Albeit there is nothing that more prouoketh Gods wrath, then mans ingratitude, yet is there nothing so displeasant and hainous that can turne backe Gods loue from his Church. For now when the Israelites were entred into the land of Canaan, and sawe the trueth of Gods promes performed, in steade of acknowledging his great benefites and giuing thankes for the same, they fel to most horrible obliuion of Gods graces, contrarie to their solemne promes made vnto Ioshua, and so prouoked his vengeance (as much as in them stoode) to their vtter destruction. Whereof as they had most euident signes by the mutabilitie of their state: (for he suffered them to be most cruelly vexed and tormented by tyrants: he pulled them from libertie, and cast them into slauerie, to the intent they might feele their owne miseries & so call vnto him and be deliuered) So to shewe that his mercies endure for euer, he raised vp from time to time such as should deliuer them and aßure them of his fauour and grace, if they would turne to him by true repentance. And these deliuerers the Scripture calleth Iudges, because they were executers of Gods iudgements, not chosen of the people nor by succession, but raised vp, as it seemed best to God, for the gouernance of his people. They were fourteene in nomber besides Ioshua, and gouerned from Ioshua vnto Saul the first King of Israel. Ioshua and these vnto the time of Saul ruled 377. yeeres. In this booke are many notable pointes declared, but two especially: first, the battell that the Church of God hath for the maintenance of true religion against idolatrie and superstition: next, what great danger that common wealth is in, when as God giueth not a Magistrate to reteine his people in the purenes of religion and his true seruice.

1 After Ioshua was dead, Iudah was constitute captaine. 6 Adoni-bezek is taken. 14 The request of Achsah. 16 The children of Keni. 28 The Canaanites are made tributaries, but not destroied.

¹ After that Ioshua was dead, the children of Israel [Note: [a] By the iudgemet of Vrim: read Exod.28.30. nom.27. 21. 1.sam.28.6. ] asked ye Lorde, saying, [Note: [b] Who shalbe our Captaine? ] Who shall goe vp for vs against the Canaanites, to fight first against them?

² And the Lord said, Iudah shall goe vp: behold, I haue giuen the land into his hande.

³ And Iudah said vnto Simeon his [Note: [c] For the tribe of Simeon had their inheritance within the tribe of Iudah, Iosh.19.1. ] brother, Come vp with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites: and I likewise will goe with thee into thy lot: so Simeon went with him.

⁴ Then Iudah went vp, and the Lorde deliuered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hands, and they slew of them in Bezek ten thousand men.
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⁵ And they founde [Note: Or, the Lorde of Bezek. ] Adoni-bezek in Bezek: and they fought against him, and slewe the Canaanites, and the Perizzites.

⁶ But Adoni-bezek fled, and they pursued after him, and caught him, and [Note: [d] This was Gods iust iudgement, as the tyrant himself confesseth, that as he had done, so did he receiue, Leuit. 24.19,20. ] cut off the thumbes of his hands and of his feete.

⁷ And Adoni-bezek said, Seuentie Kings hauing the thumbes of their hands & of their feete cut off, gathered bread vnder my table: as I haue done, so God hath rewarded me. so they brought him to Ierusalem, and there he died.

⁸ (Nowe the children of Iudah had fought against Ierusalem, and had taken it and smitten it with the edge of the sworde, and had set the [Note: [e] Which was afterward built againe, and possessed by the Iebusites, 2.Sam.5.6. ] citie on fire.)

⁹ ¶ Afterwarde also the children of Iudah went downe to fight against the Canaanites, that dwelt in the mountaine, and towarde the South, and in the lowe countrey.

¹⁰ And Iudah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron, which Hebron beforetime was called [Note: Iosh.15.14. ] Kiriath-arba: and they slewe [Note: [f] These three were gyantes, and the children of Anak. ] Sheshai, and Ahiman and Talmai.

¹¹ And from thence hee went to the inhabitantes of Debir, and the name of Debir in olde time was Kiriath-sepher.

¹² And Caleb saide, He that smiteth Kiriath-sepher, and taketh it, euen to him wil I giue Achsah my daughter to wife.

¹³ And Othniel the sonne of Kenaz Calebs yonger brother tooke it, to whome hee gaue Achsah his daughter to wife.

¹⁴ And when shee came to him, shee mooued him to aske of her father a field, [Note: [g] Reade Iosh. 15.18. ] and shee lighted off her asse, and Caleb saide vnto her, What wilt thou?

¹⁵ And shee answered him, Giue mee a blessing: for thou hast giuen me a South countrey, giue me also springs of water: and Caleb gaue her the springs aboue and the springs beneath.

¹⁶ ¶ And the childre of [Note: [h] This was one of the names of Moses father in lawe, read Nom.10.29. ] Keni Moses father in law went vp out of the citie of the palme trees with the children of Iudah, into the wildernesse of Iudah, that lieth in the South of Arad, & went and dwelt among the people.

¹⁷ But Iudah went with Simeon his brother, and they slewe the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath, and vtterly destroied it, and called the name of the citie [Note: Nomb.21.3. ] Hormah.

¹⁸ Also Iudah tooke [Note: [i] These cities and others were afterwarde possessed of the Philistims, 1.Sam.6.17. ] Azzah with the coasts thereof, and Askelon with the coasts thereof, and Ekron with the coastes thereof.

¹⁹ And the Lord was with Iudah, and he possessed the mountaines: for he could not driue out the inhabitantes of the valleis, because they had charrets of yron.

²⁰ And they gaue Hebron vnto Caleb, as [Note: Nomb.14.24. iosh. 14.13. & 15.14. ] Moses had saide, and hee expelled thence the three sonnes of Anak.

²¹ But the children of Beniamin did not cast out the Iebusites, that [Note: [k] For after that the tribe of Iudah had burnt it, they built it againe. ] inhabited Ierusalem: therefore the Iebusites dwell with the children of Beniamin in Ierusalem vnto this day.

²² ¶ They also yt were of the house of Ioseph, went vp to Beth-el, and the Lord was with them,

²³ And the house of Ioseph caused to viewe Beth-el (and the name of the citie beforetime was [Note: Gen.28.19. ] Luz)

²⁴ And the spies sawe a man come out of the citie, and they saide vnto him, Shewe vs, we praie

thee, the way into the citie, [Note: Iosh.2.14. ] and we will shewe thee mercie.

²⁵ And when hee had shewed them the waie into the citie, they smote the citie with the edge of the sworde, but they let the man and all his housholde depart.

²⁶ Then the man went into the lande of the Hittites, and built a citie, and called the name thereof Luz, which is the name thereof vnto this daie.

²⁷ ¶ [Note: Iosh.17.11. ] Neither did Manasseh destroie Bethshean with her townes, nor Taanach with her townes, nor the inhabitantes of Dor with her townes, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam with her townes, neither the inhabitants of Megiddo with her townes: [Note: [l] Wherefore God permitted the Canaanites to dwell still in the lande, read chap.3.4. ] but the Canaanites dwelled still in that lande.

²⁸ Neuerthelesse when Israel was strong, they put the Canaanites to tribute, and expelled them not wholly.

²⁹ ¶ [Note: Iosh.16.10. ] Likewise Ephraim expelled not the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer, but the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them.

³⁰ ¶ Neither did [Note: [m] That is, the tribe of Zebulun, as is also to be vnderstand of the rest. ] Zebulun expell the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol, but the Canaanites dwelt among them, and became tributaries.

³¹ ¶ Neither did Asher cast out the inhabitants of Accho, nor the inhabitants of Zidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob,

³² But the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites the inhabitantes of the lande: for they did not driue them [Note: [n] But made them paie tribute as the others did. ] out.

³³ ¶ Neither did Naphtali driue out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, nor the inhabitants of Beth-anath, but dwelt among the Canaanites the inhabitants of the lande: neuerthelesse the inhabitantes of Beth-shemesh, and of Beth-anath became tributaries vnto them.

³⁴ And the Amorites [Note: Or, afflicted them. ] droue the children of Dan into the mountaine: so that they suffered them not to come downe to the valley.

³⁵ And the Ammonites [Note: Or, would dwell. ] dwelt still in mount Heres in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim, and when the [Note: [o] Meaning, when he was stronger then they. ] hand of Iosephs familie preuailed, they became tributaries:

³⁶ And the coast of the Amorites was from Maaleh-akrabbim, euen from [Note: [p] Which was a citie in Arabia, or as some reade, from the rocke. ] Selah & vpward.

1 The Angel rebuketh the people, because they had made peace with the Canaanites. 11 The Israelites fell to idolatrie after Ioshuas death. 14 They are deliuered into the enemies hands. 16 God deliuereth them by Iudges. 22 Why God suffered idolaters to remaine among them.

¹ And an [Note: [a] That is, messenger, or prophet, as some thinke, Phinehas. ] Angel of the Lorde came vp from Gilgal to Bochim, & sayd, I made you to go vp out of Egypt, and haue brought you vnto the land which I had sworne vnto your fathers, and sayd, I wil neuer breake my couenant with you.

² [Note: Deut.7.2. ] Ye also shall make no couenant with the inhabitants of this land, [Note: Deut.12.3. ] but shall breake downe their altars: but ye haue not obeyed my voyce. Why haue ye done this?

³ Wherefore, I sayd also, I wil not cast them out before you, but they shalbe [Note: Iosh.23.13. ] as thornes vnto your sides, & their gods shalbe your [Note: Or, snare. ] destruction.

⁴ And when the Angel of the Lorde spake these wordes vnto all the children of Israel, the people lift vp their voyce, and wept.

⁵ Therefore they called the name of that

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place, [Note: Or, weeping. ] Bochim, and offered sacrifices there vnto the Lord.
⁶ ¶ Now when Ioshua had [Note: [b] After that he had diuided to euery man his portion by lot, Iosh. 24.28. ] sent the people away, the children of Israel went euery man into his inheritance, to possesse the land.

⁷ And the people had serued the Lord al the dayes of Ioshua, & all the dayes of the Elders that outliued Ioshua, which had seene all the great [Note: [c] Meaning, the wonders and miracles. ] works of the Lord that he did for Israel.

⁸ But Ioshua the sonne of Nun the seruant of the Lord dyed, when he was an hundreth and ten yeeres olde:

⁹ And they buryed him in the coastes of his inheritance, in [Note: [d] Heres by turning the letters backward is Sereh, as Iosh.24.30. ] Timnath-heres in mount Ephraim, on the Northside of mount Gaash.

¹⁰ And so all that generation was gathered vnto their fathers, & another generation arose after them, which neither knewe the Lord, nor yet the works, which he had done for Israel.

¹¹ ¶ Then the children of Israel did wickedly in the sight of the Lord, and serued [Note: [e] That is, all maner of idoles. ] Baalim,

¹² And forsooke ye Lord God of their fathers, which brought them out of the lande of Egypt, & followed other gods, euen the gods of the people that were round about them, & bowed vnto them, and prouoked the Lord to anger.

¹³ So they forsooke the Lorde, and serued [Note: Chap.10.6. ] Baal, and [Note: [f] These were Idoles, which had the forme of an ewe or sheepe among ye Sidonians. ] Ashtaroth.

¹⁴ And the wrath of the Lorde was hote against Israel, & he deliuered them into the hands of spoylers, that spoyled them, and he [Note: Psal.44.12. isa.50.1. ] sold them into the handes of their enemies rounde about them, so that they could no longer stande before their enemies.

¹⁵ [Note: [g] In all their enterprises. ] Whithersoeuer they went out, the [Note: [h] The vegeance. ] hand of the Lord was sore against them, as ye Lord had sayd, and as the Lord had sworne vnto them: so he punished them sore.

¹⁶ ¶ Notwithstanding, the Lorde raysed vp [Note: Or, Magistrates. ] Iudges, which [Note: Ebr. saued. ] deliuered them out of the hands of their oppressours.

¹⁷ But yet they would not obey their Iudges: for they went a whoring after other gods, & worshipped them, & turned quickly out of the [Note: [i] Meaning, from the true religion. ] way, wherein their fathers walked, obeying the commandements of the Lord: they did not so.

¹⁸ And when the Lorde had raysed them vp Iudges, the Lord was with the Iudge, & deliuered them out of the hande of their enemies all the dayes of the Iudge (for the Lord [Note: Ebr. repented. ] had compassio on their gronings, [Note: [k] Seeing their crueltie. ] because of them that oppressed them and tormented them)

¹⁹ Yet [Note: Chap.3.12. ] when the Iudge was dead, they returned, and [Note: Ebr. corrupt themselues. ] did worse then their fathers, in following other gods to serue them and worshippe them: they ceased not from their owne inuentions, nor from their rebellious way.

²⁰ Wherfore the wrath of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he sayd, Because this people hath transgressed my couenant, which I commaded their fathers, & hath not obeyed my voyce,

²¹ Therefore will I no more cast out before them any of the [Note: [l] As the Hiuites, Iebusites, Amorites, &c. ] nations, which Ioshua left when he dyed,

²² That through them I may [Note: [m] So that both outward enemies and false prophets are but a triall to proue our faith, Deut.13.3. and chap.3.1. ] proue Israel, whether they wil keepe the way of the Lorde, to walke therein, as their fathers kept it, or not.

²³ So the Lorde left those nations, and droue them not out immediatly, neither deliuered them into the hand of Ioshua.

1 The Canaanites were left to trie Israel. 5 Othniel deliuereth Israel. 21 Ehud killeth King Eglon, 31 Shamgar killeth the Philistims.

¹ These nowe are the nations which the Lorde left, that he might proue Israel by them (euen as many of Israel as had not knowen all the [Note: [a] Which were atchieued by the hand of God, and not by the power of man. ] warres of Canaan,

² Only to make the generations of the children of Israel to know, and to teach them warre, which doutles their predecessors knew [Note: [b] For they trusted in God, and he fought for them. ] not)

³ Fiue princes of the Philistims, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, & the Hiuites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal-hermon vntill one come to Hamath.

⁴ And these remayned to proue Israel by them, to wit, whether they would obey the commandements of the Lorde, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

⁵ And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, the Hittites, & the Amorites, and the Perizzites, & the Hiuites, and the Iebusites,

⁶ And they tooke [Note: [c] Contrary to Gods commandement, Deut.7.3. ] their daughters to bee their wiues, and gaue their daughters to their sonnes, and serued their gods.

⁷ ¶ So the children of Israel did wickedly in the sight of the Lord, & forgate the Lorde their God, and serued Baalim, and [Note: [d] Trees or woods erected for Idolatrie. ] Asheroth.

⁸ Therefore the wrath of the Lorde was kindled against Israel, and he solde them into the hand of Chushan rishathaim King of [Note: Or, Mesopotamia. ] Aram-naharaim, and the children of Israel serued Chushan rishathaim eyght yeeres.

⁹ ¶ And when the children of Israel cryed vnto the Lorde, the Lord stirred vp a sauiour to ye children of Israel, & he saued them, euen Othniel the sonne of Kenaz, Calebs yonger brother.

¹⁰ And the [Note: [e] He was stirred vp by the Spirit of the Lord. ] spirite of the Lorde came vpon him, and he iudged Israel, & went out to warre: and the Lord deliuered Chushan rishathaim king of [Note: Or, Syria. ] Aram into his hand, and his hand preuailed against Chushan rishathaim.

¹¹ So the lande had rest [Note: [f] That is, 32. vnder Ioshua, and eight vnder Othniel. ] fourtie yeeres, and Othniel the sonne of Kenaz dyed.

¹² ¶ Then the children of Israel againe committed wickednesse in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord [Note: [g] So that the enemies of Gods people haue no power ouer them, but by Gods appointmet. ] strengthened Eglon King of Moab against Israel, because they had committed wickednesse before the Lord.

¹³ And he gathered vnto him the children of Ammon, and Amalek, & went and smote Israel, and they possessed the citie of palme trees.

¹⁴ So the children of Israel serued Eglon king of Moab eighteene yeeres.

¹⁵ But when the children of Israel cried vnto the Lorde, the Lorde stirred them vp a sauiour, Ehud the sonne of Gera the sonne of [Note: Or, Beniamin. ] Iemini, a man [Note: Or, left handed. ] lame of his right hande: and the children of Israel sent a present by him vnto Eglon King of Moab.

¹⁶ And Ehud [Note: Or, caused a dagger to be made. ] made him a dagger with two edges of a cubite length, and he did gird it vnder his rayment vpon his right thigh,

¹⁷ And he presented ye gift vnto Eglon King of Moab (and Eglon was a very fat man)

¹⁸ And when he had now presented the present, he sent away the people that bare ye present,

¹⁹ But he turned againe from the [Note: [h] Or, as some reade, from the places of idoles. ] quarris, that were by Gilgal, & said, I haue a secret errand vnto thee, O King. Who said, Keepe [Note: [i] Till all be departed. ] silence: and [Page]

all that stoode about him, went out from him.

²⁰ Then Ehud came vnto him. (and he sate alone in a sommer parler, which he had) and Ehud said, I haue a message vnto thee from God. Then he arose out of his throne,

²¹ And Ehud put forth his left hand, & tooke the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his bellie,

²² So that the hafte went in after the blade, and the fatte closed about the blade, so that he could not drawe the dagger out of his bellie, but the dirt came out.

²³ Then Ehud gate him out into the [Note: Or, hall. ] porch, and shut the doores of the parler vpon him, and locked them.

²⁴ And when he was gone out, his seruantes came: who seeing that the doores of the parler were locked, they sayd, [Note: Ebr. he couereth his feete. ] Surely he doeth his easement in his sommer chamber.

²⁵ And they taryed till they were ashamed: & seeing he opened not the doores of the parler, they tooke the key, and opened them, & behold, their lord was fallen dead on the earth.

²⁶ So Ehud escaped (while they taried) & was passed the quarris, and escaped vnto Seirah.

²⁷ And when he came home, [Note: Or, caused the trumpet to be blowen, Nomb. 10. 2, 3. ] he blew a trumpet in mount Ephraim, and the children of Israel went downe with him from the mountaine, and he went before them.

²⁸ Then said he vnto them, Follow me: for the Lorde hath deliuered your enemies, euen Moab into your hand. So they went downe after him, & tooke the passages of Iorden towarde Moab, and suffred not a man to passe ouer.

²⁹ And they slewe of the Moabites the same time about ten thousand men, all [Note: Or, strong, and big bodied. ] fed men, & all were warriours, and there escaped not a man.

³⁰ So Moab was [Note: Ebr. humbled. ] subdued that daye, vnder the hand of Israel: and the [Note: [k] Meaning, the Israelites. ] land had rest fourescore yeeres.

³¹ ¶ And after him was Shamgar the sonne of Anath, which slewe of the Philistims sixe hundreth men with an oxe [Note: [l] So that it is not the nomber, nor the meanes that God regardeth, when he will get the victorie. ] goade, and he also deliuered Israel.

1 Israel sinne & are giuen into the hands of Iabin. 4 Deborah iudgeth Israel, and exhorteth Barak to deliuer the people. 15 Sisera fleeth, 17 and is killed by Iael.

¹ And the children of Israel [Note: Ebr. added, or continued to do euill. ] began againe to do wickedly in the sight of the Lorde when Ehud was dead.

² And the Lord sold them into the hande of [Note: [a] There was another Iabin, whome Ioshua killed and burnt his citie Hazor, Iosh.11.13. ] Iabin King of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor, whose chiefe Captaine was called Sisera, which dwelt in [Note: [b] That is, in a wood, or strong place. ] Harosheth of the Gentiles.

³ Then the children of Israel cryed vnto the Lord: (for he had nine hundreth charets of yron, and twentie yeeres he had vexed the children of Israel very sore)

⁴ ¶ And at that time Deborah a Prophetesse the wife of Lapidoth [Note: [c] By the spirite of prophecie, resoluing of controuersies and declaring the will of God. ] iudged Israel.

⁵ And this Deborah dwelt vnder a palme tree, betweene Ramah and Beth-el in mount Ephraim, and the children of Israel came vp to her for iudgement.

⁶ Then shee sent and called Barak the sonne of Abinoam out of Kadesh of Naphtali, and sayd vnto him, Hath not the Lorde God of Israel [Note: [d] And reueiled vnto me by the spirit of prophecie. ] commanded, saying, Goe, and drawe towarde mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousande

men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?

⁷ And I wil drawe vnto thee to the [Note: Psal 83.9, 10. ] [Note: Or, valley. ] riuer Kishon Sisera, the captaine of Iabins armie with his charets, and his multitude, and wil deliuer him into thine hand.

⁸ And Barak sayd vnto her, [Note: [e] Fearing his owne weakenes & his enemies power, he desireth the prophetesse to go with him to assure him of Gods will from time to time. ] If thou wilt go with me, I will go: but if thou wilt not goe with me, I will not go.

⁹ Then shee answered, I will surely goe with thee, but this iourney that thou takest, shall not be for thine honour: for the Lord shal sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose & went with Barak to Kedesh.

¹⁰ ¶ And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh, and [Note: Or, he led after him 10000 men. ] he went vp on his feete with ten thousand men, and Deborah went vp with him.

¹¹ (Now Heber the Kenite, which was of the [Note: Or, posteritie. ] children of [Note: Nom.10.29. ] Hobab the father in lawe of Moses, was departed from the [Note: Ebr. from Kain. ] Kenites, and pitched his tent [Note: [f] Meaning, that he possessed a great part of that countrey. ] vntill the playne of Zaanaim, which is by Kedesh)

¹² Then they shewed Sisera, that Barak the sonne of Abinoam was gone vp to mout Tabor.

¹³ And Sisera called for all his charets, euen nine hundreth charets of yron, and all the people that were with him from Harosheth of the Gentiles, vnto the riuer Kishon.

¹⁴ Then Deborah sayd vnto Barak, [Note: [g] She still encourageth him to this enterprise by assuring him of Gods fauour and ayde. ] Vp: for this is the day that the Lord hath deliuered Sisera into thine hand. Is not the Lord gone out before thee? So Barak went downe from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.

¹⁵ And the Lorde destroyed Sisera and all his charets, & al his hoste with the edge of the sword before Barak, so that Sisera lighted downe off his charet, and fled away on his feete.

¹⁶ But [Note: Psal.83.1. ] Barak pursued after the charets, and after the hoste vnto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the hoste of Sisera fel vpon the edge of the sworde: there was not a man left.

¹⁷ Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feete to the tent of Iael the wife of [Note: [h] Whose anciters were strangers, but worshipped the true God, & therefore were ioyned with Israel. ] Heber the Kenite: (for peace was betweene Iabin the king of Hazor, & betweene the house of Heber the Kenite)

¹⁸ And Iael went out to meete Sisera, & sayd vnto him, Turne in, my lord, turne in to me: feare not. And when he had turned in vnto her into her tent, she couered him with a [Note: Or, blanket. ] mantell.

¹⁹ And he said vnto her, Giue me, I pray thee, a litle water to drinke: for I am thirstie. And shee opened [Note: Chap. 5 25. ] a bottel of milke, and gaue him drinke, and couered him.

²⁰ Againe he sayde vnto her, Stande in the doore of the tent, and when any man doth come and enquire of thee, saying, Is [Note: [i] To wit, Sisera. ] any man there? thou shalt say, Nay.

²¹ Then Iael Hebers wife tooke a [Note: [k] That is, the pinne or stake, whereby it was fastened to the ground. ] nayle of the tent, and tooke an hammer in her hande, and went softly vnto him, & smote the nayle into his temples, and fastened it into the grounde, (for he was fast a sleepe and weary) and so he dyed.

²² And behold, as Barak pursued after Sisera, Iael came out to meete him, and sayd vnto him, Come, & I wil shewe thee the man, whome thou seekest: and when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay [Note: [l] So he saw that a woman had the honour, as Deborah prophecied. ] dead, and the nayle in his temples.

²³ So God brought downe Iabin the King of Canaan that day before the children of Israel.

²⁴ And the hande of the children of Israel

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[Note: Ebr. went and was strong. ] prospered, and preuailed against Iabin the King of Canaan, vntill they had destroyed Iabin King of Canaan.

1 The song and thankes giuing of Deborah and Barak, after the victorie.

¹ Then sang Deborah, and Barak the sonne of Abinoam the same day, saying,

² Praise ye the Lord for the auenging of Israel, and for the [Note: [a] To wit, the two tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali. ] people that offred themselues willingly.

³ Heare, ye Kings, hearken ye princes: I, euen I will sing vnto the Lord: I will sing praise vnto the Lord God of Israel.

⁴ Lorde, [Note: Deut.4.11. ] when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou departedst out of the field of [Note: Deut.2.1. ] Edom, the earth trembled, and the heauens rained, the cloudes also dropped water.

⁵ [Note: Psal.97.5. ] The mountaines melted before the Lord, [Note: Exod.19.18. ] as did that Sinai before the Lord God of Israel.

⁶ In the dayes of [Note: Chap.3.31. ] Shamgar the sonne of Anath, in the dayes of [Note: Chap.4.18. ] Iael the hie wayes were [Note: [b] For feare of the enemies. ] vnoccupied, and the trauelers walked through by wayes.

⁷ The townes were not inhabited: they decayed, I say, in Israel, vntill I Deborah came vp, which rose vp a [Note: [c] Miraculously stirred vp of God to pitie them and deliuer them. ] mother in Israel.

⁸ They chose new gods: then was warre in the gates. Was there a [Note: [d] They had no heart to resist their enemies. ] shielde or speare seene among fourtie thousand of Israel?

⁹ Mine heart is set on the gouernours of Israel, and on them that are willing among the people: praise ye the Lord.

¹⁰ Speake ye that ride on [Note: [e] Ye gouernours. ] white asses, yee that dwel [Note: [f] As in danger of your enemies. ] by Middin, & that walke by the way.

¹¹ For the noyse of the archers appaised among the [Note: [g] For now you may drawe water without feare of your enemies. ] drawers of water: there shal they rehearse the righteousnesse of the Lorde, his righteousnesse of his townes in Israel: then did the people of the Lord goe downe to the gates.

¹² Vp Deborah, vp, arise, and sing a song: arise Barak, and leade [Note: [h] To wit, them that kept thy people in captiuitie. ] thy captiuitie captiue, thou sonne of Abinoam.

¹³ For they that remaine, haue dominio ouer the mightie of the people: the Lorde hath giuen me dominion ouer the strong.

¹⁴ Of Ephraim [Note: [i] Ioshua first fought against Amalek, and Saul destroyed him. ] their roote arose against Amalek: & after thee, Beniamin shall fight against thy people, O Amalek: of Machir came rulers, & of Zebulun they yt handle the pen of the [Note: [k] Euen the learned did helpe to fight. ] writer.

¹⁵ And the Princes of Issachar were with Deborah, and [Note: [l] Euen the whole tribe. ] Issachar, and also Barak: he was set on his feete in the valley: for the diuisions of Reuben were great [Note: [m] They marueiled, that they came not ouer Iorden to helpe them. ] thoughts of heart.

¹⁶ Why abodest thou among the sheepefolds, to heare the bleatings of the flockes? for the diuisions of Reuben were great thoughts of heart.

¹⁷ [Note: [n] She reproueth all them that came not to helpe their brethren in their necessitie. ] Gilead abode beyonde Iorden: and why doeth Dan remayne in shippes? Asher sate on the sea shoare, and taryed in his [Note: [o] Either by beating of the Sea, or by mining. ] decayed places.

¹⁸ But the people of Zebulun and Naphtali haue ieopard their liues vnto the death in the hie places of the field.

¹⁹ The Kings came and fought: then fought the Kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo: they receiued no gaine of [Note: [p] They wan nothing, but lost all. ] money.

²⁰ They fought from heauen, euen the starres in their courses fought against Sisera.

²¹ The Riuer Kishon [Note: [q] As a besome doeth the filth of the house. ] swepe them away, that ancient riuer the riuer Kishon. O my soule,

thou hast marched valiantly.

²² Then were the horsehooues broken with the oft beating together of their mightie men.

²³ Curse ye [Note: [r] It was a citie neere Tabor, where they fought. ] Meroz: (sayd the Angel of the Lorde) curse the inhabitantes thereof, because they came not to helpe the Lorde, to helpe the Lord against the mighty.

²⁴ Iael the wife of Heber the Kenite shall be blessed aboue other women: blessed shall she be aboue women dwelling in tentes.

²⁵ He asked water, and shee gaue him milke: she brought forth [Note: [s] Some reade, churned milke in a great cup. ] butter in a lordly dish.

²⁶ She put her hand to the naile, & her right hand to the workemans hammer: with the hammer smote she Sisera: she smote off his head, after she had wounded, and pearsed his temples.

²⁷ He bowed him downe at her feete, he fell downe, and lay still: at her feete hee bowed him downe, and fell: and when he had sunke downe, he lay there [Note: Ebr. destroyed. ] dead.

²⁸ The mother of Sisera looked out at a windowe, and cryed thorowe the lattesse, Why is his charet so long a comming? why tary the [Note: Or, feete. ] wheeles of his charets?

²⁹ Her wise ladies answered her, Yea. [Note: [t] That is, shee comforted her selfe. ] Shee answered her selfe with her owne wordes,

³⁰ Haue they not gotten, and they deuide the spoyle? euery man hath a mayde or two. Sisera hath a praye of diuers coloured garmentes, a pray of sundry colours made of needle worke: of diuers colours of needle worke on both sides, [Note: [u] Because he was chiefe of the army. ] for the chiefe of the spoyle.

³¹ So let all thine enemies perish, O Lorde: but they that loue him, shall be as the [Note: [x] Shall growe dayly more and more in Gods fauour. ] Sunne when he riseth in his might, and the lande had rest fourtie yeres.

1 Israel is oppressed of the Midianites for their wickednesse. 14 Gideon is sent to be their deliuerer. 37 He asketh a signe.

¹ Afterwarde the children of Israel committed wickednesse in the sight of the Lorde, and the Lorde gaue them into the handes of Midian seuen yeres.

² And the hand of Midian preuayled against Israel, [Note: [a] For feare of the Midianites, they fledde into the dennes of the mountaines. ] and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them dennes in the mountaines, and caues, and strong holdes.

³ When Israel had sowen, then came vp the Midianites, the Amalekites, & they of the [Note: Or, of Kedem. ] East, and came vpon them,

⁴ And camped by them, and destroyed the fruite of the earth, euen til thou come vnto [Note: [b] Euen almost the whole countrey. ] Azzah, and left no foode for Israel, neither sheepe, nor oxe, nor asse.

⁵ For they went vp, and their cattel, & came with their tentes as grashoppers in multitude: so that they & their camels were without number: and they came into the land to destroy it.

⁶ So was Israel exceedingly impouerished by the Midianites: therefore the [Note: [c] This is the ende of Gods punishments, to call his to repentance that they may seeke for helpe of him. ] children of Israel cryed vnto the Lord.

⁷ ¶ And when the children of Israel cryed vnto the Lord because of the Midianites,

⁸ The Lord sent vnto the children of Israel a Prophet, who sayd vuto them, Thus sayth the Lord God of Israel, I haue brought you vp from Egypt, and haue brought you out of the house of bondage,

⁹ And I haue deliuered you out of the hand [Page]

of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and haue cast them out before you, and giuen you their land.

¹⁰ And I sayde vnto you, I am the Lord your God: [Note: 2.King.17.35,38. iere.10.2. ] feare not the gods of the Amorites in whose lande you dwell: but ye haue not obeyed my voyce.

¹¹ ¶ And the Angell of the Lord came, and sate vnder the oke which was in Ophrah, that perteined vnto Ioash the father of the Ezrites, and his sonne Gideon threshed wheate by the winepresse, [Note: Or, to prepare his flight. ] to hide it from the Midianites.

¹² Then the Angel of the Lord appeared vnto him, and said vnto him, The Lord is with thee, thou valiant man.

¹³ To whome Gideon answered, [Note: [d] This came not of distrust, but of weakenesse of faith, which is in the most perfect: for no man in this life can haue a perfect faith: yet the children of God haue a true faith whereby they be iustified. ] Ah my Lorde, if the Lord be with vs, why then is all this come vpon vs? and where be all his miracles which our fathers tolde vs of, and sayd, Did not the Lorde bring vs out of Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsaken vs, and deliuered vs into the hand of the Midianites.

¹⁴ And the [Note: [e] That is, Christ appearing in visible forme. ] Lord looked vpon him, & sayd, Goe in this thy [Note: [f] Which I haue giuen thee. ] might, and thou shalt saue Israel out of the handes of the Midianites: haue not I sent thee?

¹⁵ And he answered him, Ah my Lord, whereby shal I saue Israel? beholde, my [Note: Or, familie. ] father is poore in Manasseh, and I am the least in my fathers house.

¹⁶ Then the Lord sayd vnto him, I wil therefore be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites, as one man.

¹⁷ And he answered him, I pray thee, if I haue founde fauour in thy sight, then shewe me [Note: [g] So that we see howe the flesh is enemie vnto Gods vocation, which cannot be perswaded without signes. ] a signe, that thou talkest with me.

¹⁸ Depart not hence, I pray thee, vntil I come vnto thee, and bring mine offring, and lay it before thee. And he sayde, I will tary vntill thou come againe.

¹⁹ ¶ Then Gideon went in, and made ready a kidde, and vnleauened bread of an [Note: [h] Of Ephah, reade Exod.16.36. ] Ephah of floure, and put the flesh in a basket, and put the broth in a pot, and brought it out vnto him vnder the oke, and presented it.

²⁰ And the Angell of God saide vnto him, Take the flesh and the vnleauened bread, and lay them vpon this stone, and powre out the broth: and he did so.

²¹ ¶ Then the Angell of the Lord put forth the ende of the staffe that he had in his hand, and touched the flesh and the vnleauened bread: and there arose vp fire [Note: [i] By the power of God onely, as in the sacrifice of Helias, 1.King. 18.38. ] out of the stone, & consumed the flesh and the vnleauened bread: so the Angel of the Lord departed out of his sight.

²² And when Gideon perceiued that it was an Angel of the Lord, Gideon then sayde, Alas, my Lord God: [Note: Exod.33.20. chap.13.22. ] for because I haue seene an Angell of the Lord face to face, I shall die.

²³ And the Lord said vnto him, Peace be vnto thee: feare not, thou shalt not die.

²⁴ Then Gideon made an altar there vnto the Lord, and called it, [Note: Or, the Lord of peace. ] Iehouah shalom: vnto this day it is in Ophrah, of the father of the Ezrites.

²⁵ ¶ And the same night the Lord sayd vnto him, Take thy fathers yong bullocke, and an other bullocke [Note: [k] That is, as the Chalde text writeth, fed seuen yeeres. ] of seuen yeeres olde, and destroy the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut downe the groue that is by it,

²⁶ And build an altar vnto the Lord thy God

vpon the top of this rocke, in a plaine place: and take the seconde bullocke, and offer a burnt offringe with the woode of the [Note: [l] Which groweth about Baals altar. ] groue, which thou shalt cut downe.

²⁷ Then Gideon tooke tenne men of his seruants, and did as ye Lord bade him: but because he feared to doe it by day for his fathers housholde, and the men of the citie, he did it by night.

²⁸ ¶ And when the men of the citie arose early in the morning, beholde, the altar of Baal was broken, and the groue cut downe that was by it, and the [Note: [m] Meaning, the fat bull, which was kept to be offred vnto Baal. ] seconde bullocke offred vpon the altar that was made.

²⁹ Therefore they saide one to another, Who hath done this thing? and when they inquired & asked, they saide, Gideon the sonne of Ioash hath done this thing.

³⁰ Then the men of the citie said vnto Ioash, Bring out thy sonne, that hee may dye: for he hath destroyed the altar of Baal, and hath also cut downe the groue that was by it.

³¹ And Ioash said vnto all that stood by him, Will ye pleade Baals cause? or will ye saue him? [Note: [n] Thus we ought to iustifie them, that are zealous of Gods cause, though all the multitude be against vs. ] he that will contend for him, let him dye or the morning. If he be God, let him pleade for himselfe against him that hath cast downe his altar.

³² And in that day was Gideon called Ierubbaal, that is, Let Baal pleade for himselfe because he hath broken downe his altar.

³³ Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and they of ye East, were gathered together, aud went and pitched in the valley of Izreel.

³⁴ But the Spirit of the Lorde [Note: Ebr. clad Gideon. ] came vpon Gideon, [Note: Nom.10.3. chap.3.27. ] and he blew a trumpet, and [Note: [o] The familie of Abiezer, whereof he was. ] Abiezer was ioyned with him.

³⁵ And he sent messengers thorowout al Manasseh, which also was ioyned with him, and he sent messengers vnto Asher, and to Zebulun and to Naphtali, and they came vp to meete them.

³⁶ Then Gideon said vnto God, [Note: [p] This request proceeded not of infidelitie, but that he might be confirmed in his vocation. ] If thou wilt saue Israel by mine hand, as thou hast sayd,

³⁷ Beholde, I wil put a fleece of wooll in the threshing place: if the dewe come on the fleece onely, and it be drie vpon all the earth, then shall I be sure, that thou wilt saue Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.

³⁸ And so it was: for he rose vp earely on the morow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, and filled a bowle of water.

³⁹ Againe, Gideon sayde vnto God, Be not angry with me, that [Note: Gen.18.32. ] I may speake once more: let me prooue once againe, I pray thee, with the fleece: let it now be drie onely vpon the fleece, and let dewe be vpon all the ground.

⁴⁰ And God did so that same night: for it was [Note: [q] Whereby he was assured that it was a miracle of God. ] drie vpon the fleece onely, and there was dewe on all the ground.

2 The Lord commandeth Gideon to send away a great part of his company. 22 The Midianites are discomfited by a wonderous sort. 25 Oreb and Zeeb are slaine.

¹ Then [Note: Chap.8.35. ] Ierubbaal (who is Gideon) rose vp early, and all the people that were with him, and pitched beside [Note: Ebr. En-harod. ] the well of Harod, so that the hoste of the Midianites was on the Northside of them in the valley by the hill of [Note: Ebr. Hammoreh. ] Moreh.

² And the Lord said vnto Gideon, The people yt are with thee, are too many for me to giue the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel make

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their [Note: [a] God will not that any creature depriue him of his glory. ] vaunt against me, and say, Mine hand hath saued mee.
³ Now therefore proclaime in the audience of the people, and say, [Note: Deut.20.8. 1.mac.3.56. ] Who so is timerous or fearefull, let him returne, and depart earely from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people which were at mount Gilead, two and twentie thousand: so ten thousand remayned.

⁴ And the Lord said vnto Gideon, The people are yet too many: bring them downe vnto the water, and I will [Note: [b] I will giue thee a proofe to knowe them that shal go with thee. ] try them for thee there: and of whome I say vnto thee, This man shal goe with thee, the same shal go with thee: and of whomsoeuer I say vnto thee, This man shal not goe with thee, the same shal not go.

⁵ So he brought downe the people vnto the water. And the Lord sayd vnto Gideon, As many as lap the water with their tongues, as a dog lappeth, them put by themselues, and euery one that shal bow downe his knees to [Note: [c] Let them depart as vnmeete for this enterprise. ] drinke, put apart.

⁶ And the nomber of them that lapped by putting their handes to their mouthes, were three hundreth men: but all the remnant of the people kneeled downe vpo their knees to drinke water.

⁷ ¶ Then the Lorde sayde vnto Gideon, By these three hundreth men that lapped, will I saue you, and deliuer the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other [Note: [d] That is, the one & thirty thousand, & 700. Looke verses 3. and 6. ] people go euery man vnto his place.

⁸ ¶ So the people tooke vitailes [Note: Ebr. in their handes. ] with them, & their trumpets: and he sent all the rest of Israel, euery man vnto his tent, and [Note: Or, incouraged. ] reteined the three hundreth men: and the hoste of Midian was beneath him in a valley.

⁹ ¶ And the same night the Lord sayde vnto him, Arise, [Note: [e] Thus the Lord by diuers meanes doth strengthen him, that he faint not in so great an enterprise. ] get thee downe vnto the hoste: for I haue deliuered it into thine hand.

¹⁰ But if thou feare to go downe, then go thou, and Phurah thy seruant downe to the hoste,

¹¹ And thou shalt hearken what they say, and so shal thine handes be strong to go downe vnto the hoste. Then went he downe and Phurah his seruant vnto the outside of the souldiers that were in the hoste.

¹² ¶ And the Midianites, and the Amalekites and all [Note: Chap.6.33. ] they of the East, lay in the valley like grashoppers in multitude, and their camels were without nomber, as the sande which is by the sea side for multitude.

¹³ And when Gideon was come, beholde, a man tolde a dreame vnto his neighbour, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dreame, & lo, a [Note: [f] Some reade, a trembling noyse of barley bread: meaning, that one of no reputation should make their great armie to tremble. ] cake of barley bread tumbled from aboue into the hoste of Midian, & came vnto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and ouerturned it, that the tent fell downe.

¹⁴ And his fellow answered, and sayde, This is nothing els saue the sworde of Gideon the sonne of Ioash a man of Israel: for into his hande hath God deliuered Midian and all the hoste.

¹⁵ ¶ When Gideon heard the dreame tolde, and the interpretation of the same, he [Note: [g] Or gaue God thanks, as it is in the Chalde text. ] worshipped, and returned vnto the hoste of Israel, & said, Vp: for the Lord hath deliuered into your hande the hoste of Midian.

¹⁶ And hee deuided the three hundreth men into three bandes, and gaue euery man a trumpet in his hande with emptie pitchers, and [Note: Or, firebrandes. ] lampes [Note: [h] These weake meanes God vsed to signifie that the whole victorie came of him. ] within the pitchers.

¹⁷ And he sayd vnto them, Looke on me, and do likewise, when I come to the side of the hoste:

euen as I do, so do you.

¹⁸ When I blowe with a trumpet and all that are with me, blowe ye with trumpets also on euery side of the hoste, and say, [Note: [i] That is, the victorie shalbe the Lordes & Gideons his seruant. ] For the Lorde, and for Gideon.

¹⁹ ¶ So Gideon and the hundreth men that were with him, came vnto the outside of the hoste, in the beginning of the middle watche, and they raised vp the watchmen, and they blew with their trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their handes.

²⁰ And the three companies blew with trumpets and brake the pitchers, and helde the lampes in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right. handes to blowe withall: and they cryed, The [Note: [k] Shal destroy the enemies. ] sword of the Lord and of Gideon.

²¹ And they stoode, euery man in his place round about the hoste: and all the hoste [Note: Or, broke their array. ] ranne, and cryed, and fled.

²² And the three hundreth blewe with trumpets, and [Note: Isa.9.4. ] the Lord set euery mans sworde vpon his [Note: [l] The Lord caused the Midianites to kill one another. ] neighbour, & vpon all the hoste: so the hoste fled to Beth-hashittah in Zererah, & to the border of Abel-meholah, vnto Tabbath.

²³ Then the men of Israel being gathered together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, pursued after the Midianites.

²⁴ And Gideon sent messengers vnto all mount Ephraim, saying, Come downe against the Midianites, and take before them the [Note: [m] Meaning, the passages or the soordes, that they should not escape. ] waters vnto Beth-barah, and Iorden. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered together and tooke the waters vnto Beth-barah, and Iorden.

²⁵ And they tooke two [Note: Psa.83.11. isa.10.26. ] princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb, and slew Oreb vpon the rocke Oreb, and slewe Zeeb at [Note: [n] These places had their names of the actes that were done there. ] the winepresse of Zeeb, and pursued the Midianites, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon beyonde Iorden.

1 Ephraim murmureth against Gideon, 2 who appeaseth them. 4 He passeth the Iorden. 16 He reuengeth himselfe on them of Succoth and Penuel. 27 He maketh an Ephod which was the cause of idolatrie. 30 Of Gideons sonnes & of his death.

¹ Then the men of Ephraim sayde vnto him, [Note: [a] They began to cauil, because he had the glory of the victorie. ] Why hast thou serued vs thus that thou calledst vs not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? and they chode with him sharply.

² To whom he said, What haue I now done in comparison of [Note: [b] Which haue slaine two princes, Oreb and Zeeb. ] you? is not the [Note: [c] This last acte of the whole tribe is more famous, then the whole enterprise of one man of one familie. ] gleaning of grapes of Ephraim better, then the vintage of Abiezer?

³ God hath deliuered into your handes the princes of Midian, Oreb & Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? & when he had thus spoken, then their spirits abated toward him.

⁴ ¶ And Gideon came to Iorden to passe ouer, hee, and the three hundreth men that were with him, weary, yet pursuing them.

⁵ And he said vnto the men of Succoth, Giue, I pray you, [Note: [d] Or, some small portion. ] morsels of bread vnto the people [Note: Ebr. that are at my feete. ] that followe me (for they be wearie) that I may follow after Zebah, & Zalmunna Kings of Midia.

⁶ And the princes of Succoth sayde, Are the [Note: [e] Because thou hast ouercome an handfull thinkest thou to haue ouercome the whole. ] handes of Zebah and Zalmunna nowe in thine hads, that we should giue bread vnto thine army?

⁷ Gideon then sayde, Therefore when the Lorde hath deliuered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, I will [Note: Ebr. beate in pieces. ] teare your flesh with thornes of the wildernes and with breers.
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⁸ ¶ And he went vp thence to Penuel, and spake vnto them likewise, and the men of Penuel answered him, as the men of Succoth answered.

⁹ And he sayd also vnto the men of Penuel, When I come againe [Note: [f] Hauing gotten the victorie. ] in peace, I will breake downe this towre.

¹⁰ ¶ Now Zebah & Zalmunna were [Note: [g] A citie Eastward beyonde Iorden. ] in Karkor, and their hostes with them, about fifteene thousande, all that were left of all the hostes of them of the East: for there was slaine an hundreth and twentie thousand men, that drew swordes.

¹¹ ¶ And Gideon went through them that dwelt in [Note: [h] He went by the wildernes where the Arabians dwelt in tents. ] Tabernacles on the East side of Nobah and Iogbehah, and smote the hoste: for the hoste was carelesse.

¹² And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, hee followed after them, and tooke the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the hoste.

¹³ ¶ So Gideon the sonne of Ioash returned from battel, [Note: [i] Some reade, before the sunne rose vp. ] the sunne being yet hie,

¹⁴ And tooke a seruant of the me of Succoth, and inquired of him: and he [Note: Or, described. ] wrote to him the princes of Succoth and the Elders thereof, euen seuentie and seuen men.

¹⁵ And he came vnto the men of Succoth, & sayd, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, by whome ye vpbrayded me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah & Zalmunna already in thine hands, that we should giue bread vnto thy weary men?

¹⁶ Then he tooke the Elders of the citie, and thornes of the wildernes & breers, & [Note: Ebr. brake in pieces, as one thresheth corne. ] did teare the men of Succoth with them.

¹⁷ Also he brake downe the towre of [Note: 1. King.12.25. ] Penuel, and slew the men of the citie.

¹⁸ ¶ Then saide he vnto Zebah & Zalmunna, What maner of men were they, whom ye slew at Tabor? and they answered, [Note: Or, they were like vnto thee. ] As thou art, so were they: euery one was like the children of a King.

¹⁹ And he said, They were my brethren, euen my [Note: [k] We came all out of one belly: therefore I will be reuenged. ] mothers children: as the Lorde liueth, if ye had saued their liues, I would not slay you.

²⁰ Then he sayde vnto Iether his first borne sonne, Vp, & slay them: but the boy drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet yong.

²¹ Then Zebah & Zalmunna sayd, Rise thou, & fall vpon vs: for [Note: [l] Meaning, that they would be rid out of their paine at once, or els to haue a valiant man to put them to death. ] as the man is, sou his stregth. And Gideon arose and slew Zebah & Zalmunna, and tooke away the [Note: Or, collers. ] ornamentes, that were on their camels neckes.

²² ¶ Then the men of Israel sayd vnto Gideon, Reigne thou ouer vs, both thou, & thy sonne, and thy [Note: [m] That is, thy posteritie. ] sonnes sonne: for thou hast deliuered vs out of the hand of Midian.

²³ And Gideon sayde vnto them, I will not reigne ouer you, neither shal my childe reigne ouer you, but the Lord shal reigne ouer you.

²⁴ Againe Gideon sayd vnto them, [Note: [n] His intent was to shew himselfe thankfull for this victorie by restoring of religion, which, because it was not according as God had commanded, turned to their destruction. ] I would desire a request of you, that you would giue mee euery man the earings of his pray (for they had golden earings because they were Ismaelites)

²⁵ And they answered, Wee will giue them. And they spred a garment, and did cast therein euery man the earings of his pray.

²⁶ And the weight of the golden earings that he required, was a thousande and seuen hundreth shekels of golde, beside collers [Note: Or, sweete balles. ] and iewels, and purple rayment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the cheynes that were about their camels neckes.

²⁷ And Gideon made an [Note: [o] That is such things as perteined to the vse of the Tabernacle. Looke more of Ephod, Exo. 28.4,6. 1.sam.2.18.& 2. sam.6.14& chap.17.5. ] Ephod thereof, & put it in Ophrah his citie: and all Israel went a whoring there after it, which was the destruction of Gideon and his house.

²⁸ Thus was Midian brought lowe before the children of Israel, so that they lift vp their heads no more: and the countrey was in quietnes fourtie yeeres in the dayes of Gideon.

²⁹ Then Ierubbaal the sonne of Ioash went, and dwelt in his owne house.

³⁰ And Gideon had seuentie sonnes [Note: Ebr. which came out of his thigh. ] begotten of his body: for he had many wiues.

³¹ And his concubine that was in Shechem, bare him a sonne also, whose name he called Abimelech.

³² So Gideon the sonne of Ioash dyed in a good age, & was buried in the sepulchre of Ioash his father in Ophrah, of the [Note: [p] Which citie belonged to the familie of ye Ezrites. ] father of ye Ezrites.

³³ But when Gideon was dead, the children of Israel turned away and went a whoring after Baalim, and made [Note: [q] That is, Baal, to whome they had bound themselues by couenant. ] Baal-berith their God.

³⁴ And the children of Israel remembred not the Lord their God, which had deliuered the out of the hands of all their enemies on euery side.

³⁵ Neither [Note: [r] They were vnmindfull of God & vnkinde toward him by whome they had receiued so great a benefite. ] shewed they mercy on the house of Ierubbaal, or Gideon, according to al the goodnesse which he had shewed vnto Israel.

1 Abimelech vsurpeth the kingdome, & putteth his brethren to death. 7 Iotham proposeth a parable. 23 Hatred betweene Abimelech and the Shechemites. 26 Gaal conspireth against him, and is ouercome. 53 Abimelech is wounded to death by a woman.

¹ Then Abimelech the sonne of Ierubbaal went to Shechem vnto his [Note: [a] To practise with his kinsfolkes for the atteining of the kingdome. ] mothers brethren, & communed with them, and with all the familie, and house of his mothers father, saying,

² Say, I pray you, in the audience of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, that all the sonnes of Ierubbaal, which are seuentie persons, reigne ouer you, either that one reigne ouer you? Remember also, that I am your [Note: [b] Of your kinred by my mothers side. ] bone, and your flesh.

³ Then his mothers brethren spake of him in the audience of all the men of Shechem, all these wordes: and their hearts were moued to followe Abimelech: for sayd they, He is our brother.

⁴ And they gaue him seuentie pieces of siluer out of the house of Baal-berith, wherewith Abimelech hired [Note: Or, idle fellowes and vagabonds. ] vayne and light fellowes which followed him.

⁵ And he went vnto his fathers house at Ophrah, & [Note: [c] Thus tyrants to establish their vsurped power, spare not the innocent blood, 2.King. 10.7.2. chro.21.4. ] slew his brethren, the sonnes of Ierubbaal, about seuentie persons vpon one stone: yet Iotham the yongest sonne of Ierubbaal was left: for he hid himselfe.

⁶ ¶ And all the men of Shechem gathered together with all the house of [Note: [d] Which was at the towne house, or common hall, which he calleth the tower of Shechem, vers. 49. ] Millo, and came & made Abimelech King in the playne, where the stone was erected in Shechem.

⁷ And when they told it to Iotham, he went and stoode in the top of mount Gerizim, & lift vp his voyce, and cryed, & sayd vnto them, Hearken vnto mee, you men of Shechem, that God may hearken vnto you.

⁸ [Note: [e] By this parable he declareth that those that are not ambicious, are most worthy of honour, & that the ambicious abuse their honour both to their owne destruction & others. ] The trees went foorth to anoynt a King ouer them, and sayde vnto the oliue tree, Reigne thou ouer vs.

⁹ But the oliue tree said vnto them, Should I leaue my fatnes, wherewith by me they honour God & man, & go to aduance me aboue ye trees?


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¹⁰ Then the trees sayde to the fig tree, Come thou, and be King ouer vs.

¹¹ But the fig tree answered them, Should I forsake my sweetenesse, and my good fruite, and goe to aduance me aboue the trees?

¹² Then sayd the trees vnto the Vine, Come thou, and be king ouer vs.

¹³ But the Vine sayde vnto them, Should I leaue my wine, whereby I cheare God and man, and goe to aduance me aboue the trees?

¹⁴ Then said all the trees vnto the [Note: Or, thistle, or breere. ] bramble, Come thou, and reigne ouer vs.

¹⁵ And the bramble said vnto the trees, If ye will in deede anoynt me King ouer you, come, and put your trust vnder my shadowe: and if not, the [Note: [f] Abimelech shall destroy the nobles of Shechem. ] fire shall come out of the bramble, and consume the Cedars of Lebanon.

¹⁶ Now therefore, if ye doe truely and vncorruptly to make Abimelech King, and if ye haue delt well with Ierubbaal and with his house, and haue done vnto him according to the deseruing of his handes,

¹⁷ (For my father fought for you, and [Note: Ebr. he cast his life farre from him. ] aduentured his life, and deliuered you out of the handes of Midian.

¹⁸ And yee are risen vp against my fathers house this day, and haue slayne his children, about seuentie persons vpon one stone, and haue made Abimelech the sonne of his mayde seruant, King ouer the men of Shechem, because hee is your brother)

¹⁹ If ye then haue delt truely and purely with Ierubbaal, and with his house this day, then [Note: [g] That he is your King, and you his subiects. ] reioyce with you.

²⁰ But if not, let a fire come out from Abimelech, and consume the men of Shechem and the house of Millo: also let a fire come foorth from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and consume Abimelech.

²¹ And Iotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there for feare of Abimelech his brother.

²² So Abimelech reigned three yeere ouer Israel.

²³ But God [Note: [h] Because the people consented with the King in shedding innocent blood: therefore God destroyeth both the one and the other. ] sent an euil spirit betweene Abimelech, and the men of Shechem: and the men of Shechem brake their promise to Abimelech,

²⁴ That the crueltie toward the seuentie sonnes of Ierubbaal and their blood might come & be laide vpon Abimelech their brother, which had slayne them, and vpon the men of Shechem, which had ayded him to kill his brethren.

²⁵ So the men of Shechem set men in wayte for him in the toppes of the mountaines: who robbed all that passed that way by them: and it was tolde Abimelech.

²⁶ Then Gaal the sonne of Ebed came with his brethren, and they went to Shechem: and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him.

²⁷ Therefore they [Note: [i] Before they were afraide of Abimelechs power, and durst not goe out of ye city. ] went out into the field, & gathered in their grapes and troade them, and made mery, & went into the house of their gods, and did eate and drinke, and cursed Abimelech.

²⁸ Then Gaal the sonne of Ebed sayde, Who is Abimelech? and who is Shechem, that wee should serue him? Is he not the sonne of Ierubbaal? and Zebul is his officer? Serue rather the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: for why should we serue him?

²⁹ Now would God this people were vnder mine hand: then would I put away Abimelech. And he said to [Note: [k] Braggingly, as though he had bene present, or to his captaine Zebul. ] Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.

³⁰ ¶ And when Zebul the ruler of the citie heard the wordes of Gaal the sonne of Ebed, his wrath was kindled.

³¹ Therefore he sent messengers vnto Abimelech [Note: Ebr. craftily. ] priuily, saying, Beholde, Gaal the sonne of Ebed and his brethren be come to Shechem, and beholde, they fortifie the citie against thee.

³² Now therefore arise by night, thou & the people that is with thee, and lye in wayte in the fielde.

³³ And rise early in the morning as soone as the sunne is vp, and assault the citie: and when he and the people that is with him, shall come out against thee, doe to him [Note: Ebr. what thine hand can finds. ] what thou canst.

³⁴ ¶ So Abimelech rose vp, and all the people that were with him by night: and they lay in wayte against Shechem in foure bandes.

³⁵ Then Gaal the sonne of Ebed went out & stood in the entring of the gate of the citie: and Abimelech rose vp, and the folke that were with him, from lying in waite.

³⁶ And when Gaal sawe the people, he said to Zebul, Beholde, there come people downe from the tops of the mountaines: and Zebul said vnto him, The [Note: [l] Thou art afraide of a shadowe. ] shadowe of the mountaines seeme men vnto thee.

³⁷ And Gaal spake againe, and said, See, there come folke downe [Note: Ebr. by the nauill. ] by the middle of the land, and another bande commeth by the way of the plaine of [Note: Or, charmers. ] Meonenim.

³⁸ Then sayd Zebul vnto him, Where is now thy mouth, that said, Who is Abimelech, that we should serue him? Is not this the people that thou hast despised? Go out now, I pray thee, and fight with them.

³⁹ And Gaal [Note: [m] As their captaine. ] went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.

⁴⁰ But Abimelech pursued him, and he fledde before him, and many were ouerthrowen and wounded, euen vnto the entring of the gate.

⁴¹ And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: & Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren that they should not dwell in Shechem.

⁴² ¶ And on the morowe, the people went out into the fielde: which was tolde Abimelech.

⁴³ And he tooke the [Note: [n] Which were of his company. ] people, and deuided them into three bandes, and layde wayte in the fieldes, and looked, and beholde, the people were come out of the citie, & he rose vp against them, and smote them.

⁴⁴ And Abimelech, and the bandes that were with him, russhed forwarde, and stoode in the entring of the gate of the citie: and the two other bandes ran vpon all the people that were in the fielde and slewe them.

⁴⁵ And when Abimelech had fought against the citie all that day, he tooke the citie, and slewe the people that was therein, and destroyed the citie and sowed [Note: [o] That it should be vnfruitful and neuer serue to any vse. ] salt in it.

⁴⁶ ¶ And when all the men of the towre of Shechem heard it, they entred into an holde of the house of the god [Note: [p] That is, of Baal-berith, as chap. 8.33. ] Berith.

⁴⁷ And it was tolde Abimelech, that all the men of the towre of Shechem were gathered together.

⁴⁸ And Abimelech gate him vp to mounte [Page]

Zalmon, hee and all the people that were with him: and Abimelech tooke axes with him, and cut downe boughes of trees, and tooke them, and bare them on his shoulder, and sayde vnto the folke that were with him, What ye haue seene me doe, make haste, and doe like me.

⁴⁹ Then all the people also cut downe euery man his bough, and followed Abimelech, & put them to the holde, and set the holde on fire with them: so all the men of the towre of Shechem [Note: [q] Meaning, that al were destroied, as well they in the towre as the other. ] dyed also, about a thousand men and women.

⁵⁰ ¶ Then went Abimelech to Tebez, and besieged Tebez, and tooke it.

⁵¹ But there was a strong towre within the citie, and thither fledde all the men and women, and all the chiefe of the citie, and shut it to them, and went vp to the toppe of the towre.

⁵² And Abimelech came vnto the towre and fought against it, and went hard vnto the doore of the towre to set it on fire.

⁵³ But a certaine woman [Note: 2.Sam.11.21. ] cast a piece of a milstone vpon Abimelechs head, and brake his braine pan.

⁵⁴ Then Abimelech called hastily his page that bare his harneis, and sayde vnto him, Drawe thy sworde and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slewe him. And his page [Note: [r] Thus God by such miserable death taketh vengeance on tyrants euen in this life. ] thrust him thorowe, and he dyed.

⁵⁵ And when the men of Israel sawe that Abimelech was dead, they departed euery man vnto his owne place.

⁵⁶ Thus God rendred the wickednes of Abimelech, which he did vnto his father, in slaying his seuentie brethren.

⁵⁷ Also all the wickednes of the men of Shechem did God bring vpon their heads. So vpon them came the [Note: [s] For making a tyrant their king. ] curse of Iotham the sonne of Ierubbaal.

2 Tola dyeth. 5 Iiar also dyeth. 7 The Israelites are punished for their sinnes. 10 They cry vnto God, 16 and he hath pitie on them.

¹ After Abimelech there arose to defend Israel, Tola, the sonne of Puah, the sone of [Note: Or, his vncle. ] Dodo, a man of Issachar, which dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim.

² And he [Note: Or, gouerned. ] iudged Israel three and twentie yeere and dyed, and was buried in Shamir.

³ ¶ And after him arose Iair a Gileadite, and iudged Israel two and twenty yeere.

⁴ And he had thirtie sonnes that [Note: [a] Signifying, they were men of authoritie. ] rode on thirtie assecolts, and they had thirtie cities, which are called [Note: Or, the townes of Iair, as Deut.3.14. ] Hauoth-Iair vnto this day, and are in the land of Gilead.

⁵ And Iair dyed, and was buried in Kamon.

⁶ ¶ [Note: Chap.2.11. and 3. 7.and 4.1. and 6.1. and 13.1. ] And the children of Israel wrought wickednesse againe in the sight of the Lord, and serued Baalim and [Note: Chap 2.13. ] Ashtaroth, and the gods of [Note: Or, Syria. ] Aram, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistims, and forsooke the Lord and serued not him.

⁷ Therefore the wrath of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he [Note: Or, deliuered. ] solde them into the hands of the Philistims, and into the handes of the children of Ammon:

⁸ Who from that yere vexed and oppressed the children of Israel eighteene yeres, [Note: [b] As the Reubenites, Gadites, and halfe the tribe of Manasseh. ] euen all the children of Israel that were beyond Iorden, in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.

⁹ Moreouer, the children of Ammon went ouer Iorden to fight against Iudah, and against Beniamin, and against the house of Ephraim: so that Israel was sore tormented.

¹⁰ Then the children of Israel [Note: [c] They prayed to the Lord and confessed their sinnes. ] cryed vnto the Lorde, saying, We haue sinned against thee, euen because we haue forsaken our owne God, and haue serued Baalim.

¹¹ And the Lord [Note: [d] By stirring them vp some Prophet, as Chap.6.8. ] sayd vnto the children of Israel, Did not I deliuer you from the Egyptians & from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon and from the Philistims?

¹² The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites did oppresse you, and ye cryed to me and I saued you out of their hands.

¹³ Yet ye [Note: Deut.32.15. icre.2.13. ] haue forsaken me, and serued other gods: wherefore I will deliuer you no more.

¹⁴ Goe, and cry vnto the gods which ye haue chosen: let them saue you in the time of your tribulation.

¹⁵ And the children of Israel sayde vnto the Lorde, We haue sinned: doe thou vnto vs whatsoeuer please thee: onely we pray thee to deliuer vs [Note: [e] That is, from this present danger. ] this day.

¹⁶ Then they put away the strange gods from among them and [Note: [f] This is true repentance to put away the euill, and to serue God aright. ] serued the Lorde: and [Note: Or, he pitied. ] his soule was grieued for the miserie of Israel.

¹⁷ Then the children of Ammon gathered themselues together, and pitched in Gilead: and the children of Israel assembled themselues, and pitched in Mizpeh.

¹⁸ And the people and princes of Gilead said one to another, Whosoeuer will beginne the battell against the children of Ammon, the same shal be [Note: Chap.11.6. ] head ouer all the inhabitants of Gilead.

2 Iphtah being chased away by his brethren, was after made captaine ouer Israel. 30 He maketh a rash vowe. 32 He vanquisheth the Ammonites, 39 and sacrificeth his daughter according to his vowe.

¹ Then Gilead begate Iphtah, and Iphtah the Gileadite was [Note: Ebr. a man of mightie force. ] a valiant man, but the sonne of an [Note: Or, vitailer. ] harlot.

² And Gileads wife bare him sonnes, and when the womans children were come to age, they thrust out Iphtah, and sayd vnto him, Thou shalt not inherite in our fathers house: for thou art the sonne of a [Note: [a] That is, of an harlot, as verse. ] strange woman.

³ Then Iphtah fledde from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of [Note: [b] Where the gouernour of the countrey was called Tob. ] Tob: and there gathered idle fellowes to Iphtah, & [Note: [c] Ioyned with him, as some thinke, against his brethren. ] went out with him.

⁴ ¶ And in processe of time the children of Ammon made warre with Israel.

⁵ And when the children of Ammon fought with Israel, [Note: [d] Or, ambassadours, sent for that purpose. ] the Elders of Gilead went to fet Iphtah out of the land of Tob.

⁶ And they saide vnto Iphtah, [Note: [e] Men oft times are constrained to desire helpe of them, whom before they haue refused. ] Come and be our captaine, that we may fight with the children of Ammon.

⁷ Iphtah then answered the Elders of Gilead, Did not ye hate me, and [Note: [f] Oft times those things, which men reiect, God chuseth to doe great enterprises by. ] expell me out of my fathers house? how then come you vnto me now in time of your tribulation?

⁸ Then the Elders of Gilead saide vnto Iphtah, Therefore we turne againe to thee now, that thou mayest goe with vs, and fight against the children of Ammon, and bee our head ouer all the inhabitants of Gilead.

⁹ And Iphtah said vnto the Elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home againe to fight against the

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children of Ammon, if the Lord giue them before me, shall I be your head?
¹⁰ And the Elders of Gilead saide to Iphtah, The Lorde [Note: Ebr. be the hearer. ] be witnesse betweene vs, if we doe not according to thy wordes.

¹¹ Then Iphtah went with the Elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and captaine ouer them: and Iphtah rehearsed all his wordes before the Lorde in Mizpeh.

¹² ¶ Then Iphtah sent messengers vnto the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What hast thou to doe with me, that thou art come against me, to fight in my lande?

¹³ And the King of the children of Ammon answered vnto the messengers of Iphtah, [Note: Nomb.21.13. ] Because Israel tooke my lande, when they came vp from Egypt, fro Arnon vnto Iabbok, & vnto Iorden: now therefore restore those lands [Note: Ebr. in peace. ] quietly.

¹⁴ Yet Iphtah sent messengers againe vnto the King of the children of Ammon,

¹⁵ And said vnto him, Thus saith Iphtah, [Note: Deut.2.9. ] Israel tooke not the lande of Moab, nor the lande of the children of Ammon.

¹⁶ But when Israel came vp from Egypt, and walked through the wildernesse vnto the redde Sea, then they came to Kadesh.

¹⁷ [Note: Nomb.20. 14,20. ] And Israel sent messengers vnto the king of Edom, saying, Let me, I pray thee, goe thorowe thy lande: but the King of Edom woulde not consent: and also they sent vnto the King of Moab, but he would not: therefore Israel abode in Kadesh.

¹⁸ Then they went through the wildernesse, and compassed the lande of Edom, and the lande of Moab, and came by the Eastside of the lande of Moab, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, [Note: Nomb.21 13. and 22.24. ] and came not within the coast of Moab: for Arnon was the border of Moab.

¹⁹ Also Israel [Note: Deut.2.26. ] sent messengers vnto Sihon, King of the Amorites, the King of Heshbon, and Israel said vnto him, Let vs passe, we pray thee, by thy lande vnto our [Note: Or, countrey. ] place.

²⁰ But Sihon [Note: [g] He trusted them not to goe thorowe his countrey. ] consented not to Israel, that he shoulde goe through his coast: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and pitched in Iahaz, and fought with Israel.

²¹ And the Lorde God of Israel gaue Sihon and all his folke into the handes of Israel, & they smote them: so Israel possessed all the lande of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that countrey:

²² And they possessed [Note: Deut.2.36. ] all the coast of the Amorites, from Arnon vnto Iabbok, and from the wildernesse euen vnto Iorden.

²³ Nowe therefore the Lorde God of Israel hath cast out the Amorites before his people Israel, and shouldest thou possesse it?

²⁴ Wouldest not thou possesse that which Chemosh thy god giueth thee to possesse? So whomesoeuer the [Note: [h] For we ought more to beleeue and obey God, then thou thine idoles. ] Lorde our God driueth out before vs, them will we possesse.

²⁵ [Note: Nomb.22 2. deut.23 4. iosh.24.9. ] And art thou nowe farre better then Balak the sonne of Zippor King of Moab? did he not striue with Israel and fight against them,

²⁶ When Israel dwelt in Heshbon and in her townes, and in Aroer and in her townes, and in all the cities that are by the coastes of Arnon, three hundreth yeeres? why did ye not then recouer [Note: [i] Meaning, their townes. ] them in that space?

²⁷ Wherefore, I haue not offended thee: but thou doest me wrong to warre against me. The

Lord the Iudge [Note: [k] To punish the offender. ] be iudge this day betweene the children of Israel, and the children of Ammon.

²⁸ Howbeit the King of the children of Ammon hearkened not vnto the wordes of Iphtah, which he had sent him.

²⁹ ¶ Then the [Note: [l] That is, the spirit of strength and zeale. ] Spirite of the Lorde came vpon Iphtah, and he passed ouer to Gilead and to Manasseh, and came to Mizpeh in Gilead, and from Mizpeh in Gilead he went vnto the children of Ammon.

³⁰ And Iphtah [Note: [m] As the Apostle commendeth Iphtah for his worthy enterprise in deliuering the people, Hebr.11.32: so by his rash vowe and wicked performance of the same, his victorie was defaced: and here we see that the sinnes of the godly doe not vtterly extinguish their faith. ] vowed a vowe vnto the Lorde, and said, If thou shalt deliuer the children of Ammon into mine handes,

³¹ Then that thing that commeth out of the doores of mine house to meete me, when I come home in peace from the children of Ammon, shall be the Lordes, and I will offer it for a burnt offering.

³² And so Iphtah went vnto the children of Ammon to fight against them, and the Lord deliuered them into his handes.

³³ And he smote them from Aroer euen till thou come to Minnith, twentie cities, and so foorth to [Note: Or, the plaine. ] Abel of the vineyardes, with an exceeding great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were humbled before the children of Israel.

³⁴ ¶ Nowe when Iphtah came to Mizpeh vnto his house, beholde, his daughter came out to meete him with [Note: [n] According to the maner after the victorie. ] timbrels and daunces, which was his onely childe: he had none other sonne, nor daughter.

³⁵ And when hee sawe her, hee [Note: [o] Being ouercome with blinde zeale, and not considering whether the vowe was lawful or no. ] rent his clothes, and saide, Alas my daughter, thou hast brought me lowe, and art of them that trouble me: for I haue opened my mouth vnto the Lord, and can not goe backe.

³⁶ And she said vnto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth vnto the Lorde, doe with me as thou hast promised, seeing that the Lorde hath auenged thee of thine enemies the children of Ammon.

³⁷ Also she saide vnto her father, Doe thus much for me: suffer me two moneths, that I may goe to the mountaines, and [Note: [p] For it was couted as a shame in Israel, to die without children, and therefore they reioyced to be marryed. ] bewaile my virginitie, I and my fellowes.

³⁸ And he sayde, Goe: and he sent her away two moneths: so she went with her companions, and lamented her virginitie vpon the moutaines.

³⁹ And after the ende of two moneths, she turned againe vnto her father, who did with her according to his vowe which he had vowed, and she had knowen no man. and it was a custome in Israel:

⁴⁰ The daughters of Israel went yere by yere to lament the daughter of Iphtah the Gileadite, foure dayes in a yeere.

6 Iphtah killeth two and fourty thousande Ephraimites. 8 After Iphtah succeedeth Ibzan, 11 Elon, 13 and Abdon.

¹ And the me of Ephraim gathered themselues together, and went [Note: [a] After they had passed Iorden. ] Northwarde, and saide vnto Iphtah, Wherefore wentest thou to fight against the children of Ammon, and diddest not call [Note: [b] Thus ambition enuyeth Gods worke in others, as they did also against Gideon, Chap.8.1. ] vs to goe with thee? we will therefore burne thine house vpon thee with fire.

² And Iphtah said vnto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon, and when I called you, ye deliuered me not out of their handes.

³ So when I sawe that ye deliuered me not, [Page]

[Note: [c] That is, I ventured my life, and when mans helpe fayled, I put my trust onely in God. ] I put my life in mine hands, and went vpon the children of Ammon: so the Lord deliuered them into mine handes. Wherefore then are ye come vpon me nowe to fight against me?

⁴ Then Iphtah gathered all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are runnagates of Ephraim [Note: [d] Ye ran from vs, and chose Gilead, and nowe in respect of vs, ye are nothing. ] among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites.

⁵ Also the Gileadites tooke the passages of Iorden before the Ephraimites, and when the Ephraimites that were escaped, saide, Let me passe, then the men of Gilead said vnto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay,

⁶ Then said they vnto him, Say nowe [Note: [e] Which signifieth the fall of waters, or an eare of corne. ] Shibboleth: and he said, Sibboleth: for he could not so pronounce: then they tooke him, and slewe him at the passages of Iorden: & there fel at that time of the Ephraimites two & fourtie thousand.

⁷ And Iphtah iudged Israel sixe yeere: then dyed Iphtah the Gileadite, and was buryed in one of the cities of Gilead.

⁸ ¶ After him [Note: [f] Some thinke that this was Boaz the husbande of Ruth. ] Ibzan of Beth-lehem iudged Israel,

⁹ Who had thirtie sonnes and thirtie daughters, which he sent out, & tooke in thirtie daughters from abroade for his sonnes. and he iudged Israel seuen yeere.

¹⁰ Then Ibzan died, and was buryed at Bethlehem.

¹¹ ¶ And after him iudged Israel Elon, a Zebulonite, and he iudged Israel tenne yeere.

¹² Then Elon the Zebulonite dyed, and was buryed in Aijalon in the countrey of Zebulun.

¹³ ¶ And after him Abdon the sonne of Hillel the Pirathonite iudged Israel.

¹⁴ And he had fourty sonnes and thirtie [Note: Ebr. sonnes sonnes. ] nephewes that rode on seuentie [Note: Or, horsecoltes. ] assecoltes: and he iudged Israel eight yeeres.

¹⁵ Then dyed Abdon the sonne of Hillel the Pirathonite, & was buryed in Pirathon, in ye lande of Ephraim, in the Mount of the Amalekites.

1 Israel for their wickednesse is oppressed of the Philistims. 3 The Angell appeareth to Manoahs wife. 16 The Angell commaundeth him to sacrifice vnto the Lord. 24 The birth of Samson.

¹ Bvt the children of Israel continued to commit [Note: Chap. 2. 11. and 3.7. and 4.1. and 6.1. and 10.6. ] wickednesse in the sight of the Lorde, and the Lorde deliuerd them into the handes of the Philistims fourtie yeere.

² ¶ Then there was a man in Zorah of the familie of the Danites, named Manoah, whose wife was [Note: [a] Signifying that their deliuerance came onely of God and not by mans power. ] baren, and bare not.

³ And the Angel of the Lorde appeared vnto the woman, and said vnto her, Beholde nowe, thou art baren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceiue, and beare a sonne.

⁴ And nowe therefore beware [Note: Nom.6.2,3. ] that thou drinke no wine, nor strong drinke, neither eate any vncleane thing.

⁵ For loe, thou shalt conceiue and beare a sonne, and no rasor shall [Note: 1. Sam.1.11. ] come on his head: for the childe shall be a [Note: [b] Meaning, he should be separate from the worlde and dedicate to God. ] Nazarite vnto God from his birth: and he shall begin to saue Israel out of the handes of the Philistims.

⁶ ¶ Then the wife came, and tolde her husband, saying, A man of God came vnto me, and the facion of him was like the facion of the Angel of God exceeding [Note: [c] If flesh be not able to abide the sight of an Angel, howe much lesse the presence of God? ] feareful, but I asked him

not whence he was, neither told he me his name,

⁷ But he saide vnto me, Beholde, thou shalt conceiue, and beare a sonne, and nowe thou shalt drinke no wine, nor strong drinke, neither eate any vncleane thing: for the childe shalbe a Nazarite to God from his birth to the day of his death.

⁸ Then Manoah [Note: [d] He sheweth himselfe readie to obey Gods will and therefore desireth to knowe farther. ] prayed to the Lorde and saide, I pray thee, my Lorde, Let the man of God, whome thou sentest, come againe nowe vnto vs, and teach vs what we shall doe vnto the child when he is borne.

⁹ And God heard the voyce of Manoah, and the Angel of God came againe vnto the wife, as she sate in the fielde, but Manoah her husbande was not with her.

¹⁰ ¶ And the wife made haste and ranne, and shewed her husbande and sayde vnto him, Behold, the man hath appeared vnto me, that came vnto me [Note: [e] It seemeth that the Angel appeared vnto her twise in one day. ] to day.

¹¹ And Manoah arose & went after his wife, and came to the [Note: [f] He calleth him man, because he so seemed, but he was Christ the eternall word, which at his time appointed became man. ] man, and saide vnto him, Art thou the man that spakest vnto the woman? and he said, Yea.

¹² Then Manoah sayde, Nowe let thy saying come to passe: but howe shall we order the childe and doe vnto him?

¹³ And the Angell of the Lorde saide vnto Manoah, The woman must beware of all that I said vnto her.

¹⁴ She may eate of nothing that commeth of the vinetree: she shal not drinke wine nor strong drinke, nor eate any [Note: [g] Any thing forbidden by the Lawe. ] vncleane thing: let her obserue all that I haue commanded her.

¹⁵ Manoah then said vnto the Angell of the Lorde, I pray thee, let vs reteine thee, vntill we haue made readie a kid for thee.

¹⁶ And the Angel of the Lord said vnto Manoah, Though thou make me abide, I will not eate of thy bread, and if thou wilt make a burnt offring, offer it vnto the [Note: [h] Shewing that he sought not his owne honour, but Gods, whose messenger he was. ] Lorde: for Manoah knewe not that it was an Angel of the Lorde.

¹⁷ Againe Manoah said vnto the Angell of the Lorde, What is thy name, that when thy saying is come to passe, we may honour thee?

¹⁸ And the Angell of the Lorde saide vnto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, which is [Note: Or, marueilous? ] secret?

¹⁹ Then Manoah tooke a kid with a meate offering, and offered it vpon a stone vnto the Lorde: and the Angell did [Note: [i] God sent fire from heauen to consume their sacrifice, to confirme their faith in his promise. ] wonderously, whiles Manoah and his wife looked on.

²⁰ For when the flame came vp toward heauen from the altar, the Angel of the Lorde ascended vp in the flame of the altar, and Manoah and his wife behelde it, and fell on their faces vnto the grounde.

²¹ (So the Angel of the Lorde did no more appeare vnto Manoah and his wife.) Then Manoah knewe that it was an Angel of the Lord.

²² And Manoah said vnto his wife, [Note: Exod. 33.20. chap.6.22. ] We shal surely dye, because we haue seene God.

²³ But his wife saide vnto him, If the Lorde woulde kill vs, he woulde not haue receiued a [Note: [k] These graces that we haue receiued of God, and his accepting of our obedience, are sure tokens of his loue towarde vs, so that nothing can hurt vs. ] burnt offring, and a meate offring of our hands, neither would he haue shewed vs all these things, nor would now haue tolde vs any such.

²⁴ ¶ And the wife bare a sonne, and called his name Samson: and the childe grewe, and the Lorde blessed him.

²⁵ And the Spirite of the Lorde beganne to

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[Note: Or, to come vpon him at diuers times. ] strengthen him in the host of Dan, betweene Zorah, and Eshtaol.

2 Samson desireth to haue a wife of the Philistims. 6 He killeth a Lyon 12 He propoundeth a riddle. 19 Hee killeth thirty. 20 His wife forsaketh him and taketh another.

¹ Nowe Samson went downe to Timnath, and saw a woma in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistims,

² And he came vp and told his father and his mother and saide, I haue seene a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistims: now therfore [Note: Ebr. take her for me to wife. ] giue me her to wife.

³ Then his father and his mother sayde vnto him, Is there [Note: [a] Though his parents did iustly reprooue him, yet it appeareth that this was the secret work of the Lord, vers.4. ] neuer a wife among the daughters of thy brethren, and among all my people, that thou must go to take a wife of the vncircumcised Philistims? And Samson sayd vnto his father, Giue mee her, for she pleaseth me wel.

⁴ But his father and his mother knewe not that it came of the Lorde, that he should seeke an occasion against the [Note: [b] To fight against them for the deliuerance of Israel. ] Philistims: for at that time the Philistims reigned ouer Israel.

⁵ ¶ Then went Samson and his father and his mother downe to Timnath, and came to ye vineyardes at Timnath: and beholde, a young Lyon roared vpon him.

⁶ And the Spirit of the Lorde [Note: [c] Whereby he had strength and boldenesse. ] came vpon him, and he tare him, as one should haue rent a kid, and had nothing in his hand, neither told he his father nor his mother what he had done.

⁷ And he went down, & talked with the woman which was beautifull in the eyes of Samson.

⁸ ¶ And within a fewe dayes, when he returned [Note: Or, to take her to his wife. ] to receiue her, he went aside to see the karkeis of the Lion: and behold, there was a swarme of bees, and hony in the body of the Lyon.

⁹ And he tooke therof in his handes, and went eating, and came to his father and to his mother, and gaue vnto them, and they did eate: but hee told not them, that he had taken the hony out of the body of the lyon.

¹⁰ So his father went down vnto the woman, and Samson made there a [Note: [d] Meaning, when he was maried. ] feast: for so vsed the yong men to doe.

¹¹ And when [Note: [e] That is, her parents or friends. ] they sawe him, they brought thirtie companions to be with him.

¹² Then Samson sayd vnto them, I will nowe put forth a riddle vnto you: and if you can declare it me within seuen dayes of the feast, and finde it out, I will giue you thirty sheetes, and thirtie [Note: [f] To weare at feastes, or solemne dayes. ] change of garments.

¹³ But if you cannot declare it mee, then shall yee giue mee thirty sheetes and thirtie change of garments. And they answered him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may heare it.

¹⁴ And he sayd vnto them, Out of the eater came meate, and out of the strong came sweetenesse: and they could not in three dayes expound the riddle.

¹⁵ And when the seuenth day was [Note: [g] Or, drew neere: for it was the fourth day. ] come, they said vnto Samsons wife, Entise thine husband, that he may declare vs the riddle, lest wee burne thee and thy fathers house with fire. Haue ye called vs, [Note: Or, so impouerish vs. ] to possesse vs? is it not so?

¹⁶ And Samsons wife wept before him, and savd, Surely thou hatest mee and louest mee not: for thou hast put forth a riddle vnto the [Note: [h] Vnto them which are of my nation. ] children of my people, and hast not told it mee. And hee sayd vnto her, Beholde, I haue not told it my father,

nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee?

¹⁷ Then Samsons wife wept before him [Note: [i] Or, to the seuenth day, beginning at the fourth. ] seuen dayes, while their feast lasted: and when the seuenth day came he tolde her, because she was importunate vpon him: so she told the riddle to the children of her people.

¹⁸ And the men of ye citie sayde vnto him the seuenth day before the Sunne went downe, What is sweeter then honie? and what is stronger then a lyon? Then sayd hee vnto them, [Note: [k] If ye had not vsed the helpe of my wife. ] If yee had not plowed with my heiffer, yee had not found out my riddle.

¹⁹ And the Spirite of the Lorde came vpon him, and he went downe [Note: [l] Which was one of the fiue chiefe cities of the Philistims. ] to Ashkelon, and slew thirtie men of them and spoyled them, and gaue chaunge of garments vnto them, which expounded the riddle: and his wrath was kindled, and he went vp to his fathers house.

²⁰ Then Samsons wife was giuen to his companion, whom he had vsed as his friend.

4 Samson tieth firebrandes to the foxes tailes. 6 The Philistims burnt his father in lawe and his wife. 15 With the iawebone of an asse he killeth a thousand men. 19 Out of a great tooth in the iawe God gaue him water.

¹ Bvt within a while after, in the time of wheate haruest, Samson visited his wife with a kid, saying, I wil [Note: [a] That is, I will vse her as my wife. ] go in to my wife into the chamber: but her father would not suffer him to goe in.

² And her father sayde, I thought that thou hadst hated her: therefore gaue I her to thy companion. Is not her yonger sister fayrer then shee? take her, I pray thee, in stead of the other.

³ Then Samson saide vnto them, Nowe am I more [Note: [b] For through his father in lawes occasion, he was moued againe to take vengeance of the Philistims. ] blamelesse then the Philistims: therefore will I doe them displeasure.

⁴ ¶ And Samson went out, and tooke three hundreth foxes, and tooke firebrands, and turned them taile to taile, and put a firebrand in ye middes betweene two tailes.

⁵ And when he had set the brandes on fire, he sent them out into the standing corne of the Philistims, and burnt vp both the [Note: [c] Or, that which was reaped and gathered. ] rickes and the standing corne with the vineyardes and oliues.

⁶ Then the Philistims sayde, Who hath done this? And they answered, Samson the sonne in law of the [Note: [d] Or, the citizen of Timnath. ] Timnite, because hee had taken his wife, and giuen her to his companion. Then the Philistims came vp and [Note: [e] So the wicked punish not vice for loue of iustice, but for feare of danger, which els might come to them. ] burnt her and her father with fire.

⁷ And Samson saide vnto them, Though yee haue done this, yet wil I be auenged of you, and then I wil cease.

⁸ So hee smote them [Note: Or, horsemen and footemen. ] hippe and thigh with a mightie plague: then hee went and dwelt in the top of the rocke Etam.

⁹ ¶ Then the Philistims came vp, and pitched in Iudah, and [Note: Or, camped. ] were spred abroad in Lehi.

¹⁰ And the men of Iudah sayde, Why are yee come vp vnto vs? And they answered, To [Note: [f] And so being our prisoner, to punish him. ] binde Samson are we come vp, and to do to him as hee hath done to vs.

¹¹ Then three thousande men of Iudah went to the top of the rocke Etam, and sayde to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistims are rulers ouer vs? [Note: [g] Such was their grosse ignorance, that they iudged Gods great benefite to be a plague vnto them. ] Wherefore then hast thou done thus vnto vs? And he answered them, As they did vnto me, so haue I done vnto them.

¹² Againe they sayd vnto him, Wee are come to binde thee, and to deliuer thee into the hande [Page]

of the Philistims. And Samson sayde vnto them, Sweare vnto me, that yee will not fall vpon me your selues.

¹³ And they answered him, saying, No, but we will bynde thee and [Note: [h] Thus they had rather betray their brother, then vse the meanes that God had giuen for their deliuerance. ] deliuer thee vnto their hande, but we will not kill thee. And they bound him with two newe cordes, & brought him from the rocke.

¹⁴ When hee came to Lehi, the Philistims shouted against him, and the Spirite of the Lord came vpon him, and the cordes that were vpon his armes, became as flaxe that was burnt with fire: for the bandes loosed from his handes.

¹⁵ And he found a [Note: [i] That is, of an asse lately slaine. ] new iawebone of an asse, and put forth his hand, and caught it, and slewe a thousand men therewith.

¹⁶ Then Samson sayd, With the iaw of an asse are heapes vpon heapes: with the iawe of an asse haue I slaine a thousand men.

¹⁷ And when he had left speaking, hee cast away the iawebone out of his hande, and called that place, [Note: Or, the lifting vp of the iawe. ] Ramath-Lehi.

¹⁸ And he was sore a thirst, and [Note: [k] Whereby appeareth, that he did these things in faith, and so with a true zeale to glorifie God, and deliuer his countrey. ] called on the Lorde, and sayde, Thou hast giuen this great deliuerance into the hand of thy seruaunt: and nowe shall I dye for thirst, and fall into the handes of the vncircumcised?

¹⁹ Then God brake the cheeke tooth, that was in the iawe, and water came thereout: and when he had drunke, his Spirit came againe, and he was reuiued: wherefore the name therof is called, [Note: Or, the fountayne of him that prayed. ] Enhakkore, which is in Lehi vnto this day.

²⁰ And hee iudged Israel in the dayes of the Philistims twentie yeeres.

3 Samson carieth away the gates of Azzah. 18 Hee was deceiued by Delilah. 30 Hee pulleth downe the house vpon the Philistims, and dieth with them.

¹ Then went Samson to [Note: [a] One of the fiue chiefe cities of the Philistims. ] Azzah, & sawe there an harlot, [Note: [b] That is, he lodged with her. ] and went in vnto her.

² And it was tolde to the Azzahites, Samson is come hither. [Note: Or, vitailer. ] And they went about, and laied wayte for him all night in the gate of the citie, & were quiet all the nyght, saying, Abide [Note: Or, to the light of the morning. ] till the morning earely, and we shall kill him.

³ And Samson slept till midnight, and arose at midnight, and tooke the doores of the gates of the citie, and the two postes and lift them away with the barres, and put them vpon his shoulders, and caried them vp to the top of the mountaine that is before Hebron.

⁴ ¶ And after this hee loued a woman by the [Note: Or, plaine. ] riuer of Sorek, whose name was Delilah:

⁵ Vnto whome came the princes of the Philistims, and said vnto her, Entise him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what meane we may ouercome him, that we may binde him, and punish him, and euery one of vs shall giue thee eleuen hundreth [Note: [c] Of the value of a shekel, reade Gen.23. 15. ] shekels of siluer.

⁶ ¶ And Delilah saide to Samson, Tell mee, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest bee bound, to doe thee hurt.

⁷ Samson then answered vnto her, If they binde mee with seuen [Note: Or, newe withs. ] greene cordes, that were neuer dryed, then shall I bee weake, and be as an other man.

⁸ And the princes of the Philistims brought her seuen greene cordes that were not dry, and she bound him therewith.

⁹ (And she had [Note: [d] Certaine Philistims in a secret chamber. ] men lying in wayte with her in the chamber) Then she said vnto him, The Philistims be vpon thee, Samson. And hee brake the cordes, as a threede of towe is broken, when [Note: [e] When fire commeth neere it. ] it feeleth fire: so his strength was not knowen.

¹⁰ ¶ After Delilah saide vnto Samson, See, thou hast mocked mee and tolde mee lies. I pray thee nowe, [Note: [f] Though her falshode tended to make him lose his life, yet his affection so blinded him, that he could not beware. ] tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound.

¹¹ Then he answered her, If they binde mee with newe ropes that neuer were occupied, then shal I be weake, and be as an other man.

¹² Delilah therefore tooke newe ropes, and bounde him therewith, and saide vnto him, The Philistims be vpon thee, Samson: (and men lay in wayte in the chamber) and hee brake them from his armes, as a threede.

¹³ ¶ Afterward Delilah said to Samson, Hitherto thou hast beguiled mee, and tolde me lies: tell me how thou mightest be bounde. [Note: [g] It is impossible, if we giue place to our wicked affections, but at length we shalbe destroyed. ] And he sayde vnto her, If thou plattedst seuen lockes of mine head with the threedes of the woufe.

¹⁴ And she fastened it with a pinne, and saide vnto him, The Philistims be vpon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleepe, and went away with the [Note: Or, beame. ] pinne of the webbe and the woufe.

¹⁵ Againe shee sayde vnto him, Howe canst thou say, [Note: [h] For this Samson vsed to say, I loue thee. ] I loue thee, when thine heart is not with me? thou hast mocked mee these three times, and hast not tolde me wherein thy great strength lieth.

¹⁶ And because shee was importunate vpon him with her wordes continually, and vexed him, his soule was pained vnto the death.

¹⁷ Therefore he tolde her all his [Note: [i] Thus his immoderate affections towarde a wicked woman caused him to lose Gods excellent giftes, and become slaue vnto them, whom he should haue ruled ] heart, and said vnto her, There neuer came rasor vpon mine head: for I am a Nazarite vnto God from my mothers wombe: therefore if I bee shauen, my strength will goe from me, and I shalbe weake, and be like all other men.

¹⁸ And when Delilah sawe that he had tolde her all his heart, she sent, and called for the Princes of ye Philistims, saying, Come vp once againe: for he hath shewed mee all his heart. Then the Princes of the Philistims came vp vnto her, and brought the money in their handes.

¹⁹ And she made him sleepe vpon her knees, and she called a man, and made him to shaue off the seuen lockes of his head, and shee began to vexe him, and his strength was [Note: [k] Not for the losse of his heare, but for the contempt of the ordinance of God, which was the cause that God departed from him. ] gone from him.

²⁰ Then she said, The Philistims be vpon thee, Samson. And hee awoke out of his sleepe, and thought, I will go out now as at other times, and shake my selfe, but he knewe not that the Lorde was departed from him.

²¹ Therefore the Philistims tooke him, and put out his eyes, and brought him downe to Azzah, and bounde him with fetters: and hee did grinde in the prison house.

²² And the heare of his head began to [Note: [l] Yet had he not his strength againe, till he had called vpon God, and reconciled himselfe. ] growe againe after that it was shauen.

²³ Then the Princes of the Philistims gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice vnto Dagon their god, and to reioyce: for they said, Our god hath deliuered Samson our enemie into our handes.

²⁴ Also when the people saw him, they praysed their god: for they sayde, Our god hath deliuered into our hands our enemie and destroyer of our countrey, which hath slayne many of vs.


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²⁵ And when their heartes were mery, they said, Call Samson, that he may make vs pastime. So they called Samson out of the prison house, and he [Note: [m] Thus by Gods iust iudgements they are made slaues to infidels which neglect their vocation in defending the faithfull. ] was a laughing stocke vnto them, and they set him betweene the pillars.

²⁶ Then Samson saide vnto the seruant that led him by the hande, Lead me, that I may touch the pillars that the house standeth vpon, and that I may leane to them.

²⁷ (Nowe the house was full of men and women, and there were all the princes of the Philistims: also vpon the roofe were about three thousande men and women that behelde while Samson [Note: Or, was mocked. ] played)

²⁸ Then Samson called vnto the Lorde, and sayde, O Lord God, I pray thee, thinke vpon me: O God, I beseech thee, strengthen me at this time onely, that I may be [Note: Ebr. take one vengeance. ] at once [Note: [n] According to my vocation, which is to execute Gods iudgements vpon the wicked. ] auenged of the Philistims for my two eyes.

²⁹ And Samson layd hold on the two middle pillars whereupon the house stood, and on which it was borne vp: on the one with his right hand, and on the other with his left.

³⁰ Then Samson saide, [Note: [o] He speaketh not this of despaire, but humbling him selfe for neglecting his office and the offence thereby giuen. ] Let me lose my life with the Philistims: and he bowed him with all his might, and the house fell vpon the princes, & vpon all the people that were therein. so the dead which he slewe at his death were mo then they which he had slaine in his life.

³¹ Then his brethren, and all the house of his father came downe and tooke him, and brought him vp and buryed him betweene Zorah & Eshtaol, in the sepulchre of Manoah his father: nowe he had iudged Israel twenty yeeres.

3 Michahs mother according to her vowe made her sonne two idoles. 5 He made his sonne a Priest for his idoles, 10 and after he hired a Leuite.

¹ There [Note: [a] Some thinke this historie was in the time of Othniel, or as Iosephus writeth, immediatly after Ioshua. ] was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Michah,

² And he saide vnto his mother, The eleuen hundreth shekels of siluer that were taken from thee, for the which thou cursedst, and spakedst it, euen in mine hearing, beholde, the siluer is with me, I tooke it. Then his mother saide, Blessed be my sonne of the Lorde.

³ And when he had restored the eleuen hundreth shekels of siluer to his mother, his mother sayd, I had dedicate the siluer to the Lord of mine hand for my sonne, to make [Note: [b] Contrary to the commandement of God and true religion practised vnder Ioshua, they forsooke the Lorde and fell to idolatrie. ] a grauen and molten image. Now therfore I will giue it thee again.

⁴ And when he had restored the money vnto his mother, his mother tooke two hundreth shekels of siluer, and gaue them to the founder, which made thereof a grauen and molten image, and it was in the house of Michah.

⁵ And this man Michah had an house of gods, & made an [Note: Chap.8.27. ] [Note: [c] He would serue both God and idoles. ] Ephod, and [Note: Gene.31.19. hosea.3.4. ] [Note: [d] By Teraphim some vnderstand certaine idoles, hauing the likenesse of a man, but others vndestande thereby all maner of things and instruments belonging vnto those, who sought for any answere at Gods hands, as Chap. 18.5,6. ] Teraphim, & [Note: Ebr. filled the hand of one. ] cosecrated one of his sonnes, who was his Priest.

⁶ [Note: Chap.21.25. ] In those dayes there was no [Note: [e] For where there is no magistrate fearing God, there ca be no true religion, nor order, Chap.21.25. ] King in Israel, but euery man did that which was good in his owne eyes.

⁷ ¶ There was also a yong man out of Bethlehem Iudah, [Note: [f] Which Beth-lehem was in the tribe of Iudah. ] of the familie of Iudah: who was a Leuite, and soiourned there.

⁸ And the man departed out of the citie, euen out of Beth-lehem Iudah, to dwell where he coulde finde a place: and as he iourneyed, he

came to mount Ephraim to the house of Michah

⁹ And Michah saide vnto him, Whence comest thou? And the Leuite answered him, [Note: [g] For in those dayes the seruice of God was corrupt in all estates, and the Leuites were not looked vnto. ] I come from Beth-lehem Iudah, and goe to dwell where I may finde a place.

¹⁰ Then Michah said vnto him, Dwell with me, and be vnto me a father and a Priest, and I will giue thee ten shekels of siluer by yeere, and a sute of apparell, and thy meate and drinke. So the Leuite went in.

¹¹ And the Leuite was [Note: [h] Not considering that he forsooke the true worshipping of God for to mainteine his owne belly. ] content to dwel with the man, and the yong man was vnto him as one of his owne sonnes.

¹² And Michah consecrated the Leuite, and the yong man was his Priest, and was in the house of Michah.

¹³ Then said Michah, Nowe I know that the Lord will be [Note: [i] Thus the idolaters perswade them selues of Gods fauour, when in deede he doeth detest them. ] good vnto me, seeing I haue a Leuite to my Priest.

2 The children of Dan sende men to search the lande. 11 Then come the sixe hundreth and take the gods, and the Priest of Michah away. 27 They destroy Laish. 28 They builde it againe, 30 And set vp idolatrie.

¹ In those dayes there was no [Note: [a] Meaning, no ordinarie Magistrate, to punish vice according to Gods worde. ] King in Israel, and at the same time the tribe of Dan sought them an inheritance to dwell in: for vnto that time all their inheritance had not fallen vnto them among the tribes of Israel.

² Therefore the children of Dan sent of their familie, fiue men out of their coastes, euen men expert in warre, out of Zorah and Eshtaol, to viewe the lande and search it out, and saide vnto them, [Note: [b] For the portion which Ioshua gaue them, was not sufficient for all their tribe. ] Goe, and search out the lande. Then they came to mount Ephraim to the house of Michah and lodged there.

³ When they were in the house of Michah, they knewe the [Note: [c] They knewe him by his speach that he was a stranger there. ] voyce of the yong man the Leuite: and being turned in thither, they saide vnto him, Who brought thee hither? or what makest thou in this place? and what hast thou to doe here?

⁴ And he answered them, Thus and thus dealeth Michah with me, and hath hired me, and I am his Priest.

⁵ Againe they said vnto him, Aske counsell nowe of God, that we may knowe whether the way which we goe, shalbe prosperous.

⁶ And the Priest sayde vnto them, [Note: [d] Thus God graunteth the idolaters sometime their requestes to their destruction that delite in errors. ] Goe in peace: for the Lorde guideth your way which ye goe.

⁷ Then the fiue men departed and came to Laish, and sawe the people that were therein, which dwelt carelesse, after the maner of the Zidonians, quiet and sure, because no man [Note: Ebr. made them ashamed. ] made any trouble in the lande, or vsurped any dominion: also they were farre from the Zidonians, and had no businesse with other men.

⁸ ¶ So they came againe vnto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their brethren saide vnto them, What haue ye done?

⁹ And they answered, Arise, that we may goe vp against them: for we haue seene the lande, & surely it is very good, and [Note: [e] Lose ye this good occasion through your slouthfulnesse? ] doe ye sit stil? be not slouthfull to goe and enter to possesse the lande:

¹⁰ (If ye will goe, ye shall come vnto a carelesse people, and the countrey is large) for God hath giuen it into your hande. It is a place which doeth lacke nothing that is in the worlde.

¹¹ ¶ Then there departed thence of the familie [Page]

of the Danites, from Zorah and from Eshtaol, sixe hundreth men appointed with instruments of warre.

¹² And they went vp, and pitched in Kiriath-iearim in Iudah: wherefore they called that place, [Note: Or, the tents of Dan. ] Mahaneh-Dan vnto this day: and it is behinde Kiriath-iearim.

¹³ And they went thence vnto mount Ephraim, and came to the house of Michah.

¹⁴ Then answered the fiue men, that went to spie out the countrey of Laish, & said vnto their brethren, [Note: [f] Because they before had had good successe, they would that their brethren should be encouraged by hearing the same tidings. ] Knowe ye not, that there is in these houses an Ephod, and Teraphim, and a grauen & a molten image? Nowe therefore consider what ye haue to doe.

¹⁵ And they turned thitherward & came to the house of the yong man the Leuite, euen vnto the house of Michah, and saluted him peaceably.

¹⁶ And the six hundreth men appointed with their weapons of warre, which were of the children of Dan, stoode by the entring of the gate.

¹⁷ Then the fiue men that went to spie out the land, went in thither, and tooke the [Note: [g] So superstition blinded them, that they thought Gods power was in these idoles, & that they should haue good successe by them, though by violence and robberie they did take them away: ] grauen image and the Ephod, and the Teraphim, and the molten image: and the Priest stoode in the entring of the gate with the sixe hundreth men, that were appointed with weapons of warre,

¹⁸ And the other went into Michahs house and fet the grauen image, the Ephod, and the Teraphim, and the molten image. Then saide the Priest vnto them, What doe ye?

¹⁹ And they answered him, Holde thy peace: lay thine hande vpon thy mouth, and come with vs to be our father and Priest. Whether is it better that thou shouldest be a Priest vnto ye house of one man, or that thou shouldest be a Priest vnto a tribe and to a familie in Israel?

²⁰ And the Priestes heart was glad, and hee tooke the Ephod and the Teraphim, and the grauen image, and went among the [Note: [h] With the sixe hundreth men. ] people.

²¹ And they turned and departed, and put the children, and the cattell, and the substance [Note: [i] Suspecting them that did pursue them. ] before them.

²² ¶ When they were farre off from the house of Michah, the men that were in the houses neere to Michahs house, gathered together, and pursued after the children of Dan,

²³ And cryed vnto the children of Dan: who turned their faces, and said vnto Michah, What ayleth thee, that thou makest an outcrie?

²⁴ And hee saide, Yee haue taken away my [Note: [k] This declareth what opinion the idolaters haue of their idoles. ] gods, which I made, and the Priest, and go your wayes: and what haue I more? howe then say ye vnto me, what ayleth thee?

²⁵ And the children of Dan sayde vnto him, Let not thy voyce be heard among vs, least [Note: Ebr. who haue their heart bitter. ] angrie fellowes runne vpon thee, and thou lose thy life with the liues of thine housholde.

²⁶ So the children of Dan went their wayes: and when Michah saw that they were too strong for him, hee turned, and went backe vnto his house.

²⁷ And they tooke the [Note: [l] Meaning, the idoles, as verse 18. ] things which Michah had made, and the Priest which he had, and came vnto Laish, vnto a quiet people and without mistrust, and smote them with the edge of the sworde, and burnt the citie with fire:

²⁸ And there was none to [Note: Or, deliuer them. ] helpe, because [Note: [m] Which after was called Cesarea Philippi. ] Laish was farre from Zidon, and they had no businesse with other men: also it was in the valley

that lyeth by Beth-rehob. After, they built the citie, and dwelt therein,

²⁹ [Note: Iosh.19.47. ] And called the name of the citie Dan, after the name of Dan their father which was borne vnto Israel: howbeit the name of the city was Laish at the beginning.

³⁰ Then the children of Dan set them vp the [Note: [n] Thus in steade of giuing glorie to God, they attributed the victorie to their idoles, and honoured them therefore. ] grauen image: and Ionathan the sonne of Gershom, the sonne of Manasseh and his sonnes were the Priestes in the tribe of the Danites vntil the day of the [Note: [o] That is, till the Arke was taken, 1.Sam.5.1. ] captiuitie of the lande.

³¹ So they set them vp the grauen image, which Michah had made, all the while the house of God was in Shiloh.

1 A Leuites wife being an harlot, forsooke her husbande, and he tooke her againe. 25 At Gibeah she was most villanously abused to the death. 29 The Leuite cutteth her in pieces and sendeth her to the twelue tribes.

¹ Also in those dayes, [Note: Chap.17.6. and 18.1. ] when there was no king in Israel, a certaine Leuite dwelt on the side of mount Ephraim, and tooke to wife a [Note: Gene.25.6. ] concubine out of Beth-lehem Iudah,

² And his concubine played ye whore [Note: Ebr. besides him: to wit, with others. ] there, and went away from him vnto her fathers house to Beth-lehem Iudah, and there continued the space of foure moneths.

³ And her husband arose and went after her, to speake [Note: Ebr. to her heart. ] friendly vnto her, and to bring her againe: he had also his seruant with him, and a couple of asses: and she brought him vnto her fathers house, and when the yong womans father sawe him, he reioyced [Note: Or, at his meeting. ] of his comming.

⁴ And his father in lawe, the yong womans father reteined him: & he abode with him three dayes: so they did eate & drinke, & lodged there.

⁵ ¶ And when the fourth day came, they arose earely in the morning, and [Note: Ebr. rose vp. ] he prepared to depart: then the yong womans father said vnto his sonne in lawe, [Note: Or, strengthen. ] Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and then go your way.

⁶ So they sate downe, and did eate & drinke both of them together. And the [Note: [a] That is, his concubines father. ] yong womans father said vnto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tary all night, and let thine heart be mery.

⁷ And when the man rose vp to depart, his father in lawe [Note: Or, compelled him. ] was earnest: therefore he returned, and lodged there.

⁸ And he arose vp earely the fifth day to depart, and the yong womans father saide, [Note: [b] Meaning, that he should refresh himselfe with meate, as verse 5. ] Comfort thine heart, I pray thee: and they taryed vntill after midday, and they both did eate.

⁹ Afterwarde when the man arose to depart with his concubine and his seruant, his father in lawe, the yong womans father said vnto him, Beholde nowe, the day [Note: Ebr. is weake. ] draweth towarde euen: I pray you, tary all night: beholde, [Note: Or, the day lodgeth. ] the sunne goeth to rest: lodge here, that thine heart may be merie, and to morowe get you earely vpon your way, and goe to thy [Note: [c] To wit, to the towne or citie where he dwelt. ] tent.

¹⁰ But the man would not tarry, but arose & departed, and came ouer against Iebus, (which is Ierusalem) and his two asses laden, and his concubine were with him.

¹¹ When they were neere to Iebus, the day [Note: Or, went downe. ] was sore spent, and the seruant said vnto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let vs turne into this citie of the Iebusites, and lodge all night there.

¹² And his master answered him, [Note: [d] Though in these dayes there were most horrible corruptions, yet very necessitie could not compel them to haue to doe with them that professed not the true God. ] We will not turne into the citie of strangers that are not

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of the children of Israel, but we will goe forth to Gibeah.
¹³ And he said vnto his seruant, Come, and let vs drawe neere to one of these places, that wee may lodge in Gibeah or in Ramah.

¹⁴ So they went forward vpon their way, and the sunne went downe vpon them neere to Gibeah, which is in Beniamin.

¹⁵ ¶ Then they turned thither to goe in and lodge in Gibeah: and when he came, he sate him downe in a streete of the citie: for there was no man that [Note: Or, gathered them. ] tooke them into his house to lodging.

¹⁶ And beholde, there came an old man from his work out of the field at euen, & the man was of mount Ephraim, but dwelt in Gibeah: and the men of the place were the children of [Note: [e] That is, of the tribe of Beniamin. ] Iemini.

¹⁷ And when he had lift vp his eyes, he sawe a [Note: Or, a man walking. ] wayfairing man in the streetes of the citie: then this olde man sayde, Whither goest thou, and whence camest thou?

¹⁸ And hee answered him, Wee came from Beth-lehem Iudah, vnto the side of Mout Ephraim: from thence am I: and I went to Beth-lehem Iudah, and go now to the [Note: [f] To Shiloh or Mizpeh, where the Arke was. ] house of the Lord: and no man receiueth mee to house,

¹⁹ Although we haue straw and prouader for our asses, and also bread and wine for me & thine handmayde, and for the boy that is with thy seruant: we lacke nothing.

²⁰ And the olde man sayde, [Note: Or, hee of good comfort. ] Peace bee with thee: as for all that thou lackest, shalt thou finde with me: onely abide not in the streete al night.

²¹ ¶ So he brought him into his house, & gaue fodder vnto the asses: and they washed their feete, and did eate and drinke.

²² And as they were making their hearts merie, beholde, the men of the citie, [Note: Ebr. men of Belial, that is, giuen to all wickednesse. ] wicked men beset the house round about, and [Note: [g] To the intent they might breake it. ] smote at the doore, and spake to this olde man the master of the house saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house that we may knowe him.

²³ And [Note: Gen. 19.6. ] this man the master of ye house went out vnto the, & said vnto them, Nay my brethre, do not so wickedly, I pray you: seeing that this man is come into mine house, do not this villenie.

²⁴ Behold, here is my daughter, a virgine, and his concubine: them wil I bring out nowe, [Note: [h] That is, abuse them, Gen.19.8. ] and humble them, and doe with them what seemeth you good: but to this man doe not this villenie.

²⁵ But the men woulde not hearken to him: therefore ye man tooke his concubine, & brought her out vnto them: and they knewe her and abused her all the night vnto the morning: and when the day began to spring, they let her goe.

²⁶ So the woman came in the dawning of the day, and [Note: [i] Shee fell downe dead, as vers 27. ] fell downe at the doore of the mans house where her Lord was, till the light day.

²⁷ And her [Note: Or, husband. ] lorde arose in the morning, and opened the doores of the house, and went out to goe his way, and beholde, the woman his concubine was [Note: Or, fallen. ] dead at the doore of the house and her handes lay vpon the thresholde.

²⁸ And hee said vnto her, Vp and let vs goe: but shee answered not. Then he tooke her vp vpon the asse, and the man rose vp, and went vnto his [Note: [k] Meaning, home vnto mount Ephraim. ] place.

²⁹ And whe he was come to his house, he took a knife, and laid hand on his concubine, and deuided her in pieces with her bones into twelue parts, and sent her through all quarters of Israel.

³⁰ And all that saw it, said, There was no [Note: [l] For this was like the sinne of Sodom, for the which God rained downe fire and brimstone from heauen. ] such thing done or seene since the time that the children of Israel came vp from the lande of Egypt vnto this day: consider the matter, consult and giue sentence.

1 The Israelites assemble at Mizpeh, to whome the Leuite declareth his wrong. 13 They sent for them that did the villenie. 25 The Israelites are twise ouercome, 46 And as length get the victorie.

¹ Then [Note: Hose.10.9. ] all the children of Israel went out, and the Congregation was gathered together as [Note: [a] That is, al with one consent. ] one man, from Dan to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, vnto the [Note: [b] To aske counsell. ] Lord in Mizpeh.

² And the [Note: Ebr. corners. ] chiefe of all the people, and all the tribes of Israel assembled in the Congregation of the people of God foure hundreth thousand footemen that [Note: [c] Meaning, men able to handle their weapon. ] drewe sword.

³ (Now the children of Beniamin heard that the children of Israel were gone vp to Mizpeh) Then the children of Israel [Note: [d] To the Leuite. ] saide, Howe is this wickednesse committed?

⁴ And the same Leuite, the womans husband that was slaine, answered and saide, I came vnto Gibeah that is in Beniamin with my concubine to lodge,

⁵ And the [Note: Or, chiefe, or lord. ] men of Gibeah arose against me, and beset the house round about vpon mee by night, thinking to haue slaine me, and haue forced my concubine that she is dead.

⁶ Then I tooke my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent [Note: [e] That is, her pieces to euery tribe a piece, chap.19.29. ] her throughout all the countrey of the inheritance of Israel: for they haue committed abomination and villenie in Israel.

⁷ Behold, ye are al children of Israel: giue your aduise, and counsell herein.

⁸ Then all the people arose as one man, saying, There shal not a man of vs goe to his tent, neither any turne into his [Note: [f] Before wee haue reuenged this wickednesse. ] house.

⁹ But now this is that thing which we will do to Gibeah: we wil goe vp by lot against it,

¹⁰ And we wil take ten men of the hundreth throughout al the tribes of Israel, & an hundreth of the thousand, and a thousand of ten thousand to bring [Note: [g] These onely should haue the charge to prouide for vitaile for the rest. ] vitaile for the people that they may do (when they come to Gibeah of Beniamin) according to all the villeny, that it hath done in Israel.

¹¹ ¶ So all the men of Israel were gathered against the citie, knit together, as one man.

¹² And the tribes of Israel sent men through al the [Note: [h] That is, euery familie of the tribe. ] tribe of Beniamin, saying, What wickednesse is this that is committed among you?

¹³ Nowe therefore deliuer vs those wicked men which are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away euill from Israel: but the children of Beniamin [Note: [i] Because they would not suffer the wicked to be punished, they declared themselues to mainteine them in their euil, and therefore were all iustly punished. ] would not obey the voyce of their brethren the children of Israel.

¹⁴ But ye children of Beniamin gathered them selues together out of the cities vnto Gibeah, to come out and fight against the children of Israel.

¹⁵ ¶ And ye children of Beniamin were nombred at that time out of the cities sixe and twenty thousand men that drewe sworde, beside the inhabitants of Gibeah, which were nombred seuen hundreth chosen men.

¹⁶ Of all this people were seuen hundreth chosen men, being [Note: Chap.3.15. ] left handed: all these could sling stones at an heare breadth, and not faile.

¹⁷ ¶ Also the men of Israel, beside Beniamin, were nombred foure hundreth thousande men [Page]

that drew sword, euen all men of warre.

¹⁸ And the children of Israel arose, and went vp [Note: [k] That is, to the Arke, which was in Shiloh: some thinke, in Mizpeh, as vers.1. ] to the house of God, and asked of God, saying, Which of vs shal goe vp first to fight against the children of Beniamin? And the Lord said, Iudah shalbe first.

¹⁹ Then the children of Israel arose vp earely and camped against Gibeah.

²⁰ And the men of Israel went out to battell against Beniamin, & the men of Israel put themselues in aray to fight against the beside Gibeah.

²¹ And the children of Beniamin came out of Gibeah, & slewe downe to the ground of the Israelites that day [Note: [l] This God permitted, because the Israelites partly trusted to much in their strength, & partly God would by this meanes punish their sinnes. ] two and twentie thousand men.

²² And the people, the men of Israel plucked vp their hearts, and set their battel againe in aray in the place where they put them in aray the first day.

²³ (For the children of Israel had gone vp and wept before the Lord vnto the euening, and had asked of the Lorde, saying, Shall I goe againe to battel against the children of Beniamin my brethren? and the Lord said, Go vp against them)

²⁴ ¶ Then the children of Israel came neere against the children of Beniamin the second day.

²⁵ Also the second day Beniamin came forth to meete them out of Gibeah, and slewe downe to the grounde of the children of Israel againe eighteene thousand men: [Note: Ebr. al they drawing the sword. ] all they could handle the sword.

²⁶ Then al the children of Israel went vp and all the people came also vnto the house of God, and wept and sate there before the Lord & fasted that day vnto the euening, and offred burnt offrings and peace offrings before the Lord.

²⁷ And the children of Israel asked the Lorde (for [Note: [m] To wit, in Shiloh. ] there was the Arke of the couenat of God in those dayes,

²⁸ And Phinehas the sonne of Eleazar, the sonne of Aaron [Note: [n] Or, serued in the priests office at those dayes: for the Iewes write, that he liued three hundreth yeeres. ] stoode before it at that time) saying, Shall I yet goe anie more to battel against the children of Beniamin my brethren, or shall I cease? And the Lord said, Go vp: for to morowe I will deliuer them into your hand.

²⁹ And Israel set men to lie in waite round about Gibeah.

³⁰ And the children of Israel went vp against the children of Beniamin the third day, and put theselues in aray against Gibeah, as at other times.

³¹ Then the children of Beniamin comming out against the people, were [Note: [o] By the policie of the children of Israel. ] drawen from the citie: and they began to smite of ye people and kill as at other times, euen by the wayes in the fielde (whereof one goeth vp to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah) vpon a thirtie men of Israel.

³² (For the children of Beniamin sayd, They are fallen before vs, as at the first. But the children of Israel saide, Let vs flee and plucke them away from the citie vnto the hie [Note: [p] Meaning croswayes or pathes to diuers places. ] wayes)

³³ And all the men of Israel rose vp out of their place, and put themselues in aray at Baal-tamar: and the men that lay in wayte of the Israelites came forth of their place, euen out of the medowes of Gibeah,

³⁴ And they came ouer against Gibeah, ten thousande chosen men of all Israel, and the battell was sore: for they knewe not that the [Note: [q] They knewe not that Gods iudgement was at hand to destroy them. ] euill was neere them.

³⁵ ¶ And the Lord smote Beniamin before Israel, and the children of Israel destroyed of the

Beniamites the same day fiue and twenty thousand and an hundreth men: all they could handle the sword.

³⁶ So the children of Beniamin sawe that they were striken downe: for the men of Israel [Note: [r] Retired, to draw them after. ] gaue place to the Beniamites, because they trusted to the men that lay in waite, which they had laide beside Gibeah.

³⁷ And they that lay in wait hasted, and brake forth toward Gibeah, & the ambushment [Note: Or, made a long sound with a trumpet. ] drewe themselues along, and smote all the citie with the edge of the sword.

³⁸ Also the men of Israel had appoynted a certaine time with the ambushmentes, that they should make a great flame and smoke rise vp out of the citie.

³⁹ And when the men of Israel retired in the battel, Beniamin began to [Note: [s] For they were waxen hardie by the two former victories. ] smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirtie persons: for they said, Surely they are striken downe before vs, as in the first battell.

⁴⁰ But when the flame bega to arise out of the citie, as a pillar of smoke, the Beniamites looked backe, and behold, the flame of the citie began to ascend vp to heauen.

⁴¹ Then the men of Israel turned [Note: [t] And withstood their enemies. ] againe, & the men of Beniamin were astonied: for they saw that euill was neere vnto them.

⁴² Therefore they fled before the men of Israel vnto the way of the wildernesse, but the battell ouertooke them: also they which came out of the cities, slew them [Note: [u] For they were compassed in on euery side. ] among them.

⁴³ Thus they compassed the Beniamites about, and [Note: Or, droue them from their rest. ] chased them at ease, and ouerranne them, euen ouer against Gibeah on the Eastside.

⁴⁴ And there were slaine of Beniamin eyghteene thousad men, which were all men of warre.

⁴⁵ And they turned and fled to the wildernes vnto the rocke of Rimmon: and the Israelites [Note: [x] They slew them by one and one, as they were scattered abroad. ] glayned of them by the way fiue thousand men, and pursued after them vnto Gidom, and slewe two thousand men of them,

⁴⁶ So that all that were slayne that day of Beniamin, were [Note: [y] Besides eleuen hundreth that had been slaine in the former battels. ] fiue and twentie thousand men that drewe sword, which were all men of warre:

⁴⁷ [Note: Chap.21.13. ] But sixe hundreth men turned and fled to the wildernesse vnto the rocke of Rimmon, and abode in the rocke of Rimmon foure moneths.

⁴⁸ Then the men of Israel returned vnto the children of Beniamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword from the men of the citie vnto the beasts, and all that came to hand: also they set on fire all the [Note: [z] If they belonged to the Beniamites. ] cities that they coulde come by.

1 The Israelites sweare that they will not marie their daughters to the Beniamites. 10 They slay them of Iabesh Gilead, and giue their virgins to the Beniamites. 21 The Beniamites take the daughters of Shiloh.

¹ Moreouer, the men of Israel [Note: [a] This oth came of rashnesse, and not of iudgement: for after they brake it, in shewing secretly the meanes to marrie with certaine of their daughters. ] sware in Mizpeh, saying, None of vs shall giue his daughter vnto the Beniamites to wyfe.

² And the people came vnto ye house of God and abode there till euen before God, and lift vp their voyces, and wept with great lamentation,

³ And sayde, O Lorde God of Israel, why is this come to passe in Israel, that this day one tribe of Israel should want?

⁴ ¶ And on the morow the people rose vp & made there an [Note: [b] According to their custome, when they would consult with the Lord. ] altar, and offred burnt offrings and peace offrings.


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⁵ Then the children of Israel said, Who is he among all the tribes of Israel, that came not vp with the Congregation vnto the Lorde? for they had made a great othe concerning him that came not vp to the Lord to Mizpeh, saying, Let him die the death.

⁶ And the children of Israel [Note: [c] Or, repented that they had destroyed their brethren, as appeareth, verse.15. ] were sory for Beniamin their brother, & said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.

⁷ How shal we do for wiues to them that remaine, seeing we haue sworne by the Lorde, that we will not giue them of our daughters to wiues?

⁸ Also they saide, Is there any of the tribes of Israel that [Note: [d] Condemning them to be fautours of vice, which would not put their hand to punish it. ] came not vp to Mizpeh to the Lord? and beholde, there came none of Iabesh Gilead vnto the hoste and to the Congregation.

⁹ For when the people were vewed; beholde, none of the inhabitants of Iabesh Gilead were there.

¹⁰ Therefore the Congregation sent thither twelue thousande men of the [Note: Ebr. children of strength. ] most valiant, and commaunded them, saying, Goe, and smite the inhabitants of Iabesh Gilead with the edge of the sword, both women, and children.

¹¹ [Note: Nomb.31.17. ] And this is it that ye shall do: ye shall vtterly destroye all the males and all the women that haue lien by men.

¹² And they found among the inhabitants of Iabesh Gilead foure hundreth maides, virgins that had knowne no man by lying with any male: and they brought them vnto the hoste to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.

¹³ ¶ Then the whole Congregation [Note: [e] To wit, about foure moneths after the discomfiture, Chap.20.47. ] sent and spake with the children of Beniamin that were in the rocke of Rimmon, and called [Note: Or, friendly. ] peaceably vnto them:

¹⁴ And Beniamin came againe at that time, and they gaue them wiues which they had saued aliue of the women of Iabesh Gilead: but they had not [Note: [f] For there lacked two hundreth. ] so ynough for them.

¹⁵ And the people were sorie for Beniamin,

because the Lord had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.

¹⁶ Therefore the Elders of the Congregation said, How shall we doe for wiues to the remnant? for the women of Beniamin are destroyed.

¹⁷ And they saide, there must be [Note: [g] Beniamin must be reserued to haue the twelft portion in the inheritance of Iaakob. ] an inheritance for them that be escaped of Beniamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.

¹⁸ Howbeit we may not giue them wiues of our daughters: for the childre of Israel had sworne, saying, Cursed be he yt giueth a wise to Beniamin.

¹⁹ Therefore they said, Beholde, there is a feast of the Lord euery yere in Shiloh in a place, which is on the [Note: [h] He describeth the place where the maydes vsed yeerely to dance, as the maner then was, and to sing Psalmes and songs of Gods workes among them. ] Northside of Beth-el, and on the Eastside of the way that goeth vp from Beth-el to Shechem, and on the South of Lebonah.

²⁰ Therefore they commaunded the children of Beniamin, saying, Goe, and lye in waite in the vineyardes.

²¹ And when ye see that the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catche you euery man a wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and goe into the land of Beniamin.

²² And [Note: [i] Though they thought hereby to persuade men that they kept their othe, yet before God it was broken. ] when their fathers or their brethren come vnto vs to complaine, we wil say vnto them, Haue pitie on them for our sakes, because we reserued not to eche man his wife in the warre, and because ye haue not giuen vnto them hitherto, ye haue sinned.

²³ And the children of Beniamin did so, and tooke wiues of them that danced according to their [Note: [k] Meaning, two hundreth. ] nomber: which they tooke, and went away, and returned to their inheritance, and repaired the cities and dwelt in them.

²⁴ So the children of Israel departed thence at that time, euery man to his tribe, and to his familie, and went out from thence euery man to his inheritance.

²⁵ [Note: Chap.17.6. and 18. 1. and 19.1. ] In those dayes there was no King in Israel, but euery man did yt which was good in his eyes.