Abimelech CHAP. IX. mude king. ing after Baalim, and made Baal-berith go to be promoted over the trees? their god. 10 And the trees said to the fig-tree, 34 And the children of Israel remem-Come thou, and reign over us. bered not the Lond their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of Should I forsake my sweetness, and all their enemies on every side: my good fruit, and go to be promote i over the trees? 35 Neither shewed they kinduess to the house of Jerrubbaal, namely,Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel. CHAP. IX. 11 But the fig-tree said unto them, 12 Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us. 13 And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine which cheer AND Abimelech the son of Jerubeth God and man, and go to be pro baal went to Shechem, unto his moted over the trees? mother's brethren, and communed 14 Then said all the trees unto the with them, and with all the family of bramble, Come thou, and reign over the house of his mother's father, say-us. ing, 15 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 de 2 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, whichare threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that your the cedars of Lebanon. one reign over you? remember also 16 Now therefore, if ye have done that I am your bone and your flesh. truly and sincerely, in that ye have 3 And his mother's brethren spake of made Abimelech king, and if ye have him in the ears of all the men of She-dealt well with Jerubbaal and his chem all these words; and their hearts house, and have done unto him accorinclined to follow Abimelech; for they ding to the deserving of his hands; said, He is our brother. 17 (For my father fought for you and 4 And they gave him threescore and adventured his life far, and delivered ten pieces of silver out of the house of you out of the hand of Midian ; Baal-berith, wherewith Abimelech 18 And ye are risen up against my hired vam and light persons, which father's house this day, and have slain followed him. his sons, threescore and ten persons, 5 And he went unto his father's house] upon one stone, and have made Abimat Ophrah, and slew his brethren, the elech, the son of his maid-servant, sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore king over the men of Shechem, be and ten persons, upon one stone: not-cause he is your brother;) withstanding yet Jotham the youngest 19 If ye then have dealt truly ang son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his himself. house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you: 6 And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech 20 But if not, let fire come out from king, by the plain of the pillar that | Abimelech, and devour the men of was in Shechem. 7 ¶ 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. 8 The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive-tree, Reign thou over us. Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let ûre come out from the men of She chem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech. 21 And Jotham ran away, and fied, and went to Beor, and dwelt there, fr fear of Abimelech his brother. 22 ¶ When Abimelech bad reigned three years over Israel, 23 Then God sent an evil spirit be tween Abimelech and the men of 9 But the olive-tree said unto them, Shechem; and the men of Shechem Should I leave my fatness, wherewith dealt treacherously with Abimelech by me they honour God and man, and [~24 That the cruelty done to the three Gaal's conspiracy. JUDGES. Gaal overcome. score and ten sons of Jerubbaal might, 36 And when Gaal saw the people, come, and their blood be laid upon he said to Zebul, Behold, there come Abimelech their brother, which slew people down from the top of the mounthem; and upon the men of Shechem, tains. And Zebul said unto him, Thou which aided him in the killing of his seest the shadow of the mountains as brethren. if they were men. 25 And the men of Shechem set liers 37 And Gaal spake again and said, in wait for him in the top of the moun-See there come people down by the tains, and they robbed all that came middle of the land, and another comalong that way by them; and it was pany come along by the plain of Meotold Abimelechi. neuim. : 26 And Gaal the son of Ebed came 38 Then said Zebul unto him, Where with his brethren, and went over to is now thy mouth, wherewith thou Shechem and the men of Shechem saidat, Who is Abimelech, that we put their confidence in him. should serve bim? is not this the peo27 And they went out into the fields, ple that thou hast despised? go out, and gathered their vineyards,and trode pray now, and fight with them. the grapes, and made merry,and went! 39 And Gaal went out before the men into the house of their god, and did of Shechem, and fought with Abimeeat and drink, and cursed Abimelech, lech. and 28 And Gual the son of Ebed said, 40 And Abimelech chased him, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shehe fled before him; and many were chem, that we should serve him? is overthrown and wounded, even unto not he the son of Jerubbaal? and Ze- the entering of the gate. but his officer? serve the men of Ha- 41And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: mor the father of Shechem: for why and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his should we serve him ? brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem. 29 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. 30 T And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled. 31 And he sent messengers unto Abunelech privily, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed, and his breth ren, be come to Shechem; and,behold, they fortify the city against thee. 32 Now therefore up by night, thou and the people that is with thee, and lie in wait in the field; 33 And it shall be, that in the morn-, ing,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. 34 T And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies. 35 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. 42. And it came to pass on the mor row, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech. 43 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. 44 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. 45 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. 46 T And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into a hold of the nouse of the god Berith. 47 And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together. 48 And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech Itook an axe in his hand, and cut down Tola and Jair CHAP. X. judge Isract. a bough from the trees, and took it, junto this day, which are in the land and laid it on his shonlder, and said of Gilead. unto the people that were with him, 6 And Jair died,and was buried in What ye have seen me do,make laste, Camon. and do as I have done. 6 T And the children of Israel did 49 And all the people likewise cut evil again in the sight of the LORD, down every man his bough, and fol- and served Baalim,and Ashtaroth, and lowed Abimelech, and put them to the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zi the hold, and set the hold on fire upon don, and the gods of Moab, and the them; so that all the men of the tow gods of the children of Aminon, and er of Shechem died also,about a thou-the gods of the Philistines, and forsook sand men and women. the LORD, and served not him. 61 But there was a strong tower with in 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. 52 And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire. 53 And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech's head, and all to break his scull. 51 Then he called hastily unto the young man his armour-bearer, 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. 7 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 Ainmon. 8 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. 9 Moreover the children of Ammon passed overJordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim; so that Israel was sore distressed. 10 T Aud children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, We have sin ned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also serv ed Baalim. 11 And the Lond said unto the chil55 And when the men of Israel saw dren of Israel, Did not I deliver you that Abimelech was dead,they depart-from the Egyptians, and from the Amed every man unto his place. orites, from the children of Ammon, 56 T Thus God rendered the wicked-and from the Philistines? 57 And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their beads: and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal. СНАР. Х. 12 The Zidonians also,aud the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress you; and ye cried to me, and I deliv ered you out of their hand. 13 Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more. 14 Go and cry unto the gods which AND after Abimelech there arose to ye have chosen; let them deliver you defend Israel, Tola, the son of Pual, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and be dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim. 2 And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir. in the time of your tribulation. 15 T 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. 16 And they put away the strange 3 ¶ And after him arose Jair, a Gil-gods from among them, and served eadite, and judged Israel twenty and The LORD; and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel. two years. 4 And he had thirty sons that rode on 17 Then the children of Ammou thirty ass-colts, and they had thirty were gathered together, and oncampcities, which are called Havoth jaired in Gilead: and the children of Is Jephthah's message JUDGES. to the Ammonites rael assembled themselves together, junto the king of the children of Amand encamped in Mizpel. 18 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. CHAP. XI. mon, saying, What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come against me to fight in my land? 13 And the king of the children of Ammon answeredunto the messengers of Jephthah,Becauselsrael took away my land, wheu they came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, Now Jephthah the Gileadite wasa and unto Jordan: now therefore re mighty man of valour, and he was the son of a harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah. store those lands again peaceably. 2 And Gilead's wife bare him sons: and his wife's sons grew up, and they 15 And said unto him, Thus saith thrust out Jephthah, and said unto Jephthah, Israel took not away the him, Thou shalt not inherit in our fa-land of Moab, nor the land of the chilthers bouse; for thou art the son of adren of Ammon: strange woman. 3 Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there were gathered vaiu meu to Jephthah, and went out with him. 4 And it came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel. 16 But when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked through the wilderness unto the Red Sea,and came to Kadesh ; 17 Then Israel sent messengers unto the king of Edom, saying, Let me, f pray thee, pass through thy land: but the king of Edom would not hearken 5 And it was so; that when the chil. thereto. And in like manner they sent dren of Ammon made war against 1s- unto the king of Moab; but he would mel the elders of Gilead went to fetch│not consent; and Israel abode in Ka Jephthah out of the land of Tob: desh. 6 And they said unto Jephthah,Come 18 Then they went along through the and be our captain, that we may fight wilderness, and compassed the land of with the children of Ammon. Edom, and the land of Moab, and 7 And Jephthah said unto the elders came by the east side of the land of of Gilead,Did not ye hate me, and ex-Moab,and pitched on the other side of del me out of my father's house? and Arnon, but came not within the bor why are ye come uato me now when der of Moab: for Arnon was the bor ye are in distress? der of Moab. 8 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. 9And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home again to fight against the children of Ainmoo, and the LORD deliver them before me, shall I be your head? 19 And Israel sent messengers unto Sibon, king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said unto him, Let us pass, we pray thee, though thy land unto my place. 20ButSilion trusted not Israel to pass through his coast: but Sibon gathered all his people together,and pitched in Jahaz, and fought against Israel. 21 And the LORD God of Israel delived Silion and all his people into 10 And the elders of Gilead said unto the hand of Israel, and they smote Jephthah, The LORD be witness be-them: so Israel possessed all the land tween us, if we do not so according to of the Amorites, the inhabitants of thy words. that country. 11 Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and captain over thein: and Jephthal uttered all his words before the LORD in Mizpeh. 22 And they possessed all the coaste of the Amorites, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto Jordan. 23 So now the LORD God of Israel 12 ¶ And Jephthah sent messengers hath dispossessed the Amorites from Jephthah makes CHAP. XIL a rashi voto. before his people Israel, and shouldest her, that he rent his clothes, and said, thou possess it ? 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. 24 W ilt 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. 36 And she said unto him, My father, 25 And now, art thou any thing bet-if thou hast opened thy mouth unto ter than Balak the son of Zippor, king the LORD, do to me according to that of Moab? did he ever strive against Is which hath proceeded out of thy rael, or did he ever fight against them, mouth; forasmuch as the LORD hath 26 While Israel dwelt in Heshbon taken vengeance for thee of thine coeand her towns, and in Aroer and her mies, even of the children of Ammou. towns, and in all the cites that be 37 And she said unto her father, Let along by the coasts of Arnon, three this thing be done for me; let me hundred years? why therefore did ye alone two months, that I may go up not recover them within the time? and down upon the mountains, and 27 Wherefore I have not sinned a-bewail my virginity, I and my fellows. gainst thee,but thou doest me wrong to 38 And he said, Go. And he sent war against me: the LORD the Judge her away for two months; and she be judge this day between the children went with her companions, and bewailof Israel and the children of Ammon.Jed her virginity upon the mountains. 28 Howbeit the king of the children 39 And it came to pass at the end of of Ammon hearkened not unto the two months, that she returned unto words of Jephthah which he sent him. her father, who did with her according 29 T Then the Spirit of the Lono to his vow which he had vowed: and came upon Jephthah, and he passed she knew no man. And it was a cusover Gilead and Manasseh, and passed tom in Israel, over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpel of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon. 30 And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt with out fail deliver the children of mon into my hands, Am 40 That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephihab the Gileadite four days in a year. CHAP. XII. AND the men of Ephraim gathered northward, and said unto Jephthau, 31 Then it shall be, that whatsoever Wherefore passedst thou over to fight cometh forth of the doors of my house against the children of Aminon, and to meet me, when I return in peace didst not call us to go with thee? we from the children of Ammon, shall will burn thy house upon thee with surely be the LORD's, and I will offer tire. it up for a burnt-offering. 32 T So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the LORD delivered them into his hands 2 And Jephthab 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. 33 And he smote them from Aroer, 3 And when I saw that ye delivered even till thou come to Minneth, even me not, I put my life in my hands, and twenty cities, and unto the plain of the passed over against the children of vineyards, with a very great slaughter. Ammon, and the LORD delivered them Thus the children of Ammon were into my hand; wherefore then are ye subdued before the children of Is-come up unto me this day, to fight arael. gainst nie? 34 And Jephthah came to Mizpeh 4 Then Jephthah gathered together unto his house, and, bebold, his daugh-all the men of Gilead, and fought with ter came out to meet him with tim-Ephraim; and the men of Gilead brels and with dances; and she was smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye fis only child: besides her he had nei Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim ather son nor daughter. mong the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites. 35 And it came to pass, when he saw |