
{1}1{/}

{I}1_{/}After the death 
of Joshua, the Israelites 
consulted Yahweh, "Who 
among us shall be the 
first to fight against 
the Canaanites?" 
{I}2_{/}Yahweh answered: 
"The tribe of Judah shall 
go up first, and I will 
give the land into their 
hands." {I}3_{/}So the 
people of Judah said to 
their brothers from the 
tribe of Simeon, "Help us 
conquer the part of the 
land that is allotted to 
us, and then we will 
conquer with you the 
region that is yours." So 
they joined forces for 
the war.
{I}4_{/}When the tribe of 
Judah attacked the 
Canaanites and the 
Perizzites, Yahweh gave 
them into their hands; in 
Bezek they defeated ten 
thousand men.
{I}5_{/}In Bezek they 
encountered the lord of 
Bezek and fought against 
him. {I}6_{/}The lord of 
Bezek fled but they 
pursued him. They 
captured him and cut off 
his thumbs and his big 
toes. {I}7_{/}The lord of 
Bezek then said, "Seventy 
kings whose thumbs and 
big toes I cut off used 
to pick scraps under my 
table, now God has done 
to me according to what I 
have done." They brought 
him to Jerusalem, and he 
died there. 
{I}8_{/}The tribe of 
Judah attacked the city 
of Jerusalem, and after 
killing its inhabitants 
they burned the city. 
{I}9_{/}Afterwards they 
went down from Jerusalem 
to attack the Canaanites 
who lived in the 
mountains, in the Negeb 
and in the plains. 
{I}10_{/}They also 
attacked the Canaanites 
who were in Hebron 
(Hebron was also called 
Kiriath-arba at that 
time), and they defeated 
Sheshai, Ahiman and 
Talmai. {I}11_{/}From 
there they marched 
against the inhabitants 
of Debir, a city which 
was also called Kiriath-
sepher. {I}12_{/}Then 
Caleb made this promise, 
"To the one who takes 
Kiriath-sepher, I will 
give my daughter Achsah 
as wife." {I}13_{/}It was 
Othoniel who took the 
city; he was the son of 
Kenaz, Caleb's younger 
brother, and Caleb gave 
him Achsah, his daughter, 
as wife.
{I}14_{/}When Achsah came 
to Othoniel, she urged 
him to ask her father for 
a field. She alighted 
from her ass, and Caleb 
asked her, "What do you 
want?" {I}15_{/}She 
answered, "What a gift 
this Negeb wilderness is! 
Give me also springs of 
water." And Caleb gave 
her the Upper Springs and 
the Lower Springs.
{I}16_{/}The descendants 
of the Kenite, Moses' 
father-in-law, also went 
up with the people of 
Judah from the city of 
palms to that part of the 
desert of Judah on the 
boundary of the Negeb 
near Arad, and they 
settled there with them.
{I}17_{/}Those from Judah 
and their brothers from 
the tribe of Simeon 
attacked the Canaanites 
who lived in Zephath, and 
they sacrificed Zephath 
in honor of Yahweh. For 
this reason, the city was 
named "Anathema." 
{I}18_{/}Judah seized 
Gaza, Ashkelon and Ekron 
with their respective 
territories.
{I}19_{/}Although they 
conquered the mountainous 
regions with the help of 
Yahweh, they could not 
drive out the inhabitants 
of the plain because they 
fought with iron 
chariots. 
{I}20_{/}Following the 
orders of Moses, they 
gave the city of Hebron 
to Caleb who had cast out 
the three sons of Anak 
from there. {I}21_{/}But 
the tribe of Benjamin did 
not succeed in expelling 
the Jebusites who lived 
in Jerusalem; the 
Jebusites have stayed in 
Jerusalem until this day.
{I}22_{/}The people of 
Joseph went up against 
Bethel with the help of 
Yahweh. {I}23_{/}They 
sent men out to spy in 
Bethel, formerly called 
Luz, {I}24_{/}and they 
met a man coming out of 
the city. They said to 
him, "Tell us how we can 
enter the city, and we 
will not kill you." 
{I}25_{/}He showed them 
the way. Then they 
entered and put the city 
to the sword, but set 
that man free together 
with his whole family. 
{I}26_{/}The man went to 
the land of the Hittites 
where he built a city 
which he named Luz which 
is its name to this day.
{I}27_{/}However, the 
tribe of Manasseh did not 
drive out the people of 
Beth-shean and Taa-nach 
or the inhabitants of 
Dor, Ibleam and Megiddo. 
The Canaanites persisted 
in dwelling in these 
cities and in the towns 
that depended on them, 
and they kept their 
lands. {I}28_{/}But when 
the Israelites grew 
stronger, they exacted 
taxes from the Canaanites 
who stayed in their 
place. {I}29_{/}Neither 
did the tribe of Ephraim 
expel the Canaanites who 
lived in Gezer 
{I}30_{/}nor did the 
tribe of Zebulun drive 
out the inhabitants of 
Kitron and Nahalol. These 
Canaanites lived among 
them, but had to pay 
taxes to them.
{I}31_{/}Those of Asher 
did not expel the people 
of Acco, Sidon, Ahlab, 
Achzib, Helbah, Aphik or 
Rehob.
{I}32_{/}The tribe of 
Asher had to live in the 
midst of the Canaanites 
who occupied their 
territory, for they could 
not drive them out from 
that region. {I}33_{/}The 
same happened with the 
tribe of Naphtali that 
failed to drive out the 
inhabitants of Beth-
shemesh and Beth-anath; 
they had to dwell in the 
midst of the Canaanites 
who lived in that region. 
Nevertheless, the 
inhabitants of Beth-
shemesh and Beth-anath 
paid taxes to this tribe.
{I}34_{/}The Amorites did 
not allow the descendants 
of Dan to come down to 
the plain, so the latter 
had to live in the 
mountains. {I}35_{/}The 
Amorites also remained in 
Har-heres, Aijalon and 
Shaalbim, but when the 
tribe of Joseph grew 
stronger, they forced the 
Amorites to pay taxes. 
{I}36_{/}The territory of 
the Amorites extended 
from the slope of 
Akrabbim, to Sela and 
upward.
{1}2{/}

{I}1_{/}The Angel of 
Yahweh went up from 
Gilgal to Bochim where 
the Israelites were 
gathered, and he said to 
them, "I made you go up 
from Egypt and brought 
you to the land I had 
promised your fathers. I 
said to them, 'Never will 
I break my covenant with 
you, {I}2_{/}but you 
shall not make any 
covenant with the 
Canaanites and shall 
destroy their altars.' 
But you have not obeyed 
my command. Why did you 
not obey me? {I}3_{/}Now, 
I will not drive out 
these nations before you. 
They shall be your 
oppressors and their gods 
shall be a trap for you."
{I}4_{/}After the Angel 
of Yahweh had spoken, all 
the Israelites began to 
weep and cry. {I}5_{/}For 
this reason, they named 
that place Bochim, which 
means "those who weep," 
and they offered 
sacrifices to Yahweh.
{I}6_{/}When Joshua 
dismissed the Israelites, 
each one of them went to 
his inheritance to occupy 
the land. {I}7_{/}The 
people served Yahweh 
during the lifetime of 
Joshua and of the leaders 
who outlived him, and who 
had witnessed all the 
great works of Yahweh for 
Israel. {I}8_{/}Joshua, 
son of Nun, the servant 
of Moses, died at the age 
of one hundred and ten 
years. {I}9_{/}They 
buried him at the 
boundary of his 
inheritance in Timnath-
heres, in the mountains 
of Ephraim, north of the 
mountain of Gaash. 
{I}10_{/}That whole 
generation died and 
another one came, but 
they did not know Yahweh 
or what he had done for 
Israel.
SUMMARY OF THE BOOK: 
UNFAITHFULNESS AND 
PUNISHMENT{/}

{I}11_{/}The Israelites 
treated Yahweh badly for 
they served the Baals 
instead. {I}12_{/}They 
abandoned Yahweh, the God 
of their fathers who had 
brought them out of 
Egypt, and served other 
gods, the gods of the 
neighboring peoples. They 
bowed before those gods 
and offended Yahweh. 
{I}13_{/}When Yahweh saw 
that they had abandoned 
him to serve Baal and 
Ashtaroth, {I}14_{/}he 
became angry with his 
people and gave them into 
the hands of plunderers 
who left them in misery. 
He himself sold them to 
their enemies who 
completely surrounded the 
Israelites, so that these 
Israelites could no 
longer withstand them. 
{I}15_{/}Whenever they 
felt strong for an 
offensive, Yahweh would 
turn against them and 
send evil upon them, as 
he had warned them and 
sworn to do. And this 
caused much distress and 
anguish for the 
Israelites.
{I}16_{/}Yahweh raised up 
"judges" (or liberators) 
who saved the Israelites 
from their exploiters. 
{I}17_{/}But neither did 
they obey those "judges" 
for they still 
prostituted themselves to 
other gods and worshiped 
them. They soon left the 
way of their fathers who 
obeyed the commandments 
of Yahweh; they did not 
follow the way of their 
fathers.
{I}18_{/}When Yahweh made 
a judge appear among his 
people, Yahweh was with 
him and saved them from 
their enemies. That 
lasted as long as the 
judge lived, for Yahweh 
was moved to pity by the 
lament of his people who 
were oppressed and 
persecuted. {I}19_{/}But 
when the judge died, they 
again became worse than 
their fathers - 
worshiping and serving 
other gods. They would 
not renounce their pagan 
practices and stubborn 
ways.
{I}20_{/}Yahweh was angry 
and he said, "These 
people broke the Covenant 
I made with their fathers 
and they refuse to obey 
me. {I}21_{/}Well now, 
neither shall I drive out 
before them any of the 
nations left when Joshua 
died. {I}22_{/}And I 
shall test the Israelites 
through those nations; 
then I shall know if they 
will finally follow my 
ways as their fathers 
did."
{I}23_{/}So Yahweh left 
those nations in their 
place and did not take 
the land immediately from 
them. This was also why 
he did not give them into 
the hands of Joshua.
{1}3{/}

{I}1_{/}These are the 
nations that Yahweh let 
live in order to test the 
Israelites through them, 
that is to say, all the 
Israelites who had not 
known any of the wars in 
Canaan. {I}2_{/}He let 
these people live so that 
the generation of the 
children of Israel who 
had not known war before 
might learn how to fight. 
{I}3_{/}These people were 
the five lords of the 
Philistines and all the 
Canaanites, the Sidonians 
and the Hivites of Mount 
Lebanon, from the 
mountain of Baal-hermon 
to as far as the entrance 
of Hamath.
{I}4_{/}They remained to 
test Israel to see if 
they would observe the 
commandments that Yahweh 
had prescribed to their 
fathers through Moses. 
{I}5_{/}So the Israelites 
lived in the midst of the 
Canaanites, Hittites, 
Amorites, Perizzites, 
Hivites and Jebusites. 
{I}6_{/}The Israelites 
married the daughters of 
these people, gave their 
own daughters in marriage 
to the sons of these 
people and served their 
gods.
OTHNIEL, EHUD AND 
SHAMGAR{/}

{I}7_{/}The Israelites 
treated Yahweh badly; 
they forgot Yahweh, their 
God, and served the Baals 
and the Asheroths. 
{I}8_{/}Because of this, 
the anger of Yahweh 
burned against Israel and 
he left them in the hands 
of Cushanrishathaim, king 
of Aram, to whom they 
were subject for eight 
years.
{I}9_{/}Then the 
Israelites cried to Yah-
weh, and he raised up 
from among them a 
liberator who saved them 
- Othniel the son of 
Kenaz, Caleb's younger 
brother. {I}10_{/}The 
spirit of Yahweh was upon 
him and he led Israel. 
When Othniel went to war, 
Yahweh gave 
Cushanrishathaim, king of 
Aram, into Othniel's 
hands. {I}11_{/}Othniel 
won over the king and the 
land had peace for forty 
years. Then Othniel, son 
of Kenaz, died.
{I}12_{/}The Israelites 
again did what was evil 
in the sight of Yahweh, 
so he strengthened Eglon, 
king of Moab, so he could 
attack them; that was 
because they had treated 
Yahweh badly.
{I}13_{/}Eglon joined the 
Ammonites and the 
Amalekites; they set out 
and marched together 
defeating Israel and 
taking the City of Palms. 
{I}14_{/}The Israelites 
became subject to Eglon, 
king of Moab, for 
eighteen years. 
{I}15_{/}But as they 
cried to Yahweh, he gave 
them a liberator - Ehud, 
a left-handed man, the 
son of Gera, from the 
tribe of Benjamin.
The Israelites entrusted 
a gift to him to bring to 
Eglon, king of Moab. 
{I}16_{/}So, Ehud made 
for himself a two-edged 
dagger, one cubit long, 
and strapped it on his 
right thigh under his 
clothes. {I}17_{/}He then 
went to present the gift 
to Eglon, king of Moab. 
Eglon was a very fat man.
{I}18_{/}When Ehud 
finished offering the 
present, he dismissed the 
men who had brought all 
the things. {I}19_{/}But 
when he arrived at the 
place of the Idols, near 
Gilgal, he went back to 
the king, and said to 
Eglon, "I have a secret 
message for you, O king." 
Eglon, king of Moab, then 
declared, "Leave me 
alone!" And so everyone 
who was present left the 
room.
{I}20_{/}Then Ehud 
approached him, while the 
king was seated alone on 
his private roof chamber 
where it was cool. Ehud 
said to him, "Lord, I 
have a warning from God 
for you." The king rose 
from his seat. 
{I}21_{/}Then Ehud, with 
his left hand, took the 
dagger from his right 
thigh and thrust it into 
the king's belly. 
{I}22_{/}The handle even 
went in with the blade 
and the fat closed over 
the blade, for Ehud did 
not draw the dagger out 
of his belly; and the 
dirt came out. 
{I}23_{/}Ehud jumped out 
through the window after 
having locked the doors 
of the roof behind him.
{I}24_{/}When he had 
gone, the servants came 
and saw that the doors of 
the upper room were 
locked. They thought, "He 
must be relieving himself 
in the cool room." 
{I}25_{/}They waited for 
some time, but the doors 
of the roof room remained 
closed. Finally, they 
took the keys and opened 
the doors: their lord lay 
on the floor dead.
{I}26_{/}Ehud had escaped 
while the servants waited 
for their king; he had 
passed through the place 
of the Idols and reached 
a safe place in Seirah. 
{I}27_{/}When he arrived 
he had the trumpets 
sounded in the mountains 
of Ephraim and the 
Israelites went down from 
the mountains. 
{I}28_{/}He stood before 
all of them and said, 
"Follow me, for Yahweh 
has given the people of 
Moab, our enemies, into 
our hands." They went 
down with him, barred the 
passages of the Jordan 
towards Moab and they let 
nobody pass.
{I}29_{/}They defeated 
Moab on that occasion, 
killing some ten 
thousand, all strong and 
brave men. Nobody was 
spared. {I}30_{/}So on 
that day, Moab became 
subject to Israel, and 
the land remained 
peaceful for eighty 
years.
{I}31_{/}Then Shamgar, 
the son of Anath, came; 
he killed six hundred 
Philistines with an 
oxgoad. He, too, saved 
Israel.
DEBORAH AND BARAK{/}

{1}4{/}

{I}1_{/}After Ehud died, 
the Israelites again 
treated Yahweh badly, 
{I}2_{/}so he left them 
in the power of Yabin, 
king of Canaan. Yabin 
reigned in Hazor, and the 
commander of his army was 
Sisera, who lived in 
Harosheth-hagoiim. 
{I}3_{/}Then the 
Israelites cried to 
Yahweh, for Yabin had 
nine hundred chariots of 
war, and had kept the 
Israelites oppressed for 
twenty years.
{I}4_{/}At that time, 
Deborah, a prophetess and 
wife of Lappidoth, became 
judge. {I}5_{/}She used 
to sit under what was 
called the Palm of 
Deborah, between Ramah 
and Bethel, in the land 
of Ephraim. There she 
resolved the complaints 
that the Israelites 
presented to her. 
{I}6_{/}And she sent and 
called for Barak, the son 
of Abinoam, who was from 
the town of Kedesh of 
Naphtali. She said to 
him, "This is the order 
of Yahweh: Go, gather the 
people on Mount Tabor and 
take with you ten 
thousand men from the 
tribes of Naphtali and 
Zebulun, {I}7_{/}for I am 
going to bring Sisera to 
you at the river Kishon 
with his chariots and 
men, and I will give him 
into your hands."
{I}8_{/}Barak answered 
her, "If you will go, 
then I shall go, too; but 
if you do not go, I shall 
not go." {I}9_{/}Deborah 
answered, "I will go with 
you, but if you do it 
that way the honor of the 
victory will not be 
yours, for Sisera will be 
killed by a woman."
In this way Deborah went 
with Barak to Kedesh. 
{I}10_{/}Barak summoned 
men from Zebulun and 
Naphtali and ten thousand 
followed him. Deborah 
also went up with him. 
{I}12_{/}When Sisera came 
to know that Barak had 
climbed Mount Tabor, 
{I}13_{/}he gathered all 
his chariots - nine 
hundred chariots of war 
in all - and all his men, 
and they set out from 
Harosheth-ha-goiim to the 
river Kishon.
{I}14_{/}Then Deborah 
said to Barak, "Rise, for 
this is the day in which 
Yahweh shall give Sisera 
into your hands. Today, 
Yahweh goes before you."
So, Barak went down from 
Mount Tabor with his ten 
thousand men. 
{I}15_{/}Yahweh made him 
win over Sisera and his 
chariots and all his 
army. Sisera alighted 
from his chariot and 
fled, {I}16_{/}while 
Barak pursued the 
chariots and the army to 
Harosheth-ha-goiim. All 
of Sisera's army 
perished. Nobody was 
spared.
{I}11_{/}At that moment, 
Heber the Kenite was 
encamped by the oak of 
Zaan-nannim, near Kedesh, 
after separating from the 
other Kenite descendants 
of Hobab, Moses' father-
in-law. {I}17_{/}There 
Sisera took refuge, and 
came running to the tent 
of Yael, the wife of 
Heber the Kenite. Peace 
reigned between the 
Kenite tribe and the 
Canaanites of Yabin, king 
of Hazor.
{I}18_{/}Yael came out to 
meet Sisera and said to 
him, "Come this way, my 
lord, have no fear." 
Sisera entered and Yael 
hid him under a blanket. 
{I}19_{/}He asked her for 
a little water to quench 
his thirst. The woman 
opened a skin of milk, 
gave him a drink, and 
covered him again with 
the blanket. {I}20_{/}And 
he said to her, "Stand at 
the entrance; and if 
anyone comes and asks 
you, tell him there is no 
one with you." 
{I}21_{/}Sisera was very 
tired, so he slept. Then 
the woman took a hammer 
and a tent peg, went 
quietly to him and drove 
the peg into his temple 
till it was fixed into 
the ground. {I}22_{/}When 
Barak arrived, Yael came 
out to meet him and said, 
"Come in, and I will show 
you the man you are 
looking for." He entered 
and saw Sisera dead with 
a tent peg through his 
temple.
{I}23_{/}On that day 
Yahweh humbled Yabin 
before the Israelites. 
{I}24_{/}The Israelites 
did not rest until they 
destroyed all the 
Canaanites.
SONG OF DEBORAH{/}

{1}5{/}

{I}1_{/}On that day, 
Deborah and Barak, the 
son of Abinoam, sang this 
song:
{I}2_{/}In Israel the 
warriors let their hair 
loose, in Israel they 
presented voluntary 
offerings for the war. 
Blessed be Yahweh!
{I}3_{/}Listen, O kings; 
pay attention, O princes. 
To Yahweh will I sing. To 
Yahweh, the God of 
Israel, will I offer 
praise.
{I}4_{/}When you went 
forth from Seir, O 
Yahweh, when you came 
from the camp of Edom, 
the earth trembled, the 
heavens reeled and the 
clouds poured down rain. 
{I}5_{/}The mountains 
rocked before Yahweh, 
before Yahweh - the God 
of Israel. 
{I}6_{/}In the days of 
Shamgar the son of Anath, 
in the days of Yael, 
caravans ceased and 
travelers wandered 
through the byways. 
{I}7_{/}There were no 
leaders in Israel until 
I, Deborah, awoke and 
arose as a mother of 
Israel.
{I}8_{/}They went after 
new gods, and war was 
upon them. There was 
hardly a shield or a 
spear for forty thousand 
men in Israel!
{I}9_{/}My heart is with 
the leaders of Israel, 
among the people who came 
willingly. Blessed be 
Yahweh!
{I}10_{/}Those who go 
riding on white asses, 
those who walk by the 
way, meditate! 
{I}11_{/}Hear the voice 
of those who divide the 
plunder near the watering 
place: they sing the 
favors God has done to 
Israel when the people of 
Yahweh march down to the 
gates.
{I}12_{/}Wake up, 
Deborah, wake up! Wake 
up, wake up and begin to 
sing. Arise, Barak! And 
bring your songs, son of 
Abinoam.
{I}13_{/}Let the 
survivors of the people 
rule over their 
oppressors! May Yahweh be 
with me, stronger than 
the valiant! 
{I}14_{/}Your roots, O 
Ephraim, are in Amalek; 
your brother Benjamin is 
behind you among your 
army. From Machir the 
commanders marched down; 
from Zebulun the leaders 
bearing the brass staff.
{I}15_{/}The leaders of 
Issachar are with 
Deborah, Issachar is with 
Barak; the people rushed 
forth following their 
footsteps into the plain.
There were long talks 
among the clans of 
Reuben. {I}16_{/}Why did 
you choose to remain in 
your folds listening to 
the flute among the 
flock? The clans of 
Reuben could not decide.
{I}17_{/}Galaad remained 
on the other side of the 
Jordan, and Dan, why did 
you remain in your ships? 
Asher has remained on the 
seacoasts; he is quiet in 
his ports.
{I}18_{/}Zebulun, in 
turn, has scorned death; 
Naphtali went up to the 
battlefield, too. 
{I}19_{/}The kings came 
to fight; the kings of 
Canaan fought at Taanach, 
near the waters of 
Megiddo, but they got no 
silver.
{I}20_{/}From the heavens 
the stars fought, from 
their orbits they fought 
against Sisera. 
{I}21_{/}The torrent 
Kishon dragged them away, 
the cold torrent, the 
torrent Kishon. March on 
without fear, my soul!
{I}22_{/}Hoofs of horses 
shake the ground: the 
galloping, galloping of 
his horses. 
{I}23_{/}Cursed be Meroz, 
said the angel of Yahweh, 
cursed be it, cursed be 
its inhabitants, for it 
came not to the aid of 
Yahweh, not like the 
heroes.
{I}24_{/}Blessed among 
women be Yael, wife of 
Heber the Kenite, among 
the women who dwell in 
tents, blessed may you 
be! {I}25_{/}He asked for 
water, she gave him milk; 
in the cup of honor she 
served him cream.
{I}26_{/}She put her hand 
to the peg and with her 
right hand took the 
hammer of a workman. She 
struck Sisera, crushed 
his head, pierced and 
shattered his temple. 
{I}27_{/}He collapsed at 
her feet, and there he 
fell, and lay still.
{I}28_{/}Sisera's mother 
looks out of the window, 
and she cries out behind 
the lattice: Why is his 
chariot late in coming? 
Why is his chariot 
delayed? {I}29_{/}The 
wisest of her women 
answers and says: 
{I}30_{/}Surely they are 
dividing the plunder - 
one captive, two captives 
for each warrior; colored 
cloths for Sisera as 
booty, colored cloths 
twice adorned with raised 
embroidery for a scarf.
{I}31_{/}So may all your 
enemies perish, O Yahweh, 
but may your friends be 
like the brilliant sun!
AND THERE WAS PEACE IN 
THE LAND FOR FORTY 
YEARS{/}

{1}6{/}

{I}1_{/}The Israelites 
treated Yahweh badly, and 
Yahweh gave them into the 
hands of the Midianites 
for seven years, 
{I}2_{/}and the hand of 
the Midianites lay 
heavily on them.
Because of Midian, the 
Israelites made for 
themselves passages in 
the mountains, caves and 
shelters. {I}3_{/}When 
the Israelites had sown, 
Midian would come with 
Amalek and with the 
people of the East. They 
would come up against the 
Israelites, 
{I}4_{/}encamp in the 
lands of the Israelites 
and destroy all the 
fields as far as the 
entrance to Gaza. They 
would leave no provisions 
or sheep or ox or ass, 
{I}5_{/}for they would 
come up like locusts in 
number, bringing with 
them their livestock and 
their tents. They and 
their camels were many 
and they invaded and 
plundered the land. 
{I}6_{/}In this way, 
Midian subdued Israel and 
brought upon it so great 
a misery that the 
Israelites cried to 
Yahweh.
{I}7_{/}When the 
Israelites cried to 
Yahweh because of Midian, 
{I}8_{/}Yahweh sent them 
a prophet who said to 
them, "This is the word 
of Yahweh, the God of 
Israel: I led you up from 
Egypt and brought you out 
of the house of slavery. 
{I}9_{/}I freed you from 
the hands of the 
Egyptians and from all 
your oppressors. I drove 
out before you the 
inhabitants of these 
lands, and gave their 
lands to you, 
{I}10_{/}and I said to 
you, 'I am Yahweh, your 
God. Disregard the gods 
of the Amorites, in whose 
land you dwell.' But you 
did not listen to me."
CALL OF GIDEON{/}

{I}11_{/}The Angel of 
Yahweh came and sat under 
the sacred tree at 
Ophrah, which belonged to 
Joash, of the family of 
Abiezer. Gideon, the son 
of Joash, was threshing 
the wheat in the 
winepress to hide it from 
the Midianites.
{I}12_{/}The Angel of 
Yahweh said to him, 
"Yahweh be with you, 
valiant warrior." 
{I}13_{/}Gideon answered, 
"Please, my lord, if 
Yahweh is with us, why is 
all this happening to us? 
Where are the wonders 
which our fathers 
recounted to us? Did they 
not say that Yahweh led 
them up from Egypt? Why 
has he abandoned us now 
and given us into the 
hands of the Midianites?"
{I}14_{/}Yahweh then 
turned to him and said, 
"Go, and with your 
courage, save Israel from 
the Midianites. It is I 
who send you." 
{I}15_{/}Gideon answered: 
"Pardon me, Lord, but how 
can I save Israel? My 
family is the lowliest in 
my tribe and I am the 
least in the family of my 
father."
{I}16_{/}Yahweh said to 
him, "I will be with you 
and you shall defeat the 
people of Midian with one 
single stroke." 
{I}17_{/}Gideon said to 
him, "Please give me a 
sign that it is indeed 
you who speak. 
{I}18_{/}Do not leave 
until I return with an 
offering and present it 
to you." Yahweh 
responded, "I am going to 
wait for you here."
{I}19_{/}Gideon went and 
prepared a young goat, 
took a measure of flour 
and baked unleavened 
bread. He put the broth 
in a pot and the meat in 
a basket, and went to 
present them to the Angel 
under the tree. 
{I}20_{/}Then the Angel 
of God said to him, "Take 
the meat and the bread; 
put them on this rock, 
and pour the broth over 
them." Gideon did so. 
{I}21_{/}At that moment, 
the Angel of Yahweh 
extended the staff he was 
holding and touched the 
meat and the bread. 
Suddenly, fire blazed 
from the rock. The fire 
consumed the meat and the 
bread, and the Angel of 
Yahweh disappeared.
{I}22_{/}Gideon realized 
that he was the Angel of 
Yahweh and said, "Alas, O 
Lord Yahweh! I have seen 
the Angel of Yahweh face 
to face." {I}23_{/}But 
Yahweh said to him, 
"Peace be with you. Do 
not fear for you shall 
not die." {I}24_{/}Gideon 
built an altar to Yahweh 
in that place and called 
it Yahweh-Peace. To this 
day, it is still in 
Ophrah of Abiezer.
{I}25_{/}That same night 
Yahweh said to Gideon, 
"Take with you ten of 
your father's servants 
and a seven-year-old 
bull. Destroy your 
father's altar to Baal 
and cut the sacred pillar 
beside it. {I}26_{/}Then 
build an altar to Yahweh 
on this knoll and 
sacrifice the bull to me, 
burning it with the wood 
from the sacred pillar."
{I}27_{/}So, Gideon, with 
the help of his ten 
servants, did what Yahweh 
had commanded. But 
because he feared his 
family and the people of 
the town, he did it by 
night.
{I}28_{/}On the following 
day, the towns-people saw 
the altar of Baal broken 
into pieces and the 
sacred pillar cut down. 
They also saw that a bull 
had been sacrificed on 
the new altar. 
{I}29_{/}So they asked 
one another and, as they 
investigated, found out 
that it was Gideon who 
had done it, {I}30_{/}and 
they went to Joash and 
said, "Hand your son over 
to us for he must die; he 
destroyed the altar of 
Baal and cut down the 
sacred pillar." 
{I}31_{/}But Joash said 
to the angry crowd, "Are 
you going to defend Baal 
and save him? If he is 
god, let him defend 
himself when someone 
destroys his altar."
{I}32_{/}On that day they 
gave Gideon the name 
Jerubaal which means: 
"Let Baal defend himself 
against Gideon, for 
Gideon destroyed his 
altar."
{I}33_{/}All Midian, 
Amalek and the people of 
the East joined forces, 
crossed the Jordan and 
invaded the plains of 
Jezreel. {I}34_{/}Then 
the spirit of Yahweh 
clothed Gideon with 
strength; he blew the 
trumpet and summoned the 
men of Abiezer. 
{I}35_{/}He sent 
messengers throughout the 
whole territory of 
Manasseh and they joined 
him. The people of Asher, 
Zebulun and Naphtali also 
went out to meet them.
{I}36_{/}Gideon said to 
God, "If indeed you will 
save Israel by my hand, 
as you have said, grant 
me this favor. {I}37_{/}I 
am going to spread this 
woolen fleece on the 
threshing ground. If the 
dew falls only on the 
fleece while all the 
ground remains dry, then 
I shall know that you are 
to save Israel by my 
hand, as you have 
promised."
{I}38_{/}So it was: 
Gideon rose at day-break, 
squeezed the fleece and 
wrung out the dew, 
filling a cup with water. 
{I}39_{/}Gideon again 
spoke to God and said to 
him, "Don't be angry with 
me if I dare to speak to 
you again. Allow me to 
make another test with 
the fleece: let it be dry 
only on the fleece and 
let dew come on all the 
ground." {I}40_{/}That 
night, Yahweh did so. The 
fleece remained dry and 
dew covered all the 
ground.
{1}7{/}

{I}1_{/}Jerubaal, that is 
Gideon, rose early with 
all the people who were 
with him and they 
encamped beside the 
spring of Harod. The 
Midianite camp was 
farther north and 
extended from the hill of 
Moreb to the plains.
{I}2_{/}Then Yahweh said 
to Gideon, "There are too 
many people with you. If 
I give the Midianites 
into their hands, the 
Israelites might think 
that they won over the 
Midianites by their own 
strength. {I}3_{/}So 
summon your men and say 
to them that whoever is 
afraid may go home." So 
twenty-two thousand men 
returned and only ten 
thousand remained.
{I}4_{/}Yahweh said to 
Gideon, "There are still 
too many people. Take 
them down to the water 
and I myself will test 
them for you. If I say: 
This one shall go with 
you, he will go. And if I 
say: Not this one, he 
shall not go." {I}5_{/}So 
Gideon brought them down 
to the water and Yahweh 
told him, "Those who lap 
the water like a dog, you 
shall place on one side. 
And those who kneel down 
to drink, you shall place 
on the other side."
{I}6_{/}Three hundred men 
lapped the water, and the 
rest knelt down to drink. 
{I}7_{/}Then Yahweh said 
to Gideon, "I will help 
these three hundred men 
who lapped the water and 
give the Midianites into 
your hands. Let the rest 
return to their homes." 
{I}8_{/}The three hundred 
men took the pitchers and 
the horns of whom Gideon 
dismissed. Finally, 
Gideon and his three 
hundred men faced the 
Midianites who were 
encamped below the 
valley.
{I}9_{/}That night Yahweh 
said to him, "Rise and go 
down to the camp, because 
I have given it into your 
hands. {I}10_{/}But if 
you are afraid to go down 
alone, set out for the 
camp with your servant 
Purah, {I}11_{/}and 
listen to what they say 
there. You shall be 
strengthened by it and 
then you shall attack the 
camp." He then went down 
with his servant Purah to 
the outposts of the 
guards of the camp.
{I}12_{/}Midian, Amalek, 
and all the people of the 
East were in the valley, 
thick as locusts, and 
their camels were as 
countless as the sand on 
the seashore. 
{I}13_{/}Gideon 
approached just as a man 
was recounting his dream 
to his comrade. Gideon 
heard him say, "I had a 
dream: a big loaf of 
barley bread rolled down 
into the camp of Midian, 
until it came to a tent, 
bumped against it and 
overturned the tent." 
{I}14_{/}His comrade 
answered him, "This 
cannot mean anything 
other than the sword of 
Gideon, son of Joash, the 
Israelite. God has given 
Midian and the whole camp 
into his hands." 
{I}15_{/}When Gideon 
heard the dream and its 
interpretation, he bowed, 
returned to the camp of 
Israel and said, "Arise, 
for Yahweh has given the 
camp of Midian into your 
hands."
{I}16_{/}Gideon divided 
the three hundred men 
into three groups. Then 
he handed the trumpets to 
all and the empty 
pitchers with lighted 
torches inside. 
{I}17_{/}He said to them, 
"Look at me, and do what 
I do. When I come to the 
outskirts of the camp, do 
as I do. {I}18_{/}When I 
and those who are with me 
blow the trumpets then 
blow yours all around the 
camp and shout, 'For 
Yahweh and for Gideon!'"
{I}19_{/}With the hundred 
men with him, Gideon came 
to the Midianite camp 
just as the guards were 
changing shift at the 
beginning of the midnight 
watch. {I}20_{/}Then the 
Israelites smashed the 
jars, took the torches in 
one hand, and blew the 
trumpets they were 
holding in the other 
hand. After blowing the 
trumpets, the three 
groups shouted, "For 
Yahweh and for Gideon!" 
{I}21_{/}Everyone stood 
in his place around the 
camp while the Midianites 
ran, shouting as they 
fled. {I}22_{/}As the 
three hundred Israelites 
went on blowing the 
trumpets, Yahweh made the 
Midianites in the camp 
kill one another. Those 
who managed to escape 
went as far as Beth-
shittah toward Zererah, 
and as far as the border 
of Abel-meholah opposite 
Tabbath.
{I}23_{/}Then the 
Israelites from the tribe 
of Naphtali, Asher and 
the whole of Manasseh 
came to help Gideon, and 
they pursued Midian. 
{I}24_{/}Gideon also sent 
messengers throughout all 
the mountains of Ephraim 
to say, "Come down to 
fight against Midian and 
block the passages as far 
as Beth-barah and along 
the Jordan." So, all the 
men of Ephraim came out 
and occupied the shallow 
waters as far as Beth-
barah and along the 
Jordan. {I}25_{/}They 
took the two leaders of 
Midian, Oreb and Zeeb as 
prisoners. They killed 
Oreb at the rock of Oreb, 
and Zeeb at the winepress 
of Zeeb. They pursued 
Midian and brought the 
heads of Oreb and Zeeb to 
Gideon at the other side 
of the Jordan.
GIDEON'S SECOND 
CAMPAIGN{/}

{1}8{/}

{I}1_{/}The people of 
Ephraim said to Gideon, 
"Why didn't you call us 
when you went to fight 
against Midian?" They 
argued with him 
violently. {I}2_{/}He 
said to them, "What have 
I done in comparison with 
what you have done? Are 
not the grapes of Ephraim 
better than the vintage 
of Abiezer? 
{I}3_{/}Yahweh has given 
the leaders of Midian - 
Oreb and Zeeb - into your 
hands. What have I been 
able to do in comparison 
with what you have done?" 
After hearing this, their 
anger lessened.
{I}4_{/}Gideon and his 
three hundred men came to 
the Jordan and crossed 
it. They were exhausted 
and hungry. {I}5_{/}So he 
said to the people of 
Succoth, "Please give 
loaves of bread to the 
army that follows me, for 
they are exhausted and 
hungry, and I am still 
pursuing Zebah and 
Zalmunna, the kings of 
Midian."
{I}6_{/}But the elders of 
Succoth answered, "Have 
you by chance already 
restrained the hands of 
Zebah and Zalmunna? Why 
should we give bread to 
your army?" 
{I}7_{/}Gideon answered 
them, "Well, when Yahweh 
has given Zebah and 
Zalmunna into my hands, I 
will skin your flesh with 
the thorns and thistles 
of the desert."
{I}8_{/}From there he 
went up to Penuel and 
made the same request. 
But they answered him as 
those of Succoth had. 
{I}9_{/}So Gideon said, 
"When I return 
victorious, I will tear 
down this tower."
{I}10_{/}Zebah and 
Zalmunna were in Karkor 
with their army of about 
fifteen thousand men, all 
that were left of the 
people of the East; a 
hundred and twenty 
thousand warriors had 
died! {I}11_{/}Gideon 
went up by the road of 
the nomads, east of Nobah 
and Yogbehah, and fell 
upon Zebah and Zalmunna 
and their army. 
{I}12_{/}Zebah and 
Zalmunna fled. He pursued 
them, took the two as 
prisoners and scattered 
all their army.
{I}13_{/}After the 
battle, Gideon, the son 
of Joash, returned 
through the slope of 
Heres. {I}14_{/}He caught 
a young man of the people 
of Succoth and questioned 
him. The young man wrote 
down for him the names of 
the seventy-seven leaders 
and elders of Succoth. 
{I}15_{/}Gideon went to 
the people of Succoth and 
said to them, "Here are 
Zebah and Zalmunna about 
whom you mocked me by 
saying: Have you by 
chance already restrained 
the hands of Zebah and 
Zalmunna for us to give 
bread to your hungry 
troops?"
{I}16_{/}So he took the 
elders of the town and 
punished the people of 
Succoth with thorns and 
thistles of the desert.
{I}17_{/}He tore down the 
tower of Penuel and 
killed the inhabitants of 
the town. {I}18_{/}Then 
he said to Zebah and 
Zalmunna, "What did the 
men whom you killed at 
Tabor look like?" They 
answered, "They looked 
like you, they looked 
like sons of kings." 
{I}19_{/}Gideon answered, 
"They were my brothers, 
the sons of my mother. As 
Yahweh lives, if you had 
let them live, I would 
not kill you."
{I}20_{/}He said to 
Yether, his eldest son, 
"Courage, kill them!" But 
the youth did not draw 
his sword; he did not 
dare do it for he was 
still very young. 
{I}21_{/}So Zebah and 
Zalmunna said, "Rise and 
kill us yourself, for as 
the man is, so is his 
courage." Gideon arose 
and killed them, and took 
the ornaments off their 
camels' necks.
GIDEON'S ERROR{/}

{I}22_{/}The Israelites 
said to Gideon, "Since 
you have saved us from 
the Midianites, you shall 
be our king, and after 
you, your son and the 
descendants of your son."
{I}23_{/}But Gideon 
answered, "I will not 
rule over Israel, nor my 
son, for Yahweh is our 
king!" {I}24_{/}Gideon 
added, "I will ask 
something from you. Let 
each of you give me an 
earring from your booty." 
Gideon said this for 
these Midianites wore 
gold earrings like all 
the Ishmaelites.
{I}25_{/}They answered 
him, "That we will gladly 
do." Then Gideon spread 
out his cloak and every 
Israelite threw in an 
earring from his booty. 
{I}26_{/}The gold 
earrings reached one 
thousand seven hundred 
pieces of gold; not 
counting the brooches, 
the rings, the expensive 
garments used by the 
kings of Midian, and the 
collars of the camels. 
{I}27_{/}With this money, 
Gideon made an idol and 
put it in his city of 
Ophrah. People from all 
Israel began to go to 
that place, turning away 
from Yahweh. That was the 
trap into which Gideon 
and his family fell.
{I}28_{/}In spite of 
this, the Midianites were 
humbled in such a way 
that peace reigned in 
Israel for forty years 
during Gideon's lifetime. 
{I}29_{/}Gideon returned 
to Ophrah and remained in 
his house. {I}30_{/}He 
had seventy sons of his 
blood, for he had many 
wives. {I}31_{/}A woman 
from the city of Shechem 
also bore him a son whom 
he named Abimelech.
{I}32_{/}Gideon the son 
of Joash died at a happy 
old age, and he was 
buried in the tomb of 
Joash his father, in 
Ophrah of Abiezer.
{I}33_{/}After the death 
of Gideon, the Israelites 
again prostituted 
themselves to the Baals 
and took Baal-Berith as 
god. {I}34_{/}The 
Israelites no longer 
remembered Yahweh, their 
God, who had freed them 
from the hands of all the 
enemies who surrounded 
them. {I}35_{/}Neither 
were they grateful to the 
family of Jerubaal-Gideon 
for all the good things 
he had done to Israel.
ABIMELECH{/}

{1}9{/}

{I}1_{/}Abimelech, the 
son of Jerubaal, marched 
to Shechem where the 
brothers of his mother 
were, and he said to them 
and to the whole paternal 
family of his mother, 
{I}2_{/}"Please ask this 
of all the lords of 
Shechem: Which is better 
for you, that you be 
governed by all the 
seventy sons of Jerubaal, 
or by only one man? 
Remember that I am of the 
same blood as you are."
{I}3_{/}The brothers of 
his mother sent this 
message to all the lords 
of Shechem. The lords of 
Shechem took sides with 
Abimelech, saying, "He is 
our brother." {I}4_{/}So 
they gave him seventy 
pieces of silver from the 
temple of Baal-berith 
which Abimelech used to 
hire wicked mercenaries 
to set out with him. 
{I}5_{/}Abimelech went 
with them to the house of 
his father in Ophrah, and 
on one stone killed all 
his brothers, the seventy 
sons of Jerubaal. Only 
Jotham, the youngest son 
of Jerubaal, was able to 
escape by hiding himself. 
{I}6_{/}Then all the 
lords of Shechem and the 
whole council assembled 
together by the oak at 
the pillar in Shechem, 
and proclaimed Abimelech 
king.
{I}7_{/}When Jotham was 
told about this, he went 
to the top of Mount 
Gerizim. There he cried 
out to them, "Listen to 
me, lords of Shechem, 
that God may listen to 
you!
{I}8_{/}The trees once 
set out to find and 
anoint a king. They said 
to the olive tree, 'Be 
our king.' {I}9_{/}The 
olive tree answered, 'Am 
I going to renounce the 
oil by which - thanks to 
me - gods and men are 
honored, to hold sway 
over the trees?'
{I}10_{/}The trees said 
to the fig tree: 'Come 
and reign over us.' 
{I}11_{/}The fig tree 
answered them, 'Am I 
going to renounce my 
sweetness and my 
delicious fruit, to hold 
sway over the trees?'
{I}12_{/}The trees said 
to the vine: 'Come and 
reign over us.' 
{I}13_{/}The vine 
answered, 'Am I going to 
renounce my juice which 
cheers gods and men to 
hold sway over the 
trees?'
{I}14_{/}Then the trees 
said to the bramble bush: 
'Come, reign over us.' 
{I}15_{/}The bramble bush 
answered the trees, 'If 
you come in sincerity to 
anoint me as your king, 
then come near and take 
shelter in my shade; but 
if not, let fire break 
out of the bramble bush 
to devour even the cedars 
of Lebanon.'
{I}16_{/}And now, tell 
me, have you acted 
rightly and truthfully in 
choosing Abimelech king? 
Have you treated Jerubaal 
and his family well and 
given him what he 
deserves according to his 
merits?
{I}17_{/}For my father 
fought for you, risking 
his life to free you from 
the hands of Midian. 
{I}18_{/}But now, you 
have risen against the 
family of my father. You 
have killed all his 
seventy sons with one 
stone, and have declared 
Abimelech, the son of his 
slave, as king over the 
lords of Shechem because 
he is your brother. 
{I}19_{/}If you have 
acted rightly and 
truthfully toward 
Jerubaal and his family 
today, then may Abimelech 
rejoice in you and you in 
him. {I}20_{/}But if not, 
let fire break forth from 
Abimelech to devour the 
lords of Shechem and 
their council; and let 
fire break forth from 
their council to devour 
Abimelech."
{I}21_{/}Jotham fled to 
the safety of Beer, where 
he lived far from his 
brother Abimelech.
{I}22_{/}Abimelech ruled 
over Israel for three 
years. {I}23_{/}But 
Yahweh sent a spirit of 
discord between Abimelech 
and the lords of Shechem; 
and the lords of Shechem 
betrayed Abimelech. 
{I}24_{/}Yahweh did this 
so that the seventy sons 
of Jerubaal might be 
avenged. Their blood had 
to fall back upon their 
brother Abimelech who 
murdered them, and the 
lords of Shechem who 
helped him murder his 
brothers.
{I}25_{/}To do him harm, 
the lords of Shechem 
prepared ambushes against 
Abimelech on the 
mountaintops, and 
intimidated everyone who 
passed by the way. 
Abimelech was informed of 
this.
{I}26_{/}Then Gaal, the 
son of Ebed, came with 
his brothers, and he won 
the confidence of the 
lords of Shechem. 
{I}27_{/}One day they 
went to the vineyards and 
gathered grapes and trod 
on them. Then they 
feasted in the temple of 
their god. While eating 
and drinking, they cursed 
Abimelech. {I}28_{/}Then 
Gaal, the son of Ebed, 
exclaimed, "Who is 
Abimelech for the 
Shechemites that we 
should serve him? He is 
only the son of Jerubaal, 
and Zebul is but his town 
captain. Let us serve the 
people of Hamor, the 
father of Shechem. Why 
should we serve 
Abimelech?
{I}29_{/}If only this 
people were in my hands, 
then I would remove 
Abimelech and say to him: 
Reinforce your army, come 
out and fight!"
{I}30_{/}When Zebul, the 
city governor, was 
informed of the plan of 
Gaal, the son of Ebed, he 
was very angry. 
{I}31_{/}He sent 
messengers to Abimelech 
in secret to say to him, 
"See, Gaal, the son of 
Ebed, has come with his 
brothers to Shechem and 
he is stirring up the 
city against you. 
{I}32_{/}Therefore, 
arise, you and the men 
you have with you, and 
lay an ambush in the 
field. {I}33_{/}By early 
morning at sunrise, go 
and rush upon the city. 
When Gaal comes out 
against you with his men, 
you may do to him 
whatever you wish."
{I}34_{/}Abimelech and 
all his troops rose by 
night, and they laid an 
ambush against Shechem in 
four groups. 
{I}35_{/}When Gaal, the 
son of Ebed, went out and 
stood at the entrance of 
the city, Abimelech and 
his troops rose from 
their hiding place.
{I}36_{/}Gaal saw the 
troops and said to Zebul, 
"Look, people are coming 
down from the mountain 
tops." But Zebul answered 
him, "It is the shadow of 
the mountain that you 
see. You mistake it for 
men." {I}37_{/}Gaal said 
again, "Look, people are 
coming down from the 
center of the land, and 
another group is coming 
from the Diviners' Oak." 
{I}38_{/}Zebul then said, 
"Did you not say: Who is 
Abimelech that we should 
serve him? Are not these 
men those whom you 
despised? Go now and 
fight them."
{I}39_{/}Gaal went out 
and led the people of 
Shechem in fighting 
Abimelech. 
{I}40_{/}Abimelech 
pursued Gaal who fled and 
many fell dead before 
reaching the gates. 
{I}41_{/}Abimelech 
returned to Arumah, and 
Zebul drove out Gaal and 
his brothers, and did not 
let them live in Shechem.
SHECHEM DESTROYED{/}

{I}42_{/}The following 
day, the people went out 
into the fields. 
Abimelech was informed 
about this, {I}43_{/}so 
he called his troops, 
divided them into three 
groups and laid an ambush 
in the fields. When he 
saw the people coming out 
of the city, he rose 
against them and killed 
them. {I}44_{/}Abimelech 
and the group with him 
attacked and took 
possession of the 
entrance to the city 
gates; other groups 
rushed upon those who 
were in the fields. 
{I}45_{/}Throughout that 
day, Abimelech attacked 
the city. He took it and 
killed all its 
inhabitants. Then he 
destroyed the city and 
sprinkled salt over it.
{I}46_{/}When the 
inhabitants of the Tower 
of Shechem heard this, 
they went to the 
underground room of the 
temple of El-Berith. 
{I}47_{/}Abimelech was 
told that all the 
inhabitants of the Tower 
of Shechem were together, 
{I}48_{/}so he went up to 
Mount Zalmon with all his 
troops. Taking an ax, he 
cut down a branch of a 
tree, lifted it up and 
bore it on his shoulders. 
He then said to the 
troops with him, "You 
have seen what I have 
done, so do the same." 
{I}49_{/}So all his men 
cut the branches, then 
followed Abimelech. They 
piled the branches on top 
of the underground room 
and set them on fire over 
the people inside. So all 
the inhabitants of the 
Tower of Shechem - about 
a thousand men and women 
- died.
DEATH OF ABIMELECH{/}

{I}50_{/}Abimelech went 
against Thebez, besieged 
it and took it. 
{I}51_{/}But inside the 
city was a strong tower 
in which all the men and 
women, all the 
inhabitants of the city 
sought refuge. They 
locked it from within and 
went up to the roof of 
the tower. 
{I}52_{/}Abimelech came 
to the tower to attack 
them; he approached the 
door, intending to set it 
on fire. {I}53_{/}But a 
woman threw a millstone 
upon his head and 
shattered his skull. 
{I}54_{/}He immediately 
called out to his young 
armor-bearer and said to 
him, "Draw your sword and 
kill me, lest they say of 
me: 'A woman killed 
him'." So his armor-
bearer thrust him 
through, and he died. 
{I}55_{/}When the people 
of Israel saw that 
Abimelech was dead, 
everyone returned to his 
home.
{I}56_{/}In this way God 
repaid Abimelech for the 
evil he had done to his 
father when he murdered 
his seventy brothers. 
{I}57_{/}He also made the 
people of Shechem pay for 
all their wickedness. So 
the curse of Jotham, son 
of Jerubaal, was 
fulfilled.
TOLA, JAIR AND 
JEPHTHAH{/}

{1}10{/}

{I}1_{/}After Abimelech, 
Tola the son of Puah, the 
son of Dodo, appeared to 
save Israel. He was from 
the tribe of Issachar and 
lived at Shamir, in the 
mountains of Ephraim. 
{I}2_{/}He was judge of 
Israel for twenty-three 
years and when he died, 
he was buried in Shamir.
{I}3_{/}After him rose 
Jair of Gilead who was 
judge of Israel for 
twenty-two years. 
{I}4_{/}He had thirty 
sons who rode on thirty 
asses, and had thirty 
cities which are still 
called the villages of 
Jair to this day, in the 
land of Gilead. 
{I}5_{/}When Jair died, 
he was buried in Kamon.
{I}6_{/}The Israelites 
again treated Yahweh 
badly; they served the 
Baals and the Ashtaroth, 
the gods of Aram and 
Sidon, the gods of Moab, 
the gods of the Ammonites 
and the gods of the 
Philistines. They 
abandoned Yahweh and no 
longer served him. 
{I}7_{/}The anger of 
Yahweh burned against 
Israel, so he gave them 
into the hands of the 
Philistines and the 
Ammonites.
{I}8_{/}For eighteen 
years, all the Isra-
elites living on the 
other side of the Jordan 
in the Amorite land of 
Gilead were disturbed and 
oppressed. {I}9_{/}The 
Ammonites also crossed 
the Jordan to attack 
Judah, Benjamin and the 
people of Ephraim. Israel 
was in great distress.
{I}10_{/}In those years 
the Israelites called out 
to Yahweh saying, "We 
have sinned against you, 
for we have abandoned 
Yahweh, our God, to serve 
the Baals." 
{I}11_{/}Yahweh said to 
the Israelites, "When the 
Egyptians, the Amorites, 
the Ammonites, the 
Philistines, {I}12_{/}the 
Sidonians, Amalek and 
Midian oppressed you, and 
you cried out to me, did 
I not save you from their 
hands? {I}13_{/}But in 
spite of this, you have 
abandoned me and served 
other gods. So I will not 
save you again. 
{I}14_{/}Go and cry out 
to the gods you have 
chosen: see if they will 
save you in the time of 
your distress."
{I}15_{/}The Israelites 
answered Yahweh, "We have 
sinned. Do to us whatever 
you wish, but save us 
today." {I}16_{/}Then 
they put away the strange 
gods and served Yahweh. 
And he could no longer 
endure the suffering of 
Israel.
{I}17_{/}The Ammonites 
assembled and went to 
encamp in Gilead. The 
Israelites also assembled 
and they encamped at 
Mizpah. {I}18_{/}There 
the people and the 
leaders of Gilead asked 
one another, "Who will 
lead us all to fight 
against the Ammonites? 
Whoever he is, we shall 
make him head of all the 
inhabitants of Gilead."
{1}11{/}

{I}1_{/}Jephthah the 
Gileadite was a valiant 
warrior. His mother was a 
prostitute, and his 
father was Gilead. 
{I}2_{/}But Gilead's wife 
also bore him sons, and 
when they grew up, they 
drove Jephthah out 
saying, "You shall not 
share or inherit anything 
in the household of our 
father, for you are the 
son of another woman." 
{I}3_{/}Jephthah fled 
from his brothers and 
went to the region of 
Tob. There he joined a 
band of mercenaries who 
made their raids with 
him. {I}4_{/}The time 
came when the Ammonites 
declared war on Israel. 
{I}5_{/}So the elders of 
Gilead went to Jephthah 
in the land of Tob 
{I}6_{/}and said to him, 
"Come and lead our men in 
fighting the Ammonites."
{I}7_{/}Jephthah answered 
the elders of Gilead, 
"Didn't you drive me out 
of my father's house 
because you hated me? Why 
do you come to me now in 
your distress?" 
{I}8_{/}The elders 
answered him, "We come 
asking you to join us in 
fighting the Ammonites; 
we want you to be head of 
the whole of Gilead." 
{I}9_{/}Jephthah answered 
them, "If you ask me to 
return to fight the 
Ammonites and Yahweh 
grants me victory, I will 
be your head." 
{I}10_{/}And they said to 
him, "May Yahweh listen 
to us! Woe to us if we do 
not carry out what we 
have just said!"
{I}11_{/}So Jephthah 
returned with the elders 
of Gilead and the people 
made him their head and 
general, and Jephthah 
repeated all his 
conditions before Yahweh 
in Mizpah.
{I}12_{/}Jephthah sent 
messengers to the king of 
the Ammonites to say to 
him, "What happened 
between us that you come 
and attack me in my own 
country?" {I}13_{/}The 
king answered the 
messengers, "When Israel 
went up out of Egypt, 
they seized my country 
from the Arnon to the 
Yabbok and to the Jordan. 
So give it back 
willingly."
{I}14_{/}Jephthah again 
sent messengers to the 
king of the Ammonites, 
{I}15_{/}saying "This is 
what Jephthah says: 
Israel has not seized the 
land of the Ammonites. 
{I}16_{/}When they came 
up from Egypt, Israel 
went through the desert 
to the Sea of Reeds and 
came to Kadesh. 
{I}17_{/}Then Israel sent 
messengers to the king of 
Edom and said to him, 
'Let us pass through your 
country.' But the king of 
Edom did not listen. They 
also sent to the king of 
Moab, and he, too, 
refused. So Israel 
remained at Kadesh. 
{I}18_{/}Then journeying 
through the desert, they 
went around the country 
of Edom and Moab, and 
came to the east of the 
land of Moab. They 
encamped on the other 
side of the Arnon, for 
the Arnon was the 
boundary of Moab. 
{I}19_{/}Israel then sent 
messengers to Sihon, king 
of the Amorites, who 
ruled in Heshbon, and 
said to him, 'Let us pass 
through your country and 
go to our place.' 
{I}20_{/}But Sihon did 
not trust Israel enough 
to let them pass through; 
he gathered all his men 
and encamped at Jahaz and 
attacked Israel. 
{I}21_{/}Yahweh the God 
of Israel gave Sihon and 
all his people into the 
hands of Israel. Israel 
defeated them and 
conquered all the land of 
the Amorites who lived 
there. {I}22_{/}So they 
conquered the whole 
territory of the Amorites 
from the Arnon to the 
Yabbok, and from the 
desert to the Jordan.
{I}23_{/}Since Yahweh the 
God of Israel has taken 
this land from the 
Amorites for his people 
Israel, can you now take 
it away from us? 
{I}24_{/}Do you not hold 
all that your god Chemosh 
has given you? In the 
same way, we hold all 
that Yahweh, our God, has 
given us. {I}25_{/}Will 
you do better than Balak, 
son of Zippor, the king 
of Moab? Was he able to 
attack Israel? 
{I}26_{/}For three 
hundred years, Israel has 
lived in Heshbon and the 
cities that depend on it. 
They have also lived in 
Aroer and in its villages 
and in all the cities on 
both sides of the Jordan. 
Why didn't you recover 
these within that time? 
{I}27_{/}I have not 
offended you, but you are 
treating me badly by 
attacking me. Let Yahweh, 
the Judge, decide today 
between the children of 
Israel and the children 
of Ammon."
{I}28_{/}But the king of 
the Ammonites did not pay 
attention to Jephthah's 
message.
JEPHTHAH'S DAUGHTER{/}

{I}29_{/}The Spirit of 
Yahweh came upon 
Jephthah. He went through 
Gilead and Manasseh, 
passed through Mizpah of 
Gilead, and then entered 
the territory of the 
Ammonites.
{I}30_{/}Jephthah made a 
vow to Yahweh: "If you 
make me victorious, 
{I}31_{/}I shall 
sacrifice to you whoever 
first comes out of my 
house to meet me when I 
return from battle. He 
shall be for Yahweh and I 
shall offer him up 
through the fire."
{I}32_{/}Jephthah crossed 
the territory of the 
Ammonites to fight 
against them, and Yahweh 
gave him victory. 
{I}33_{/}He pursued them 
from the city of Aroer to 
the entrance of Minnith 
and Abel Keramim, seizing 
twenty towns. So he 
defeated the Ammonites.
{I}34_{/}When Jephthah 
returned home to Mizpah, 
his daughter came out to 
meet him. She was so 
happy to see her father 
that she danced to the 
sound of her tambourine. 
She was an only child; 
besides her he had no 
other daughter or son.
{I}35_{/}When Jephthah 
saw her, he tore his 
clothes and cried out, 
"My daughter, you have 
shattered me; you have 
brought me misfortune. 
For I have made a foolish 
vow to Yahweh, and now I 
cannot take it back." 
{I}36_{/}She answered 
him, "Father, even if you 
have made such a foolish 
vow, you have to do to me 
just as you promised, for 
Yahweh has avenged you 
and crushed your enemies. 
{I}37_{/}I only beg of 
you to give me two months 
to live with my 
companions in the 
mountains. There I shall 
lament because I will 
never marry." 
{I}38_{/}Jephthah said to 
her, "Go then." And he 
sent her away for two 
months. She and her 
companions went to the 
mountains and wept 
because she would never 
marry.
{I}39_{/}At the end of 
two months, she returned 
to her father and he 
fulfilled the vow he had 
made. The young girl had 
never known a man. From 
this comes the Israelite 
custom {I}40_{/}that the 
daughters of Israel go 
out for four days 
annually to lament the 
daughter of Jephthah the 
Gileadite.
{1}12{/}

{I}1_{/}The men of 
Ephraim gathered, crossed 
the Jordan northward and 
said to Jephthah, "Why 
did you go and attack the 
Ammonites without asking 
us to march with you? For 
this we shall burn you 
inside your house." 
{I}2_{/}Jephthah answered 
them, "My people and I 
had a great struggle with 
the Ammonites. I asked 
help from you but you did 
not save me from their 
hands. {I}3_{/}When I saw 
that no one had come to 
help me, I risked my own 
life and marched against 
the Ammonites, and Yahweh 
gave them into my hands. 
Why, then, have you come 
up today to fight me?"
{I}4_{/}Then Jephthah 
gathered all the men of 
Gilead and attacked 
Ephraim. The Gileadites 
defeated the Ephraimites 
who told them, "You, 
Gileadites, are fugitives 
who crossed from Ephraim 
and Manasseh." 
{I}5_{/}Gilead seized the 
shallow waters of the 
Jordan and blocked the 
way. Whenever a fugitive 
from Ephraim said, "Let 
me pass," the men of 
Gilead would ask him, 
"Are you an Ephraimite?" 
If he responded, "No," 
{I}6_{/}they would add, 
"Then say Shibboleth."
But then he would say, 
"Sibboleth" for an 
Ephraimite could not 
pronounce it correctly. 
So they would seize him 
and cut his throat by the 
shallow waters of the 
Jordan. Forty-two 
thousand men from Ephraim 
perished at that time.
{I}7_{/}Jephthah was 
judge in Israel for six 
years. Then he died and 
was buried in his city, 
Mizpah of Gilead. 
{I}8_{/}After him, Ibzan 
of Bethlehem was judge in 
Israel. {I}9_{/}He had 
thirty sons and thirty 
daughters. His thirty 
daughters were given in 
marriage outside his 
clan, but for his sons, 
he brought in thirty 
women. He was judge in 
Israel for seven years. 
{I}10_{/}When Ibzan died, 
he was buried in 
Bethlehem.
{I}11_{/}After him, Elon 
the Zebulunite became 
judge in Israel. He 
governed Israel for ten 
years. {I}12_{/}Then he 
died and was buried in 
Aijalon in the land of 
Zebulun.
{I}13_{/}After him, 
Abdon, the son of Hillel 
of Pirathon, was judge in 
Israel. {I}14_{/}He had 
forty sons and thirty 
grandsons who rode on 
seventy asses. He was 
judge in Israel for eight 
years. {I}15_{/}Then he 
died and was buried at 
Pirathon, in the 
mountains of Ephraim, in 
the mountain of the 
Amorites.
SAMSON'S BIRTH 
FORETOLD{/}

{1}13{/}

{I}1_{/}The Israelites 
again treated Yahweh 
badly so he gave them 
into the hands of the 
Philistines for forty 
years.
{I}2_{/}There was a man 
of Zorah of the tribe of 
Dan, called Manoah. His 
wife could not bear 
children. {I}3_{/}The 
Angel of Yahweh appeared 
to this woman and said to 
her, "You have not borne 
children and have not 
given birth, but see, you 
are to conceive and give 
birth to a son. 
{I}4_{/}Because of this, 
take care not to take 
wine or any alcoholic 
drink, nor to eat unclean 
foods from now on, 
{I}5_{/}for you shall 
bear a son who shall be a 
Nazirite of Yahweh from 
the womb of his mother. 
Never shall his hair be 
cut for he is consecrated 
to Yahweh. He shall begin 
the liberation of the 
Israelites from the 
Philistine oppression."
{I}6_{/}The woman went to 
her husband and told him, 
"A messenger of God who 
bore the majesty of an 
angel spoke to me. I did 
not ask him where he came 
from nor did he tell me 
his name.
{I}7_{/}But he said to 
me: 'You are to conceive 
and give birth to a son. 
Henceforth, you shall not 
drink wine or fermented 
drinks, nor eat anything 
unclean, for your son 
shall be a Nazirite of 
God from the womb of his 
mother until the day of 
his death'."
{I}8_{/}Manoah called 
upon Yahweh and said, "I 
pray you, Lord, that the 
man of God whom you have 
sent may come again to us 
and teach us how to bring 
up the boy who is to be 
born." {I}9_{/}Yahweh 
listened to Manoah and 
the Angel of Yahweh came 
to the woman as she was 
seated in the fields. 
Again Manoah, her 
husband, was not with her 
when the Angel came.
{I}10_{/}The woman 
immediately ran to inform 
her husband and told him, 
"Look, the man who came 
to me the other day is 
here again." 
{I}11_{/}Manoah rose and 
followed his wife. He 
came to the man and said 
to him, "Are you the man 
who has spoken to this 
woman?"
He answered, "I am." 
{I}12_{/}Manoah said to 
him, "When your word is 
fulfilled, what rule and 
direction shall the boy 
follow?"
{I}13_{/}The Angel of 
Yahweh answered Manoah, 
"She must abstain from 
all I have indicated to 
this woman. {I}14_{/}She 
shall not taste anything 
that comes from the 
grape, nor drink wine or 
fermented drinks, nor eat 
anything unclean, and she 
shall observe everything 
I have commanded her."
{I}15_{/}Manoah then said 
to the Angel of Yahweh, 
"Permit us to detain you 
and prepare a young goat 
for you." (Manoah did not 
know that the man was the 
Angel of Yahweh) 
{I}16_{/}But he said to 
Manoah, "Even if I did 
stay, I would not taste 
your food. But if you 
want to offer a burnt 
offering, offer it to 
Yahweh." {I}17_{/}So 
Manoah said to the Angel 
of Yahweh, "What is your 
name, that we may honor 
you when your word comes 
true." {I}18_{/}The Angel 
of Yahweh answered him, 
"Why do you ask my name? 
It is Wonderful..." 
{I}19_{/}Manoah then took 
the young goat and the 
cereal offering, and 
offered it upon the rock 
as a holocaust to Yahweh 
who does wonderful 
things.
{I}20_{/}And something 
happened as Manoah and 
his wife looked on. A 
fire broke forth from the 
altar rising toward 
heaven, and the Angel of 
Yahweh ascended in the 
flame.
When Manoah and his wife 
saw this, they fell face 
downwards on the ground. 
{I}21_{/}When the Angel 
of Yahweh vanished from 
the sight of Manoah and 
his wife, Manoah knew 
then that he was the 
Angel of Yahweh. 
{I}22_{/}And he said to 
his wife, "We shall 
surely die for we have 
seen God." {I}23_{/}She 
answered him, "If Yahweh 
had wanted to kill us, he 
would not have accepted 
the holocaust or the 
offering from our hand; 
he would not have made 
all these things happen 
or said what we have just 
heard."
{I}24_{/}The woman gave 
birth to a son and named 
him Samson. The boy grew 
and Yahweh blessed him. 
{I}25_{/}Then the Spirit 
of Yahweh began to move 
him when he was in Mahane 
Dan between Zorah and 
Eshtaol.
STORIES OF SAMSON{/}

{1}14{/}

{I}1_{/}Samson went down 
to Timnah and saw a 
Philistine woman. 
{I}2_{/}He came up and 
said to his father and 
mother, "I have seen a 
Philistine woman at 
Timnah; get her for me 
that she may be my wife." 
{I}3_{/}His father and 
mother said to him, "Is 
there no one among the 
daughters of your 
brothers and among all 
your people that you 
should go and take a wife 
from among those 
uncircumcised 
Philistines?"
Samson said to his 
father, "Get her for me, 
for I like her." 
{I}4_{/}His father and 
mother did not know that 
this came from Yahweh who 
was seeking a quarrel 
with the Philistines; for 
at that time, the 
Philistines had dominion 
over Israel. 
{I}5_{/}Samson then went 
down to Timnah, and when 
he reached the vineyards 
at Timnah, a young lion 
came up roaring toward 
him. {I}6_{/}The Spirit 
of Yahweh then seized 
Samson. With bare hands 
he tore the lion to 
pieces as he would have 
done with a young goat. 
{I}7_{/}But he told 
neither his father or 
mother what he had done. 
{I}8_{/}Then he went down 
and talked to the woman 
who pleased him.
After some time, he 
returned to take her. He 
went out of his way to 
look at the carcass of 
the lion. He found a 
swarm of bees and honey 
in the lion's carcass. 
{I}9_{/}Samson scraped 
the honey into his hands 
and ate it as he walked.
When he reached his 
parents, he gave them 
honey and they ate it, 
too. But he did not tell 
them he had taken the 
honey from the lion's 
carcass. {I}10_{/}Then, 
Samson's father went down 
to the woman and Samson 
offered a banquet as was 
the custom among the 
young. {I}11_{/}When he 
appeared, the Philistines 
assigned thirty men to go 
with him as his wedding 
companions.
{I}12_{/}Samson said to 
them, "I am going to give 
you a riddle. If you can 
give me the right 
solution within seven 
days of the feast, I 
shall give you thirty 
tunics and thirty linen 
garments. {I}13_{/}But if 
you can't tell me the 
solution, you will give 
me thirty tunics and 
thirty linen garments." 
They answered, "Tell your 
riddle; we are 
listening."
{I}14_{/}He said to them, 
"From him who eats came 
what is eaten, and from 
the strong, sweetness 
came." {I}15_{/}After 
three days, they had not 
guessed the riddle. So on 
the fourth day, they said 
to Samson's wife, 
"Convince your husband to 
explain the riddle to us, 
or we will burn you and 
your father's family. Did 
you invite us to rob us?"
{I}16_{/}Samson's wife 
began to weep and she 
threw herself upon her 
husband saying, "You do 
not like me or love me 
anymore. You have given a 
riddle to the young men 
of my people, but you 
have not explained it to 
me." He said to her, "I 
have not explained it 
even to my parents, why 
should I explain it to 
you?" {I}17_{/}She cried 
before him for seven days 
while the feast lasted. 
On the seventh day, he 
explained it to her for 
he was bored with her 
crying. She then related 
it to her countrymen.
{I}18_{/}On the seventh 
day, before the married 
couple were to enter the 
wedding chamber, the 
people of the city said 
to Samson, "What is 
sweeter than honey? What 
is stronger than a lion?" 
He said to them, "If you 
had not plowed with my 
young cow, you would not 
have guessed my riddle."
{I}19_{/}Then the Spirit 
of Yahweh seized him. He 
went down to Ashkelon, 
killed thirty men, took 
their plunder and gave 
the linen garments to 
those who had guessed the 
riddle. Then, in great 
anger, he came up to his 
father's house. 
{I}20_{/}So Samson's wife 
was given to one of his 
wedding companions.
{1}15{/}

{I}1_{/}After some time, 
during wheat harvest, 
Samson went to visit his 
wife, bringing a young 
goat with him, and he 
said, "I want to be with 
my wife in our room." But 
her father would not let 
him in, {I}2_{/}saying, 
"I thought that you did 
not like her anymore, so 
I gave her to your 
companion. Is not her 
younger sister still 
better? Why don't you 
take her instead?" 
{I}3_{/}Samson replied, 
"This time I owe nothing 
to the Philistines even 
if I do them harm."
{I}4_{/}Samson went out 
and caught three hundred 
foxes, took some torches 
and tied the animals tail 
to tail. He then placed a 
torch in between every 
two tails, {I}5_{/}set 
fire to the torches and 
turned the foxes loose in 
the grain fields of the 
Philistines. In this way, 
he burned the sheaves and 
the standing grain, 
together with the 
vineyards and olive 
groves.
{I}6_{/}The Philistines 
asked, "Who did this?" 
And they answered, 
"Samson, the son-in-law 
of the man from Timnah, 
because this man took his 
wife and gave her to his 
companion." So they went 
up and burned her and her 
family. {I}7_{/}Samson 
said to them, "Since you 
did this, I will not rest 
until I have had my 
revenge on you." 
{I}8_{/}So he caused a 
great havoc upon them. 
Then he went down to live 
in a cave in the rock of 
Etam.
{I}9_{/}The Philistines 
went up to the mountains 
of Judah and raided Lehi. 
{I}10_{/}The men of Judah 
asked them, "Why have you 
come to attack us?" They 
answered, "We have come 
to capture Samson, and do 
to him what he did to 
us."
{I}11_{/}Three thousand 
men of Judah went down to 
the cave at the rock of 
Etam and said to Samson, 
"Do you not know that the 
Philistines lord it over 
us? Now what have you 
done to us?" He answered, 
"What they did to me, I 
have done to them." 
{I}12_{/}They said to 
him, "We have come down 
to tie you up and hand 
you over to the 
Philistines." Samson said 
to them, "Swear to me 
that you will not kill 
me." {I}13_{/}They 
answered, "No, we only 
want to tie you up and 
hand you over to them, 
but we will not kill 
you." They bound him with 
two new ropes and brought 
him up from the rocks. 
{I}14_{/}When they 
arrived in Lehi, the 
Philistines ran to him 
with shouts of victory. 
But the Spirit of Yahweh 
came upon Samson. The 
ropes that bound him 
became like linen flax 
burned in the fire and 
the knots were loosened 
from his arms. 
{I}15_{/}He found a fresh 
jawbone of an ass, 
grabbed it and with it 
killed a thousand men. 
{I}16_{/}Samson then 
said, "With the jawbone 
of an ass, I dealt them a 
mighty blow; with the 
jawbone of an ass, I beat 
a thousand men."
{I}17_{/}When he finished 
speaking, he threw away 
the jawbone and that is 
why the place was called 
Ramath-lehi. {I}18{/}Then 
he became terribly 
thirsty and called out to 
Yahweh saying, "You have 
given your servant this 
great victory. Now am I 
to die of thirst and fall 
into the hands of the 
uncircumcised?"
{I}19_{/}So Yahweh opened 
a hollow in the ground at 
Lehi and water gushed 
forth from it. Samson 
drank; his strength 
returned and he revived. 
For this, the name En-
hakkore was given to the 
fountain which is still 
in Lehi to this day.
{I}20_{/}Samson became 
judge of Israel for 
twenty years during the 
time of the Philistines.
{1}16{/}

{I}1_{/}When Samson went 
to Gaza, he saw a 
prostitute there and 
entered the place where 
she lived. {I}2_{/}When 
the men of Gaza were 
notified that Samson had 
come, they made the 
rounds and lay in wait 
for him at the city 
gates. They kept quiet 
all night, thinking, "We 
will wait for him until 
dawn and then we will 
kill him." {I}3_{/}But 
Samson slept until 
midnight. At midnight, he 
arose and took hold of 
the door panels of the 
city gates together with 
the doorcase, and pulled 
them up with the bar. He 
put them upon his 
shoulders and carried 
them to the hilltop 
opposite Hebron.
SAMSON AND DELILAH{/}

{I}4_{/}After this, 
Samson fell in love with 
a woman in the valley of 
Sorek; she was called 
Delilah. {I}5_{/}The 
Philistine chiefs said to 
this woman, "Charm him 
and find out where he 
gets such strength and 
how we can defeat and tie 
him up. Each of us shall 
give you eleven hundred 
pieces of silver."
{I}6_{/}So Delilah asked 
Samson, "Tell me, please, 
where do you get such 
strength and how can 
others tie you up to 
subdue you?" 
{I}7_{/}Samson answered 
her, "If they bind me 
with seven new and moist 
bowstrings, then I shall 
lose my strength and be 
as any other man."
{I}8_{/}The Philistine 
chiefs sent seven new 
bowstrings that had not 
been dried to Delilah, 
and she tied Samson with 
them. {I}9_{/}With men 
hidden in her dwelling, 
she shouted, "Samson, 
here come the 
Philistines!" Samson 
broke the bowstrings as 
if they were burned flax. 
So they did not find out 
where his great strength 
came from.
{I}10_{/}Then Delilah 
said to Samson, "You made 
a fool of me, and you 
lied to me. Tell me, how 
can they subdue you?" 
{I}11_{/}Samson answered 
her, "If they bind me 
this time with seven 
newly-braided ropes which 
have never been used, 
then I shall lose my 
strength and be like any 
other man." {I}12_{/}So 
Delilah bound him with 
seven newly-braided 
ropes. But when she 
shouted, "Here come the 
Philistines!" he again 
snapped the ropes round 
his arms like thread. 
{I}13_{/}So Delilah said 
to him, "How long will 
you deceive me and lie to 
me? Tell me how they can 
subdue you." He answered 
her, "If you braid the 
seven locks of my hair in 
the warp of the loom and 
tighten it with a pin, 
then I shall lose my 
strength." {I}14_{/}She 
lulled him to sleep, and 
then braided the seven 
locks of his hair in the 
warp of the loom and 
tightened it with a pin. 
Then she cried, "Here 
come the Philistines!" 
Samson woke up and pulled 
the warp with the locks 
of his hair. And so, 
Delilah did not find out 
where his great strength 
came from.
{I}15_{/}Then Delilah 
said to him, "You say 
that you love me, but 
your heart is not with 
me. Three times, you have 
deceived me and have not 
told me from whence your 
great strength comes." 
{I}16_{/}And as Delilah 
insisted and bothered him 
day after day with her 
questions, the time came 
when Samson felt he would 
die in disgust. 
{I}17_{/}So he told her 
the truth: "Never has my 
hair been cut for I am a 
Nazirite, consecrated to 
God from the womb of my 
mother. If my hair is 
cut, then I shall lose my 
strength and be like any 
other man."
{I}18_{/}Delilah 
understood that he had 
told her the truth this 
time, so she called the 
Philistine chiefs and 
said, "Come, because 
Samson has revealed his 
secret to me." They took 
the money and came to 
her. {I}19_{/}Delilah 
lulled Samson to sleep 
upon her knees and called 
a man to cut the seven 
locks of his hair. And 
she could immediately 
subdue him for his 
strength had left him.
{I}20_{/}When Delilah 
shouted "Samson, the 
Philistines!" he awoke 
and thought that he could 
still save himself as on 
other occasions. But he 
did not know that Yahweh 
was no longer with him. 
{I}21_{/}So the 
Philistines seized him, 
gouged out his eyes, and 
brought him to Gaza. 
There they bound him with 
two bronze chains and 
made him turn the mill in 
the prison. {I}22_{/}The 
hair on Samson's head, 
however, began to grow as 
soon as it was cut. 
DEATH OF SAMSON{/}

{I}23_{/}The Philistine 
chiefs assembled to offer 
a great sacrifice to 
their god Dagon and had a 
great feast, saying, "Our 
god has given Samson, our 
enemy, into our hands!"
{I}25_{/}As they were 
very happy, they said, 
"Bring out Samson that he 
may amuse us." They 
brought him out of prison 
and he amused them. Then 
they had him placed 
between the columns 
{I}24_{/}and on seeing 
him the people praised 
their god saying, "Our 
god has put our enemy 
into our hands, Samson 
who has destroyed our 
country and killed our 
men."
{I}26_{/}Samson then said 
to the boy who held him 
by the hand, "Lead me 
where I can touch the 
pillars on which this 
house rests, so that I 
may lean on them." 
{I}27_{/}The house was 
full of men and women, 
all the Philistine chiefs 
were also there, and on 
the roof were about three 
thousand men and women 
watching Samson for 
amusement.
{I}28_{/}Samson called on 
Yahweh and exclaimed, 
"Lord, Yahweh, please 
remember me and restore 
my strength only this 
once, so that I may 
avenge myself against the 
Philistines for my eyes."
{I}29_{/}Samson grasped 
the two middle pillars on 
which the house rested, 
leaned on them with his 
right arm on one pillar 
and his left on the 
other, {I}30_{/}and cried 
out, "Let me die with the 
Philistines!" He pushed 
with all his strength and 
the house fell upon the 
chiefs and the people 
gathered there. Those who 
joined him in his own 
death were more than 
those he had killed 
during his lifetime.
{I}31_{/}His brothers and 
the whole family of his 
father went down to get 
him. They buried him 
between Zorah and 
Eshtaol, in the tomb of 
his father Manoah. He had 
judged Israel for twenty 
years.
STORY OF MICAH{/}

{1}17{/}

{I}1_{/}A man named Micah 
lived in the mountains of 
Ephraim. One day 
{I}2_{/}he said to his 
mother, "The eleven 
hundred pieces of silver 
taken from you and about 
which you uttered a 
curse, well, it was I who 
took that silver. And 
now, I return it to you." 
{I}3_{/}His mother 
answered, "May Yahweh 
bless my son!" So he 
returned the eleven 
hundred pieces of silver 
to his mother.
But his mother said to 
him, "I had consecrated 
this money to Yahweh with 
my own hand, so that with 
this money, my son could 
make a statue cast in 
metal. So I am giving 
this silver back to you."
{I}4_{/}He, however, 
returned the silver to 
his mother who set aside 
two hundred pieces for 
the silversmith, who made 
a statue cast in metal. 
{I}5_{/}This was placed 
in the house of Micah, so 
that Micah had a house of 
God. He also made an 
ephod to consult Yahweh 
as they cast lots, and 
some small idols, and 
consecrated also one of 
his sons as his priest. 
{I}6_{/}At that time, 
there was no king in 
Israel and each one did 
what seemed right to him.
{I}7_{/}A young Levite of 
Bethlehem in Judah, a 
descendant of Moses who 
lived there as a 
foreigner, {I}8_{/}left 
Bethlehem one day and set 
out to see where he could 
live as a guest. He came 
to the house of Micah in 
the mountains of Ephraim, 
{I}9_{/}and Micah asked 
him, "Where do you come 
from?" He answered, "I am 
a Levite and I have come 
walking from Bethlehem; I 
am in search of a place 
where I can stay as a 
guest." {I}10_{/}Micah 
said to him, "Stay in my 
house and be a father and 
priest to me; I shall 
give you ten pieces of 
silver a year, clothing 
and food." So the Levite 
went in to his house.
{I}11_{/}The Levite 
agreed to stay in Micah's 
house and became like one 
of his sons. 
{I}12_{/}Micah 
consecrated the Levite, 
and this young man became 
his priest and remained 
in the house of Micah. 
{I}13_{/}And Micah said, 
"Now I know that Yahweh 
will bestow favors on me 
for this Levite has 
become my priest."
{1}18{/}

{I}1_{/}At that time 
there was no king in 
Israel. The tribe of Dan 
was looking for a 
territory to dwell in, 
because until that day 
they had not received a 
share in the inheritance 
of the tribes of Israel. 
{I}2_{/}So the Danites 
sent five valiant men 
from Zorah and Eshtaol - 
all from the Danite tribe 
- to go around the land 
and explore it. They said 
to them, "Go and explore 
the country." These men 
came to the mountains of 
Ephraim near the house of 
Micah and spent the night 
there.
{I}3_{/}When they were 
near the house, they 
recognized the voice of 
the young Levite, so they 
went in. They asked him, 
"Who has brought you 
here? What are you doing 
in this place? Why are 
you here?" {I}4_{/}He 
answered, "Such and such 
a thing Micah has done 
for me. He has hired me 
to become his priest." 
{I}5_{/}They said to him, 
"Ask God so we may know 
whether the journey we 
are making shall be 
successful or not." 
{I}6_{/}The priest 
answered them, "Go in 
peace, the journey you 
make is under the eye of 
Yahweh."
{I}7_{/}The five men left 
and came to Laish. They 
saw that the inhabitants 
of that place were living 
in security according to 
the customs of the 
Sidonians - quiet and 
trusting people - with no 
one creating trouble. 
They lived far from the 
Sidonians and had no 
dealings with anyone 
else.
{I}8_{/}Upon their return 
to their brothers in 
Zorah and Eshtaol, 
{I}9_{/}they were asked, 
"What news do you bring?" 
They answered, "Come on, 
let us go and attack them 
for the country we have 
seen is an excellent 
place. But why are you 
silent? Do not delay in 
setting out to conquer 
the land. {I}l0_{/}When 
you go, you shall meet a 
quiet people; the land is 
vast and God has given it 
into our hands, a place 
which does not lack 
anything."
{I}11_{/}So six hundred 
armed men of the tribe of 
Dan set out from Zorah 
and Eshtaol; 
{I}12_{/}they went up and 
encamped at Kiriath-
jearim in Judah. 
{I}13_{/}From there they 
passed through the 
mountains of Ephraim and 
came to the house of 
Micah.
{I}14_{/}Then the five 
men who had gone to 
explore the land 
addressed their brothers 
and said, "Do you not 
know that in one of these 
houses, there is an ephod 
used to consult Yahweh, 
some small idols and a 
statue cast in metal? Now 
decide what you have to 
do."
{I}15_{/}The troops made 
a detour and entered the 
house of the young 
Levite, the house of 
Micah. They greeted him 
{I}16{/}while the six 
hundred armed Danites 
stood at the threshold of 
the gate. {I}17_{/}Then 
the five men who had 
earlier gone up to 
explore the land went up 
again, entered Micah's 
house {I}18_{/}and took 
the statue, the ephod 
that is used to consult 
Yahweh and the small 
idols, while the priest 
stood at the gate with 
the six hundred armed 
men. The priest said to 
them, "What are you 
doing?" {I}19_{/}They 
said to him, "Be quiet!" 
Put your hand on your 
mouth and come with us. 
You shall be a father and 
priest to us. Do you 
prefer to be a priest in 
the house of one 
individual or to be a 
priest for a tribe of 
Israel?"
{I}20_{/}This made the 
priest happy, so he took 
the ephod, the small 
idols and the statue, and 
went with the troops.
{I}21_{/}The Danites went 
on their way, putting the 
women, children, 
livestock and precious 
objects in front of them. 
{I}22_{/}They were 
already far from the 
house of Micah when the 
people of the neighboring 
houses started shouting 
and set out to pursue 
them. {I}23_{/}But the 
Danites turned around and 
said to Micah, "Why are 
you shouting?" 
{I}24_{/}He answered, 
"You have taken the gods 
which I made, and my 
priest is going away with 
you. What else is left to 
me? And yet you still ask 
me: 'What is the matter 
with you?'" {I}25_{/}The 
Danites answered him, "Be 
quiet now lest some ill-
tempered men fall upon 
you, and kill you and 
your household." 
{I}26_{/}So the Danites 
went their way, and 
Micah, seeing that they 
were stronger, returned 
home.
{I}27_{/}As for them, 
they now had the gods 
which Micah had fashioned 
and the priest he had in 
his service, and they 
marched on against Laish, 
a quiet and trusting 
people. They put the 
inhabitants to the sword 
and burned the city. 
{I}28_{/}No one came to 
help them for they lived 
far from Sidon, and had 
no relationship with 
anyone else. This city 
was in the valley which 
extended to Beth-rehob.
{I}29_{/}The Danites 
rebuilt the city and 
lived there, and they 
gave it the name Dan in 
memory of their ancestor 
Dan, son of Israel, 
though the city was 
formerly called Laish. 
{I}30_{/}They set aside a 
place for the statue, and 
Jonathan - a descendant 
of Gershom, son of Moses 
- and his sons after him, 
became priests of the 
tribe of Dan until the 
people were driven out of 
the land. {I}31_{/}They 
set up the image Micah 
had made, and there it 
remained all the time the 
house of God was in 
Shiloh.
THE CRIME AT GIBEAH{/}

{1}19{/}

{I}1_{/}At that time 
there was still no king 
in Israel. A Levite who 
lived deep in the 
mountains of Ephraim took 
a woman from Bethlehem in 
Judah as concubine. 
{I}2_{/}This woman left 
him and returned to her 
father's house in 
Bethlehem of Judah. She 
remained there for about 
four months. {I}3_{/}Her 
husband set out to visit 
her and speak to her 
heart to make her return 
to his home. He brought 
with him a servant and 
two asses.
She welcomed him in the 
house of her father who 
was glad to see him. 
{I}4_{/}His father-in-
law, the father of the 
girl, made him stay so he 
remained with him for 
three days. They ate, 
drank and spent the night 
there. {I}5_{/}On the 
fourth day, they rose 
early in the morning and 
the Levite prepared to 
leave. But the father of 
the young maiden said to 
his son-in-law, "Eat some 
bread first so you can 
regain your strength, 
then you can go."
{I}6_{/}The two sat and 
began to eat and drink 
together. Then the 
father-in-law said, 
"Please spend the night 
here and have a good 
time." {I}7_{/}When the 
Levite got up to leave, 
his father-in-law 
insisted, so he stayed 
that night.
{I}8_{/}On the fifth day, 
he again rose early in 
the morning to go, but 
the father of the young 
maiden said to him, "Have 
more patience and stay 
until evening." So they 
ate together. {I}9_{/}But 
when the husband, his 
concubine and his servant 
stood up to leave, the 
father-in-law said to his 
son-in-law, "Look, it's 
already getting dark. 
Spend the night here and 
enjoy yourself. You can 
leave early tomorrow 
morning and be on your 
way home." {I}10_{/}But 
the Levite refused to 
spend the night there, so 
he got up, left and 
arrived opposite Jebush, 
or Jerusalem. He brought 
with him the two saddled 
asses, his concubine and 
his servant.
{I}11_{/}It was very late 
when they came near 
Jebush. So the servant 
said to his master, "Let 
us not go any farther but 
go into the city of the 
Jebusites and spend the 
night there." 
{I}12_{/}His master 
answered him, "Let us not 
go to a foreign city 
where there are no 
Israelites; we will go to 
Gibeah." And he added to 
his servant, 
{I}13_{/}"Come and let us 
go near one of those 
towns. We will spend the 
night in Gibeah or in 
Ramah." {I}14_{/}So they 
went their way, and at 
sunset they arrived 
opposite Gibeah of 
Benjamin. {I}15_{/}They 
turned aside and went 
there to spend the night. 
{I}16_{/}Then, an old man 
came in from his work in 
the fields. He was a man 
from the mountains of 
Ephraim and lived as a 
visitor in Gibeah, for 
the people of that place 
were of the tribe of 
Benjamin. 
{I}17_{/}Looking to one 
side, the old man noticed 
the visitor in the city 
square and said to him, 
"Where do you come from 
and where are you going?" 
{I}18_{/}And he answered, 
"We are passing through, 
for we come from 
Bethlehem of Judah, and 
we are going up to the 
borders of the mountains 
of Ephraim where I come 
from. I went to Bethlehem 
of Judah and now I am 
returning home. But here 
no one has offered me his 
house. {I}19_{/}We have, 
however, straw and green 
fodder for our asses, and 
bread and wine for me, my 
wife and the young man 
who accompanies us. We 
don't lack anything."
{I}20_{/}The old man said 
to him, "Peace be with 
you. I shall provide you 
with all that you need. 
Just don't spend the 
night in the square." 
{I}21_{/}He brought them 
to his house and gave 
fodder to the asses. The 
travelers washed their 
feet, then ate and drank.
{I}22_{/}As they were 
relaxing, the wicked men 
of the city went round 
the house, pounded on the 
door and said to the old 
man who owned the house, 
"Bring out the man you 
have welcomed into your 
house so we may amuse 
ourselves with him." 
{I}23_{/}The owner of the 
house went out to them 
and said, "No, my 
brothers, do not treat 
him badly. This man has 
come into my house, so do 
not do him evil. 
{I}24_{/}Here is my 
daughter, a virgin, and 
my companion's concubine. 
I can give her to you if 
you want. Ravish her and 
do with her what seems 
good to you, but not with 
this man." {I}25_{/}But 
those men would not 
listen to him. So the man 
took his concubine and 
brought her outside. They 
violated and maltreated 
her the whole night until 
morning. At dawn, they 
left her.
{I}26_{/}At early 
morning, the woman came 
and fell at the entrance 
of the man's house where 
her husband was. She lay 
there until it was day. 
{I}27_{/}When her husband 
rose up in the morning, 
opened the door of the 
house and went out to go 
on his way, he saw the 
woman, his concubine, 
lying at the entrance of 
the house, her hands on 
the threshold. 
{I}28_{/}He said to her, 
"Get up, and let us go." 
But there was no 
response. So the man put 
her on his ass and went 
home.
{I}29_{/}When he arrived 
home, he took a knife and 
taking hold of his 
concubine, he divided 
her, limb by limb, into 
twelve pieces and sent 
them throughout the 
territory of Israel. 
{I}30_{/}He gave his 
messengers, this order: 
"Say this to the 
Israelites: Until today, 
have you seen anything 
like this since the 
Israelites came up from 
the land of Egypt? Think 
about it. Seek counsel 
and decide." Everyone who 
saw it said: "Until 
today, never has this 
happened nor has a thing 
like this been seen since 
the Israelites came up 
from the land of Egypt."
{1}20{/}

{I}1_{/}So all the 
children of Israel, the 
whole community from Dan 
to Beer-sheba, gathered 
as one man, including the 
land of Gilead, before 
Yahweh at Mizpah. 
{I}2_{/}The heads of all 
the people and of all the 
tribes of Israel came to 
the assembly of the 
people of God: four 
hundred thousand men on 
foot, all armed with 
swords.
{I}3_{/}The men of the 
tribe of Benjamin also 
knew that the Israelites 
had gone up to Mizpah.
The sons of Israel said, 
"Tell us how this crime 
happened." {I}4_{/}The 
Levite, the husband of 
the murdered woman, 
addressed them and said, 
"I arrived at Gibeah in 
Benjamin with my 
concubine to spend the 
night there. {I}5_{/}By 
night, the residents of 
Gibeah showed up and 
surrounded the house, 
intending to harm us. 
They were determined to 
kill me, and they abused 
my concubine in such a 
way that she died. 
{I}6_{/}I then took her, 
cut her into pieces, one 
piece to each territory 
of Israel, because what 
they have done is a shame 
for Israel. {I}7_{/}Now 
that you are here, all 
sons of Israel, discuss 
among yourselves and make 
a decision now."
{I}8_{/}All the people 
rose as one man and said, 
"None of us shall return 
to his tent nor go to his 
house. {I}9_{/}This is 
what we will do with the 
people of Gibeah: we will 
draw lots {I}10_{/}and 
will take from the tribes 
of Israel ten men for 
every hundred, a hundred 
for every thousand, and a 
thousand for every ten 
thousand. They shall 
gather provisions for the 
troops who will go to 
punish Gibeah in Benjamin 
for the crime its 
inhabitants have 
committed in Israel." 
{I}11_{/}So all the men 
of Israel united as one 
man against the city.
{I}12_{/}The tribes of 
Israel sent messengers 
throughout the whole 
tribe of Benjamin and 
said to them: "What is 
this crime that has been 
committed among you? 
{I}13_{/}Hand over those 
wicked men of Gibeah to 
us, that we may kill them 
and banish the evil from 
Israel." But the 
Benjaminites did not mind 
their Israelite brothers.
{I}14_{/}Meanwhile, the 
Benjaminites also left 
their cities and gathered 
at Gibeah to face the 
Israelites. {I}15_{/}That 
day the Benjaminites who 
came from different 
cities totaled twenty-six 
thousand men, armed with 
swords, without counting 
the inhabitants of 
Gibeah. {I}16_{/}Among 
them were seven hundred 
valiant men, all left-
handed and able to sling 
a stone at a hair's 
breadth without missing.
{I}17_{/}The people of 
Israel also counted their 
men. Without counting 
Benjamin, there were four 
hundred thousand men, 
able to draw sword, all 
men of war. {I}18_{/}So 
they set out and went up 
to Bethel where they 
asked God: "Who among us 
shall go up first to 
fight the sons of 
Benjamin?" And Yahweh 
answered, "Judah shall go 
up first."
{I}19_{/}The Israelites 
rose early and encamped 
opposite Gibeah. 
{I}20_{/}They went out to 
fight against Benjamin 
and drew up the battle 
line against Gibeah. 
{I}21_{/}But the 
Benjaminites came out of 
Gibeah and killed twenty-
two thousand Israelites. 
{I}22_{/}On the second 
day, the sons of Israel 
attacked the 
Benjaminites.
{I}23_{/}The sons of 
Israel then went up to 
weep before Yahweh until 
evening, and asked 
Yahweh, saying, "Shall we 
fight again with the sons 
of our brother Benjamin?" 
Yahweh answered, "Go up 
against them."
{I}24_{/}So the people, 
the troops of Israel, 
regained their courage 
and returned to their 
former battle line. 
{I}25_{/}On that day, 
too, the Benjaminites 
went out against them and 
killed eighteen thousand 
sword-wielding 
Israelites.
{I}26_{/}Then all the 
Israelites, all the 
people, went up to 
Bethel. There they sat 
weeping before Yahweh. 
They fasted the whole day 
until evening and 
presented burnt and peace 
offerings before Yahweh, 
{I}27_{/}for the Ark of 
the Covenant was there, 
{I}28_{/}with Phinehas, 
son of Eleazar, son of 
Aaron, as its minister. 
They asked: "Shall we 
come out again and fight 
the sons of our brother 
Benjamin, or not?" Yahweh 
replied, "Go up tomorrow, 
and I will give them into 
your hands."
{I}29_{/}Israel set men 
in ambush around Gibeah. 
{I}30_{/}On the third 
day, the sons of Israel 
marched against Gibeah 
and positioned themselves 
in the battle line as on 
previous times. 
{I}31_{/}The sons of 
Benjamin went out against 
them, but the Israelites 
cut off the way that led 
back to the city. The 
Benjaminites began as 
before to attack the men 
of Israel, killing about 
thirty men on the roads 
going up to Bethel and to 
Gibeah. {I}32_{/}So the 
Benjaminites thought: "We 
have defeated them again 
as before."
But the Israelites said 
to themselves: "Let us 
flee to draw them away 
from the city and cut off 
the roads." {I}33_{/}All 
the men of Israel moved 
from their camp and took 
up position at Baal-
Tamar, while those who 
were in ambush rushed out 
of their place to the 
west of Gibeah. 
{I}34_{/}So ten thousand 
chosen men from all 
Israel came against 
Gibeah. The battle was 
fought hard, and the 
Benjaminites did not 
notice the calamity which 
was to come upon them. 
{I}35_{/}Yahweh defeated 
Benjamin before Israel, 
and on that day the 
Israelites killed twenty-
five thousand 
Benjaminites, all sword-
wielding men.
{I}36_{/}The Benjaminites 
thought they were 
victorious, but the men 
of Israel gave them 
ground, because they 
relied on the ambush they 
had set against Gibeah. 
{I}37_{/}The men in 
ambush rushed out and 
quickly deployed 
themselves. They attacked 
Gibeah and put the whole 
city to the sword. 
{I}38_{/}The men of 
Israel had planned with 
those in ambush that 
smoke would rise from the 
city as a signal. At 
this, the Israelites 
would then return and 
fight.
{I}39_{/}So the 
Israelites who pretended 
to escape returned when 
the Benjaminites had 
killed about thirty men 
and had thought: "Now 
they are defeated as in 
the first battle." 
{I}40_{/}The smoke signal 
was already rising from 
the city. When the 
Benjaminites looked 
behind, they saw that the 
whole city was on fire, 
with flames rising up to 
heaven. {I}41_{/}When the 
Israelites faced them, 
the Benjaminites trembled 
before the calamity which 
had come upon them. 
{I}42_{/}They retreated 
before the men of Israel 
and fled in the direction 
leading to the desert. 
But the Israelites who 
came out of the city 
overtook them and 
destroyed them. 
{I}43_{/}They surrounded 
the men of Benjamin, 
pursued them without rest 
and crushed them opposite 
Gibeah by the east.
{I}44_{/}Eighteen 
thousand Benjaminites 
fell, all valiant men. 
{I}45_{/}The survivors 
retreated and fled 
towards the desert to the 
rock of Rimmon. About 
five thousand men, 
however, were killed on 
the way. They also 
pursued Benjamin as far 
as Gideon, killing two 
thousand men.
{I}46_{/}On that day, 
twenty-five thousand 
sword-wielding 
Benjaminites died, all 
valiant men. Of those who 
fled to the desert to the 
rock of Rimmon, 
{I}47_{/}six hundred were 
able to escape. They 
remained there for four 
months. {I}48_{/}The 
troops of Israel turned 
against the towns of 
Benjamin and put them to 
the sword, the people as 
well as the livestock and 
everything in them. They 
also burned all the 
cities they found.
{1}21{/}

{I}1_{/}The men of Israel 
swore at Mizpah: "None of 
us shall give his 
daughter in marriage to 
any Benjaminite."
{I}2_{/}The people went 
to Bethel. There they sat 
before Yahweh until 
evening, called on him 
and wept with great 
lamentation.
{I}3_{/}They said, 
"Yahweh, God of Israel, 
why has this misfortune 
happened to Israel, that 
one of its tribes has 
perished today?" 
{I}4_{/}On the next day, 
the people rose early, 
built an altar there and 
offered holocausts and 
peace offerings. 
{I}5_{/}The Israelites 
then asked, "Who among 
all the tribes of Israel 
did not come to the 
assembly of Yahweh?" For 
they had sol-emnly sworn 
that whoever would not 
come up to Mizpah before 
Yahweh should die.
{I}6_{/}The sons of 
Israel had compassion on 
their brother Benjamin 
and they said, "Today a 
tribe of Israel has been 
cut off, {I}7_{/}what 
shall we do to provide 
wives for those that 
remain, for we have sworn 
to Yahweh not to give 
them our daughters in 
marriage?"
{I}8_{/}Because of this 
they asked, "Did any 
tribe of Israel not come 
up to Mizpah before 
Yahweh?" And they found 
out that none from Yabesh 
of Gilead had come to the 
camp for the assembly. 
{I}9_{/}They made the 
census and saw that there 
was no one from Yabesh of 
Gilead.
{I}10_{/}Then the 
community sent there 
twelve thousand of their 
valiant men with this 
order: "Go and put to the 
sword the inhabitants of 
Yabesh of Gilead, 
including women and 
children. {I}11_{/}This 
is what you shall do: 
kill every man and every 
woman who has had a 
relation with a man, but 
let the maidens live." 
{I}12_{/}So they did. 
They found four hundred 
young virgins among the 
inhabitants of Yabesh in 
Gilead (who had not had 
any relations with man), 
and they brought them to 
the camp at Shiloh in the 
land of Canaan.
{I}13_{/}Then the 
community sent messengers 
to the Benjaminites who 
were at the rock of 
Rimmon to make peace with 
them, {I}14_{/}and the 
Benjaminites returned. 
The Israelites gave them 
the women of Yabesh of 
Gilead they had spared, 
but there were not enough 
for all.
{I}15_{/}The people had 
compassion again on 
Benjamin for Yahweh had 
let one of the tribes of 
Israel perish. 
{I}16_{/}So the community 
elders said, "What can we 
do to provide wives for 
those that are left, for 
the women of Benjamin 
were killed?" 
{I}17_{/}and they added, 
"How can the survival of 
Benjamin be assured that 
a tribe of Israel may not 
perish? {I}18_{/}We 
cannot give them our 
daughters since we have 
made this oath: Cursed be 
he who gives a wife to 
Benjamin?"
{I}19_{/}But they said, 
"It is now the feast of 
Yahweh which is 
celebrated annually at 
Shiloh, north of Bethel, 
east of the road that 
goes up from Bethel to 
Shechem, and south of 
Lebonah." {I}20_{/}So 
they advised the 
Benjaminites: "Go and 
wait in ambush in the 
vineyards. {I}21_{/}Be 
ready and when the 
maidens of Shiloh come 
dancing in groups, come 
out of the vineyards and 
each man seize a wife and 
go to the land of 
Benjamin.
{I}22_{/}If their fathers 
or brothers come to 
complain against you, we 
shall tell them: "Try to 
understand them; see, the 
war left us with no means 
of giving a wife to each 
one of them. You are not 
the ones who gave them 
your maidens, otherwise 
you would have broken 
your vow."
{I}23_{/}So the 
Benjaminites did and 
seized the women they 
needed. Then they went 
and returned to their 
inheritance, rebuilt 
their cities and dwelt in 
them.
{I}24_{/}The Israelites 
then marched from there 
to their homes, every man 
to his tribe and family.
{I}25_{/}At that time, 
there was no king in 
Israel and everyone did 
what seemed good to him.

