228 Sampfon enticed by Delilah. JUDGES.

She betrayeth him. this great deliverance into the hand of lies: now tell me, I pray thee, wherethy fervant and, Now shall I die for with thou mightest be bound. thirft, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcifed?

11 And he faid unto her, If they bind me faft with new ropes that never were 19 But God clave an hollow place that occupied, then shall I be weak, and be was in the jaw, and there came water as another man thereout and when he had drunk, his 12 Delilah therefore, took new ropes, fpirit came again, and he revived: where- and bound him therewith, and said unto 'fore he called the name thereof Enhak-him, The Philiftines be upon thee, Sam. kore, which is in Lehi unto this day. fon. And there were liers in wait abid20 And he judged Ifrael in the days of ing in the chamber. And he brake them the Philiftines twenty years. from off his arms like a thread.

CHAP. XVI.

13 And Delilah faid unto Samfon, Hith

1 Samfon carrieth away the gates of Gaerto thou haft mocked me, and told me Delilab, corrupted by the Philies tell me wherewith thou mightet liftines, enticeth him; 15 and overcom- be bound. And he faid unto her, If eth him. 21 The Philistines put out his thou weaveft the feven locks of my head eyes. 23 The manner of his death. with the web. THEN went Samfon to Gaza, and faw there an harlot, and went in unto her.

14 And the fattened it with the pin, and faid unto him, The Philiftines be upon thee, Samion. And he awaked out of his fleep, and went away with the pin of the beam, and with the web.

2 And it was told the Gazites, faying, Samfon is come hither. And they compafled him in. and laid wait for him all 13 And the faid unto him, How can't night in the gate of the city, and were thou fay, I love thee, when thine heart quiet all the night, faying, In the morn-is not with me? Thou haft mocked me ing, when it is day, we shall kill him.

5 And Samfon lay till midnight, and arofe at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two pofts, and went away with them, bar and ail, and put them upon his fhoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that 15 before Hebron.

4¶And it came to pafs,afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whofe name was Delilan.

thefe three times, and haft not told me wherein thy great ftrength hetb.

16 And it came to país, when the preffed him daily with her words, and urged him, Jo that his foul was vexed unto death;

17 That he told her all his heart, and faid unto her, there hath not come a razor,upon mine head; for I have beena Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb if I be thaven. then my strength will go from me,and I thall become weak, and be like any other man.

:

5 And the lords of the Philiftines came up unto her, and faid unto her, Entice him, and fee wherein his great 18 And when Delilah faw that he had ftrength lieth, and by what means we told her all his heart, the fent and called may prevail against him, that we may for the lords of the Philiftines, faying, bind him to afflict him: and we will give Come up this once, for he hath thewed thee every one of us eleven hundred pucesine all his heart. Then the lords of the of Gilver. Philiftines came up unto her,and brought money in their hand.

6 And Delilah faid to Samfon, Tell me. I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mighteit be bound to afflict thee.

7 And Samfon faid unto her, If they bind me with feven green withes that were never dried, then all I be weak, and be as another man.

8 Then the lords of the Philiftines brought up to her feven green withes which had not been dried, and the bound him with them.

19 And the made him fleep upon her knees; and the called for a man, and he caufed him to have off the feven locks of his head; and he began to afflict him, and his trength went from him.

20 And the faid, The Philiftines be upon thee, Samion. And he awoke out of his fleep, and faid, I will go out as at other times before, and thake my tell. And he wift not that the LORD was dedeparted from him.

9 Now there were men lying in wait, 21 But the Phibifines took him, abiding with her in the chamber. And and put out his eyes, and brought him the faid unto him, The Philistines be down to Gaza, and bound him with tet upon thee, Samfon. And he brake the ters of brafs, and he did grind in the withes as a thread of tow is broken when prifon house. it toucheth the fire. So his ftrength was not known.

22 How beit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was baven. 10 And Delilah faid unto Samfon, Be23 Then the lords of the Philifines hold, thou haft mocked me, and told me gathered them together for to offer a

great

Samjan's deaib.

Chap. xvii. xviji.

Micab's idolatry. 209 great facrifice unto Dagon their god, and my hand for my fon, to make a graven to rejoice for they faid, Our god hath image and a molten image: now theredelivered Samfon our enemy into our fore, I will rettore it unto thee. hand.

And when the people faw him, they praifed their god: for they faid, Our god hath delivered into our hands our Enemy, and the destroyer of our country, winch flew many of us

25 And it came to pafs, when their hearts were merry, that they faid, Call for Samifon, that he may make us fport And they called for Samfon out of the prilon houfe, and he made them fport: and they fet him between the pillars.

16 And Sasafon faid unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the houfe ftandeth, that I may lean upon them.

27 Now the houfe was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Ph liftines were there; and there were upon the roof about three thoufand men and women, that beheld while Samfon made Sport.

28 And Samfon called unto the LORD, and faid, O LORD God, remember me, I pray thee, and ftrengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philiftines for my two eyes.

29 And Samfon took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house ftood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left.

30 And Samfon faid, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all bis might; and the houfe tell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he flew at his death were more than they which he flew in his life.

31-1 hen his brethren and all the house) of his father came down, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him between Zorah and Ehtaol in the buryingplace of Manoah his father. And he judged Ifrael twenty years.

CHAP. XVII.

2 Micah reftoring the fiolen money to bis mother, jhe maketb images. tie hireth a Levite to be his prieft

AND there was a man of mount phraim, whofe name was Micah.

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

5 And the man Micah had an houfe of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and confecrated one of his tons, who became his priest.

6 In thofe days there was no king in Ifrael, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

And there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah of the family of Judah,, who was a Levite, and he tojourned there.

8 And the man departed out of the city from Bethlehemjudah to fojourn where he could find a place: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.

9 And Micah faid unto him, Whence comelt thou? And he faid unto him, ama Levite of Bethlehemjudah, and I go to fojourn where I may find a place.

10 And Micah faid unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a prieft, and I will give thee ten bekels of ilver by the year, and a fuit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in.

11 And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his fons.

1 And Micah confecrated the Levite, and the young man became his priest, and was in the houfe of Micah.

13 Then faid Micah, now know I that the LORD will do me good, fecing I have Levite to my prieft. CHAP. XVIII.

a

1

The Danites fend five men to feck out an inberitance. 27 They win Laib.

IN thofe days there was no king in Ifrael and in thofe days the tribe of the Danites fought them an inheritance to dwell in for unto that day all their inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Ifrael.

2 And the children of Dan fent of E-their family five men from their coafts, men of valour, from Zorah, and from Ehtaol, to fpy out the land, and to fearch it; and they faid unto them, Go, search the land: who when they came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, they lodged there.

And he faid unto his mother, The eleven hundred fbekels of filver that were taken from thee; about which thou curfedit, and fpakelt of alfo in mine ears, behold, the filver as with me; I took it. And his mother faid, Bleiled be thou of the LORD, my fon.

3 When they were by the houfe of Micah, they knew the voice of the young S And when he had reflored the e-man the Levite: and they turned in thithleven hundred fbekels of ulver to his er, and faid unto him, Who bought mother, his mother faid, I had wholly thee hither? and, What makett thou in dedicated the ulver unto the LORD from this place ? and, What haft thou here?

230 The Spies of Dan.

JUDGES. And he faid unto them, Thurs and thus dealeth Micah with me, and hath hired me, and I am his priest.

5 And they faid unto him, Aík counfel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be profperous.

6 And the priest faid unto them, Go in peace: before the LORD is your way wherein ye go.

7 Then the five men departed, and came Laifh, and faw the people that were therein, how they dweltcareless, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and fecure; and there was no magiftrate in the land, that might put them to shame in any thing; and they were far from the Zidonians, and had no business with any man. 8 And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and to Ethtaol; and their brethren faid unto them, What fay ye?

9 And they said, Arife, that we may go up against them: for we have feen the land, and, behold, it is very good and, Are ye ftill? Be not flothful to go, and to enter to poffefs the land.

:

10 When ye go, ye fhall come unto a people fecure, and to a large land for God hath given it into your hands; a place where there is no want of any thing that is in the earth.

11 And there went from thence of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Ehtaol, fix hundred men appointed with weapons of war.

Micah rabbed.

18 And these went into Micah's houfe and fetched the carved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. Then faid the prieft unto them, What do ye

19 And they faid unto him, Hold thy peace, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest: Is it better for thee to be a prieft unto the house of one man, or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family in Ifrael?

20 And the priest's heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people.

21 So they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle and the carriage before them.

22 And when they were a good way from the houfe of Micah, the men that were in the houfes near to Micah's honfe were gathered together, and overtook the children of Dan.

23 And they cried unto the children of Dan. And they turned their faces, and faid unto Micah, What aileth thee, that thou comett with fuch a company?

24 And he faid, Ye have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and ye are gone away: and, What have I more? and, What is this that ye say unto me, What aileth thee?

25 And the children of Dan faid unto him, Let not thy voice be heard among 12 And they went up, and pitched in us, left angry fellows run upon thee, Kirjathjearim, in Judah: wherefore and thou lofe thy life, with the lives of they called that place Mahanehdan un-thy houfehold. 20 And the children of Dan went their to this day behold, it is behind Kir: jathjearim. way; and when Micah faw that they 18 And they paffed thence unto mount were too ftrong for him, he turned and Ephraim, and came unto the houfe of went back unto his houfe. Micah. 27 And they took the things which 14 Then answered the five men that Micah had made, and the priest which went to fpy out the country of Laith, he had, and came unto Laih, unto a and faid unto their brethren, Do ye know people that were at quiet and fecure; that there is in thefe houfes an ephod, and they fmote them with the edge of the and teraphim, and a graven image, and fword, and burned the city with fire. a molten image? Now therefore confider what ye have to do.

15 And they turned thitherward, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, even unto the houfe of Micah, and faluted him.

28 And there was no deliverer, because it was far from Zidon, and they had no bufinefs with any man; and it was in the valley that lieth by Bethrehob. And they built a city, and dwelt therein.

29 And they called the name of the 16 And the fix hundred men appoint-city Dan, after the name of Dan their ed with their weapons of war, which father, who was born unto Ifrael; howwere of the children of Dan, ftood by the beit, the name of the city was Laith at entering of the gate.

the first.

30 And the children of Dan fet up the 17 And the five men that went to fpy out the land went up, and came in thith-graven image: And Jonathan, the ton of er, and took the graven image, and Gerfhom, the fon of Manaffeh, he and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the his fons were priests to the tribe of Dan molten image; and the prieft ftood in until the day of the captivity of the land. the entering of the gate with the fix hundred men, that were appointed with weapons of war.

31 And they fet them up Micah's graven image, which he made, all the time that the houfe of God was in Shiloh.

СНАР.

The Levite and bis concubine. Chap. xix.

CHAP. XIX.

14 Levite going to Bethlehem to fexh bis wife, 16 an old may entertaineth bim at Gibean. 22 The Gibeatbites abuje his concubine to death.

The Gibeatbites abuse ber.

a ftranger that is not of the children of Ifrael; we will pass over to Gibeah.

13 Ánd he said unto his fervant, Come, and let us draw near to one of thefe places to lodge all night, in Gibeah, or in Ramah.

AND it came to pafs in thofe days, when there was no king in Ifrael, that 14 And they paffed on and went their there was a certain Levite fojourning on way; and the fun went down upon them the fide of mount Ephraim, who took to when they were by Gibeah, which belonghim a concubine out of Bethlehemnjudah. eth to Benjanin.

And his concubine played the whore 15 And they turned afide thither, to go against him, and went away from him un-in and to lodge in Gibeah; and when he to her father's houfe to Bethlehemjudah, went in, he fat him down in a street of and was there four whole months. the city: for there was no man that took them into his houfe to lodging.

S And her husband arofe, and went after her, to speak friendly unto her, and 16 And, behold, there came an old to bring her again, having his fervant man from his work out of the field, at with him, and a couple of affes: and the even, which was also of mount Ephraim; brought him into her father's houfe: and jand he fojourned in Gibeah: but the when the father of the damfel faw him, men of the place were Benjamites. he rejoiced to nreet him.

4 And his father in law, the damfel's father, retained him and he abode with him three days: fo they did eat and drink, and lodged there.

And it came to pafs on the fourth day, when they arofe early in the morning, that he rofe up to depart: and the damiel's father faid unto his fon in law, Comfort thine heart with a morfel of bread, and afterward go your way.

6 And they fat down, and did eat and drink both of them together: for the damfel's father had faid unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry ali night, and let thine heart be merry.

7 And when the man rofe up to depart, bis father in law urged him: theretore he lodged there again.

8 And he arofe early in the morning on the fifth day to depart: and the damiel's father faid, Comfort thine heart, I pray hee. And they tarried until afternoon, and they did eat both of them.

17 And when he had litted up his eyes, he faw a wayfaring man in the street of the city; and the old man faid, Whither goeft thou? and, Whence conreft thou?

18 And he faid unto him, We are paffing from Bethlehemjudah toward the fide of mount Ephraim; from thence am 1: and I went to Bethlehemjudah, but I am now going to the houfe of the LORD; and there's no man that receiveth me to house.

19 Yet there is both straw and provender for our affes; and there is bread and wine alfo for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man which is with thy fervants: there is no want of any thing.

20 And the old man faid, Peace be with thee; how foever, let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street.

21 So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the affes: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.

22 Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain fons of Belial, befet the houseround 9 And when the man role up to depart, about, and beat at the door, and spake to he, and his concubine, and his fervant, the mafter of the house, the old man, fayhis father in law, the damfel's father, faiding, Bring forth the man that came into unto him, Behold, now the day draweth thine houfe, that we may know him. toward evering, I pray you tarryall night: behold, the day groweth to an end, lodge here, that thine heart may be merry: and tomorrow get yon early on your way, that thou mayeft go home.

10 But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over against Jebus, which is Jerufalem; and there were with him two affes faddled, his concubine alfo was with him.

23 And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and faid unto them, Nay, my brethren,nay, I pray you do not fo wickedly; feeing that this man is come into mine houfe, do not this folly.

24 Behold, here is my daughtera maiden, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what feemeth good unto you but unto this man do not fo vile a thing.

25 But the men would not hearken to 11 And when they were by Jebus, the him: fo the man took his concubine, and day was far fpent; and the fervant faid brought her forth unto them; and they nto his mafter, Come, I pray thee, and knew her, and abuted her all the night. Jet us turn in into this city of the Jebu-until the morning: and when the day Ares and lodge in it. began to fpring, they let her go.

12 And his mafter faid unto him, We 26 Then came the woman in the will not turn afide hither into the city of dawning of the day, and fell down at

the

252 The Benjamites' wickednefs. JUDGES. The Ifraelites war with Benjamin. the door of the man's houfe where her el, and an hundred of a thousand, and a lord was, till it was light.

27 And her lord role up in the morning, and opened the doors of the houfe, and went out to go his way: and, behold, the woman his concubine was fallen down the door of the houfe, and her hands were upon the threshold.

thousand out of ten thoufand, to fetch victual for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have wrought in Ifrael.

11 So all the men of Ifrael were gathered against the city, knit together as one man.

28 And he faid unto her, Up, and let us be going. But none anfwered. Then 12 And the tribes of Ifrael fent men the man took her up upon anals, and the through all the tribe of Benjamin, fayman rofe up, and gat him unto his place. ing, What wickedness is this that is done 29 And when he was come into his among you?

houfe, he took a knife, and laid hold on. 15 Now therefore deliver us the men, his concubine, and divided her, together the children of Belial, which are in Gibwith her bones, into twelve pieces, and fent her into all the coafts of Ifrael.

30 And it was fo, that all that faw it, faid, there was no fuch deed done nor feen from the day that the children of Ifrael came up out of the land of Egypt unto this day: confider of it, take advice, and fpeak your minds.

CHAP. XX.

The Levite in a general assembly declareth his wrong. & Their decree. 20 The Benjamites are defroyea.

THEN all the children of Ifrael went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one nian, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, unto the LORD in Mizpeh.

eah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Ifrael. But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of lirael:

14 But the children of Benjamin gath jered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Ifrael.

15 And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities, twenty and fix thousand men that drew fword, befide the inhabitants of Gibeali, which were numbered feven hundred chofen men.

16 Among all this people there were feven hundred chofen men lefthanded; 2 And the chief of all the people, even every one could fling ftones at an hair of all the tribes of Ifrael, prefented them-breadth, and not mifs. felves in the affembly of the people of 17 And the men of Ifrael, befide BenGod, four hundred thoufand footmen jamin, were numbered four hundred that drew fword. thoufand men that drew fword; all these were men of war.

3 (Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Ifrael. were gone up 18 And the children of Ifrael arofe, to Mizpeh.) Then faid the children of and went up to the houfe of God, and Ifrael, Tell us, How was this wickednefs afked counfel of God, and faid, Which of 4 And the Levite, the hufband of the us fhall go up first to the battle againft the woman that was flain, anfwered and faid, children of Benjamin And the LORD I came into Gibeah that belongeth to Ben-faid, Judah fhall go up first. jamin, I and my concubine, to lodge. 19 And the children of Ifrael rofe up 5 And the men of Gibeah rofe againft in the morning, and encamped against me, and befet the house round about up on me by night, and thought to have flain me and my concubine have they forced,

that the is dead.

6 And I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and fent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Ifrael: for they have committed lewdnefs and folly in ifrael.

7 Behold, ye are all children of Ifrael; give here your advice and counfel.

8¶And all the peopic arofe as one man, faying, We will not any of us go to his tent, neither will we any of us turn into

his house.

9 But now this ball be the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we wilt go up by lot against it;

Gibeah.

20 And the men of Ifrael went out to battle againft Berjamin; and the men of Ifrael put themfelves in array to fight against them at Gibeah.

21 And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and deftroyed down to the ground of the Ifraclites that day twenty and two thoufand men.

22 And the people the men of Ifrael encouraged themselves, and fet their battle again in array in the place where they put themfelves in array the firft day.

I

23 (And the children of Hrael went up and wept before the LORD until even and asked couniel of the LORD, faying, Shall go up again to battle against the children of benjamin my brother? And the 10 And we will take ten men of an LORD faid, Go up against him.) hundred throughout all the tribes of fra- 24 And the children of Ifracl came near

againit