t ch. 8. 7. al. u Dan. 11. 7, 10, 31 (Heb.). old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the Asherah that is by it: Ex. 34. 13, 26 and build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this "strong hold, in the orderly manner, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which thou shalt cut down. 27 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had spoken unto him: and it came to pass, because he feared his father's household and the men of the city, so 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 broken down, and the Asherah was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built. 29 And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they inquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing. 30 Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die because he hath broken down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the Asherah that was 1by it. 31 And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? or 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 broken down his altar. 32 Therefore on that day he called him 5 Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against Cp. 2 Sam. him, because he hath broken down his altar. v ch. 7. 1. 1 Sam. 12. 11. 11. 21. w ver. 3. Josh. 17. 16. y See ch. 3. 10. * 1 Chr. 12. 18 (for mg.). 2 Chr. 24. a ch. 3. 27. c For ver. 36-40, Bee Ex. 4. 1-7. 33 Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east assembled themselves to gether; and they passed over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel. 34 But the spirit of the LORD 6 came upon Gideon; " and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered together after him. 35o And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; and they also were gathered together 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 mine hand, as thou hast spoken, 37 behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshingfloor; if there be dew on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the ground, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast spoken. 38 And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and pressed the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowlful of water. 39 And Gideon said unto God, "Let d Gen. 18. not thine anger be kindled 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 God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground. 32. 1 Then Jerubbaal, who is ech. 6. 32. Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the spring of Harod: and the camp of Midian was on the north side of them, 89 by the hill of Moreh, in the valley. Cp.18am. 29.1. Gen. 12. 6. Deut. 11. 30. Deut. 8. Cp. Isai. 17. 10. 13. 2 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. 3 Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and trem- Deut. 20. 8. bling, let him return and depart 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; 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 himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink. 6 And the number 3 Or, shall be put to death: let be till morning; if &c. 6 Heb. clothed itself with. 7 That is, 2 Or, with that pertaining to it 1 Or, upon 4 Or, before morning Trembling. See ver. 3. 8 Or, from the hill of Moreh onwards in the valley 9 Or, go round about 1 Mac. 3. 14.6 of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water. 7 And the LORD jCp. 1 Sam. said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the people go every man unto his place. 81 So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he sent all the men of Israel every man unto his tent, but retained the three hundred men: and the camp of Midian was beneath him in the valley. & ver. 1. I Gen. 46. 2.3 See ch. & 28. 14.9, 10. p See ch. 6.3. camp; put into the hands of all of them v r u ch. 15. 4. Gen. 15. 17. Cp. Ex. 14. 13,14 & 2 Chr. 20.17. Cp. 2 Kin. 7.7. Cp. Josh. 20. v Cp. Ps. & Isai. 9. 4. 19 So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outermost part of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch, when they had but newly set the 9 And it came to pass the same watch: and they blew the trumpets, 'night, that the LORD said unto and brake in pieces the pitchers I'Kin. 3. 5. him, Arise, get thee down into the that were in their hands. 20 And m for I have delivered it into the three companies blew the trumthine hand. 10 But if thou fear to pets, and brake the pitchers, and go down, go thou with Purah thy held the torches in their left hands, a ver. 13-15. servant down to the camp: 11"and and the trumpets in their right hands thou shalt hear what they say; and to blow withal: and they cried, afterward shall thine hands be The sword of the LORD and of strengthened to go down into the Gideon. 21 And they stood every Cp.1 Sam. camp. Then went he down with man in his place round about the Purah his servant unto the outer camp: 'and all the host ran; and most part of the armed men that they shouted, and put them to were in the camp. 12 And the Midi- flight. 22" And they blew the three anites and the Amalekites and Pall hundred trumpets, and the LORD the children of the east lay along in set "every man's sword against his the valley like locusts for multi- fellow, and against all the host: 20. and their camels were with- and the host fled as far as Bethtude; Josh. 11. 4. out number, as the sand which is shittah toward Zererah, as far as the upon the sea shore for multitude. border of Abel-meholah, by Tab13 And when Gideon was come, be- bath. 23 And the men of Israel hold, there was a man that told a were gathered together out of Naphdream unto his fellow, and said, tali, and out of Asher, and out of Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, all Manasseh, and pursued after a cake of barley bread tumbled into Midian. 24 And Gideon sent mes-x ch. 6. 35. the camp of Midian, and came unto sengers throughout all the hilly See Josh. the tent, and smote it that it fell, country of Ephraim, saying, Come and turned it upside down, that the down against Midian, and take betent lay along. 14 And his fellow fore them the waters, as far as answered and said, This is nothing Beth-barah, even Jordan. So all else save the sword of Gideon the the men of Ephraim were gathered son of Joash, a man of Israel: into together, "and took the waters as his hand God hath delivered Midian, far as Beth-barah, even Jordan. and all the host. 25 And they took the two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb ; and they slew Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian: and they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon beyond Jordan. 15 And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped; and he returned into the camp of Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian. 16 And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he 2 e x 1 Sam. 14. Cp. 2 Chr. 20.23. 24. 33. John 1. 28 (mg.). a Cp. ch. 3. 28. bch. 8. 3. e Ps. 83. 11. Isai. 10. 26. d ch. 8. 4. e And the men of Ephraim Cp. ch. 8 said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou call 1 According to some ancient versions, So they took the victuals of the people. 2 Or, against 6 Or, and also 12. 1 Jer. 49. 9. Obad. 5. Mic. 7. 1. 7 ch. 7. 24, 25. 15. 1. í ch. 7. 6. j Gen. 33. 17. Ps. 60. 6. edst us not, when thou wentest to fight with Midian? And they did chide with him sharply. 2 And he said unto them, What have I now done in comparison of you? Is not Isai. 24.13. the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer? 3 God hath delivered into your hand the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Cp. Prov. Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that. 4 And Gideon came to Jordan, 2 and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing. 5 And he said unto the men of 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, the kings of Midian. 6 And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, 'that we should give bread unto thine army? 7 And Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers. 8 And he went up thence to "Penuel, and spake unto them in like manner : and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered. 9 And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, o Cp. 1 Kin. When I come again in peace, PI will break down this tower. * Cp. 1 Kin. 20. 11. Cp. 1 Sam. 25. 11. m ver. 16. n Gen. 32. 30, 31. 1 Kin. 12. 25. 22. 27, 28. p ver. 17. 9 See ch. 2 Kin. 3.26. 8 Num. u Ps. 83. 11. 10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the host of the children of the east for there fell an hundred and twenty thou sand men that drew sword. 11 And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host; for the host was 'secure. 12 And Zebah and Zalmunna fled; and he pursued after them; "and he took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host. 13 And Gideon the son of Joash returned from the battle from the ascent of Heres. 14 And he caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and inquired 1 Heb. spirit. 2 Or, to pass S Heb. thresh. ancient authorities read, threshed. 4 12. 25. of him and he described for him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, seventy and seven men. 15 And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, concerning whom ye did taunt me, saying, "Are the hands of Zebah and Zal- v ver. 6. munna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary? 16 And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth. 17" And he brake down the Cp. 1 Kin. 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? And they an- Cp. ch. swered, As thou art, so were they; each one resembled the children of a king. 19 And he said, They were my brethren, the sons of my mother: as the LORD liveth, if ye y See Ruth 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 Žalmunna 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 a the crescents that were on their camels' necks. 4. 6. 3. 13. z Ps. 83. 11. a ver. 26. Isai. 3. 18. 8.7 & 10. 19 & 12. 12, 17, 19. 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 saved us out of the hand of Midian. 23 And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD & Cp.18am. shall rule over you. 24 And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his spoil. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmael ites.) 25 And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his spoil. 26 And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside the d ver. 21. crescents, and the pendants, and e Isai. 3. 19. 4 Heb. terrified. See ver. 7. fch. 17. 5 6-35. 9 ch. 6. 24. A ver. 33. ch. 2. 17. the purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels' necks. 27 And Gideon made an See Ex. 23. ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went a whoring after it there: and it became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house. 28 So Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, and they lifted up their heads no more. And the land had rest forty years in the days of Gid Ex. 54. 15. Ps. 106. 39. i Ex. 23. 33. Deut.7.16. jCp. ch. 211 & 5. 31. k ch. 6. 32 & 7. 1. eon. 29 And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own Ich. 9. 2, 5. house. 30 And Gideon had 'threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives. mch. 9. 1,2. 31 And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, and he called his name Abimelech. 32 And Gideon the son of Joash Gen. 15. 15 died "in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. * 25.8. Job 5. 26. o ch t 24. 33 And it came to pass, Pas soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after the Baalim, and made Baal-berith their god. 34 And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hand of all their enemies on every See ch.9. side: 35'neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel. & 106. 13, 21. 16-18. ☐ ch. 8. 31. ch. 8. 30. Gen. 29. 14. < ver. 18. 1 And Abimelech the son of 6 And all the men of Shechem assembled themselves together, and all 2c the house of Millo, and went and made Abimelech king, by the 3 oak of the pillar that was in Shechem. 7 And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted d Deut. 11. up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye Cp. John men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you. 8e The trees e Cp. 2 Kin. went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us. ch. 8. 22, 9 But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, 5 wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to wave to and fro over the trees? 10 And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us. 11 But the fig tree said unto them, Should I leave my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to wave to and fro over the trees? 12 And the trees said unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us. 13 And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, 9 which cheereth God and man, and Ps. 104. 15. go to wave to and fro over the 9 Jerubbaal went to Shechem trees? 14 Then said all the trees unto "his mother's brethren, and spake with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying, 2 Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, that all the sons of Jerubbaal," which are threescore and ten persons, rule over you, or that one rule over you? remember also that "I am your bone and your flesh. 3 And his mother's brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, "He is our brother. 4 And they gave him threescore and h Dan. 4. 12. Hos. 14. 7. Cp. Isai. 30. 2. ver. 20. 21.28 Cp. Num. & Ezek. 19. 14. 33. unto the 6 bramble, Come thou, and 4 Or, garrison 5 Or, which God and man m ver. 5, 6. n ch. 8. 31. o ver. 3. 8. 6. m ye 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 son of his maid servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother;) 19 if ye then have dealt truly and uprightly with Jerubbaal and with Cp. Isai. his house this day, then Prejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you: 20 but if not, let 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. 21 And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Num. 21. Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother. q ver. 15. Cp. ver. 56, 57. 16. 16. 14 & 18. 10 & 19. 9. Isai. 33. 1. u ver. 56. 2.32 Cp1 Kin. & Esth. 9. 25 22 And Abimelech was prince Cp. 1 Sam. Over Israel three years. 23*And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech: 24" that the violence done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and that their blood might be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew them, and upon the men of Shechem, which strengthened his hands to slay his brethren. 25 And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them: and it was told Abimelech. & Ps. 7. 16 & Matt. 23. 35, 36. : 26 And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren, and went over to Shechem and the men of Shechem put their trust in him. 27 And they went out into the field, and gathered their vineyards, and trode the grapes, and held festival, and went into v ver. 4, 46. the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech. 28 And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? is not he the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? serve ye the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: but why should we serve him? 29 And would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said 2 to Abimelech, Increase thine army, w Cp. 7 Gen. 34. 2, 6. and come out. 30 And when Zebul 7 (mg. for 10. for mg.). 34 And Abimelech rose up, and 1 Or, offered a praise offering 2 Or, of 3 Or, in Tormah 4 Or, oppress the city on thy account I |