12 Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Ps. 68. 18. Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.

13 Then he made him that rey Ps. 49. 14. maineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty.

z ch. 3. 27. a ch. 3. 13.

b Num. 32. 89, 40.

4 Heb. draw with the pen, &c.

c ch. 4. 14.

5 Heb.

his feet.

6 Or, In the divisions,

&c.

7 Heb. impressions.

d Num. 32. 1.

8 Or, In.

• See

31.

14 Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer.

15 And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on 5 foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great 'thoughts of heart.

16 Why abodest thou a among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.

17 Gilead abode beyond Jordan: Josh. 13.25, and why did Dan remain in ships? f Asher continued on the seashore, and abode in his 2 breaches.

f Josh. 19. 29, 31.

9 Or, port. 2Or, creeks. 8 ch. 4. 10. 3 Hcb. exposed to reproach.

h ch. 4. 16.

19 The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money. 201They fought from heaven; the Josh. 10.11. stars in their courses fought against Ps.77.17,18. Sisera.

Ps. 44. 12.

See ver. 30. I See

k ch.4. 15. 4 Heb. paths.

1 ch. 4. 7.

5 Or, tramplings, or, plungings.

21 The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.

22 Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the ⚫prans

Deborah and Barak.

ings, the pransings of their mighty

ones.

m

23 Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.

24 Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent.

25 He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish.

BEFORE CHRIST cir. 1296.

mi ch. 21. 9, 10.

Neh. 3.5. 1 Sam. 17.

47. & 18. 17. & 25. 28.

och. 4. 17.

PLuke1.28.

ch. 4. 19.

hammered.

26 She put her hand to the nail,rch. 4. 21. and her right hand to the workmen's hammer; and 2 with the hammer she 3 Heb. she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples.

3

Between.

27 At her feet he bowed, he fell, Heb. he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead.

28 The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots?

S

4 Heb. destroyed.

her words. 8 Ex. 15. 9.

the head of

a man.

29 Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself, 5 Heb. 30 Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey; to every Heb. to man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil?

31 *So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him be "as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.

Gideon's army and signs.

BEFORE CHRIST cir. 1249.

2 That is, Let Baal plead. k1 Sam. 12.

11.

2 Sam.11.21, Jerubbe

sheth that

is, Let the shameful

thing plead

See Jer. 11. 13.

Hos. 9. 10.

1 ver. 3.

m Josh. 17. 16.

cir. 1249.

n ch. 3. 10. 1 Chr. 12. 18. 2 Chr. 24. 20. 3 Heb. clothed.

cause 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.

29 And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they enquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash

done this thing.

30 Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it.

31 And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead 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. 32 Therefore on that day he called him 2 Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.

33 ¶ Then all 'the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel.

34 But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abi-ezer was 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 * Heb. was Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.

• Num. 10.3. ch. 3. 27.

called after him.

p See Ex. 4, 3, 4, 6,.7.

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

37 P Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.

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.

39 And Gideon said unto God, a Gen. 18.32. Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this

His army is reduced.

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. CHAPTER VII.

1 Gideon's army of two and thirty thousand is brought to three hundred. 9 He is encouraged by the dream and interpretation of the barley cake. 16 His stratagem of trumpets and lamps in pitchers. 24 The Ephraimites take Oreb and Zeeb.

T

BEFORE CHRIST cir. 1249.

HEN Jerubbaal, who is Gi-ch. 6.32. deon, 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 themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.

Deut.8.17.
Cor. 1. 29.

Is. 10. 13.

2 Cor. 4. 7.

3 Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Who-Deut. 20.8. soever 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; 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 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.

d

7 And the LORD 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 other people go every man d1 Sam. 14 unto his place.

8 So the people took victuals in 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

6.

The Midianites are

BEFORE CHRIST cir. 1249.

of Midian was beneath him in the valley. 9 ¶ And it came to pass the same Gen.45.2,3. night, that the LORD said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand.

8 Heb. the breaking thereof.

13 And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Be- | hold, I dreamed a dream, and, 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.

15 ¶ And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the 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.

16 And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and Heb.trum- he put a trumpet in every man's hand of all hand, with empty pitchers, and 5 lamps within the pitchers.

pets in the

of them.

5 Or, firebrands, or, torches.

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 of all the camp, and say, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.

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 the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and

put to flight.

brake the pitchers that were in their hands.

BEFORE CHRIST cir. 1249.

Ex. 14. 13,

14. 2 Chr. 20.17.

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 every man in his place round about the camp: land all the host ran, and cried, and fled. 22 And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Beth-shittah 2in1 Sam. 14. Zererath, and to the border of Abel- 2Chr. 20. 23. meholah, unto Tabbath.

m

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.

12Kings7.7. Josh. 6. 4, 16, 20. See 2 Cor.

4.7.

1 Ps. 83. 9.

18. 9. 4.

20.

20r,toward. 8 Heb. lip.

24 ¶ And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, say- ch. 3. 27. ing, 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 P Beth-barah and Jordan.

ch. 3. 28. John 1.28.

ch.8.3.

Ps. 83. 11.

Is. 10. 26.

25 And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, 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. ch. 8. 4.

CHAPTER VIII.

1 Gideon pacifieth the Ephraimites. 4 Succoth and Penuel refuse to relieve Gideon's army. 10 Zebah and Zalmunna are taken. 13 Succoth and Penuel are destroyed. 18 Gideon revengeth his brethren's death on Zebah and Zalmunna. 22 He refuseth government. 24 His ephod cause of idolatry. 28 Midian subdued. 29 Gideon's children, and death. 33 The Israclites' idolatry and ingratitude. ND "the men of Ephraim said unto him, 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 sharply.

Zebah and Zalmunna taken

BEFORE CHRIST cir. 1249.

Ps. 60. 6.

and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them.

d

5 And he said unto the men of d Gen. 33.17. 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.

and put to death.

and briers, and with them he 2 2 taught the men of Succoth.

17 And he beat down the 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 answered, As thou art, so were they; each one 3 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.

4

BEFORE CHRIST cir. 1249.

2 Heb.made to know. r ver. 9. 1 Kings

12. 25.

tch. 4. 6.

Ps. 89. 12.

& Heb. ac

cording to the form,&c.

☐ Ps. 83. 11. 4 Or, ornaments like

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 ornaments that were on their camels' necks. the moon. 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 LORD 1 Sam.8.7. shall rule over you.

& 10. 19. & 12. 12.

24 ¶ And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Gen.25.13. Ishmaelites.)

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

& 37. 25, 28.

26 And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and 5 col-5 Or, sweet lars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels' necks.

27 And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even ain Ophrah and all Israel b went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.

jewels.

z ch. 17. 5.

ch. 6. 24. Pa. 106. 39. Deut.7.16.

28 Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. a And the country was in quietness & ch. 6. 31. forty years in the days of Gideon.

29 And Jerubbaal the son of