GetPassageurn:cts:pbc:bible.parallel.eng.kingjames:7urn:cts:pbc:bible.parallel.eng.kingjames:7Now 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 ? And the LORD said , Judah shall go up : behold , I have delivered the land into his hand . And 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 . And 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 . And they found Adoni-bezek in Bezek : and they fought against him , and they slew the Canaanites and the Perizzites . But Adoni-bezek fled ; and they pursued after him , and caught him , and cut off his thumbs and his great toes . And Adoni-bezek 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 . Now 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 . And 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 . And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron : ( now the name of Hebron before was Kirjath-arba : ) and they slew Sheshai , and Ahiman , and Talmai . And from thence he went against the inhabitants of Debir : and the name of Debir before was Kirjath-sepher : And Caleb said , He that smiteth Kirjath-sepher , and taketh it , to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife . And Othniel the son of Kenaz , Caleb's younger brother , took it : and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife . And 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 ? And 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 . And 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 . And 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 . Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof , and Askelon with the coast thereof , and Ekron with the coast thereof . And 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 . And they gave Hebron unto Caleb , as Moses said : and he expelled thence the three sons of Anak . And 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 . And the house of Joseph , they also went up against Bethel : and the LORD was with them . And the house of Joseph sent to descry Bethel . ( Now the name of the city before was Luz . ) And 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 . And 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 . And 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 . Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean 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 . And it came to pass , when Israel was strong , that they put the Canaanites to tribute , and did not utterly drive them out . Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer ; but the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them . Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron , nor the inhabitants of Nahalol ; but the Canaanites dwelt among them , and became tributaries . Neither 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 : But the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites , the inhabitants of the land : for they did not drive them out . Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh , nor the inhabitants of Beth-anath ; but he dwelt among the Canaanites , the inhabitants of the land : nevertheless the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and of Beth-anath became tributaries unto them . And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain : for they would not suffer them to come down to the valley : But 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 . And the coast of the Amorites was from the going up to Akrabbim , from the rock , and upward . And 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 . And 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 ? Wherefore 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 . And 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 . And they called the name of that place Bochim : and they sacrificed there unto the LORD . And when Joshua had let the people go , the children of Israel went every man unto his inheritance to possess the land . And 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 . And Joshua the son of Nun , the servant of the LORD , died , being an hundred and ten years old . And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-heres , in the mount of Ephraim , on the north side of the hill Gaash . And 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 . And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD , and served Baalim : And 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 . And they forsook the LORD , and served Baal and Ashtaroth . And 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 . Whithersoever 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 . Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges , which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them . And 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 . And 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 . And 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 . And 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 ; I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died : That 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 . Therefore the LORD left those nations , without driving them out hastily ; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua . Now 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 ; Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know , to teach them war , at the least such as before knew nothing thereof ; Namely , five lords of the Philistines , and all the Canaanites , and the Sidonians , and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon , from mount Baal-hermon unto the entering in of Hamath . And 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 . And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites , Hittites , and Amorites , and Perizzites , and Hivites , and Jebusites : And they took their daughters to be their wives , and gave their daughters to their sons , and served their gods . And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD , and forgat the LORD their God , and served Baalim and the groves . Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel , and he sold them into the hand of Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia : and the children of Israel served Chushan-rishathaim eight years . And 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 . And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him , and he judged Israel , and went out to war : and the LORD delivered Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand ; and his hand prevailed against Chushan-rishathaim . And the land had rest forty years . And Othniel the son of Kenaz died . And 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 . And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek , and went and smote Israel , and possessed the city of palm trees . So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years . But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD , the LORD raised them up a deliverer , Ehud the son of Gera , a Benjamite , a man lefthanded : and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab . But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges , of a cubit length ; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh . And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab : and Eglon was a very fat man . And when he had made an end to offer the present , he sent away the people that bare the present . But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal , and said , I have a secret errand unto thee , O king : who said , Keep silence . And all that stood by him went out from him . And 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 . And Ehud put forth his left hand , and took the dagger from his right thigh , and thrust it into his belly : And the haft also went in after the blade ; and the fat closed upon the blade , so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly ; and the dirt came out . Then Ehud went forth through the porch , and shut the doors of the parlour upon him , and locked them . When 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 . And 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 . And Ehud escaped while they tarried , and passed beyond the quarries , and escaped unto Seirath . And 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 . And 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 . And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men , all lusty , and all men of valour ; and there escaped not a man . So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel . And the land had rest fourscore years . And 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 . And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD , when Ehud was dead . And 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 . And 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 . And Deborah , a prophetess , the wife of Lapidoth , she judged Israel at that time . And 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 . And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh-naphtali , and said unto him , Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded , saying , Go and draw toward mount Tabor , and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun ? And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera , the captain of Jabin's army , with his chariots and his multitude ; and I will deliver him into thine hand . And Barak said unto her , If thou wilt go with me , then I will go : but if thou wilt not go with me , then I will not go . And 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 . And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh ; and he went up with ten thousand men at his feet : and Deborah went up with him . Now Heber the Kenite , which was of the children of Hobab the father in law of Moses , had severed himself from the Kenites , and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim , which is by Kedesh . And they shewed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to mount Tabor . And Sisera gathered together all his chariots , even nine hundred chariots of iron , and all the people that were with him , from Harosheth of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon . And 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 . And the LORD discomfited Sisera , and all his chariots , and all his host , with the edge of the sword before Barak ; so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot , and fled away on his feet . But Barak pursued after the chariots , and after the host , unto Harosheth of the Gentiles : and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword ; and there was not a man left . Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite : for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite . And Jael went out to meet Sisera , and said unto him , Turn in , my lord , turn in to me ; fear not . And when he had turned in unto her into the tent , she covered him with a mantle . And he said unto her , Give me , I pray thee , a little water to drink ; for I am thirsty . And she opened a bottle of milk , and gave him drink , and covered him . Again he said unto her , Stand in the door of the tent , and it shall be , when any man doth come and inquire of thee , and say , Is there any man here ? that thou shalt say , No . Then 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 . And , behold , as Barak pursued Sisera , Jael came out to meet him , and said unto him , Come , and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest . And when he came into her tent , behold , Sisera lay dead , and the nail was in his temples . So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel . And the hand of the children of Israel prospered , and prevailed against Jabin the king of Canaan , until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan . Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day , saying , Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel , when the people willingly offered themselves . Hear , 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 . LORD , 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 . The mountains melted from before the LORD , even that Sinai from before the LORD God of Israel . In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath , in the days of Jael , the highways were unoccupied , and the travellers walked through byways . The inhabitants of the villages ceased , they ceased in Israel , until that I Deborah arose , that I arose a mother in Israel . They chose new gods ; then was war in the gates : was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel ? My heart is toward the governors of Israel , that offered themselves willingly among the people . Bless ye the LORD . Speak , ye that ride on white asses , ye that sit in judgment , and walk by the way . 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 . Awake , awake , Deborah : awake , awake , utter a song : arise , Barak , and lead thy captivity captive , thou son of Abinoam . Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people : the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty . Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek ; after thee , Benjamin , among thy people ; out of Machir came down governors , and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer . And 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 . Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds , to hear the bleatings of the flocks ? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart . Gilead abode beyond Jordan : and why did Dan remain in ships ? Asher continued on the sea shore , and abode in his breaches . Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field . The kings came and fought , then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo ; they took no gain of money . They fought from heaven ; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera . The river of Kishon swept them away , that ancient river , the river Kishon . O my soul , thou hast trodden down strength . Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings , the pransings of their mighty ones . Curse 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 . Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be , blessed shall she be above women in the tent . He asked water , and she gave him milk ; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish . She 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 . At her feet he bowed , he fell , he lay down : at her feet he bowed , he fell : where he bowed , there he fell down dead . The mother of Sisera looked out at a window , and cried through the lattice , Why is his chariot so long in coming ? why tarry the wheels of his chariots ? Her wise ladies answered her , yea , she returned answer to herself , Have they not sped ? have they not divided the prey ; to every man a damsel or two ; to Sisera a prey of divers colours , a prey of divers colours of needlework , of divers colours of needlework on both sides , meet for the necks of them that take the spoil ? So let all thine enemies perish , O LORD : but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might . And the land had rest forty years . And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD : and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years . And 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 . And 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 ; And they encamped against them , and destroyed the increase of the earth , till thou come unto Gaza , and left no sustenance for Israel , neither sheep , nor ox , nor ass . For they came up with their cattle and their tents , and they came as grasshoppers for multitude ; for both they and their camels were without number : and they entered into the land to destroy it . And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites ; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD . And it came to pass , when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because of the Midianites , That the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel , which said unto them , Thus saith the LORD God of Israel , I brought you up from Egypt , and brought you forth out of the house of bondage ; And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians , and out of the hand of all that oppressed you , and drave them out from before you , and gave you their land ; And I said unto you , I am the LORD your God ; fear not the gods of the Amorites , in whose land ye dwell : but ye have not obeyed my voice . And there came an angel of the LORD , and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah , that pertained unto Joash the Abi-ezrite : and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress , to hide it from the Midianites . And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him , and said unto him , The LORD is with thee , thou mighty man of valour . And 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 . And 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 ? And 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 . And the LORD said unto him , Surely I will be with thee , and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man . And he said unto him , If now I have found grace in thy sight , then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me . Depart not hence , I pray thee , until I come unto thee , and bring forth my present , and set it before thee . And he said , I will tarry until thou come again . And 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 . And 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 . Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand , and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes ; and there rose up fire out of the rock , and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes . Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight . And 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 . And the LORD said unto him , Peace be unto thee ; fear not : thou shalt not die . Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD , and called it Jehovah-shalom : unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites . And it came to pass the same night , that the LORD said unto him , Take thy father's young bullock , even the second bullock of seven years old , and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath , and cut down the grove that is by it : And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock , in the ordered place , and take the second bullock , and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down . Then Gideon took ten men of his servants , and did as the LORD had said unto him : and so it was , because he feared his father's household , and the men of the city , that he could not do it by day , that he did it by night . And when the men of the city arose early in the morning , behold , the altar of Baal was cast down , and the grove was cut down that was by it , and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built . And they said one to another , Who hath done this thing ? And when they inquired and asked , they said , Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing . Then the men of the city said unto Joash , Bring out thy son , that he may die : because he hath cast down the altar of Baal , and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it . And 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 . Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal , saying , Let Baal plead against him , because he hath thrown down his altar . Then 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 . But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon , and he blew a trumpet ; and Abi-ezer was gathered after him . And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh ; who also was gathered after him : and he sent messengers unto Asher , and unto Zebulun , and unto Naphtali ; and they came up to meet them . And Gideon said unto God , If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand , as thou hast said , Behold , I will put a fleece of wool in the floor ; and if the dew be on the fleece only , and it be dry upon all the earth beside , then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand , as thou hast said . And it was so : for he rose up early on the morrow , and thrust the fleece together , and wringed the dew out of the fleece , a bowl full of water . And 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 . And God did so that night : for it was dry upon the fleece only , and there was dew on all the ground . Then 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 . And the LORD said unto Gideon , The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands , lest Israel vaunt themselves against me , saying , Mine own hand hath saved me . Now 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 . And 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 . So he brought down the people unto the water : and the LORD said unto Gideon , Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue , as a dog lappeth , him shalt thou set by himself ; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink . And the number of them that lapped , putting their hand to their mouth , were three hundred men : but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water . And 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 . So the people took victuals in their hand , and their trumpets : and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent , and retained those three hundred men : and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley . And 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 . But if thou fear to go down , go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host : And 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 . And 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 . And when Gideon was come , behold , there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow , and said , Behold , I dreamed a dream , and , lo , a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian , and came unto a tent , and smote it that it fell , and overturned it , that the tent lay along . And his fellow answered and said , This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash , a man of Israel : for into his hand hath God delivered Midian , and all the host . And 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 . And he divided the three hundred men into three companies , and he put a trumpet in every man's hand , with empty pitchers , and lamps within the pitchers . And 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 . When 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 . So Gideon , and the hundred men that were with him , came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch ; and they had but newly set the watch : and they blew the trumpets , and brake the pitchers that were in their hands . And the three companies blew the trumpets , and brake the pitchers , and held the lamps in their left hands , and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal : and they cried , The sword of the LORD , and of Gideon . And they stood every man in his place round about the camp : and all the host ran , and cried , and fled . And 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 Beth-shittah in Zererath , and to the border of Abel-meholah , unto Tabbath . And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali , and out of Asher , and out of all Manasseh , and pursued after the Midianites . And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim , saying , Come down against the Midianites , and take before them the waters unto Beth-barah and Jordan . Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together , and took the waters unto Beth-barah and Jordan . And 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 . And 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 . And he said unto them , What have I done now in comparison of you ? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abi-ezer ? God 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 . And Gideon came to Jordan , and passed over , he , and the three hundred men that were with him , faint , yet pursuing them . And 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 . And the princes of Succoth said , Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand , that we should give bread unto thine army ? And 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 . And 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 . And he spake also unto the men of Penuel , saying , When I come again in peace , I will break down this tower . Now 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 . And 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 . And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled , he pursued after them , and took the two kings of Midian , Zebah and Zalmunna , and discomfited all the host . And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up , And 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 . And 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 ? And he took the elders of the city , and thorns of the wilderness and briers , and with them he taught the men of Succoth . And he beat down the tower of Penuel , and slew the men of the city . Then 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 . And 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 . And 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 . Then 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 . Then 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 . And Gideon said unto them , I will not rule over you , neither shall my son rule over you : the LORD shall rule over you . And 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 . ) And they answered , We will willingly give them . And they spread a garment , and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey . And 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 . And 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 . Thus 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 . And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house . And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten : for he had many wives . And his concubine that was in Shechem , she also bare him a son , whose name he called Abimelech . And 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 Abi-ezrites . And 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 Baal-berith their god . And 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 : Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal , namely , Gideon , according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel . And 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 , Speak , 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 . And 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 . And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-berith , wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons , which followed him . And 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 . And all the men of Shechem gathered together , and all the house of Millo , and went , and made Abimelech king , by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem . And 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 . The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them ; and they said unto the olive tree , Reign thou over us . But 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 ? And the trees said to the fig tree , Come thou , and reign over us . But the fig tree said unto them , Should I forsake my sweetness , and my good fruit , and go to be promoted over the trees ? Then said the trees unto the vine , Come thou , and reign over us . And the vine said unto them , Should I leave my wine , which cheereth God and man , and go to be promoted over the trees ? Then said all the trees unto the bramble , Come thou , and reign over us . And the bramble said unto the trees , If in truth ye anoint me king over you , then come and put your trust in my shadow : and if not , let fire come out of the bramble , and devour the cedars of Lebanon . Now therefore , if ye have done truly and sincerely , in that ye have made Abimelech king , and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house , and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands ; ( For my father fought for you , and adventured his life far , and delivered you out of the hand of Midian : And ye are risen up against my father's house this day , and have slain his sons , threescore and ten persons , upon one stone , and have made Abimelech , the son of his maidservant , king over the men of Shechem , because he is your brother ; ) If 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 : But 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 . And Jotham ran away , and fled , and went to Beer , and dwelt there , for fear of Abimelech his brother . When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel , Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem ; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech : That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come , and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother , which slew them ; and upon the men of Shechem , which aided him in the killing of his brethren . And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of the mountains , and they robbed all that came along that way by them : and it was told Abimelech . And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren , and went over to Shechem : and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him . And 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 . And 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 ? And 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 . And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed , his anger was kindled . And 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 . Now therefore up by night , thou and the people that is with thee , and lie in wait in the field : And it shall be , that in the morning , as soon as the sun is up , thou shalt rise early , and set upon the city : and , behold , when he and the people that is with him come out against thee , then mayest thou do to them as thou shalt find occasion . And Abimelech rose up , and all the people that were with him , by night , and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies . And Gaal the son of Ebed went out , and stood in the entering of the gate of the city : and Abimelech rose up , and the people that were with him , from lying in wait . And when Gaal saw the people , he said to Zebul , Behold , there come people down from the top of the mountains . And Zebul said unto him , Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as if they were men . And 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 . Then 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 . And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem , and fought with Abimelech . And Abimelech chased him , and he fled before him , and many were overthrown and wounded , even unto the entering of the gate . And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah : and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren , that they should not dwell in Shechem . And it came to pass on the morrow , that the people went out into the field ; and they told Abimelech . And he took the people , and divided them into three companies , and laid wait in the field , and looked , and , behold , the people were come forth out of the city ; and he rose up against them , and smote them . And 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 . And 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 . And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that , they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith . And it was told Abimelech , that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together . And 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 . And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough , and followed Abimelech , and put them to the hold , and set the hold on fire upon them ; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also , about a thousand men and women . Then went Abimelech to Thebez , and encamped against Thebez , and took it . But there was a strong tower within the city , and thither fled all the men and women , and all they of the city , and shut it to them , and gat them up to the top of the tower . And Abimelech came unto the tower , and fought against it , and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire . And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech's head , and all to brake his skull . Then 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 . And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead , they departed every man unto his place . Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech , which he did unto his father , in slaying his seventy brethren : And 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 . And 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 . And he judged Israel twenty and three years , and died , and was buried in Shamir . And after him arose Jair , a Gileadite , and judged Israel twenty and two years . And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts , and they had thirty cities , which are called Havoth-jair unto this day , which are in the land of Gilead . And Jair died , and was buried in Camon . And 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 . And 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 . And 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 . Moreover 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 . And 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 . And 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 ? The Zidonians also , and the Amalekites , and the Maonites , did oppress you ; and ye cried to me , and I delivered you out of their hand . Yet ye have forsaken me , and served other gods : wherefore I will deliver you no more . Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen ; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation . And 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 . And they put away the strange gods from among them , and served the LORD : and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel . Then the children of Ammon were gathered together , and encamped in Gilead . And the children of Israel assembled themselves together , and encamped in Mizpeh . And 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 . Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour , and he was the son of an harlot : and Gilead begat Jephthah . And 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 . Then 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 . And it came to pass in process of time , that the children of Ammon made war against Israel . And 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 : And they said unto Jephthah , Come , and be our captain , that we may fight with the children of Ammon . And 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 ? And 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 . And 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 ? And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah , The LORD be witness between us , if we do not so according to thy words . Then 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 . And 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 ? And 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 . And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ammon : And said unto him , Thus saith Jephthah , Israel took not away the land of Moab , nor the land of the children of Ammon : But when Israel came up from Egypt , and walked through the wilderness unto the Red sea , and came to Kadesh ; Then 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 . Then 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 . And 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 . But Sihon trusted not Israel to pass through his coast : but Sihon gathered all his people together , and pitched in Jahaz , and fought against Israel . And 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 . And they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites , from Arnon even unto Jabbok , and from the wilderness even unto Jordan . So now the LORD God of Israel hath dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel , and shouldest thou possess it ? Wilt 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 . And 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 , While 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 ? Wherefore 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 . Howbeit the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the words of Jephthah which he sent him . Then 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 . And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD , and said , If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands , Then 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 . So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them ; and the LORD delivered them into his hands . And 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 . And 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 . And 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 . And 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 . And 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 . And he said , Go . And he sent her away for two months : and she went with her companions , and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains . And 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 , That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year . And 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 . And 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 . And 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 ? Then 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 . And 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 ; Then 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 . And Jephthah judged Israel six years . Then died Jephthah the Gileadite , and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead . And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel . And 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 . Then died Ibzan , and was buried at Bethlehem . And after him Elon , a Zebulonite , judged Israel ; and he judged Israel ten years . And Elon the Zebulonite died , and was buried in Aijalon in the country of Zebulun . And after him Abdon the son of Hillel , a Pirathonite , judged Israel . And he had forty sons and thirty nephews , that rode on threescore and ten ass colts : and he judged Israel eight years . And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died , and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim , in the mount of the Amalekites . And 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 . And 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 . And 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 . Now therefore beware , I pray thee , and drink not wine nor strong drink , and eat not any unclean thing : For , 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 . Then 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 : But 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 . Then 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 . And 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 . And 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 . And 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 . And Manoah said , Now let thy words come to pass . How shall we order the child , and how shall we do unto him ? And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah , Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware . She 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 . And 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 . And 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 . And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD , What is thy name , that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour ? And the angel of the LORD said unto him , Why askest thou thus after my name , seeing it is secret ? So 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 . For 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 . But 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 . And Manoah said unto his wife , We shall surely die , because we have seen God . But 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 . And the woman bare a son , and called his name Samson : and the child grew , and the LORD blessed him . And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol . And Samson went down to Timnath , and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines . And 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 . Then 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 . But 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 . Then 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 . And 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 . And he went down , and talked with the woman ; and she pleased Samson well . And 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 . And 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 . So his father went down unto the woman : and Samson made there a feast ; for so used the young men to do . And it came to pass , when they saw him , that they brought thirty companions to be with him . And 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 : But 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 . And 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 . And 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 ? And 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 ? And 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 . And 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 . And 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 . But Samson's wife was given to his companion , whom he had used as his friend . But 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 . And 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 . And Samson said concerning them , Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines , though I do them a displeasure . And 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 . And 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 . Then 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 . And Samson said unto them , Though ye have done this , yet will I be avenged of you , and after that I will cease . And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter : and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam . Then the Philistines went up , and pitched in Judah , and spread themselves in Lehi . And 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 . Then 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 . And 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 . And 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 . 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 . And he found a new jawbone of an ass , and put forth his hand , and took it , and slew a thousand men therewith . And Samson said , With the jawbone of an ass , heaps upon heaps , with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men . And 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 Ramath-lehi . And 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 ? But 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 En-hakkore , which is in Lehi unto this day . And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years . Then went Samson to Gaza , and saw there an harlot , and went in unto her . 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 . And 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 . And it came to pass afterward , that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek , whose name was Delilah . And 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 . And Delilah said to Samson , Tell me , I pray thee , wherein thy great strength lieth , and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee . And 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 . Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withs which had not been dried , and she bound him with them . Now 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 . And Delilah said unto Samson , Behold , thou hast mocked me , and told me lies : now tell me , I pray thee , wherewith thou mightest be bound . And 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 . Delilah 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 . And 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 . And 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 . And 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 . And it came to pass , when she pressed him daily with her words , and urged him , so that his soul was vexed unto death ; That 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 . And 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 . And 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 . And 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 . But 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 . Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven . Then 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 . And 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 . And 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 . And 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 . Now 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 . And 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 . And 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 . And 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 . Then 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 burying place of Manoah his father . And he judged Israel twenty years . And there was a man of mount Ephraim , whose name was Micah . And 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 . And 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 . Yet 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 . And the man Micah had an house of gods , and made an ephod , and teraphim , and consecrated one of his sons , who became his priest . In those days there was no king in Israel , but every man did that which was right in his own eyes . And there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah of the family of Judah , who was a Levite , and he sojourned there . And 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 . And 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 . And 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 . And the Levite was content to dwell with the man ; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons . And Micah consecrated the Levite ; and the young man became his priest , and was in the house of Micah . Then said Micah , Now know I that the LORD will do me good , seeing I have a Levite to my priest . In 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 . And 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 . When 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 ? And he said unto them , Thus and thus dealeth Micah with me , and hath hired me , and I am his priest . And they said unto him , Ask counsel , we pray thee , of God , that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous . And the priest said unto them , Go in peace : before the LORD is your way wherein ye go . Then 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 . And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol : and their brethren said unto them , What say ye ? And 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 . When 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 . And 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 . And they went up , and pitched in Kirjath-jearim , in Judah : wherefore they called that place Mahaneh-dan unto this day : behold , it is behind Kirjath-jearim . And they passed thence unto mount Ephraim , and came unto the house of Micah . Then 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 . And they turned thitherward , and came to the house of the young man the Levite , even unto the house of Micah , and saluted him . And the six hundred men appointed with their weapons of war , which were of the children of Dan , stood by the entering of the gate . And 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 . And 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 ? And 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 ? And 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 . So they turned and departed , and put the little ones and the cattle and the carriage before them . 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 . And 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 ? And 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 ? And 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 . And 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 . And 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 . And 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 Beth-rehob . And they built a city , and dwelt therein . And 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 . And 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 . And they set them up Micah's graven image , which he made , all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh . And 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 . And 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 . And 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 . And 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 . And 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 . And 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 . And when the man rose up to depart , his father in law urged him : therefore he lodged there again . And 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 . And 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 . But 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 . 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 . And 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 . And 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 . And they passed on and went their way ; and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gibeah , which belongeth to Benjamin . And 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 . And , 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 . And 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 ? And 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 . Yet 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 . And the old man said , Peace be with thee ; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me ; only lodge not in the street . So he brought him into his house , and gave provender unto the asses : and they washed their feet , and did eat and drink . 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 . And the man , the master of the house , went out 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 . Behold , 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 . But 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 . Then 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 . And 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 . And 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 . And 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 . And 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 . Then all the children of Israel went out , and the congregation was gathered together as one man , from Dan even to Beer-sheba , with the land of Gilead , unto the LORD in Mizpeh . And 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 . ( 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 ? And 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 . And 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 . And 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 . Behold , ye are all children of Israel ; give here your advice and counsel . And 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 . But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah ; we will go up by lot against it ; And 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 . So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city , knit together as one man . And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin , saying , What wickedness is this that is done among you ? Now 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 : But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah , to go out to battle against the children of Israel . And 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 . Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men lefthanded ; every one could sling stones at an hair breadth , and not miss . And the men of Israel , beside Benjamin , were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword : all these were men of war . And 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 . And the children of Israel rose up in the morning , and encamped against Gibeah . And 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 . And 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 . And 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 . ( 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 . ) And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day . And 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 . Then 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 . And the children of Israel inquired of the LORD , ( for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days , And 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 . And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah . And 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 . And 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 . And 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 . And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place , and put themselves in array at Baal-tamar : and the liers in wait of Israel came forth out of their places , even out of the meadows of Gibeah . And 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 . And 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 . So 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 . And 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 . Now 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 . And 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 . But 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 . And when the men of Israel turned again , the men of Benjamin were amazed : for they saw that evil was come upon them . Therefore 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 . Thus they inclosed the Benjamites round about , and chased them , and trode them down with ease over against Gibeah toward the sunrising . And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men ; all these were men of valour . And 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 . So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword ; all these were men of valour . But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the rock Rimmon , and abode in the rock Rimmon four months . And 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 . Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh , saying , There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife . And the people came to the house of God , and abode there till even before God , and lifted up their voices , and wept sore ; And 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 ? And it came to pass on the morrow , that the people rose early , and built there an altar , and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings . And 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 . And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother , and said , There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day . How 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 ? And 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 Jabesh-gilead to the assembly . For the people were numbered , and , behold , there were none of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead there . And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest , and commanded them , saying , Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword , with the women and the children . And this is the thing that ye shall do , Ye shall utterly destroy every male , and every woman that hath lain by man . And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead 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 . And the whole congregation sent some to speak to the children of Benjamin that were in the rock Rimmon , and to call peaceably unto them . And Benjamin came again at that time ; and they gave them wives which they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-gilead : and yet so they sufficed them not . And the people repented them for Benjamin , because that the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel . Then the elders of the congregation said , How shall we do for wives for them that remain , seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin ? And they said , There must be an inheritance for them that be escaped of Benjamin , that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel . Howbeit 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 . Then 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 . Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin , saying , Go and lie in wait in the vineyards ; And 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 . And 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 . And 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 . And 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 . In those days there was no king in Israel : every man did that which was right in his own eyes .