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The Israelites oppressed.

CHAP. XI. Jephthah's message to the Ammonites. 3 ¶ And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and ther's house? and why are ye come unto me judged Israel twenty and two years. now when ye are in distress?

4 And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass 8 And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, colts, and they had thirty cities, which are call-Therefore we turn again to thee now, that thou ed Havoth-jair unto this day, which are in the mayest go with us, and fight against the children land of Gilead. of Ammon, and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.

5 And Jair died, and was buried in Camon. 6 And the children of Israel did evil again in 9 And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and If ye bring me home again to fight against the Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of children of Ammon, and the LORD deliver them Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the before me, shall I be your head? children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philis- 10 And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, tines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him. The LORD be witness between us, if we do not 7 And the anger of the LORD was hot against so according to thy words.

Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the Phi- 11 Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilistines, and into the hands of the children of lead, and the people made him head and captain Ammon. over them and Jephthah uttered all his words

8 And that year they vexed and oppressed the before the LORD in Mizpeli. children of Israel eighteen years, all the children 12 1 And Jephthah sent messengers unto the of Israel that were on the other side Jordan in king of the children of Ammon, saying, What the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead. hast thou to do with me, that thou art come 9 Moreover, the children of Ammon passed over against me to fight in my land? Jordan, to fight also against Judah, and against 13 And the king of the children of Ammon anBenjamin, and against the house of Ephraim: swered unto the messengers of Jephthah, Beso that Israel was sore distressed. cause Israel took away my land, when they 10 1 And the children of Israel cried unto the came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto LORD, saying, We have sinned against thee. Jabbok, and unto Jordan: now therefore restore both because we have forsaken our God, and those lands again peaceably. also served Baalim.

11 And the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Did not I deliver you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines?

12 The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites did oppress you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand.

13 Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more. 14 Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.

15 T And the children of Israel said unto the LORD, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day.

14 And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Aminon: 15 And said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, Israel took not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon:

16 But when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked through the wilderness unto the Red sea, and came to Kadesh;

17 Then Israel sent messengers unto the king of Edom, saying, Let me, I pray thee, pass through thy land: but the king of Edom would not hearken thereto. And in like manner they sent unto the king of Moab; but he would not consent. And Israel abode in Kadesh.

18 Then they went along through the wilderness, and compassed the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the east side of the 16 And they put away the strange gods from land of Moab, and pitched on the other side of among them, and served the LORD: and his soul Arnon, but came not within the border of Moab: was grieved for the misery of Israel.

17 Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpeh.

18 And the people and princes of Gilead said one to another, What man is he that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.

CHAP. XI.

Jephthah's covenant, &c.

for Arnon was the border of Moab.

19 And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said unto him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy land unto my place.

20 But Sihon trusted not Israel to pass through his coast: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and pitched inJahaz,and fought against Israel. 21 And the LORD God of Israel delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they smote them: so Israel possessed all the land

NOW Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country. man of valour, and he was the son of a harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah.

2 And Gilead's wife bare him sons; and his wife's sons grew up, and they thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father's house; for thou art the son of a strange woman.

22 And they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto Jordan. 23 So now the LORD God of Israel hath dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, and shouldest thou possess it?

24 Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh 3 Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and thy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever dwelt in the land of Tob: and there were gather-the LORD our God shall drive out from before ed vain men to Jephthah, and went out with him. us, them will we possess.

4 And it came to pass in process of time, that 25 And now art thou any thing better than Balak the children of Ammon made war against Israel. the son of Zippor king of Moab? did he ever strive 5 And it was so, that when the children of Am- against Israel, or did he ever fight against them, mon made war against Israel, the elders of Gi- 26 While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her lead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob: towns, and in Aroer and her towns, and in all 6 And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be the cities that be along by the coasts of Arnon," our captain, that we may fight with the children three hundred years? why therefore did ye not of Ammon. recover them within that time?

7 And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, 27 Wherefore I have not sinned against thee, Did not ve hate me, and expel me out of my fa- but thou doest me wrong to war against me: the

Jephthah's rash vow.

JUDGES. Ibran, Elon, and Abdon, Judge Israel LORD the Judge be judge this day between the 5 And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan children of Israel and the children of Ammon. before the Ephraimites: and it was so, that when 28 Howbeit, the king of the children of Animon those Ephraimites which were escaped, said, Let hearkened not ato the words of Jephthah me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, which he sent him. Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay; 6 Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him and slew him at the passages of Jordan. And there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand. 7 And Jephthah judged Israel six years: then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.

29 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpel of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon.

30 And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into my hands,

8 ¶ And after him Ibzan of Beth-lehem judged

31 Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when Israel. 1 return in peace from the children of Ammon, 9 And he had thirty sons and thirty daughters shall surely be the LORD's, and I will offer it up whom he sent abroad, and took in thirty daughfor a burnt-offering. ters from abroad for his sons: and he judged Is

32 1 So Jephthah passed over unto the chil-rael seven years.
dren of Ammon to fight against them: and the
LORD delivered them into his hands.
33 And he smote them from Aroer even till thou
come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and unto
the plain of the vineyards, with a very great
slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were
subdued before the children of Israel.
34 1 And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his Pirathonite, judged Israel.
house, and behold, his daughter came out to
meet him with timbrels and with dances: and
she was his only child; besides her he had nei-
ther son nor daughter.

10 Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Bethlehem.

11 ¶ And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel, and he judged Israel ten years. 12 And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the country of Zebulun. 13 ¶ And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a

35 And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back. 36 And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemics, even of the children of Ammon.

14 And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years.

15 And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites. CHAP. XIII.

Birth of Samson foretold. AND the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years. 21 And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not. 3 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the 37 And she said unto her father, Let this thing woman, and said unto her, Behold, now, thou be done for me: Let me alone two months, that art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conI may go up and down upon the mountains, and ceive, and bear a son. bewail my virginity, I and my fellows.

4 Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink 38 And he said, Go. And he sent her away for not wine, nor strong drink, and eat not any untwo months: and she went with her companions, clean thing:

and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains. 5 For lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; 39 And it came to pass at the end of two months, and no razor shall come on his head: for the that she returned unto her father, who did with child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the her according to his vow which he had vowed: womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out and she knew no man. And it was a custom in of the hand of the Philistines. Israel, 6 Then the woman came and told her hus40 That the daughters of Israel went yearly to band, saying, A man of God came unto me, and Jament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite his countenance was like the countenance of an four days in a year. angel of God, very terrible: but I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his name: 7 But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt con

CHAP. XII.

Ephraimites discerned by Shibboleth.

AND the men of Ephrain gathered them-ceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine

selves together, and went northward, and nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing: said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the over to fight against the children of Ammon, and womb to the day of his death.

didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn 8 1 Then Manoah entreated the LORD, and said, thy house upon thee with fire. O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst

2 And Jephthah said unto them, I and my peo- send come again unto us, and teach us what we ple were at great strife with the children of Am-shall do unto the child that shall be born. mon; and when I called you, ye delivered me 9 And God hearkened to the voice of Maalot out of their hands. noah; and the angel of God came again unto

3 And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah put my life in my hands, and passed over against her husband was not with her. the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered 10 And the woman made haste, and ran, and them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come shewed her husband, and said unto him, Behold, up unto me this day, to fight against me? the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the other day.

4 Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gicadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites.

11 And Manoal arosc, and went after his wife, and came to the man, and said unto him, Ari thou the man that spakest unto the woman? And he said, I am.

The birth of Samson.

CHAP. XIV, XV.

Treachery of his wife. 12 And Manoah said, Now let thy words come and he turned aside to see the carcass of the to pass. How shall we order the child, and how lion: and behold, there was a swarm of becs shall we do unto him? and honey in the carcass of the lion.

13 And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, 9 And he took thereof in his hands, and went Of all that I said unto the woman, let her beware. on eating, and came to his father and mother, 14 She may not eat of any thing that cometh of and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong not thein that he had taken the honey out of the drink, nor eat any unclean thing: all that I com- carcass of the lion. manded her let her observe.

10 1 So his father went down unto the woman: 15 1 And Manoah said unto the angel of the and Samson made there a feast; for so used the LORD, I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we young men to do. shall have made ready a kid for thee.

11 And it came to pass, when they saw him, that 16 And the angel of the LORD said unto Mano-they brought thirty companions to be with him. ah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy 12 And Samson said unto them, I will now bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt-offering, put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly thou must offer it unto the LORD. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the LORD. 17 And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass, we may do thee honour?

18 And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?

declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments:

13 But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of gar inents. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.

14 And he said unto them, Out of the eater 19 So Manoah took a kid, with a meat-offering, came forth meat, and out of the strong came and offered it upon a rock unto the LORD; and forth sweetness. And they could not in three the angel did wondrously, and Manoah and his days expound the riddle. wife looked on. 15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that

20 For it came to pass, when the flame went they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husup toward heaven from off the altar, that the band, that he may declare unto us the riddle, angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the lest we burn thee and thy father's house with altar, and Manoah and his wife looked on it, fire: have ye called us to take that we have? is and fell on their faces to the ground. 21 But the angel of the LORD did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the LORD.

22 And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God. 23 But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt-offering and a meat-offering at our hands, neither would he have shewed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these.

24 T And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson. And the child grew, and the

LORD blessed him.'

25 And the Spirit of the LORD began to move bin at times in the camp of Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.

CHAP. XIV.

it not so?

16 And Samson's wife wept before him and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not i thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee?" 17 And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted; and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people.

18 And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye had not ploughed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.

19 T And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew ND Samson went down to Timnath, and thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and

Samson's marriage and riddle.

of the Philistines.

2 And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to `wife.

3 Then his father and his mother said unto

change garments expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house. 20 But Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend. CHAP. XV.

Samson's revenge on the Philistines.

BUT it came to pass within a while after, in

him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that the time of wheat-harvest, that Samson thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, go in to my wife into the chamber. But her Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well. father would not suffer him to go in. 4 But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

2 And her father said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her; therefore I gave her to thy companion: is not her younger sister fairer than she? take her, I pray thee, instead of her. 5 Then went Samson down, and his father and 3 T And Samson said concerning them, Now his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vine-shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, yards of Timnath: and behold, a young lion though I do them a displeasure. roared against him.

6 And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done. 7 And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well. 81 And after a time he returned to take her,

4 And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took fire-brands, and turned tail to tail, and put a fire-brand in the midst between two tails 5 And when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the standing corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks, and also the standing corn, with the vineyards and olives. 6 Then the Philistines said, Who hath done

Samson slays the Philistines.

with fire.

JUDGES.

His eyes are put out. this? And they answered, Samson, the son-in-[in his great strength lieth, and by what means we law of the Timnite, because he had taken his may prevail against him, that we may bind him wife, and given her to his companion. And the to afflict him: and we will give thee every one Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father of us eleven hundred pieces of silver. 6 And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray 7 1 And Samson said unto them, Though ye thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherehave done this, yet will I be avenged of you, with thou mightest be bound to afflict thee. and after that I will cease. 7 And Samson said unto her, If they bind me 8 And he smote them hip and thigh with a great with seven green withs, that were never dried, slaughter. And he went down and dwelt in the then shall I be weak, and be as another man. top of the rock Etam. 8 Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withs, which had not been dried, and she bound him with them. 9 (Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber.) And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was

9 Then the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread themselves in Lehi. 10 And the men of Judah said, Why are ye come up against us? And they answered, To bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he hath done to us.

11 Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam, and said to Samson, not known. Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? what is this that thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them.

12 And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them, Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves.

10 And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: now tell me, pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound. 11 And he said unto her, If they bind me fast with new ropes that never were occupied, then shall I be weak, and be as another man. 12 Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. (And there were 13 And they spake unto him, saying, No; but liers in wait abiding in the chamber.) And he we will bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their brake them from off his arms like a thread. hand: but surely we will not kill thee. And 13 And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou they bound him with two new cords, and brought hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherehim up from the rock.. with thou mightest be bound. And he said unto 14 T And when he came unto Lehi, the Philis-her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head tines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the with the web. LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that 14 And she fastened it with the pin, and said were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands. 15 And he found a new jaw-bone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.

16 And Samson said, With the jaw-bone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.

unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson.
And he awaked out of his sleep, and went away
with the pin of the beam, and with the web.
15 T And she said unto him, How canst thou
say, I love thee, when thine heart is not with
me? Thou hast mocked me these three times, and
hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth.
16 And it came to pass when she pressed him
daily with her words, and urged him, so that his
soul was vexed unto death;

17 And it came to pass when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jaw-bone out of his hand, and called that place Ramath-leh 17 That he told her at his heart, and said unto 18 T And he was sore athirst, and called on the her, There hath not come a razor upon my head; LORD, and said, Thou hast given this great de-for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mo liverance into the hand of thy servant: and now ther's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the will go from me, and I shall become weak, and uncircumcised? be like any other man.

19 But God clave a hollow place that was in 18 And when Delilah saw that he had told her the jaw, and there came water thereout; and all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he revived. Wherefore he called the name thereof hath shewed me all his heart. Then the lords En-hakkore, which is in Lehi unto this day. of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought 20 And he judged Israel in the days of the Phi- money in their hand. listines twenty years.

CHAP. XVI.

Delilah betrayeth Samson.

THEN went Samson to Gaza, and saw there

a harlot, and went in unto her.

19 And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she be

gan to afflict him, and his strength went from him. 20 And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, 2 And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and is come hither. And they compassed him in, said, I will go out as at other times before, and and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the was departed from him. morning when it is day we shall kill him.

21 ¶ But the Philistines took him, and put out 3 And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind city, and the two posts, and went away with in the prison-house. them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of a hill that is before Hebron.

4 T And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.

5 And the lords of the Philistines came up unto ter, and said unto her, Entice him, and see where

22 Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven.

23 Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together, for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.

24 And when the people saw him, they praised

The death of Samson.

CHAP. XVII, XVIII.

The spics of Dan their god: for they said, Our god hath delivered 11 And the Levite was content to dwell with into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of the man; and the young man was unto him as our country; which slew many of us. one of his sons.

25 And it came to pass, when their hearts were
merry, that they said, Call for Samson that he
may make us sport. And they called for Sam-
son out of the prison-house; and he made them
sport: and they set him between the pillars.
26 And Samson said unto the lad that held him
by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars
whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean
upon them.

12 And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.

13 Then said Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me good,seeing I have a Levite to my priest. CHAP. XVIII.

The Danites seek an inheritance. N those days there was no king in Israel: and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought 27 Now the house was full of men and women: them an inheritance to dwell in; for unto that and all the lords of the Philistines were there: and day all their inheritance had not fallen unto there were upon the roof about three thousand men them among the tribes of Israel.

and women,that beheld while Samson made sport. 2 And the children of Dan sent of their family 28 And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, five men from their coasts, men of valour, from O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, Oto search it; and they said unto them, Go, search God, that I may be at once avenged of the Phi- the land: who when they came to mount Ephraim, listines for my two eyes. to the house of Micah, they lodged there.

29 And Samson took hold of the two middle 3 When they were by the house of Micah, they pillars upon which the house stood, and on which knew the voice of the young man the Levite: it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and they turned in thither, and said unto him, and of the other with his left. Who brought thee hither? and what makest 30 And Samson said, Let me die with the Phi-thou in this place? and what hast thou here? listines. And he bowed himself with all his 4 And he said unto them, Thus and thus dealmight; and the house fell upon the lords, and eth Micah with me, and hath hired me, and I am upon all the people that were therein. So the his priest. dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.

31 Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the burying-place of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years.

5 And they said unto him, Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous. 6 And the priest said unto them, Go in peace: before the LORD is your way wherein ye go. 7 Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people that were therein, how they dwelt careless, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure; and there was no magistrate in the land, that might put them to shame in any thing; and they were far from the Zido2 And he said unto his mother, The eleven nians, and had no business with any man. hundred shekels of silver that were taken from 8 And they came unto their brethren to Zorah thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of and Eshtaol: and their brethren said unto them, also in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; What say ye?

CHAP. XVII.
Of Micah's idolatry.

A whose name was Micah.
ND there was a man of mount Ephraim,

I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be thou 9 And they said, Arise, that we may go up of the LORD, my son. against them: for we have seen the land, and be3 And when he had restored the eleven hundred hold, it is very good and are ye still? be not shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, slothful to go, and to enter to possess the land. I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the LORD 10 When ye go, ye shall come unto a people sefrom my hand for my son, to make a graven cure, and to a large land: for God hath given it image and a molten image: now therefore I will into your hands; a place where there is no want restore it unto thee. of any thing that is in the earth.

4 Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah.

5 And the man Micah had a house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.

6 In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own

eyes.

11 And there went from thence of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men appointed with weapons of war. 12 And they went up, and pitched in Kirjathjearim, in Judah: wherefore they called that place Mahaneh-dan unto this day: behold, it is behind Kirjath-jearim.

13 And they passed thence unto mount Ephraim, and came unto the house of Micah.

14 Then answered the five men that went to spy out the country of Laish, and said unto their 7 And there was a young man out of Beth-brethren, Do ye know that there is in these lehem judah of the family of Judah, who was a houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven Levite, and he sojourned there. image, and a molten image? now therefore con

8 And the man departed out of the city from sider what ye have to do. Bethlehem-judah, to sojourn where he could 15 And they turned thitherward, and came to find a place: and he came to mount Ephraim the house of the young man the Levite, even to the house of Micah, as he journeyed. unto the house of Micah, and saluted him.

9 And Micah said unto him, Whence comest 16 And the six hundred men appointed with thou? And he said unto him, I am a Levite of their weapons of war, which were of the chilBeth-lehem-judah, and I go to sojourn where I dren of Dan, stood by the entering of the gate. may find a place. 17 And the five men that went to spy out the 10 And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, land went up, and came in thither, and took the and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, give thee ten shekels of silver by the year, and and the molten image: and the priest stood in a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Le-the entering of the gate with the six hundred vite went in. 'men that were appointed with weapons of war.

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