THE BOOK OF JUDGES. 1 NOW after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that the children of Israel asked the LORD, saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites 2 first, to fight against them? And the LORD said, Judah shall go up: behold, I 3 have delivered the land into his hand. And Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and Í 4 likewise will go with thee into thy lot. So Simeon went with him. And Judah went up; and the LORD delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their 5 hand and they slew of them in Bezek ten thousand men. And they found Adoni-bezek in Bezek: and they fought against him, and they slew the Ca6 naanites and the Perizzites. But Adoni-bezek fled; and they pursued after 7 him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes. 1 And Adonibezek said, Threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my table as I have done, so God hath requited me. And they brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died. 8 Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and had taken it, 9 and smitten it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire. And afterward the children of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites, that 10 dwelt in the mountain, and in the south, and in the valley. And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron: (now the name of Hebron before 11 was Kirjath-arba :) and they slew Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai. And from thence he went against the inhabitants of Debir: (and the name of Debir 12 before was Kirjath-sepher.) And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjath-sepher 13 and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife. And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, took it: and he gave him Achsah 14 his daughter to wife. And it came to pass, when she came to him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she lighted from off her ass; and 15 Caleb said unto her, What wilt thou? And she said unto him, Give me a blessing: for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the nether springs. 16 And the children of the Kenite, Moses' father-in-law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which leth in the south of Arad; and they went and dwelt among the people. 17 And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. And the name of the city 18 was called Hormah. Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof, and 19 Askelon with the coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof. And the LORD was with Judah; and he drave out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of 20 iron. And they gave Hebron unto Caleb, as Moses said: and he expelled thence the three sons of Anak. 21 22 And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusa lem unto this day. And the house of Joseph, they also went up against Beth-el: and the LORD 23 was with them. And the house of Joseph sent to descry Beth-el: (now the 24 name of the city before was Luz.) And the spies saw a man come forth out of the city, and they said unto him, Show us, we pray thee, the entrance into 25 the city, and we will show thee mercy. And when he showed them the entrance into the city, they smote the city with the edge of the sword; but they let go 26 the man and all his family. And the man went into the land of the Hittites, and built a city, and called the name thereof Luz: which is the name thereof unto this day. 1 Heb. the thumbs of their hands and of their feet. 2 Or, gleaned. 4 Or, he possessed the 15 27 Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean and her towns, nor Taanach and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and her 28 towns: but the Canaanites would dwell in that land. And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, and did not 29 utterly drive them out. Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites that 30 dwelt in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them. Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites dwelt among them, and became tributaries.31 Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Accho, nor the inhabitants of Zidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of 32 Rehob: but the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of 33 the land for they did not drive them out. Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, nor the inhabitants of Beth-anath; but he dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: nevertheless the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and of Beth-anath became tributaries unto them. 34 And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain: for they 35 would not suffer them to come down to the valley: but the Amorites would dwell in mount Heres in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim yet the hand of the 36 house of Joseph prevailed, so that they became tributaries. And the coast of the Amorites was from 2 the going up to Akrabbim, from the rock, and upward. 3 4 2 AND an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with 2 you. And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye 3 done this? Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you. 4 And it came to pass, when the angel of the LORD spake these words unto all 5 the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept. And they called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there unto the LORD. 6 And when Joshua had let the people go, the children of Israel went every 7 man unto his inheritance to possess the land. And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that he did for Israel. 8 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred 9 and ten years old. And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in 6 Timnath-heres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash. 10 And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers. 5 AND there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, 11 nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. And the children of Israel 12 did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim : and they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, 13 and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger. And they 14 forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth. And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round 15 about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies. Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed. 16 Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, which 7 delivered them out of 17 the hand of those that spoiled them. And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the LORD; but they did not so. 18 And when the LORD raised them up judges, then the LORD was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the LORD because of their groanings by reason of 19 them that oppressed them and vexed them. And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they 2 ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way. 00 20 And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their 21 fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice; I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he 22 died that through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way 23 of the LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not. Therefore the LORD 3 left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua. 3 Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan; only that the 2 generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the 3 least such as before knew nothing thereof; namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount 4 Lebanon, from mount Baal-hermon unto the entering in of Hamath. And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses. 5 AND the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and 6 Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites: and they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served 7 their gods. And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and 8 forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves. Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushan-rishathaim king of 4 Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushan-rishathaim eight years. 9 And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a 5 deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the 10 son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother. And the Spirit of the LORD 6 came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war and the LORD delivered Chushan-rishathaim king of 7 Mesopatomia into his hand; and his hand 11 prevailed against Chushan-rishathaim. And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died. 12 : AND the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they 13 had done evil in the sight of the LORD. And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of 14 palm trees. So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years. 15 But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, 8 a Benjamite, a man 9 left-handed: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab. 16 But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he 17 did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh. And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab : and Eglon was a very fat man. 18 And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people 19 that bare the present. But he himself turned again from the 10 quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, 20 Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him. And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And 21 he arose out of his seat. And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the 22 dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly and the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not 23 draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out. Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them. 24 When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour were locked, they said, Surely he covereth 25 his feet in his summer chamber. And they tarried till they were ashamed. and, behold, he opened not the doors of the parlour; therefore they took a key, and opened them: and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth. 26 And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and 27 escaped unto Seirath. And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down 28 with him from the mount, and he before them. And he said unto them, Follow after me for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward 29 Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over. And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all 3 lusty, and all men of valour; and there 30 escaped not a man. So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years. 31 4 And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered 5 Israel. AND the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead. And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of 2 Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was 6 Sisera, which 3 dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles. And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel. 4 And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that 5 time. And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Beth-el in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for 6 judgment. And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men 7 of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun? And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his 8 chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand. And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go but if thou wilt 9 not go with me, then I will not go. And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, 10 and went with Barak to Kedesh. And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with ten thousand men at his feet and Deborah went up with him. 11 12 Now Heber the Kenite, which was of the children of Hobab the father-inlaw of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which is by Kedesh. And they showed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to 13 mount Tabor. And Sisera 7 gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon. 14 And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the LORD gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him. 15 And the LORD discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off his 6 It seems to concern only North Israel. 1 Or, it came out at the fundament. 2 Or, doeth his casement. 3 Heb. fat. 4 It seems to concern only 5 So part is called Israel, ch. 7 Heb. gathered by cry, or, proclamation. 16 chariot, and fled away on his feet. But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera 17 fell upon the edge of the sword; and there was not a man left. Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber 18 the Kenite. And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into 19 the tent, she covered him with a 2 mantle. And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a 20 bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him. Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and inquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No. 21 Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he 22 died. And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will show thee the man whom thou seekest. And when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail was in his temples 23 So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children 24 of Israel. And the hand of the children of Israel 4 prospered, and prevailed against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan. 5 2 Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying, Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, When the people willingly offered themselves. 3 Hear, O ye kings; Give ear, O ye princes; 1, even I, will sing unto the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel. 4 LORD, when thou wentest out of Seir, When thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, 5 The mountains 5 melted from before the LORD, 6 Even that Sinai from before the LORD God of Israel. In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, In the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, And the travellers walked through 7 byways. 7 The inhabitants of the villages ceased, They ceased in Israel, Until that I Deborah arose, That I arose a mother in Ísrael. 8 They chose new gods; 9 Then was war in the gates: Was there a shield or spear seen Among forty thousand in Israel? My heart is toward the governors of Israel, That offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD. 10 8 Speak, Ye that ride on white asses, Ye that sit in judgment, And walk by the way. 11 They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water, There shall they rehearse the 9 righteous acts of the LORD, Even the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his villages in Israel : 1 Heb. unto one. 2 Or, rug, or, blanket. 3 Heb. put. 4 Heb. going went and was 5 Heb flowed. 6 Heb. walkers of paths. 7 Heb. crooked ways, 8 Or, Meditate. 9 Heb. righteousnesses of the LORD. |