Mirahs idoles. Iudget. CHAP. XVII. And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whofe name was Micah. 2 And be faid unto his mother, The eleven hundred fhekels of filver,that were taken from thee, about which thou curfedft, and fpakeft of alfo in mine eares,behold, the Alver is with mee, I tooke it. And his mother faid, Bleffed be thou of the LORD iny lonne. 3 And when he had reftored the eleven hundred fhekels of filver to bis inother, his mother faid, I have wholly dedicated the Silver unto the LORD, from my hand, for my fonne to make a graven image, and a molten image:now therefore, I will reftore it unto thee. 4 Yet hee reftored the money to his mother, and his mother tooke two hundred hekels of filver and gave them to the fouttder, who made thereof a grave image, and a molten image:and they were in the house of Micah. 5 And the man Micah had an houfe of gods, and made an Ephod, and Teramphim, and confecrated one of his fonnes, who be ane his Prieft. 6 In thofe dayes,there was no King in Ifrael, but every man did that which was right in his owne eyes. 7 And there was a young man out of Bethlehein-Iudah, of the family of Iudah: who was a Levite,and he foiourned there. 8 And the inan departed out of the city from Bethlehem-Iudah, to foiourne where bee could finde a place: and he came to mount Ephraim to the houfe of Micah, as he iourneyed. 9 And Micah faid unto him, whence Tommeft thou? And he faid unto him, I am a Levite of Bethlehein-Indah, and I goe to The Levite hired. foiourne where I may finde a place. 10 And Micah faid unto him,dwell with mee,and be unto me a father & a Prieft,& I will give thee ten fhekels of filver by the yeere, and a fuite of apparell, and thy vi Atuals.So the Levite went in. 11 And the Levite was content to dwel with the man,and the young inan was unto him as one of his fonnes. 12 And Micah confecrated the Levite.and the young man became his Prieft, and Was in the boufe of Micah, 13 Then faid Micah, Now know I that the LORD will doe me good, seeing I have a Levite to my Prieft, CHAP. XVIII. IN thofe dayes there was no king in Ifra. el: and in those dayes the tribe of the Danites fought then an inheritance to dwel in: for unto that day all their inheritance had not fallen unto them, ainong the tribes of Ifrael. 2 And the children of Dan fent of their family five men from their coafts, men of valour from Zorah, and froin Efhitaol, to fpie out the land, and to fearch it, and they faid unto them, Goe fearch the land: who when they came to mount Ephraim,to the houfe of Micah,they lodged there. 3 When they were by the house of Mi cah, they knew the voyce of the young man the Levite and they turned in hither, and faid unto him, Who brought thee hither? And what makeft thou in this place? and what haft thou here? 4 And be faid unto them; Thus and thus dealeth Micah with me, and hath hired me, and I am his Priest. 5 And they faid unto him, Aske counfel we pray thee, of God, that we may know, whether our way which wee goe, fhall be profperous. 6 And the Prieft faid unto them, Goe in peace: before the Lord is your way where in ye goe. 7 Then the five men departed, and come to Laifh, and faw the people that were therein,how they dwelt care!effe, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and fecure, and there was no magiftrate in the land that might put them to fhame in any thing, and they were farre from the Zidonians, and had no bufineffe with any Micah robbed Chap.xix place where there is no want of any thing that is in the earth. And there went from thence of the fainily of the Danites out of Zorah, and out of Efhraol fixe hundred men, appointed with weapons of warre. 12 And they came up and pitched in Kiriath iearim in Judah; wherefore they called that place Mabaneth Dan, unto this day; behold,it is behind Kiriath-iearim. 13 And they paffed thence unto mount Ephraim,& came unto the houfe of Micah, 14 Then anfwered the five men that went to fpie out the countrey of Laith, and faid unto their brethren, Doe ye know that there is in thefe houfes, an Ephod, and Teraphim, and a graven iinage, and a molten image Now therefore confider what ye have to doe. 15 And they turned thitherward & came to the houfe of y yong man the Levite, euen to the houfe of Micah and faluted him. 16 And the fixe hundred men appointed with their weapons of warre, which were of the children of Dan ftood by the entring of the gate, 17 And the five men that went to spie out the land, went up and came in thither,and tooke the graven images and the Ephod and the Teraphim.and the inolten image:and the Prieft food in the entring of the gate with the five hundred men that were appointed with weapons of warre. 18 And thefe went into Micahs boufe,and fetched the carved inage, the Ephod, and the Teraphim,and the molten image: then faid the Prieft unto them, What doe ye? 19 And they faid unto him Hold thy peace lay thine hand upon thy mouth,& goe with us,and be to us a father and a Prieft is it better for thee to be a Prieft unto the house of one man,or that thou be a Prieft unto a tribe,and a family of Ifrael? 20 And the Priests heart was glad,and he tooke the Ephod and the Teraphim and the graven image,and went in the middeft of the people. 21 So they turned and departed,and put the little ones,and the cattell, and the carriage before them, 22 And when they were a good way from the houfe of Micah: the men that were in the houses neere to Micahs houfe, were gathered together,and overtooke the children of Dan, 23 And they cryed unto the children of Ban: and they turned their faces and faid unto Micah. What aileth thee,that thou commeft with fuch a company? 24 And he faid Ye have taken away my gods which I made and the Prieft, and yee are gone away and what have I more and what is this that ye fay unto mee, What aileth thee? 25 Andy children of Dan faid unto him, Micahs idole fet up? Let not thy voice be heard amongst us, let angry fellowes run upon thee,& thou loofe thy life,with the lives of thy houfhold. 26 And the children of Dan went their way: and when Micah faw that they were too ftrong for him, hee turned and went backe unto his house. 27 And they tooke the things which Mi. cah had raade,& the Prieft which he had,& came unto Laifh,unto a people that were at quiet and fecure, and they finote them with the edge of the fword,and burnt the city with fire, 23 And there was no deliverer, because it was farre from Zidon, and they had no bu fineffe with any man:and it was in the val ley that lyeth by Beth-rehobi and they built a city and dwelt therein. 29 And they called the name of the city Dan after y name of Dan their father, whe was borne unto Ifrael: howbeit the name of the city was Laifh at the first, 30 And the children of Dan fet up the graven image and Ionathan the fonne of Gerfhom,the fonne of Manaffeh,hee and his fors vere Priefit the tribe of Dan, untill the day of the captivity of the land. 31 And they fet them up Micabs graven image,which he made all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh. CHAP. XIX. ANd it came to paffe in those dayes, when there was no King in Ifrael, that there was a certaine Levite foiourning on the fide of mount Ephraim who took to him a con. cubine our of Bethlehem-Iudah. 2 And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unte her fathers houfe to Bethlehem-Iudah, and was there foure whole moneths. 3 And her husband arofe,and went after her to fpeak friendly unto her,and to bring her againe having bis fervant with him,and a couple of ales:and thee brought him into her fathers houfe: and when the father of the damofell faw him,hee reioyced to meet him, 4 And his father in law,the damofels father retained him, and he abode with him three dayes: fo they did eat and drinke,and lodged there. And it came to paffe on the fourth day, when they arofe early in the morning, that hee rofeup to depart: and the damofelsfather faid unto his fonne in law, Comfor thine heart with a morfel of bread, and af terward go your way. 6 And they fate downe and did eat and drinke,both of them together: for the dama fels father had faid unto the man, Bee content, I pray thee,and tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry. 7 And when the man arofe up to depart, his father in law urged him: therefore he. lodged there againe, 8 And he rofe early in the morning on the fift day to depart, & the damofels father faid:Comfort,thine heart,I pray thee. And they tarried untill afternoon,and they did eat both of them. 9 And when the man rofe up to depart, he and his concubine, and his fervant: his father in law, the damofels father faid unto him.Behold,novy the day drawveth towards evening, I pray you tarry all night: behold, the day groweth to an end, lodge here, that thine heart inay be merry, and to morrew get you early on your way, that thou inayeft goe boine. 10 But the man would not tarry that night, but he rofe up, and departed, and caine over against Iebus (which is Ierufalen) and there were with him two affes faced, his concubine alfo was with him. 11 And when they were by Iebus, the day was farre fpent, and the fervant faid unto his mater, Come, I pray thee, and let us turne into this city of the Iebufites,and lodge in it. 12 And his mafter faid unto him, Wee will not turne afide her into the city of a ftranger,that is not of the children of Ifrael,we will paffe over to Gibeah. 13 And he faid unto his fervant, Come, & let us draw nee re to one of thefe places to lodge all night in Gibeah,or in Raniah, 14 And they paffed on and went their way, and the Sanne went downe upon them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to Beniamin, 15 And they turned afide thither, to goe in and lodge in Gibeah.and when he went in,he fate him downe in the freet of the city for there was no inan that took them into his house to lodging. 16 And behold, there came an old man from his worke out of the field at even, which was alfo of mount Ephraim; and he foiourned in Gibeah: bury imen of the place were Beniamites. 17 And when he had lift up his eyes, bee faw a wayfairing as in the ftreet of the city, And the old man faid, whither goeft thou? and whence commeft thou? 18 And hee faid unto him,we are paffing from Bethlehem-Iudah, toward the fade of mount Ephraim, from thence am I, and I went to Bethlehem- Iudah,but I am now going to the houfe of the LORD, and there is no inan that receiveth me to houfe. 19 Yet there is both ftraw and provender for outaffes,and there is bread & wine alfo for mee,and for thy handmaid, and for the young man which is with thy fervant: there is no want of any thing. 20 Andy old man faid.Peace be with thee bowfoever let all thy wants lie upon me only lodge not in the street. 21 So he brought him into his houfe,and gave provender unto the alles and they forced to death. washed their feet,and did eat and drinke, 22 Now as they were making their hearts merry,bebold, the men of the city,cer. taine fons of Belial befet the house round about,and beat at the doore,and fpake to the faying, matter of the house, the old man Bring the man that came into thine houfe, that we may know him. 23 And the man the mafter of the boule went out unto them, and faid unto them, Nay iny brethren, nay I pray you, doe so fo wickedly feeing that this man is comme into mine houfe,doe not this folly. 24 Behold, here is my daughter a maiden and his concubine, then I will bring out now,and huinble yee then,and doe with them what feeineth good unto you:-but unl to this man do not fo vile a thing, 25 But the men would not hearken to him fo the man tooke his concubine,and brought her foorth unto them, and they knew her, & abufed her all the night.untill the morning, and when the day began to fpring, they let her goe. 26 Then came the woman in y dawning of the day,& fell downe at the doore of y mans houfe, where her lord was, till it was light. and 27 And her lord rofe up in the morning and opened the doores of the house, went out to goe his way: and behold, the woman his concubine was fallen downe at the doore of the houfe, and her hands were upon the threshold. 28 And he laid unto her, Vp, and let us be going: But none answered: then the man tooke her up upon the affe, and the inan rofe up,and gate him unto bis place. 29 And when he was come into his houfe, hee tooke a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her together with 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 feene from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt, unto this day: confider of it, take advice, and speake your minds. CHAP. XX. 2 And the chiefe of all the people,even of all the tribes of Ifrael, prefented themselves in the affembly of the people of God, foure hundred thousand footmen that drew fword 3 (Now the children of Beniamin heard that the children of Ifrael were gone up to Mizpeh :) then faid the children of Ifrael, Tellus,how was this wickednete. 4. And the Levite,the husband of the woman that was flaine, anfwered,and faid: 1 came into Gibeah that belongoth to Ben The Levites complaint. iamin,I and iny concubine to lodge, Chap.xx. 5 And the men of Gibeah rofe againft me, and befet the boufe round about upon me by night, and thought to have flain me, and my concubise have they forced that the is dead. 6 And I tooke my concubine, & cut her in pieces, and fent her throughout all y contrey of y inhabitants of Ifrael, for they have comimited lewdneffe and folly in Ifrael. 7 Behold yee are all the children of Ifrael, give here your advice and counfell. 8 And all the people arofe as one man, faying, we will not any of us goe to his tent, neither will we any of us turne into his house. But now this fhalbe y thing y we will do to Gibeah, we will go up by lot againft it 10 And we will take ten men ofa hundred throughout all the tribes of Ifrael, and an hundred of a thoufand, and a thoufand out often thoufand, to fetch victuall for the people, that they may doe, when they come to Gibeah of Benianin,according to all the folly that they have wrought in Ifrael. II So all the men of Ifrael were gathered against the city, knit together as one man. 12 And the tribes of Ifrael fent men thorow all the tribe of Beniamin,faying, what wickedneffe is this that is done among you? 13 Now therefore deliver the men, the children of Balial, which are in Gibeah: that we may put them to death, and put away evill from Ifrael: but the children of Beniamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Ifrael. 14 But the children of Beniamin gathered themfelves together out of the cities unto Gibeah, to goe out to battell against the children of Ifrael. 15 And the children of Beniamin were nunbred at y time out of the cities, twenty and fixe thoufard inen that drew fword, befides the inhabitants of Gibeah, which were numbred, feven hundred chofen men. 16 Among all the people there were feven thoufand chofen men left-handed, every one could fling ftones at an haires breadth, and not misle. 17 And the men of Ifrael, befide Beniamin were numbred foure hundred thousand inen that drew fword: all thefe were men of war, 18 And the children of Ifrael arofe and went out to the house of God and asked tounfell of God and faid, which of us fhall goe up firft to the battell, agaiaft the children of Beniamin? And the LORD faid, Judah fhall got up first. 19 And the children of Ifrael arofe up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah, 20 And the men of Ifrael went out to battell againft Beniamin, and the men of Ifrael put theinfelves in array to fight against them at Gibeah. 21 And the children of Beniamin came foorth out of Gibeah, and defroyed downe Ifraelites ftratagems. toy ground of the Ifraelites that day twen ty and two thousand. 22 And the people the men of Ifrael, encouraged themfelves, and fet their battel againe in array, in the place where they put themfelves in array at the first day. 23 (And the children of Ifrael went up and wept before the LORD untill the Euen, and asked sounfell of the LORD, saying, Shall I goe up againe to bartell against the children of Beniamin my brother? And the LORD faid, Goe up againft him.) 24 And the children of Ifrael came neere among ý children of Beniamin the fecond day 25 And Beniamin went forth against them out of Gibeak the fecond day, and deftroyed downe to the ground of the children of Ifrael againe eighteene thousand men: all thefe drew the fword. 26 Then all the children of Ifrael, and all the people went up, and came unto the houfe of God,and wept and fate there before the LORD, and fafted that day untill Euen, and offered burnt offerings & peace offering, before the LORD. 27 And the children of Ifrael enquired of the LORD, ( for the Arke of the covenant of God was there in thofe dayes, 28 And Phinehas the fon of Eleazar the fon of Aaron, ftood before it in thofe dayes) faying, Shall I yet againe goe out to battell againit the children of Beniamin, my brother, or fhall I ceafe; And the LORD faid: Goe up: for to morrow? wil 1 deliver them into thine hand 29 And Ifrael fet liers in Wait round a bout Gibeah. 30 And the children of Ifrael went up a gainst the children of Beniamin on the third day and put themfelves in array against Gi beah,as at other times. 31 And the children of Benianin went out againfty people,and were drawne away from the city and they began to fmite of the people,and killas at other times,in the high wayes, of which on goeth up to the boul of God and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Ifrael 32 And the children of Beniamin faid, They are finitten downe before us, as at the firft: but the children of Ifrael faid, Let us flee, and draw them from the city unto the high wayes, out 33 And all the men of Ifrael rofe up of their place, and put themselves ia array at Baal-Tainar, and the liers in wait of Ifrael came forth out of their place, even out of the ineadowves of Gibeah. and 34 And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chofen men out of all Ifrael, the battell was fore: but they knew not that evill was neere them. 35 And the LORD fmote Beniamin be. fore Ifrael.and the children of Ifrael destroyed of the Beaianites that day, twenty and five five thousand and an hundred men : all they drew the fword. 36 So the children of Beniamin faw that they were finitten: for the men of Ifrael gave place to the Beniamites, becaufe they trufted to the lyers in wait, which they had fet befide Gibeah, 37 And the lyers in waite hafted, and rufhed upon Gibeah, and the lyers in waite drew themelues along, and fimote all the citie with the edge of the fword, 38 Now there was an appointed figne bet weene the men of Ifrael and the lyers in waite, that they fhould make a great flame with finoake arifing out of the city. 39 And when the men of Ifrael retired in battell, Beniamin began to finite and kill of the men of Ifrael about thirty perfons, for they faid, Surely they are finitten downe before us as in the first battel. 40 But When the flame began to rife up out of the citie, with a pillar of fimoake the Beniamites looked behind thein,and behold, the flame of the citie afcended up to heaven. 41 And when the men of Ifrael turned againe, the men of Beniamin were amazed, for they faw y evill was to come upon them 42 Therefore they have turned their backs before the men of Ifrael unto the way of the wilderneffe, but the battell overtooke them; and they which caine out of the city, they deftroyed in the midft of them, 43 Thus they inclofed the Beniamites round about, and chafed them, and trode them downe with eafe over against Gibeah toward the Sun-ring. 44 And there fell of Beniamin eighteene thousand men? all these were men of valour. 45 And they turned and fled toward the wildernetle, unto the rocke Rimmon; and they gleaned of them in the high wayes five thousand inea,and purfued hard after them unto Gideon, and flew two thoufand men of them. 46 So all that fell that day of Beniamin, were twenty and five thoufaud men that drew the fword: all thefe were men of valour. 47 But fixe hundred men turned and fled to the wilderneffe unto the rocke Rimmon, and abod in the rocke Rimmon foure mo neths. 48 And the men of Ifrael turned againe upon the children of Beniamin, and fmote them with the edge of the fword, as well the men of every city,as the beaft, and all that came to hand: alfo they fet on fire all the cities that they came to. CHAP. XXI, Now the men of Ifrael had fworne in Mizpeh, faying, There fhall not any of us give his daughter unto Beniamin to wife, 2 And the people came to the houfe of God, and abod their till even before God, and lift up their voice and weept fore, warte with Beniamin. 3 And faid, O God of Ifrael, why is this come to paffe in Ifrael,that there fhould be to day one tribe lacking in Ifrael. 4 And it came to paffe on the inorrow, that the people rofe early, and built there an Altar, and offered burnt offerings, and peace offerings. 5 And the children of Ifrael faid, whe is there among all the tribes of Ifrael, that came not up with the Congregation unte the LORD: for they had made a great oath concerning him that came not up to the LORD to Mizpeh, faying, He shall furely be put to death. And the children of Ifrael repented" them for Beniamin their brother, and faid, there is one tribe cut off from Ifrael this day. 7 How fhall we doe for wives for them that remaine, feeing we have forne by the LORD, that we will not give them of our daughters to wives? 8 And they faid, what one is there of the tribes of Ifrael, that came not up to Miz peh to the LORD? And bebold, there came. none to the cape froin lebefh Gilead to the affembly. For the people were numbred, and behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Iebelh Gilead there. 10 And the Congregation fent thither twelve thousand men of the valianteft, and commanded them,faying, Go,and fmite y in habitants of Iabeth Gilead with the edge of the fword,with the women and the children II And this is the thing that ye fhal doe, ye fhall utterly deftroy every male: and every woman that hath lien with man. 12 And they found among the inhabitants of lebefh Gilead, foure hundred yong virgins that had knowne no man with lying with any male and they brought them unto the campe to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan. 13 And the whole Congregation fent fome to fpeake to the children of Beniamin that were in the rocke Riminon, and to call peaceably unto them. 14 And Beniamin came againe at that time and they gave them wives which they had faved alive of the women of Iabeth Gi lead and yet fo they fufficed them not. 15 And the people repented them for Beniamin, becaufe that the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Ifrael. 16 Then the Elders of the Congregation faid, How fhall we doe for wives for them that remaine? feeing the women are deftroyed out of Beniamin. 17 And they faid,There must be an inhe. ritance for them that be efcaped of Beniamin that a tribe be not deftroyed out of Ifrael. 18 Howbeit, we may not give them wives of our daughters: For the children of Ifrael have fworne, faying, Curfed be he that gi veth a wife to Benjamin, 19 Then |