
6:3 And it hath been, if Israel hath sowed, that Midian hath come up, and Amalek, and the sons of the east, yea, they have come up against him,
6:4 and encamp against them, and destroy the increase of the land till thine entering Gaza; and they leave no sustenance in Israel, either sheep, or ox, or ass;
6:5 for they and their cattle come up, with their tents; they come in as the fulness of the locust for multitude, and of them and of their cattle there is no number, and they come into the land to destroy it.
6:6 And Israel is very weak from the presence of Midian, and the sons of Israel cry unto YHWH.
6:7 And it cometh to pass when the sons of Israel have cried unto YHWH, concerning Midian,
6:8 that YHWH sendeth a man, a prophet, unto the sons of Israel, and he saith to them, `Thus said YHWH, God of Israel, I -- I have brought you up out of Egypt, and I bring you out from a house of servants,
6:9 and I deliver you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all your oppressors, and I cast them out from your presence, and I give to you their land,
Judges 6:10 and I say to you, I [am] YHWH your God, ye do not fear the gods of the Amorite in whose land ye are dwelling: -- and ye have not hearkened to My voice.'
6:11 And the messenger of YHWH cometh and sitteth under the oak which [is] in Ophrah, which [is] to Joash the Abi-Ezrite, and Gideon his son is beating out wheat in the wine-press, to remove [it] from the presence of the Midianites;
6:12 and the messenger of YHWH appeareth unto him, and saith unto him, `YHWH [is] with thee, O mighty one of valour.'
6:13 And Gideon saith unto him, `O, my lord -- and YHWH is with us! -- and why hath all this found us? and where [are] all His wonders which our fathers recounted to us, saying, Hath not YHWH brought us up out of Egypt? and now YHWH hath left us, and doth give us into the hand of Midian.'
6:14 And YHWH turneth unto him and saith, `Go in this -- thy power; and thou hast saved Israel out of the hand of Midian -- have not I sent thee.'
6:15 And he saith unto him, `O, my lord, wherewith do I save Israel? lo, my chief [is] weak in Manasseh, and I the least in the house of my father.'
6:16 And YHWH saith unto him, `Because I am with thee -- thou hast smitten the Midianites as one man.'
6:17 And he saith unto Him, `If, I pray Thee, I have found grace in Thine eyes, then Thou hast done for me a sign that Thou art speaking with me.
6:18 Move not, I pray Thee, from this, till my coming in unto Thee, and I have brought out my present, and put it before Thee;' and he saith, `I -- I do abide till thy return.'
6:19 And Gideon hath gone in, and prepareth a kid of the goats, and of an ephah of flour unleavened things; the flesh he hath put in a basket, and the broth he hath put in a pot, and he bringeth out unto Him, unto the place of the oak, and bringeth [it] nigh.
Judges 6:20 And the messenger of God saith unto him, `Take the flesh and the unleavened things, and place on this rock -- and the broth pour out;' and he doth so.
6:21 And the messenger of YHWH putteth forth the end of the staff which [is] in His hand, and cometh against the flesh, and against the unleavened things, and the fire goeth up out of the rock and consumeth the flesh and the unleavened things -- and the messenger of YHWH hath gone from his eyes.
6:22 And Gideon seeth that He [is] a messenger of YHWH, and Gideon saith, `Alas, Lord YHWH! because that I have seen a messenger of YHWH face to face!'
6:23 And YHWH saith to him, `Peace to thee; fear not; thou dost not die.'
6:24 And Gideon buildeth there an altar to YHWH, and calleth it YHWH-Shalom, unto this day it [is] yet in Ophrah of the Abi-Ezrites.
6:25 And it cometh to pass, on that night, that YHWH saith to him, `Take the young ox which [is] to thy father, and the second bullock of seven years, and thou hast thrown down the altar of Baal which [is] to thy father, and the shrine which [is] by it thou dost cut down,
6:26 and thou hast built an altar to YHWH thy God on the top of this stronghold, by the arrangement, and hast taken the second bullock, and caused to ascend a burnt-offering with the wood of the shrine which thou cuttest down.'
6:27 And Gideon taketh ten men of his servants, and doth as YHWH hath spoken unto him, and it cometh to pass, because he hath been afraid of the house of his father, and the men of the city, to do [it] by day, that he doth [it] by night.
6:28 And the men of the city rise early in the morning, and lo, broken down hath been the altar of Baal, and the shrine which is by it hath been cut down, and the second bullock hath been offered on the altar which is built.
6:29 And they say one to another, `Who hath done this thing?' and they inquire and seek, and they say, `Gideon son of Joash hath done this thing.'
Judges 6:30 And the men of the city say unto Joash, `Bring out thy son, and he dieth, because he hath broken down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the shrine which [is] by it.'
6:31 And Joash saith to all who have stood against him, `Ye, do ye plead for Baal? ye -- do ye save him? he who pleadeth for him is put to death during the morning; if he [is] a god he himself doth plead against him, because he hath broken down his altar.'
6:32 And he calleth him, on that day, Jerubbaal, saying, `The Baal doth plead against him, because he hath broken down his altar.'
6:33 And all Midian and Amalek and the sons of the east have been gathered together, and pass over, and encamp in the valley of Jezreel,
6:34 and the Spirit of YHWH hath clothed Gideon, and he bloweth with a trumpet, and Abi-Ezer is called after him;
6:35 and messengers he hath sent into all Manasseh, and it also is called after him; and messengers he hath sent into Asher, and into Zebulun, and into Naphtali, and they come up to meet them.
6:36 And Gideon saith unto God, `If Thou art Saviour of Israel by my hand, as Thou hast spoken,
6:37 lo, I am placing the fleece of wool in the threshing-floor: if dew is on the fleece alone, and on all the earth drought -- then I have known that Thou dost save Israel by my hand, as Thou hast spoken;'
6:38 and it is so, and he riseth early on the morrow, and presseth the fleece, and wringeth dew out of the fleece -- the fulness of the bowl, of water.
6:39 And Gideon saith unto God, `Let not Thine anger burn against me, and I speak only this time; let me try, I pray Thee, only this time with the fleece -- let there be, I pray Thee, drought on the fleece alone, and on all the earth let there be dew.'
Judges 6:40 And God doth so on that night, and there is drought on the fleece alone, and on all the earth there hath been dew.
JUDGES CHAPTER 7
Judges 7:1 And Jerubbaal (he [is] Gideon) riseth early, and all the people who [are] with him, and they encamp by the well of Harod, and the camp of Midian hath been on the south of him, on the height of Moreh, in the valley.
7:2 And YHWH saith unto Gideon, `Too many [are] the people who [are] with thee for My giving Midian into their hand, lest Israel beautify itself against Me, saying, My hand hath given salvation to me;
7:3 and now, call, I pray thee, in the ears of the people, saying, Whoso [is] afraid and trembling, let him turn back and go early from mount Gilead;' and there turn back of the people twenty and two thousand, and ten thousand have been left.
7:4 And YHWH saith unto Gideon, `Yet [are] the people too many; bring them down unto the water, and I refine it for thee there; and it hath been, he of whom I say unto thee, This doth go with thee -- he doth go with thee; and any of whom I say unto thee, This doth not go with thee -- he doth not go.'
7:5 And he bringeth down the people unto the water, and YHWH saith unto Gideon, `Every one who lappeth with his tongue of the water as the dog lappeth -- thou dost set him apart; also every one who boweth on his knees to drink.'
7:6 And the number of those lapping with their hand unto their mouth is three hundred men, and all the rest of the people have bowed down on their knees to drink water.
7:7 And YHWH saith unto Gideon, `By the three hundred men who are lapping I save you, and have given Midian into thy hand, and all the people go, each to his place.'
7:8 And the people take the provision in their hand, and their trumpets, and every man of Israel he hath sent away, each to his tents; and on the three hundred men he hath kept hold, and the camp of Midian hath been by him at the lower part of the valley.
7:9 And it cometh to pass, on that night, that YHWH saith unto him, `Rise, go down into the camp, for I have given it into thy hand;
Judges 7:10 and if thou art afraid to go down -- go down, thou and Phurah thy young man, unto the camp,
7:11 and thou hast heard what they speak, and afterwards are thy hands strengthened, and thou hast gone down against the camp.' And he goeth down, he and Phurah his young man, unto the extremity of the fifties who [are] in the camp;
7:12 and Midian and Amalek, and all the sons of the east are lying in the valley, as the locust for multitude, and of their camels there is no number, as sand which [is] on the sea-shore for multitude.
7:13 And Gideon cometh in, and lo, a man is recounting to his companion a dream, and saith, `Lo, a dream I have dreamed, and lo, a cake of barley-bread is turning itself over into the camp of Midian, and it cometh in unto the tent, and smiteth it, and it falleth, and turneth it upwards, and the tent hath fallen.'
7:14 And his companion answereth and saith, `This is nothing save the sword of Gideon son of Joash, a man of Israel; God hath given into his hand Midian and all the camp.'
7:15 And it cometh to pass, when Gideon heareth the narration of the dream and its interpretation, that he boweth himself, and turneth back unto the camp of Israel, and saith, `Rise ye, for YHWH hath given into your hand the camp of Midian.'
7:16 And he divideth the three hundred men [into] three detachments, and putteth trumpets into the hand of all of them, and empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.
7:17 And he saith unto them, `Look at me, and thus do; and lo, I am coming into the extremity of the camp -- and it hath been -- as I do so ye do;
7:18 and I have blown with a trumpet -- I and all who [are] with me, and ye have blown with trumpets, even ye, round about all the camp, and have said, For YHWH and for Gideon.'
7:19 And Gideon cometh -- and the hundred men who [are] with him -- into the extremity of the camp, [at] the beginning of the middle watch (it hath only just confirmed the watchmen), and they blow with trumpets -- dashing in pieces also the pitchers which [are] in their hand;
Judges 7:20 and the three detachments blow with trumpets, and break the pitchers, and keep hold with their left hand on the lamps, and with their right hand on the trumpets to blow, and they cry, `The sword of YHWH and of Gideon.'
7:21 And they stand each in his place, round about the camp, and all the camp runneth, and they shout, and flee;
7:22 and the three hundred blow the trumpets, and YHWH setteth the sword of each against his companion, even through all the camp; and the camp fleeth unto Beth-Shittah, at Zererath, unto the border of Abel-Meholah, by Tabbath.
7:23 And the men of Israel are called from Naphtali, and from Asher, and from all Manasseh, and pursue after Midian.
7:24 And messengers hath sent Gideon into all the hill-country of Ephraim, saying, `Come down to meet Midian, and capture before them the waters unto Beth-Barah, and the Jordan;' and every man of Ephraim is called, and they capture the waters unto Beth-Barah, and the Jordan,
7:25 and they capture two of the heads of Midian, Oreb, and Zeeb, and slay Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb they have slain at the wine-vat of Zeeb, and they pursue unto Midian; and the heads of Oreb and Zeeb they have brought in unto Gideon beyond the Jordan.
JUDGES CHAPTER 8
Judges 8:1 And the men of Ephraim say unto him, `What [is] this thing thou hast done to us -- not to call for us when thou didst go to fight with Midian?' and they strive with him severely;
8:2 and he saith unto them, `What have I done now like you? are not the gleanings of Ephraim better than the harvest of Abi-Ezer?
8:3 Into your hand hath God given the heads of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb; and what have I been able to do like you?' Then their temper desisted from off him in his speaking this thing.
8:4 And Gideon cometh in unto the Jordan, passing over, he and the three hundred men who [are] with him -- wearied, and pursuing,
8:5 and he saith to the men of Succoth, `Give, I pray you, cakes of bread to the people who [are] at my feet, for they [are] wearied, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna kings of Midian.'
8:6 And the heads of Succoth say, `Is the hand of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thy hand, that we give to thy host bread?'
8:7 And Gideon saith, `Therefore -- in YHWH's giving Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand -- I have threshed your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness, and with the threshing instruments.'
8:8 And he goeth up thence [to] Penuel, and speaketh unto them thus; and the men of Penuel answer him as the men of Succoth answered.
8:9 And he speaketh also to the men of Penuel, saying, `In my turning back in peace, I break down this tower.'
Judges 8:10 And Zebah and Zalmunna [are] in Karkor, and their camps with them, about fifteen thousand, all who are left of all the camp of the sons of the east; and those falling [are] a hundred and twenty thousand men, drawing sword.
8:11 And Gideon goeth up the way of those who tabernacle in tents, on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smiteth the camp, and the camp was confident;
8:12 and Zebab and Zalmunna flee, and he pursueth after them, and captureth the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and all the camp he hath caused to tremble.
8:13 And Gideon son of Joash turneth back from the battle, at the going up of the sun,
8:14 and captureth a young man of the men of Succoth, and asketh him, and he describeth unto him the heads of Succoth, and its elders -- seventy and seven men.
8:15 And he cometh in unto the men of Succoth, and saith, `Lo Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye reproached me, saying, Is the hand of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thy hand that we give to thy men who [are] wearied bread?'
8:16 And he taketh the elders of the city, and the thorns of the wilderness, and the threshing instruments, and teacheth by them the men of Succoth,
8:17 and the tower of Penuel he hath broken down, and slayeth the men of the city.
8:18 And he saith unto Zebah and unto Zalmunna, `How -- the men whom ye slew in Tabor?' and they say, `As thou -- so they, one -- as the form of the king's sons.'
8:19 And he saith, `My brethren -- sons of my mother -- they; YHWH liveth, if ye had kept them alive -- I had not slain you.'
Judges 8:20 And he saith to Jether his first-born, `Rise, slay them;' and the young man hath not drawn his sword, for he hath been afraid, for he [is] yet a youth.
8:21 And Zebah saith -- also Zalmunna -- `Rise thou, and fall upon us; for as the man -- his might;' and Gideon riseth, and slayeth Zebah and Zalmunna, and taketh their round ornaments which [are] on the necks of their camels.
8:22 And the men of Israel say unto Gideon, `Rule over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, for thou hast saved us from the hand of Midian.'
8:23 And Gideon saith unto them, `I do not rule over you, nor doth my son rule over you; YHWH doth rule over you.'
8:24 And Gideon saith unto them, `Let me ask of you a petition, and give ye to me each the ring of his prey, for they have rings of gold, for they [are] Ishmaelites.'
8:25 And they say, `We certainly give;' and they spread out the garment, and cast thither each the ring of his prey;
8:26 and the weight of the rings of gold which he asked is a thousand and seven hundred [shekels] of gold, apart from the round ornaments, and the drops, and the purple garments, which [are] on the kings of Midian, and apart from the chains which [are] on the necks of their camels,
8:27 and Gideon maketh it into an ephod, and setteth it up in his city, in Ophrah, and all Israel go a-whoring after it there, and it is to Gideon and to his house for a snare.
8:28 And Midian is humbled before the sons of Israel, and have not added to lift up their head; and the land resteth forty years in the days of Gideon.
8:29 And Jerubbaal son of Joash goeth and dwelleth in his own house,
Judges 8:30 and to Gideon there have been seventy sons, coming out of his loin, for he had many wives;
8:31 and his concubine, who [is] in Shechem, hath born to him -- even she -- a son, and he appointeth his name Abimelech.
8:32 And Gideon son of Joash dieth, in a good old age, and is buried in the burying-place of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abi-Ezrite.
8:33 And it cometh to pass, when Gideon [is] dead, that the sons of Israel turn back and go a-whoring after the Baalim, and set over them Baal-Berith for a god;
8:34 and the sons of Israel have not remembered YHWH their God, who is delivering them out of the hand of all their enemies round about,
8:35 neither have they done kindness with the house of Jerubbaal -- Gideon -- according to all the good which he did with Israel.
JUDGES CHAPTER 9
Judges 9:1 and Abimelech son of Jerubbaal goeth to Shechem, unto his mother's brethren, and speaketh unto them, and unto all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying,
9:2 `Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the masters of Shechem, Which [is] good for you -- the ruling over you of seventy men (all the sons of Jerubbaal), or the ruling over you of one man? -- and ye have remembered that I [am] your bone and your flesh.'
9:3 And his mother's brethren speak concerning him, in the ears of all the masters of Shechem, all these words, and their heart inclineth after Abimelech, for they said, `He [is] our brother;'
9:4 and they give to him seventy silverings out of the house of Baal-Berith, and Abimelech hireth with them men, vain and unstable, and they go after him;
9:5 and he goeth into the house of his father at Ophrah, and slayeth his brethren, sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone; and Jotham, youngest son of Jerubbaal, is left, for he was hidden.
9:6 And all the masters of Shechem are gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and come and cause Abimelech to reign for king at the oak of the camp which [is] in Shechem;
9:7 and they declare [it] to Jotham, and he goeth and standeth on the top of mount Gerizim, and lifteth up his voice, and calleth, and saith to them, `Hearken unto me, O masters of Shechem, and God doth hearken unto you:
9:8 `The trees have diligently gone to anoint over them a king, and they say to the olive, Reign thou over us.
9:9 And the olive saith to them, Have I ceased from my fatness, by which they honour gods and men, that I have gone to stagger over the trees?
Judges 9:10 And the trees say to the fig, Come thou, reign over us.
9:11 And the fig saith to them, Have I ceased from my sweetness, and my good increase, that I have gone to stagger over the trees?
9:12 `And the trees say to the vine, Come thou, reign over us.
9:13 And the vine saith to them, Have I ceased from my new wine, which is rejoicing gods and men, that I have gone to stagger over the trees?
9:14 And all the trees say unto the bramble, Come thou, reign over us.
9:15 And the bramble saith unto the trees, If in truth ye are anointing me for king over you, come, take refuge in my shadow; and if not -- fire cometh out from the bramble, and devoureth the cedars of Lebanon.
9:16 `And, now, if in truth and in sincerity ye have acted, when ye make Abimelech king; and if ye have done good with Jerubbaal, and with his house; and if according to the deed of his hands ye have done to him --
9:17 because my father hath fought for you, and doth cast away his life from [him], and deliver you from the hand of Midian;
9:18 and ye have risen against the house of my father to-day, and slay his sons, seventy men, on one stone, and cause Abimelech son of his handmaid to reign over the masters of Shechem, because he [is] your brother --
9:19 yea, if in truth and in sincerity ye have acted with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, rejoice ye in Abimelech, and he doth rejoice -- even he -- in you;
Judges 9:20 and if not -- fire cometh out from Abimelech and devoureth the masters of Shechem and the house of Millo, and fire cometh out from the masters of Shechem and from the house of Millo, and devoureth Abimelech.'
9:21 And Jotham hasteth, and fleeth, and goeth to Beer, and dwelleth there, from the face of Abimelech his brother.
9:22 And Abimelech is prince over Israel three years,
9:23 and God sendeth an evil spirit between Abimelech and the masters of Shechem, and the masters of Shechem deal treacherously with Abimelech,
9:24 for the coming in of the violence [to] the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, and of their blood to place [it] on Abimelech their brother, who slew them, and on the masters of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to slay his brethren.
9:25 And the masters of Shechem set for him ambushes on the top of the hills, and rob every one who passeth over by them in the way, and it is declared to Abimelech.
9:26 And Gaal son of Ebed cometh -- also his brethren -- and they pass over into Shechem, and the masters of Shechem trust in him,
9:27 and go out into the field, and gather their vineyards, and tread, and make praises, and go into the house of their god, and eat and drink, and revile Abimelech.
9:28 And Gaal son of Ebed saith, `Who [is] Abimelech, and who [is] Shechem, that we serve him? is [he] not son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his commander? Serve ye the men of Hamor father of Shechem, and wherefore do we serve him -- we?
9:29 and oh that this people were in my hand -- then I turn Abimelech aside;' and he saith to Abimelech, `Increase thy host, and come out.'
Judges 9:30 And Zebul, prince of the city, heareth the words of Gaal son of Ebed, and his anger burneth,
9:31 and he sendeth messengers unto Abimelech deceitfully, saying, `Lo, Gaal son of Ebed and his brethren are coming into Shechem, and lo, they are fortifying the city against thee;
9:32 and, now, rise by night, thou and the people who [are] with thee, and lay wait in the field,
9:33 and it hath been, in the morning, about the rising of the sun, thou dost rise early, and hast pushed against the city; and lo, he and the people who [are] with him are going out unto thee -- and thou hast done to him as thy hand doth find.'
9:34 And Abimelech riseth, and all the people who [are] with him, by night, and they lay wait against Shechem -- four detachments;
9:35 and Gaal son of Ebed goeth out, and standeth at the opening of the gate of the city, and Abimelech riseth -- also the people who [are] with him -- from the ambush,
9:36 and Gaal seeth the people, and saith unto Zebul, `Lo, people are coming down from the top of the hills;' and Zebul saith unto him, `The shadow of the hills thou art seeing like men.'
9:37 And Gaal addeth yet to speak, and saith, `Lo, people are coming down from the high part of the land, and another detachment is coming by the way of the oak of Meonenim.'
9:38 And Zebul saith unto him, `Where [is] now thy mouth, in that thou sayest, Who [is] Abimelech that we serve him? is not this the people against which thou hast kicked? go out, I pray thee now, and fight against it.'
9:39 And Gaal goeth out before the masters of Shechem, and fighteth against Abimelech,
Judges 9:40 and Abimelech pursueth him, and he fleeth from his presence, and many fall wounded -- unto the opening of the gate.
9:41 And Abimelech abideth in Arumah, and Zebul casteth out Gaal and his brethren from dwelling in Shechem.
9:42 And it cometh to pass, on the morrow, that the people go out to the field, and they declare [it] to Abimelech,
9:43 and he taketh the people, and divideth them into three detachments, and layeth wait in a field, and looketh, and lo, the people are coming out from the city, and he riseth against them, and smiteth them.
9:44 And Abimelech and the detachments who [are] with him have pushed on, and stand at the opening of the gate of the city, and the two detachments have pushed against all who are in the field, and smite them,
9:45 and Abimelech hath fought against the city all that day, and captureth the city, and the people who [are] in it he hath slain, and he breaketh down the city, and soweth it [with] salt.
9:46 And all the masters of the tower of Shechem hear, and go in unto the high place of the house of the god Berith,
9:47 and it is declared to Abimelech that all the masters of the tower of Shechem have gathered themselves together,
9:48 and Abimelech goeth up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people who [are] with him, and Abimelech taketh the great axe in his hand, and cutteth off a bough of the trees, and lifteth it up, and setteth [it] on his shoulder, and saith unto the people who [are] with him, `What ye have seen I have done -- haste, do ye like it.'
9:49 And all the people also cut down each one his bough, and go after Abimelech, and set [them] at the high place, and burn by these the high place with fire, and also all the men of the tower of Shechem die, about a thousand men and women.
Judges 9:50 And Abimelech goeth unto Thebez, and encampeth against Thebez, and captureth it,
9:51 and a strong tower hath been in the midst of the city, and thither flee do all the men and the women, and all the masters of the city, and they shut [it] behind them, and go up on the roof of the tower.
9:52 And Abimelech cometh unto the tower, and fighteth against it, and draweth nigh unto the opening of the tower to burn it with fire,
9:53 and a certain woman doth cast a piece of a rider on the head of Abimelech, and breaketh his skull,
9:54 and he calleth hastily unto the young man bearing his weapons, and saith to him, `Draw thy sword, and thou hast put me to death, lest they say of me -- A woman slew him;' and his young man pierced him through, and he dieth.
9:55 And the men of Israel see that Abimelech [is] dead, and go each one to his place;
9:56 and God turneth back the evil of Abimelech which he did to his father to slay his seventy brethren;
9:57 and all the evil of the men of Shechem hath God turned back on their head, and come unto them doth the cursing of Jotham son of Jerubbaal.
JUDGES CHAPTER 10
Judges 10:1 And there riseth after Abimelech, to save Israel, Tola son of Puah, son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, and he is dwelling in Shamir, in the hill-country of Ephraim,
10:2 and he judgeth Israel twenty and three years, and he dieth, and is buried in Shamir.
10:3 And there riseth after him Jair the Gileadite, and he judgeth Israel twenty and two years,
10:4 and he hath thirty sons riding on thirty ass-colts, and they have thirty cities, (they call them Havoth-Jair unto this day), which [are] in the land of Gilead;
10:5 and Jair dieth, and is buried in Kamon.
10:6 And the sons of Israel add to do the evil thing in the eyes of YHWH, and serve the Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Aram, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the Bene-Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsake YHWH, and have not served Him;
10:7 and the anger of YHWH burneth against Israel, and He selleth them into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the Bene-Ammon,
10:8 and they crush and oppress the sons of Israel in that year -- eighteen years all the sons of Israel [who] are beyond the Jordan, in the land of the Amorite, which [is] in Gilead.
10:9 And the Bene-Ammon pass over the Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim, and Israel hath great distress.
Judges 10:10 And the sons of Israel cry unto YHWH, saying, `We have sinned against Thee, even because we have forsaken our God, and serve the Baalim.'
10:11 And YHWH saith unto the sons of Israel, `[Have I] not [saved you] from the Egyptians, and from the Amorite, from the Bene-Ammon, and from the Philistines?
10:12 And the Zidonians, and Amalek, and Maon have oppressed you, and ye cry unto Me, and I save you out of their hand;
10:13 and ye -- ye have forsaken Me, and serve other gods, therefore I add not to save you.
10:14 Go and cry unto the gods on which ye have fixed; they -- they save you in the time of your adversity.'
10:15 And the sons of Israel say unto YHWH, `We have sinned, do Thou to us according to all that is good in Thine eyes; only deliver us, we pray Thee, this day.'
10:16 And they turn aside the gods of the stranger out of their midst, and serve YHWH, and His soul is grieved with the misery of Israel.
10:17 And the Bene-Ammon are called together, and encamp in Gilead, and the sons of Israel are gathered together, and encamp in Mizpah.
10:18 And the people -- heads of Gilead -- say one unto another, `Who [is] the man that doth begin to fight against the Bene-Ammon? he is for head to all inhabitants of Gilead.'
Joshua 13-24 - Judges 11-21