4 LORD, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water. 5 The mountains melted from before the LORD, even that Sinai, from before the LORD God of Israel. 6 In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the high ways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through by-ways. 7 The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel. 8 They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Is. rael? 9 My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD. 10 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 draw. ing water; there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the LORD, even the righteous acts towards the inhabitants of his villages in Israel: then shall the people of the LORD go down to the gates. 12 Awake, awake Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam. 13 Then he made him that remaineth, have dominion over the Nobles among the people the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty. 14 Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek, after thee Ben. jamin, among thy people. Out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulon they that handle the pen of the writer. 15 And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah: even Issachar, and also Barak, he was sent on foot into the valley for the divisions of Reuben, there were great thoughts of heart. : 16 Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? for the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart. 17 Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher Deborah and Barak. continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches. 18 Zebulon and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death, in the high places of the field. 19 The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo, they took no gain of money. 20 They fought from heaven, the stars in their courses fought against Sisera. 21 The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength. 22 Then were the horse hoofs broken, by the means of the prancings, the pranc. ings of their mighty ones. 23 Curse ye Meroz (said the Angel of the LORD) curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof: because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty. 24 Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent. 25 He asked water, and she gave him milk, she brought forth butter in a lordly dish. 26 She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer: and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples. 27 At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down at her feet he bowed, he fell; where he bowed, there he fell down dead. 28 The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lat tice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the wheels of his chariots? 29 Her wise ladies answered her, yea she returned answer to herself, 30 Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey to every man a damsel or two? To Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours, of necdle work, of divers colours of needle work on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil? 31 So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him, be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years. Gideon and the Angel. CHAP. VI. CHAP. VI. Baal's altar. then is all this befallen us? and where The Israelites for their sin are op- be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring pressed. AND the children of Israel did evil us up from Egypt ? but now the LORD in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. 2 And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites, the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds. 3 And so it was when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the East, even they came up against them, 4 And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass. hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. and said, Go in this thy might, and thou 14 And the LORD looked upon him, shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? 15 And he said unto him, Oh my lord, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, am the least in my father's house. Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt 16 And the LORD said unto him, smite the Midianites, as one man. have found grace in thy sight, then shew 17 And he said unto him, If now I me a sign, that thou talkest with me. 5 For they came up with their cattle I come unto thee, and bring forth my 18 Depart not hence, I pray thee, until and their tents, and they came as Grass-present, and set it before thee. And he hoppers for multitude, for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it. 6 And Israel was greatly impoverished, because of the Midianites, and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD. 7 And it came to pass when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, because of the Midianites, 8 That the LORD sent a Prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them; Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage, 9 And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land: 10 And I said unto you, I am the LORD your God, fear not the gods of the Amorites in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice. 11 And there came an Angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abi-Ezrite; and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the wine-press, to hide it from the Midianites. 12 And the Angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. 13 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why 21* said, I will tarry until thou come again. 19 And Gideon went in, and made an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of basket, and he put the broth in a pot, oak, and presented it. and brought it out unto him under the 20 And the Angel of God said unto vened cakes, and lay them upon this him, Take the flesh, and the unlearock, and pour out the broth. And he did so. put forth the end of the staff that was 21 Then the Angel of the LORD the unleavened cakes, and there rose up in his hand, and touched the flesh, and fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes: then the Angel of the LORD departed out of his sight. he was an Angel of the LORD, Gideon Peace be unto thee, fear not, thou shalt 24 Then Gideon built an altar there 25 And it came to pass the same Take thy father's young bullock, even night, that the LORD said unto him, the second bullock of seven years old, 245 Gideon's fleece: JUDGES. His army and throw down the altar of Baal that | fleece only, and it be dry upon all the thy father hath, and cut down the grove earth beside, then shall I know that thou that is by it: wilt save Israel by my hand, as thou hast said. 26 And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove, which thou shalt cut down. : 27 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had said unto him and so it was because he feared his father's household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night. 28 And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built. 29 And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they inquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing. 30 Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it. : 31 And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? He that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar. 32 Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar. 33 Then all the Midianites, and the Amalekites, and the children of the East were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel. 34 But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, and Abiezer was gathered after him. 35 And he sent messengers through. out all Manasseh, who also was gathered after him, and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulon, and unto Naphtali, and they came up to meet them. 36 And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said, 37 Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor: and if the dew be on the 38 And it was so : for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece to gether, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water. 39 And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: Let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece. Let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew. 40 And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground. CHAP. VII. Gideon's army of two and thirty thou sand is brought to three hundred. THEN Jerubbaal (who is Gideon) and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh, in the valley. 2 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee, are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. 3 Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead: and there returned of the people twenty and two thousand, and there remained ten thousand. 4 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there and it shall be that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee: and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go. 5 So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself, likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink. 6 And the number of them that lapped putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of A dream declared. CHAP. VIII. Midian destroyed. the people bowed down upon their knees | I come to the outside of the camp, it to drink water. 9 And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host, for I have delivered it into thine hand. 10 But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host. 11 And thou shalt hear what they say, and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down, with Phurah his servant, unto the outside of the armed men, that were in the host. 12 And the Midianites, and the Amalekites, and all the children of the East, lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude, and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude. 13 And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along. shall be that as I do, so shall ye do. 18 When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon. 19 T So Gideon and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp, in the beginning of the middle watch, and they had but newly set the watch, and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands. 20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon. 21 And they stood every man in his place, round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled. 22 And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Beth-shittah, in Zererath, and to the border of Abel Meholah, unto Tabbath. 23 And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites. 24 And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying; Come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah, and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Beth-barah, and Jordan. 14 And his fellow answered, and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Is- 25 And they took two Princes of the rael: for into his hand hath God deliv-Midianites, Oreb, and Zeeb; and they ered Midian, and all the host. 15 And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise, for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian. 16 And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers, 17 And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise; and behold, when slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb, to Gideon on the other side Jordan. CHAP. VIII. Gideon pacifieth the Ephraimites. AND the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they did chide with him sharply. 2 And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Zebah and JUDGES. Zalmunna slain. Ephraim better than the vintage of Abi- | Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary? ezer? 3 God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that. 4 And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them. 5 And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me, for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian. 6 And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hands, that we should give bread unto thine army? 7 And Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness, and with briers. 8 And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise: and the men of Penuel answered him, as the men of Succoth had answered him. 9 And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower. 10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the East: for there fell a hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword. 11 And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents, on the East of Nobah, and Jogbehah, and smote the host: for the host was secure. 12 And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah, and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host. 13 And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up, 14 And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him: and he described unto him the princes of Succoth and the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men. 15 And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and 248 16 And he took the Elders of the city, 17 And he beat down the tower of 19 And he said, They were my bre- 20 And he said unto Jether his first born, Up, and slay them: but the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth. 21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels' necks. 22 Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian. 23 And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you. 24 And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that you would give me every man the ear-rings of his prey. For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites. 25 And they answered, We will will. ingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein, every man the earrings of his prey. 26 And the weight of the golden ear.. rings that he requested, was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold, beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels' necks. 27 And Gideon made an Ephod there. of, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it; which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house. |