1

1 And it came to be, after the death of Yehoshua, that the children of Yisra’ĕl asked יהוה, saying, “Who of us should go up first against the Kena‛anites to fight against them?”

2 And יהוה said, “Yehuḏah does go up. See, I have given the land into his hand.”

3 And Yehuḏah said to Shim‛on his brother, “Come up with me into my allotment, and let us fight against the Kena‛anites. And I myself shall also go with you into your allotment.” So Shim‛on went with him.

4 And Yehuḏah went up, and יהוה gave the Kena‛anites and the Perizzites into their hand. And they struck ten thousand men at Bezeq.

5 And they found Aḏoni-Ḇezeq in Bezeq, and fought against him, and struck the Kena‛anites and the Perizzites.

6 But Aḏoni-Ḇezeq fled, and they pursued him and caught him and cut off his thumbs and big toes.

7 And Aḏoni-Ḇezeq said, “Seventy sovereigns with their thumbs and big toes cut off used to gather food under my table. As I have done, so Elohim has repaid me.” And they brought him to Yerushalayim, and he died there.

8 And the children of Yehuḏah fought against Yerushalayim and captured it, and struck it with the edge of the sword and set the city on fire.

9 And afterward the children of Yehuḏah went down to fight against the Kena‛anites who dwelt in the mountains, in the South, and in the low country.

10 And Yehuḏah went against the Kena‛anites who dwelt in Ḥeḇron — now the name of Ḥeḇron was formerly Qiryath Arba — and they struck Shĕshai, and Aḥiman, and Talmai.

11 And from there they went against the inhabitants of Deḇir — now the name of Deḇir was formerly Qiryath Sĕpher.

12 And Kalĕḇ said, “He who smites Qiryath Sĕpher, and shall capture it, to him I shall give my daughter Aḵsah as wife.”

13 And Othni’ĕl son of Qenaz, Kalĕḇ’s younger brother, captured it. And he gave him his daughter Aḵsah as wife.

14 And it came to be, when she came in, that she urged him to ask her father for a field. And when she got off from her donkey, Kalĕḇ said to her, “What is the matter?”

15 And she said to him, “Give me a blessing. Since you have given me land in the South, give me also springs of water.” So Kalĕḇ gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.

16 And the children of the Qĕynite, father-in-law of Mosheh, went up from the city of palms with the children of Yehuḏah into the Wilderness of Yehuḏah, which is in the Neḡeḇ of Araḏ. And they went and dwelt among the people.

17 And Yehuḏah went with Shim‛on his brother, and they struck the Kena‛anites who inhabited Tsephath, and put it under the ban. So the name of the city was called Ḥormah.

18 And Yehuḏah captured Azzah and its border, and Ashqelon and its border, and Eqron and its border.

19 And יהוה was with Yehuḏah, so they took possession of the mountains, but they were unable to drive out the inhabitants of the plain, because they had chariots of iron.

20 And they gave Ḥeḇron to Kalĕḇ, as Mosheh had said, and he drove out from there the three sons of Anaq.

21 However, the children of Binyamin did not drive out the Yeḇusites who inhabited Yerushalayim, so the Yeḇusites have dwelt with the children of Binyamin in Yerushalayim to this day.

22 And the house of Yosĕph also went up against Bĕyth Ěl, and יהוה was with them.

23 And the house of Yosĕph sent men to spy out Bĕyth Ěl — now the name of the city was formerly Luz.

24 And the watchmen saw a man coming out of the city, and they said to him, “Please show us the entrance to the city, and we shall show you loving-commitment.”

25 So he showed them the entrance to the city, and they struck the city with the edge of the sword. But the man and all his clan they let go,

26 and the man went to the land of the Ḥittites and built a city, and called its name Luz, which is its name to this day.

27 And Menashsheh did not dispossess Bĕyth She’an and its villages, nor Ta‛anaḵ and its villages, nor the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, nor the inhabitants of Yiḇle‛am and its villages, nor the inhabitants of Meḡiddo and its villages, for the Kena‛anites desired to dwell in that land.

28 And it came to be, when Yisra’ĕl was strong, that they put the Kena‛anites into compulsory labour, but did not completely drive them out.

29 Neither did Ephrayim drive out the Kena‛anites who dwelt in Gezer, so the Kena‛anites dwelt in their midst, in Gezer.

30 Neither did Zeḇulun drive out the inhabitants of Qitron or the inhabitants of Nahalol, so the Kena‛anites dwelt in their midst, and became compulsory labour.

31 Neither did Ashĕr drive out the inhabitants of Akko nor the inhabitants of Tsiḏon, nor of Aḥlaḇ, nor of Aḵziḇ, nor of Ḥelbah, nor of Aphiq, nor of Reḥoḇ.

32 So the Ashĕrites dwelt in the midst of the Kena‛anites, the inhabitants of the land, because they did not drive them out.

33 Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Bĕyth Shemesh nor the inhabitants of Bĕyth Anath, but they dwelt among the Kena‛anites, the inhabitants of the land. And the inhabitants of Bĕyth Shemesh and of Bĕyth Anath became compulsory labour for them.

34 And the Amorites pressed the children of Dan into the mountains, for they would not allow them to come down to the valley,

35 and the Amorites desired to dwell in Mount Ḥeres, in Ayalon, and in Sha‛alḇim. But when the hand of the house of Yosĕph became stronger, they became compulsory labour.

36 And the border of the Amorites was from the Ascent of Aqrabbim, from Sela, and upward.

2

1 And the Messenger of יהוה came up from Gilgal to Boḵim, and said, “I led you up from Mitsrayim and brought you to the land of which I swore to your fathers, and I said, ‘I do not break My covenant with you,

2 and as for you, do not make a covenant with the inhabitants of this land — break down their slaughter-places.’ But you have not obeyed My voice. What is this you have done?

3 “Therefore I also said, ‘I am not driving them out before you, and they shall be adversaries to you, and their mighty ones shall be a snare to you.’ ”

4 And it came to be, when the Messenger of יהוה spoke these words to all the children of Yisra’ĕl, that the people lifted up their voice and wept.

5 So they called the name of that place Boḵim, and slaughtered there to יהוה.

6 Then Yehoshua dismissed the people, and the children of Yisra’ĕl went each to his own inheritance to possess the land.

7 And the people served יהוה all the days of Yehoshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Yehoshua, who had seen all the great works of יהוה which He had done for Yisra’ĕl.

8 And Yehoshua son of Nun, the servant of יהוה, died, one hundred and ten years old.

9 And they buried him within the border of his inheritance at Timnath Ḥeres, in the mountains of Ephrayim, on the north side of Mount Ga‛ash.

10 And all that generation were likewise gathered to their fathers, and another generation arose after them who did not know יהוה nor the work which He had done for Yisra’ĕl.

11 Then the children of Yisra’ĕl did evil in the eyes of יהוה, and served the Ba‛als,

12 and forsook יהוה Elohim of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Mitsrayim, and went after other mighty ones, of the mighty ones of the people who were all around them, and they bowed down to them, and provoked יהוה.

13 So they forsook יהוה and served Ba‛al and the Ashtoreths.

14 And the displeasure of יהוה burned against Yisra’ĕl. Therefore He gave them into the hands of plunderers who despoiled them. And He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, and they were unable to stand before their enemies any longer.

15 Wherever they went out, the hand of יהוה was against them for evil, as יהוה had spoken, and as יהוה had sworn to them. And they were distressed — greatly.

16 Then יהוה raised up rulers who saved them from the hand of those who plundered them.

17 However, they did not listen to their rulers either, but went whoring after other mighty ones, and bowed down to them. They soon turned aside from the way in which their fathers walked, in obeying the commands of יהוה — they did not do so.

18 And when יהוה raised up rulers for them, יהוה was with the ruler and saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the ruler, for יהוה had compassion on their groaning because of those who oppressed them and crushed them.

19 And it came to be, when the ruler was dead, that they would turn back and do more corruptly than their fathers, to go after other mighty ones, to serve them and bow down to them. They did not refrain from their practices and from their stubborn way.

20 And the displeasure of יהוה burned against Yisra’ĕl, and He said, “Because this nation has transgressed My covenant that I commanded their fathers, and has not obeyed My voice,

21 I also shall no longer drive out before them any of the nations which Yehoshua left when he died,

22 in order to try Yisra’ĕl by them, whether they would guard the way of יהוה, to walk in them as their fathers guarded them, or not.”

23 So יהוה left those nations, without driving them out at once, and did not give them into the hand of Yehoshua.

3

1 And these are the nations which יהוה left, to try Yisra’ĕl by them, all those who had not known all the battles in Kena‛an,

2 only that the generations of the children of Yisra’ĕl might know, to teach them battle, only those who before did not know them:

3 five princes of the Philistines, and all the Kena‛anites, and the Tsiḏonians, and the Ḥiwwites who dwelt in Mount Leḇanon, from Mount Ba‛al Ḥermon to the entrance of Ḥamath.

4 And they were to try Yisra’ĕl by them, to know whether they would obey the commands of יהוה, which He had commanded their fathers by the hand of Mosheh.

5 Thus the children of Yisra’ĕl dwelt in the midst of the Kena‛anites, the Ḥittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Ḥiwwites, and the Yeḇusites,

6 and took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and they served their mighty ones.

7 Thus the children of Yisra’ĕl did evil in the eyes of יהוה, and forgot יהוה their Elohim, and served the Ba‛als and the Ashĕrahs.

8 And the displeasure of יהוה burned against Yisra’ĕl, and He sold them into the hand of Kushan-Rish‛athayim sovereign of Aram Naharayim. And the children of Yisra’ĕl served Kushan-Rish‛athayim eight years.

9 And when the children of Yisra’ĕl cried out to יהוה, יהוה raised up a saviour for the children of Yisra’ĕl, who saved them: Othni’ĕl son of Qenaz, Kalĕḇ’s younger brother.

10 And the Spirit of יהוה came upon him, and he ruled Yisra’ĕl, and went out to battle, and יהוה gave into his hand Kushan-Rish‛athayim sovereign of Aram Naharayim. And his hand prevailed over Kushan-Rish‛athayim,

11 and the land had rest for forty years. Then Othni’ĕl son of Qenaz died,

12 and the children of Yisra’ĕl again did evil in the eyes of יהוה. And יהוה made Eḡlon sovereign of Mo’aḇ strong against Yisra’ĕl, because they had done evil in the eyes of יהוה.

13 And he gathered to himself the children of Ammon and Amalĕq, and went and struck Yisra’ĕl, and they took possession of the city of palms.

14 And the children of Yisra’ĕl served Eḡlon sovereign of Mo’aḇ eighteen years.

15 And when the children of Yisra’ĕl cried out to יהוה, יהוה raised up a saviour for them: Ěhuḏ son of Gĕra, a Binyamite, a man impeded in his right hand. And by him the children of Yisra’ĕl sent a present to Eḡlon sovereign of Mo’aḇ.

16 And Ěhuḏ made himself a sword, it was double-edged and a cubit in length, and he girded it under his long robe on his right thigh.

17 And he brought the present to Eḡlon sovereign of Mo’aḇ. Now Eḡlon was a very fat man.

18 And it came to be that when he had finished bringing near the present, he sent away the people bearing the present.

19 But he himself turned back from the stone images that were at Gilgal, and said, “I have a secret message for you, O sovereign.” And he said, “Be silent!” And all those standing beside him went out from him.

20 And Ěhuḏ came to him while he was sitting in his cool roof room. And Ěhuḏ said, “I have a message from Elohim for you.” So he arose from his seat.

21 And Ěhuḏ reached with his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his stomach.

22 And the handle went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not draw the sword out of his stomach, and it came out behind.

23 Then Ěhuḏ went out to the porch and shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.

24 And when he had gone out, his servants came to look and saw the doors of the roof room were locked. So they said, “He is only covering his feet in the cool roof room.”

25 And they waited until they were ashamed, but saw he was not opening the doors of the upper room. So they took the key and opened them and saw their master, fallen to the ground, dead.

26 But while they were delaying Ěhuḏ escaped and had passed beyond the stone images, and escaped to Se‛irah.

27 And it came to be, when he arrived, that he blew the shophar in the mountains of Ephrayim, and the children of Yisra’ĕl went down with him from the mountains, with him leading them.

28 And he said to them, “Follow me, for יהוה has given your enemies the Mo’aḇites into your hand.” And they went down after him, and took the fords of Yardĕn leading to Mo’aḇ, and did not allow anyone to pass over.

29 And they struck about ten thousand men of Mo’aḇ at that time, all robust and brave men, and not a man escaped.

30 And on that day Mo’aḇ was humbled under the hand of Yisra’ĕl. And the land had rest for eighty years.

31 And after him was Shamgar son of Anath, and he struck six hundred men of the Philistines with an ox goad. And he too saved Yisra’ĕl.

4

1 And when Ěhuḏ was dead, the children of Yisra’ĕl again did evil in the eyes of יהוה.

2 Therefore יהוה sold them into the hand of Yaḇin the sovereign of Kena‛an, who reigned in Ḥatsor. And the commander of his army was Sisera, who was dwelling in Ḥarosheth Haggoyim.

3 And the children of Yisra’ĕl cried out to יהוה, because he had nine hundred chariots of iron, and for twenty years he harshly oppressed the children of Yisra’ĕl.

4 And Deḇorah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappiḏoth, was ruling Yisra’ĕl at that time.

5 And she was dwelling under the palm tree of Deḇorah between Ramah and Bĕyth Ěl in the mountains of Ephrayim. And the children of Yisra’ĕl came up to her for right-ruling.

6 And she sent and called for Baraq son of Aḇino‛am from Qeḏesh in Naphtali, and said to him, “Has not יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl commanded, ‘Go, and you shall draw towards Mount Taḇor, and shall take with you ten thousand men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zeḇulun,

7 and I shall draw unto you Sisera, the commander of Yaḇin’s army, with his chariots and his company at the wadi Qishon, and shall give him into your hand’?”

8 And Baraq said to her, “If you go with me, then I shall go; but if you do not go with me, I do not go.”

9 And she said, “I shall certainly go with you. Only, there shall be no esteem for you in the journey you are taking, for יהוה is going to sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” So Deḇorah arose and went with Baraq to Qeḏesh.

10 And Baraq called Zeḇulun and Naphtali to Qeḏesh. And he went up — ten thousand men under his command — and Deḇorah went up with him.

11 And Ḥeḇer the Qĕynite, of the children of Ḥoḇaḇ the father-in-law of Mosheh, had separated himself from the Qĕynites and pitched his tent near the terebinth tree at Tsa‛anayim, which is beside Qeḏesh.

12 And they reported to Sisera that Baraq son of Aḇino‛am had gone up to Mount Taḇor.

13 So Sisera called all his chariots, nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people who were with him, from Ḥarosheth Haggoyim to the wadi Qishon.

14 And Deḇorah said to Baraq, “Rise up! For this is the day in which יהוה has given Sisera into your hand. Has not יהוה gone out before you?” And Baraq went down from Mount Taḇor with ten thousand men after him.

15 And יהוה destroyed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army with the edge of the sword before Baraq. And Sisera leaped from his chariot and fled away on foot.

16 But Baraq pursued the chariots and the army as far as Ḥarosheth Haggoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword, not one was left.

17 Sisera, meanwhile, had fled on foot to the tent of Ya‛ĕl, the wife of Ḥeḇer the Qĕynite, for there was peace between Yaḇin sovereign of Ḥatsor and the house of Ḥeḇer the Qĕynite.

18 And Ya‛ĕl went out to meet Sisera, and said to him, “Turn aside, my master, turn aside to me, do not fear.” So he turned aside with her into the tent, and she covered him with a blanket.

19 And he said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty.” So she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him a drink, and covered him.

20 And he said to her, “Stand at the door of the tent, and it shall be if anyone comes and asks you, and says, ‘Is there a man here?’ you shall say, ‘No.’ ”

21 But Ya‛ĕl, Ḥeḇer’s wife, took a tent peg and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly to him and drove the peg into the side of his head, and it went down into the ground — for he was fast asleep and exhausted — and he died.

22 And see, as Baraq pursued Sisera, Ya‛ĕl came out to meet him, and said to him, “Come, let me show you the man whom you are seeking.” And when he went into her tent, there lay Sisera, dead with the peg in the side of his head.

23 And on that day Elohim humbled Yaḇin sovereign of Kena‛an in the presence of the children of Yisra’ĕl.

24 And the hand of the children of Yisra’ĕl grew stronger and stronger against Yaḇin sovereign of Kena‛an, until they had cut off Yaḇin sovereign of Kena‛an.

5

1 And on that day Deḇorah and Baraq son of Aḇino‛am sang, saying,

2 “For leaders leading in Yisra’ĕl, for the people volunteering, bless יהוה!

3 “Hear, O sovereigns! Give ear, O princes! I, I do sing to יהוה; I sing praise to יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl.

4 “יהוה, when You went out from Sĕ‛ir, when You stepped from the field of Eḏom, the earth shook and the heavens poured, the clouds also poured water.

5 “The mountains flowed at the presence of יהוה, this Sinai, at the presence of יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl.

6 “In the days of Shamgar, the son of Anath, in the days of Ya‛ĕl, the highways were deserted, and the travellers went in crooked ways.

7 “Leadership ceased, it ceased in Yisra’ĕl, until I, Deḇorah, arose — a mother in Yisra’ĕl arose.

8 “They chose new mighty ones, then fighting was in the gates! Neither a shield nor spear was seen among forty thousand in Yisra’ĕl.

9 “My heart is towards the inscribers of Yisra’ĕl, the volunteers among the people. Bless יהוה!

10 “You who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpets, and you who walk along the way, declare it!

11 “By the voice of shouters, between the places of drawing water, there they recount the righteous acts of יהוה, the righteous acts of His leadership in Yisra’ĕl; then the people of יהוה shall go down to the gates.

12 “Wake up, wake up, Deḇorah! Wake up, wake up, sing a song! Arise, Baraq, and lead your captives away, O son of Aḇino‛am!

13 “Then He set the remnant to rule the nobles; יהוה came down for me against the mighty ones.

14 “Out of Ephrayim their root is against Amalĕq. After you, Binyamin, with your peoples, out of Maḵir inscribers came down, and out of Zeḇulun those who handle the scribe’s reed.

15 “And the heads of Yissasḵar were with Deḇorah. And as Yissasḵar, so was Baraq sent into the valley under his command. Among the divisions of Re’uḇĕn there were great searchings of heart.

16 “Why did you remain among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? The divisions of Re’uḇĕn have great searchings of heart.

17 “Gil‛aḏ remained beyond the Yardĕn, and why did Dan remain on ships? Ashĕr continued at the seashore, and remained by its landing places.

18 “Zeḇulun is a people who risked their lives to the point of death, Naphtali also, on the heights of the field.

19 “Sovereigns came, they fought, then the sovereigns of Kena‛an fought in Ta‛anaḵ, by the waters of Meḡiddo; they took no spoils of silver.

20 “From the heavens they fought; the stars from their courses fought against Sisera.

21 “The wadi of Qishon swept them away, that age-old wadi, the wadi of Qishon. O my being, you have trampled in strength!

22 “Then stamped hoofs of horses, with the galloping, galloping of his steeds.

23 Curse Mĕroz,’ said a messenger of יהוה, ‘curse, curse its inhabitants, because they did not come to the help of יהוה, to the help of יהוה among the mighty.’

24 “Blessed above women is Ya‛ĕl, the wife of Ḥeḇer the Qĕynite — above women in tents she is blessed.

25 “He asked for water, she gave milk; she brought out curdled milk in a bowl for nobles.

26 “She stretched her hand to the tent peg, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer. Then she pounded Sisera, she smashed his head, she pierced and struck through the side of his head.

27 “Between her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay still; between her feet he bowed, he fell; where he bowed, there he fell — destroyed.

28 “Through the window the mother of Sisera looked, and cried out through the lattice, ‘Why does his chariot delay to come? Why have the steps of his chariots tarried?’

29 “The wise ones of her princesses answered her, indeed, she answered herself,

30 Do they not find and divide the spoil: a girl or two for each man; a spoil of dyed work for Sisera, a spoil of dyed work embroidered, dyed work richly embroidered for the necks of the looter?’

31 “So do all Your enemies perish, O יהוה! But let those who love Him be like the sun rising in its might!” And the land had rest forty years.

6

1 And the children of Yisra’ĕl did evil in the eyes of יהוה, and יהוה gave them into the hand of Miḏyan for seven years,

2 and the hand of Miḏyan was strong against Yisra’ĕl. And before the faces of the Miḏyanites the children of Yisra’ĕl made for themselves the refuges which are in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds.

3 And it came to be, whenever Yisra’ĕl had sown, that Miḏyan would come up, and Amalĕq and the people of the East would come up against them,

4 and encamp against them and destroy the increase of the soil as far as Azzah, and leave no food in Yisra’ĕl, neither sheep nor ox nor donkey.

5 For they came up with their livestock and their tents, coming in as numerous as locusts. And they and their camels were without number. And they came into the land to destroy it.

6 Thus Yisra’ĕl was brought very low because of Miḏyan, and the children of Yisra’ĕl cried out to יהוה.

7 And it came to be, when the children of Yisra’ĕl cried out to יהוה because of Miḏyan,

8 that יהוה sent a prophet to the children of Yisra’ĕl, who said to them, “Thus said יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, ‘I have brought you up from Mitsrayim and I brought you out of the house of bondage,

9 and I delivered you out of the hand of the Mitsrites and out of the hand of all your oppressors, and drove them out before you and gave you their land.

10 And I said to you, “I am יהוה your Elohim, do not fear the mighty ones of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. And you have not obeyed My voice.” ’ ”

11 And the Messenger of יהוה came and sat under the terebinth tree which was in Ophrah, which belonged to Yo’ash the Aḇi‛ezerite, while his son Giḏ‛on threshed wheat in the winepress, to hide it from the eyes of the Miḏyanites.

12 And the Messenger of יהוה appeared to him, and said to him, “יהוה is with you, you mighty brave one!”

13 And Giḏ‛on said to Him, “O my master, if יהוה is with us, why has all this come upon us? And where are all His wonders which our fathers related to us, saying, ‘Did not יהוה bring us up from Mitsrayim?’ But now יהוה has left us and given us into the hands of Miḏyan.”

14 And יהוה turned to him and said, “Go in this strength of yours, and you shall save Yisra’ĕl from the hand of the Miḏyanites. Have I not sent you?”

15 And he said to Him, “O יהוה, with what do I save Yisra’ĕl? See, my clan is the weakest in Menashsheh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”

16 And יהוה said to him, “Because I am with you, you shall strike the Miḏyanites as one man.”

17 And he said to Him, “Please, if I have found favour in Your eyes, then show me a sign that it is You who are speaking with me.

18 “Please do not move away from here, until I come to You and bring out my offering and set it before You.” And He said, “I shall stay until you return.”

19 And Giḏ‛on went in, and prepared a young goat, and unleavened bread from an ĕphah of flour. The meat he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot. And he brought them out to Him, under the terebinth tree, and presented it.

20 And the Messenger of Elohim said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” And he did so.

21 And the Messenger of יהוה put forth the end of the staff that was in His hand, and touched the meat and the unleavened bread. And fire went up out of the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. And the Messenger of יהוה went from his sight.

22 And when Giḏ‛on saw that He was a Messenger of יהוה, Giḏ‛on said, “Oh Master יהוה! For I have seen a Messenger of יהוה face to face.”

23 And יהוה said to him, “Peace be with you! Do not fear, you do not die.”

24 And Giḏ‛on built a slaughter-place there to יהוה, and called it: יהוה Shalom. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Aḇi‛ezerites.

25 And the same night it came to be that יהוה said to him, “Take the young bull of your father, and the second bull of seven years old, and you shall throw down the slaughter-place of Ba‛al that your father has, and cut down the Ashĕrah that is beside it.

26 “And you shall build a slaughter-place to יהוה your Elohim on top of this rock in an orderly way, and shall take the second bull and offer an ascending offering with the wood of the image which you cut down.”

27 And Giḏ‛on took ten men from among his servants and did as יהוה had said to him. And it came to be, because he feared his father’s household and the men of the city too much to do it by day, that he did it by night.

28 And the men of the city arose early in the morning and saw the slaughter-place of Ba‛al was broken down, and the Ashĕrah that was beside it had been cut down, and the second bull was being offered on the slaughter-place which was built.

29 And they said to each other, “Who has done this deed?” And when they had inquired and asked, they said, “Giḏ‛on son of Yo’ash has done this deed.”

30 And the men of the city said to Yo’ash, “Bring out your son, so that he dies, for he has broken down the slaughter-place of Ba‛al, and because he has cut down the Ashĕrah that was beside it.”

31 And Yo’ash said to all who stood against him, “You, would you plead for Ba‛al? You, would you save him? Let the one who would plead for him be put to death by morning! If he is a mighty one, let him plead for himself, because his slaughter-place has been broken down!”

32 So that day he called him Yerubba‛al, saying, “Let Ba‛al plead against him, because he has broken down his slaughter-place.”

33 Now all Miḏyan and Amalĕq and the people of the East, were gathered together. And they passed over and encamped in the Valley of Yizre‛ĕl.

34 Then the Spirit of יהוה came upon Giḏ‛on, and he blew the shophar, and the Aḇi‛ezerites gathered behind him.

35 And he sent messengers throughout all Menashsheh, who also gathered behind him. And he sent messengers to Ashĕr, and to Zeḇulun, and to Naphtali. And they came up to meet them.

36 And Giḏ‛on said to Elohim, “If You are saving Yisra’ĕl by my hand as You have said,

37 see, I am placing a fleece of wool on the threshing-floor. If there is dew only on the fleece, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that You are saving Yisra’ĕl by my hand, as You have said.”

38 And it was so, and he rose early the next morning and pressed the fleece, and wrung dew out of the fleece, to fill a bowl with water.

39 And Giḏ‛on said to Elohim, “Do not be displeased with me, and let me speak only this time: Please let me try only this time with the fleece, please let it be dry only on the fleece, and let there be dew on all the ground.”

40 And Elohim did so that night, and it was dry on the fleece only, but there was dew on all the ground.

7

1 And Yerubba‛al, that is Giḏ‛on, and all the people who were with him rose up early and encamped by the fountain of Ḥaroḏ, so that the camp of Miḏyan was on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley.

2 And יהוה said to Giḏ‛on, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give Miḏyan into their hands, lest Yisra’ĕl boast against Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’

3 “And now, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is afraid and trembling, let him turn back, and leave Mount Gil‛aḏ.’ ” And twenty-two thousand of the people turned back, while ten thousand remained.

4 And יהוה said to Giḏ‛on, “The people are still too many. Bring them down to the water, and let Me prove them for you there. And it shall be, that of whom I say to you, ‘This one goes with you,’ let him go with you. And of whomever I say to you, ‘This one does not go with you,’ let him not go.”

5 So he brought the people down to the water. And יהוה said to Giḏ‛on, “Everyone who laps the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, separate him from everyone who bows down on his knees to drink.”

6 And the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men, and all the rest of the people bowed down on their knees to drink water.

7 And יהוה said to Giḏ‛on, “By the three hundred men who lapped I save you, and shall give Miḏyan into your hand. Let all the other people go, each to his place.”

8 And the people took food and their shopharot in their hands. And he sent away all the rest of Yisra’ĕl, each to his tent, but held onto those three hundred men. Now the camp of Miḏyan was below him in the valley.

9 And it came to be, on that night, that יהוה said to him, “Arise, go down against the camp, for I have given it into your hand.

10 “But if you are afraid to go down, go down, you and Purah your servant, to the camp.

11 “And you shall hear what they say, and after that let your hands be strengthened. And you shall go down against the camp.” So he went down with Purah his servant to the edge of the formation of fives who were in the camp.

12 And Miḏyan and Amalĕq, and all the people of the East, were lying in the valley as many as locusts. And their camels were as numerous as the sand by the seashore.

13 And Giḏ‛on came, and see, a man was relating a dream to his companion, and said, “See I had a dream, and see, a loaf of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Miḏyan, and it came to a tent and struck it so that it fell and overturned, and the tent fell down.”

14 And his companion answered and said, “This is none other than the sword of Giḏ‛on son of Yo’ash, a man of Yisra’ĕl. Elohim has given Miḏyan and all the camp into his hand.”

15 And it came to be, when Giḏ‛on heard this dream related, and its interpretation, that he bowed himself down. And he returned to the camp of Yisra’ĕl, and said, “Arise, for יהוה has given the camp of Miḏyan into your hand.”

16 And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put shopharot into the hands of all of them, with empty jars, and torches inside the jars.

17 And he said to them, “Watch me and do likewise. And see, when I come to the edge of the camp do as I do.

18 “And I shall blow with the shophar, I and all those with me, then you shall also blow with the shopharot round about all the camp, and say, ‘For יהוה and for Giḏ‛on!’ ”

19 And Giḏ‛on and the hundred men who were with him came to the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, as they had but newly posted the watch. And they blew with the shopharot and broke the jars that were in their hands.

20 And the three companies blew with the shopharot and broke the jars, and held the torches in their left hands and the shopharot in their right hands for blowing. And they cried, “A sword for יהוה and for Giḏ‛on!”

21 And each stood in his place, round about the camp. And all the army ran and cried out and fled,

22 and the three hundred blew the shopharot, and יהוה set the sword of each one against the other throughout all the camp. And the army fled to Bĕyth Shittah, toward Tserĕrah, as far as the border of Aḇĕl Meḥolah, by Tabbath.

23 And the men of Yisra’ĕl were called from Naphtali, and from Ashĕr, and from all Menashsheh, and pursued Miḏyan.

24 Then Giḏ‛on sent messengers throughout all the mountains of Ephrayim, saying, “Come down to meet Miḏyan, and capture from them the watering places as far as Bĕyth Barah and the Yardĕn.” So all the men of Ephrayim were called and captured the watering places as far as Bĕyth Barah and the Yardĕn.

25 And they captured two princes of Miḏyan, Orĕḇ and Ze’ĕḇ, and killed Orĕḇ at the rock of Orĕḇ, and Ze’ĕḇ they killed at the winepress of Ze’ĕḇ while they pursued Miḏyan. And they brought the heads of Orĕḇ and Ze’ĕḇ to Giḏ‛on beyond the Yardĕn.

8

1 And the men of Ephrayim said to him, “What is this you have done to us by not calling us when you went to fight with Miḏyan?” And they contended with him sharply,

2 and he said to them, “What have I done as compared with you? Are the gleanings of Ephrayim not better than the grape harvest of Aḇi‛ezer?

3 “Elohim has given into your hands the princes of Miḏyan, Orĕḇ and Ze’ĕḇ. And what was I able to do as compared with you?” And when he had said that their rage toward him subsided.

4 And Giḏ‛on and the three hundred men who were with him came to the Yardĕn, passing over, weary yet pursuing.

5 And he said to the men of Sukkoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the people who follow me, for they are weary, and I am pursuing Zeḇaḥ and Tsalmunna, sovereigns of Miḏyan.”

6 But the leaders of Sukkoth said, “Are the hands of Zeḇaḥ and Tsalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your army?”

7 And Giḏ‛on said, “Because of this, when יהוה has given Zeḇaḥ and Tsalmunna into my hand, I shall tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers!”

8 And he went up from there to Penu’ĕl and spoke to them in the same way. And the men of Penu’ĕl answered him as the men of Sukkoth had answered him.

9 So he spoke also to the men of Penu’ĕl, saying, “When I come back in peace I shall break down this tower!”

10 And Zeḇaḥ and Tsalmunna were at Qarqor, and their armies with them, about fifteen thousand men, all who were left of all the army of the people of the East. Now those who had already fallen were one hundred and twenty thousand men who drew the sword.

11 And Giḏ‛on went up by the way of those who dwell in tents on the east of Noḇaḥ and Yoḡbehah. And he struck the camp while the camp was at ease.

12 And Zeḇaḥ and Tsalmunna fled, and he pursued them, and captured the two sovereigns of Miḏyan, Zeḇaḥ and Tsalmunna, and shuddered the entire army.

13 And Giḏ‛on son of Yo’ash returned from battle, from the Ascent of Ḥeres,

14 and captured a youth of the men of Sukkoth and questioned him. So the youth wrote down for him the leaders of Sukkoth and its elders, seventy-seven men.

15 And he came to the men of Sukkoth and said, “See: Zeḇaḥ and Tsalmunna, about whom you taunted me, saying, ‘Are the hands of Zeḇaḥ and Tsalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are weary?’ ”

16 And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Sukkoth a lesson.

17 And he broke down the tower of Penu’ĕl and killed the men of the city.

18 And he said to Zeḇaḥ and Tsalmunna, “How were the men whom you killed at Taḇor?” So they answered, “They were like you, each one looked like the son of a sovereign.”

19 And he said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As יהוה lives, if you had let them live, I would not kill you.”

20 And he said to Yether his first-born, “Rise, kill them!” But the youth would not draw his sword, for he was afraid, because he was still a youth.

21 Then Zeḇaḥ and Tsalmunna said, “Rise yourself, and fall on us. For as a man is, so is his might.” So Giḏ‛on arose and killed Zeḇaḥ and Tsalmunna, and took the crescent ornaments which were on their camels’ necks.

22 So the men of Yisra’ĕl said to Giḏ‛on, “Rule over us, both you and your son, also your son’s son, for you have saved us from the hand of Miḏyan.”

23 But Giḏ‛on said to them, “I do not rule over you, nor does my son rule over you. יהוה does rule over you.”

24 And Giḏ‛on said to them, “I have a request to make of you, that each of you give me the ring from his spoil.” For they had rings of gold, because they were Yishma‛ĕlites.

25 And they said, “We shall certainly give them.” And they spread out a garment, and each man threw into it the ring from his spoil.

26 And the weight of the gold rings that he requested was one thousand seven hundred pieces of gold — besides the crescent ornaments, and the pendants, and purple robes which were on the sovereigns of Miḏyan, and besides the chains that were around their camels’ necks.

27 And Giḏ‛on made it into a shoulder garment and set it up in his city, Ophrah. And all Yisra’ĕl went whoring after it there. And it became a snare to Giḏ‛on and to his house.

28 Thus Miḏyan was humbled before the children of Yisra’ĕl, and they lifted their heads no more. And the land had rest for forty years in the days of Giḏ‛on.

29 And Yerubba‛al son of Yo’ash went and dwelt in his own house.

30 And Giḏ‛on had seventy sons who were his own offspring, for he had many wives.

31 And his concubine who was in Sheḵem also bore him a son, and he gave him the name Aḇimeleḵ.

32 And Giḏ‛on son of Yo’ash died at a good old age, and was buried in the burial-site of Yo’ash his father, in Ophrah of the Aḇi‛ezerites.

33 And it came to be, when Giḏ‛on was dead, that the children of Yisra’ĕl again went whoring after the Ba‛als, and made Ba‛al-Berith their mighty one.

34 Thus the children of Yisra’ĕl did not remember יהוה their Elohim, who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies round about,

35 nor did they show loving-commitment to the house of Yerubba‛al, Giḏ‛on, according to all the good which he did for Yisra’ĕl.

9

1 And Aḇimeleḵ son of Yerubba‛al went to Sheḵem, to his mother’s brothers, and spoke with them and with all the clan of the house of his mother’s father, saying,

2 “Please speak in the hearing of all the masters of Sheḵem, ‘Which is better for you, that seventy men, all the sons of Yerubba‛al rule over you, or that one man rule over you?’ And you shall remember that I am your own flesh and bone.”

3 And his mother’s brothers spoke all these words concerning him in the hearing of all the masters of Sheḵem. And their heart inclined toward Aḇimeleḵ, for they said, “He is our brother.”

4 And they gave him seventy pieces of silver from the house of Ba‛al-Berith, with which Aḇimeleḵ hired worthless and reckless men. And they followed him.

5 And he went to his father’s house at Ophrah and killed his brothers, the seventy sons of Yerubba‛al, on one stone. But Yotham the youngest son of Yerubba‛al was left, because he hid himself.

6 And all the masters of Sheḵem gathered together, and all of Bĕyth Millo, and they went and made Aḇimeleḵ sovereign beside the terebinth tree at the post that was in Sheḵem.

7 And they informed Yotham, and he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim, and lifted his voice and cried out, and said to them, “Hear me, you masters of Sheḵem, and let Elohim hear you!

8 “The trees went forth to anoint a sovereign over them. And they said to the olive tree, ‘reign over us!’

9 “And the olive tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my oil, with which they esteem mighty ones and men, and go to sway over trees?’

10 “Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come, reign over us!’

11 “And the fig tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my sweetness and my good fruit, and go to sway over trees?’

12 “Then the trees said to the vine, ‘Come, reign over us!’

13 “And the vine said to them, ‘Shall I leave my new wine, which rejoices mighty ones and men, and go to sway over trees?’

14 “Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘Come, reign over us!’

15 “And the bramble said to the trees, ‘If in truth you anoint me as sovereign over you, come, take shelter in my shade. But if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Leḇanon!’

16 “And now, if you have acted in truth and integrity in setting up Aḇimeleḵ to reign, and if you have acted well with Yerubba‛al and his house, and have done to him as his hands did to you —

17 for my father fought for you and risked his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Miḏyan,

18 but you have risen up against my father’s house today, and killed his seventy sons on one stone, and set up Aḇimeleḵ, the son of his female servant, to reign over the masters of Sheḵem, because he is your brother —

19 if then you have acted in truth and integrity with Yerubba‛al and with his house this day, then rejoice in Aḇimeleḵ, and let him also rejoice in you.

20 “But if not, let fire come out from Aḇimeleḵ and devour the masters of Sheḵem and Bĕyth Millo, and let fire come out from the masters of Sheḵem and from Bĕyth Millo and devour Aḇimeleḵ!”

21 Then Yotham ran away and fled, and he went to Be’ĕr and dwelt there, for fear of Aḇimeleḵ his brother.

22 And Aḇimeleḵ governed Yisra’ĕl three years,

23 and Elohim sent an evil spirit between Aḇimeleḵ and the masters of Sheḵem. And the masters of Sheḵem acted treacherously against Aḇimeleḵ,

24 in order that the violence done to the seventy sons of Yerubba‛al might come, and their blood be laid on Aḇimeleḵ their brother, who killed them, and on the masters of Sheḵem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers.

25 And the masters of Sheḵem set men in ambush against him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who passed over by them along that way. And it was reported to Aḇimeleḵ.

26 And Ga‛al son of Eḇeḏ came with his brothers and passed over to Sheḵem. And the masters of Sheḵem put their trust in him,

27 and went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards and trod out, and held a feast. And they went into the house of their mighty one, and ate and drank, and cursed Aḇimeleḵ.

28 And Ga‛al son of Eḇeḏ said, “Who is Aḇimeleḵ, and who is Sheḵem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Yerubba‛al, and is not Zeḇul his officer? Serve the men of Ḥamor the father of Sheḵem! But why should we serve him?

29 “If only this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Aḇimeleḵ.” And he said to Aḇimeleḵ, “Increase your army and come out!”

30 And when Zeḇul, the governor of the city, heard the words of Ga‛al son of Eḇeḏ, his displeasure burned.

31 And he sent messengers to Aḇimeleḵ by deceit, saying, “See, Ga‛al son of Eḇeḏ and his brothers have come to Sheḵem. And see, they are besieging the city against you.

32 “And now, get up by night, you and the people who are with you, and lie in wait in the field.

33 “And it shall be, as soon as the sun is up in the morning, then rise early and rush upon the city. And see, when he and the people who are with him come out against you, you shall do to them as your hand finds to do.”

34 And Aḇimeleḵ and all the people who were with him rose up by night, and laid in wait against Sheḵem in four companies.

35 Now Ga‛al son of Eḇeḏ went out and stood in the entrance to the city gate, and Aḇimeleḵ and the people who were with him rose from lying in wait.

36 And when Ga‛al saw the people, he said to Zeḇul, “See, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains!” But Zeḇul said to him, “You are seeing the shadows of the mountains like men.”

37 And Ga‛al spoke again and said, “See, people are coming down from the high part of the land, and another company is coming from the Diviners’ Terebinth Tree.”

38 And Zeḇul said to him, “Now where is your mouth with which you said, ‘Who is Aḇimeleḵ, that we should serve him?’ Are not these the people whom you despised? I beg you, go out and fight them now.”

39 So Ga‛al went out, leading the masters of Sheḵem, and fought Aḇimeleḵ.

40 And Aḇimeleḵ pursued him, and he fled from him. And many fell wounded, up to the entrance of the gate.

41 And Aḇimeleḵ stayed at Arumah, and Zeḇul drove out Ga‛al and his brothers, so that they would not dwell in Sheḵem.

42 And it came to be the next day that the people went out into the field, and they informed Aḇimeleḵ.

43 And he took his people, and divided them into three companies, and laid in wait in the field, and looked and saw the people coming out of the city. And he rose against them and struck them.

44 And Aḇimeleḵ and the company that was with him rushed forward and stood at the entrance of the gate of the city. And the other two companies rushed upon all who were in the fields and struck them.

45 And Aḇimeleḵ fought against the city all that day, and captured the city and killed the people who were in it. And he broke down the city and sowed it with salt.

46 And all the masters of the tower of Sheḵem had heard that, and entered the stronghold of the house of Ěl Berith.

47 And it was reported to Aḇimeleḵ that all the masters of the tower of Sheḵem were gathered together.

48 So Aḇimeleḵ went up to Mount Tsalmon, he and all the people who were with him. And Aḇimeleḵ took an axe in his hand and cut down a branch from the trees, and took it and laid it on his shoulder. Then he said to the people who were with him, “What you have seen me do, hurry, do as I have done.”

49 And all the people likewise cut down each one his own branch and followed Aḇimeleḵ, and put them against the stronghold, and set the stronghold on fire above them, so that all the men of the tower of Sheḵem died, about a thousand men and women.

50 Aḇimeleḵ then went to Thĕḇĕts, and he encamped against Thĕḇĕts and captured it.

51 However, there was a strong tower in the city, and all the men and women and all the masters of the city fled there and shut themselves in, and went up to the top of the tower.

52 And Aḇimeleḵ came to the tower and fought against it, and approached the door of the tower to burn it with fire.

53 But a certain woman dropped an upper millstone on the head of Aḇimeleḵ, and crushed his skull.

54 He then immediately called the young man, his armour-bearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest men say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’ ” And his young man thrust him through, and he died.

55 And when the men of Yisra’ĕl saw that Aḇimeleḵ was dead, each one went to his own place.

56 Thus did Elohim repay the evil of Aḇimeleḵ, which he had done to his father to kill his seventy brothers.

57 And all the evil of the men of Sheḵem Elohim turned back on their own heads, and the curse of Yotham son of Yerubba‛al came on them.

10

1 And after Aḇimeleḵ there arose Tola son of Pu’ah, son of Doḏo, a man of Yissasḵar, to save Yisra’ĕl. And he dwelt in Shamur in the mountains of Ephrayim.

2 And he ruled Yisra’ĕl twenty-three years. Then he died and was buried in Shamur.

3 And after him arose Ya’ir, a Gil‛aḏite, and he ruled Yisra’ĕl twenty-two years.

4 And he had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkeys. And they had thirty towns, which are called Hawoth Yair to this day, which are in the land of Gil‛aḏ.

5 And Ya’ir died, and was buried in Qamon.

6 And the children of Yisra’ĕl again did evil in the eyes of יהוה, and served the Ba‛als and the Ashtoreths, and the mighty ones of Aram, and the mighty ones of Tsiḏon, and the mighty ones of Mo’aḇ, and the mighty ones of the children of Ammon, and the mighty ones of the Philistines — and forsook יהוה and did not serve Him.

7 Therefore the displeasure of יהוה burned against Yisra’ĕl. And He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and into the hands of the children of Ammon.

8 And they crushed and oppressed the children of Yisra’ĕl that year — for eighteen years — all the children of Yisra’ĕl who were beyond the Yardĕn in the land of the Amorites, in Gil‛aḏ.

9 And the children of Ammon passed over the Yardĕn to fight against Yehuḏah, and against Binyamin, and against the house of Ephrayim, so that Yisra’ĕl had great distress.

10 And the children of Yisra’ĕl cried out to יהוה, saying, “We have sinned against You, because we have both forsaken our Elohim and served the Ba‛als!”

11 So יהוה said to the children of Yisra’ĕl, “Was it not from the Mitsrites and from the Amorites and from the children of Ammon and from the Philistines that I saved you?

12 “And the Tsiḏonians and Amalĕq and Ma‛on oppressed you. And you cried out to Me, and I saved you from their hand.

13 “But you, you have forsaken Me and served other mighty ones. Therefore I do not save you again.

14 “Go and cry out to the mighty ones which you have chosen, let them save you in your time of distress.”

15 And the children of Yisra’ĕl said to יהוה, “We have sinned! Do to us whatever is good in Your eyes, only deliver us today, please.”

16 So they put away the foreign mighty ones from their midst and served יהוה. And His being was grieved with the trouble of Yisra’ĕl.

17 Then the children of Ammon were called together and encamped in Gil‛aḏ. And the children of Yisra’ĕl gathered together and encamped in Mitspah.

18 And the people, the heads of Gil‛aḏ, said to each other, “Let the man who is the first to fight against the children of Ammon be head over all the inhabitants of Gil‛aḏ.”

11

1 And Yiphtaḥ the Gil‛aḏite was a mighty brave one, but he was the son of a whore. And Gil‛aḏ brought forth Yiphtaḥ.

2 And the wife of Gil‛aḏ bore sons. And when his wife’s sons grew up, they drove Yiphtaḥ out, and said to him, “You shall not have an inheritance in the house of our father, for you are the son of another woman.”

3 And Yiphtaḥ fled from his brothers and dwelt in the land of Toḇ. And worthless men banded together with Yiphtaḥ and went out with him.

4 And it came to be, some time later, that the children of Ammon fought against Yisra’ĕl.

5 And it came to be, when the children of Ammon fought against Yisra’ĕl, that the elders of Gil‛aḏ went to bring Yiphtaḥ out of the land of Toḇ.

6 And they said to Yiphtaḥ, “Come, and you shall be our commander, and let us fight against the children of Ammon.”

7 But Yiphtaḥ said to the elders of Gil‛aḏ, “Did you not hate me, and drive me from my father’s house? Why have you come to me now when you are in trouble?”

8 And the elders of Gil‛aḏ said to Yiphtaḥ, “That is the reason we have turned to you, that you shall go with us and fight against the children of Ammon, and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gil‛aḏ.”

9 And Yiphtaḥ said to the elders of Gil‛aḏ, “If you take me back home to fight against the children of Ammon, and יהוה gives them to me, am I to be your head?”

10 And the elders of Gil‛aḏ said to Yiphtaḥ, “יהוה is witness between us, if we do not do according to your words.”

11 Then Yiphtaḥ went with the elders of Gil‛aḏ, and the people set him over them, as head and commander. And Yiphtaḥ spoke all his words before יהוה in Mitspah.

12 And Yiphtaḥ sent messengers to the sovereign of the children of Ammon, saying, “What is between you and me, that you have come to fight against me in my land?”

13 And the sovereign of the children of Ammon said to the messengers of Yiphtaḥ, “Because Yisra’ĕl took my land when they came up out of Mitsrayim, from the Arnon as far as the Yabboq, and to the Yardĕn. And now, give back those lands in peace.”

14 But Yiphtaḥ again sent messengers to the sovereign of the children of Ammon,

15 and said to him, “This is what Yiphtaḥ said, ‘Yisra’ĕl did not take the land of Mo’aḇ, nor the land of the children of Ammon.

16 For when they came up from Mitsrayim, and Yisra’ĕl walked through the wilderness as far as the Sea of Reeds and came to Qaḏĕsh,

17 then Yisra’ĕl sent messengers to the sovereign of Eḏom, saying, “Please let me pass over, through your land.” But the sovereign of Eḏom would not listen. And they also sent to the sovereign of Mo’aḇ, but he refused, so Yisra’ĕl stayed at Qaḏĕsh.

18 Then they went through the wilderness and around the land of Eḏom and the land of Mo’aḇ, and came to the east side of the land of Mo’aḇ, and encamped beyond Arnon. But they did not enter the border of Mo’aḇ, for Arnon was the border of Mo’aḇ.

19 And Yisra’ĕl sent messengers to Siḥon sovereign of the Amorites, sovereign of Ḥeshbon, and Yisra’ĕl said to him, “Please let us pass over, through your land into our place.”

20 But Siḥon did not trust Yisra’ĕl to pass over through his border, and Siḥon gathered all his people together, and they encamped in Yahats, and fought against Yisra’ĕl.

21 And יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl gave Siḥon and all his people into the hand of Yisra’ĕl, and they struck them. So Yisra’ĕl took possession of all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that land.

22 Thus they took possession of all the border of the Amorites, from Arnon to the Yabboq and from the wilderness to the Yardĕn.

23 And now, יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl has driven out the Amorites from before His people Yisra’ĕl, should you then possess it?

24 Whatever Kemosh your mighty one gives you to possess, do you not possess it? And all that which יהוה our Elohim takes possession of before us, we possess.

25 And now are you any better than Balaq son of Tsippor, sovereign of Mo’aḇ? Did he ever strive against Yisra’ĕl? Did he ever fight against them?

26 While Yisra’ĕl dwelt in Ḥeshbon and its villages, and in Aro‛ĕr and its villages, and in all the cities along the banks of Arnon, for three hundred years, why did you not recover them within that time?

27 So I have not sinned against you, but you are doing me evil by fighting against me. Let יהוה the Judge, judge today between the children of Yisra’ĕl and the children of Ammon.’ ”

28 But the sovereign of the children of Ammon did not listen to the words which Yiphtaḥ sent him.

29 And the Spirit of יהוה came upon Yiphtaḥ, and he passed through Gil‛aḏ and Menashsheh, and passed through Mitspeh of Gil‛aḏ. And from Mitspeh of Gil‛aḏ he passed on toward the children of Ammon.

30 And Yiphtaḥ made a vow to יהוה, and said, “If You give the children of Ammon into my hands,

31 then it shall be that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall belong to יהוה, and I shall offer it up as an ascending offering.”

32 Yiphtaḥ then passed on toward the children of Ammon to fight against them, and יהוה gave them into his hands.

33 And he struck them from Aro‛ĕr as far as Minnith, twenty cities, and to Aḇĕl Keramim, with a very great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were humbled before the children of Yisra’ĕl.

34 And Yiphtaḥ came to his house at Mitspah, and saw his daughter coming out to meet him with timbrels and dancing. Now except for her he had neither son nor daughter.

35 And it came to be, when he saw her, that he tore his garments, and said, “Oh my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you are among those who trouble me! And I, I have given my word to יהוה, and I am unable to turn back.”

36 And she said to him, “My father, if you have given your word to יהוה, do to me according to what has gone out of your mouth, because יהוה has taken vengeance for you upon your enemies, the children of Ammon.”

37 And she said to her father, “Let this be done for me: let me alone for two new moons, and let me go and wander on the mountains and bewail my maidenhood, my friends and I.”

38 Then he said, “Go.” And he sent her away for two new moons. And she went with her friends, and bewailed her maidenhood on the mountains.

39 And it came to be at the end of two new moons that she returned to her father, and he did to her as he had vowed, and she knew no man. And it became a statute in Yisra’ĕl

40 that the daughters of Yisra’ĕl went every year for four days to lament the daughter of Yiphtaḥ the Gil‛aḏite.

12

1 And the men of Ephrayim gathered together, and passed over toward Tsaphon, and said to Yiphtaḥ, “Why did you pass over to fight against the children of Ammon, and did not call us to go with you? We are going to burn your house over you with fire!”

2 And Yiphtaḥ said to them, “My people and I were in a great struggle with the children of Ammon. And when I called you, you did not save me out of their hands.

3 “And I saw that you would not save me, then I took my life in my hands and went over against the children of Ammon. And יהוה gave them into my hand. And why have you come up to me today to fight against me?”

4 Yiphtaḥ then gathered together all the men of Gil‛aḏ and fought against Ephrayim. And the men of Gil‛aḏ struck Ephrayim, because they had said, “You Gil‛aḏites are fugitives of Ephrayim in the midst of Ephrayim, in the midst of Menashsheh.”

5 And Gil‛aḏ captured the fords of the Yardĕn that faced Ephrayim. And it came to be, when the fugitives from Ephrayim said, “Let me pass over,” the men of Gil‛aḏ said to him, “You are an Ephrayimite!” If he said, “No,”

6 then they would say to him, “Please say, ‘Shibboleth’!” And he would say, “Sibboleth,” for he was unable to pronounce it right. Then they seized him and slew him at the fords of the Yardĕn. And at that time there fell forty-two thousand Ephrayimites.

7 And Yiphtaḥ ruled Yisra’ĕl six years. And Yiphtaḥ the Gil‛aḏite died and was buried in one of the cities of Gil‛aḏ.

8 And after him, Iḇtsan of Bĕyth Leḥem ruled Yisra’ĕl.

9 And he came to have thirty sons and thirty daughters — he sent abroad and brought in thirty daughters for his sons. And he ruled Yisra’ĕl seven years.

10 And Iḇtsan died and was buried at Bĕyth Leḥem.

11 And after him Ělon the Zeḇulunite ruled Yisra’ĕl. And he ruled Yisra’ĕl ten years.

12 And Ělon the Zeḇulunite died and was buried at Ayalon in the land of Zeḇulun.

13 And after him, Aḇdon son of Hillĕl the Pirathonite ruled Yisra’ĕl,

14 and he had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy young donkeys. And he ruled Yisra’ĕl eight years.

15 And Aḇdon son of Hillĕl the Pirathonite died and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephrayim, in the mountains of the Amalĕqites.

13

1 And again the children of Yisra’ĕl did evil in the eyes of יהוה, so יהוה gave them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.

2 And there was a certain man from Tsor‛ah, of the clan of the Danites, whose name was Manowaḥ. And his wife was barren and had not borne.

3 And a Messenger of יהוה appeared to the woman and said to her, “See now, you are barren and have not borne, but you shall conceive, and you shall bear a son.

4 “And now, please guard, and do not drink wine or strong drink, and do not eat any unclean food.

5 “For look, you are conceiving and bearing a son. And let no razor come upon his head, for the youth is a Nazirite to Elohim from the womb on. And he shall begin to save Yisra’ĕl out of the hand of the Philistines.”

6 And the woman came and spoke to her husband, saying, “A Man of Elohim came to me, and His appearance was like the appearance of a Messenger of Elohim, very awesome. But I did not ask Him where He was from, and He did not declare to me His name.

7 “And He said to me, ‘See, you are conceiving and bearing a son. And now, drink no wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean food, for the youth is a Nazirite to Elohim from the womb to the day of his death.’ ”

8 And Manowaḥ prayed to יהוה, and said, “O יהוה, please let the Man of Elohim whom You sent come to us again and teach us what to do for the youth who is to be born.”

9 And Elohim listened to the voice of Manowaḥ, and the Messenger of Elohim came to the woman again as she was sitting in the field, but Manowaḥ her husband was not with her.

10 And the woman ran hurriedly and informed her husband, and said to him, “See, He has appeared to me, the Man who came to me the other day!”

11 And Manowaḥ arose and went after his wife, and came to the Man, and he said to Him, “Are You the Man who spoke to this woman?” And He said, “I am.”

12 And Manowaḥ said, “Now let Your words come true! What is to be the rule for the youth’s life and his work?”

13 And the Messenger of יהוה said to Manowaḥ, “Let the woman guard all that I said to her.

14 “Let her not eat any food that comes from the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, or eat any unclean food. Let her guard all that which I have commanded her.”

15 And Manowaḥ said to the Messenger of יהוה, “Please let us detain You, and prepare a young goat for You.”

16 And the Messenger of יהוה said to Manowaḥ, “Though you detain Me, I do not eat your food. But if you offer an ascending offering, offer it to יהוה.” For Manowaḥ did not know He was a Messenger of יהוה.

17 Then Manowaḥ said to the Messenger of יהוה, “What is Your name? When Your words come true, then we shall esteem You.”

18 And the Messenger of יהוה said to him, “Why do you ask My name, since it is wondrous?”

19 And Manowaḥ took the young goat with the grain offering, and offered it upon the rock to יהוה. And He did wondrously while Manowaḥ and his wife looked on.

20 And it came to be, as the flame went up toward the heavens from the slaughter-place, that the Messenger of יהוה went up in the flame of the slaughter-place. And Manowaḥ and his wife were watching, and they fell on their faces to the ground.

21 And the Messenger of יהוה did not appear any more to Manowaḥ and his wife. Then Manowaḥ knew that He was a Messenger of יהוה.

22 And Manowaḥ said to his wife, “We shall certainly die, because we have seen Elohim!”

23 But his wife said to him, “If יהוה had been pleased to put us to death, He would not have accepted an ascending offering and a grain offering from our hands, nor would He have shown us all this, nor would He have let us hear the like of this!”

24 So the woman bore a son and called his name Shimshon. And the child grew, and יהוה blessed him.

25 And the Spirit of יהוה began to move him at Maḥanĕh Dan, between Tsor‛ah and Eshta’ol.

14

1 And Shimshon went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines.

2 And he went up and informed his father and mother, saying, “I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines. And now, take her for me for a wife.”

3 But his father and mother said to him, “Is there no woman among the daughters of your brothers, or among all my people, that you should take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” And Shimshon said to his father, “Take her for me, for she is pleasing in my eyes.”

4 However, his father and mother did not know that it was of יהוה, that He was seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines. For at that time the Philistines were ruling over Yisra’ĕl.

5 Then Shimshon went down to Timnah with his father and mother, and came to the vineyards of Timnah, and saw a young lion roaring as it met him.

6 And the Spirit of יהוה came mightily upon him, and he tore it apart as the tearing apart of a young goat, with naught in his hand. But he did not make known to his father or his mother what he had done.

7 And he went down and spoke to the woman, and she pleased Shimshon well.

8 And when he returned later to take her, he turned aside to look at the carcass of the lion, and saw a swarm of bees and honey in the carcass of the lion.

9 And he took some of it in his hands and went along, eating. And he came to his father and mother, and gave them, and they ate. But he did not make known to them that he took the honey out of the carcass of the lion.

10 So his father went down to the woman. And Shimshon gave a feast there, for young men used to do so.

11 And it came to be, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.

12 And Shimshon said to them, “Please let me put forth a riddle to you. If you clearly solve and explain it to me within the seven days of the feast, then I shall give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of garments.

13 “But if you are unable to explain it to me, then you shall give me thirty linen shirts and thirty changes of garments.” And they said to him, “Put forth your riddle and let us hear it.”

14 And he said to them, “Out of the eater came forth food, and out of the strong came forth sweetness.” And for three days they were unable to explain the riddle.

15 And it came to be on the seventh day that they said to Shimshon’s wife, “Entice your husband to explain the riddle to us, or else we burn you and your father’s house with fire. Have you invited us in order to take what is ours? Is it not?”

16 And Shimshon’s wife wept before him, and said, “You only hate me, and do not love me! You have put forth a riddle to the sons of my people, but you have not explained it to me.” And he said to her, “Look, I have not explained it to my father or my mother, and should I explain it to you?”

17 And she had wept before him the seven days while their feast lasted. And it came to be on the seventh day that he informed her, because she pressed him so much. She then explained the riddle to the sons of her people.

18 And the men of the city said to 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 to them, “If you had not ploughed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle!”

19 Then the Spirit of יהוה came upon him mightily, and he went down to Ashqelon and struck thirty of their men, stripped them, and gave the changes of garments to those who had explained the riddle. And his displeasure burned, and he went back up to his father’s house.

20 And Shimshon’s wife was given to his companion, who had been his friend.

15

1 And it came to be, after some time, in the days of wheat harvest, that Shimshon visited his wife with a young goat. And he said, “Let me go in to my wife, into her room.” But her father would not permit him to go in.

2 And her father said, “Indeed, I thought that you hated her intensely; so I gave her to your companion. Is not her younger sister better than she? Please, take her instead.”

3 And Shimshon said to them, “This time I am blameless regarding the Philistines if I do evil to them!”

4 And Shimshon went and caught three hundred foxes, and took torches, and turned them tail to tail, and put a torch between each pair of tails,

5 and set the torches on fire, and sent them out into the standing grain of the Philistines, and burned up both the shocks and the standing grain, even the vineyards and olive-trees.

6 And the Philistines said, “Who did this?” And they answered, “Shimshon, the son-in-law of the Timnite, because he took away his wife and gave her to his companion.” Then the Philistines went up and burned her and her father with fire.

7 And Shimshon said to them, “Though you do this, yet I shall take revenge on you, and after that I cease.”

8 And he struck them hip and thigh, a great slaughter, and went down and dwelt in the cleft of the rock of Ěytam.

9 The Philistines then went up and encamped in Yehuḏah, and spread out against Leḥi.

10 And the men of Yehuḏah said, “Why have you come up against us?” And they answered, “We have come up to bind Shimshon, to do to him as he has done to us.”

11 Then three thousand men of Yehuḏah went down to the cleft of the rock of Ěytam and said to Shimshon, “Do you not know that the Philistines are rulers over us? Why have you done this to us?” And he said to them, “As they did to me, so I did to them.”

12 And they said to him, “We have come down to bind you, to give you into the hand of the Philistines.” And Shimshon said to them, “Swear to me not to fall on me yourselves.”

13 And they spoke to him, saying, “No, but we are certainly going to bind you, and shall give you into their hand but certainly not kill you.” So they bound him with two new ropes and brought him up from the rock.

14 When he came to Leḥi, the Philistines came shouting to meet him. And the Spirit of יהוה came mightily upon him. And the ropes that were on his arms became like flax that is burned with fire, and his bonds broke loose from his hands.

15 And he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, and put out his hand and took it, and struck a thousand men with it.

16 And Shimshon said, “With the jawbone of a donkey, one heap, two heaps, with the jawbone of a donkey I have stricken a thousand men!”

17 And it came to be, when he had ended speaking, that he threw the jawbone from his hand, and called that place Ramath Leḥi.

18 And he became very thirsty, and cried out to יהוה and said, “You have given this great deliverance by the hand of Your servant. And now, am I to die of thirst and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?”

19 And Elohim split the hollow place that is in Leḥi, and water came out, and he drank. And his spirit came back, and he revived. So he called its name Ěn Haqqore, which is in Leḥi to this day.

20 And he ruled Yisra’ĕl twenty years in the days of the Philistines.

16

1 And Shimshon went to Azzah and saw a woman there, a whore, and went in to her —

2 the Azzathites saying, “Shimshon has come here!” So they went round and lay in wait for him all night at the gate of the city, and kept silent all night, saying, “In the morning, when it is daylight, then we shall kill him.”

3 Now Shimshon lay until midnight, and rose at midnight, and took hold of the doors of the gate of the city and the two gateposts, and pulled them up with the bar, put them on his shoulders, and took them to the top of the hill that faces Ḥeḇron.

4 And it came to be afterward that he loved a woman in the wadi Sorĕq, whose name was Delilah.

5 And the princes of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, “Entice him, and find out where his great strength lies, and see by what we might overpower him, then we shall bind him to humble him. And let us give you, each one of us, eleven hundred pieces of silver.”

6 And Delilah said to Shimshon, “Please reveal to me where your great strength lies, and by what you might be bound, to humble you.”

7 And Shimshon said to her, “If they bind me with seven fresh cords, not yet dried, then I shall be weak, and be like any other man.”

8 The princes of the Philistines then brought her seven fresh cords, not yet dried, and she bound him with them,

9 while those lying in wait stayed with her in the room. And she said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Shimshon!” But he broke the cords as a strand of yarn breaks when it touches fire. So the secret of his strength remained unknown.

10 And Delilah said to Shimshon, “Look, you have mocked me and spoken lies to me. Now, please reveal to me by what you might be bound.”

11 And he said to her, “If they bind me tightly with new ropes that have never been used, then I shall be weak, and be like any other man.”

12 And Delilah took new ropes and bound him with them, and said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Shimshon!” And those lying in wait were sitting in the inner room. But he broke them off his arms like a thread.

13 So Delilah said to Shimshon, “Until now you have mocked me and spoken lies to me, reveal to me how you might be bound.” And he said to her, “If you weave the seven locks of my head with the web.”

14 Then she fastened it with a pin, and said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Shimshon!” But he awoke from his sleep, and pulled out the pin of the loom and the web.

15 Then she said to him, “How do you say, ‘I love you,’ when your heart is not with me? You have mocked me these three times, and have not made known to me where your great strength lies.”

16 And it came to be, when she pressed him daily with her words and urged him, so that his being was wearied to death,

17 that he made known to her all his heart, and said to her, “No razor has ever come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to Elohim from my mother’s womb. If I were shaven, then my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man.”

18 And Delilah saw that he had made known to her all his heart, and she sent and called for the princes of the Philistines, saying, “Come up once more, for he has made known to me all his heart.” So the princes of the Philistines came up to her and brought the silver in their hand.

19 And she made him sleep on her knees, and called for a man and shaved off the seven locks of his head. Thus she began to humble him, and his strength left him.

20 And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Shimshon!” And he awoke from his sleep, and said, “Let me go out as before, at other times, and shake myself loose!” But he did not know that יהוה had turned aside from him.

21 So the Philistines took him and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Azzah, and bound him with bronze shackles. And he became a grinder in the prison.

22 But the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaven.

23 And the princes of the Philistines gathered to slaughter a great slaughtering to Daḡon their mighty one, and to rejoice. And they said, “Our mighty one has given Shimshon our enemy into our hands!”

24 And the people saw him, and praised their mighty one, for they said, “Our mighty one has given into our hands our enemy, the destroyer of our land, who slew many of us.”

25 And it came to be, when their hearts were glad, that they said, “Call for Shimshon, and let him entertain us.” So they called for Shimshon from the prison, and he entertained them. And they made him stand between the columns.

26 And Shimshon said to the young man who who was holding his hand, “Let me alone and let me feel the columns which support the house, so that I lean on them.”

27 And the house was filled with men and women. And all the princes of the Philistines were there. And about three thousand men and women were on the roof who watched Shimshon entertaining.

28 And Shimshon called to יהוה, saying, “O Master יהוה, remember me, I pray! Strengthen me, I pray, only this time, O Elohim, and let me avenge myself on the Philistines with vengeance for my two eyes!”

29 And Shimshon took hold of the two middle columns which supported the house, and he braced himself against them, one on his right and the other on his left.

30 And Shimshon said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” And he bowed himself mightily, and the house fell on the princes and all the people in it. And the dead that he killed at his death were more than he had killed in his life.

31 And his brothers and all his father’s household came down and took him, and brought him up and buried him between Tsor‛ah and Eshta’ol in the burial-site of his father Manowaḥ. And he had ruled Yisra’ĕl twenty years.

17

1 And there was a man from the hill country of Ephrayim, whose name was Miḵahu.

2 And he said to his mother, “The eleven hundred pieces of silver that were taken from you, and on which you put a curse, even saying it in my ears. Look, the silver is with me, I took it.” And his mother said, “Blessed of יהוה be my son!”

3 And he gave back the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother, and his mother said, “I had truly set apart the silver from my hand to יהוה for my son, to make a carved image and a moulded image, and now, I give it back to you.”

4 And he gave the silver back to his mother, and his mother took two hundred pieces of silver and gave them to the silversmith, and he made it into a carved image and a moulded image. And they were in the house of Miḵahu.

5 Now the man Miḵah had a house of mighty ones, and made a shoulder garment and house idols. And he ordained one of his sons, who became his priest.

6 In those days there was no sovereign in Yisra’ĕl — everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

7 And there was a young man from Bĕyth Leḥem in Yehuḏah, of the clan of Yehuḏah. And he was a Lĕwite, and he was sojourning there.

8 And the man went out of the city of Bĕyth Leḥem in Yehuḏah to sojourn wherever he could find a place. And he came to the mountains of Ephrayim, to the house of Miḵah, as he journeyed.

9 And Miḵah said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I am a Lĕwite from Bĕyth Leḥem in Yehuḏah, and I am on my way to find a place to sojourn.”

10 And Miḵah said to him, “Dwell with me, and be a father and a priest to me, and I give you ten pieces of silver per year, and a suit of garments, and your food.” And the Lĕwite went in.

11 So the Lĕwite agreed to dwell with the man. And the young man became like one of his sons to him.

12 Then Miḵah ordained the Lĕwite, and the young man became his priest, and he was in the house of Miḵah.

13 And Miḵah said, “Now I know that יהוה does good to me, since I have a Lĕwite as priest!”

18

1 In those days there was no sovereign in Yisra’ĕl. And in those days the tribe of the Danites was seeking an inheritance for itself to dwell in, for until that day all their inheritance among the tribes of Yisra’ĕl had not yet fallen to them.

2 And the children of Dan sent five men of their clan, brave men from Tsor‛ah and Eshta’ol, to spy out the land and search it. And they said to them, “Go, search the land,” so they went to the mountains of Ephrayim, to the house of Miḵah, and spent the night there.

3 When they were near the house of Miḵah, they recognised the voice of the young Lĕwite, and turned aside and said to him, “Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place, and what do you have here?”

4 And he said to them, “Miḵah did such and such for me. And he hired me, and I have become his priest.”

5 And they said to him, “Please inquire of Elohim, and we shall know whether the journey on which we are going is prosperous.”

6 And the priest said to them, “Go in peace. Your journey on which you go is before יהוה.”

7 Then the five men left and came to Layish, and saw the people who were in their midst, how they dwelt safely, according to the ruling of the Tsiḏonians, at rest and unsuspecting. And no one possessing authority in the land was reproaching for any matter. And they were far from the Tsiḏonians, and they had no word with anyone.

8 And the spies came back to their brothers at Tsor‛ah and Eshta’ol, and their brothers said to them, “What do you say?”

9 And they said, “Arise, and let us go up against them. For we have seen the land, and look, it is very good. And you sit still! Do not hesitate to go to enter in to possess the land.

10 “When you go, you are to come to an unsuspecting people, and the land is spacious. For Elohim has given it into your hands, a place in which there is no lack of any matter which is on the earth.”

11 And six hundred men of the clan of the Danites went from there, from Tsor‛ah and Eshta’ol, armed for battle.

12 And they went up and encamped in Qiryath Ye‛arim in Yehuḏah. Therefore they call that place Maḥanĕh Ḏan to this day. See, it is west of Qiryath Ye‛arim.

13 And they passed over from there to the mountains of Ephrayim, and came to the house of Miḵah.

14 And the five men who had gone to spy out the land of Layish answered and said to their brothers, “Do you know that there are in these houses a shoulder garment, and house idols, and a carved image, and a moulded image? And now, you know what to do.”

15 And they turned aside there, and came to the house of the young Lĕwite man, the house of Miḵah, and greeted him.

16 And the six hundred men, armed for battle, who were of the children of Dan, stood by the entrance of the gate.

17 And the five men who had gone to spy out the land went up, and entering there, they took the carved image, and the shoulder garment, and the house idols, and the moulded image, while the priest stood at the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men who were armed for battle.

18 And these went into Miḵah’s house and took the idol, and the shoulder garment, and the house idols, and the moulded image. Then the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”

19 And they said to him, “Be silent, put your hand over your mouth, and come with us, and be a father and a priest to us. Is it better for you to be a priest to the household of one man, or that you be a priest to a tribe and a clan in Yisra’ĕl?”

20 And the heart of the priest was glad. And he took the shoulder garment, and the house idols, and the carved image, and took his place among the people.

21 And they turned and went, and put the little ones, and the livestock, and the valuables in front of them.

22 They had gone some distance from the house of Miḵah, when the men who were in the houses near Miḵah’s house gathered together and overtook the children of Dan,

23 and called out to the children of Dan. So they turned around and said to Miḵah, “What is the matter, that you have gathered such a company?”

24 And he said, “You have taken away my mighty ones which I made, and the priest, and you are leaving. Now what more do I have? What is this you say to me, ‘What is the matter?’ ”

25 And the children of Dan said to him, “Do not let your voice be heard among us, lest men, bitter of being, fall upon you, and you lose your life, with the lives of your household!”

26 And the children of Dan went their way. And when Miḵah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back to his house.

27 Then they took what Miḵah had made, and the priest who had belonged to him, and went to Layish, to a people who were at rest and unsuspecting, and struck them with the edge of the sword and burned the city with fire.

28 And there was no deliverer, because it was far from Tsiḏon, and they had no word with anyone. And it was in the valley that belongs to Bĕyth Reḥoḇ. And they rebuilt the city and dwelt there.

29 And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born to Yisra’ĕl. But previously the name of the city was Layish.

30 And the children of Dan set up for themselves the carved image. And Yehonathan son of Gĕreshom, son of Menashsheh, and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day the land was taken into exile.

31 And they set up for themselves the carved image of Miḵah, which he had made, all the days that the house of Elohim was in Shiloh.

19

1 And it came to be in those days, when there was no sovereign in Yisra’ĕl, that there was a certain Lĕwite sojourning on the further side of the mountains of Ephrayim. And he took for himself a concubine from Bĕyth Leḥem in Yehuḏah.

2 And his concubine committed whoring against him, and went away from him to her father’s house at Bĕyth Leḥem in Yehuḏah, and was there four new moons of days.

3 And her husband arose and went after her, to speak to her heart and bring her back, having his servant and a couple of donkeys with him. And she brought him into her father’s house. And the father of the young woman saw him, and he was glad to meet him.

4 And his father-in-law, the young woman’s father, took hold of him, and he dwelt with him three days. And they ate and drank and spent the nights there.

5 And it came to be on the fourth day that they arose early in the morning. And he prepared to leave, but the young woman’s father said to his son-in-law, “Refresh your heart with a piece of bread, and afterward go your way.”

6 So they sat down, and the two of them ate and drank together. And the young woman’s father said to the man, “Please agree to stay all night, and let your heart be glad.”

7 And when the man arose to go, his father-in-law urged him. So he spent the night there again.

8 And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to go. But the young woman’s father said, “Please refresh your heart.” So they delayed until afternoon, and both of them ate.

9 And the man arose to go, he and his concubine and his servant. But his father-in-law, the young woman’s father, said to him, “See, the day is now drawing toward evening. Please spend the night. See, the day is coming to an end. Stay here, and let your heart be glad. And you shall rise early tomorrow for your journey, and you shall go to your tent.”

10 But the man would not stay that night. And he arose and left, and came to a place opposite Yeḇus, that is Yerushalayim. And with him were the two saddled donkeys, and his concubine with him.

11 They were near Yeḇus, and the day was far spent. And the servant said to his master, “Come, please, and let us turn aside into this city of the Yeḇusites and spend the night in it.”

12 And his master said to him, “Let us not turn aside here into a city of foreigners, who are not of the children of Yisra’ĕl. But we shall pass over to Giḇ‛ah.”

13 And he said to his servant, “Come, let us draw near to one of these places, and spend the night in Giḇ‛ah or in Ramah.”

14 And they passed over and went their way. And the sun went down on them near Giḇ‛ah, which belongs to Binyamin,

15 and they turned off there to go in to spend the night in Giḇ‛ah. So he went in, and he sat down in the open square of the city, for no one would take them into his house to spend the night.

16 But see, an old man came in from his work in the field at evening, who also was from the mountains of Ephrayim. And he was sojourning in Giḇ‛ah, whereas the men of the place were Binyamites.

17 And when he lifted up his eyes, he saw the traveller in the open square of the city. And the old man said, “Where are you going, and where do you come from?”

18 And he said to him, “We are passing over from Bĕyth Leḥem in Yehuḏah to the other side of the mountains of Ephrayim. I am from there, and I went to Bĕyth Leḥem in Yehuḏah, and I am going to the House of יהוה. But there is no one taking me into his house,

19 yet there is both straw and fodder for our donkeys, and bread and wine for myself, and for your female servant, and for the young man who is with your servant; there is no lack of any matter.”

20 And the old man said, “Peace be with you! However, let all your needs be on me, only do not spend the night in the open square.”

21 And he brought him into his house, and gave fodder to the donkeys. And they washed their feet, and ate and drank.

22 They were making their hearts glad, and see, men of the city, sons of Beliya‛al, surrounded the house, beating on the door. And they spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, “Bring out the man who came to your house, so that we know him!”

23 But the man, the master of the house, went out to them and said to them, “No, my brothers! I beg you, do no evil! Since this man has come into my house, do not do this folly.

24 “Look, here is my maiden daughter and the man’s concubine. Let me bring them out now, and humble them, and do with them what is good in your eyes, but do not do such a foolish matter to this man!”

25 But the men would not listen to him. So the man took hold of his concubine and brought her out to them. And they knew her and rolled themselves on her all night until morning, and let her go when the day began to break.

26 And as morning appeared the woman came back and fell down at the door of the man’s house where her master was, till it was light.

27 And her master rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house and went out to go his way, and saw his concubine, fallen at the door of the house with her hands on the threshold.

28 And he said to her, “Rise up and let us go.” But there was no answer. Then he took her on the donkey, and the man rose and went to his place,

29 and came into his house and took a knife, then took hold of his concubine, and cut her up limb by limb into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout all the borders of Yisra’ĕl.

30 And it came to be that all who saw it said, “There has never been, and there has not been seen the like of this, from the day that the children of Yisra’ĕl came up from the land of Mitsrayim until this day. Set your heart on it, take counsel, and speak up!”

20

1 And all the children of Yisra’ĕl came out, from Dan to Be’ĕrsheḇa, and from the land of Gil‛aḏ, and the congregation assembled as one man before יהוה at Mitspah.

2 And the leaders of all the people, all the tribes of Yisra’ĕl, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of Elohim, four hundred thousand foot soldiers who drew the sword.

3 And the children of Binyamin heard that the children of Yisra’ĕl had gone up to Mitspah. And the children of Yisra’ĕl said, “Speak up, how did this evil come about?”

4 And the man, the Lĕwite, husband of the woman who was murdered, answered and said, “My concubine and I went into Giḇ‛ah, which belongs to Binyamin, to spend the night.

5 “And the masters of Giḇ‛ah rose against me, and surrounded the house at night because of me. They thought to kill me, but instead they humbled my concubine, and she died.

6 “Then I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the land of the inheritance of Yisra’ĕl, because they committed wickedness and folly in Yisra’ĕl.

7 “Look, you are all children of Yisra’ĕl, speak and give your counsel here!”

8 And all the people rose as one man, saying, “Let not one of us go to his tent, nor any of us turn back to his house.

9 “And now, this is what we do to Giḇ‛ah: go against it by lot.

10 “And we shall take ten men out of every hundred throughout all the tribes of Yisra’ĕl, and a hundred out of every thousand, and a thousand out of every ten thousand, to make food for the people, to prepare for their going to Giḇ‛ah in Binyamin, for all the folly they did in Yisra’ĕl.”

11 And all the men of Yisra’ĕl were gathered against the city, knit together as one man.

12 And the tribes of Yisra’ĕl sent men through all the tribe of Binyamin, saying, “What is this evil that has come about among you?

13 “And now, give us the men, the sons of Beliya‛al who are in Giḇ‛ah, so that we put them to death and put away evil from Yisra’ĕl!” But the children of Binyamin would not listen to the voice of their brothers, the children of Yisra’ĕl.

14 So the children of Binyamin gathered together from their cities to Giḇ‛ah, to go to battle against the children of Yisra’ĕl.

15 And from their cities at that time the children of Binyamin registered twenty-six thousand men who drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Giḇ‛ah, who registered seven hundred chosen men.

16 Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men who were left-handed, each one could sling a stone at a hair’s breadth and not miss.

17 And besides Binyamin, the men of Yisra’ĕl registered four hundred thousand men who drew the sword, all of these were men of battle.

18 And the children of Yisra’ĕl rose and went up to Bĕyth Ěl to ask of Elohim, and they said, “Who of us go up first to battle against the children of Binyamin?” And יהוה said, “Yehuḏah first.”

19 And the children of Yisra’ĕl rose in the morning and encamped against Giḇ‛ah.

20 And the men of Yisra’ĕl went out to battle against Binyamin, and the men of Yisra’ĕl put themselves in battle array to fight against them at Giḇ‛ah.

21 And the children of Binyamin came out of Giḇ‛ah, and on that day cut down to the ground twenty-two thousand men of Yisra’ĕl.

22 But the people, the men of Yisra’ĕl, strengthened themselves and again formed the battle line at the place where they had put themselves in array on the first day.

23 And the children of Yisra’ĕl went up and wept before יהוה until evening, and asked of יהוה, saying, “Should I again draw near for battle against the children of my brother Binyamin?” And יהוה said, “Go up against him.”

24 And the children of Yisra’ĕl drew near to the children of Binyamin on the second day.

25 And Binyamin went out against them from Giḇ‛ah on the second day, and cut down to the ground eighteen thousand more of the children of Yisra’ĕl — all these drew the sword.

26 And all the children of Yisra’ĕl, even all the people, went up and came to Bĕyth Ěl and wept, and sat there before יהוה and fasted that day until evening. And they offered ascending offerings and peace offerings before יהוה.

27 And the children of Yisra’ĕl asked of יהוה — the ark of the covenant of Elohim was there in those days,

28 and Pineḥas son of El‛azar, son of Aharon, stood before it in those days — saying, “Should I yet again go out to battle against the children of my brother Binyamin, or should I cease?” And יהוה said, “Go up, for tomorrow I give them into your hand.”

29 And Yisra’ĕl set ambushers all around Giḇ‛ah.

30 And the children of Yisra’ĕl went up against the children of Binyamin on the third day, and put themselves in battle array against Giḇ‛ah as at the other times.

31 And the children of Binyamin came out to meet the people — drawn away from the city. And they began to strike some of the people, slaying, as at the other times, in the highways, of which one went up to Bĕyth Ěl and the other to Giḇ‛ah in the field, about thirty men of Yisra’ĕl.

32 And the children of Binyamin said, “They are going to be smitten before us, as previously.” But the children of Yisra’ĕl said, “Let us flee and draw them away from the city to the highways.”

33 And all the men of Yisra’ĕl rose from their place and put themselves in battle array at Ba‛al Tamar. And the ambush of Yisra’ĕl broke forth from their position at Ma‛areh Ìeḇa.

34 And ten thousand chosen men from all Yisra’ĕl came against Giḇ‛ah, and the battle was fierce. But they did not know that calamity was close to them.

35 And יהוה smote Binyamin before Yisra’ĕl. And the children of Yisra’ĕl destroyed twenty-five thousand one hundred men on that day in Binyamin — all these drew the sword.

36 And the children of Binyamin saw that they were smitten. And the men of Yisra’ĕl had given ground to the Binyamites, because they trusted in the ambush that they had set against Giḇ‛ah,

37 and the ambush hurried and came against Giḇ‛ah, and the ambush spread out and struck the entire city with the edge of the sword.

38 And the appointed signal between the men of Yisra’ĕl and the ambush was that they would make a great cloud of smoke rise up from the city,

39 then the men of Yisra’ĕl would turn in battle, and Binyamin began to strike dead about thirty of the men of Yisra’ĕl. For they said, “They are indeed smitten before us, as at the first battle.”

40 Then the cloud began to rise from the city in a column of smoke, and the Binyamites looked behind them, and saw the entire city going up in smoke to the heavens.

41 And when the men of Yisra’ĕl turned back, the men of Binyamin were troubled, for they saw that calamity was close to them.

42 And they turned their backs before the men of Yisra’ĕl toward the way of the wilderness, but the battle overtook them, while those who had come out of the cities were destroying them in their midst.

43 They surrounded the Binyamites and pursued them, and with ease trampled them down as far as the front of Giḇ‛ah toward the east.

44 And there fell of Binyamin eighteen thousand men — all of these were mighty men.

45 And they turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon. And they cut down five thousand of them on the highways, and followed after them up to Giḏom, and struck two thousand of them.

46 And all who fell of Binyamin that day were twenty-five thousand men who drew the sword, all of these were mighty men.

47 But six hundred men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and they dwelt at the rock of Rimmon for four new moons.

48 And the men of Yisra’ĕl turned back against the children of Binyamin, and struck them with the edge of the sword from every city, men and beasts, all who were found. And they set fire to all the cities they came to.

21

1 And the men of Yisra’ĕl had sworn an oath at Mitspah, saying, “Not one of us shall give his daughter to Binyamin as a wife.”

2 So the people came to Bĕyth Ěl, and sat there until evening before Elohim, and lifted up their voices and wept bitterly,

3 and said, “O יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, why has this come about in Yisra’ĕl, that today there should be one tribe missing in Yisra’ĕl?”

4 And it came to be on the morrow, that the people rose early and built a slaughter-place there, and brought ascending offerings and peace offerings.

5 And the children of Yisra’ĕl said, “Who is there among all the tribes of Yisra’ĕl who did not come up with the assembly to יהוה?” For they had made a great oath concerning anyone who had not come up to יהוה at Mitspah, saying, “He shall certainly be put to death.”

6 And the children of Yisra’ĕl were sorry for Binyamin their brother, and said, “One tribe is cut off from Yisra’ĕl today.

7 “What do we do for wives for those who remain, seeing we have sworn by יהוה not to give them our daughters as wives?”

8 And they said, “Which one of the tribes of Yisra’ĕl did not come up to Mitspah to יהוה?” And see, no one had come to the camp from Yaḇĕsh Gil‛aḏ to the assembly.

9 For when the people called a roll, see, not one of the inhabitants of Yaḇĕsh Gil‛aḏ was there.

10 And the congregation sent out there twelve thousand of their bravest men, and commanded them, saying, “Go, and you shall strike the inhabitants of Yaḇĕsh Gil‛aḏ with the edge of the sword, even the women and children.

11 “And this is what you do: Put under the ban every male, and every woman who has known a man by lying with him.”

12 And they found among the inhabitants of Yaḇĕsh Gil‛aḏ four hundred young maidens who had not known a man. And they brought them to the camp at Shiloh, which is in the land of Kena‛an.

13 Then all the congregation sent, and spoke to the children of Binyamin who were at the rock of Rimmon, and proclaimed peace to them.

14 And Binyamin turned back at that time, and they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Yaḇĕsh Gil‛aḏ. But even so there were not enough for them.

15 And the people were sorry for Binyamin, because יהוה had made a breach in the tribes of Yisra’ĕl.

16 And the elders of the congregation said, “What do we do for wives for those who remain, since the women have been destroyed out of Binyamin?”

17 And they said, “There is an inheritance for the survivors of Binyamin, and no tribe is to be destroyed from Yisra’ĕl.

18 “But we are unable to give them wives from our daughters, for the children of Yisra’ĕl have sworn an oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the one who gives a wife to Binyamin.’ ”

19 So they said, “See, there is a yearly festival of יהוה in Shiloh, which is north of Bĕyth Ěl, on the east side of the highway that goes up from Bĕyth Ěl to Sheḵem, and south of Leḇonah.”

20 And they commanded the children of Binyamin, saying, “Go, lie in wait in the vineyards,

21 “and watch. And see, when the daughters of Shiloh come out to perform their dances, then you shall come out from the vineyards, and every man catch a wife for himself from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Binyamin.

22 “And it shall be, when their fathers or their brothers come to us to complain, that we shall say to them, ‘Favour us with them, because we did not take a wife for any of them in battle, neither have you given them to them, making yourselves guilty of your oath.’ ”

23 And the children of Binyamin did so, and took enough wives for their number from those who danced, whom they caught. Then they went and returned to their inheritance, and they rebuilt the cities and dwelt in them.

24 And the children of Yisra’ĕl went from there at that time, each one to his tribe and clan. And they went from there, each one to his inheritance.

25 In those days there was no sovereign in Yisra’ĕl — everyone did what was right in his own eyes.