Gideon's fleece.

CHAP. VII. He is encouraged by a dream. lom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah ofther, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, the Abi-ezrites. a bowl-full of water.

25¶ And it came to pass the same night, 39 And Gideon said unto God, Let not that the LORD said unto him, Take thy thine anger be hot against me, and I father's young bullock, even the second will speak but this once: Let me prove, I bullock of seven years old, and throw down pray thee, but this once with the fleece; the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and cut down the grove that is by it: upon all the ground let inere be dew. 26 And build an altar unto the LORD 40 And God did so that night: for it was thy God upon the top of this rock, in the dry upon the fleece only, and there was ordered place, and take the second bullock, dew on all the ground. and offer a burnt-sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down.

CHAP. VII.

27 Then Gideon took ten men of his THEN Jerubbaal (who is Gideon) and all the people that were with him. servants, and did as the LORD had said unto rose up early and pitched beside the well him and so it was, because he feared his of Harod: so that the host of the Midianfather's household, and the men of the city, ites were on the north side of them by the that he could not do it by day, that he did hill of Moreh, in the valley.

it by night. 2 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The 28 And when the men of the city people that are with thee are too many arose early in the morning, behold, the al- for me to give the Midianites into their tar of Baal was cast down, and the grove hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against 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 cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it.

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 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 Ánd 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 31 And Joash said unto all that stood same shall go with thee; and of whomsoagainst him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ever I say unto thee, This shall not go ye save him? he that will plead for him, with thee, the same shall not go. let him be put to death whilst it is yet morn- 5 So he brought down the people unto ing: if he be a god, let him plead for him- the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon; self, because one hath cast down his altar. Every one that lappeth of the water with 32 Therefore on that day he called him his tongue as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against set by himself; likewise every one that him, because he hath thrown down his altar. boweth down upon his knees to drink.

33 Then all the Midianites, and the 6 And the number of them that lapped, Amalekites, and the children of the east putting their hand to their mouth, were were gathered together, and went over, three hundred men: but all the rest of the and pitched in the valley of Jezreel. people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.

34 But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him.

7 And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I 35 And he sent messengers throughout save you, and deliver the Midianites into all Manasseh; who also was gathered af- thy hand: and let all the other people go ter him: and he sent messengers unto Ash-every man unto his place.

er, and unto Zebulun, and unto Napntali; 8 So the people took victuals in their and they came up to meet them. hand, and their trumpets: and he sent all 36 And Gideon said unto God, If thou the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, wilt save Israel by my hand, as thou hast and retained those three hundred men. said, And the host of Midian was beneath him 57 Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in in the valley. the floor: and if the dew be on the fleece 9 And it came to pass the same night, only, and it be dry upon all the earth be- that the LORD said unto him, Arise, get sides, then shall I know that thou wilt save thee down unto the host; for I have deIsrael by my hand, as thou hast said. livered it into thy hand.

38 And it was so: for he rose up early 10 But if thou fear to go down, go thou on the morrow, and thrust the fleece toge-with Phurah thy servant down to the host:

The Midianites overthrown.

11 And thou shalt hear what they selves together out of Naphtali, and out of say; and afterward shall thy hands be Asher, and out of all Manasseb, and purstrengthened to go down unto the host. sued after the Midianites. 24 And Gideon sent messengers Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, were in the host. Come down against the Midianites, and

12 And the Midianites, and the Amale- take before them the waters unto Beth-bakites, and all the children of the east, lay rah and Jordan. Then all the men of along in the valley like grasshoppers for Ephraim gathered themselves together, multitude; and their camels were without and took the waters unto Beth-barah and number, as the sand by the sea-side for Jordan.

multitude.

25 And they took two princes of the

13 And when Gideon was come, behold, Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb ; and they slew there was a man that told a dream unto his Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a slew at the wine-press of Zeeb, and purdream, and lo, a cake of barley-bread sued Midian, and brought the heads of tumbled into the host of Midian, and came Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and side Jordan. overturned it that the tent lay along.

CHAP. VIII.

14. And his fellow answered, and said, AND the men of Ephraim said unto This is nothing else save the sword of Gide- him, Why hast thou served us thus, on the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for that thou calledst us not when thou wentinto his hand bath God delivered Midian, est to fight with the Midianites? and they and all the host. did chide with him sharply.

15 And it was so, when Gideon heard 2 And he said unto them, What have I the telling of the dream, and the interpre-done now in comparison of you? Is not the tation thereof, that he worshipped, and re- gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better turned into the host of Israel, and said, than the vintage of Abi-ezer? Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into 3 God hath delivered into your hands your hand the host of Midian.

16 And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and 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.

the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.

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

5 And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the 18 When I blow with a trumpet, I and people that follow me: for they be faiut, all that are with me, then blow ye the and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zaltrumpets also on every side of all the camp, munna, kings of Midian.

Gideon.

and say, The sword of the LORD, and of 6 And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now 19 ¶ So Gideon, and the hundred men in thy hand, that we should give bread that were with him, came unto the outside unto thine army?

of the camp in the beginning of the middle 7 And Gideon said, Therefore when the watch; and they had but newly set the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna watch and they blew the trumpets, and into my hand, then I will tear your flesh brake the pitchers that were in their hands. with the thorns of the wilderness and with 20 And the three companies blew the briers.

trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held 8 And he went up thence to Penuel, and the lamps in their left hands, and the trum- spake unto them likewise: and the men of pets in their right hands to blow withal: Penuel answered him as the men of Sucand they cried, The sword of the LORD, Coth had answered him.

and of Gideon.

9 And he spake also unto the men of 21 And they stood every man in his Penuel, saying, When I come again in place round about the camp; and all the peace, I will break down this tower. host ran, and cried, and fled.' 10 ¶ Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in

22 And the three hundred blew the Karkor, and their hosts with them, about trumpets, and the LORD set every man's fifteen thousand men, all that were left of sword against his fellow, even throughout all the hosts of the children of the east: all the host: and the host fled to Beth-for there fell a hundred and twenty thou shittah in Zerera、h, and to the border of sand men that drew sword. Abel-meholah, unto Tabbath. 11 ¶ And Gideon went up by the way 23 And the men of Israel gathered them- of them that dwelt in tents on the east of

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Zebah and Zalmunna slain.

Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host: besides the chains that were about their camels' necks. for the host was secure. 27 And Gideon made an ephod thereof, 12 And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmun- all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, na, and discomfited all the host.

13 ¶ And Gideon the son of Joash re-and to his house. turned from battle before the sun was up,

28 ¶ Thus was Midian subdued before 14 And caught a young man of the men the children of Israel, so that they lifted of Succoth, and inquired of him: and he up their heads no more. And the country described unto him the princes of Suc-was in quietness forty years in the days of coth, and the elders thereof, even three- Gideon.

score and seventeen men.

29 And Jerubbaal the son of Joash

15 And he came unto the men of Suc-went and dwelt in his own house. coth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zal

30 And Gideon had threescore and ten

31 And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.

munna, with whom ye did upbraid me, sons of his body begotten: for he had saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zal- many wives. munna now in thy hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary? 16 And he took the elders of the city, 32 ¶ And Gideon the son of Joash died and thorns of the wilderness, and briers, and with them he taught the men of Suc-in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah coth. 17 And he beat down the tower of Pe- of the Abi-ezrites. nuel, and slew the men of the city.

33 And it came to pass as soon as Gi18 Then said he unto Zebah and Zal-deon was dead, that the children of Israel munna, What manner of men were they turned again, and went a whoring after whom ye slew at Tabor? And they answer- Baalim, and made Baal-berith their god. 34 And the children of Israel rememed, As thou art, so were they; each one bered not the LORD their God, who had resembled the children of a king. 19 And he said, They were my breth-delivered them out of the hands of all ren, even the sons of my mother: as the their enemies on every side: LORD liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you.

35 Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, ac20 And he said unto Jether his first-cording to all the goodness which he had born, Up, and slay them. But the youth shewed unto Israel. drew not his sword: for he feared, be

cause he was yet a youth.

CHAP. IX.

went to Shechem unto his mother's Rise thou, and fall upon us for as the brethren, and communed with them, and man is, so is his strength. And Gideon with all the family of the house of his arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and mother's father, took away the ornaments that were on 2 Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better

21 Then Zebab and Zalmunna said, AND Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal

their camels' necks.

saying,

22 ¶ Then the men of Israel said unto for you, either that all the sons of JerubGideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and baal, which are threescore and ten perthy son, and thy son's son also: for thou sons, reign over you, or that one reign hast delivered us from the hand of Midian. over you? remember also that I am your 23 And Gideon said unto them, I will bone and your flesh. 3. And his mother's brethren spake of not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you. him in the ears of all the men of Shechem 24 And Gideon said unto them, I would all these words: and their hearts inclined desire a request of you, that you would to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is give me every man the ear-rings of his our brother. prey. (For they had golden ear-rings, be- 4 And they gave him threescore and ten cause they were Ishmaelites.) pieces of silver out of the house of Baal25 And they answered, We will will-berith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain ingly give them. And they spread a gar- and light persons, which followed him. 5 And he went unto his father's house ment, and did cast therein every man the ear-rings of his prey. at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons 26 And the weight of the golden ear- of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten rings that he requested, was a thousand persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding, and seven hundred shekels of gold; besides yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal ornaments, and collars, and purple rai- was left; for he hid himself.

ment that was on the kings of Midian, and/ 6 And all the men of Shechem gather

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