THE BOOKE OF IVDGES, IN HEBREW SOPHETIM. Chap. I. Vnder a general captaine of the tribe of Iuda, assisted by the tribe of Simeon, Israel subdueth diuers cities of the gentiles (12. Othoniel taking Cariath sepher po&esset;e&esset;eth it, and marieth Calebs daughter, obtaining also addition of her dowrie) ^note 21. Iebuseites yet dwel in Hierusalem with Beniamin, 27. and the Chananeites with diuers of the tribes.

1   After the death of Iosue the children of Israel ^note consulted our Lord, saying: Who shal goe vp before vs against the Chananeite, and shal be captaine of the warre?

2   And our Lord said: ^note Iudas shal goe vp: behold I haue deliuered the Land into his handes,

3   And Iudas said to Simeon his brother: Come vp with me into my lotte, and fight against the Chananeite, that I also may goe forward with thee into thy lotte. And Simeon went with him.

4   And Iudas went vp, and our Lord deliuered the Chananeite, and the Pherezeite into their handes: and they stroke in Bezec ten thousand men.

5   And they found Adonibezec in Bezec, and fought against him, and stroke the Chananeite, and the Pherezeite.

6   And Adonibezec fled: whom pursewing they tooke, cutting of the extreme partes of his handes and feete.

7   And Adonibezec said: Seuentie kinges hauing the extreme partes of their handes and feete cut of, gathered vp the reliques of meates vnder my table: as I haue done, so hath God repayed me. And they brought him into Ierusalem, and there he died.

8   Therfore the children of Iudas assaulting Ierusalem, tooke it, and stroke it in the edge of the sword, setting the whole citie on fyre.

9   And afterward going downe they fought against the Chananeite, which dwelled in the mountaines, and southward, and in the champaine countries.

10   And Iudas going forward against the Chananeite, that dwelled in Hebron (the name wherof was before time Cariatharbe) stroke Sefai, and Ahiman, and Tholmai:

11   and departing thence went to the inhabitantes of Dabir, the old name wherof was Cariath Sepher, that is, a citie of letters.

12   And Caleb said: He

Gentiles mixt with Israelites. that shal strike Cariath Sepher, and spoile it, I wil geue him Axa my daughter to wife.

13   And when Othoniel the sonne of Cenez, the yonger brother of Caleb had taken it, he gaue him Axa his daughter to wife.

14   Whom going on her way her husband admonished to aske a field of her father. To whom, when she had sighed sitting on her asse, Caleb said: What aileth thee?

15   But she answered: Geue me a blessing, for a drie land thou hast geuen me: geue me also a waterie. Caleb therfore gaue her a watrie ground aboue, & waterie beneath.

16   And the children of the Cineite the cosin of Moyses went vp from the citie of palmes, with the children of Iudas into the deset of his lotte, which is at the south side of Arad, and dwelt with him.

17   But Iudas went with Simeon his brother, and together they stroke the Chananeite that dwelt in Sephaath, and slew him. And the name of the citie was called, Horma, that is, Anathema.

18   And Iudas tooke Gaza with the coastes therof, & Ascalon, and Accaron with their boundes.

19   And our Lord was with Iudas, and he posessed the mountaines: neither could he destroy the inhabitantes of the valley, because they had manie ^note hooked chariotes.

20   And they gaue to Galeb Hebron, as Moyses had said, who destroyed out of it the three sonnes of Enac.

21   But the Iebuseite the inhabiter of Ierusalem the children of Beniamin destroyed not: and the Iebuseite dwelt with the children of Beniamin in Ierusalem vntil this present day.

22   The house also of Ioseph went vp into Bethel, and our Lord was with them.

23   For when they besieged the citie, which before was called Luza,

24   they saw a man comming out of the citie, and said to him: Shew vs the entrrance of the citie, and we wil shew thee mercie.

25   Who when he had shewed them, they stroke the citie in the edge of the sword: but that man, and al his kinred they dismissed.

26   Who being dismist, went into the Land of the Hetthims, and built there a citie, and called it Luza: which is so called vntil this present day.

27   Manasses also destroyed not Bethsan, and Thanac with their litle townes, and the inhabitantes of Dor, and Ieblaam, and Mageddo with their litle townes. And the Chananeite began to dwel with them.

28   But after that Israel was waxen strong, he made them tributaries, and would not destroy them.

29   Ephraim also killed not the Chananeite, that dwelt in Gazer, but dwelt with him.

30   Zabulon destroyed not the

Gentiles mixt with Israelites. inhabitantes of Cetron, & Naalol: but the Chananeite dwelt in the middes of him, and was made tributarie to him.

31   Aser also destroyed not the inhabitantes of Accho, and of Sidon, of Ahalab, and Achazib, and Helba, and Aphec, and Rohob:

32   and he dwelt in the middes of the Chananeite the inhabiter of that Land, neither did he kil them.

33   Nepthali also destroyed not the inhabitantes of Bethsames, & Bethanath: and he dwelt in the middes of the Chananeite the inhabiter of the Land, and the Bethsamites & Bethanites were tributaries to him.

34   And the Amorrheite straytened the children of Dan in the mountaine, and gaue them not place to goe downe to the playne:

35   and he dwelt in mount Hares which is interpreted shelles, in Aialon and Salebim. And the hand of the house of Ioseph was agrauated, and he became tributarie to him.

36   And the border of the Amorrheite was from the Ascent of the Scorpion, the rocke, and the higher places. Chap. II. An Angel reciting manie benefites of God towardes Israel, and their ingratitude, 4. they weepe for their faultes. 10. After the death of Iosue and other ancientes of his time, the people often fal, and repenting are deliuered from afflictions. 19. but stil fal againe worse and worse.

1   And the ^note Angel of our Lord went vp from Galgal to the place of weepers, and said: I brought you out of Ægypt, and haue brought you into the Land, for the which I sware to your fathers: and I promised that I would not make frustrate my couenant with you for euer:

2   onlie so that you should not make a league with the inhabitantes of this Land, but should ouerthrow their altares: and you would not heare my voice: why haue you done this?

3   For the which cause I would not destroy them from before your face: that you may haue enemies, and their goddes may be a ruine vnto you.

4   And when the Angel of our Lord spake these wordes to al the children of Israel: they lifted vp their voice, and wept.

5   And the name of that place was called, the place of weepers, or of teares: and ^note there they immolated hostes to our Lord.

6   Iosue therfore dismissed the people, and the children of Israel went euerie one into his possession, to obtayne it:

7   and they serued our Lord al his daies, and the daies of the ancientes, of them that liued a long time after him, and knew al the workes of our Lord, which

The people often Othoniel. he had done with Israel.

8   And Iosue the sonne of Nun, the seruant of our Lord, died, being a hundred and ten yeares old,

9   and they buried him in the borders of his possession in Thamnathsare in the mount of Ephraim, on the North side of mount Gaas.

10   And al that generation was gathered to to their fathers: and there rose others, that knew not our Lord, and the workes which he had done with Israel.

11   And the children of Israel did euil in the sight of our Lord, and serued Baalim.

12   And they left our Lord the God of their fathers, that had brought them out of the Land of Ægypt: and folowed strange goddes, and the goddes of the peoples, that dwelt round about them, and adored them: and they prouoked our Lord to anger,

13   leauing him, and seruing Baal and Astaroth.

14   And our Lord being wrath against Israel, deliuered them into the handes of ransackers: who tooke them and sold them to the enemies, that dwelt round about: neither could they resist their aduersaries:

15   but whither soeuer they had meant to goe, the hand of our Lord was vpon them, as he spake, and sware to them: and they were vehemently afflicted.

16   And our Lord ^note raysed vp Iudges, that should deliuer them from the handes of the wasters: but neither would they heare them,

17   fornicating with strange goddes, and adoring them. They did quickly forsake the way, in the which their fathers had gone: and hearing the commandementes of our Lord, they did al thinges contrarie.

18   And when our Lord raysed vp Iudges, in their daies he was moued with mercie, and heard the groninges of the afflicted, and deliuered them from the slaughter of the wasters.

19   But after the Iudge was dead, they returned, and did much worse things then their fathers had done, folowing strange goddes seruing them, and adoring them. They left not their inuentions, and the verie hard way, by which they were accustomed to walke.

20   And the furie of our Lord was angrie against Israel, & said: Because this nation hath made my couen&abar;t frustrate, which I had made with their fathers, & hath c&obar;temned my voice:

21   I also wil not destroy the nations which Iosue did let alone, and died:

22   that in them I may trie Israel, whether they wil keepe the way of the Lord, and walke in it, as their fathers kept it, or no.

23   Our Lord therfore left al these nations, and would not quickly ouerthrow them, neither deliuered them into the handes of Iosue.

The people often Othoniel. Chap. III. The people associating them selues with Gentiles, against whom they ought to fight. ^note 8 are inuaded by forraine kinges: 9. but repenting are deliuered by Othoniel. 12. Falling againe, afflicted, and repenting, 15. are deliuered by Aod, 21. secretely killing Eglon their enemie. 31. After him Samgar defendeth Israel against the Philisthimes.

1   These are the Nations, which our Lord left, that in them he might instruct Israel, and al that had not knowen the warres of the Chananeites:

2   that afterward their children might lerne to fight with their enemies, and to be accustomed to warre:

3   the fiue princes of the Philisthimes, and the Chananeite, and Sidonian, and Heueite, that dwelt in mount Libanus, from mount Baal Hermon to the entring into Emath.

4   And he left them, that in them he might trie Israel, whether they would heare the commandementes of our Lord, which he had commanded their fathers by the hand of Moyses, or not.

5   Therfore the children of Israel dwelt in the middes of the Chananeite, and Hetheite, and Amorrheite, and Pherezeite, and Heueite, and Iebuseite:

6   and they tooke their daughters to wiues, and them selues gaue their owne daughters to their sonnes, & serued their goddes.

7   And they did euil in the sight of our Lord, and forgat their God, seruing Baalim and Astaroth.

8   And our Lord being wrath against Israel, deliuered them into the handes of Chusan Rasathaim the king of Mesopotamia, and they serued him eight yeares.

9   And they cried to our Lord: who raysed them vp ^note a sauiour, and deliuered them, to witte, Othoniel the sonne of Cenez, the yonger brother of Caleb:

10   and the Spirit of our Lord was in him, and he iudged Israel. And he went forth to fight, and our Lord deliuered into his handes Chusan Rasathaim the king of Syria, and oppressed him.

11   And the land rested ^note fourtie yeares, and Othoniel the sonne of Cenez died.

12   And the children of Israel added to doe euil in the sight of our Lord: who strengthned against them Eglon the king of Moab: because they did euil in his sight.

13   And he ioyned to him the children of Ammon, and Amalec: and he went and stroke Israel, and possessed the Citie of palmes.

14   And the children of Israel serued Eglon the king of Moab eightene yeares:

15   and afterward they cried to our Lord: who raysed vp vnto them a sauiour called Aod, the sonne of Gera, the sonne of Iemini, who vsed both

Aod. Samgar. handes for the right. And the children of Israel sent by him presentes to Eglon the king of Moab.

16   Who made him self a two edged sword, hauing in the middes a hafte in length the palme of a hand, and was girded therwith vnder his cassocke on the right thigh.

17   And he presented the giftes to Eglon the king of Moab. And Eglon was exceeding grosse.

18   And when he had presented the giftes vnto him, he brought his felow es on the way that came with him.

19   And returning from Galgal, where the Idols were, he said to the King: I haue a secrete message to thee ô king. And he commmanded silence: and al being gone forth, that were about him,

20   Aod went in to him: and he fate in a sommer chamber alone, and he said: ^note A word from God I haue to thee. Who forthwith rose out of his throne.

21   And Aod put forth his left hand, and tooke the dagger from his right thigh, and fastened it into his bellie

22   so mightelyt that the haft folowed the blade in the wound, and was closed vp fast with the most fatte grease. Neither did he plucke out the dagger, but as he had striken so leift it in the bodie: and forthwith by the secrete partes of nature the ordure of the bellie came forth.

23   But Aod shutting the doores of the chamber very diligently, and locking them sure,

24   went out by a posterne doore. And the kinges seruantes going in, saw the doores of the chamber shut, and they said: Peraduenture he purgeth his bellie in the sommer chamber.

25   And expecting long til they were ashamed, and seeing that no man did open, they tooke a key: and opening they found their lord on the earth lying dead.

26   But Aod, whiles they were trubled, escaped, and passed by the Place of Idols, whence he had returned. And he came into Seirath:

27   and forthwith the trumpet sounded in the mount of Ephraim: and the children of Israel went downe with him, him self going in the front.

28   Who said to them: Folow me: for our Lord hath deliuered our enemies the Moabites into our handes. And they went downe after him, and occupied the fordes of Iordan, which bring ouer into Moab: and they suffered no man to passe:

29   but they stroke the Moabites at that time, about ten thousand, al stoute and strong men, none of them could escape.

30   And Moab was humbled that day vnder the hand of Israel: and the Land rested eightie yeares.

31   After him was Samgar the sonne of Anath, who stroke, of the Philisthimes six hundred men with the culter of a ploughe: and he also defended Israel.

Debbora and Barac. Chap. IIII. Againe the people sinning are oppressed, and crying to God, 4. by direction of Debbora a prophetesse, Barac fighteth against Sisara their enemie. 15. who stricken with feare, and fleeing away, 17. Iabel pretending his saftie killeth him in her house.

1   And the children of Israel added to doe euil in the sight of our Lord after the death of Aod,

2   and our Lord deliuered them into the handes of Iabin the king of Chanaan, which reigned in Asor: and he had a captaine of his armie named Sisara, and he dwelt in Haroseth of the gentiles.

3   And the children of Israel cried to our Lord: for he had nine hundred yron hooked chariottes, and for twentie yeres had vehemently oppressed them.

4   And there was one Debbora a prophetese the wife of Lapidoth, which ^note iudged the people at that time.

5   And she sate vnder a palme tree, which was called by her name, betwen Rama and Bethel in the mount of Ephraim: and the children of Israel went vp to her for al iudgement.

6   Who sent, and called Barac the sonne of Abinoem of Cedes in Nepthali: and she said to him: Our Lord God of Israel hath commanded thee, Goe, and lead an armie into mount Thabor, and thou shalt take with thee ten thousand fighting men of the children of Nepthali, and of the children of Zabulon:

7   and I wil bring vnto thee in the place of the Torrent Cison, Sisara the prince of the hoste of Iabin, and his chariotes, and al the multitude, and wil deliuer them in thy hand.

8   And Barac said to her: If thou come with me, I wil goe: If thou wilt not come with me, I wil not goe.

9   Who said to him: I wil goe in deede with thee, but at this time the victorie shal not be imputed to thee, because Sisara shal be deliuered into the hand of a woman Debbora therfore arose, and went with Barac into Cedes.

10   Who calling vnto him Zabulon and Nepthali, went vp with ten thousand fighting men, hauing Debbora in his companie.

11   And Habet the Cineite was in time past departed from the rest of the Cineites his brethren of Hobab, the cosin of Moyses: and had pitched his tentes vnto the valley, which is called Sennim, and was nere Cedes.

12   And it was told Sisara, that Barac the sonne of Abinoem was gone vp into mount Thabor:

13   and he gathered nine hundred yron hooked chariottes, and al his armie from Haroseth of the gentiles

Debbora. Barac. Iahel. to the torrent Cison.

14   And Debbora said to Barac: Arise, for this is the day, wherin our Lord hath deliuered Sisara into thy handes: behold he is thy leader. And Barac went downe from mount Thabor, and ten thousand fighting men with him.

15   And our Lord terrified Sisara, and al his chariotes, and al the multitude in the edge of the sword at the sight of Barac: in so much, that Sisara leaping downe from his chariote, fled a foote,

16   and Barac pursewed the chariotes fleeing, and the armie vnto Haroseth of the gentiles, and al the multitude of the enemies was vtterly destroyed.

17   But Sisara fleeing came to the tent of Iahel and wife of Haber the Cineite. for there was peace betwixt labin the king of Asor, and the house of Haber the Cineite.

18   Iahel therfore going forth to meete Sisara, said to him: Come in to me my Lord, come in, feare not. Who being entred into her tabernacle, and couered of her with a cloke,

19   said to her: Geue me, I beseech thee, a little water, for I am very thirstie. Who opened a bottle of milke, and gaue him to drinke, and couered him.

20   And Sisara said to her: Stand before the doore of the tabernacle, and when any shal come asking thee, and saying: Is there any man here? Thou shalt say: There is none.

21    ^noteIahel therfore the wife of Haber tooke a nayle of the tabernacle, taking withal a hammer also: and going in secretely, and with silence she put the naile vpon the temple of his head, and striking it with the hammer, fastened it into his braine euen to the ground: who ioyning deepe sleepe and death together, faynted, and died.

22   And behold Barac folowing Sisara came: & Iahel going forth to meete him, said to him: Come, and I wil shew thee the man whom thou seekest. Who when he was entered in vnto her, saw Sisara lying dead, and the nayle fastened in his temples.

23   Therfore God that day humbled Iabin the king of Chanaan before the children of Israel:

24   which increased daily, and with strong hand oppressed Iabin the King of Chanaan, til they destroyed him. Chap. V. The Canticle of Debbora and Barac geuing thankes after their victorie.

1   And Debbora and Barac the sonne of Abinoem sang in that day, saying:

2   You that of Israel haue voluntarily offered your liues to peril, ^note blesse our Lord.

Debora and Barac.

3   Heare you kinges, and geue eare ye princes: I am, ^note I am she, that wil sing to our Lord, I wil chaunte to our Lord the God of Israel.

4   Lord when thou wentst out of Seir, and didst passe by the countries of Edom, the earth was moued, & the heauens and cloudes distilled waters.

5   The mountaines melted before the face of our Lord, and Sinai before the face of our Lord God of Israel.

6   In the daies of Samgar the sonne of Anath, in the daies of Iahel the pathes rested: and they that went by them, walked by bywaies.

7   The valiantes in Israel ceased, and rested: vntil Debbora arose, a mother rose in Israel.

8   Our Lord chose new warres, and the gates of the enemies him selfe subuerted: shield and speare if there appeared among fourtie thousand of Israel.

9   My hart loueth the princes of Israel: you that of your owne good wil offered your selues to danger, blesse our Lord.

10   You that ride vpon your ^note faire asses, and sitte in iudgement, and walke in the way, speake.

11   Where the chariottes were frushed together, and the armie of the enemie was suffocated, there let the iustices of our Lord be told, and his clemencie toward the valiantes of Israel: then did the people of our Lord goe downe to the gates, and obteyned the principalitie.

12   Arise, arise Debbora, arise, arise, and speake a canticle: Arise Barac, and apprehend thy captiues thou sonne of Abinoem.

13   The remnant of the people is saued, our Lord hath fought in the valiantes.

14   Out from Ephraim he destroyed them into Amalec, and after him out from Beniamin into thy peoples O Amalec: Out from Machir there descended princes, and out from Zabulon they that led the armie to fight.

15   The captaines of Issachar were with Debbora, and folowed the steppes of Barac, who as it were into a headlong and bottomeles pitte gaue himself to danger: Ruben being diuided against it self, there was found contention of couragious persons.

16   Why dwellest thou betwen the two boundes, that thou mayest heare the whistlinges of the flockes? Ruben being

Debbora and Barac. diuided against it self, there was found contention of couragious men.

17   Galaad rested beyond Iordan, and Dan gaue himself to shippes: Aser dwelt in the sea shore, and abode in hauens.

18   But Zabulon and Nepthali offered their liues to death in their countrie of Merome.

19   The kinges came and fought, the kinges of Chanaan fought in Thanac besides the waters of Mageddo, and yet going a praying they tooke nothing.

20   From heauen they fought against them: the starres remayning in their order and course, fought against Sisara.

21   The torrent of Cison drew their carcasses, the torrent of Cadumim, the torrent of Cison: my soule tread downe the strong ones.

22   The hoofes of the horses fel of, the strongest of the enemies fleeing violently, and falling downe headlong.

23   Curse ye the land of Meroz, said the Angel of our Lord: Curse the inhabitantes therof, because they came not to help our Lord, to aide his most mightie ones.

24    ^noteBlessed among wemen be Iahel the wife of Haber the Cineite, and blessed be she in her tabernacle.

25   To him that asked water she gaue milke, and in the phial of princes she offered butter.

26   Her left hand she put to the naile, and her right hand to the smithes hammer, and stroke Sisara, seeking in his head a place for the wound, and piercing valiantly through his temple.

27   Betwen her feete he fel: he failed, and died: he was rowled before her feete, and he lay without life and miserable.

28   Looking through a window, his mother howled: & she spake out of a higher chamber: Why lingereth his chariote to come backe? Wherfore are the feete of his waggans slow?

29   One wiser then the rest of his wiues, answered these wordes to her mother in law:

30   Peraduenture now he diuideth the spoyles, and the fayrest of the wemen is chosen for him: garmentes of sundrie colours are deliuered to Sisara for a praye, and diuerse furniture is laid together to adorne the neckes.

31   So perish al thine enemies O Lord: but they that loue thee, as the Sunne shineth in his rysing, so let them glitter.

32   And the Land rested for fourtie yeares.

Gedeon. Chap. VI. The people falling againe to sinne, are oppre&esset;ed by the Madianites. 12. An Angel appearing to Gedeon, sendeth him to deliuer Israel, 17. confirming his mi&esset;ion by miracle. 25. So be first destroyeth Baals altar. 34. then gathereth an armie against Idolaters. 36. and is assured againe of Gods protection by two miracles in a fleece of woolle.

1   And the children of Israel did euil in the sight of our Lord: who deliuered them into the hand of Madian seuen yeares,

2   & they were sore oppressed of them. And they made them selues dennes and caues in the mountaines, and very wel fensed places to resist.

3   And when Israel had sowen, Madian came vp and Amalec, and the rest of the East nations:

4   and pitching their tentes by them wasted al thinges as they were in the blade vnto the entring of Gaza: and they left nothing at al in Israel that perteyned to mans life, not sheepe, not oxen, not asses.

5   For they and al their flockes came with their tabernacles, and like vnto locustes filled al places, an inumerable multitude of men, and of camels, wasting whatsoeuer they touched.

6   And Israel Was sore humbled in the sight of Madian.

7   And he cried to our Lord desiring helpe against the Madianites.

8   Who sent vnto them ^note a man that was a prophet, and he spake: Thus sayeth our Lord the God of Israel: I made you to come vp out of Ægypt, and brought you out of the house of seruitude,

9   and deliuered you out of the handes of the Ægyptians, and of al the enemies, that afflicted you: and I cast them out at your entring, and deliuered you their Land.

10   And I said: I the Lord your God, feare not the goddes of the Amorrheires, in whose land you dwel. And you would not heare my voice.

11   And an Angel of our lord came, and sate vnder an oke, that was in Ephra, and perteyned to Ioas the father of the familie of Ezri. And when Gedeon his sonne did thresh and purge wheate in a winepresse, to flee Maidan,

12   the Angel of our Lord appeared to him, and said: Our Lord be with thee ô most valiant of men.

13   And Gedeon said to him: I besech thee my Lord, if our Lord be with vs, why haue these euils apprehended vs? where are his meruelous workes, which our fathers haue told vs, and said: Out of Ægypt did our Lord bring vs? but now our Lord hath forsaken vs, and deliuered vs into the hande of Madian.

14   And our Lord looked

Gedeon. toward him, and said: Goe in this thy strength, and thou shalt deliuer Israel out of the hand of Madian: know that I haue sent thee.

15   Who answering said: I besech thee, my Lord, wherein shal I deliuer Israel? behold my familie is the meanest in Manasses, and I the least in my fathers house.

16   And our Lord said to him: I wil be with thee: and thou shalt strike Madian as it were one man.

17   And he said: If I haue found, quoth he, grace before thee, geue me a signe that it is thou which speakest to me.

18   Neither depart thou hence, til I returne to thee, bringing a sacrifice, and offering ^note to thee. Who answered: I wil tarie thy coming.

19   Gedeon therfore went in, and boyled a kidde, and of a bushel of flowre baked vnleuened loaues: and putting the flesh in a basket, and the broth of the flesh into a potte, he caried al vnder the oke, and offered to him.

20   To whom the Angel of our Lord said: Take the flesh and the vnleuened loaues, and put them vpon that rocke, and powre out of the broth theron. And when he had done,

21   the Angel of our Lord stretched forth the tippe of the rodde, which he held in his hand, and touched the flesh and the vnleuened loaues: and there arose a fyre from the rocke, and consumed the flesh, and the leuened loaues: and the Angel of our Lord vanished from his eies.

22   And Gedeon seeing that it was the Angel of our Lord, said: Alas my Lord God: that I haue seene the Angel our Lord face to face.

23   And our Lord said to him: Peace be with thee: feare not, thou shalt not die.

24   And Gedeon built there ^note an altar to our Lord, and called it, our Lords peace, vntil this present day. And when he was yet in Ephra, which is of the familie of Ezri,

25   that night our Lord said to him: Take a bullocke of thy fathers, and an other bullocke of seuen yeares, and thou shalt destroy the altar of Baal, which is thy fathers: and cut downe the groue, that is about the altar:

26   and thou shalt build an altar to the Lord thy God in the toppe of this rocke, whereupon thou didst lay the sacrifice before: and thou shalt take the second bullocke, and shalt offer an holocauste vpon a pile of the wood, which thou shalt cut downe out of the groue.

27   Gedeon therfore taking to him ten men of his seruantes, did as our Lord had commanded him. But fearing his fathers house, and the men of that citie, he would not doe it by day, but accomplished al thinges by night.

28   And when the men of that towne were

Gedeon. risen in the morning, they saw the altar of Baal destroyed, and the groue cut downe, and the other bullocke laid vpon the altar, which then was built.

29   They said one to an other: Who hath done this? And when they inquired for the author of the fact, it was said: Gedeon the sonne of Ioas did al these thinges.

30   And they said to Ioas: Bring forth thy sonne hither, that he may die: because he hath destroyed the altar of Baal, and hath cut downe his groue.

31   To whom he answered: Why are you reuengers of Baal, that you fight for him? he that is his aduersarie, let him die before to morrow light appeare: if he be God, reuenge he him self, on him that hath raysed his altar.

32   From that day Gedeon was called ^note Ierobaal, because Ioas had said: Let Baal reuenge him self on him, that hath raysed his altar.

33   Therefore al Madian, and Amalec, and the east peoples were gathered together, and passing ouer Iordan, camped in the vaile Iezrael.

34   But the spirit of our Lord reuested Gedeon, who sounding with a trumpet called together the house of Abiezer, to folow him.

35   And he sent messengers into al Manasses, which it selfe also did folow him: and other messengers into Aser and Zabulon and Nepthali, which mette him.

36   And Gedeon said to God: If thou saue Israel by my hand, as thou hast spoken,

37   I wil putte this fleece of wool on the floore: if there shal be ^note dew in the fleece onlie, and on al the ground drienes, I shal know that by my hand, as thou hast spoken, thou wilt deliuer Israel.

38   And it came so to passe. And rysing in the night wringing the fleece, he filled a vessel with the dew.

39   And he said againe to God: Let not thy furie be angry against me if I tempt once againe, seeking a signe in the fleece. I desire that the fleece onlie may be drie, and al the ground wette with dew.

40   And God did that night as he had requested: and there was drienes in the fleece onlie, and dew on al the ground. Chap. VII. Gedeon marching with thirtie two thousand men, al that are fearful, and that drinke water kneeling are dimi&esset;ed, & onlie three hundred that drinke litle remaine. 9. By a Madiantes dreame Gedeon is encouraged. 16. By a stratageme the enemie is frihgted & ouerthrowne. 24. The Ephraites kil Oreb and Zeb.

1   Therefore Ierobaal, which is also Gedeon, rysing in the night, and al the people with him, came to the fountaine that is called Harad. and the campe of Madian was

Gedeon. in the valley on the North side of the high hil.

2   And our Lord said to Gedeon: There is much people with thee, neither shal Madian be deliuered into their hand: lest Israel glorie against me, and say: By myne owne force I am deliuered.

3   Speake to the people, and proclame in al their hearing: He that is fearful and timorous, let him returne. And they departed from mount Galaad, and there returned two and twentie thousand men, and onlie ten thousand remained.

4   And our Lord said to Gedeon: Yet there is a great multitude, leade them to the waters, and there I wil proue them: and of whom I shal tel thee that he goe with thee, let him goe: whom I shal forbid to goe, let him returne.

5   And when the people were come downe to the waters, our Lord said to Gedeon: They that shal lappe the water with their tongues, as dogges are wont to lappe, thou shalt separate them apart: but they that shal drinke bowing downe their knees, shal be on the other part.

6   The number therfore of them that had lapped watter, their hand casting it to their mouth, was three hundred men: and al the rest of the multitude had drunck kneeling.

7   And our Lord said to Gedeon: In the three hundred men, that lapped water, I wil deliuer you, and geue Madian in thy hand: but let al the rest of the multitude returne into their place.

8   Taking therfore victuals and trumpettes according to the number, al the rest of the multitude he commanded to depart to their tabernacles: and him selfe with the three hundred gaue him selfe to the battel. And the campe of Madian was beneath in the valley.

9   The same night our Lord said to him: Arise, and goe downe into the campe: because I haue deliuered them into thy hand.

10   But if thou be afraid to goe alone, let Phara thy seruant goe downe with thee.

11   And when thou shalt heare what they speake, then shal thy handes be strengthned, and thou shalt goe downe more secure to the enemies campe. He therfore went downe and Phara his seruant into part of the campe, where the watch was of men in armes.

12   But Madian and Amalec, and al the East peoples lay scattered in the valley, as a multitude of locustes: their camels also were innumerable, as the sand that lieth in the sea shore.

13   And when Gedeon was come, one told his neighbour ^note a dreame: & in this manner he reported that which he had seene: I saw a dreame, & there semed to me as it were a harth loafe of barlie to roll, & to come

Gedeon. into the campe of Madian: and when it was come to the tabernacle, it stroke it, and ouerthrew it, and beate it al flatte with the earth.

14   He to whom he spake, answered: This is no other thing, but the sword of Gedeon the sonne of Ioas the man of Israel. For the Lord hath deliuered Madian into his handes, and al their campe.

15   And when Gedeon had heard the dreame, and the interpretation therof, he adored: and turned to the campe of Israel, and said: Arise ye, for our Lord hath deliuered the campe of Madian into our handes.

16   And he diuided the three hundred men into three partes, and gaue them trumpettes in their handes, and ^note emptie pitchers, and lampes in the middes of their pitchers.

17   And he said to them: What you shal see me doe, that doe ye: I wil enter into part of the campe, and that which I shal doe folow you.

18   When the trumpet shal sound in my hand, doe you also sound and crie together round about the campe: To our Lord ^note and to Gedeon.

19   And Gedeon went in, and the three hundred that were with him, into part of the campe, the watch of midnight beginning, and raysing vp the watch men they began to sound with their ^note trumpettes, and to clappe the pitchers one against an other.

20   And when they sounded in three places round about the campe, and had broken the pitchers, they held the lampes in the left handes, and with the right chey sounded the trumpettes, and cried: The sword of our Lord and of Gedeon:

21   standing euerie one in his place round about the enemies campe. Therfore the whole campe was trubled, and crying out and howling they fled:

22   and the three hundred men neuertheles persisted sounding with the trumpettes. And our Lord sent in the sword in al the campe, and they murdered one an other,

23   fleeing as farre as Bethsetta, and the brinke of Abelmehula in Tebbath. But the men of Israel of Nephthali, and Aser shoutting together, and al Manasses pursewed Madian.

24   And Gedeon sent messengers into al mount Ephraim, saving: Come downe to meete Madian, and take the waters before them to Bethbera and Iordan. And al Ephraim shouted, and tooke the waters before them and Iordan vnto Bethbera.

25   And two men that were apprehended of Madian, Oreb, and Zeb: Oreb he flew in the Rocke of Oreb, Zeb in the Presse of Zeb. And they pursewed Madian, carying the heades of Oreb and Zeb to Gedeon beyond the streames of Iordan.

Gedeon. Chap. VIII. The Ephraimites quareling because they were not called to the warres, are pacified by Gedeon. 4. The men of Soccoth and Phanuel denying victuals for the campe, Gedeon (in the meane time (10.) ouerthrowing the enemie) 15. reuengeth their reprochful contempt. 18. killeth Sebee and Salmana. 22. refuseth dominion, 24. but receiueth as a gift, the Iewels taken in the praye. 27. maketh therof an Ephod, which turneth to the ruine of his familie, 30. Hauing seuentie sonnes by his wiues, and one by a concubine, dieth in good old age. 33. and the people fal againe to idolatrie.

1   And the men of Ephraim said to him: What is this that thou didst meane to doe, that thou wouldest not cal vs when thou didst goe to fight against Madian? chyding bitterly and almost offering violence.

2   To whom he answered: ^note What could I haue done like to that, which you haue done. Is not the cluster of Ephraim better then the vintages of Abiezer?

3   Into your handes hath our Lord deliuered the princes of Madian, Oreb and Zeb, what could I haue done the like as you haue done? Which when he had spoken, their spirit rested, wherwith they did swel against him.

4   And when Gedeon was come to Iordan, he passed ouer it with the three hundred men, that were with him: and for wearines, they could not pursew them that fled.

5   And he said to the men of Soccoth: Geue, I beseech you, bread to the people, that is with me, because they are verie faint: that we may pursew Zebee, and Salmana the kinges of Madian.

6   The princes of Soccoth answered: Peraduenture the palmes of the handes of Zebee and Salmana are in thy hand, & therfore thou requirest that we geue bread to thy armie.

7   To whom he said: When our Lord therfore shal haue deliuered Zebee and Salmana into my handes, I wil teare your flesh with the thornes, and briers of the desert.

8   And going vp from thence, he came into Phanuel: and he spake to the men of that place the like thinges. To whom they also answered, as the men of Soccoth had answered.

9   He said therfore to them also: When I shal be returned conquerour in peace, I wil destroy this towre.

10   But Zebee and Salmana rested with al their armie. For fiftene thousand men were remayning of al the troupes of the East peoples, an hundred and twentie thousand fighting men and those that drew sword, being slayne.

11   And Gedeon going vp by the way of them,

Gedeon. that dwelt in tabernacles, on the East side of Nobe, and Iegbaa, stroke the campe of the enemies, which were secure, and suspected no mischance.

12   And Zebee and Salmana fled, whom Gedeon pursewing apprehended, al their hoste being put out of aray.

13   And returning from the battel before sunne rysing,

14   he tooke a boy of the men of Soccoth: and he asked him the names of the princes and ancientes of Soccoth, and he described seuentie seuen men.

15   And he came to Soccoth, and said to them: Behold Zebee, and Salmana concerning whom you vpbraided me, saying: Peraduenture the handes of Zebee and Salmana are in thy handes, and therfore thou desirest that we geue bread to the men that bewearie, and are fainte.

16   He tooke therfore the ancientes of the citie, and thornes and briers of the desert, and tore them with the same, and cut the men of Soccoth into pieces.

17   The tower also of Phanuel he ouerthrew, killing the inhabitantes of the citie.

18   And he said to Zebee and Salmana: What manner of men were they, whom you slew in Thabor? Who answared: Like vnto thee, and one of them as it were the sonne of a king.

19   To whom he answered: They were my brethren, the sonnes of my mother. Our Lord liueth, that if you had saued them, ^note I would not kil you.

20   And he said to Iether his eldest sonne: Arise, and kil them. Who drew not out his sword: for he was afraid, because he was yet a boy.

21   And Zebee and Salmana said: Doe thou rise, and runne vpon vs: because according to his age is the strength of a man. Gedeon rose vp, and slew Zebee and Salmana: and he tooke the ornamentes and bosses, wherwith the neckes of kinges camels are wont to be adorned.

22   And al the men of Israel said to Gedeon: ^note Rule thou ouer vs, and thy sonne, and thy sonnes sonne: because thou hast deliuered vs from the hand of Madian.

23   To whom he said: I wil not rule ouer you, neither shal my sonne rule ouer you, but our Lord shal rule ouer you.

24   And he said to them: One petition I request of you: Geue me the earlettes of your praye. For the Ismalites were accustomed to haue golden earlettes.

25   Who answered: we wil geue them most willingly. And spreading a mantel on the ground, they cast on it the earlettes of the praye:

26   and the weight of the earlettes that he desired, was a thousand fiue hundred sicles of gold, besides the ornamentes, and iewels, and purple vesture, which the kinges of Madian were

Abimelech an vsurper. wont to vse, and besides the golden chaines of the camels,

27   And Gedeon made therof an Ephod, and put it in his citie Ephra. And al Israel did fornicate in it, and it became a ruine to Gedeon and to al his house.

28   But Madian was humbled before the children of Israel, neither could they any more lift vp their neckes: but the land rested for fourtie yeares, wherein Gedeon ruled.

29   Ierobaal therfore the sonne of Ioas went, and dwelt in his owne house:

30   and he had seuentie sonnes, which came out of his thigh, because he had manie wiues.

31   And his ^note concubine, which he had in Sichem, bare him a sonne named Abimelec.

32   And Gedeon the sonne of Ioas died in a good old age, & was buried in the sepulchre of his father in Ephra of the familie of Ezri.

33   But after that Gedeon was dead, the children of Israel were auerted, and did fornicate with Baalim. And they made a couenant with Baal, that he should be their God:

34   neither did they remember our Lord their God, which deliuered them out of the handes of al their enemies round about:

35   neither did they mercie with the house of Ierobaal Gedeon, according to al the benefites that he had done to Israel. Chap. IX. Abimelech Gedeons concubins sonne killeth his brethren, 7. onlie the yongest escapeth, & by aparable expostulateth the iniurie donne to his fathers house. 23. Shortly the Sichemites detest Abimelech. 26. Gaal conspireth against him, but is ouercome. 50. Finally Abimalech is wounded to death by a woman.

1   And ^note Abimelech the sonne of Ierobaal went into Sichem to his mothers brethren and spake to them, and to al the kinred of the house of his mothers father, saying:

2   Speake to al the men of Sichem: whether is better for you, that seuentie men haue dominion ouer you al the sonnes of Ierobaal, or that one man haue dominion ouer you? and withal consider that I am your bone, and your flesh.

3   And his mothers brethren spake of him to al the men of Sichem, al these wordes, and inclined their hartes after Abimelech, saying: He is our brother.

4   And they gaue him seuentie weight of siluer out of the temple of Baalberit. Who hyred there with vnto him self needie men and vagaboundes, and they folowed him.

5   And he came into his fathers house in Ephra, and murdered his brethren the sonnes of Ierobaal

Abimelech an vsurper. seuentie men, vpon one stone: and there remayned Ioatham the youngest sonne of Ierobaal, and was hidde.

6   And al the men of Sichem assembled together al the families of the citie of Mello: and they went & made Abimelech king, beside the oke, that stood in Sichem.

7   Which being told to Ioatham, he went, ^note and stoode in the toppe of mount Garizim: and lifting vp his voice, he cried, and said: Heare me ye men of Sichem, so as God may heare you.

8   09Q0180The trees went to anointe a king ouer them: and they said to the ^note oliue tree: Reigne ouer vs.

9   Which answered: Can I forsake my fatnes, which both goddes do vse, and men, and come to be promoted among the trees?

10   And the trees said to the ^note figge tree: Come, and take the kingdome ouer vs.

11   Which answered them: Can I forsake my sweetenes, and my most sweete fruites, and go to be promoted among the other trees?

12   And the trees spake to the ^note vine: Come, and reigne ouer vs.

13   Which answered them: Can I forsake my wine, that chereth God and men, & be promoted among the other trees?

14   And the trees said to ^note the ^note rhamnus: Come, and reigne ouer vs.

15   Who answered them: If in deede you make me your king, Come, and rest vnder my shadow: but if you meane it not, let there fyre issue forth of the rhamnus, and deuoure the ceders of Libanus.

16   Now therfore, if you haue wel, and without sinne appointed Abimelech king ouer you, and haue dealt wel with Ierobaal, and with his house, and haue requitted him the like for his benefites, who fought for you,

17   and put his life in dangers, that he might deliuer you from the hand of Madian,

18   who now are risen against my fathers house, and haue killed his sonnes seuentie men vpon one stone, and haue made Abimelech the sonne of his handmaide king ouer the inhabitantes of Sichem, because he is your brother.

19   If therfore you haue dealt wel, and without fault with Ierobaal, and his house, reioyse this day in Abimelech, and reioyse he in you.

20   But if vniustly: let there fyre issue forth from him, and consume the inhabitantes of Sichem, and towne of Mello: and let there fire goe forth from the men of Sichem, and from the towne of Mello, and deuoure Abimelech.

21   Which thinges when he had said, he fled, and went into Bera: and dwelt there for feare of Abimelech his brother.

22   Abimelech therfore reigned ouet Israel three yeares.

23   And our Lord sent ^note a verie euil spirit betwen

Abimelec. Abimelech and the inhabitantes of Sichem: Who began to detest him,

24   and to lay the wickednes of the murdering of the seuentie sonnes of Ierobaal, and the sheading of their bloud vpon Abimelech their brother, and vpon the rest of the princes of the Sichimites, that had holpen him.

25   And they sette an ambushment against him on the toppe of the mountaines: and whiles they taryed for his coming, they committed robberies, taking prayes of them that passed by: and it was told Abimelech.

26   And Gaal the sonne of Obed came with his brethen, and passed into Sichem. At whose coming the inhabitantes of Sichem taking courage,

27   issued forth into the fieldes, wasting the vineyardes, and treading the grapes: and gathering companies of musicions went into the temple of their god, and in their bankettes and cuppes cursed Abimelech,

28   Gaal the sonne of Obed crying: Who is Abimelech, and what is Sichem, that we should serue him? Is he not the sonne of Ierobaal, and hath made Zebul his seruant prince ouer the men of Emor the father of Sichem? Why then shal we serue him?

29   would God that some man would geue this people vnder my hand, that I might take Abimelech out of the way. And some said to Abimelech: Gather together a multitude of an armie, and come.

30   For Zebul the prince of the citie, hearing the wordes of Gaal the sonne of Obed, was very wrath,

31   and sent messengers secretely to Abimelech, saying: Behold, Gaal the sonne of Obed is come into Sichem with his brethren, and rayseth the citie against thee

32   Arise therfore in the night with the people, that is with thee, and lie hidde in the field:

33   and betimes in the morning at sunne rysing, sette vpon the citie. And when he issueth forth against thee with his people, do to him what thou shalt be able.

34   Abimelech therfore arose with al his armie in the night, and laide ambushementes nere to Sichem in foure places.

35   And Gaal the sonne of Obed went forth, & stoode in the entrance of the gate of the citie. And Abimelech rose, and al his armie with him from the place of the ambushmentes.

36   And when Gaal had seene the people, he said to Zebul: Behold a multitude cometh downe from the mountaines. To whom he answered: Thou seest the shadowes of the mountaines as it were heades of men, and with this errour thou art deceiued.

37   Againe Gaal said: Behold there cometh downe people from the nauel of the land, and one trouppe cometh by the way,

Gedeon. that looketh to the oke.

38   To whom Zebul said: Where is now thy mouth, wherwith thou didst speake? Who is Abimelech that we should serue him? Is not this the people, which thou didst despise? Goe forth, and fight against him.

39   Gaal therfore went, the people of the Sichimites looking on, and fought against Abimelech,

40   who pursewed him fleeing, and driue him into the citie: and there were slaine of his part manie, vnto the gate of the citie:

41   and Abimelech sate in Ruma: but Zebul expelled Gaal, and his companions out of the citie, neither did he suffer them to abide in it.

42   Therfore the day folowing the people went forth into the field. Which being told to Abimelech,

43   he tooke his armie, and diuided it into three troupes, setting ambushmentes in the fieldes. And seeing that the people came out of the citie, he arose, & set vpon them

44   with his owne troupe, oppugning and besieging the citie: and two troupes scattered through the field pursewed the aduersaries.

45   Moreouer Abimelech al that day oppugned the citie: which he tooke, & killed the inhabitantes therof, and destroyed it, so that he ^note sowed salt in it.

46   Which when they had heard that dwelt in the towre of Sichem, they entered into the temple of their god Berith, where they had made a couenant with him, and therof the place had taken his name, which was exceding wel fensed.

47   Abimelech also hearing that the men of the towre of Sichem were gathered together,

48   he went vp into mount Selmon with al his people: and taking an axe, he cut of the bough of a tree, and laying it on his shoulder & carying it, he said to his companions: That which you see me do, doe ye out of hand.

49   They therfore cutting of boughes from the trees, euerie man as fast as he could, folowed their captaine. Who compassing the forte burnt it: and so it came to passe, that with the smoke and the fyre a thousand persons were slaine, men and wemen together, of the inhabitantes of the towre of Sichem.

50   And Abimelech departing thence came to the towne of Thebes, which compassing he besieged with his armie.

51   And there was in the middes of the citie an high towre, to the which were fled both men and wemen together, and al the princes of the citie, the gate being shut very strongly, and they standing vpon the batlementes of the towre by the bulwarkes.

52   And Abimelech coming nere the towre, fought manfully:

Thola. and approching to the doore, endeuoured to put fire vnder it:

53   and behold one woman casting from aboue a peece of a milstone, ^note dashed it against the head of Abimelech, and brake his brayne.

54   Who called by and by his esquire, and said to him: Draw out thy sword, and strike me: lest perhaps it be said that I was slaine of a woman. Who doing as he was commanded slew him.

55   And when he was dead, al that were with him of Israel, returned into their seates:

56   and God repayed the euil, that Abimelech had done against his father, killing his seuentie brethren.

57   The Sichemites were also rewarded for that which they had wrought, and the curse of Ioatham the sonne of Ierobaal came vpon them. ^{note note} Chap. X. Thola ruleth in Israel twentie three yeares. 3. lair twentie two. 6. The people fal againe to idolatrie, are afflicted by the Philisthimes, and Ammonites. 10. they crie to God for helpe, who biddeth them cal for helpe to the goddes whom they haue serued. 16. but crying stil to God, and throwing away their idoles, he hath compa&esset;ion of them.

1   After Abimelech there arose Ruler in Israel Thola the sonne of Phua the vncle of Abimelech, a man of Issachar, which dwelt in Samir of mount Ephraim:

2   and iudged

Iair. Israel three and twentie yeares, and died and was buried in Samir.

3   After him succeded Iair the Galaadite, who iudged Israel for two and twentie yeares,

4   hauing thirtie sonnes sitting vpon thirtie asse coltes, & princes of thirtie cities, which of his name were called Hauoth Iair, that is, the townes of Iair, vntil this present day in the Land of Galaad.

5   And Iair died; and was buried in the place, which is called Camon.

6   But the children of Israel ioyning new sinnes to their old, did euil in the sight of our Lord, & serued the Idols, Baalim and Astaroth, & the goddes of Syria and of Sidon and of Moab and of the children of Ammon and of the Philisthimes: and they left our Lord, and did not serue him.

7   Against whom our Lord being wrath, deliuered them into the handes of the Philisthijms and of the children of Ammon.

8   And they were afflicted, and sore opressed for eightene yeares, al that dwelt beyond Iordan in the Land of the Amorrheite, which is in Galaad:

9   in so much, that the children of Ammon passing ouer Iordan, wasted Iudas and Beniamin and Ephraim: and Israel was afflicted exceedingly.

10   And crying to our Lord, they said: We haue sinned to thee, because we haue forsaken our Lord God & haue serued Baalim.

11   To whom our Lord spake: Haue not the Ægyptians and the Ammorrheites, and the children of Ammon and the Philisthijms,

12   the Sidonians also and Amalech and Chanaan oppressed you, & you cried to me, and I deliuered you out of their hand?

13   And yet you haue forsaken me, and haue worshipped strange goddes: therfore I wil not adde to deliuer you any more:

14   goe and inuocate the goddes which you haue chosen: let them deliuer you in the time of distresse.

15   And the children of Israel said to our Lord: We haue sinned, render to vs whatsoeuer pleaseth thee: only now deliuer vs.

16   In saying which thinges, ^note they threw away out of their coastes al the idols of strange goddes, and serued our Lord God: who sorowed for their miseries.

17   Therfore the children of Ammon crying together pitcht their tentes in Galaad: against whom the children of Israel being assembled camped in Maspha.

18   And the princes of Galaad said euerie one to their neighbours: Who of vs shal first beginne to fight against the children of Ammon, shal be the duke of the people of Galaad.

Iephte. Chap. XI. ^note Iephte reiected by his brethrens, is intreated by the ancientes of Galaad to returne and fight for them against the Ammonites. 12. with whom he first pleadeth the cause of Israel by iust reasons, 26. and long prescription. But they persisting obstinate, he (30. inconsideratly vowing) 32. ouerthroweth them, 34. and sacrificeth his onlie daughter.

1   There was at that time Iephte the Galaadite a most valiant man and a warrier, the sonne of a woman that was ^note an harlot, who was borne of Galaad.

2   And Galaad had a wife of whom he had sonnes: who after they were growen, cast out Iepthte, saying: Thou canst not be heyre in the house of our father, because thou art borne of an other mother.

3   Whom he fleeing and auoyding, dwelt in the Land of Tob: and there were gathered to him needie men, and theeuish, and folowed him as their prince.

4   In those dayes the children of Ammon fought against Israel.

5   who pressing sore vpon them, the ancientes of Galaad went to take Iephte out of the Land of Tob to helpe them:

6   and they saied to him: Come and be our prince, and fight against the children of Ammon.

7   To whom he answered: Are not you they that hated me, and cast me out of my fathers house, and now are come to me forced by necessitie.

8   And the princes of Galaad said to Iephte: For this cause be we now ^note come to thee, that thou goe forth with vs, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be the captaine of al that dwell in Galaad.

9   Iephte also said to them: If you be come to me sincerly, that I should fight for you against the children of Ammon, and if our Lord deliuer them into my handes, shal I be your prince?

10   Who answered him: Our Lord which heareth these thinges, him selfe is mediatour and witnes that we wil doe as we haue promised.

11   Iephte therfore went with the princes of Galaad, and al the people made him their prince. And Iephte spake al his wordes before our Lord in Maspha.

12   And he sent messengers to the king of the children of Ammon, which should say in his person: What is betwen me and thee, that thou art come against me, to wast my Land?

13   To whom he answered: Because Israel tooke my land, when he ascended out of Ægypt, from the coasts of Arnon vnto Iaboc and Iordan: now therfore with peace restore the same to me.

14   By whom Iephte againe sent word, and commanded them that they should say

Iephte. to the king of Ammon:

15   Thus sayth Iephte: Israel did not take the Land of Moab, nor the Land of the children of Ammon:

16   but when they ascended out of Ægypt, he walked through the desert vnto the Readsea, and came into Cades.

17   And he sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying: Suffer me that I may passe through thy land. Who would not condescend to his requestes. He sent also to the king of Moab, who also him selfe contemned to geue passage. He abode therfore in Cades,

18   and compassed the Land of Edom at the side, and the land of Moab: and came against the East quarter of the Land of Moab, and camped beyond Arnon: neither would he enter the boundes of Moab: for Arnon is the border of the Land of Moab.

19   Israel therfore sent messengers to Sehon the king of the Ammorrheites, who dwelt in Hesebon, and they said to him: Suffer me to passe through thy land vnto the riuer.

20   Who also him selfe despising the wordes of Israel, suffered him not to passe through his borders: but gathering an infinite multitude went forth against him into Iasa, and resisted strongly.

21   And our Lord deliuered him into the handes of Israel with al his armie, and he stroke him, and possessed al the Land of the Ammorrheite the inhabiter of that countrie,

22   and al the coastes therof from Arnon vnto Iaboc, & from the wildernes vnto Iordan.

23   Our Lord therfore the God of Israel subuerted the Amorrheite, his people of Israel fighting against him, and wilt thou now possesse his land?

24   Are not those thinges which ^note Chamos thy God possessed, dew to thee by right? But the thinges that our Lord God hath obteyned conquerour, shal come to our possession:

25   vnlesse perhaps thou be better then Balac the sonne of Sephor the king of Moab: or canst shew, that he wrangled against Israel, and fought against him,

26   when he dwelt in Hesebon, and the litle townes therof, and in Aroer, and the townes therof, or in al the cities nere Iordan, for ^note three hundred yeares. Wherfore haue you so long attempted nothing for reclaime?

27   Therfore I doe not sinne against thee, but thou doest euil against me, denouncing me vniust warres. Our Lord be iudge the arbiter of this day betwen Israel, and betwen the children of Ammon.

28   And the king of the children of Ammon would not harken to the wordes of Iephte, which he sent him by the messengers.

29   Therfore the spirite of our Lord came vpon Iephte, and circuiting Galaad, and Manasses,

Iephte. Maspha also of Galaad, and thence passing to the children of Ammon,

30   he vowed a vow to our Lord, saying: If thou wilt deliuer the children of Ammon. into my handes,

31    ^notewhosoeuer shal first come forth out of the doores of my house, and shal meete me returning with peace from the children of Ammon, him wil I offer an holocauste to our Lord.

32   And Iephte passed to the children of Ammon, to fight against them: whom our Lord deliuered into his handes.

33   and he stroke from Aroer til thou come to Mennith, twentie cities, and as farre as Abel, which is sette with vineyardes, with a very great plague. and the children of Ammon were humbled by the children of Israel.

34   But Iephte returning into Maspha to his house, his onlie begotten daughter mette him with tymbrels and daunces. for he had not other children.

35   Whom when he saw, he rent his garmentes, and said: Wo is me my daughter thou hast deceiued me, and thy self art deceiued: for I haue opened my mouth to our Lord, and I can doe no other thing.

36   To whom she answered: My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth to our Lord, do vnto me whatsoeuer thou hast promised, the reuenge and victorie of thyne enemies being granted to thee.

37   And she said to her father: This only graunt me which I desire: Suffer me that two monethes I may goe about the mountaines, and ^note bewayle my virginitie with my felowes.

38   To whom he answered: Goe. And he dismissed her two monethes. And when she was gone with her felowes and companions, she mourned her virginitie in the mountaines.

39   And the two monethes being expired, she returned to her father, and he09Q0181 did to her as he had vowed, who knew not man. Thence forth a fashion in Israel, and a custome was kept:

40   that after the compasse of a yeare the daughters of Israel assemble together, and mourne the daughter of Iephte the Galaadite foure dayes. ^{note note}

Chap. XII. Ephraites rising against Iephte, fourtie two thousand of them are slaine. 8. Abesan is Iudge. 11. After him Abialon 13. Then Abdon.

1   Bvt behold in Ephraim there arose a sedition. For they passing against the North, said to Iephte: Going to fight against the children of Ammon, why wouldst thou not cal vs, that we might goe with thee? Therfore we wil burne thy house.

2   To whom he answered: I and my people were at great strife against the children of Ammon: and I called you, that you should ayde me, and you would not doe it.

3   Which I seeing ^note put my life in myne owne handes, and passed to the children of Ammon, and our Lord deliuered them into my handes. What haue I deserued, that you rise against me in battel.

4   Therfore al the men of Galaad being called to him,

Abefan. Aialon. Abdon. he fought against Ephraim: and the men of Galaad stroke Ephraim, because he had said: ^note Galaad is a fugitiue of Ephraim, and dwelleth in the middes of Ephraim and Manasses.

5   And the Galaadites tooke the fordes of Iordan, by the which Ephraim was to returne. And when there had come to the same one of the number of Ephraim, fleeing, and had said: I besech you let me passe: The Galaadites said to him: Art thou not an Ephraite? Who saying: I am not:

6   they asked him: Say then Schibboleth, which is interpreted an Eare of corne. Who answered, Sibboleth, not being able by the same letter to expresse, an eare of corne. And immediatly being apprehended they killed him in the very passage of Iordan. And there fel at that time of Ephraim two and fourtie thousand.

7   Therfore Iephte the Galaadite iudged Israel six years: and he died, and was buried in his citie of Galaad.

8   After him Abesan of Bethlehem iudged Israel:

9   who had thirtie sonnes, and as manie daughters, which he sending abrode, gaue to husbandes, and tooke wiues for his sonnes of the same number, bringing them into his house. Who iudged Israel seuen yeares.

10   and died and was buried in Bethlehem.

11   To whom succeeded Ahialon a Zabulonite: and he iudged Israel ten yeares:

12   and he died and was buried in Zabulon.

13   After him Abdon iudged Israel, the sonne of Illel a Pharathonite:

14   who had fourtie sonnes, and of them thirtie nephewes, mounting vpon seuentie asse coltes, and he iudged Israel eight yeares:

15   and he died, and was buried in Pharathon of the Land of Ephraim, in the mount of Amalec. Chap. XIII. The people fal againe to idolatrie and are afflicted by the Philisthims. 3. An Angel fortelleth Manue his wife, that she shal haue a sonne, and that he shal be a Nazareite from his birth. 11. confirmeth the same to Manue. 16. They offer sacrifice to God. 24. The childe is borne, called Samson, and blessed of God.

1   And againe the children of Israel did euil in the sight of our Lord: who deliuered them into the handes of the Philisthimes fourtie yeares.

2   And there was a certaine man of Saraa, and of the stocke of Dan, named Manue, hauing a wife barren.

3   To whom an Angel of our Lord appeared, and said to her: Thou art barren and without children: but thou shalt conceiue & beare a sonne:

4   beware therfore that

Samson. thou ^note drinke not wine & sicer, nor eate any vncleane thing:

5   because thou shalt conceiue and beare a sonne, whose head the raser shal not touch: for he shal be a Nazareite of God, ^note from his infancie, and from his mothers wombe, and he shal beginne to deliuer Israel from the handes of the Philistijmes.

6   Who when she was come to her husband, said to him: A man of God came to me, hauing an Angelical contenance, exceeding terrible. Whom when I had asked, who he was, and whence he came, and by what name he was called, he would not tel me:

7   but this he answered: Behold thou shalt conceiue and beare a sonne: beware thou drinke not wine, nor sicer, and that thou eate not any vncleane thing: for the child shal be the Nazereite of God from his infancie, and from his mothers wombe vntil the day of his death.

8   Manue therfore prayed to our Lord, and said: I besech thee ô Lord, that the man of God, whom thou didst send, may come againe, and teach vs what we ought to doe concerning the child, that shal be borne.

9   And our Lord heard Manue praying, and the Angel of our Lord appeared againe to his wife sitting in the field. but Manue her husband was not with her. Who when she had seene the Angel,

10   hastened, and ranne to her husband: and she told him, saying: Behold09Q0182 the man hath appeared to me, whom I saw before.

11   Who rose, and folowed his wife: and comming to the man, said to him: Art thou he that didst speake to the woman? And he answered: I am.

12   To whom Manue, when, sayd he, thy word shal be fulfilled, what wilt thou that the child doe? or from what shal he keepe him self?

13   And the Angel of our Lord said to Manue: From al thinges, which I haue spoken to thy wife, let him refraine him self:

14   and whatsoeuer groweth of the vineyard, let him not eate: wine and sicer let him not drinke, let him not eate any vncleane thing: and whatsoeuer I haue commanded her, let him fulfil and keepe.

15   And Manue said to the Angel of our Lord: I besech thee that thou condescend to my petitions, and let vs ^note make to thee a kidde of goates.

16   To whom the Angel answered: If thou constraine me, I wil not eate thy breade: but if thou wilt make holocaust, offer it to our Lord. And Manue knew not that it was an Angel of our Lord.

17   And he said to him: What is thy name, that, if thy word shal be fulfilled, we may honour thee?

18   To whom he answered: Why askest thou

Samson. my name, which is merueilous?

19   Manue therfore tooke a kidde of the goates, and the libamentes, and put them vpon a rocke, offering to our Lord, who doeth meruelous thinges: and he and his wife looked on.

20   And when the flame of the altar ascended into heauen, the Angel of our Lord ascended together in the flame. Which when Manue and his wife had seene, they fel flatte on the ground,

21   and the Angel of our Lord appeared to them no more. And forthwith Manue vnderstood that it was an Angel of our Lord,

22   and he said to his wife: Dying we shal die, because we haue seene ^note God.

23   To whom his wife answered: If our Lord would haue killed vs, he would not haue taken of our handes holocaustes and libamentes, neither would he haue shewed vs al these thinges, nor haue told vs these thinges that are to come.

24   She therfore bare a sonne, and called his name Samson. And the child grewe, and our Lord blessed him.

25   And the Spirit of our Lord beganne to be with him in the campe of Dan betwixt Saraa and Esthaol. ^{note note} Chap. XIIII. Samson desirous to marrie a Philisthime woman. 5. by the way killeth a lion. 8. In whose mouth after few dayes, finding honey, 12. he proposeth therof a riddle to the Philisthiims for a wager: 15. which reueling to his wife, she telleth it to his aduersaries. 19. He killeth and spoyleth thirtie men, so payeth the wager: and his wife taketh an other man.

1   Samson therfore went downe into Thamnatha, and seeing there a woman of the daughters of the Philisthims,

2   he went vp, and told his father and his mother, saying: I saw a woman in Thamnatha of the daughters of the Philisthijms: which I besech you take for me to wife.

3   To whom

Samson. his father and mother said: ^note Is there not a woman among the daughters of thy bretheren, and in al my people, that thou wilt take a wife of the Philisthijms, which are vncircumcised? And Samson said to his father: Take this for me: because she hath pleased mine eyes.

4   But his parentes knew not that the thing was done of our Lord, and he sought an occasion against the Philisthims. for at that time the Philisthiims had dominion ouer Israel.

5   Samson therfore went downe with his father and mother into Thamnatha. And when they were come to the vineyardes of the towne, there appeared a lions whelpe cruel, and roaring, and mette him.

6   And the Spirit of our Lord came vpon Samson, and he tore the lion, as if he should teare a kidde into peeces, hauing nothing at al in his hand: and this thing he would not tel to his father and mother.

7   And he went downe and spake to the woman, that had pleased his eies.

8   And after some dayes returning to take her, he went aside to see the carcasse of the lion, and behold there was a swarme of bees in the mouth of the lion and a honie combe.

9   Which when he had taken in his handes, he did eate in the way: and coming to his father and mother, he gaue them part, who also them selues did eate: neither would he for al that tel them, that he had taken the honie from the bodie of the lion.

10   His father therfore went downe to the woman, and made his sonne Samson a feast. for so yong men were accustomed to doe.

11   When the citizens therfore of that place had seene him, they gaue him thirtie companions to be with him.

12   To whom Samson spake: I wil propose you a riddle, which if you shal solue me within the seuen dayes of the feast, I wil geue you thirtie sindones, and as many coates:

13   but if you shal not be able to solue it, you shal geue me thirtie sindones, and cotes of the same number. Who answered him: Propound the riddle, that we may heare it.

14   And he said to them: Out of the eater came forth meate, and out of the strong issued forth sweetenes. neither could they for three dayes solue the proposition.

15   And when the seuenth day was come, they said to the wife of Samson: Speake to thy husband, and vse perswasion to him, that he tel thee what the riddle signifieth. Which thing ^note if thou wilt not doe, we wil burne thee, and thy fathers house: haue you therfore called vs to the bridal that you might spoyle vs?

Samson.

16   Who shed teares before Samson, and complained saying: Thou hatest me, and louest me not: therfore the probleme, which thou hast propounded to the sonnes of my people, thou wilt not expound to me. But he answered: I would not tel it to my father and mother: and can I tel it to thee?

17   The seuen daies therfore of the feast she wept before him: and at the length the seuenth day for that she molested him he expounded it. Who immediately told her countrie men.

18   And they told it him the seuenth day before the going downe of the sunne: What is sweeter then honie, and what stronger then a lyon? Who said to them: If you had not ploughed with my hayfer, you had not found out my proposition.

19   The Spirit therfore of our Lord came vpon him, and he went downe to Ascalon, and stroke there thirtie men, whose garmentes being taken away he gaue to them, that had solued the probleme. And being exceding wrath he went vp into his fathers house:

20   but his wife tooke a husband one of his freindes and bridal companions. Chap. XV. Samson tying firebrandes to foxes tayles burneth the Philisthiims corne. 6. they burne his wife and her father. 8. he beateth them and hideth him selfe. 10. His owne countrimen to get peace with the Philisthimes, take and bind him, so meaning to deliuer him. 14. but he breaketh the cordes, and with the iaw bone of an asse killeth a thousand of his enemies. 18. Being exceding drie, is refreshed with water, from the tooth of the same iaw.

1   And after a certaine time, when the dayes of wheate haruest were at hand, Samson came, meaning to visite his wife, and he brought her a kidde of goates. And when he would enter into her chamber as he was wont, her father prohibited him, saying:

2   I thought that thou hadst hated her, and therfore I deliuered her to thy freind: but she hath a sister, which is yonger & fayrer then she, let this be thy wife in steade of her.

3   To whom Samson answered: From this day there shal be no fault in me against the Philisthimes: for I wil doe you euils.

4   And he went, and ^note caught three hundred foxes, and he coupled them tayle to tayle, and tyed fyrebrandes in the middes:

5   which kindling with fyre, he let them goe, that they might runne abroade hither and thither. Who immediately went on into the corne of the Philisthimes.

Samson. Which being sette on fire, both the corne now caried together, and that which yet stoode in the stalke, was al burnt, in so much, that the flame consumed the vineyardes also and the oliuetes.

6   And the Philisthijmes said: Who hath done this thing? To whom it was said: Samson the sonne in law of the Thamnathate: because he tooke his wife, and gaue her to an other, he hath wrought these thinges. And the Philisthims went vp, and burnt both the woman and her father.

7   To whom Samson said: Although you haue done these thinges, notwithstanding yet wil I require reuenge of you, and then I wil rest.

8   And he stroke them with a great plague, so that astonied they laid the calfe of the leg vpon the thigh. And going downe he dwelt in the caue of the rocke Etam.

9   Therfore the Philisthijms going vp into the Land of Iuda camped in the place, which afterward was called Lechi, that is, the iaw bone, where their armie was spred abrode.

10   And they of the tribe of Iuda said to them: Why are you come vp against vs? Who answered: That we may bind Samson, we are come, and may repay him the thinges that he hath wrought against vs.

11   There went downe therfore three thousand men of Iuda, to the caue of the flint Etam, and said to Samson: knowest not thou that the Philisthijms reigne ouer vs? Why wouldest thou doe this thing? To whom he said: As they did to me so haue I done to them.

12   To bind thee, quoth they, we are come, and to deliuer thee into the handes of the Philisthijms. To whom Samson: Sweare, quoth he, & promise me that you kil me not.

13   They said: We wil not kil thee, but wil deliuer the bound. And they bound him with two new cordes, and tooke him from the rocke Etam.

14   Who when he was come to the place of the Iawebone and the Philisthijms shouting were come against him, the Spirit of our Lord fel vpon him: and as flax is wont to be consumed at the sauour of fyre, so the bandes wherwith he was bound, were dissipated and loosed.

15   And finding a iawe bone, to witte, the iawe bone of an asse, which lay there, catching it, ^note he slewe therwith a thousand men,

16   and said: In the iawe bone of an asse, in the iawe of the colt of the asses haue I destroyed them, and haue strooke a thousand men.

17   And when he had ended these wordes singing, he threw the iaw bone out of his hand, and called the name of that place Ramathlechi, which is interpreted the

Samson. lifting vp of the iawbone.

18   And being very thirstie, he cried to our Lord, and said: Thou hast geuen in the hand of thy seruant this very great saluation and victorie: and behold I die for thirst, and shal fal into the handes of the vncircumcised.

19   Our Lord therfore ^note opened a great tooth in the iawe of the asse, & there issued out of it waters. which being drunke, he refreshed his spirit, and receiued strength againe. Therfore the name of that place was called: The fountaine of him that inuocated from the iawbone, vntil this present day.

20   And he iudged Israel in the daies of the Philisthijms twentie yeares. Chap. XVI. Samson enuironed in a citie taketh away the gates, and carieth them on his shoulders into a mountaine. 4. Is at last deceiued by Dalila, 21. his eyes put out, and scornfully abused. 26. But finally God restoring his strength, he striking two pillers the house falleth, and with himself, killeth three thousand Philisthiims.

1   He went also into Gaza, and saw there a woman that was ^note an harlot, and went in vnto her.

2   Which when the Philisthiims had heard, and it was bruted among them, that Samson was entered into the citie, they compassed him, keepers being sette in the gate of the citie: and there al the night wayting with silence, that in the morning they might kil him going out.

3   But Samson slept vntil midnigt, and then arising he ^note tooke both the leaues of the gate, with their postes and locke, and laying them on his shoulders, caried them to the toppe of the mountaine, which looketh toward Hebron.

4   After these thinges he loued a woman, which dwelt in Valley Sorec, and she was called Dalila.

5   And the princes of the Philisthiims came to her, and said: Deceiue him, and learne of him, wherein he hath so great strength, and how we may be able to ouercome him, and being bound to afflict him. which if thou shalt doe, we wil geue thee euerie one a thousand and an hundred peeces of siluer.

6   Dalila therfore spake to Samson: Tel me, I besech thee, wherein thy greatest strength is, and what it is wherewith being bound thou canst not breake forth.

7   To whom Samson answered: If I shal be bound with seuen cordes of sinewes not yet drie, and moyste as yet, I shal be weake as ot hermen.

8   And the princes of the Philisthimes brought

Samson. vnto her seuen cordes, as he had said: with the which she bound him,

9   ambush ementes lying secretely in wayte neere her, and in the chamber expecting the end of the thing, and she cried to him: The Philisthijms vpon thee Samson. Who brake the bandes, as if a man should breake a thread of toe twyned with spittlc, when it hath taken the sauor of fyre: and it was not knowen wherein his strength was.

10   And Dalila said to him: Behold thou hast deluded me, and hast spoken false: now at the least tel me wherwith thou mayest be bound.

11   To whom he answered: If I shal be bound with new cordes, that were neuer occupied, I shal be weake, and like to other men.

12   With the which Dalila againe bound him, and cried: The Philisthijmes vpon thee Samson, ambushementes being prepared in the chamber. Who did so breake the bandes as threades of linnen cloth.

13   And Dalila said to him againe: How long deceiuest thou me, and speakest false? Shew wherewith thou mayest be bound. To whom Samson answered: If thou platte seuen heares of my head with a heare lase, and fasten a nayle tyed round about them in the ground, I shal be weake.

14   Which when Dalila had done, she said to him: The Philisthijms vpon thee Samson. Who rysing vp from sleepe drew out the nayle with the heares and the heare lase.

15   And Dalila said to him: How doest thou say that thou louest me, whereas thy mind is not with me? These three times thou hast lied to me, & wouldest not tel wherein thy greatest strength is.

16   And when she molested him, and continually hong vpon him for many daies, not geuing him space to rest, his soule faynted, and was wearied euen vnto death.

17   Then opening the truth of the thing, he said to her: There neuer came yron vpon my head, because I am a Nazareite, that is to say, consecrated to God from my mothers wombe: if my head shal be shauen, ^note my strength shal depart from me, and I shal fayle, and shal be as other men.

18   And she seing that he had confessed to her al his minde, sent to the princes of the Philisthijms and willed them: Come vp yet once more, for now he hath opened his hart to me. Who went vp taking with them the money which they had promised.

19   But she made him to sleepe vpon her knees, and to lay his head in her bosome. And she called a barber, and shaued his seuen heares, and beganne to driue him away, and thrust him from her: for immediately the streingth departed

Samson. from him:

20   and she said: The Philisthijms vpon thee Samson. Who arysing from sleepe, said in his mind: I wil goe forth as I did before, and wil shake my self, not knowing that our Lord was departed from him.

21   Whom when the Philisthijmes had apprehended, forthwith they plucked forth his eies, and led him to Gaza bound with chaynes, and being shut vp in prison they made him grinde.

22   And now his heares had begone to grow againe,

23   and the princes of the Philisthijms assembled in one, that they might immolate magnifical hostes to Dagon their god, and might feast, saying: Our God hath deliuered our enemie Samson into our handes.

24   Which thing the people also seing, praysed their god, and said the same thinges: Our God hath deliuered our aduersarie into our handes, who destroyed our countrie, and killed verie manie.

25   And reioysing through out their bankettes, when they had now taken their good cheere, they commanded that Samson should be called, and should play before them. Who being brought out of prison played before them, and they made him to stand betwen two pillers.

26   Who said to the seruant that gouerned his steppes: Suffer me to touch the pillers, on which al the house stayeth, and let me leane vpon them, and rest a litle.

27   And the house was ful of men and wemen, and there were al the princes of the Philisthijms, also from the roofe and higher part, about three thousand of both sexe beholding Samson playing.

28   But he inuocating our Lord, said: Lord God remember me, & restore now to me myne old strength my God, that I may ^note reuenge me of myne enemies, and for the losse of two eies may receiue one reuenge.

29   And taking both the pillers, on which the house rested, and holding the one in his right hand, and the other in his left,

30   he said:09Q0183 Let me die with the Philisthijms. And the pillers being strongly shaken, the house fel vpon al the princes, and the rest of the multitude, that was there: and he killed manie moe dying, then before he had killed liuing.

31   And his brethren going downe and al his kindred, they tooke his bodie, and buried it betwixt Saraa and Esthaol in the sepulchre of his father Manue, and he iudged Israel twentie yeares. ^{note note}

Chap. XVII. ^note Michas and his mother cause a grauen, and a molten idol to be made of siluer. 5. He maketh one of his sonnes priest for the idol, 10. and for the same purpose hyreth also a Leuite.

1   There was at that time a certaine man of mount Ephraim named Michas,

2   who said to his mother: The thousand and hundred siluer peeces, which thou hadst separated to thy selfe, and concerning the which thou didst sweare in my hearing, behold I haue, and they are with me. To whom she said: Blessed be my sonne to the Lord.

3   He therfore rendred them to his mother, who had said to him: I haue consecrated and vowed this siluer to the Lord, that my sonne may receiue it of my hand, and make ^note a grauen and ^note a molten (god) and now I deliuer that to thee.

4   He rendred them therfore to his mother: who tooke two hundred siluer peeces and gaue them to the siluersmith, that he might make of them a grauen and a molten (god) which was in the house of Michas.

5   Who separated also therein a litle house to the God, and made an Ephod, and Theraphim, that is to say, a priestlie vestiment, and idoles: and he ^note filled the hand of one of his sonnes, and he became his priest.

6   In those daies there was not a king in Israel, but euerie one did that, which semed right to him self.

7   There was also an other yong man of Bethelem Iuda, of the kinred therof: and he was a Leuite, and dwelt there.

8   And going forth out of the citie of Bethelehem, he would seiourne wheresoeuer he should find it comodious for him. And when he was come into mount Ephraim, making his iourney, and had turned aside a little into the house of Michas,

9   he was demanded of him whence he came. Who answered: I am a Leuite of Bethlehem Iuda, and I goe to dwel where I shal be able, and shal perceiue it to be profitable for me.

10   And

The tribe of Dan setteth vp idolatrie. Michas said: Abide with me, and be to me a father and a priest, and I wil geue thee euerie yeare tenne siluer peeces, and duble liuerie, and the thinges that be necessarie for victual.

11   He was content, and abode with the man, and was vnto him as one of his sonnes.

12   And Michas filled his hand, and had the yong man for a priest with him, saying:

13   Now I know that God wil do me good ^note hauing a priest of the Leuitical kinde. Chap. XVIII. First sending spies to discouer, 11. six hundred armed men of the tribe of Dan goe to seeke possessions. 14. By the way they take the idol, and idolatrical priest from Michas. 27. surprise the towne of Lais, 30. and there set vp idolatrie.

1   In those dayes there was not a king in Israel, and the tribe of Dan sought possession for it selfe, that it might dwel therein: for vntil that day it had ^note not receiued a lotte among the other tribes.

2   Therfore the children of Dan sent fiue men of their stocke and familie most valiant from Saraa and Esthaol, that they might view the land, and diligently behold it, and they said to them: Goe, and consider the land. Who going forward when they were come into mount Ephraim, and had entered into the house of Michas, they rested there:

3   and knowing the voice of the yong man the Leuite, and vsing his lodging, they said to him: Who brought thee hither? What doest thou here? For what cause wouldest thou come hither?

4   Who answered them: These, and these thinges hath Michas done to me, & hath hyred me for wages to be his priest.

5   And they desired him that he would consult ^note the Lord, that they might know whether they should goe on a prosperous iourney, and the thing should haue effect.

6    ^noteWho answered them: Goe in peace: The Lord regardeth your way, and the iourney that you goe.

7   The fiue men therfore going came to Lais, & they saw the people dwelling in it without any feare, according to the custome of the Sidonians, secure and quiet, no man at al resisting them, & of greate riches, and separated farre from Sidon and from al men.

8   And returning to their brethren in Saraa and Estaol, and asking what they had done they answered them:

9   Arise, and let vs goe vp to them: for we haue seene the Land exceding rich and plentiful: neglect not, slacke not: let vs goe, and possesse it, it wil be no labour.

The tribe of Dan setteth vp idolatrie.

10   We shal enter vnto them being secure, into a most large countrie, and our Lord wil deliuer to vs the place, wherein is penurie of nothing, of those thinges that grow on the earth.

11   There departed therfore from the kinred of Dan, that is to say, from Saraa and Esthaol six hundred men, furnished with warlike armour,

12   and going vp they taried in Cariathiarim of Iuda: which place from that time tooke the name of the Tentes of Dan, and it is at the backe of Cariathiarim.

13   Thence they passed into mount Ephraim. And when they were come to the house of Michas,

14   the fiue men, that before had been sent to view the Land of Lais, said to the rest of their brethren: You know that in these houses there is an Ephod, and Theraphim, and a grauen, and molten god: See what pleaseth you.

15   And when they had turned a litle aside, they entred into the house of the yong man the Leuite, which was in the house of Michas: and saluted him with peaceable wordes.

16   And the six hundred men so as they were armed, stoode before the doore.

17   But they, that were entred the house of the yong man, endeuoured to take away the grauen, the Ephod, and the idols, and molten god, and the priest stoode before the doore, the six hundred most valiant men expecting not farre of.

18   They therfore that were entred tooke the grauen, the Ephod, the theraphim and molten god. To whom the priest said: What doe you?

19   To whom they answered: Hold thy peace, and put thy finger vpon thy mouth and come with vs, that we may haue thee for a father, and a priest. Whether is better for thee, that thou be a priest in the house of one man, or in one tribe and familie in Israel?

20   Which when he had heard, he agreed to their wordes, and tooke the Ephod, and idols, and grauen god, and departed with them.

21   Who when they went forward, and had made the children and the cattel to goe before them, and al that was percious,

22   and were now farre from the house of Michas, the men that dwelt in the house of Michas crying out together folowed,

23   and at their backe began to shoute. Who looking backe, said to Michas: What meanest thou? Why doest thou crie?

24   Who answered: My Goddes, which I made me, you haue taken away, and the priest, and al that I haue, and doe you say: What aileth thee?

25   And the children of Dan said to him: Beware thou speake no more vnto vs, and there come vnto thee men prouoked in mind, and thou with al thy house

A Leuites wife slaine. perish.

26   And so they went on their iourney begone. But Michas seing that they were stronger then he, returned into his house.

27   And the six hundred men tooke the priest, and the thinges which we spake of before, and came into Lais to a people that was quiet and secure, and stroke them in the edge of the sword: and the citie they deliuered to fyre,

28   no man at al bringing them succour, for that they dwelt farre from Sidon, and had with no men anie societie and affayres. And the citie was situated in the countrie of Rohob: which building agayne they dwelt in it,

29   calling the name of the citie Dan, according to the name of their father, whom Israel had begotten, which before was called Lais.

30   And they sette vp to them selues the ^note grauen idol, and Ionathan the sonne of Gerson the sonne of Moyses, and his sonnes priestes in the tribe of Dan, vntil the day of their captiuitie.

31   And the idol of Michas remayned with them al the time, that the house of God was in Silo. In those daies there was not a king in Israel. Chap. XIX. A Leuite bringing homeward his reconciled wife, 15. at Gabaa in the tribe of Beniamin hardly getteth lodging. 25. his wife is there vilanously abused by wicked men, and in the morning found dead. 29. whereupon her husband cutteth her bodie, and sendeth peeces to euerie tribe of Israel, requiring them to reuenge the wicked fact.

1   There was a certaine man a Leuite, dwelling on the side of mount Ephraim, who tooke a wife of Bethlehem Iuda:

2   which left him, and returned vnto her fathers house into Bethlehem, and abode with him foure monethes.

3   And her husband folowed her, willing to be reconciled vnto her, and to speake her fayre, and to bring her backe with him, hauing in his companie a seruant and two asses: who receiued him, and brought him into her fathers house. Which when his father in law had heard, and had seene him, he mette him ioyful,

4   and embraced the man. And the sonne in law taried in the house of his father in law three daies, eating with him and drinking familiarly.

5   But the fourth day arysing before day, he would depart. Whom his father in law held, and said to him: Tast first a litle bread, & strengthen thy stomacke, and so thou shalt depart.

6   And they sate together, and did eate and drinke. And the father of the yong

A Leuites wife slaine. woman said to his sonne in law: I besech thee that thou tarie here to day, and let vs make merie together.

7   But he rysing vp, beganne as if he would depart. And neuertheles with much adoe his father in law stayed him, and made him to tarie with him.

8   But when morning was come, the Leuite prepared to goe his iourney. To whom his father in law againe: I besech thee, quoth he, that thou take a litle meate, and making thy self strong, til the day be farder spent, afterward thou mayest depart. They did eate therfore together.

9   And the yong man arose, that he might sette forward with his wife and his seruant. To whom his father in law spake againe: Consider that the day is more declining to the west, and draweth nigh to euening: tarie with me to day also, and spend the day in mirth, and to morrow thou shalt depart that thou mayst goe into thy house.

10   His sonne in law would not condescend to his wordes: but forthwith went forward, and came ouer against Iebus, which by an other name is called Ierusalem, leading with him two asses loden, and his ^note concubine.

11   And now they were come nigh to Iebus and the day changed into night: & the seruant said to his maister: Come, I besech thee, let vs turne into the citie of the Iebuseites, and tarie in it.

12   To whom his maister answered: I wil not enter iuto the towne of a strange nation, which is not of the children of Israel, but I wil passe as farre as Gabaa:

13   and when I shal come thither, we wil lodge in it, or at the least in the citie of Rama.

14   They passed therfore by Iebus, and went on their iourney begone, and the sonne went downe to them byside Gabaa, which is in the tribe of Beniamin:

15   and they turned into it, that they might lodge there. Whither when they were entred, they sate in the streate of the citie, and no man would receiue them to lodge.

16   And behold there appeared an old man, returning out of the field and from his worke in the euening, who him self also was of mount Ephraim, and dwelt as a stranger in Gabaa, but the men of that countrie were the children of Iemini.

17   And lifting vp his eies, the old man saw the man sitting with his fardels in the streate of the citie, and said to him: Whence comest thou? and whither goest thou?

18   Who answered him: We departed from Bethlehem Iuda, and we goe to our place, which is on the side of mount Ephraim, from whence we went into Bethlehem: and now we goe to the house of God, and none

A Leuites wife slaine. wil receiue vs vnder his roofe,

19   hauing straw and hay for prouender of the asses, and bread and wine for the vse of my self and of thy handmaid, and of the seruant that is with me: we lacke nothing but lodging.

20   To whom the old man answered: Peace be with thee, I wil geue al thinges that are necessarie: only, I besech thee, tarie not in the streate.

21   And he brought him into his house, and gaue prouender to his asses: and after they had washed their feete, he receiued them to a bankette.

22   They making merie, and after the labour of their iourney, refreshing their bodie with meate and drinke, there came men of that citie, the children of Belial (that is to say, without yoke) and besetting the old mans house, beganne to knocke at the doores, crying to the maister of the house, and saying: Bring forth the man, that entred into thy house, that we may abuse him.

23   And the old man went out to them, and said: Doe not so brethren, doe not this euil: because this man is entered to my lodging, and cease from this folie:

24   I haue a daughter that is a virgin, and this man hath a concubine, I wil bring them forth to you, that you may humble them, & fulfil your lust: only, I beseche you, worke not this wickednes against nature on the man.

25   They would not agree to his wordes. which the man seing, he brought forth his concubine to them, and he deliuered her to them to be illuded: whom when they had abused al the night, they let her goe in the morning.

26   But the woman, when the darkenes departed, came to the doore of the house, where her lord lodged, and there fel downe.

27   Morning being come, the man arose, and opened the doore, that he might finish his iourney begone: and behold his concubine lay before the doore, her handes spredde on the threshold.

28   To whom he, thinking that she tooke her rest, spake: Arise, and let vs walke. Who answering nothing, perceiuing that she was dead; he tooke her, and laid her vpon his asse, & returned into his house.

29   Which when he was entered vnto, he tooke a sword, and cutting the carcasse of his wife with her bones into twelue partes and peeces, he sent them into al the borders of Israel.

30   Which when euerie one had seene, they cried together: There was neuer such a thing done in Israel from that day, when our fathers ascended out of Ægypt, vntil this present time: geue sentence, and decree in common what is needeful to be done.

Battle against Beniamin. Chap. XX. Al the other tribes fighting against Beniamin, 13. because they wil not punish the malefactors, 21. haue the worse, 25. also the second time. 29. but the third time the Beniamites are al slaine sauing six hundred men.

1   Therfore al the children of Israel went forth, and were gathered together, as it were one man, from Dan to Bersabee, and the Land of Galaad, to our Lord in Maspha:

2   and al the corners of the people, and al the tribes of Israel assembled into the church of the people of God foure hundred thousand footemen warriers.

3   (Neirher were the children of Beniamin ignorant that the children of Israel were come vp into Maspha.) And the Leuite the husband of the woman that was killed being asked, how so great wickednes had beene c&obar;mitted,

4   answered: I came into Gabaa of Beniamin with my wife, and there I tooke my lodging:

5   and behold the men of that citie by night besette the house wherein I taried, meaning to kil me, and vexing my wife with incredible furie of lust, finally she died.

6   Whom being taken I did cutte into peeces, and sent the partes into al the borders of your possession: because neuer was there so heinous an offense, and so greate an abomination done in Israel.

7   You are al present the children of Israel, determine what you ought to doe.

8   And al the people standing, answered as it were by the word of one man: we wil not depart into our tabernacles, neither shal any man enter into his house:

9   but this wil we doe in common against Gabaa.

10   Let ten men be chosen of an hundred out of al the tribes of Israel, and an hundred of a thousand, and a thousand of ten thousand, to bring victuals for the armie, and that we may fight against Gabaa of Beniamin, & render to it for the wicked fact, which it deserueth.

11   And al Israel assembled to the citie, as it were one man with one minde, and one counsel:

12   and they sent messengers to al the tribe of Beniamin, which should say: Why is there soe great abomination found in you?

13   Deliuer the men of Gabaa, that haue committed this heinous fact, ^note that they may die, and the euil may be taken away out of Israel. Who would not heare the commandment of their brethren the children of Israel:

14   but out of al cities, which were of their lotte, they assembled into Gabaa, to ayde them, and to fight against al the people of Israel.

15   And there were found

400000. fight against Beniamin. fiue and twentie thousand of Beniamin of them that drew sword, beside the inhabitantes of Gabaa,

16   which were seuen hundred most valiant men, so fighting with the left hand as with the right: and so directly casting stones with slinges, that they could strike a heare also, and the stroke of the stone should not be caried awry on either part.

17   Of the men of Israel also, beside the children of Beniamin, were found foure hundred thousande of them that drew swordes, & were prepared to fight.

18   Who rising came into the house of God, that is, into Silo: and they consulted God, and said: Who shal be in our armie general of the battel against the children of Beniamin? To whom our Lord answered: Let ^note Iudas be your captayne.

19   And forthwith the children of Israel arysing in the morning, camped beside Gabaa:

20   and thence proceeding to fight against Beniamin, beganne to assault the citie.

21   And the children of Beniamin issuing out of Gabaa, slew of the children of Israel that day two and twentie thousand men.

22   Agayne Israel hauing confidence ^note in their strength and number, sette the armie in aray in the same place, wherein they had fought before:

23   yet so that they did first goe vp and weepe before our Lord vntil night: and consulted him, and said: Shal I procede any more to fight against the children of Beniamin my brethren, or not? To whom he answered: ^note Goe vp to them, and enter battel.

24   And when the children of Israel the next day had proceded against the children of Beniamin to battel,

25   the children of Beniamin brake forth out of the gates of Gabaa: and meeting them they raged with so great a slaughter against them, that they ouerthrew eightene thousand men that drew sword.

26   For the which thing al the children of Israel came into the house of God, and sitting wept before our Lord: and they fasted that day vntil euening, and offered to him holocaustes, and pacifique victimes,

27   and asked him concerning their state. At that time the arke of the couenant of our Lord was there,

28   and ^note Phinees the sonne of Eleazarus the sonne of Aaron prouost of the house. They therfore consulted our Lord, and said: Shal we goe forth any more to fight against the children of Beniamin our brethren, or rest? To whom our Lord said: Goe vp, for to morrow I wil deliuer them into your handes.

29   And the children of Israel sette ambushmentes round about the citie of Gabaa:

30   and the third time,

400000. fight against Beniamin. as once and twise, they brought forth their armie against Beniamin.

31   But the children of Beniamin also issued forth boldly out of the citie, and pursewed a long way the aduersaries fleeing, so that they wounded of them, as the first day and the second, and slew them turning their backes by two wayes, wherof the one went into Bethel, and the other into Gabaa, and ouerthrew about thirtie men:

32   for they thought to kil them after their accustomed maner. Who feyning artificially as though they fled tooke aduise to draw them away from the citie, & as it were fleing to bring them to the pathes aforesayd.

33   Therfore al the children of Israel rysing out of their seates, sette their armie in battel aray, in the place which is called Baalthamar. The ambushmentes also, which were about the citie, began by litle and litle to open them selues,

34   and to proceede from the West part of the citie. Yea and other ten thousand men of al Israel prouoked the inhabitantes of the citie to skirmishes. And the battel grew sore against the children of Beniamin: and they vnderstoode not that on euerie side destruction hong ouer them.

35   And our Lord stroke them in the sight of the children of Israel, and they slew of them in that day fiue and twentie thousand, and an hundred men, al warryers and that drew sword.

36   But the children of Beniamin when they saw them selues to be inferiour, beganne to flee. Which the children of Israel seing, gaue them place to flee, that they might come to the ambushmentes prepared, which they had sette neere the citie.

37   Who when they had sodenly risen out of their dennes, and Beniamin turned their backes to the sleaers, they entred the citie, and stroke it in the edge of the sword.

38   And the children of Israel had geuen a signe to them, whom they had laid in the ambushementes, that after they had taken the citie, they should kindle a fire: that the smoke ascending on high, they might shew that the citie was taken.

39   Which when the children of Israel saw being in the verie fight (for the children of Beniamin thought that they fled, and pursewed more instantly, hauing slaine thirtie men of their armie.)

40   and they saw as it were a piller of smoke to rise vp from the citie. Beniamin also looking backe, when he saw the citie taken, and the flames caried on high:

41   they that before had feyned as if they fled, turning their face resisted more manfully. Which when the children of Beniamin had sene, they were

The tribe of Beniamin repaired turned into flight,

42   and beganne to goe the way of the desert, the aduersaries pursewing them thither also. But they also that had fyred the citie, mette them.

43   And so it came to passe, that on both sides they were slaine of the enemies, neither was there any rest of men dying. They fel, and were ouerthrowen on the east side of the citie of Gabaa.

44   And there were that were slaine in the same place, eightene thousand men, al most valiant warryers.

45   Which when they had seene, that were remayning of Beniamin, they fled into the wildernes, and went on to the rocke, the name wherof is Remmon. In that flight also stragling, and going diuers waies, they slew fiue thousand men. And whereas they went farder, they pursewed them, and slew also other two thousand.

46   And so it came to passe, that al which were slaine of Beniamin in diuerse places, were fiue and twentie thousand one hundred fighting men, most prompt to warres.

47   There remayned therfore of al the number of Beniamin that could escape, and flee into the wildernes, six hundred men: and they abode in the Rocke Remmon foure monethes.

48   But the children of Israel retyring, stroke al the remaines of the citie with the sword from men euen to beastes, and al the cities and villages of Beniamin the deuouring flame did consume. Chap. XXI. The tribe of Beniamin is repayred, 8. by foure hundred virgins reserued in the slaughter of Iabes Galaad. 19. and by other virgins taken, that come forth of Silo to daunce.

1   The children of Israel sware also in Maspha, and said: None of vs shal geue of his daughters to the children of Beniamin to wife.

2   And they came al to the house of God in Silo, and sitting in his sight vntil euening, lifted vp their voice, and with great wayling beganne to weepe saying: Wherfore ô Lord God of Israel is this euil done in thy people, that this day one tribe should be taken away out of vs?

4   And on the morrow rising early, they built an altar: and offered there holocaustes, and pacifique victimes, and said:

5   Who hath not ascended in the hoste of our Lord of al the tribes of Israel? For they had bound them selues with a great othe, when they were in Maspha, that they should be slayne which had beene wanting.

6   And the children of Israel being

The tribe of Beniamin repaired ^note moued with repentance vpon their brother Beniamin, beganne to say: One tribe is taken away out of Israel,

7   whence shal they take wiues? For we haue al sworne in common, that we wil not geue our daughters to them.

8   Therfore they said: Who is there of al the tribes of Israel, that went not vp to our Lord into Maspha? And behold the inhabitantes of Iabes Galaad were found not to haue bene in that armie.

9   (At that time also when they were in Silo, none of them was found there.)

10   They sent therfore ten thousand the strongest men, and commanded them: Goe, and strike the inhabitantes of Iabes Galaad in the edge of the sword, as wel their wiues as their litle ones.

11   And this shal be it which you shal obserue: Al of the male kinde, and wemen, that haue knowen men, kil ye, but the virgins reserue.

12   And there were found of Iabes Galaad foure hundred virgins, that knew not mans bedde, and they brought them to the campe in Silo, into the Land of Chanaan.

13   And they sent messengers to the children of Beniamin, that were in Rocke Remmon, and commanded them that they should receiue them in peace.

14   And the children of Beniamin came at that time, and there were geuen vnto them wiues of the daughters of Iabes Galaad: but others they found not, which they might geue them in like maner.

15   And al Israel was very sorie, and repented for the killing of one tribe out of Israel.

16   And the ancientes said: What shal we doe to the rest, that haue not taken wiues? For al the wemen in Beniamin are dead.

17   And we must very carefully, and with great studie prouide, that one tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.

18   For our owne daughters we can not geue them, being bound with an oath and a curse, wherby we said: Cursed be he that shal geue to Beniamin anie of his daughters to wife.

19   And they tooke counsail, and said: Behold there is an anniuersaire solemnitie of our Lord in Silo, which is situate on the North of the citie of Bethel, on the East side of the way, that goeth from Bethel to Sichem, and on the South of the towne of Lebona.

20   And they commanded the children of Beniamin, and said: Goe, and lie hidde in the vineyardes.

21   And when you shal see the daughters of Silo come forth after the maner to lead daunses, issue forth sodenly out of the vineyardes, and catch of them euerie one his wife, and goe into the Land of Beniamin.

22   And when their fathers shal

come, and their brethren, and shal beginne to complaine against you, and to chide, we wil say to them: Haue pittie on them: for they tooke them not away by the right of warryors and conquerours, but when they desired to receiue them, you gaue them not, and on your part the fault was committed.

23   And the children of Beniamin did, as it had beene commanded them: and according to their number, they tooke away to them selues of those that ledde the daunses, euerie one his wife: and they went into their possession, building cities, and dwelling in them.

24   The children of Israel also returned by their tribes, and families into their tabernacles. In those daies there was not a King in Israel: but euerie one did that ^note which semed right to him selfe.

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