^15:1And the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families was: to the border of Edom, the wilderness of Zin, southward, in the extreme south. ^15:2And their southern border was from the end of the salt sea, from the tongue that turns southward; ^15:3and it went out south of the ascent of Akrabbim, and passed on to Zin, and went up on the south of Kadesh-barnea, and passed to Hezron, and went up toward Addar, and turned toward Karkaah, ^15:4and passed on to Azmon, and went out by the torrent of Egypt; and the border ended at the sea. That shall be your border southward. ^15:5And the eastern border was the salt sea as far as the end of the Jordan. And the border on the north side was from the tongue of the salt sea, at the end of the Jordan; ^15:6and the border went up toward Beth-hoglah, and passed north of Beth-Arabah; and the border went up to the stone of Bohan, the son of Reuben; ^15:7and the border went up toward Debir from the valley of Achor, and turned northward to Gilgal, which is opposite to the ascent of Adummim, which is on the south side of the torrent; and the border passed to the waters of En-shemesh, and ended at En-rogel; ^15:8and the border went up to the valley of the son of Hinnom, toward the south side of the Jebusite, that is, Jerusalem; and the border went up to the top of the mountain that is before the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the end of the valley of Rephaim northward; ^15:9and the border reached along from the top of the mountain toward the spring of the waters of Nephtoah, and went out toward the cities of mount Ephron; and the border reached along to Baalah, that is, Kirjath-jearim; ^15:10and the border turned from Baalah westwards toward mount Seir, and passed toward the side of Har-jearim, that is, Chesalon, northwards, and went down to Beth-shemesh, and passed Timnah. ^15:11And the border went out to the side of Ekron northwards, and the border reached along toward Shicron, and passed mount Baalah, and went toward Jabneel; and the border ended at the sea. ^15:12And the west border is the great sea and [its] coast. This is the border of the children of Judah round about, according to their families. ^15:13And to Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a portion among the children of Judah according to the commandment of Jehovah to Joshua, the city of Arba, the father of Anak, that is, Hebron. ^15:14And thence Caleb dispossessed the three sons of Anak, Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai, who were born of Anak. ^15:15And from there he went up against the inhabitants of Debir; now the name of Debir before was Kirjath-sepher. ^15:16And Caleb said, He that smites Kirjath-sepher and takes it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter as wife. ^15:17And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it; and he gave him Achsah his daughter as wife. ^15:18And it came to pass as she came, that she urged him to ask of her father a field; and she sprang down from the ass. And Caleb said to her, What wouldest thou? ^15:19And she said, Give me a blessing; for thou hast given me a southern land; give me also springs of water. Then he gave her the upper springs and the lower springs. ^15:20This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families. ^15:21The cities at the extremity of the tribe of the children of Judah, toward the border of Edom in the south, were: Kabzeel, and Eder, and Jagur, ^15:22and Kinah, and Dimonah, and Adadah, ^15:23and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Jithnan, ^15:24Ziph, and Telem, and Bealoth, ^15:25and Hazor-hadattah, and Kerioth-Hezron, that is Hazor, ^15:26Amam, and Shema, and Molada, ^15:27and Hazar-gaddah, and Heshmon, and Beth-Pelet, ^15:28and Hazar-Shual, and Beer-sheba, and Biziothiah; ^15:29Baalah, and Ijim, and Ezem, ^15:30and Eltolad, and Chesil, and Hormah, ^15:31and Ziklag, and Madmannah, and Sansanna, ^15:32and Lebaoth, and Shilhim, and Ain, and Rimmon: all the cities twenty-nine, and their hamlets. ^15:33In the lowland: Eshtaol, and Zoreah, and Ashnah, ^15:34and Zanoah, and En-gannim, Tappuah and Enam, ^15:35Jarmuth and Adullam, Sochoh and Azekah, ^15:36and Shaaraim, and Adithaim, and Gederah, and Gederothaim: fourteen cities and their hamlets. ^15:37Zenan, and Hadashah, and Migdal-Gad, ^15:38and Dilean, and Mizpeh, and Joktheel, ^15:39Lachish, and Bozkath, and Eglon, ^15:40and Cabbon, and Lahmas, and Chithlish, ^15:41and Gederoth, Beth-Dagon, and Naamah, and Makkedah: sixteen cities and their hamlets. ^15:42Libna, and Ether, and Ashan, ^15:43and Jiphthah, and Ashnah, and Nezib, ^15:44and Keilah, and Achzib, and Mareshah: nine cities and their hamlets. ^15:45Ekron and its dependent villages and its hamlets. ^15:46From Ekron and westward all that are by the side of Ashdod, and their hamlets. ^15:47Ashdod, its dependent villages and its hamlets; Gazah, its dependent villages and its hamlets, as far as the torrent of Egypt, and the great sea and [its] coast. ^15:48And in the hill-country: Shamir, and Jattir, and Sochoh, ^15:49and Dannah, and Kirjath-sannah, that is, Debir, ^15:50and Anab, and Eshtemoh, and Anim, ^15:51and Goshen, and Holon, and Giloh: eleven cities and their hamlets. ^15:52Arab, and Dumah, and Eshan, ^15:53and Janum, and Beth-Tappuah, and Aphekah, ^15:54and Humtah, and Kirjath-Arba, that is, Hebron, and Zior: nine cities and their hamlets. ^15:55Maon, Carmel, and Ziph, and Jutah, ^15:56and Jizreel, and Jokdeam, and Zanoah, ^15:57Kain, Gibeah and Timnah: ten cities and their hamlets. ^15:58Halhul, Beth-Zur, and Gedor, ^15:59and Maarath, and Beth-anoth, and Eltekon: six cities and their hamlets. ^15:60Kirjath-Baal, that is, Kirjath-jearim, and Rabbah: two cities and their hamlets. ^15:61In the wilderness: Beth-Arabah, Middin, and Secacah, ^15:62and Nibshan, and Ir-Hammelah, and En-gedi: six cities and their hamlets. ^15:63But as for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not dispossess them; and the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem to this day.

^16:1And the lot came forth for the children of Joseph from the Jordan of Jericho as far as the waters of Jericho eastwards, to the wilderness which goes up from Jericho to the hill-country of Bethel. ^16:2And [the border] went from Bethel to Luz, and passed to the border of the Archites to Ataroth, ^16:3and went down westward to the border of the Japhletites, as far as the border of the lower Beth-horon, and to Gezer; and ended at the sea. ^16:4And the children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance. ^16:5And the border of the children of Ephraim was according to their families; the border of their inheritance eastwards was Ataroth-Addar as far as the upper Beth-horon; ^16:6and the border went forth westwards to Micmethath on the north; and the border turned eastwards to Taanath-Shiloh, and passed by it eastwards to Janohah, ^16:7and went down from Janohah to Ataroth and Naarath, and touched upon Jericho, and went out to the Jordan. ^16:8From Tappuah the border went westwards to the torrent Kanah, and ended at the sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Ephraim according to their families, ^16:9with the cities that were set apart for the children of Ephraim in the midst of the inheritance of the children of Manasseh, all the cities and their hamlets. ^16:10But they did not dispossess the Canaanites that dwelt at Gezer; and the Canaanites dwell in the midst of Ephraim to this day, and serve under tribute.

^17:1And the lot came to the tribe of Manasseh (for he was the firstborn of Joseph), to Machir, the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, for he was a man of war, and he had Gilead and Bashan. ^17:2There was also [a portion] for the rest of the children of Manasseh according to their families: for the children of Abiezer, and for the children of Helek, and for the children of Asriel, and for the children of Shechem, and for the children of Hepher, and for the children of Shemida: these are the children of Manasseh, the son of Joseph, the males, according to their families. ^17:3And Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but daughters; and these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. ^17:4And they came near before Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua the son of Nun, and before the princes, saying, Jehovah commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brethren. And he gave them according to the commandment of Jehovah an inheritance among the brethren of their father. ^17:5And there fell ten portions to Manasseh, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, which are beyond the Jordan. ^17:6For the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance among his sons; and the rest of Manasseh's sons had the land of Gilead. ^17:7And the territory of Manasseh was from Asher to Micmethath, which is before Shechem, and the border went on the right hand toward the inhabitants of En-Tappuah. ^17:8Manasseh had the land of Tappuah; but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim. ^17:9And the border descended to the torrent Kanah, south of the torrent. These cities were Ephraim's among the cities of Manasseh. And the territory of Manasseh was on the north side of the torrent, and ended at the sea. ^17:10Southward it was Ephraim's, and northward it was Manasseh's, and the sea was his border. And they touched upon Asher on the north, and upon Issachar on the east. ^17:11And Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher, Beth-shean and its dependent villages, and Ibleam and its dependent villages, and the inhabitants of Dor and its dependent villages, and the inhabitants of En-Dor and its dependent villages, and the inhabitants of Taanach and its dependent villages, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its dependent villages, the three hilly regions. ^17:12But the children of Manasseh could not dispossess [the inhabitants of] those cities; and the Canaanites would dwell in that land. ^17:13And it came to pass when the children of Israel were become strong, that they made the Canaanites tributary; but they did not utterly dispossess them. ^17:14And the children of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, Why hast thou given me as inheritance one lot and one portion, seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as Jehovah has blessed me hitherto? ^17:15And Joshua said unto them, If thou art a great people, then get thee up to the wood, and cut down for thyself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the giants, if the hill-country of Ephraim is too narrow for thee. ^17:16And the children of Joseph said, The hill-country will not be enough for us; and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, those that are of Beth-shean and its dependent villages, and those that are in the valley of Jizreel. ^17:17And Joshua spoke to the house of Joseph, to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, Thou art a great people, and hast great power: thou shalt not have one lot only, ^17:18but the hill-country shall be thine, as it is a wood, thou shalt cut it down, and its outgoings shall be thine; for thou shalt dispossess the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots; for they are powerful.

^18:1And the whole assembly of the children of Israel gathered together at Shiloh, and set up the tent of meeting there; and the land was subdued before them. ^18:2And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes whose inheritance had not been distributed to them. ^18:3And Joshua said to the children of Israel, How long will ye shew yourselves slack to go to take possession of the land which Jehovah the God of your fathers hath given you? ^18:4Provide you three men for a tribe; that I may send them, and they shall rise and go through the land, and describe it according to the proportion of their inheritance, and they shall come to me. ^18:5And they shall divide it into seven portions. Judah shall remain in their border on the south, and the house of Joseph shall remain in their border on the north; ^18:6and *ye* shall describe the land into seven portions, and bring [the description] hither to me, and I will cast lots for you here before Jehovah our God. ^18:7But the Levites have no portion among you, for the priesthood of Jehovah is their inheritance. And Gad, and Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of Jehovah gave them. ^18:8And the men arose and went away. And Joshua charged them that went to describe the land, saying, Go and walk through the land, and describe it, and come again to me, and I will cast lots for you here before Jehovah in Shiloh. ^18:9And the men went and passed through the land, and described it by cities into seven portions, in a book, and they came to Joshua, to the camp at Shiloh. ^18:10And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before Jehovah. And there Joshua divided the land to the children of Israel according to their divisions. ^18:11And the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families. And the territory of their lot came forth between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph. ^18:12And their border on the north side was from the Jordan; and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north, and went up to the mountain westward; and ended at the wilderness of Beth-Aven; ^18:13and the border passed on from thence toward Luz, to the south side of Luz, which is Bethel: and the border went down to Ataroth-Addar, near the hill that is on the south of the lower Beth-horon. ^18:14And the border reached along and turned on the west side, southward from the hill that is before Beth-horon southward; and ended at Kirjath-Baal, which is Kirjath-jearim, a city of the children of Judah: this is the west side. ^18:15And the south side was from the extreme end of Kirjath-jearim, and the border went out on the west, and went out to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah. ^18:16And the border went down to the end of the mountain that is before the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is in the valley of Rephaim on the north, and went down the valley of Hinnom, to the side of the Jebusite on the south, and went down to En-rogel; ^18:17and it reached along on the north, and went forth to En-shemesh, and went forth towards Geliloth, which is opposite to the ascent of Adummim, and went down to the stone of Bohan, the son of Reuben, ^18:18and passed along towards the side opposite to Arabah northwards, and went down to Arabah; ^18:19and the border passed on to the side of Beth-hoglah on the north, and the border ended at the tongue of the salt sea northward, at the south end of the Jordan: this is the southern border. ^18:20And the Jordan borders it on the east side. This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin, according to its borders round about, according to their families. ^18:21And the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin according to their families were: Jericho, and Beth-hoglah, and Emek-Keziz, ^18:22and Beth-Arabah, and Zemaraim, and Bethel, ^18:23and Avvim, and Parah, and Ophrah, ^18:24and Chephar-haammonai, and Ophni, and Geba: twelve cities and their hamlets; ^18:25Gibeon, and Ramah, and Beeroth, ^18:26and Mizpeh, and Chephirah, and Mozah, ^18:27and Rekem, and Jirpeel, and Tharalah, ^18:28and Zelah, Eleph, and Jebusi, that is, Jerusalem, Gibeah, Kirjath: fourteen cities and their hamlets. This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families.

^19:1And the second lot came forth to Simeon, for the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families; and their inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah. ^19:2And they had in their inheritance Beer-sheba, and Sheba, and Moladah, ^19:3and Hazar-Shual, and Balah, and Ezem, ^19:4and Eltolad, and Bethul, and Hormah, ^19:5and Ziklag, and Beth-marcaboth, and Hazar-susah, ^19:6and Beth-lebaoth, and Sharuhen: thirteen cities and their hamlets; ^19:7Ain, Rimmon, and Ether, and Ashan: four cities and their hamlets; ^19:8and all the hamlets that are round these cities to Baalath-beer, [that is] Ramah of the south. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families. ^19:9Out of the lot of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Simeon; for the portion of the children of Judah was too great for them, and the children of Simeon inherited within their inheritance. ^19:10And the third lot came up for the children of Zebulun according to their families. And the border of their inheritance was unto Sarid; ^19:11and their border went up westwards, and [to] Marealah, and reached to Dabbesheth, and reached to the torrent that is before Jokneam; ^19:12and turned from Sarid eastward, toward the sun-rising, to the border of Chisloth-Tabor, and went out to Dabrath, and went up to Japhia; ^19:13and from thence it passed eastward toward the sun-rising to Gath-Hepher, to Eth-kazin, and went out to Rimmon which reaches to Neah; ^19:14and the border turned round it northwards to Hannathon: and ended in the valley of Jiphthah-el; ^19:15and Kattath, and Nahalal, and Shimron, and Jidalah, and Beth-lehem: twelve cities and their hamlets. ^19:16This was the inheritance of the children of Zebulun according to their families, these cities and their hamlets. ^19:17The fourth lot came forth to Issachar, for the children of Issachar according to their families. ^19:18And their territory was toward Jizreel, and Chesulloth, and Shunem, ^19:19and Hapharaim, and Shion, and Anaharath, ^19:20and Rabbith, and Kishion, and Ebez, ^19:21and Remeth, and En-gannim, and En-haddah, and Beth-pazzez; ^19:22and the border reached to Tabor, and Shahazimah, and Beth-shemesh; and their border ended at the Jordan: sixteen cities and their hamlets. ^19:23This was the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Issachar according to their families, the cities and their hamlets. ^19:24And the fifth lot came forth for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families. ^19:25And their territory was Helkath, and Hali, and Beten, and Acshaph, ^19:26and Allammelech, and Amead, and Mishal; and [the border] reached to Carmel westwards, and to Shihor-libnath, ^19:27and turned towards the sun-rising to Beth-Dagon, and reached to Zebulun, and to the valley of Jiphthah-el northward [to] Beth-emek and Neiel, and went out to Cabul on the left, ^19:28and Ebron, and Rehob, and Hammon, and Kanah, as far as great Zidon; ^19:29and the border turned to Ramah, and as far as the fortified city of Tyre; and the border turned to Hosah; and ended at the sea by the tract of country of Achzib; ^19:30and Ummah, and Aphek, and Rehob: twenty-two cities and their hamlets. ^19:31This was the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families, these cities and their hamlets. ^19:32The sixth lot came forth to the children of Naphtali, for the children of Naphtali according to their families. ^19:33And their border was from Heleph, from the oak of Zaanannim; and Adami-nekeb and Jabneel to Lakkum; and ended at the Jordan; ^19:34and the border turned westwards to Aznoth-Tabor, and went out from thence to Hukkok, and reached to Zebulun on the south, and reached to Asher on the west, and to Judah upon Jordan towards the sun-rising. ^19:35And the fortified cities were Ziddim, Zer, and Hammath, Rakkath, and Chinnereth, ^19:36and Adamah, and Ramah, and Hazor, ^19:37and Kedesh, and Edrei, and En-Hazor, ^19:38and Jiron, and Migdal-el, Horem, and Beth-anath, and Beth-shemesh: nineteen cities and their hamlets. ^19:39This was the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Naphtali according to their families, the cities and their hamlets. ^19:40The seventh lot came forth for the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families. ^19:41And the territory of their inheritance was Zoreah, and Eshtaol, and Ir-shemesh, ^19:42and Shaalabbin, and Ajalon, and Jithlah, ^19:43and Elon, and Timnathah, and Ekron, ^19:44and El-tekeh, and Gibbethon, and Baalath, ^19:45and Jehud, and Beneberak, and Gath-Rimmon, ^19:46and Me-jarkon, and Rakkon, with the border over against Japho. ^19:47And the border of the children of Dan ended with these; and the children of Dan went up and fought against Leshem, and took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and took possession of it, and dwelt in it, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father. ^19:48This was the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families, these cities and their hamlets. ^19:49And they ended dividing the land for inheritance according to its borders. And the children of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun among them. ^19:50According to the word of Jehovah they gave him the city that he asked, Timnath-serah in the hill-country of Ephraim; and he built the city, and dwelt in it. ^19:51These were the inheritances, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed by lot in Shiloh before Jehovah, at the entrance of the tent of meeting. And they ended dividing the land.

^20:1And Jehovah spoke to Joshua, saying, ^20:2Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint for yourselves the cities of refuge, whereof I spoke unto you through Moses, ^20:3that the slayer who unwittingly without intent smiteth any one mortally may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood. ^20:4And he shall flee unto one of those cities and stand at the entrance of the city-gate, and shall declare his matter in the ears of the elders of that city; and they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them. ^20:5And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; for he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not previously. ^20:6And he shall dwell in that city, until he have stood before the assembly in judgment, until the death of the high-priest that shall be in those days; then shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled. ^20:7And they hallowed Kedesh in Galilee in the hill-country of Naphtali, and Shechem in the hill-country of Ephraim, and Kirjath-Arba, that is, Hebron, in the hill-country of Judah. ^20:8And beyond the Jordan from Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness, in the plateau, out of the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan of the tribe of Manasseh. ^20:9These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them, that whosoever smiteth any one mortally without intent might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the assembly.

^21:1Then the chief fathers of the Levites drew near to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel; ^21:2and they spoke to them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, Jehovah commanded through Moses to give us cities to dwell in, and their suburbs for our cattle. ^21:3And the children of Israel gave to the Levites out of their inheritance, according to the word of Jehovah, these cities and their suburbs. ^21:4And the lot came forth for the families of the Kohathites. And the children of Aaron the priest, of the Levites, had by lot out of the tribe of Judah, and out of the tribe of the Simeonites, and out of the tribe of Benjamin, thirteen cities. ^21:5And the children of Kohath that remained had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Ephraim, and out of the tribe of Dan, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh, ten cities. ^21:6And the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities. ^21:7The children of Merari according to their families had by lot out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities. ^21:8And the children of Israel gave by lot to the Levites these cities and their suburbs, as Jehovah commanded through Moses. ^21:9And they gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, these cities which were mentioned by name, ^21:10and which the children of Aaron, of the families of the Kohathites, of the children of Levi had (for theirs was the first lot); ^21:11and they gave them Kirjath-Arba, [which Arba was] the father of Anak, that is, Hebron, in the mountain of Judah, with its suburbs round about it. ^21:12But the fields of the city and the hamlets thereof gave they to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for his possession. ^21:13And they gave to the children of Aaron the priest the city of refuge for the slayer, Hebron and its suburbs; and Libnah and its suburbs, ^21:14and Jattir and its suburbs, and Eshtemoa and its suburbs, ^21:15and Holon and its suburbs, and Debir and its suburbs, ^21:16and Ain and its suburbs, and Juttah and its suburbs, [and] Beth-shemesh and its suburbs: nine cities out of those two tribes; ^21:17and out of the tribe of Benjamin: Gibeon and its suburbs, Geba and its suburbs, ^21:18Anathoth and its suburbs, and Almon and its suburbs; four cities. ^21:19All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities and their suburbs. ^21:20And to the families of the children of Kohath, the Levites that remained of the children of Kohath, [they gave cities]. And the cities of their lot were out of the tribe of Ephraim, ^21:21and they gave them the city of refuge for the slayer, Shechem and its suburbs in mount Ephraim; and Gezer and its suburbs, ^21:22and Kibzaim and its suburbs, and Beth-horon and its suburbs: four cities; ^21:23and out of the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh and its suburbs, Gibbethon and its suburbs, ^21:24Ajalon and its suburbs, Gath-Rimmon and its suburbs: four cities; ^21:25and out of half the tribe of Manasseh, Taanach and its suburbs and Gath-Rimmon and its suburbs: two cities. ^21:26All the cities were ten and their suburbs, for the families of the children of Kohath that remained. ^21:27And to the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of half the tribe of Manasseh, [they gave] the city of refuge for the slayer, Golan in Bashan and its suburbs; and Beeshterah and its suburbs: two cities; ^21:28and out of the tribe of Issachar, Kishion and its suburbs, Dabrath and its suburbs, ^21:29Jarmuth and its suburbs, En-gannim and its suburbs: four cities; ^21:30and out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal and its suburbs, Abdon and its suburbs, ^21:31Helkath and its suburbs, and Rehob and its suburbs: four cities; ^21:32and out of the tribe of Naphtali, the city of refuge for the slayer, Kedesh in Galilee, and its suburbs; and Hammoth-Dor and its suburbs, and Kartan and its suburbs: three cities. ^21:33All the cities of the Gershonites according to their families were thirteen cities and their suburbs. ^21:34And to the families of the children of Merari, that remained of the Levites, [they gave] out of the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam and its suburbs, Kartah and its suburbs, ^21:35Dimnah and its suburbs, Nahalal and its suburbs: four cities; ^21:36and out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer and its suburbs, and Jahzah and its suburbs, ^21:37Kedemoth and its suburbs, and Mephaath and its suburbs: four cities; ^21:38and out of the tribe of Gad, the city of refuge for the slayer, Ramoth in Gilead and its suburbs; and Mahanaim and its suburbs, ^21:39Heshbon and its suburbs, Jaazer and its suburbs: four cities in all. ^21:40[These were] all the cities of the children of Merari according to their families, which remained of the families of the Levites, and their lot was twelve cities. ^21:41All the cities of the Levites within the possession of the children of Israel were forty-eight cities and their suburbs. ^21:42Each one of these cities had its suburbs round about it: thus were all these cities. ^21:43And Jehovah gave to Israel all the land which he swore to give unto their fathers; and they took possession of it, and dwelt in it. ^21:44And Jehovah gave them rest round about, according to all that he had sworn unto their fathers; and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them: Jehovah gave all their enemies into their hand. ^21:45There failed nothing of all the good things that Jehovah had spoken to the house of Israel: all came to pass.

^22:1Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, ^22:2and said unto them, Ye have kept all that Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded you, and have hearkened to my voice in all that I commanded you. ^22:3Ye have not left your brethren these many days unto this day, and ye have kept the charge of the commandment of Jehovah your God. ^22:4And now Jehovah your God hath given rest to your brethren, as he said unto them; and now return, and get you unto your tents, unto the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of Jehovah gave you beyond the Jordan. ^22:5Only, take great heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded you, to love Jehovah your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul. ^22:6And Joshua blessed them, and sent them away; and they went to their tents. ^22:7And to half the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given [inheritance] in Bashan, and to the other half thereof had Joshua given among their brethren on this side the Jordan westward. And when Joshua sent them away to their tents, he blessed them also, ^22:8and spoke to them, saying, Return unto your tents with much wealth and with very much cattle, with silver, and with gold, and with copper, and with iron, and with clothing, in very great quantity; divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren. ^22:9And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel out of Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go to the country of Gilead, into the land of their possession, of which they had become possessed, according to the word of Jehovah through Moses. ^22:10And they came to the districts of the Jordan that are in the land of Canaan; and the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by the Jordan, an altar of grand appearance. ^22:11And the children of Israel heard say, Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh have built an altar over against the land of Canaan, in the districts of the Jordan, separately from the children of Israel. ^22:12And when the children of Israel heard [of it], the whole assembly of the children of Israel gathered together at Shiloh, to go up against them to war. ^22:13And the children of Israel sent to the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, ^22:14and with him ten princes, of each father's house a prince, out of all the tribes of Israel; and each of them was head of a father's house, of the thousands of Israel. ^22:15And they came to the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, to the land of Gilead, and spoke with them, saying, ^22:16Thus saith the whole assembly of Jehovah: What wickedness is this which ye have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following Jehovah, in that ye have built yourselves an altar, rebelling this day against Jehovah? ^22:17Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us? from which we are not cleansed until this day, although there was a plague in the assembly of Jehovah. ^22:18And ye turn away this day from following Jehovah; and it will be, that since ye rebel this day against Jehovah, to-morrow he will be wroth with the whole assembly of Israel. ^22:19Notwithstanding, if the land of your possession is unclean, come over into the land of the possession of Jehovah, where Jehovah's tabernacle dwelleth, and take possession amongst us; but rebel not against Jehovah, and rebel not against us, in building for yourselves an altar besides the altar of Jehovah our God. ^22:20Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing? and wrath fell on all the assembly of Israel, and he perished not alone in his iniquity. ^22:21And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh answered and said to the heads of the thousands of Israel, ^22:22The God of gods, Jehovah, the God of gods, Jehovah, he knoweth, and Israel he shall know [it]; if it is in rebellion, or if in trespass against Jehovah, save us not this day! ^22:23that we have built for ourselves an altar to turn from following Jehovah, and if it is to offer up burnt-offering and oblation on it, and if to offer peace-offerings thereon, let Jehovah himself require it [from us]; ^22:24and if we have not done it from fear of this thing, saying, In future your children will speak to our children, saying, What have ye to do with Jehovah the God of Israel? ^22:25Jehovah hath made the Jordan a border between us and you, ye children of Reuben and children of Gad, ye have no portion in Jehovah! And so shall your children make our children cease from fearing Jehovah. ^22:26And we said, Let us now set to work to build an altar, not for burnt-offering, nor for sacrifice, ^22:27but to be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we might do service to Jehovah before him with our burnt-offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace-offerings; that your children may not say to our children in future, Ye have no portion in Jehovah. ^22:28And we said, If it shall be that in future they so say to us and to our generations, we will say, Behold the pattern of the altar of Jehovah which our fathers made, not for burnt-offering, nor for sacrifice, but as a witness between us and you. ^22:29Far be it from us that we should rebel against Jehovah, and turn this day from following Jehovah, in building an altar for burnt-offering, for oblation, and for sacrifice, besides the altar of Jehovah our God that is before his tabernacle. ^22:30And when Phinehas the priest and the princes of the assembly and the heads of the thousands of Israel that were with him heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spoke, it was good in their sight. ^22:31And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh, This day we perceive that Jehovah is among us, because ye have not committed this trespass against Jehovah: now have ye delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of Jehovah. ^22:32And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the princes, returned from the children of Reuben, and from the children of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, to the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought them word again. ^22:33And the thing was good in the sight of the children of Israel, and the children of Israel blessed God, and no more said that they would go up in warfare against them, to destroy the land in which the children of Reuben and the children of Gad dwelt. ^22:34And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad gave a name to the altar; for it is a witness between us that Jehovah is God.

^23:1And it came to pass a long time after that Jehovah had given rest to Israel from all their enemies round about, and Joshua had become old, advanced in age, ^23:2that Joshua called for all Israel, for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, and said unto them, I am become old, advanced in age; ^23:3and ye have seen all that Jehovah your God hath done to all these nations because of you. For Jehovah your God is he that hath fought for you. ^23:4Behold, I have divided unto you by lot for an inheritance, according to your tribes, these nations that remain, from the Jordan, as well as all the nations that I have cut off, as far as the great sea toward the sun-setting. ^23:5And Jehovah your God, he will expel them from before you, and dispossess them from out of your sight; and ye shall take possession of their land, as Jehovah your God hath said unto you. ^23:6And be ye very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left; ^23:7that ye enter not among these nations, these that remain among you; and ye shall make no mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear [by them], neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them; ^23:8but ye shall cleave unto Jehovah your God, as ye have done unto this day. ^23:9For Jehovah hath dispossessed from before you great and strong nations; and as to you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day. ^23:10One man of you chaseth a thousand; for Jehovah your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath said unto you. ^23:11Take great heed therefore unto your souls, that ye love Jehovah your God. ^23:12For if ye in any wise go back, and cleave unto the residue of these nations, these that remain among you, and make marriages with them, and come in unto them and they unto you: ^23:13know for a certainty that Jehovah your God will no more dispossess these nations from before you, and they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which Jehovah your God hath given you. ^23:14And behold, I am going this day the way of all the earth; and ye know in all your heart, and in all your soul, that not one thing hath failed of all the good words that Jehovah your God hath spoken concerning you: all are come to pass unto you not one thing hath failed thereof. ^23:15But it shall come to pass, that as every good word hath been fulfilled to you, that Jehovah your God spoke to you, so will Jehovah bring upon you every evil word, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which Jehovah your God hath given you; ^23:16when ye transgress the covenant of Jehovah your God which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods, and bow yourselves unto them, so that the anger of Jehovah shall be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given unto you.

^24:1And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God. ^24:2And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith Jehovah the God of Israel: Your fathers dwelt of old on the other side of the river, Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, and they served other gods. ^24:3And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the river, and led him throughout the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed and gave him Isaac. ^24:4And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau; and I gave unto Esau mount Seir, to possess it; and Jacob and his sons went down into Egypt. ^24:5And I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did among them; and afterwards I brought you out. ^24:6And I brought your fathers out of Egypt, and ye came unto the sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with chariots and horsemen unto the Red sea. ^24:7Then they cried to Jehovah, and he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them; and your eyes saw what I did in Egypt; and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long time. ^24:8And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, who dwelt beyond the Jordan, and they fought with you, and I gave them into your hand, and ye took possession of their land, and I destroyed them from before you. ^24:9And Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you; ^24:10but I would not hearken unto Balaam, and he blessed you expressly, and I delivered you out of his hand. ^24:11And ye went over the Jordan, and came unto Jericho, and the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hand. ^24:12And I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out from before you, [as] the two kings of the Amorites; not with thy sword, nor with thy bow. ^24:13And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat. ^24:14And now fear Jehovah and serve him in perfectness and in truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the river, and in Egypt; and serve Jehovah. ^24:15And if it seem evil unto you to serve Jehovah, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods whom your fathers that were on the other side of the river served, or the gods of the Amorite, in whose land ye dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve Jehovah. ^24:16And the people answered and said, Far be it from us that we should forsake Jehovah, to serve other gods; ^24:17for Jehovah our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and who did those great signs before our eyes, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed! ^24:18And Jehovah drove out from before us all the peoples, and the Amorites the inhabitants of the land: so therefore we will serve Jehovah, for he is our God. ^24:19And Joshua said to the people, Ye cannot serve Jehovah, for he is a holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. ^24:20If ye forsake Jehovah, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good. ^24:21And the people said to Joshua, No; but we will serve Jehovah. ^24:22And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you Jehovah, to serve him. And they said, [We are] witnesses. ^24:23Now therefore put away the strange gods that are among you, and incline your heart unto Jehovah the God of Israel. ^24:24And the people said unto Joshua, Jehovah our God will we serve, and to his voice will we hearken. ^24:25So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. ^24:26And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under the oak that was by the sanctuary of Jehovah. ^24:27And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us, for it hath heard all the words of Jehovah which he spoke unto us; and it shall be a witness against you, lest ye deny your God. ^24:28And Joshua dismissed the people, every man to his inheritance. ^24:29And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Jehovah, died, a hundred and ten years old. ^24:30And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-serah, which is in mount Ephraim, on the north side of the mountain of Gaash. ^24:31And Israel served Jehovah all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders whose days were prolonged after Joshua, and who had known all the works of Jehovah, which he had done for Israel. ^24:32And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel had brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem in the portion of the field which Jacob had bought of the sons of Hamor, Shechem's father, for a hundred kesitahs; and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph. ^24:33And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him in the hill of Phinehas his son, which had been given him in mount Ephraim.

Judges

^1:1And it came to pass after the death of Joshua that the children of Israel asked Jehovah, saying, Which of us shall go up against the Canaanites first, to fight against them? ^1:2And Jehovah said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand. ^1:3And Judah said to Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my lot, and let us fight against the Canaanites, and I likewise will go with thee into thy lot; and Simeon went with him. ^1:4And Judah went up; and Jehovah delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand, and they smote them in Bezek, ten thousand men. ^1:5And they found Adoni-Bezek in Bezek, and fought against him, and they smote the Canaanites and the Perizzites. ^1:6And Adoni-Bezek fled, and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes. ^1:7And Adoni-Bezek said, Seventy kings, with their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gleaned under my table: as I have done, so God has requited me. And they brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died. ^1:8And the children of Judah fought against Jerusalem, and took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire. ^1:9And afterwards the children of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites, that dwelt in the hill-country, and in the south, and in the lowland. ^1:10And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron the name of Hebron before was Kirjath-Arba; and they slew Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai. ^1:11And from there he went against the inhabitants of Debir; now the name of Debir before was Kirjath-sepher. ^1:12And Caleb said, He that smites Kirjath-sepher and takes it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter as wife. ^1:13And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, took it; and he gave him Achsah his daughter as wife. ^1:14And it came to pass as she came, that she urged him to ask of her father the field; and she sprang down from the ass. And Caleb said to her, What wouldest thou? ^1:15And she said to him, Give me a blessing; for thou hast given me a southern land; give me also springs of water. And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs. ^1:16And the children of the Kenite, Moses' father-in-law, had gone up out of the city of palm-trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which is in the south of Arad; and they went and dwelt with the people. ^1:17And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it; and they called the name of the city Hormah. ^1:18And Judah took Gazah and its border, and Ashkelon and its border, and Ekron and its border. ^1:19And Jehovah was with Judah; and he took possession of the hill-country, for he did not dispossess the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron. ^1:20And they gave to Caleb Hebron, as Moses had said; and he dispossessed from thence the three sons of Anak. ^1:21And the children of Benjamin did not dispossess the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day. ^1:22And the house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel; and Jehovah was with them. ^1:23And the house of Joseph sent to search out Bethel; now the name of the city before was Luz. ^1:24And the guards saw a man come forth out of the city, and said unto him, Shew us, we pray thee, how [we] may enter into the city, and we will shew thee kindness. ^1:25And he shewed them how to enter into the city. And they smote the city with the edge of the sword; but they let go the man and all his family. ^1:26And the man went into the land of the Hittites, and built a city, and called its name Luz, which is its name to this day. ^1:27And Manasseh did not dispossess Beth-shean and its dependent villages, nor Taanach and its dependent villages, nor the inhabitants of Dor and its dependent villages, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and its dependent villages, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and its dependent villages; and the Canaanites would dwell in that land. ^1:28And it came to pass when Israel became strong, that they made the Canaanites tributary; but they did not utterly dispossess them. ^1:29And Ephraim did not dispossess the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwelt among them in Gezer. ^1:30Zebulun did not dispossess the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites dwelt among them, and became tributaries. ^1:31Asher did not dispossess the inhabitants of Accho, nor the inhabitants of Zidon, nor Ahlab, nor Achzib, nor Helbah, nor Aphik, nor Rehob; ^1:32and the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; for they did not dispossess them. ^1:33Naphtali did not dispossess the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, nor the inhabitants of Beth-anath; and he dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land, but the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and of Beth-anath became tributaries to them. ^1:34And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the hill-country, for they would not suffer them to come down to the valley. ^1:35And the Amorites would dwell on mount Heres, in Ajalon and in Shaalbim; but the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, and they became tributaries. ^1:36And the border of the Amorites was from the ascent of Akrabbim, from the rock, and upwards.

^2:1And the Angel of Jehovah came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you to the land which I swore unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you; and as for you, ^2:2ye shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not hearkened unto my voice. Why have ye done this? ^2:3Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be [scourges] in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you. ^2:4And it came to pass, when the Angel of Jehovah spoke these words to all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice and wept. ^2:5And they called the name of that place Bochim; and they sacrificed there to Jehovah. ^2:6And Joshua dismissed the people, and the children of Israel went every man to his inheritance to possess the land. ^2:7And the people served Jehovah all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders whose days were prolonged after Joshua, who had seen all the great works of Jehovah, which he had done for Israel. ^2:8And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Jehovah, died, a hundred and ten years old. ^2:9And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-Heres, in mount Ephraim, on the north side of the mountain of Gaash. ^2:10And also all that generation were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them, which knew not Jehovah, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. ^2:11And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of Jehovah, and served the Baals. ^2:12And they forsook Jehovah the God of their fathers, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods of the gods of the peoples that were round about them, and bowed themselves to them, and provoked Jehovah to anger. ^2:13And they forsook Jehovah, and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. ^2:14And the anger of Jehovah 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; and they could not any longer stand before their enemies. ^2:15Whithersoever they went out the hand of Jehovah was against them for evil, as Jehovah had said, and as Jehovah had sworn unto them; and they were greatly distressed. ^2:16And Jehovah raised up judges, and they saved them out of the hand of those that spoiled them. ^2:17But they did not even hearken to their judges, for they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves to them; they turned quickly out of the way that their fathers had walked in, obeying the commandments of Jehovah; they did not so. ^2:18And when Jehovah raised them up judges, then Jehovah was with the judge, and saved them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for it repented Jehovah because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and crushed them. ^2:19And it came to pass when the judge died, that they turned back and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down to them: they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way. ^2:20And the anger of Jehovah was hot against Israel; and he said, Because this nation hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and hath not hearkened unto my voice, ^2:21I also will not henceforth dispossess from before them any of the nations that Joshua left when he died; ^2:22that through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of Jehovah to walk therein, as their fathers did keep [it], or not. ^2:23Therefore Jehovah left those nations, without dispossessing them hastily, neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.

^3:1And these are the nations that Jehovah left, to prove Israel by them, all that had not known all the wars of Canaan; ^3:2only that the generations of the children of Israel might know war by learning it, at the least those who before had known nothing thereof: ^3:3five lord ships of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwell on mount Lebanon; from mount Baal-Hermon unto the entering into Hamath. ^3:4And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would obey the commandments of Jehovah, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses. ^3:5And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites: Hittites and Amorites and Perizzites and Hivites and Jebusites; ^3:6and they took their daughters as wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods. ^3:7And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of Jehovah, and forgot Jehovah their God, and served the Baals and the Asherahs. ^3:8And the anger of Jehovah 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. ^3:9And the children of Israel cried to Jehovah; and Jehovah raised up a saviour to the children of Israel, who saved them, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother. ^3:10And the Spirit of Jehovah was upon him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war, and Jehovah gave Chushan-rishathaim king of Syria into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushan-rishathaim. ^3:11And the land had rest forty years; and Othniel the son of Kenaz died. ^3:12And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of Jehovah; and Jehovah strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they did evil in the sight of Jehovah. ^3:13And he gathered to him the children of Ammon and Amalek and went and smote Israel, and they took possession of the city of palm-trees. ^3:14And the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years. ^3:15And the children of Israel cried to Jehovah, and Jehovah raised them up a saviour, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, a man left-handed. And by him the children of Israel sent a gift to Eglon king of Moab. ^3:16And Ehud made him a sword having two edges, it was of a cubit length; and he girded it under his raiment upon his right hip. ^3:17And he brought the gift to Eglon king of Moab; now Eglon was a very fat man. ^3:18And it came to pass when he had ended offering the gift, he sent away the people that had borne the gift. ^3:19But he turned from the graven images that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret word unto thee, O king. And he said, Be silent! And all that stood by him went out from him. ^3:20And Ehud came to him; now he was sitting in the cool upper-chamber, which was for him alone. And Ehud said, I have a word from God unto thee. And he arose from the seat. ^3:21Then Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the sword from his right hip, and thrust it into his belly; ^3:22and the haft also went in after the blade, and the fat closed upon the blade; for he did not draw the sword out of his belly, and it came out between the legs. ^3:23And Ehud went out into the portico, and shut the doors of the upper-chamber upon him, and bolted them. ^3:24And when he was gone out, the servants of the [king] came and saw, and behold, the doors of the upper-chamber were bolted. And they said, Surely he is covering his feet in the summer chamber. ^3:25And they waited till they were ashamed; and behold, he opened not the doors of the upper-chamber, and they took the key, and opened [them], and behold, their lord lay dead on the earth. ^3:26And Ehud had escaped while they lingered, and passed beyond the graven images, and escaped to Seirah. ^3:27And it came to pass when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the hill-country of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the hill-country, and he before them. ^3:28And he said to them, Follow after me, for Jehovah has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of the Jordan toward Moab, and suffered no one to pass over. ^3:29And they slew the Moabites at that time, about ten thousand men, all fat, and all men of valour, and not a man escaped. ^3:30And Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest eighty years. ^3:31And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath; and he smote the Philistines, six hundred men, with an ox-goad. And he also delivered Israel.

^4:1And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of Jehovah; now Ehud was dead. ^4:2And Jehovah sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; and the captain of his army was Sisera, who dwelt in Harosheth-Goim. ^4:3And the children of Israel cried to Jehovah; for he had nine hundred chariots of iron, and he mightily oppressed the children of Israel twenty years. ^4:4And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, judged Israel at that time. ^4:5And she dwelt under the palm-tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim; and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment. ^4:6And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh-Naphtali, and said to him, Hath not Jehovah the God of Israel commanded? Go and draw towards mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun, ^4:7and I will draw unto thee, to the torrent Kishon, Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, and his chariots and his multitude, and I will give him into thy hand. ^4:8And Barak said to her, If thou goest with me, then I will go, but if thou goest not with me, I will not go. ^4:9And she said, I will by all means go with thee, only that it will not be to thine honour upon the way which thou goest, for Jehovah will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh. ^4:10And Barak called together Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and there went up at his feet ten thousand men; and Deborah went up with him. ^4:11(Now Heber the Kenite had severed himself from the Kenites, from the children of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far as the oak of Zaannaim, which is by Kedesh.) ^4:12And they told Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to mount Tabor. ^4:13Then Sisera gathered together all his chariots, nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, from Harosheth-Goim to the torrent Kishon. ^4:14And Deborah said to Barak, Up; for this is the day in which Jehovah hath given Sisera into thy hand! Is not Jehovah gone out before thee? And Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him. ^4:15And Jehovah discomfited Sisera, and all the chariots, and all the army, with the edge of the sword before Barak; and Sisera got down from [his] chariot, and fled on foot. ^4:16And Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the army, to Harosheth-Goim; and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not one was left. ^4:17And Sisera fled on foot 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. ^4:18And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said to him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And he turned in to her, into the tent, and she covered him with the quilt. ^4:19And he said to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink, for I am thirsty. And she opened the flask of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him. ^4:20And he said to her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be if any one come and inquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No. ^4:21And Jael Heber's wife took a tent-pin, and took the hammer in her hand, and went softly to him, and smote the pin into his temples, and it penetrated into the ground; for he had fallen into a deep sleep and was faint; and he died. ^4:22And behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael went out to meet him, and said to him, Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest. And he went into her [tent], and behold, Sisera lay dead, and the pin was in his temples. ^4:23So God subdued on that day Jabin king of Canaan before the children of Israel. ^4:24And the hand of the children of Israel ever advanced, and prevailed against Jabin king of Canaan, until they had cut off Jabin king of Canaan.

^5:1Then sang Deborah and Barak, the son of Abinoam, on that day, saying, ^5:2For that leaders led in Israel, For that the people willingly offered themselves, Bless Jehovah! ^5:3Hear, ye kings; give ear, ye princes, I, [even] I, will sing to Jehovah; I will hymn to Jehovah the God of Israel. ^5:4Jehovah, when thou wentest forth from Seir, When thou marchedst out of the fields of Edom, The earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, Yea, the clouds dropped water. ^5:5The mountains quaked before the face of Jehovah, That Sinai, from before Jehovah the God of Israel. ^5:6In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, The roads were unused, and the travellers on highways went by crooked paths. ^5:7The villages ceased in Israel, Ceased until that I Deborah arose, That I arose a mother in Israel. ^5:8They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: Was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel? ^5:9My heart is toward the governors of Israel, who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless Jehovah! ^5:10Ye that ride on white she-asses, ye that sit on carpets, and ye that walk by the way, consider. ^5:11Because of the voice of those who divide [the spoil] in the midst of the places of drawing water; There they rehearse the righteous acts of Jehovah, His righteous acts toward his villages in Israel. Then the people of Jehovah went down to the gates. ^5:12Awake, awake, Deborah! awake, awake, utter a song! Arise, Barak, and lead captive thy captives, thou son of Abinoam! ^5:13Then come down, thou, the remnant of nobles, [as his] people; Jehovah! come down with me in the midst of the mighty ones. ^5:14Out of Ephraim [came] those whose root was in Amalek; After thee was Benjamin among thy peoples. Out of Machir came down governors, And out of Zebulun they that handled the staff of the ruler. ^5:15And the princes in Issachar were with Deborah; And Issachar, like Barak; They were sent into the valley at his feet. In the divisions of Reuben there were great resolves of heart! ^5:16Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, To hear the bleating of the flocks? In the divisions of Reuben there were great deliberations of heart! ^5:17Gilead abode beyond Jordan; And Dan, why did he remain in ships? Asher sat on the sea-shore, And abode in his creeks. ^5:18Zebulun is a people [that] jeoparded their lives unto death, Naphtali also, on the high places of the field. ^5:19Kings came, they fought; Then fought the kings of Canaan; At Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo; They took no spoil of silver. ^5:20From heaven was the fight; The stars from their courses fought with Sisera. ^5:21The torrent of Kishon swept them away, That ancient torrent, the torrent Kishon. My soul, thou hast trodden down strength! ^5:22Then did the horse-hoofs clatter with the coursings, The coursings of their steeds. ^5:23Curse Meroz, saith the Angel of Jehovah; Curse, curse the inhabitants thereof; For they came not to the help of Jehovah, To the help of Jehovah among the mighty. ^5:24Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, Blessed above women in the tent! ^5:25He asked water, she gave milk; In the nobles' bowl she brought forth cream. ^5:26She put her hand to the tent-pin, And her right hand to the workmen's hammer; And she smote Sisera, she struck through his head, Shattered and pierced through his temples. ^5:27Between her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: Between her feet he bowed, he fell; Where he bowed, there he fell, overcome. ^5:28Them other of Sisera looketh out at the window, And crieth through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the trampings of his chariots? ^5:29The wise amongst her ladies answer [her], Yea, she returneth answer to herself, ^5:30Have they not found, divided the booty, A damsel, two damsels, to each? A booty of dyed stuffs for Sisera, A booty of dyed stuffs of embroidery, Dyed stuff of double embroidery for the neck of a spoiler? ^5:31So let all thine enemies perish, Jehovah! But let them that love him be as the rising of the sun in its might. And the land had rest forty years.

^6:1And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of Jehovah; and Jehovah delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. ^6:2And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites the children of Israel made for themselves the dens that are in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds. ^6:3And it came to pass when Israel sowed, that Midian came up, and Amalek, and the children of the east, and came up against them. ^6:4And they encamped against them, and destroyed the produce of the land, until thou come to Gazah, and they left no sustenance in Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass. ^6:5For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as locusts for multitude; both they and their camels were without number; and they entered into the land to destroy it. ^6:6And Israel was greatly impoverished because of Midian. And the children of Israel cried to Jehovah. ^6:7And it came to pass when the children of Israel cried to Jehovah because of Midian, ^6:8that Jehovah sent a prophet to the children of Israel, who said to them, Thus saith Jehovah the God of Israel: I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage; ^6:9and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drove them out from before you, and gave you their land, ^6:10and I said to you, I am Jehovah your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell. But ye have not hearkened to my voice. ^6:11And an angel of Jehovah came and sat under the terebinth that was in Ophrah, that [belonged] to Joash the Abi-ezrite. And his son Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress, to secure [it] from the Midianites. ^6:12And the Angel of Jehovah appeared to him, and said to him, Jehovah is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. ^6:13And Gideon said to him, Ah my Lord, if Jehovah be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where are all his miracles that our fathers told us of, saying, Did not Jehovah bring us up from Egypt? And now Jehovah hath cast us off, and given us into the hand of Midian. ^6:14And Jehovah looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of Midian. Have not I sent thee? ^6:15And he said to him, Ah Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my thousand is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house. ^6:16And Jehovah said to him, I will certainly be with thee; and thou shalt smite Midian as one man. ^6:17And he said to him, If now I have found favour in thine eyes, shew me a sign that it is thou who talkest with me. ^6:18Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again. ^6:19And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid of the goats, and an ephah of flour in unleavened cakes: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out to him under the terebinth, and presented it. ^6:20And the Angel of God said to him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so. ^6:21And the Angel of Jehovah 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. And the Angel of Jehovah departed out of his sight. ^6:22And Gideon perceived that he was an angel of Jehovah; and Gideon said, Alas, Lord Jehovah! for because I have seen an angel of Jehovah face to face ^6:23And Jehovah said to him, Peace be unto thee: fear not; thou shalt not die. ^6:24And Gideon built there an altar to Jehovah, and called it Jehovah-shalom. To this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites. ^6:25And it came to pass the same night, that Jehovah said to him, Take the young bullock, which thy father hath, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the Asherah that is by it; ^6:26and build an altar to Jehovah thy God upon the top of this strong place in the ordered manner, and take the second bullock, and offer up a burnt-offering with the wood of the Asherah that thou shalt cut down. ^6:27And Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as Jehovah had said to him. And it came to pass, because he feared his father's house, and the men of the city, if he did it by day, that he did it by night. ^6:28And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the Asherah was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered up upon the altar that was built. ^6:29And they said one to another, Who has done this thing? And when they inquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing. ^6:30And the men of the city said to Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die, because he has broken down the altar of Baal, and because he has cut down the Asherah that was by it. ^6:31And Joash said to all that stood near him, Will *ye* contend for Baal? or will *ye* save him? he that contends for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning. If he be a god, let him plead for himself, because they have broken down his altar. ^6:32And on that day they called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead with him, because he has broken down his altar. ^6:33And all Midian and Amalek and the children of the east were gathered together, and went over, and encamped in the valley of Jezreel. ^6:34And the Spirit of Jehovah came upon Gideon, and he blew the trumpet, and the Abi-ezrites were gathered after him. ^6:35And he sent messengers throughout Manasseh, and they also were gathered after him; and he sent messengers to Asher, and to Zebulun, and to Naphtali; and they came up to meet them. ^6:36And Gideon said to God, If thou wilt save Israel by my hand, as thou hast said, ^6:37behold, I put a fleece of wool on the threshing-floor; if dew shall be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the ground, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by my hand, as thou hast said. ^6:38And it was so. And when he rose up early on the morrow, he pressed the fleece together, and wrung dew out of the fleece, a bowl-full of water. ^6:39And Gideon said to 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, I pray thee, be dry upon the fleece only, and upon all the ground let there be dew. ^6:40And God did so that night, and it was dry upon the fleece only, but on all the ground there was dew.

^7:1And Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, arose early, and all the people that were with him, and they encamped beside the spring Harod; and he had the camp of Midian on the north by the hill of Moreh in the valley. ^7:2And Jehovah said to Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give Midian into their hand, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. ^7:3And now proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whoever is timid and afraid, let him go back and turn from mount Gilead. And there went back of the people twenty-two thousand; and there remained ten thousand. ^7:4And Jehovah said to Gideon, Still the people are many; bring them down to the water, and I will try them for thee there, and it shall be, that of whom I shall say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I shall say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go. ^7:5And he brought down the people to the water; and Jehovah said to 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 on his knees to drink. ^7:6And the number of them that lapped, with their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men; and all the rest of the people bowed down on their knees to drink water. ^7:7And Jehovah said to Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and give Midian into thy hand; and let all the people go every man to his place. ^7:8And they took the victuals of the people in their hand, and their trumpets; and all the men of Israel he sent away, every man to his tent, but retained the three hundred men. Now the camp of Midian was beneath him in the valley. ^7:9And it came to pass in that night, that Jehovah said to him, Arise, go down to the camp; for I have given it into thy hand. ^7:10And if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the camp; ^7:11and thou shalt hear what they say; and afterwards shall thy hand be strengthened, and thou shalt go down unto the camp. And he went down with Phurah his servant to the outside of the armed men that were in the camp. ^7:12And Midian and Amalek and all the children of the east lay along in the valley as locusts for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand upon the sea-shore for multitude. ^7:13And Gideon came, and behold, a man was telling a dream to his fellow; and he said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and lo, a cake of barley-bread tumbled into the camp of Midian, and came to the tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it; and the tent lay along. ^7:14And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, the man of Israel: God hath given into his hand Midian and all the host. ^7:15And it came to pass when Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, that he worshipped. And he returned into the camp of Israel, and said, Arise; for Jehovah hath given into your hand the camp of Midian. ^7:16And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, and empty pitchers, and torches within the pitchers. ^7:17And he said to them, Look on me, and do likewise; behold, when I come to the extremity of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do. ^7:18And when I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, ye also shall blow the trumpets around the whole camp, and shall say, For Jehovah and for Gideon! ^7:19And Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came to 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 broke the pitchers that were in their hands. ^7:20And the three companies blew the trumpets, and broke in pieces the pitchers, and held the torches in their left hand, and the trumpets in their right hand for blowing, and cried, The sword of Jehovah and of Gideon! ^7:21And they stood every man in his place round about the camp; and all the host ran, and cried out, and fled. ^7:22And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and Jehovah set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout the camp. And the host fled to Beth-shittah towards Zererah, to the border of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath. ^7:23And the men of Israel were called together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after Midian. ^7:24And Gideon sent messengers throughout mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against Midian, and take before them the waters unto Beth-barah, and the Jordan. And all the men of Ephraim were called together, and took the waters unto Beth-barah, and the Jordan. ^7:25And they took two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb; and they pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon beyond the Jordan.

^8:1And the men of Ephraim said to him, What is this thing thou hast done to us, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with Midian? And they disputed with him sharply. ^8:2And he said to them, What have I done now in comparison with you? Are not the gleanings of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abi-ezer? ^8:3Into your hands hath God delivered the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb; and what was I able to do in comparison with you? Then their spirit was appeased toward him, when he said that word. ^8:4And Gideon came to the Jordan, [and] passed over, he and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing. ^8:5And he said to the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread to the people that follow me, for they are faint; and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian. ^8:6And the chief men of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in thy hand, that we should give bread to thine army? ^8:7And Gideon said, Therefore when Jehovah delivers Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will thresh your flesh with thorns of the wilderness and with briars. ^8:8And he went up thence to Penuel, and spoke to them in like manner. And the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered. ^8:9And he spoke also to the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower. ^8:10Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their camp with them, about fifteen thousand [men], all that were left of the whole camp of the children of the east; for there had fallen a hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword. ^8:11And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwell in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the camp; for the camp was at its ease. ^8:12And Zebah and Zalmunna fled, and he pursued after them, and he took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the camp. ^8:13And Gideon the son of Joash returned from the battle, from the ascent of Heres. ^8:14And he caught a youth of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him; and he wrote down for him the chief men of Succoth, and the elders thereof, seventy-seven men. ^8:15And he came to the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in thy hand, that we should give bread to thy men that are weary? ^8:16And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briars, and with them he taught the men of Succoth. ^8:17And he broke down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city. ^8:18Then said he to Zebah and Zalmunna, What sort of men were they that ye slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou art, so were they; each one resembled the sons of a king. ^8:19And he said, They were my brethren, the sons of my mother. [As] Jehovah liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you. ^8:20And he said to Jether his firstborn, Arise, slay them! But the youth drew not his sword; for he feared, because he was yet a youth. ^8:21Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall on us; for as is the man, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna; and he took the moons that were on their camels' necks. ^8:22And the men of Israel said to Gideon, Rule over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also; for thou hast saved us from the hand of Midian. ^8:23And Gideon said to them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: Jehovah will rule over you. ^8:24And Gideon said to them, I would desire a request of you: give me every man the earrings of his booty; for they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites. ^8:25And they said, We will willingly give [them]. And they spread a garment, and cast therein every man the earrings of his booty. ^8:26And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand seven hundred [shekels] of gold; besides the moons, and eardrops, and the purple garments that were on the kings of Midian, and besides the chains that were about their camels' necks. ^8:27And Gideon made an ephod of them, and put it in his city, in Ophrah. And all Israel went thither a whoring after it; and it became a snare to Gideon, and to his house. ^8:28And Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, and they lifted up their heads no more. And the land had rest forty years in the days of Gideon. ^8:29And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his house. ^8:30Now Gideon had seventy sons who had come out of his loins, for he had many wives. ^8:31And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bore him a son, and he gave him the name of Abimelech. ^8:32And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites. ^8:33And it came to pass when Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after the Baals, and set up Baal-Berith as their god. ^8:34And the children of Israel remembered not Jehovah their God, who had delivered them out of the hand of all their enemies on every side. ^8:35And they shewed no kindness to the house of Jerubbaal-Gideon, according to all the good that he had done to Israel.

^9:1And Abimelech son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother's brethren, and spoke to them, and to all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying, ^9:2Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the citizens of Shechem, Which is better for you, that seventy persons, all sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you, or that one man rule over you? And remember that I am your bone and your flesh. ^9:3And his mother's brethren spoke of him in the ears of all the citizens of Shechem all these words. And their heart inclined after Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother. ^9:4And they gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-Berith, and Abimelech hired with them vain and wanton men, and they followed him. ^9:5And he came to his father's house, to Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy persons upon one stone; but there remained Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal; for he had hid himself. ^9:6And all the citizens of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went and made Abimelech king, by the memorial-oak that is in Shechem. ^9:7And they told it to Jotham, and he went and stood on the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said to them, Hearken to me, ye citizens of Shechem, that God may hearken to you. ^9:8The trees once went forth to anoint a king over them; and they said to the olive-tree, Reign over us. ^9:9And the olive-tree said to them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to wave over the trees? ^9:10And the trees said to the fig-tree, Come thou, reign over us. ^9:11But the fig-tree said to them, Should I leave my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to wave over the trees? ^9:12Then said the trees to the vine, Come thou, reign over us. ^9:13And the vine said to them, Should I leave my new wine, which cheers God and man, and go to wave over the trees? ^9:14Then said all the trees to the thorn-bush, Come thou, reign over us. ^9:15And the thorn-bush said to the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, come, put confidence in my shadow; but if not, fire shall come out of the thorn-bush and devour the cedars of Lebanon. ^9:16Now therefore, if ye have dealt truly and sincerely in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and if ye have done to him according to the deserving of his hands; ^9:17for my father fought for you, and endangered his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian; ^9:18but ye are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, seventy men, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his handmaid, king over the citizens of Shechem, because he is your brother; ^9:19if ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you; ^9:20but if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the citizens of Shechem and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the citizens of Shechem and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech. ^9:21And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, because of Abimelech his brother. ^9:22And Abimelech ruled over Israel three years. ^9:23And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem; and the citizens of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech, ^9:24that the violence [done] to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, who slew them, and upon the citizens of Shechem, who had strengthened his hands to slay his brethren. ^9:25And the citizens of Shechem set liers in wait for him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them. And it was told Abimelech. ^9:26And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren, and went over to Shechem; and the citizens of Shechem put confidence in him. ^9:27And they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and trode [the grapes], and made rejoicings, and went into the house of their god, and ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech. ^9:28And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? is he not the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his overseer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem! and why should *we* serve him? ^9:29Oh! would that this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out. ^9:30And Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, and his anger was kindled; ^9:31and he sent messengers to Abimelech craftily, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren are come to Shechem, and behold, they shut up the city against thee; ^9:32and now, rise up by night, thou and the people that are with thee, and lie in ambush in the fields. ^9:33And it shall be in the morning when the sun is up, thou shalt rise early, and fall upon the city; and behold, he and the people that is with him shall come out against thee, and thou shalt do with him as thou shalt find occasion. ^9:34And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they lay in ambush against Shechem in four companies. ^9:35And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city. Then Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, out of the ambush. ^9:36And Gaal saw the people, and said to Zebul, Behold, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains. And Zebul said to him, Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as men. ^9:37And Gaal spoke again, and said, Behold, people are coming down from the high part of the land, and one company is coming along by the way of the Magician's oak. ^9:38Then said Zebul to him, Where is now thy mouth, thou that saidst, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? is not this the people that thou hast despised? go out now, I pray, and fight against them. ^9:39And Gaal went out before the citizens of Shechem, and fought against Abimelech. ^9:40And Abimelech pursued him, and he fled before him, and there fell many wounded, as far as the entrance of the gate. ^9:41And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah. And Zebul drove out Gaal and his brethren, that they might not dwell in Shechem. ^9:42And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech. ^9:43And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and lay in ambush in the field. And he looked, and behold, the people came forth out of the city; and he rose up against them and smote them. ^9:44And Abimelech, and the companies that were with him, rushed forward, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city; and two of the companies ran upon all that were in the fields, and slew them. ^9:45And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and slew the people that were in it, and broke down the city, and sowed it with salt. ^9:46And all the men of the tower of Shechem heard [that], and they entered into the stronghold of the house of the God Berith. ^9:47And it was told Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem had gathered together. ^9:48Then Abimelech went 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 up and laid it on his shoulder, and said to the people that was with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, do as I have done. ^9:49And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and they followed Abimelech, and put [them] to the hold, and burned the hold with fire upon them. And all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women. ^9:50And Abimelech went to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it. ^9:51But there was a strong tower in the midst of the city, and thither fled all the men and women, all the citizens of the city; and they shut it behind them, and went up to the roof of the tower. ^9:52And Abimelech came to the tower, and fought against it, and he drew near to the entrance of the tower to burn it with fire; ^9:53and a woman cast the upper stone of a handmill on Abimelech's head, and crushed his skull. ^9:54Then he called hastily to the young man that carried his armour, and said to him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that they say not of me, A woman killed him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died. ^9:55And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they went every man to his place. ^9:56And God rendered back the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did to his father in slaying his seventy brethren. ^9:57And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render back upon their heads; and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.