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Joash defends his son.

JUDGES, VII.

Gideon's army.

of seven years old, and throw down B. C. 1256. [upon all the earth besides, then shall the altar of Baal that thy father I know that thou wilt save Israel hath, and cut down w the grove by my hand, as thou hast said. that is by it:

26 And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this 10 rock, in 11 the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down.

27 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had said unto him and so it was, because he feared his father's household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.

28 And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built.

w Deut.7.5.

10 strong place.

11 or, an orderly

manner.

12 i.e. Let Baal plead.

x 1Sa. 12.11. 2Sa.11.21. Jerubbesheth; i. e. Let the shameful thing plead, Ho.9.10.

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38 And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.c

39 And Gideon said unto God, Letd not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.

40 And Gode did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

CHAPTER VII 1, 7 Gideon's army of two and thirty thousand is brought to three hundred.

T

HEN Jerubbaal, a (who is Gideon) and all the people that were with him, rose up early and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.

2 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt b themselves against me saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. 3 Now, therefore, go to, proclaim

stood against him, Will ye plead b Ex.4.1,&c. in the ears of the people, saying,

for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar.

c Is.35.7.

d Ge.18.32.

32 Therefore on that day he called him 12 Jerubbaal, a saying, Let Baal plead against him, because, he hath thrown down his altar. 33 Then ally the Midianites, e Ps. 107.33, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east were gathered to-] gether, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel.

Is.50.2.

35.

(CHAP. 7.)

34 But z the Spirit of the LORD, 13 came upon Gideon, and he a ch.6.32. blew a a trumpet; and Abi-ezer was 14 gathered after him.

35 And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; who also was gathered after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.

36 And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by my hand, as thou hast said,

Whosoever c is fearful and afraid, let him return, and depart early from mount Gilead: and there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.

4 And the LORD said unto Gideon. The people are yet too many; d bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.

5 So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by 1Cor.1.29. himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.

b Deut.8.17. Is. 10.13. Ro.11.18.

2Cor.4.7.

c Deut.20.8.

d Ps.33.16.

37 Behold, I b will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dewe 1Sa. 14.6. be on the fleece only, and it be dry!

6 And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men; but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink

water.

7 And the LORD said unto Gideon,

Gideon's stratagem.

Oreb and Zeeb taken. [of all the camp, and say, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.

JUDGES, VIII. By the three hundred men that B. C. 1249. lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go f Ge.46.2,3. every man unto his place.

h Ge.24. 14. 1Sa. 14.9,10.

8 So the people took victuals in g Jos.1.5,9. their hand, and their trumpets: and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those three hundred men. And the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley.

9 And it came to pass the same f night, that the LORD said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand.

10 But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host:

11 And h thou shalt hear i what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down, unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host.

i ver. 13-15.

1 or, ranks by five, Ex. 13. 18.

ch.6.5,33.

8.10.

Ps. 118. 10-12,

1Cor. 1.27.

2 breaking.

3 trumpets

in the hand of all of them.

4 or, firebrands, or,

torches.

12 And the Midianites, and the Amalekites, and all the children of the east, lay along in the valley like grashoppers k for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea-side for m 1Th.5.3. multitude.

n ver.8.

o ver. 16.

13 And when Gideon was come,I behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behoid, I dreamed a dream, and p Ex.14.13, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it! fell, and overturned it that the tent lay along.

14 And his fellow answered, and said. This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.

14. 2Ch.20.17.

q 2Ki.7.6,7.

r Jos.6.16,20.

Ps.83.9.

Is.9.4.

t 1Sa. 14.20. 2Ch.20.23.

5 or, toward.

15 And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and 6 lip. the 2 interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.

u ch.3.27,28.

v Jno. 1.28. w ch.8.3. 16 And he divided the three hunPs.83.11,12. dred men into three companies, and he put 3 a trumpet into every (CHAP. 8.) man's hand, with empty pitchers a ch.12.1. and 4 lamps within the pitchers.

17 And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be, that as I do, so shall ye do.

18 When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side!

25a.19.41.

1 what thing is this thou hast done unto us?

2 strongly.

19 So Gideon and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp, in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set m the watch: and they blew the trumpets, n and brake the pitchers o that were in their hands.

20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.

21 And they stood p every man in his place round about the camp; and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.

22 And the three hundred blew r the trumpets, and the LORD s set every man's sword against his t fellow, even throughout all the host and the host fled to Bethshittah 5 in Zererath, and to the border of Abel-nieholah, unto Tabbath,

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

24 And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, u saying, Come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Beth-barah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah v and Jordan.

25 And they took w two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Öreb and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.

CHAPTER VIII.

1 Gideon pacifieth the Ephraimites. 4 Succoth and Penuel refuse to relieve Gideon's army.

ND the men a of Ephraim said unto him, 1 Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? and they did chide with him 2 sharply.

2 And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abi-ezer?

3 God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Öreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to

Zebah and Zalmunna taken.

Midian subdued. and briers, and with them he 8 taught the men of Succoth.

JUDGES, VIII. do in comparison of you? Then B. C. 1249. their 3 anger was abated toward b him, when he had said that.

3 spirit.

4 And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three b Pr. 15.1. hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them.

25.15.

5 And he said unto the men of cc Ge.33.17. Ps.60.6. Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.

d 1Sa.25.11. 1Ki.20.11.

e ver. 16,

4 thresh.

6 And the princes of Succoth said, d Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that ƒ Ge.32.30. we should give bread unto thine IKI.12.25. army?

7 And Gideon said, Therefore g 1Ki.22.27. when the LORD hath delivered h ver. 17. Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then e I will 4 tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.

8 And he went up thence to Penuel, f and spake unto them likewise and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him.

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or, 120,000 every one drawing a sword. iNu.32.35,42. k ch.18.27. 1Th.5,3.

1 Ps.83.11.

9 And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come g again in peace, Ih will break down 6 terrified.

this tower.

writ.

10 T Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand m ver.6,7. men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell 5 an hundred and 8 made to know. twenty thousand men that drew sword.

n ver.9.

Ps.89.12.

11 And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents, o ch.4.6. on the east of Nobahi and Jogbehah, and smote the host: for the host was secure.k

12 And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and 6 discomfited all the host.

13 And Gideon the son of Joash

9 according to the form.

10 or, orna

ments like the moon. Is.3.18.

returned from battle before the P 1Sam.8.7.

sun was up,

10.19.

12.12.

Is.33.22.

63.19.

14 And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired of him and he 7 described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the q Ge.25.13. elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men.

37.25,28.

11 or, sweet jewels.

15 And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom m yer ch.17.5. did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now s ch.6.24. in thine hand, that we should give t Ps. 106.39. bread unto thy men that are weary? 16 And he took the elders of the u Deut.7.16. city, and thorns of the wilderness,

17 And he beat down the n tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.

18 Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor?o And they answered, As thou art, so were they; each one 9 resembled the children of a king.

19 And he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother: as the LORD liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you.

20 And he said unto Jether his firstborn, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth.

21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the 10 ornaments that were on their camels' necks.

22 Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian. 23 And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORDP shall rule over you.

24 T And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that you would give me every man the ear-rings of his prey. (For they had golden ear-rings, because they were Ishmaelites. )g

25 And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the ear-rings of his prey.

26 And the weight of the golden ear-rings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and 11 collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels' necks.

27 And Gideon mader an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: s and all Israel went thither a t whoring after it, which thing became a u snare unto Gideon, and to his house. 28 Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon. 29 And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.

Jerubbaal's son slain.

JUDGES, IX. 30 And Gideon had v threescore B. C. 1209. and ten sous 12 of his body begotten: for he had many wives. 31 And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he 13 called Abime

lech.w

32 And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good x old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abi

ezrites.

33 And it came to pass, as soon y as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baal-berith z their god." 34 And the children of Israel remembered not a the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side:

35 Neither b shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.

CHAPTER IX.

v ch.9.2,5.

12 going out
of his thigh.

13 set.

w ch.9.18.

x Ge.25.8.
Job 5.26.
y ch.2.17,19.
z ch.9.4.
a Ps.78.11,42.
106.13,21.

b ch.9.16-19.

Jotham's parable.

7 And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, g and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you.

8 The trees h went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.

9 But the olive-tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go 4 to be promoted over the trees?

10 And the trees said to the figtree, Come thou, and reign over us. (CHAP. 9.) 11 But the fig-tree said unto them, a ch.8.31. Should I forsake my sweetness, and 1 what is my good fruit, and go to be progood? whe-moted over the trees? ther, &c.

b ch.8.30. c Ge.29.14.

2 after.

d ch.8.33.

Abimelech, by conspiracy with the Shechemites, and murder of his e ch.11.3. brethren, is made king.

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2Ch.13.7. Pr. 12.11. Acts 17.5. f2Ki.11.1,2.

3 or, oak.

Jos.24.26.

2 Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, 1 Whether g Jos.8.33. is better for you, either that all the Juo.4.20. sons of Jerubbaal, which are b three-h 2K1.14.9. score and ten persons, reign over i Ps. 104. 15. you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone cup and and your flesh.

down for
other trees.

Ec. 10.19.

3 And his mother's brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men k Ps.31.6. of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined 2 to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our 1 brother.

4 And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-berith, d wherewith Abimelech hired e vain and light| persons, which followed him.

5 or, thistle.
Is.30.2.

Dan.4.12.
Ho. 14.7.
m ver.20.
Nu.21.28.
Eze. 19.14.
n Is.2.13.
Eze.31.3.
o ch. VII.
6 cast.

ch.8.35.

5 And he went unto his father's house at Ophrah, and slew f his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding P ver-5.6. yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid him- q ch.8.31. self. r Is.8.6. 6 And all the men of Shechem Phi.3.3. gathered together, and all the house Jam.4.16. of Millo, and went, and made Abi-s ver. 15.56, melech king, by the 3 plain of the pillar that was in Shechem.

57.

12 Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us. 13 And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which k cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?

11 Then said all the trees unto the 5 bramble, Come thou, and reign

over us.

15 And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then coine and put your trust under my shadow; and if not, let fire m come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars n of Lebanon.

16 Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands:

17 (For my father o fought for you, and 6 adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian:

18 And yep are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech the q son of his maid-servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother:)

19 If ye then have dealt truly and smcerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice r ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you:

20 But if not, let s fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech.

Gaal's conspiracy.

JUDGES, IX.

Gaal's flight.

Shechem in four companies.

21 And Jotham ran away, and fled, B. C. 1209. | by night, and they laid wait against and went to Beer, t and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother. 22 TWhen Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel,

23 Then God sent u an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem v dealt treacherously with Abimelech :

u

2Sa.20.14.

1Sa. 16.14.

IKI. 12. 15. 22.22,23. Is. 19.14. 2Th.2.11, 12.

v Is.33.1.

24 That w the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubhaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their bro- w 1Ki.2.32. ther, which slew them, and upon Es.9.25. the men of Shechem, which 7 aided him in the killing of his brethren.

25 And the men of Shechem set. liers in wait for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them: and it was told Abimelech.

Ps.7.16.

7 strengthened his hands to

kill.

8 or, songs. Is. 16.9, 10. Jer.25.30.

26 And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren, and went over to Shechem: and the men of She-x ver.4. chem put their confidence in him.

IKI.12.16.

Ge.34.2,6.

a 2Sa.15.4.

Ps. 10.3.

27 And they went out into the y 18a.25.10. fields, and gathered their vineyards, and trode the grapes, and made merry, and went into the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech. 28 And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is y Abimelech, and who is 9 or, hot. Shechem, that we should serve him? is not he the son of Jerub-10 baal? and Zebul his officer? serve the men of Hamor z the father of Shechem: for why should we serve him?

29 And would a to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.

craftily,or

to Tormah.

11thine hand shall find, 1Sa.10.7.

25.8. Ec.9.10.

30 And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal 12 navel. the son of Ebed, his anger was 9 kindled.

13 or, the re

garders of the times, De. 18.14.

31 And he sent messengers unto Abimelech 10 privily, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed, and his brethren, be come to Shechem; and behold, they fortify the city b ver.28,29. against thee.

32 Now therefore up by night, c ver.20. thou and the people that is with thee, and lie in wait in the field:

d 2Ki.3.25.

33 And it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, e De.29.23. thou shalt rise early, and set upon the city and behold, when he and the people that is with him come

Eze.47.11. Zep.2.9.

out against thee, then mayest thou fch.8.33. do to them as 11 thou shalt find occasion.

34 And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him,

g Ps.68.14.

35 And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, from lying in wait.

36 And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there come people down from the top of the mountains. And Zebul said unto him, Thou secst the shadow of the mountains as if they were men. 37 And Gaal spake again, and said, See there come people down by the 12 middle of the land, and another company come along by the plain of 13 Meonenim.

38 Then said Zebul unto him, Where is now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst, b Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? Is not this the people that thou hast despised? go out, I pray now, and fight with them.

39 And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.

40 And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown and wounded, even unto the entering of the gate.

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

42 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.

43 And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait in the field, and looked, and behold, the people were come forth out of the city; and he rose up against them, and smote them.

44 And Abimelech, and the company that was with him, rushed forward, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and the two other companies ran upon all the people that were in the fields, and slew them,

45 And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and c he took the city, and slew the people that was therein, and beat downd the city, and sowed it with salt.e

46 T And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berithf

47 And it was told Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together. 48 And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, g he and all the people that were with him; and

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