07:009:036 And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there come people down from the top of the mountains. And Zebul said unto him, Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.
07:009:037 And Gaal spake again, and said, See there come people down by the middle of the land, and another company come along by the plain of Meonenim.
07:009:038 Then said Zebul unto him, Where is now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? is not this the people that thou hast despised? go out, I pray now, and fight with them.
07:009:039 And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.
07:009:040 And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown and wounded, even unto the entering of the gate.
07:009:041 And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and
his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem.
07:009:042 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out
into the field; and they told Abimelech.
07:009:043 And he took the people, and divided them into three companies,
and laid wait in the field, and looked, and, behold, the
people were come forth out of the city; and he rose up against
them, and smote them.
07:009:044 And Abimelech, and the company that was with him, rushed
forward, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city:
and the two other companies ran upon all the people that were
in the fields, and slew them.
07:009:045 And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and slew the people that was therein, and beat down the city, and sowed it with salt.
07:009:046 And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they
entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith.
07:009:047 And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of
Shechem were gathered together.
07:009:048 And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his shoulder, and said unto the people that were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done.
07:009:049 And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.
07:009:050 Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it.
07:009:051 But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut it to them, and gat them up to the top of the tower.
07:009:052 And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and
went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
07:009:053 And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon
Abimelech's head, and all to brake his skull.
07:009:054 Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A women slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.
07:009:055 And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they
departed every man unto his place.
07:009:056 Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did
unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren:
07:009:057 And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon
their heads: and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of
Jerubbaal.
07:010:001 And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son
of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in
Shamir in mount Ephraim.
07:010:002 And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was
buried in Shamir.
07:010:003 And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel
twenty and two years.
07:010:004 And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair unto this day, which are in the land of Gilead.
07:010:005 And Jair died, and was buried in Camon.
07:010:006 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him.
07:010:007 And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon.
07:010:008 And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel: eighteen years, all the children of Israel that were on the other side Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.
07:010:009 Moreover the children of Ammon passed over Jordan to fight
also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the
house of Ephraim; so that Israel was sore distressed.
07:010:010 And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, We
have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our
God, and also served Baalim.
07:010:011 And the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Did not I
deliver you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from
the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines?
07:010:012 The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did
oppress you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of
their hand.
07:010:013 Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I
will deliver you no more.
07:010:014 Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them
deliver you in the time of your tribulation.
07:010:015 And the children of Israel said unto the LORD, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day.
07:010:016 And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.
07:010:017 Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and
encamped in Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled
themselves together, and encamped in Mizpeh.
07:010:018 And the people and princes of Gilead said one to another, What
man is he that will begin to fight against the children of
Ammon? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.
07:011:001 Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah.
07:011:002 And Gilead's wife bare him sons; and his wife's sons grew up, and they thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father's house; for thou art the son of a strange woman.
07:011:003 Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there were gathered vain men to Jephthah, and went out with him.
07:011:004 And it came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel.
07:011:005 And it was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob:
07:011:006 And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon.
07:011:007 And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, Did not ye hate me, and expel me out of my father's house? and why are ye come unto me now when ye are in distress?
07:011:008 And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, Therefore we turn again to thee now, that thou mayest go with us, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.
07:011:009 And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home again to fight against the children of Ammon, and the LORD deliver them before me, shall I be your head?
07:011:010 And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, The LORD be witness between us, if we do not so according to thy words.
07:011:011 Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people
made him head and captain over them: and Jephthah uttered all
his words before the LORD in Mizpeh.
07:011:012 And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of
Ammon, saying, What hast thou to do with me, that thou art
come against me to fight in my land?
07:011:013 And the king of the children of Ammon answered unto the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when they came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jordan: now therefore restore those lands again peaceably.
07:011:014 And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the
children of Ammon:
07:011:015 And said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, Israel took not away
the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon:
07:011:016 But when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked through the
wilderness unto the Red sea, and came to Kadesh;
07:011:017 Then Israel sent messengers unto the king of Edom, saying, Let
me, I pray thee, pass through thy land: but the king of Edom
would not hearken thereto. And in like manner they sent unto
the king of Moab: but he would not consent: and Israel abode
in Kadesh.
07:011:018 Then they went along through the wilderness, and compassed the
land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the east side
of the land of Moab, and pitched on the other side of Arnon,
but came not within the border of Moab: for Arnon was the
border of Moab.
07:011:019 And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites,
the king of Heshbon; and Israel said unto him, Let us pass, we
pray thee, through thy land into my place.
07:011:020 But Sihon trusted not Israel to pass through his coast: but
Sihon gathered all his people together, and pitched in Jahaz,
and fought against Israel.
07:011:021 And the LORD God of Israel delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they smote them: so Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country.
07:011:022 And they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon
even unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto Jordan.
07:011:023 So now the LORD God of Israel hath dispossessed the Amorites
from before his people Israel, and shouldest thou possess it?
07:011:024 Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee
to possess? So whomsoever the LORD our God shall drive out
from before us, them will we possess.
07:011:025 And now art thou any thing better than Balak the son of
Zippor, king of Moab? did he ever strive against Israel, or
did he ever fight against them,
07:011:026 While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her towns, and in Aroer and her towns, and in all the cities that be along by the coasts of Arnon, three hundred years? why therefore did ye not recover them within that time?
07:011:027 Wherefore I have not sinned against thee, but thou doest me wrong to war against me: the LORD the Judge be judge this day between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon.
07:011:028 Howbeit the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the words of Jephthah which he sent him.
07:011:029 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon.
07:011:030 And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,
07:011:031 Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.
07:011:032 So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the LORD delivered them into his hands.
07:011:033 And he smote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minnith,
even twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards, with
a very great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were
subdued before the children of Israel.
07:011:034 And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his
daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances:
and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor
daughter.
07:011:035 And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his
clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me
very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have
opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back.
07:011:036 And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon.
07:011:037 And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me:
let me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the
mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my fellows.
07:011:038 And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months: and she
went with her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the
mountains.
07:011:039 And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel,
07:011:040 That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.
07:012:001 And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire.
07:012:002 And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands.
07:012:003 And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my
hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the
LORD delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come
up unto me this day, to fight against me?
07:012:004 Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and
fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim,
because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim
among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites.
07:012:005 And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the
Ephraimites: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which
were escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said
unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay;
07:012:006 Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand.
07:012:007 And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.
07:012:008 And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.
07:012:009 And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he sent abroad, and took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years.
07:012:010 Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Bethlehem.
07:012:011 And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged
Israel ten years.
07:012:012 And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the
country of Zebulun.
07:012:013 And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged
Israel.
07:012:014 And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on
threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight
years.
07:012:015 And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was
buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the
Amalekites.
07:013:001 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the
LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the
Philistines forty years.
07:013:002 And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the
Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and
bare not.
07:013:003 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said
unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but
thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.
07:013:004 Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing:
07:013:005 For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor
shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto
God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of
the hand of the Philistines.
07:013:006 Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God
came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of
an angel of God, very terrible: but I asked him not whence he
was, neither told he me his name:
07:013:007 But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a
son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any
unclean thing: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from
the womb to the day of his death.
07:013:008 Then Manoah intreated the LORD, and said, O my Lord, let the
man of God which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach
us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born.
07:013:009 And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God
came again unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah
her husband was not with her.
07:013:010 And the woman made haste, and ran, and shewed her husband, and
said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that
came unto me the other day.
07:013:011 And Manoah arose, and went after his wife, and came to the
man, and said unto him, Art thou the man that spakest unto the
woman? And he said, I am.
07:013:012 And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we
order the child, and how shall we do unto him?
07:013:013 And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Of all that I said
unto the woman let her beware.
07:013:014 She may not eat of any thing that cometh of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing: all that I commanded her let her observe.
07:013:015 And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee.
07:013:016 And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the LORD. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the LORD.
07:013:017 And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name,
that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour?
07:013:018 And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus
after my name, seeing it is secret?
07:013:019 So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the LORD: and the angel did wonderously; and Manoah and his wife looked on.
07:013:020 For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground.
07:013:021 But the angel of the LORD did no more appear to Manoah and to
his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the LORD.
07:013:022 And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we
have seen God.
07:013:023 But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have shewed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these.
07:013:024 And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the
child grew, and the LORD blessed him.
07:013:025 And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the
camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.
07:014:001 And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of
the daughters of the Philistines.
07:014:002 And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said,
I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the
Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.
07:014:003 Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.
07:014:004 But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the
LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for
at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.
07:014:005 Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to
Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a
young lion roared against him.
07:014:006 And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.
07:014:007 And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.
07:014:008 And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion.
07:014:009 And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.
07:014:010 So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there
a feast; for so used the young men to do.
07:014:011 And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought
thirty companions to be with him.
07:014:012 And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments:
07:014:013 But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty
sheets and thirty change of garments. And they said unto him,
Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.
07:014:014 And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and
out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in
three days expound the riddle.
07:014:015 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? is it not so?
07:014:016 And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee?
07:014:017 And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast
lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told
her, because she lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to
the children of her people.
07:014:018 And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day
before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? And what
is stronger than a lion? and he said unto them, If ye had not
plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.
07:014:019 And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.
07:014:020 But Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.
07:015:001 But it came to pass within a while after, in the time of wheat
harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said,
I will go in to my wife into the chamber. But her father would
not suffer him to go in.
07:015:002 And her father said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly
hated her; therefore I gave her to thy companion: is not her
younger sister fairer than she? take her, I pray thee, instead
of her.
07:015:003 And Samson said concerning them, Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure.
07:015:004 And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails.
07:015:005 And when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into
the standing corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both the
shocks, and also the standing corn, with the vineyards and
olives.
07:015:006 Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they
answered, Samson, the son in law of the Timnite, because he
had taken his wife, and given her to his companion. And the
Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire.
07:015:007 And Samson said unto them, Though ye have done this, yet will
I be avenged of you, and after that I will cease.
07:015:008 And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he
went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam.
07:015:009 Then the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread
themselves in Lehi.
07:015:010 And the men of Judah said, Why are ye come up against us? And they answered, To bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he hath done to us.
07:015:011 Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam, and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? what is this that thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them.
07:015:012 And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we
may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson
said unto them, Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me
yourselves.
07:015:013 And they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee
fast, and deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not
kill thee. And they bound him with two new cords, and brought
him up from the rock.
07:015:014 And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against
him: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and
the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was
burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands.
07:015:015 And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand,
and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.
07:015:016 And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps,
with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.
07:015:017 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that place Ramathlehi.
07:015:018 And he was sore athirst, and called on the LORD, and said,
Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy
servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the
hand of the uncircumcised?
07:015:019 But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there
came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came
again, and he revived: wherefore he called the name thereof
Enhakkore, which is in Lehi unto this day.
07:015:020 And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty
years.
07:016:001 Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in
unto her.
07:016:002 And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither. And they compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him.
07:016:003 And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron.
07:016:004 And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.
07:016:005 And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him; and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver.
07:016:006 And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy
great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to
afflict thee.
07:016:007 And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green
withs that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as
another man.
07:016:008 Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven
green withs which had not been dried, and she bound him with
them.
07:016:009 Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.
07:016:010 And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and
told me lies: now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou
mightest be bound.
07:016:011 And he said unto her, If they bind me fast with new ropes that
never were occupied, then shall I be weak, and be as another
man.
07:016:012 Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and
said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And there
were liers in wait abiding in the chamber. And he brake them
from off his arms like a thread.
07:016:013 And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me,
and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound.
And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my
head with the web.
07:016:014 And she fastened it with the pin, and said unto him, The
Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awaked out of his
sleep, and went away with the pin of the beam, and with the
web.
07:016:015 And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth.
07:016:016 And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death;
07:016:017 That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath
not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite
unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my
strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like
any other man.
07:016:018 And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she
sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come
up this once, for he hath shewed me all his heart. Then the
lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money
in their hand.
07:016:019 And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a
man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his
head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from
him.
07:016:020 And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he
awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other
times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD
was departed from him.
07:016:021 But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.
07:016:022 Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven.
07:016:023 Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.
07:016:024 And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which slew many of us.
07:016:025 And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars.
07:016:026 And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them.
07:016:027 Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of
the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about
three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made
sport.
07:016:028 And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord God,
remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only
this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the
Philistines for my two eyes.
07:016:029 And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left.
07:016:030 And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.
07:016:031 Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the buryingplace of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years.
07:017:001 And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah.
07:017:002 And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of
silver that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst,
and spakest of also in mine ears, behold, the silver is with
me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be thou of the
LORD, my son.
07:017:003 And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver
to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the
silver unto the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a graven
image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto
thee.
07:017:004 Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah.
07:017:005 And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.
07:017:006 In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did
that which was right in his own eyes.
07:017:007 And there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah of the family
of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.
07:017:008 And the man departed out of the city from Bethlehemjudah to
sojourn where he could find a place: and he came to mount
Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.
07:017:009 And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto
him, I am a Levite of Bethlehemjudah, and I go to sojourn
where I may find a place.
07:017:010 And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in.
07:017:011 And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the
young man was unto him as one of his sons.
07:017:012 And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his
priest, and was in the house of Micah.
07:017:013 Then said Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me good,
seeing I have a Levite to my priest.
07:018:001 In those days there was no king in Israel: and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in; for unto that day all their inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israel.
07:018:002 And the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their coasts, men of valour, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to search it; and they said unto them, Go, search the land: who when they came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, they lodged there.
07:018:003 When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man the Levite: and they turned in thither, and said unto him, Who brought thee hither? and what makest thou in this place? and what hast thou here?
07:018:004 And he said unto them, Thus and thus dealeth Micah with me, and hath hired me, and I am his priest.
07:018:005 And they said unto him, Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous.
07:018:006 And the priest said unto them, Go in peace: before the LORD is your way wherein ye go.
07:018:007 Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people that were therein, how they dwelt careless, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure; and there was no magistrate in the land, that might put them to shame in any thing; and they were far from the Zidonians, and had no business with any man.
07:018:008 And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their brethren said unto them, What say ye?
07:018:009 And they said, Arise, that we may go up against them: for we have seen the land, and, behold, it is very good: and are ye still? be not slothful to go, and to enter to possess the land.
07:018:010 When ye go, ye shall come unto a people secure, and to a large
land: for God hath given it into your hands; a place where
there is no want of any thing that is in the earth.
07:018:011 And there went from thence of the family of the Danites, out
of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men appointed with
weapons of war.
07:018:012 And they went up, and pitched in Kirjathjearim, in Judah:
wherefore they called that place Mahanehdan unto this day:
behold, it is behind Kirjathjearim.
07:018:013 And they passed thence unto mount Ephraim, and came unto the house of Micah.
07:018:014 Then answered the five men that went to spy out the country of Laish, and said unto their brethren, Do ye know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image? now therefore consider what ye have to do.
07:018:015 And they turned thitherward, and came to the house of the
young man the Levite, even unto the house of Micah, and
saluted him.
07:018:016 And the six hundred men appointed with their weapons of war,
which were of the children of Dan, stood by the entering of
the gate.
07:018:017 And the five men that went to spy out the land went up, and came in thither, and took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image: and the priest stood in the entering of the gate with the six hundred men that were appointed with weapons of war.
07:018:018 And these went into Micah's house, and fetched the carved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. Then said the priest unto them, What do ye?
07:018:019 And they said unto him, Hold thy peace, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest: is it better for thee to be a priest unto the house of one man, or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel?
07:018:020 And the priest's heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people.
07:018:021 So they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle and the carriage before them.
07:018:022 And when they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men
that were in the houses near to Micah's house were gathered
together, and overtook the children of Dan.
07:018:023 And they cried unto the children of Dan. And they turned their
faces, and said unto Micah, What aileth thee, that thou comest
with such a company?
07:018:024 And he said, Ye have taken away my gods which I made, and the
priest, and ye are gone away: and what have I more? and what
is this that ye say unto me, What aileth thee?
07:018:025 And the children of Dan said unto him, Let not thy voice be
heard among us, lest angry fellows run upon thee, and thou
lose thy life, with the lives of thy household.
07:018:026 And the children of Dan went their way: and when Micah saw
that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back
unto his house.
07:018:027 And they took the things which Micah had made, and the priest
which he had, and came unto Laish, unto a people that were at
quiet and secure: and they smote them with the edge of the
sword, and burnt the city with fire.
07:018:028 And there was no deliverer, because it was far from Zidon, and
they had no business with any man; and it was in the valley
that lieth by Bethrehob. And they built a city, and dwelt
therein.
07:018:029 And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born unto Israel: howbeit the name of the city was Laish at the first.
07:018:030 And the children of Dan set up the graven image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.
07:018:031 And they set them up Micah's graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.
07:019:001 And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehemjudah.
07:019:002 And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father's house to Bethlehemjudah, and was there four whole months.
07:019:003 And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto her, and to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of asses: and she brought him into her father's house: and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.
07:019:004 And his father in law, the damsel's father, retained him; and he abode with him three days: so they did eat and drink, and lodged there.
07:019:005 And it came to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early
in the morning, that he rose up to depart: and the damsel's
father said unto his son in law, Comfort thine heart with a
morsel of bread, and afterward go your way.
07:019:006 And they sat down, and did eat and drink both of them
together: for the damsel's father had said unto the man, Be
content, I pray thee, and tarry all night, and let thine heart
be merry.
07:019:007 And when the man rose up to depart, his father in law urged him: therefore he lodged there again.
07:019:008 And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart; and the damsel's father said, Comfort thine heart, I pray thee. And they tarried until afternoon, and they did eat both of them.
07:019:009 And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father in law, the damsel's father, said unto him, Behold, now the day draweth toward evening, I pray you tarry all night: behold, the day groweth to an end, lodge here, that thine heart may be merry; and to morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home.
07:019:010 But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over against Jebus, which is Jerusalem; and there were with him two asses saddled, his concubine also was with him.
07:019:011 And when they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the
servant said unto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us
turn in into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it.
07:019:012 And his master said unto him, We will not turn aside hither
into the city of a stranger, that is not of the children of
Israel; we will pass over to Gibeah.
07:019:013 And he said unto his servant, Come, and let us draw near to
one of these places to lodge all night, in Gibeah, or in
Ramah.
07:019:014 And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down
upon them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to
Benjamin.
07:019:015 And they turned aside thither, to go in and to lodge in Gibeah: and when he went in, he sat him down in a street of the city: for there was no man that took them into his house to lodging.
07:019:016 And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the
field at even, which was also of mount Ephraim; and he
sojourned in Gibeah: but the men of the place were Benjamites.
07:019:017 And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in
the street of the city: and the old man said, Whither goest
thou? and whence comest thou?
07:019:018 And he said unto him, We are passing from Bethlehemjudah
toward the side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I: and I went
to Bethlehemjudah, but I am now going to the house of the
LORD; and there is no man that receiveth me to house.
07:019:019 Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses; and there
is bread and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for
the young man which is with thy servants: there is no want of
any thing.
07:019:020 And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever let all
thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street.
07:019:021 So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the
asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.
07:019:022 Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, and beat at the door, and spake to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may know him.
07:019:023 And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and
said unto them, Nay, my brethren, nay, I pray you, do not so
wickedly; seeing that this man is come into mine house, do not
this folly.
07:019:024 Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them
I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them
what seemeth good unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a
thing.
07:019:025 But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took his
concubine, and brought her forth unto them; and they knew her,
and abused her all the night until the morning: and when the
day began to spring, they let her go.
07:019:026 Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of the man's house where her lord was, till it was light.
07:019:027 And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went out to go his way: and, behold, the woman his concubine was fallen down at the door of the house, and her hands were upon the threshold.
07:019:028 And he said unto her, Up, and let us be going. But none answered. Then the man took her up upon an ass, and the man rose up, and gat him unto his place.
07:019:029 And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid
hold on his concubine, and divided her, together with her
bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the coasts of
Israel.
07:019:030 And it was so, that all that saw it said, There was no such
deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel
came up out of the land of Egypt unto this day: consider of
it, take advice, and speak your minds.
07:020:001 Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation
was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba,
with the land of Gilead, unto the LORD in Mizpeh.
07:020:002 And the chief of all the people, even of all the tribes of
Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of
God, four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword.
07:020:003 (Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of
Israel were gone up to Mizpeh.) Then said the children of
Israel, Tell us, how was this wickedness?
07:020:004 And the Levite, the husband of the woman that was slain,
answered and said, I came into Gibeah that belongeth to
Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge.
07:020:005 And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house
round about upon me by night, and thought to have slain me:
and my concubine have they forced, that she is dead.
07:020:006 And I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her
throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel: for
they have committed lewdness and folly in Israel.
07:020:007 Behold, ye are all children of Israel; give here your advice and counsel.
07:020:008 And all the people arose as one man, saying, We will not any of us go to his tent, neither will we any of us turn into his house.
07:020:009 But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up by lot against it;
07:020:010 And we will take ten men of an hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and an hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch victual for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have wrought in Israel.