The. holie. Bible. conteynyng the olde Testament and the newe.

❧The booke of Iudges, called in the Hebrue Sophtim, and in Latin Judicum.

¶The fyrst Chapter.

1 After Iosuah was dead, Iuda was constitute captayne. 6 Adonibezek is taken. 14 The request of Achsah. 16 The children of Keni. 19 The Chanaanites are made tributaries, but not destroyed.

[unspec A] 1 AFter the death of Iosuah, it came to passe, that the chil∣drē of Israel (a) 1.1 as∣ked the Lord, say∣ing: who shall go vp for vs against the Chanaanites, to fight fyrste a∣against them?

2 And the Lorde sayde, Iuda shall go vp: beholde, I haue deliuered the land into his handes.

3 And Iuda sayde vnto Simeon his (b) 1.2brother: Come vp with me in my lot, that we may fight against the Chanaa∣nites, and I likewyse will go with thee into thy (c) 1.3 lot. And so Simeon went with him.

4 And Iuda went vp, and the Lord de∣liuered the Chanaanites and Pherezi∣tes into their handes: And they slue of them in Bezek ten thousande men.

5 And they found “ 1.4 Adombezek in Bezek: And they fought against him, and slue the Chanaanites and Pherezites.

6 But Adonibezek fled, and they folo∣wed after hym, caught hym, and (d) 1.5 cut of his thombes and his great toes.

7 And Adonibezek sayde, Three score [unspec B] and ten kinges hauing their thombes & great toes cut of, gathered their meate vnder my table: * 1.6 As I haue done, so God hath done to me agayne. And they brought him to Hierusalem, and there he died.

8 (The childrē of Iuda had (e) 1.7 fought a∣gainst Hierusalem, and had taken it, and smitten it with the edge of the sword, & set the citie on fire.)

9 Afterward the children of Iuda went downe to fight against the Chanaanites that dwelt in the mountayne & towarde the south, & in the lowe countrey.

10 And Iuda went against the Chanaa∣nites that dwelt in Hebron, whiche be∣fore time was called Kiriath Arba, & slue (f) 1.8 Sesai, Ahiman, and Thalmai.

11 And from thence they went to the in∣habitauntes of Dabir, whose name in olde time was called Kiriathsepher.

12 And Caleb sayd:* 1.9 He that smiteth Ki∣riathsepher, and taketh it, to him will I geue Achsah my daughter to wyfe.

13 And Othoniel the sonne of Kenez Ca∣lebs younger brother toke it: to whom he gaue Achsah his daughter to wyfe. [unspec C]

14 When she came to him, she counsayled him to aske of her father a fielde: And then she (g) 1.10 lighted of her asse, and Caleb sayde vnto her, What wilt thou?

15 She aunswered vnto him, Geue me a blessing: for thou hast geuen me a south∣ward land, geue me also springes of wa∣ter. And Caleb gaue her springes, both aboue and beneath.

16 And the childrē of the (g) 1.11 Kenite Moy∣ses father in lawe, went vp out of the ci∣tie of * 1.12 paulme trees with the children of Iuda, into the wildernesse of Iuda, that lieth in the south of Arad, and they went and dwelt among the people.

17 And Iuda went with Simeon his brother, and they slue the Chanaanites that inhabited Zephath, and vtterly de∣stroyed it, * 1.13and called the name of the citie Horma.

18 And also Iuda toke (h) 1.14 Azzah with the coastes therof, & Askalon with y^e coastes therof, and Akaron with the coastes therof.

19 And the Lorde was with Iuda, and he conquered the mountaines: but could not dryue out the inhabitauntes of the valleyes, because they had charettes of iron.

20 And they gaue Hebron vnto Caleb, * 1.15 as Moyses sayde: And he expelled thence the three sonnes of Anak. [unspec D]

21 And the children of Beniamin did not cast out the Iebusites that inhabited Hierusalem: but the Iebusites dwell with the children of Beniamin in Hie∣rusalem vnto this day.

22 And in like maner they that were of the house of Ioseph went vp to * 1.16 Be∣thel, and the Lorde was with them.

23 And the house of Ioseph searched out Bethel, whiche before time was called * 1.17Luz.

42 And the spyes sawe a man come out of the citie, & they sayd vnto him: Shewe vs we pray thee the way into the citie, * 1.18and we will shewe thee mercy.

25 And when he had shewed them the way into the citie, they smote it with the edge of the sworde: but let the man and all his housholde go free.

26 And the man went into the land of the Hethites, and buylt a citie, and called the name therof Luz: whiche is the name therof vnto (i) 1.19 this day.

27 * 1.20Neither did Manasses expell Beth∣sean with her townes, Thanach with her townes, the inhabitours of Dor with her townes, the inhabitours of Ieblaam with her townes, neither the inhabitours of Magiddo with her tow∣nes: but the Chanaanites were bolde to dwell in the lande.

[unspec E]

28 But it came to passe, that assoone as Israel was waxed mightie, they put the Chanaanites to tribute, and expel∣led them not wholly.

29 * 1.21In lyke maner (k) 1.22 Ephraim expelled not the Chanaanites that dwelt in Ga∣zer: but the Chanaanites dwelt still in Gazer among them.

30

Neither dyd Zabulon expell the in∣habitours of Ketron, neither the inha∣bitours of Nahalol: but the Chanaani¦tes dwelt among them, and became tri¦butaries.

31

Neither did Aser cast out the inhabi∣tours of Acho, neither the inhabitours of Zidon, and of Ahalab, Aczib, & Hel∣bah, Aphek, nor of Rohob:

32

But the Aserites dwelt among the Chanaanites the inhabitours of the lande: for they dyd not dryue them out.

33

Neither dyd Nephthalim dryue out the inhabitours of Bethsames, nor the inhabitours of Bethanath: but dwelt amongest the Chanaanites the inhabi∣tours of the lande. Neuerthelesse, the inhabitours of Bethsames and of Be∣thanath became tributaries vnto them.

34

And the Amorites “ 1.23 droue the children of Dan into the mountayne, and suffe∣red them not to come downe to the valley.

35

And the Amorites were content to [unspec F] dwell in mount Heres in Aialon, and in Salabim: And the hande of Ioseph preuayled, so that they became tributa∣ries.

36

And the coast of the Amorites was from the goyng vp to Acrabim, & from the (l) 1.24 rocke vpwarde.

The .ij. Chapter.

2 The Angel rebuketh the people, because they had made peace with the Chanaa∣nites. 11 The Israelites fel to idolatrie after Iosuahs death. 14 They are deliuered into the enemies handes. 16 God deliuereth them by Iudges. 22 Why God suffred idolaters to remayne among them.

[unspec A] 1 ANd the (a) 1.25 angel of the Lorde came vp from Gilgal to Bochim, and sayde: I made you to go out of Egipt, & haue brought you vnto the lande whiche I sware vnto your fathers: And I sayde, I will neuer breake myne appoyntment that I made with you.

2 And * 1.26 ye also shall make no couenaunt with the inhabitours of this lande, * 1.27 but shall breake downe their aulters: Ne∣uerthelesse, ye haue not hearkened vnto my voyce: why haue ye this done?

3 Wherfore I haue lykewyse determi∣ned, that I will not cast them out before you: but they shalbe * 1.28 as thornes vnto you, and their goddes shalbe a snare vn∣to you.

4 And when the angel of the Lord spake these wordes vnto all the children of Is∣rael, the people cryed out and wept:

5 And called the name of the sayd place “ 1.29Bochim, & offered sacrifices vnto the Lorde.

6 And whē Iosuah (b) 1.30 had sent the people away, the children of Israel went euery man into his inheritaunce to possesse the lande. [unspec B]

7 * 1.31And the people serued the Lorde all the dayes of Iosuah, & all the dayes of the elders that outlyued Iosuah, & had seene al the great workes of the Lorde that he dyd for Israel.

8 And Iosuah the sonne of Nun, the ser∣uaunt

of the Lorde * 1.32 died, when he was an hundreth and ten yeres olde:

9 Whom they buried in the coastes of his inheritaunce [euen] in Thimnath(c) 1.33 He∣res in mount Ephraim, on the northside of the hil Gaas.

10 And euen so all that generation were put vnto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which neither knewe the Lorde, nor yet the workes whiche he had done for Israel.

11 And then the children of Israel dyd wickedly in the sight of the Lorde, and serued (d) 1.34 Baalim,

12 And forsoke the Lord God of their fa∣thers, whiche brought them out of the lande of Egypt, and folowed straunge goddes, euen of the goddes of the nati∣ons that were rounde about them, and bowed them selues vnto them, and an∣gred the Lorde:

13 They forsoke the Lorde, and serued Baal and (e) 1.35 Astharoth.

14 And the wrath of the Lord waxed hot agaynst Israel, and he deliuered them [unspec C] into the handes of raueners, that spoy∣led them, & * 1.36 solde them into the handes of their enemies rounde about them, so that they had no power any longer to stande before their enemies.

15 But whythersoeuer they went out, the (f) 1.37 hand of the Lord was sore against them, euen as the Lord promised them, and as he sware vnto them: And he pu∣nished them sore.

16 Neuerthelesse the Lorde raysed vp iudges, which deliuered them out of the handes of their oppressers.

17 And yet for all that they woulde not hearken vnto their iudges: but rather went a whoring after straunge goddes, and bowed them selues vnto them, and turned (g) 1.38 quickly out of the way, whiche their fathers walked in, obeying the cō∣maundementes of the Lorde: But they dyd not so.

18 And when the Lorde raysed them vp iudges, he was with the iudge, and de∣liuered them out of the handes of their enemies all the dayes of the iudge: (*for the Lord had compassion ouer their so∣rowinges, whiche they had by the rea∣son of them that oppressed them & vexed them:)

19 Yet for all that, * 1.39 assoone as the iudge was dead, they returned, and dyd worse then their fathers, in folowing straunge goddes, to serue them & worship them: and ceassed not from their owne inuen∣tions, nor from their malitious way.

20 And the wrath of the Lorde was mo∣ued against Israel, and he sayde: Be∣cause this people hath trāsgressed myne appoyntment whiche I commaunded their fathers, and haue not hearkened vnto my voyce:

21 I will hencefoorth not cast out before [unspec D] them one man of the nations whiche Iosuah left when he dyed:

22 That through them I may (h) 1.40 proue Israel, whether they wil kepe the way of the Lorde, and walke therin as their fathers dyd, or not.

23 And so the Lorde left those nations, and droue them not out immediatly, nei∣ther deliuered them into the hande of Iosuah.

The .iij. Chapter.

1 The Chanaanites were left to trye Israel. 9 Othoniel deliuereth Israel. 21 Ahud killeth king Eglon. 23 Samgar killeth the Philistines.

[unspec A] 1 THese are the nations whiche the Lorde left, that he might proue Israel by them: (euen as many of Israel as had not knowen al the (a) 1.41 warres of Chanaan:

2 Onely for the learning of the genera∣tions of the childrē of Israel that he al∣so might teach them warre, 'onely such as before knewe nothing therof.)

3 Of those whom he left, there were fiue lordes of the Philistines, and all the Chanaanites, and the Sidonites, & the Heuites that dwelt in mount Libanon, euen from mount Baal Hermon, vnto one come to Hamath.

4 Those remayned to proue Israel by, and to wyt whether they would hear∣ken vnto the commaundementes of the Lorde, which he commaunded their fa∣thers by the hande of Moyses.

5 And the children of Israel dwelt a∣mong the Chanaanites, Hethites, Amo∣rites, Pherezites, Heuites, and Iebu∣sites,

6 And toke the daughters of them to be (b) 1.42 their wiues, & gaue their own daugh∣ters to their sonnes, and serued their goddes.

[unspec B] 7 And the children of Israel did wicked∣ly in the sight of the Lorde, and forgat the Lorde their God, and serued Baa∣lim and (c) 1.43 Astheroth.

8 Therfore the Lorde was angry with Israel, and he solde them into the han∣des of Chusan Risathaim king of Me∣sopotamia: and the children of Israel serued Chusan Risathaim eyght yeres.

9 And when the children of Israel cryed vnto the Lorde, the Lorde stirred vp a sauer to the children of Israel, & saued them, euen Othoniel the sonne of Ke∣nes, Calebs younger brother.

10 And (d) 1.44 the spirite of the Lorde came vpon him, and he iudged Israel, & went out to warre: And the Lorde deliuered Chusan Risathaim king of Mesopota∣mia into his hande, and his hande pre∣uayled against Chusan Risathaim.

11 And the land had rest fourtie yeres: and Othoniel the sonne of Kenes died.

12 And the children of Israel agayne committed wickednes in the sight of the Lorde: And the Lorde (e) 1.45 streng∣thed Eglon the king of the Moabites, against the children of Israel, because they had committed wickednes before the Lorde.

13 And this [Eglon] gathered vnto him the children of Animon, and the Amale∣kites, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the citie of Paulme trees.

[unspec C] 14 And so the children of Israel serued Eglon the king of Moab .xviii. yeres.

15 But when they cryed vnto the Lord, the Lord stirred them vp a sauer, Ahud the sonne of Gera the sonne of Gemini, a man lame of his “ 1.46 right hande: and by him the children of Israel sent a present vnto Eglon the king of Moab.

16 But Ahud made him a dagger with two edges, of a cubite length, and he did gyrde it vnto his raymēt vpon his right thygh,

17 And caried the present vnto Eglon the king of Moab: (And Eglon was a very fatte man.)

18 And when he had presented the pre∣sent, he sent the people that bare it away:

19 But he him selfe turned agayne (from the place of grauen images, that was by Gilgal) and sayde: I haue a secret er∣rande vnto thee, O king. which sayde: Kepe scilence. And all that stoode before hym, went out from him.

20 And Ahud came vnto him, and in a [unspec D] sommer parler whiche he had, sate he him selfe alone: and Ahud sayd, I haue a message vnto thee from God. And he arose out of his seate.

21 And Ahud put foorth his left hande, & toke the dagger from his right thygh, and thrust it into his belly.

22 And the hafte went in after the blade: and the fatte closed the haft, so that he might not drawe the dagger out of his belly, but the dyrt came out.

23 Then Ahud gat him out into the porche, and shut the doores of the parler vpon him, and locked them.

24 When he was gone out, his seruaun∣tes came: And when they sawe that the doores of the parler were locked, they sayde, Suerly he(g) 1.47 couereth his feete in his sommer chamber.

25 And they taried till they were asha∣med, and seyng he opened not the doores of the parler, they toke a key and opened them: And beholde, their Lorde was fallen downe dead on the earth.

26 And Ahud escaped whyle they taried and was gone beyonde, to the place of the grauen images, and escaped into Seirath.

27 And when he was come, * 1.48 he blewe a trumpet in mount Ephraim: And the childrē of Israel went downe with him from the hill, and he went before them.

28 And he sayde vnto them, folowe me: for the Lorde hath deliuered your ene∣mies [unspec E] the Moabites into your hande. And they descended after him, and take the passages of Iordane toward Mo∣ab, and suffered not a man to passe ouer.

29 And they slue of the Moabites the same time vpon a ten thousande men, which were all (h) 1.49 fatte, & men of warre, and there scaped not a man.

30 So Moab was subdued that day vn∣der the hande of Israel: And the lande had rest fourescore yeres.

31 After him was Samgar the sonne of Anath, whiche slue of the Philistines sixe hundred men with an (i) 1.50 oxe goade, and deliuered Israel also.

The .iiii. Chapter.

1 Israel sinne, and are geuen into the handes of Iabie. 4 Deborah iudgeth Israel, and erhorteth Barak to deliuer the people. 16 Sisara fleeth. 17 And is killed by Iael.

[illustration]

[unspec A] * 1.511 ANd the children of Is∣rael began agayne to do wickedly in y^e sight of the Lord, when A∣hud was dead.

2 And the Lorde sold them into the hand of (a) 1.52 Iabin king of Chanaan, that raigned in (b) 1.53 Hazor, whose captayne of warre was called Sisara, which dwelt in Ha∣roseth of the gentiles.

3 And the children of Israel cried vnto the Lord (for he had nine hundreth cha∣rettes of yron: & twentie yeres he trou∣bled the children of Israel very sore.)

4 And Debora a prophetisse, the wife of Lapidoth, iudged Israel the same time.

5 And the same Debora dwelt vnder a pauline tree, betweene Ramath & Be∣thel, in mount Ephraim: And the chil∣dren of Israel came vp to her for iudg∣ment.

6 And she sent, and called* 1.54 Barak the sonne of Abinoam, out of Kedes Neph∣thalim, and sayd vnto him: Hath not the Lorde God of Israel(c) 1.55 commaunded, saying: Go, and drawe toward mount Thabor, and take with thee ten thou∣sand men of the children of Nephtha∣lim, and of the children of Zabulon? [unspec B]

7 And I will bring vnto thee to the* 1.56 ri∣uer Kison, Sisara y^e captayne of warre, vnto Iabin, with his charettes and his people, and will deliuer him into thyne handes.

8 And Barak said vnto her, (d) 1.57 If thou wilt go with me, I will go: But and if thou wilt not come with me, I will not go.

9 She sayd: I will surely go with thee, but this iourney that thou takest, shall not be for thyne honour: for the Lorde shall sell Sisara into the hande of a wo∣man. And Debora arose and went with Barak to Kedes.

10 And Barak called Zabulon & Neph∣thalim to Kedes, and led after him ten thousande men: and Debora went vp with him.

11 (But Haber the Kenite which was of the childrē of Hobab, * 1.58 the father in lawe of Moyses, remoued from the Kenites, and pitched his tent(c) 1.59 vntill the playne of Zaana••m, whiche is by Kedes.)

12 And they shewed Sisara, that Barak the sonne of Abindam was gone vp to mount Thabor.

13 And Sisara gathered together al his charettes, euen nine hundreth charettes

of iron, & all the people that were with him from of Haroseth of the gentiles, vnto the ryuer of Kison.

[unspec C] 14 And Debora sayd vnto Barak: Vp, for this is the day in which the Lorde hath deliuered Sisara into thyne hand: Is not the Lorde gone out before the? And so Barak went downe frō mount Thabor, and ten thousande men after him.

15 But the Lorde destroyed Sisara and all his charettes, and all his heaste with the edge of the sworde, before Barak: so that Sisara lyghted downe of his charet, and fled away on his feete.

16 But * 1.60 Barak folowed after the cha∣rettes and after the hoast, euen vnto Har••seth of the gentiles: And all the hoast of Sisara fell vpon the edge of the sworde, and there was not a man left.

17 Howebeit Sisara fled away on his seete to the tent of Iael the wife of (f) 1.61 Haber the Kenite (for there was peace betweene Iabin the king of Hazor, and the houshoulde of Haber the Kenite.)

18 And Iael went out to meete Sisara, and sayd vnto him: Turne in my lorde, turne in to me, feare not. And whan he had turned in vnto her into her tent, she couered him with a mantell.

19 And he sayd vnto her: Geue me I pray thee a litle water to drincke, for I am thirstie. And she opened * 1.62 a bottle of milke, and gaue him drincke, & couered him.

20 And agayne he sayd vnto her: Stande in the doore of the tent, and whan any man doth come and enquere of thee, whether ther be any man here, thou shalt say, naye.

21 Then Iael Habers wyfe, toke a nayle [unspec D] of the tent, & an hammer in her hande, and went softly vnto him, and smote y^e nayle into the temples of his head, and fastened it into the ground (for he slum∣bred sore, and was wery) and so he died.

22 And beholde, as Barak folowed after Sisara, Iael came out to meete him, & said vnto him: Come, and I will shewe thee the man whom thou sekest. And when he came in to her tent, behold Si∣sara lay dead, and the nayle was in his temples.

23 And so God brought Iabin the kyng of Chanaan into subiection that day be∣fore the children of Israel.

24 And the hand of the children of Is∣rael prospered, and preuayled against Iabin the kyng of Chanaan, vntil they had destroyed Iabin king of Chanaan.

The .v. Chapter.

1. The song and thankesgeuing of Deborah and Barak after the victorie.

[unspec A] 1 THen Debora and Ba∣rak the sonne of Abi∣noam sange the same day, saying:

2 Prayse ye the Lord, for the auengyng of Israel, and for the (a) 1.63 people that became so willing.

3 Heare O ye kinges, hearken O ye prin∣ces: I, euen I will syng vnto the Lord, I will prayse the Lord God of Israel.

4 Lorde, * 1.64 whan thou wentest out of Seir, whan thou departedst out of the fielde of* 1.65 Edom, the earth trembled, and the heauens rayned, the cloudes also dropped water:

5 * 1.66The mountaynes melted before the Lord, euen as dyd* 1.67 Sinai before y^e Lord God of Israel.

6 In the dayes of* 1.68 Samgar the sonne of Anath, in the dayes of * 1.69 Iael, the hye wayes were (b) 1.70 vnoccupied, and the tra∣uelers walked thorowe bye wayes. [unspec B]

7 The inhabitants of the townes were gone, they were gone in Israel, vntyll I Debora came vp, which came vp a(c) 1.71 mother in Israel.

8 They chose new goddes, and then had they the enemie in the gates: was there a shielde or speare seene among fourtie thousande of Israel?

9 My heart loueth the gouerners of Is∣rael, and them that are willyng among the people: O prayse ye the Lord.

10 Speake (d) 1.72 ye that ryde on fayre asses, ye that dwell by (e) 1.73 Middin, and that walke by the wayes.

11 For the noyse of the archers among the (f) 1.74 drawers of water ceassed, there shall they speake of the righteousnes of the Lorde, his righteousnesse in his vn∣fensed townes in Israel: Then shal the people of the Lorde go downe to the gates.

12 Vp Debora vp, get thee vp, and sing a song: *Arise Barac, and leade g 1.75 thy captiuitie captiue, thou sonne of Abi∣noam.

13 Then shall they that remayne, haue dominion of the proudest of the people: The Lord hath geuen me dominion o∣uer the mightie.

[unspec C] 14 Out of Ephraim was there a (h) 1.76 roote of them agaynst Amelek, and after thee (i) 1.77 Beniamin among thy people: Out of Machir came rulers, and out of Zabu∣lon they that handell the penne of the writer.

15 And of Isachar there were princes with Debora, and Isachar, and also Barak, he was sent on foote into the valley: for the diuisions of Ruben [were] great (k) 1.78 thoughtes of heart.

16 Why abodest thou among the sheepe foldes, to heare the bleatinges of the flockes? for the diuisions of Ruben, were great thoughtes of heart.

17 (l) 1.79Gilead also abode beyonde Ior∣dane: and why doth Dan remayne in shyppes? Aser cōtinued on the sea shore, and taried in his decayed (m) 1.80 places.

18 [But] the people of Zabulon haue ieo∣parde their lyues euen vnto the death, lyke as dyd Nephthalim in the hye pla∣ces of the fielde.

19 The kynges came and fought, then fought y^e kynges of Chanaan in Tha∣nach by the waters of Megiddo, and wan no money.

20 They fought from heauen, euen the starres in their tourses fought agaynst Sisara.

21 The ryuer of Kison swept them a∣way, [unspec D] that auncient ryuer the ryuer Ki∣son: O my soule, thou hast marched va∣liauntly.

22 Then were the horse hoofes smitten a∣sunder by the meanes of the praunsings that their mightie men made.

23 Curse ye the citie of (n) 1.81 Meros (sayd the angel of the Lord) curse the inhabitants therof: because they came not to helpe the Lord, to helpe the Lord against the mightie.

24 Iael the wyfe of Haber the Kenite, shalbe blessed aboue other women, bles∣sed shall she be aboue other women in the tent.

25 *He asked water, and she gaue him mylke, she brought foorth butter in a lordly dysshe.

26 She put her hande to the nayle, & her ryght hande to the smythes hammer: with the hammer smote she Sisara, & smote his head, wounded him, and pearsed his temples.

27 He bowed him downe at her feete, he fell downe, and lay styll: At her feete he bowed him selfe, & fell. And whē he had sunke downe, he lay there destroyed.

28 The mother of Sisara loked out at a [unspec E] wyndowe, and cryed thorowe the lat∣tesse: Why is his charret so long a com∣myng? Why tary the wheeles of his charettes?

29 Al the wyse ladyes aunswered her, yea and her owne wordes aunswered her selfe.

30 Surely they haue found, they deuide the spoyles, euery man hath a damsell or two: Sisara hath a pray of diuers couloured garmentes, euen a pray of rayment dyed with sundry colours, and that are made of nedle worke: rayment of diuers colours and of nedle worke on both sydes, which is meete for him that is chiefe in distributing of y^e spoyles.

31 So perishe all thine enemies, O Lord: But they that loue him, let them be as y^e(o) 1.82 sunne whan he ryseth in his myght. And the lande had rest fourtie yeres.

The .vj. Chapter.

1 Israel is oppressed of the Madianites for their wickednes. 14. Gedeon is sent to be their deliuerer. 37. He asked a signe.

[unspec A] 1 ANd the children of Is∣rael committed (a) 1.83 wic∣kednesse in the syght of the Lorde: And the Lorde deliuered them into (b) 1.84 the handes of Madian seuen yeres.

2 And the hand of Madian preuayled a∣gainst Israel: & (c) 1.85 because of the Madi∣anites, y^e children of Israel made them dennes in the mountaynes and caues, and strong holdes.

3 And when Israel had sowen, then came vp the Madianites, the Amalechites, and they of the east,

and came vp agaynst them,

4 And pitched their tentes against them, and destroyed the encrease of the earth, euen tyll thou come vnto Azah, & left no sustenaunce for Israel, neither sheepe, oxe, nor asse:

5 For they went vp, they and their cattel, and came with their tentes as a multi∣tude of grasshopers, so that both they and also their camels were without number: And they entred into the land to destroy it.

6 And so was Israel exceedingly impo∣ueryshed (d) 1.86 in the sight of the Madia∣nites, [unspec B] and cried vnto the Lorde.

7 And when the (e) 1.87 children of Israel cried vnto the Lord, because of the Ma∣dianites,

8 The Lorde sent vnto them a prophet, which sayd vnto them, Thus sayth the Lorde God of Israel: I fet you from Egypt, & brought you out of the house of bondage.

9 And I ryd you out of the hande of the Egyptians, & out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and cast them out before you, and gaue you their land:

10 And I sayd vnto you: I am the Lord your God,* 1.88 feare not the goddes of the Amorites in whose lande you dwell: But you haue not obeyed my voyce.

11 And the angel of the Lorde came and sate vnder an Oke which was in E∣phrah, that parteyned vnto Ioas the father of the Esrites: And his sonne Gedeon threshed wheat by the wyne presse, to hyde it from the Madianites.

12 And the angel of the Lorde appeared vnto him, and said vnto him: The Lord is with thee, thou mightie man.

13 And Gedeon aunswered him:(f) 1.89 Oh my Lord, if the Lorde be with vs, why is all this come vpon vs? Yea, & where be all his miracles which our fathers tolde vs of, and sayd: Dyd not the Lord bryng vs out of Egypt? But nowe the [unspec C] Lord hath forsaken vs, and deliuered vs into the handes of the Madianites.

14 And the g 1.90 Lord loked vpon him, and sayde: Go hence in this thy (h) 1.91 might, and thou shalt deliuer Israel out of the handes of the Madianites: Haue not I sent thee?

15 And he aunswered him: Oh Lorde, wherwith shall I saue Israel? Behold my kinred is poore in Manasses, and I am litle in my fathers house.

16 The Lord sayd vnto him: I will be with thee, & thou shalt smyte the Ma∣dianites, as they were but one man.

17 And he aunswered him: Oh, yf I haue founde grace in thy syght, than shew me a (i) 1.92 a signe, that it is thou that talkest with me:

18 Departe not hence I pray thee vntyll I come vnto thee, & tyll I bryng myne offring, and haue set it before thee. And he sayd: I will tary vntyll thou come a∣gaine.

19 And Gedeon went in, and made redy a kyd, and sweete cakes of an (k 1.93 Epha of floure, and put it with the fleshe in a basket, and put the broth in a pot, and brought it out vnto him vnder the Oke, and presented it.

20 And the angel of God sayd vnto him: Take the flesh and the sweete cakes, & lay them vpon this rocke, and powre out the broth. And he dyd so.

21 Then the angel of the Lord put foorth [unspec D] the end of the staffe that he helde in his hande, and touched the fleshe and the sweete cakes, and * 1.94 there arose vp fire out of the rocke, and consumed the flesh and the sweete cakes: But the angel of the Lord departed out of his sight.

22 And when Gedeon perceaued that it was an angel of the Lorde, he sayde: Alas, O Lorde God,* 1.95 haue I therfore seene an angel of the Lorde face to face, [that I should dye?]

23 And the Lorde sayd vnto him: Peace be vnto thee, feare not, thou shalt not dye.

24 Then Gedeon made an aulter there vnto the Lord, and called it, The Lord of peace. And vnto this day it is yet in Ephrath, that parteyneth vnto the fa∣ther of the Esrites.

25 And the same nyght the Lorde sayde vnto him: Take thy fathers young bul∣locke, & an other bullocke of .vii. yeres olde, and (l) 1.96 destroy the aulter of Baal that thy father hath, and cut downe the groue that is by it:

26 And make an aulter vnto the Lord thy God vpon the top of this rocke in a conuenient place, and take the se∣cond bullocke, and offer burnt sacrifice vpō the wood of the groue which thou shalt cut downe.

27 Then Gedeon toke ten men of his seruauntes, & did as the Lord bad him: But because he feared to do it by daye

for his fathers housholde and the men of the citie, he dyd it by nyght.

[unspec E] 28 And when the men of the citie arose early in the mornyng, beholde the aul∣ter of Baal was broken, & the groue cut downe that was by it, and the (m) 1.97 se∣conde bullocke offered vpon the aulter that was made.

29 And they sayde one to another: who hath done this thing? And whan they enquered and asked, they sayd: Gedeon y^e sonne of Ioas hath done this thing.

30 Then the men of the citie sayde vnto Ioas, Bring out thy sonne, that he may dye: because he hath destroyed the aul∣ter of Baal, and cut downe the groue that was by it.

31 And Ioas sayd vnto al that stoode by him: Will ye pleade Baals cause? or will ye saue him? He that will contende for him, let him dye or the morning. If he be a God, let him pleade for himselfe a∣gaynst him that hath caste downe his aulter.

32 And from that day, was Gedeon cal∣led Ierobaal: because his father had sayd, Let Baal pleade for himselfe, be∣cause he hath broken downe his aulter.

33 All the Madianites therfore, and the Amalekites, and they of the east, were gathered together, & went and pytched in the valley of Iesrael:

34 But the spirite of the Lorde came vp∣pon Gedeon, *and he blewe a trumpet, and n 1.98 Abiezer was ioyned with him.

35 And he sent messengers throughout all Manasses, which also was ioyned with him, and he sent messengers vnto Azar, Zabulon, and Nephthalim, and they [unspec F] came to meete them.

36 And Gedeon sayd vnto God: Yf thou wilt saue Israel by myne hand, as thou hast sayd:

37 Beholde, I wil put a fleece of wool in the treashing place: And if the dewe come on the fleece onely, and it be drye vpon all the earth besyde, then shall I be sure that thou wilt saue Israel by my hand, as thou saydest.

38 And it came so to passe: For he rose vp early on the morowe, & thrust the fleece together, and wrong the dewe therout, and fylled a bowle of water.

39 And Gedeon sayde agayne vnto God: Be not angry with me, that * I speake once more, for I wil proue once agayne by the fleece. Let it be drye onely vpon the fleece, and dewe vpon al the ground.

40 And God dyd so that same nyght: For it was drye vpon the fleece only, & there was dewe on all the grounde.

¶The .vii. Chapter.

1. The Lord commaundeth Gedeon to send away a great parte of his companie. 22. The Modianites are discomfited by a wonderous sort. 25. Oreb and Zeeb are slaine.

[unspec A] 1 THen Ierobaal (who is Gedeon) and all y^e people y^t were with him, rose vp early, & pytched besyde the wel of Harad: so that the hoaste of the Ma∣dianites were on the northsyde of them by the hyll of Moreh in the valley.

2 And the Lord sayd vnto Gedeon: The people that are with thee, are to many for me to geue y^e Madianites into their handes, lest Israel make their (a) 1.99 vaunt against me, and saye: Myne owne hand hath saued me.

3 Nowe therfore make a proclamation in the eares of people, and saye: * 1.100 If any man dread or be afeard, let him returne and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people xxii. thousande, & there abode ten thousande.

4 And the Lord sayd vnto Gedeon: The people are yet to many, bryng them downe vnto the water, and I will trye them vnto thee there. And of whom I say vnto thee, this shal go with thee: the same shal go with thee. And of whom soeuer I say vnto thee, this shal not go with thee: the same shal not go.

5 So he brought downe the people vnto the water: And the Lord said vnto Ge∣deon, As many as lappe y^e water with their tongues as a dogge lappeth, them put by them selues, and [so do] them that kneele downe vpon their knees (b) 1.101 to drincke.

6 And the number of them that put their handes to their mouthes and lapped, were three hundred men: But all y^e rem∣naunt of y^e people kneeled downe vpon

[unspec B] their knees to dryncke water.

7 And the Lorde sayd vnto Gedeon: By these three hundred men that * 1.102 lapped will I saue you, and deliuer the Ma∣dianites into thyne hande: And let all the (d) 1.103 other people go euery man vnto his place.

8 They therfore of the people toke vit∣tailes

[illustration]

with them, and their trumpettes: And he sent all the rest of Israel, euery man vnto his tent, and retayned those three hundreth men: And the hoast of Madian was beneath him in a valley.

9 And the same nyght the Lorde sayde vnto him: Aryse, get thee downe vnto the hoast, for I haue delyuered it into thyne hand.

10 But and if thou feare to go downe, then go thou and Phara thy ladde downe to the hoast.

11 And thou shalt hearken what they say, and so shall thine handes be strong to go downe vnto y^e hoast. Then went he downe & Phara his ladde vnto the outsyde of the men of armes that were in the hoast.

[illustration]

12 And the Madianites, the Amalekites, and all they of the east,* 1.104 lay along in the valley lyke a multitude of grashop∣pers, and their camelles were without numbre, euen as the sande by the sea syde in multitude.

13 And when Gedeon was come, behold, there was a man that tolde a dreame vnto his neyghbour, and sayd: Behold, I dreamed a dreame, and me thought that a cake of barley bread tumbled into the hoast of Madian, and came vnto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and ouer∣turned it that the tent lay along.

[unspec C] 14 And his felowe aunswered and sayd: This is nothing els saue the sworde of Gedeon y^e sonne of Ioas, a man of Is∣rael: for into his hande hath God deli∣uered Madian, and all the hoast.

15 When Gedeon heard the telling of the dreame, & the interpretation of the same, he worshypped, and returned vnto the hoast of Israel, and sayde: Vp, for the Lorde hath deliuered into your hande the hoast of Madian.

16 And he deuided the three hundred men into three companies, and gaue euery man a trumpet in his hande, with emptie pytchers, and e 1.105 lampes therin.

17 And sayde vnto them, Loke on me, and do lykewyse: that when I come to the syde of the hoast, euen as I do, so do you.

18 When I blowe with a trumpet and all that are with me, blowe ye with trum∣pettes also on euery syde of the hoast, and say: For the Lord, and for Gedeon.

19 So Gedeon and the hundred men that were with him, came vnto the out∣syde of the hoast in the begynnyng of the myddle watche, & raysed vp the watch men: And they blewe with their trum∣pettes, & brake the pytchers that were in their handes.

20 And the three companies blewe with trumpettes, & brake the pytchers, and helde the lampes in their left handes, and the trumpettes in their right, to blowe withal: And they cryed, The sworde of the Lorde, and of Gedeon.

21 And they stoodestyll, euery man in his place rounde about the hoast: And all [unspec D] the hoast “ 1.106 ranne, and cryed, and fled.

22 And the three hundreth blewe with trumpettes, and the Lorde set * 1.107 euery mans sworde vppon his (f 1.108 neyghbour throughout all the hoast: and the hoast fled to Bethhasitah, to Zererath, and to the edge of the playne of Meholah vnto Tabbath.

23 And the men of Israel being gathered together out of Nephthalim, of Aser, and of all Manasses, folowed after the Madianites.

24 And Gedeon sent messengers vnto al mount Ephraim, saying: Come downe against the Madianites, and take before them the (g) 1.109 waters vnto Bethbarath, and to Iordane. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered together, & toke the waters vnto Bethbarath, & to Iordane.

25 And they toke two* 1.110 princes of the Ma∣dianites, Oreb and Zeb: and slue Oreb vpon the rocke Oreb, and Zeb at the(h) 1.111 winepresse of Zeb, and folowed after Madian: and brought the heades of Oreb and Zeb to Gedeon on the other syde Iordane.

¶The .viij. Chapter.

1 Ephraim murmureth against Gedeon. 2 who appeaseth them. 4 He passeth Iordane. 16 He reuengeth hym selfe on them of Sucoth and Phanuel. 27 He maketh an Ephod, which was the cause of idolatrie. 30 Of Gedeons sonnes, and of his death.

[unspec A] 1 ANd the men of Ephra∣im said vnto him: Why hast thou serued vs thus, that thou calledst vs not, when thou wentest to fyght with the Madianites? And they chode with him sharpely.

2 And he sayde vnto them: What deede haue I done lyke vnto (a) 1.112 yours? Is not the(b) 1.113 gleaning of grapes of Ephra∣im, better then the vinetage of Abiezer?

3 God hath delyuered into your handes the lordes of Madian, Oreb and Zeb: And what was I able to do lyke as you haue done? And then their spirites abated from of him, when he had sayde that.

4 And Gedeon came to Iordane to passe ouer, he & the three hundred men that were with him weery, and yet folowed the chase.

5 And he sayd vnto y^e men of (c) 1.114 Sucoth: Geue I pray you, takes of bread vnto y^e people that folow me, for they be fayn∣tie, that I may folowe after Zebah, and Zalmana, kynges of Madian.

6 And the lordes of Sucoth sayde: Are the handes of Zebah and Zalmana now in thyne (d) 1.115 handes, that we should geue bread vnto thyne armie?

7 Gedeon sayde: Therfore when the Lord hath deliuered Zebah and Zal∣mana into mine hande, I will teare the flesshe of you with the thornes of the [unspec B] wildernes, and with bryers.

8 And he went vp thence to Phanuel, & spake vnto them lykewyse: And y^e men of Phanuel aunswered him, as did the men of Sucoth.

9 And he sayd also vnto the men of Pha∣nuel: When I come agayne (e) 1.116 in peace, I will breake downe this towre.

10 Zebah & Zalmana were in Carcor, and their hoastes with them, vpon a fifteene thousande men, which were all that were left of all the hoastes of them of the east: For there was slaine an hundred and twentie thousande men that drewe swordes.

11 And Gedeon went thorowe them that dwelt in tabernacles on the east syde of Nobah and Iegbahah, and smote the hoaste: for the hoaste dyd cast no pe∣rylles.

12 And whan Zebah and Zalmana fled, he folowed after them, and toke y^e two kynges of Madian, Zebah and Zal∣mana, and discomfited all the hoaste.

13 And Gedeon the sonne of Ioas, retur∣ned from battel afore the sunne was vp,

14 And caught a ladde of the men of Su∣coth, [unspec C] & enquired of him: And he wrote him of the lordes and elders of Sucoth threescore and seuenteene men.

15 And he came vnto the men of Sucoth, and sayd: Beholde Zebah and Zal∣mana, with which ye dyd cast me in the teeth, saying: Are the handes of Zebah and Zalmana alredy in thyne hande, that we should geue bread vnto thy fayntie men?

16 And he toke the elders of the citie, and thornes of the wildernesse, and bryers, and dyd teare the men of Sucoth with them.

17 And he brake downe the towre of *Phanuel, & slue the men of the citie.

18 And then sayde he vnto Zebah and Zalmana: what maner of men were they whom ye slue at Thabor? And they aunswered: The lykenesse of thee and them is al one, euē after the fashion of the children of a kyng.

19 And he sayd, They were my brethren, euen my (f) 1.117 mothers children: As truly as the Lord liueth, if ye had saued their lyues, I would not slay you.

20 And he sayde vnto Iether his eldest sonne, Vp and slay them. But the ladde drue not his sworde: for he feared, be∣cause he was yet young.

21 Then Zebah and Zalmana sayde: Ryse thou, and fall vpon vs: for as(g) 1.118 [unspec D] the man is, so is his strength. And Ge∣deon arose, and slue Zebah and Zal∣mana, and toke away the ornamentes that were on their camels neckes.

22 Then the men of Israel sayde vnto Gedeon: Raigne thou ouer vs, both thou, thy sonne, and thy (h) 1.119 sonnes sonne, for thou hast deliuered vs out of y^e hand of Madian.

23 And Gedeon sayd vnto them: I wyll not raigne ouer you, neither shall my childe raigne ouer you: but the Lorde shall (i) 1.120 raigne ouer you.

24 And agayne Gedeon said vnto them: I would desire a request of you, euen that you would geue me euery man the *earinges of his pray. For they had gol∣den earinges, because they were Is∣maelites.

25 And they aunswered: We will gyue them. And they spread a mantell, and dyd cast therin euery man the earynges of his pray.

26 And the wayght of y^e golden earinges that he required, was a thousand and seuen hundred sicles of golde, besyde chaynes and iewelles, and purple ray∣ment that was on the kynges of Madi∣an, and besyde the chaynes that were about their camels neckes.

27 And Gedeon made an(k) 1.121 Ephod ther∣of, and put it in his citie Ephrah: And all Israel went a whoryng after it in the same place, which thing became a ruyne vnto Gedeon and to his house.

28 Thus was Madian brought lowe be∣fore the children of Israel, so that they [unspec E] lyft vp their heades no more: And the countrey was in quietnes fourtie yeres in the dayes of Gedeon.

29 And Ierobaal y^e sonne of Ioas, went and dwelt in his owne house.

30 And Gedeon had threescore and ten sonnes of his body begotten: for he had many wyues.

31 And his cōcubine that was in Sichem bare him a sonne also, whose name he called Abimelech.

32 And Gedeon the sonne of Ioas dyed in a good age, and was buryed in the se∣pulchre of Ioas his father, euen in E∣phrah, that parteyned vnto the father of the Esrites.

33 But assoone as Gedeon was dead, the children of Israel turned away, & went a whoryng after Baalim, and made a couenaunt with Baal to be their God.

34 And the children of Israel thought not on the Lorde their God, which had deliuered them out of the handes of all their enemies on euery syde: [unspec E]

35 Neither (l) 1.122 shewed they mercy on the house of Ierobaal [otherwyse called] Gedeon, according to all the goodnes which he had shewed vnto Israel.

The .ix. Chapter.

1. Abimelech vsurpeth the kyngdome, and putteth his brethren to death. 7. Ioatham proposeth a parable. 23. Hatred betweene Abimelech, and the Sichemites. 26. Gaal conspireth agaynst him, and is ouercome. 53. Abimelech is wounded to death by a woman.

[unspec A] 1 ABimelech the sonne of Ierobaal went to Si∣chem vnto his mo∣thers brethren, & com∣muned with them, & with all the kynrede of the house of his mo∣thers father, saying:

2 Saye I pray you, in the eares of all the men of Sichem, whether is better for you, that all the sonnes of Ierobaal, (which are threescore and ten persons) raigne ouer you: either that one raigne ouer you? Remember that I am of your bone, and of your fleshe.

3 And his mothers brethren spake of him in the audience of all the men of Si∣chem all these wordes, & their heartes were moued to folow Abimelech: For they sayde, He is our brother.

4 And they gaue him threescore and ten peeces of siluer out of the house of Baal Berith, wherwith Abimelech hyred vayne and light persons, which went with hym.

5 And he went vnto his fathers house at Ephrah, * and (a) 1.123 slue his brethren, the sonnes of Ierobaal, beyng threescore & ten persons, vpon one stone: Notwith∣standyng, yet Ioatham the youngest sonne of Ierobaal escaped, for he hyd hymselfe.

9 And all the men of Sichem gathered together, and al the house of Mello, and came and made Abimelech kyng in the playne, where the stone was in Si∣chem.

[unspec B] 7 And when they tolde it to Ioatham, he went and stoode in the top of mount Garizim, and lyft vp his voyce, & cryed, and sayd vnto them: Hearken vnto me you men of Sichem, that God may hearken vnto you.

8 (b) 1.124The trees went foorth to annoynt a kyng ouer them, and sayde vnto the Olyue tree: Raigne thou ouer vs.

9 But the Olyue tree sayd vnto them: Should I leaue my fatnesse wherwith by me they honour (c) 1.125 God and man, & to be promoted ouer the trees?

10 And the trees sayd to the figge tree: Come thou, and be kyng ouer vs.

11 The figge tree aunswered them: should I forsake my sweetnes, and my good fruite, and go to be promoted ouer the trees?

12 Then sayde the trees vnto the vine: Come thou and be kyng ouer vs.

13 The vine sayde vnto them: Should I leaue my wine wherby I cheare both [unspec C] (d) 1.126 God and man, and go to be promoted ouer the trees?

14 Then said all the trees vnto the bryer: Come thou and raigne ouer vs.

15 And the bryer sayde vnto the trees: If it be true that ye will annoynt me kyng ouer you, then come and put your trust vnder my shadow: If no, the (e) 1.127 fyre come out of the bryer, & waste the Cedar trees of Libanon.

16 Nowe therfore, if ye do truely and vn∣corruptly to make Abimelech kyng, and if ye haue dealte well with Ierobaal & his house, and haue done vnto hym ac∣cording to the deseruing of his handes:

17 (For euen my father fought for

you, and aduentured his life, and ridde you out of the hande of Madian.

18 And ye are rysen vp agaynst my fa∣thers house this day, and haue slayne his children, beyng threescore & ten per∣sones vpon one stone, and haue made A∣bimelech the sonne of his mayde ser∣uaunt, king ouer the men of Sichem, be∣cause he is your brother.)

19 If ye then haue dealt truely and pure∣ly with Ierobaal and with his house this day, then reioyce ye with Abime∣lech, and let him reioyce with you.

20 But if you haue not dealt truely, then let a fire come out of Abimelech, & con∣sume the men of Sichem, & the house of Mello: and let there come out a fire frō among the men of Sichem, & out of the house of Mello, & consume Abimelech.

[unspec D] 21 And Ioatham ran away and fledde, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for feare of Abimelech his brother.

22 When Abimelech had raigned three yeres ouer Israel,

23 God (g) 1.128 sent an euyll spirite betweene Abimelech, & the men of Sichem: and the citezins of Sichem brake their pro∣mise to Abimelech,

24 That the wickednes done to the three¦score and ten sonnes of Ierobaal might come on him, and that God might lay the blood of them vnto Abimelech their brother, which slue them, and vpon the other men of Sichem which ayded him in the killing of his brethren.

25 And the citezins of Sichem set men to lay awayte for hym in the toppe of the mountaynes, which men robbed al that came along the way by them: And it was tolde Abimelech.

26 And Gaal the sonne of Obed came with his brethren, and they gat them to Sichem: and the men of Sichem put their confidence in him.

27 And they went out into the fieldes, and gathered in their grapes, & trode them, and made mery, & went into the house of their god, and dyd eate and drinke, and cursed Abimelech.

[unspec C] 28 And Gaal the sonne of Obed sayde: what is Abimelech? & what is Sichem, that we shoulde serue him? Is he not the sonne of Ierobaal? & Zebul is his officer? Serue such as come of Hemor the father of Sichem: for what reason is it that we shoulde serue him?

29 Woulde God this people were vnder my hande, then would I take Abime∣lech out of y^e way. And he spake against Abimelech: Make thine hoast greater, and go out. [unspec E]

30 And when Zebul the ruler of the citie hearde the wordes of Gaal the sonne of Obed, he was wroth.

31 And sent messengers vnto Abimelech priuyly, saying: Behold, Gaal the sonne of Obed and his brethren be come to Sichem, and beholde they fortifie the citie agaynst thee.

32 Now therfore vp by night, thou and the people that is with thee, and lye in wayte in the fielde.

33 And rise early in the morning assone as the sunne is vp, and fall vpon the citie: And if he & the people that is with hym come out against thee, do to hym what thine handes shalbe able.

34 And Abimelech rose vp, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they layde awayte against Sichem in foure companies.

35 And Gaal the sonne of Obed went out, [unspec F] and stoode in the entring of the gate of the citie: And Abimelech rose vp, and the folke that were with him, from lying in wayte.

36 And when Gaal sawe y^e people, he sayd to Zebul: Beholde, there come people downe from the top of the mountaines. And Zebul sayd vnto him: (h) 1.129 The sha∣dow of the hylles seeme men vnto thee.

37 And Gaal aunswered agayne, & sayd: See, there come folke downe by y^e mid∣dle of the land, & another company come along by the playne of the charmars.

38 Then sayd Zebul vnto him: Where is nowe thy mouth that said, what felowe is Abimelech, that we should serue him? Is not this the people that thou hast despysed? Go out now & fight with thē.

39 And Gaal went out before the citezins of Sichem, & fought with Abimelech.

40 And Abimelech chased him, that he fled before him, and many were ouer∣throwen & wounded, euen vnto the en∣tring of the gate.

41 And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal & his brethrē that they shoulde not dwell in Sichem.

42 And on the morow, the people wēt out into the fielde: And they told Abimelech. [unspec G]

43 And he toke the people, & deuided them into three cōpanies, & layd awayte in the fielde, and loked, and behold the people were come out of the citie, and he ran vpon them, and smote them.

44 And Abimelech and the companions that were with him, rushed forward, & stoode in the entring of the gate of the ci∣tie: and the two other companions ran vpon all the people that were in the fieldes, and slue them.

45 And when Abimelech had fought a∣gainst the citie al that day, he toke it, and slue the people that was therin, and de∣stroyed the citie, and sowed i 1.130 salte in it.

46 And when all the men of the towre of Sichem heard that, they entred into an holde of the house of the god k 1.131 Berith.

47 And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the towre of Sichem were gathered together.

48 And Abimeleh gat him to mount Zel∣mon, both he & all the people that were with him, & toke axes with him, and cut downe bowes of trees, & toke them and bare them on his shulder, & sayde vnto the folke that were with hym: what ye haue seene me do, speede your selues, & do lykewyse as I haue done.

49 And al the men that were among the people, cut downe bowes, and folowed Abimelech, and put them into the hold, and set the holde a fire by them: so that al the men of the towre of Sichem died also, vpon a thousande men & women.

50 Then went Abimelech to Thebez, & besieged it, and toke it.

51 But there was a strong towre within the citie, and thyther ranne all the men and women, and all the chiefe that were in the citie, and shut it to them, and gate them vp to the toppe of the towre.

52 And Abimelech came vnto the towre, and fought agaynst it, and went harde vnto the doore of y^e towre to set it on fire.

53 And a certayne woman * 1.132 cast a peece of a mylstone vpon his head, & all to brake his brayne panne.

54 Then Abimelech called hastyly vnto the young man that bare his harnesse, and sayde vnto him: Drawe thy sworde and slea me, that men say not of me, A woman slue him: And his lad thrust him thorowe, and he died.

55 And when the men of Israel sawe that Abimelech was dead, they depar∣ted euery man vnto his owne house.

56 Thus God rendred the wickednesse of Abimelech which he dyd vnto his fa∣ther, in sleyng his seuentie brethren.

57 And therto all the wickednesse of the men of Sichem, dyd God bryng vpon their heades: And vpon them came the l 1.133 curse of Ioatham the sonne of Iero∣baal.

¶The .x. Chapter.

2 Thola died. 5 Iair also died. 17 The Israelites are punished for their sinnes. 10 They crye vnto God, 16 And he hath pitie on them.

[unspec A] 1 AFter Abimelech, there arose to defende Is∣rael Thola the sonne of Phuah the sonne of Dodo, a man of Isa∣char, whiche dwelt in Samir in mount E∣phraim.

2 And he “ 1.134 iudged Israel twentie & three yeres, & died, & was buried in Samir.

3 And after him, arose Iair a Gilea∣dite, and iudged Israel twintie and two yeres.

4 And he had thirtie sonnes that rode on (a) 1.135 thirtie Asse coltes, and they had thirtie cities, which are called (b) 1.136 Hauoth Iair vnto this day, and are in the lande of Gilead.

5 And Iair died, and was buried in Ca∣mon.

6 And the children of Israel wrought wickednesse yet agayne in the sight of the Lord, and serued Baalim and Asta∣roth, and the gods of “ 1.137 Siria, the gods of Sidon, and the gods of Moab, the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsoke the Lorde, and serued not him.

7 And the Lord was wroth with Isra∣el, [unspec B] and he “ 1.138 solde them into the handes of the Philistines, and into the handes of the children of Ammon.

8 Which from that yere foorth, pilde and oppressed the children of Israel eyght∣teene yeres, c 1.139 al that were on the other side Iordane, in the lande of the Amo∣rites whiche is in Gilead.

9 Moreouer, y^e children of Ammon went ouer Iordane to fight agaynst Iuda, Beniamin, and the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was sore cumbred.

10 And the children of Israel cryed vnto y^e Lord, saying: We haue sinned against thee, for we haue forsaken our owne

God, and haue carued Baalim.

11 And the Lorde d 1.140 sayde vnto the chil∣drē of Israel: Dyd not I ryd you from the Egiptians and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines?

12 The Sidonites also, and the Amale∣kites, & the Maonites dyd oppresse you, and ye cryed to me, and I deliuered you out of their handes.

••3 And for all * 1.141 that, ye haue forsaken me and serued straunge gods, wherfore I will helpe you no more.

[unspec C] 14 Go and crye vnto the gods whiche ye haue chosen, and let them saue you in the tyme of your tribulation.

15 And the children of Israel sayde vnto the Lord: We haue sinned, do thou vnto vs whatsoeuer please thee, deliuer vs onely we pray thee this day.

16 And they put away the straunge gods from them, & serued the Lord: And his soule had pitie on the miserie of Israel.

17 Then the children of Ammon gathe∣red together, & pitched in Gilead: And the children of Israel gathered them together, and pitched in Mispah.

18 And the people and lordes of Gilead sayde eche to other: whosoeuer will be∣ginne the battell agaynst the children of Ammon, the same shalbe head ouer all the inhabitauntes of Gilead.

The .xi. Chapter.

2 Iephthah beyng chased away by his brethren, was after made captayne ouer Israel. 30 He maketh a rashe vowe. 32 He vanquisheth the Ammonites, 39 And sacrificeth his daughter according to his vowe.

[illustration]

1 AND there was one Iephthaha Gileadite, a strong man, the sonne of an harlot.

2 And Gilead begat Iephthah: And Gi∣leads wyfe bare him sonnes, which when they were come to age, thrust out Iephthah, and said vnto him: Thou shalt not inherite in our fa∣thers house, for thou art the sonne of a * 1.142 straunge woman.

3 Then Iephthah fled from his bre∣thren, and dwelt in the lande of * 1.143 Tob: And there gathered ydle men to Ieph∣thah, and (c) 1.144 went out with him.

4 And in processe of time, the children of Ammon made warre agaynst Is∣rael.

5 And when the children of Ammon fought thus agaynst Israel, the elders of Gilead went to fet Iephthah out of the lande of Tob,

6 And sayde vnto him: Come, and (d) 1.145 be our captayne, that we may fight with the children of Ammon.

7 Iephthah aunswered the elders of

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11 After him, Elon a Zabulonite iudged Israel ten yeres.

12 And Elon the Zabulonite died, & was buried in A••alon, in the countrey of Za∣bulon.

13 After him, Abdon the sonne of Hellel, a Pharathonite, iudged Israel.

14 And he had fourtie sonnes, and thirtie neuewes, that rode on threscore and ten asse coltes: And when Abdon the sonne of Hellel the Pharathonite had iudged Israel eight yeres,

15 He died, & was buryed in Pharathon in the lande of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites.

¶The .xiii. Chapter.

1 Israel for their wickednesse is oppressed of the Philistines. 3 The angel appeareth to Manoahs wife. 16 The angell commaundeth him to sacrifice vnto the Lorde. 24 The birth of Samson.

[unspec A] 1 ANd the children of Is∣rael “ 1.146began agayne to cōmitte * 1.147 wickednesse in the sight of the lord, and the Lorde deliue∣red them into the han∣des of the Philistines fourtie yeres.

2 And there was a man in Zaraah of the kinred of Dan, named Manoah, whose wife was barren, and bare not.

3 And the angell of the Lord appeared vnto the woman; & sayde vnto her: Be∣holde, nowe thou art barren, & bearest not, but thou shalt conceaue, and beare a sonne.

4 And nowe therfore beware *that thou drinke no wyne, nor strong drinke, nei∣ther eate any vncleane thing:

5 For lo, thou shalt conceaue and beare a sonne, And ther may no *rasor come on his head, for y^e ladde shalbe (a) 1.148 a Naza∣rite vnto God euen from his byrth: And he shal beginne to saue Israel out of the handes of the Philistines.

6 Then the wife came, & tolde her hus∣bande, saying: A man of God came vnto me, and the fashion of him was lyke the fashion of an angell of God, exceeding “ 1.149 fearful: But I asked him not whence he was, neither tolde he me his name:

[unspec B] 7 But sayde vnto me, behold, thou shalt be with childe and beare a sonne, & now drinke no wyne nor strong drinke, nei∣ther eate any vncleane thing, for the ladde shalbe an abstayner to God, euen from his byrth to the day of his death.

8 Then Manoah made intercession to the Lorde, and sayde: I pray thee my Lorde, let the man of God whiche thou sendedst, come agayne vnto vs, & teache vs what we shal do vnto the ladde whē he is borne.

9 And God heard the voyce of Manoah: and the angel of God came agayne vn∣to the wife as she sate in the felde: but Manoah her husbād was not with her.

10 And the wife made haste, and ranne & shewed her husbande, & sayde vnto him: behold, the man appeared vnto me that came vnto me (b) 1.150 to day.

11 And Manoah arose & went after his wife, and came to the (c) 1.151 man, and sayde vnto him: Art thou the mā that spakest vnto the woman? And he sayde: I am.

12 Manoah sayde, Nowe let thy saying come to passe: Howe shall we order the childe, and do vnto him?

13 And the angell of the Lord sayd vnto Manoah: The woman must absteyne from all that I sayde vnto her: [unspec C]

14 She may eate of nothing that cōmeth of the vine tree, nor drinke wine or strong drinke, nor eate any (d) 1.152 vncleane thing: but must obserue all that I bad her.

15 Manoah sayde vnto the angell of the Lorde: I pray thee let vs retayne thee vntill we haue made redy a kyd before thee.

16 And the angel of the Lord sayde vnto Manoah: Though thou make me a∣bide, I wil not eate of thy bread: And if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it vnto the (e) 1.153 Lorde. For Ma∣noah wist not that it was an angell of the Lorde.

17 And Manoah sayde agayne vnto the angell of the Lord: What is thy name, that when thy saying is come to passe, we may do thee worshippe?

18 And the angel of the Lorde sayde vn∣to him:*Why askest thou thus after my name, which is secrete?

And so Manoah toke a kyd, with a meat offring, and offred it vpon a rocke

vnto the Lorde: And the angell did * 1.154 wonderously, Manoah and his wife lokyng vpon.

20 * 1.155And whē the flambe came vp toward heauen from the aulter, the angell of the Lorde ascended vp in the flambe of the aulter: And Manoah and his wyfe loked vpon it, and fell on their faces vn∣to the grounde.

21 (But the angel of the Lord did no more appeare vnto Manoah and his wyfe:) And then Manoah knewe that it was an angel of the Lorde,

22 And sayd vnto his wyfe: * 1.156 We shal sure∣ly dye, because we haue seene God.

23 But his wyfe sayde vnto him: Yf the Lord would kyll vs, he would not haue g 1.157receaued a burnt offering and a meate offering of our handes, neither woulde he haue shewed vs al these thinges, nor woulde nowe haue tolde vs any suche.

24 And the wyfe bare a sonne, and called his name Samson: And y^e ladde grewe, and the Lorde blessed him.

25 And the spirite of the Lorde began to “ 1.158 strengthen him in the hoast of Dan, betweene Zaraah and Esthaol.

The .xiiii. Chapter.

2 Samson desireth to haue a wyfe of the Philistines. 6 He killeth a Lion. 12 He propoundeth a riddle. 19 He killeth thirtie. 20 His wyfe forsaketh him, and taketh another.

[illustration]

[unspec A] 1 SAmson went downe to Thamnath, and sawe a womā in Thamnath of the daughters of the Philistines:

2 And he came vp, and told his father and his mother, & said: I haue sene a woman in Thamnath of the daughters of the Phi∣listines: & nowe “ 1.159geue me her to wyfe.

3 Then his father and mother sayd vn∣to him: (a) 1.160 Is there neuer a woman a∣mong the daughters of thy brethren, & among al my people, but that thou must go, and take a wyfe of the vncircumcised Philistines? And Samson sayd vnto his father: Geue me this woman, for she pleaseth me well.

4 But his father and mother (b) 1.161 wist not that it was the Lordes doyng, and that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philisti∣nes raigned ouer Israel.

5 Then went Samson and his father & his mother downe to Thamnath, and came to the vineyardes of Thamnath: and beholde, a young Lion roared vpon him.

6 And the spirite of the Lord (c) 1.162 came vpō him, and he tare him as he would haue rent a kydde, and yet had nothing in his hande: neither tolde his father and mo∣ther what he had done.

7 And he went downe, & talked with the [unspec B] woman, whiche seemed well fauoured in the sight of Samson.

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13 They aunswered him, saying: No, but we will bynde thee, & (d) 1.163 delyuer thee vnto their handes: but we wyll not kyll thee. And they bounde hym with two new cordes, and brought him from the rocke.

[unspec C] 14 And when he came to Lehi, the Phi∣listines showted agaynst him: And the spirite of the Lord came vpon him, and the cordes that were vpon his armes, became as flaxe that was burnt with fire, for the bandes loosed from of his handes.

15 And he founde a (e) 1.164 newe iawe bone of an Asse, & put foorth his hande, and caught it, and slue a thousande men therwith.

16 And Samson sayde: With the iawe of an Asse, heapes vpon heapes: with the iawe of an Asse haue I slayne a thousande men.

17 And when he had left speakyng, he cast away the iawe bone out of his hande, and called the place f 1.165 Ramath Lehi.

18 And he was sore a thyrst, and called on the Lord, and sayde: Thou hast geuen this great victory in the hande of thy seruaunt: and nowe I must dye for thirst, and fall into the handes of the vn∣circumcised.

19 But God brake a great tooth that was in the iawe, & there came water ther∣out, and when he had drunke, his spi∣rite came agayne, & he was refreshed: wherfore the name thereof was called vnto this day, The well of the caller on: which came of the iawe.

20 And he iudged Israel in the dayes of the Philistines, twentie yeres.

The .xvj. Chapter.

1. Samson carieth away the gates of Azzah. 18. He was deceaued by Delila. 30. He pulleth downe the house vpon the Philistines, and dyeth with them.

[unspec A] 1 THen went Samson to Azzah, and sawe there an harlot, and went in vnto her.

2 And it was tolde the Azathites, saying: Samson is come hy∣ther. And they went about, and layde a wayte for hym there all nyght in the gate of the citie, and were styll all the nyght, saying: In the mornyng whan it is day, we shall kyll hym.

3 And Samson toke his rest tyll myd∣nyght, and arose at mydnyght, and toke the doores of the gate of the citie, and the two postes, and rent them of with the barre and all, and put them vppon his shoulders, and caryed them vp to the top of an hyll, that is before He∣bron.

[illustration]

4 And after this, he loued a woman by the * 1.166 ryuer of Sorek, whose name was Dalila.

5 Vnto whom came the lordes of the Philistines, and sayde vnto her: * 1.167 Per∣swade him, and see wherin his great strenght lyeth, and by what meanes we may ouercome him, that we may bynde him, and punishe hym: and euery one of vs shall geue thee a leuen hundred sil∣uer lynges.

6 And Dalila sayde to Samson: Oh, tell me where thy great strength lyeth, and how thou myghtest be bounde and brought vnder.

[unspec B] 7 Samson aunswered vnto her: Yf they binde me with seuen greene wythes that were neuer dryed, I shalbe weake, and be as an other man.

8 And then the lordes of the Philistines brought her seuen wythes that were yet greene & neuer dryed, and she bound hym therwith.

9 (Notwithstanding she had men lying in wayte with her in the chaumbre): And she said vnto him, The Philistines be vpon thee Samson. And immediatly he brake the cordes, as a stryng of towe breaketh when it fealeth fire. And so his strength was not knowen.

10 And Dalila sayde vnto Samson: See, thou hast mocked me, and tolde me lies: Now therfore tell me wherwith thou myghtest be bounde.

11 He aunswered her: Yf they bynde me with newe ropes that neuer were occu∣pied, I shall be weake, and be as an o∣ther man.

12 Dalila therfore toke newe ropes, and bounde him therwith, and sayde vnto him, The Philistines be vpō thee Sam∣son. (And there were lyers of wayte in the chamber.) And he brake them from of his armes, as they had ben but a threade.

13 And Dalila sayde vnto Samson, Hy∣therto thou hast beguyled me, and tolde me lyes: Yet tell me howe thou mygh∣test be bounde. He sayde vnto her: Yf thou plattest the seuen lockes of my head with the threades of the wooffe.

14 And she fastened it with a pynne, and [unspec C] sayde vnto him: The Philistines be vpō thee Samson. And he awaked out of his sleepe, and went away with the pynne of the webbe and the wooffe.

15 And she sayde vnto him agayne: How canst thou saye (c) 1.168 I loue thee, when thyne heart is not with me? Thou hast mocked me this three tymes, and hast not tolde me wherin thy great strength lyeth.

16 And as she laye vpon hym with her wordes, continually vexyng of him,(d) 1.169 his soule was encumbred euē vnto y^e death.

17 And so he tolde her all his heart, & said vnto her: There neuer came rasor vpon myne head, for I haue ben a Naza∣rite vnto God, euen from my mothers wombe: Therfore when I am shauen, my strength will go from me, & I shall waxe weake, and be lyke all [other] men.

[illustration]

18 And when Dalila sawe that he had tolde her all his heart, she sent and cal∣led for the lordes of the Philistines, say∣ing: Come vp yet this once, for he hath shewed me all his hearte. Then y^e lordes of the Philistines came vp vnto her, and brought the money in their handes.

19 And she made hym sleepe vpon her knees, and she sent for a man, and he dyd shaue of the seuen lockes of his head, & began to vexe him, and his strength(e) 1.170 was gone from him.

20 And she sayde, The Philistines be vpon thee Samson. And he awoke out of his sleepe, and sayde: I will go out now as at other tymes before, & shake my selfe. And he wist not that the Lord was departed from hym.

21 But the Philistines toke hym, and put out his eyes, and brought him downe to *Azzah, and bounde him with fetters of brasse: and he dyd grynde in the pri∣son house.

[unspec D] 21 Howbeit the heere of his head began (f) 1.171 to growe agayne after that he was shauen.

23 Then the lordes of the Philistines ga∣thered them together, for to offer a so∣lempne offring vnto Dagon their God, and to reioyce: For they sayd, Our God hath deliuered Samson our enemie in∣to our handes.

24 And when the people sawe him, they praysed their God: for they sayde, Our God hath delyuered into our handes our enemie, and destroyer of our coun∣trey, whiche slue manye of vs.

25 And when their heartes were mery, they sayde: Send for Samson, that he may make vs laugh. And they fet Samson out of the prison house, and he played before them: and they set hym betweene the pyllers.

26 And Samson sayde vnto the lad that led hym by the hande: Set me that I may touche the pyllers that the house standeth vpon, and that I may leane to them.

27 And the house was full of men and women, and there were all the lordes of the Philistines: And there were vpon the roofe a three thousande men and women, that behelde whyle Samson * 1.172 played.

28 And Samson called vnto the Lorde, and sayde: O Lorde God I pray thee thyncke vpon me, and strengthen me I beseche thee at this tyme onelye O [unspec E] God, that I may be “ 1.173 at once auenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.

29 And Samson caught the two middle pyllers on which the house stoode and on which it was born•• vp, the one in his ryght hande, and the other in his left.

30 And Samson sayde: My soule shall dye with the Philistines, and bowed them with all his myght, and the house fell vpon the lordes and vpon all the people that were therin: And so y^e dead which he slue at his death, were mo then they which he slue in his lyfe.

31 And then his brethren & all the house of his father came downe, and toke him vp, and brought hym, and buryed hym betweene Zarah and Esthaol, in the burying place of Manoah his father: And he iudged Israel twentie yeres.

¶The .xvii. Chapter.

3. Micahs mother according to her vowe made her sonne two idoles. 5. He made his sonne a priest for his idoles. 10. And after he hired a Leuite.

1 THere was a man of [unspec A] mount Ephraim, na∣med Micah.

2 And he sayde vnto his mother: The se∣uen hundred (a) 1.174 siluer∣lynges that were ta∣ken from thee, about which thou cur∣sedst, and spakest it in myne eares, be∣hold the syluer is with me, I toke it away. And his mother sayd: Blessed be thou my sonne, in the Lorde.

3 And when he had restored the leuen hundreth syluerlynges to his mother, his mother sayde: I had dedicated the syluer vnto the Lorde of myne hande for thee my sonne, that thou shouldest make a grauen and moulten (b) 1.175 image: Now therfore I will geue it thee a∣gayne.

4 And when he restored the money vnto his mother, his mother toke two hun∣dreth syluerlynges, and gaue them the founder, which made therof a grauen

moulten image, and it was in the house of Micah.

5 And the man Micah had an house of goddes, and made an * 1.176 Ephod and d 1.177 Theraphim, and “ 1.178 consecrated one of his sonnes, which became his prieste.

6 In those dayes there was no kyng in Israel, but euery man dyd that which was good in his owne eyes.

[unspec B] 7 And there was a young man out of Bethlehem Iuda, of the kynred of Iu∣da, which young man was a Leuite, & soiourned there.

8 And the man departed out of the citie of Bethlehem Iuda, to go dwell where he coulde fynde [a conuenient place]: And he came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah as he iourneyed.

9 And Micah sayde vnto him: Whence cōmest thou? The Leuite aunswered hym: I am of Bethlehem Iuda, and go to dwell where I may (e) 1.179 fynde [a place].

10 And Micah sayde agayne vnto hym: Dwell with me, and be vnto me a fa∣ther and a prieste, and I will geue thee ten syluerlynges by yere, two gar∣mentes, and thy meate and dryncke. So the Leuite went in.

11 And y^e Leuite was (f) 1.180 content to dwell with the man, and was vnto hym as one of his owne sonnes.

12 And Micah consecrated the Leuite, & the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.

13 Then sayde Micah: Now I am sure that the Lord will be (g) 1.181 good vnto me, seing I haue a Leuite to my prieste.

The .xviii. Chapter

2. The children of Dan send men to searche the land. 11. Then come the six hundreth and take the gods and the priest of Micah awaye. 27. They destroy Lais. 28. They buyld it agayne. 30. And set vp idolatrie.

[unspec A] 1 IN those dayes there was (a) 1.182 no kyng in Is∣rael, and in those dayes the tribe of Dan sought them an inhe∣ritaunce to dwell in: For vnto that tyme all their inheritaunce had not fallen vnto them among the tribe of Israel.

2 And the children of Dan sent of their kynred fyue actiue men in feates of warre out of their coastes, euen out of Zaraah & Esthaol, to viewe the lande and searche it out, and sayde vnto them: Go, and searche out the lande. Which whan they came to mount Ephraim, euen to the house of Micah, they lodged there.

3 And when they were in the house of Micah, they knewe * 1.183 the voyce of the young man the Leuite: And when they turned in thyther, they sayde vnto him: Who brought thee thyther? What ma∣kest thou in this place? and what hast thou here?

4 And he aunswered them: Thus and thus dealeth Micah with me, and hath hyred me, and I am become his priest.

5 And they sayd vnto hym agayne: Aske counsell now of God, that we may knowe whether the way which we go shalbe prousperous, or no.

6 And the priest sayde vnto them: (c) 1.184 Go in peace, for the Lorde guydeth your way which ye go.

7 Then the fyue men departed, & came to Lais, and sawe the people that were therin, howe they dwelt carelesse, after [unspec B] the maner of the Sidons styll, & with∣out castyng of perils, and that no man “ 1.185 made any trouble in the lande, or vsur∣ped any dominion: but were farre from the Sidons, and had no busynesse with other men.

8 And they came agayne vnto their bre∣thren to Zaraah and Esthaol, and their brethren sayde vnto them: What haue ye done?

9 And they aunswered: Aryse, that we may go vp agaynst them, for we haue seene the lande, surely a very good one: And do ye syt styll? Be not slouthfull to go and entre to possesse the lande.

10 Yf ye will go, ye shall come vnto a peo∣ple that casteth no perils, and it is a ve∣ry large countrey, which God hath ge∣uen into your handes: It is also a place which doth lacke nothing that is in the worlde.

11 And there departed thence of the kyn∣red of the Danites, euen out of Zaraah 〈2 pages missing〉〈2 pages missing〉

wyll bryng out nowe vnto you, and (h) 1.186 humble them, & do with them what seemeth you good: but vnto this man do not so abhominable a thing.

25 But the men woulde not hearken to hym: And the man toke his concubine, and brought her out vnto them, whiche knewe her, and abused her al the night, euen vnto the mornyng: and when the day began to spryng, they let her go.

26 And then came the woman in the daw∣nyng of the day, and fell (i) 1.187 downe at the doore of the mans house where her lord “ 1.188 was, tyll it was day.

27 And her lorde arose vp in the morning, and opened the doores of the house, and went out to go his way: and beholde the woman, euen his concubine, laye a∣long before the doore of the house, and her handes vpon the thresholde.

28 And he (k) 1.189 sayde vnto her, Vp, and let vs be goyng: But she aunswered not. Then the man toke her vp vpō an asse, & stoode vp, & gate hym vnto his (l) 1.190 place.

29 And whē he was come into his house, he toke a knyfe, and caught his concu∣bine, and deuided her in peeces, with the bones, into twelue partes, and sent her into all quarters of Israel.

30 And all that sawe it, sayde: There was no suche deede done or seene sence the childrē of Israel came out of Egypt vnto this day. Consider the matter, take aduisement, and say your myndes.

¶The .xx. Chapter.

1 The Israelites assemble in Mispah, to whom the Leuite declareth his wrong. 13 They sende for them that dyd the villanie. 25 The Israelites are twyse ouercome, 26 and at length get the victorie.

[illustration]

[unspec A] 1 THen * 1.191 all the chyldren of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as (a) 1.192one man, euen from Dan to Beerseba, with the lande of Gilead, vn∣to the Lorde in Mispah.

2 And there assembled the chiefe men of all the people, [and] of all the tribes of Israel, in the congregation of the peo∣ple of God, foure hundred thousande footemen that drewe swordes.

3 (Now the chyldren of Beniamin heard that the chyldren of Israel were gone vp to Mispah) Then (b) 1.193 sayde the chyl∣dren of Israel: Tell vs howe this wic∣kednes is commi••ted?

4 And the Leuite the womans husband that was slayne, aunswered and saide: I came into Gibea that is in Beniamin with my concubine, to lodge all nyght:

5 And the men of Gibea rose against me, and beset the house rounde about vpon me by night, & thought to haue slayne me, and my concubyne haue they forced, that she is dead.

6 And I toke my concubine, & cut her in peeces, and sent her throughout all the countrey of the inheritaunce of Israel: For they haue committed abhomina∣tion and villanie in Israel.

[unspec B] 7 Beholde ye are all children of Israel, geue your aduice and counsel herein.

8 And all the people arose as one man, saying: There shal not a man of vs go to his tent, neither turne into his (c) 1.194 house.

9 But this shalbe it that we will do to Gibea: [we will go vp] by lot against it:

10 And we will take ten men of the hun∣dred throughout all the tribes of Isra∣el, and an hundred of the thousande, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch vitayle for the people, that they may do when they come to Gibea Beniamin, ac∣cording to all the abhomination that they haue wrought in Israel.

11 And so all the men of Israel gathered together against the citie, knyt toge∣ther as one man.

12 And the tribes of Israel sent men tho∣rowe all the tribe of Beniamin, saying: * 1.195What wickednesse is this that is com∣mitted among you?

13 Nowe therfore deliuer vs the men, [unspec C] those children of belial whiche are in Gibea, that we may slea them, and put (d) 1.196away euill from Israel.

14 Neuerthelater, the children of Benia∣min would(e) 1.197 not hearkē vnto the voyce of their brethren the children of Israel: But the children of Beniamin gathered thē selues together out of the cities vn∣to Gibea, to come out and fight agaynst the children of Israel.

15 And the children of Beniamin were numbred at that time out of the cities, twentie & sixe thousand men that drewe swordes, besyde the inhabitauntes of Gibea, which were numbred seuen hun∣dred chosen men.

16 And among all these folke, were seuen hundred chosen men beyng left handed, whiche euery one coulde slyng stones at an heere breadth, and not misse.

17 And the children of Israel beside Ben∣iamin, were numbred foure hundred thousand men that drewe swordes, and were all men of warre.

18 And the children of Israel arose, and wēt vp to (f) 1.198 the house of God, and asked of God, saying: (g) 1.199 Whiche of vs shall go vp first to the battel against the children of Beniamin? And the Lorde sayd: Iu∣da shall begin.

19 And the children of Israel stoode vp early, and camped against Gibea.

20 And the men of Israel went out to battell against Beniamin, and the men of Israel put thē selues in aray to fight against them, beside Gibea.

21 And the children of Beniamin came [unspec D] out of Gibea, and destroyed downe to the ground of the Israelites that day twentie and two thousand men.

22 And the people the men of Israel pluc∣ked vp their heartes, and set their battel againe in aray, in the same place where they dyd the first day.

23 (And the children of Israel went vp, and wept before the Lorde vnto euen, and asked of the Lord, saying: Shal we go agayne to battell against the children of Beniamin our brethrē? And the Lord sayde: Go vp against them.)

24 And the children of Israel came neare against the children of Beniamin the se∣conde day.

25 And the children of Beniamin went a∣gainst them out of Gibea the seconde day, and destroyed to the earth of the childrē of Israel once againe eyghteene thousand men that drewe swordes eue∣rie man of them.

26 Then al the children of Israel, and all the people, went vp and came vnto the house of God, and wept, and sate there before the Lord, and fasted the same day vnto euen, and offered burnt offe∣rynges and peace offerynges before the Lorde.

27 And the children of Israel asked the [unspec E] Lord: (for there was the arke of the ap∣poyntment of God, in those dayes:

28 And Phinehes the sonne of Eleazar, the sonne of Aaron (h) 1.200 stoode before it at that time) saying: Shal I get me vp to go out any more to battell against the children of Beniamin my brethren, or shal I ceasse? The Lorde sayde: Go vp, for to morow I wil deliuer them into your handes.

29 And Israel set lyers awayte round a∣bout Gibea.

〈2 pages missing〉〈2 pages missing〉

Notes

• (a) 1.1

  By the iudgement of Vr•• Ex. 18. w••ightie mat∣ters ought not to be taken in hand without first inuoca∣tion of God.
• (b) 1.2

  Whose in∣heritaunce was scattred among the tribe of Iuda according to Iacobs pro∣phesie. Gene. 49. b.
• (c) 1.3

  As if I were one of the inhabi∣tours of the lande that came to thee by lot.
• “ 1.4

  Or, the lord of Bezek
• (d) 1.5

  As he ser∣ued others, so by Gods iud∣gement is he serued him self.
• * 1.6

  Le. xxiiii. c.
• (e) 1.7

  Al this within the pa∣renthesis was done in Io∣suah his time, and is here spoken of by way of repe∣tition.
• (f) 1.8

  These three were giaun∣tes, and the children of Anak. Iosu. 15. d.
• * 1.9

  Iosu. xv. c.
• (g) 1.10

  Read Ios. 15 d.
• (g) 1.11

  This was one of the names of Moyses fa∣ther in lawe. Num 10. d.
• * 1.12

  Deu. 34 a.
• * 1.13

  Num. xxi. a
• (h) 1.14

  These ci∣ties & others were after∣ward posses∣sed of the phi∣listines. 1. Sa 6. d.
• * 1.15

  Nu xiiii. d. Iosu. xiiii. d.
• * 1.16

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. xvi. a.
• * 1.17

  Gen 28 d.
• * 1.18

  Ioug••i c.
• (i) 1.19

  That is, vnto the time of Samuel, who is sup∣posed to haue written this booke.
• * 1.20

  Ios. xvii. c.
• * 1.21

  Ios xvi a.
• (k) 1.22

  That is, the tribe of Ephraim: and so are the rest to be vnder∣standed.
• “ 1.23

  Or, afflic∣ted them▪
• (l) 1.24

  A citie in Arabia, in Hebrue Se∣lah, which sig∣nifieth a rock.
• (a) 1.25

  A prophet or messenger as some think which was Phinees, o∣ther think it was an An∣gelicall spirite sent of God, & appearing to do this message.
• * 1.26

  Deu. vii a.
• * 1.27

  Deu. xii. a.
• * 1.28

  Iosu xxiii. c
• “ 1.29

  Or, we∣ping.
• (b) 1.30

  Reade Io∣suah. 24. g.
• * 1.31

  Io. xxiiii. g.
• * 1.32

  l••xx••g.
• (c) 1.33

  Or Serah I••s ••4 g••▪ signified the sunne whose image was set vpo•• Iosuahs graue for a memory that the sunne stode as his com¦maund••ment.
• (d) 1.34

  That is, all m••er of idoles.
• (e) 1.35

  Idolles which had the fourme of sheere among the Sidoniās.
• * 1.36

  Esa. l. a.
• (f) 1.37

  The ven∣geance.
• (g) 1.38

  This is 〈◊〉〈◊〉, maner of y^e ••¦rupt natures man, & ther¦fore God of his mercie frō time to time vsed to re∣store and re∣newe true re∣ligion.
• * 1.39

  Iud. iii. b.
• (h) 1.40

  Outward enemies and false prophets are a triall to proue our faith. De. 13. a
• (a) 1.41

  What helpe of God attay∣ned, what pol∣licie & what valiauntes was vsed therin.
• (b) 1.42

  Contrary to G••ds com¦••••ndement Deut ••.
• (c) 1.43

  Trees o•• ••tere••ted for idolatrie.
• (d) 1.44

  Ending him with the gift of prophe∣cie zeale of true religion, strenght, pol∣•• wis¦dome and for∣titude.
• (e) 1.45

  Vsing him as a Redde to punishe the children of Israel for their wicked∣nes.
• “ 1.46

  Or, left ••d,
• (g) 1.47

  That is he doth his cas∣ment.
• * 1.48

  Num. x. a.
• (h) 1.49

  That is strong and lu••y.
• (i) 1.50

  Like as the strongest kind of armour hel∣peth no••, where God will punishe: to the ••p••est weapon will se•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 God miracu∣lously wil g••u•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.51

  ☞
• (a) 1.52

  This was one of the po∣steritie of Ia∣bin whom Io∣su••h slue Ios. 11 ••••now•• ha∣uing recove∣red ••rength to reuenge
• (b) 1.53

  which was by Iosuah destroyed: but after recove∣red & b•• ylded by the ene∣mies.
• * 1.54

  Iud. v. b.
• (c) 1.55

  It should appeare that she had done this message vnto him a∣f•• and nowe calleth vpon him for the same a••ore the whole multi∣tude.
• * 1.56

  Psal. 83 b.
• (d) 1.57

  Although his faith nowe at the fr••st he 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and therfore desireth the mes•• of the prophet•• yet after it be∣came so strong that it is com∣mended by the testimonie of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ghost. De••. ••.
• * 1.58

  Num. x. ••.
• (c) 1.59

  This 〈◊〉〈◊〉 tow••ne th••t he occupie•••• argueth ••s substance to be great▪ which 〈◊〉〈◊〉 seme to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 cause wh•• departed 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the other 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• * 1.60

  Psal 83 b.
• (f) 1.61

  He was of the famine of Iethro Moyses fa∣ther in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and his aun∣cetours ioy∣ned them self to Israel in the true wor∣shippyng of God.
• * 1.62

  Iud•• x. ••.
• (a) 1.63

  To wit, the two tribes of Zabulon & Nephthali.
• * 1.64

  Deut. iiii. b.
• * 1.65

  Deu ii. a.
• * 1.66

  Psal. 97. a.
• * 1.67

  Psal. 97. a.
• * 1.68

  Exod 19 c.
• * 1.69

  Exod 19 c.
• (b) 1.70

  For feare of the ene∣mies.
• (c) 1.71

  Because she vsed the aucthoritie & power that God gaue her for the wealth of her people, & not to suppresse them after the maner of ti∣rauntes.
• (d) 1.72

  magi••rats that a••ore were hindered in the execu∣ting of their office, & mar∣chants th••t then durst not iorney from citie to citie.
• (e) 1.73

  A cer∣taine place much oppres∣sed with the enemies▪ or a place vsed for mar••ha••dise to the which for feared 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the enemies there was afore no resorte.
• (f) 1.74

  Whom the enemies of like vsed to skirmish vpō, & to endaūger
• g 1.75

  To wyt, thy that kept the people in captiuitie.
• (h) 1.76

  In this reck••nyng vp of the instru∣ments of this victorie, she begynneth with her selfe, as a roote of Ephraim, and calleth these Chanaanites Amalek by il∣lusion.
• (i) 1.77

  It is lyke that some of the Benia∣mites ioyned them selues to Debora, and vnlyke that she prophe••∣eth here of the victorie of Saul agaynst Amalek. wherof 1. Sa. 15. b.
• (k) 1.78

  They marueyled that they came not ouer Ior∣dane to helpe them.
• (l) 1.79

  And yet came to helpe, and therfore thou Ruben canst haue no excuse.
• (m) 1.80

  They dwelled farre of, and their cities decayed easy for their enemies to get, yf they left them: but this excuse serueth not against Gods commaunde∣ment.
• (n) 1.81

  A citie neare to Tha∣bor, and ther∣fore without excuse that they came not to helpe.
• (o) 1.82

  That is, growe more and m•• in strength and power, to van¦quishe ••heir enemies.
• (a) 1.83

  Specially idolatrie, as hereafter ap∣peareth.
• (b) 1.84

  That is, the power or strength.
• (c) 1.85

  That is, for feare of the Madianites.
• (d) 1.86

  That is, by the Madi∣anites.
• (e) 1.87

  Affliction is a better ••emaster to theache the Lorde, then pro••peritie.
• * 1.88

  〈…〉〈…〉 g. 〈…〉〈…〉
• (f) 1.89

  Affliction ass••••teth forth, and at the ••irst shewe argueth gods ab••ence to de∣struction: but ••st ••t faith 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fynde it gods messen∣ger to re••en∣••••unce and s••uation.
• g 1.90

  The angel is called the Lorde, for 〈◊〉〈◊〉 was the Lordes messenger: or rather it was Christe the Lorde hym se•• that dyd appe••re.
• (h) 1.91

  Whiche ••ewe thou re∣••thou re∣•• of me.
• (i) 1.92

  Gedeon to be assured it was Gods message, and not illusion of a spirit, requi∣reth a signe: But Gods worde once confirmed by signes, is to be beleued without signe.
• (k 1.93

  A measure of drye thyn∣ges, contey∣nyng about three bushels.
• * 1.94

  3. Reg 18. f.
• * 1.95

  Exod. 33. d. Iud. 13. d.
• (l) 1.96

  First idola∣trie is to be destroyed, and true religion restored: and then the dely∣uery of the people, or ci∣uile gouer∣naunce of the same to be ta∣ken in hande.
• (m) 1.97

  Whiche was of seuen yeres feeding, and kept to be offered to Baal.
• n 1.98

  That is the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Abiezer.
• (a) 1.99

  God wyll not that any creature de∣priue hym of his glorie.
• * 1.100

  Deut. xx. b. 1. Malach. 3. g
• (b) 1.101

  They sh•• depart as to vn¦meete for this enterprise
• * 1.102

  Drunke 〈◊〉〈◊〉 put∣•• their 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to their 〈…〉〈…〉 ••s▪ and by ••pping
• (d) 1.103

  Whiche were in 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and par∣ted ••t two times xxxi. M. and ••i. C.
• * 1.104

  Iud 6 c.
• e 1.105

  These weak meanes God vsed▪ to signifie that the whole vic∣torie came of hym.
• “ 1.106

  Or, Brake their array.
• * 1.107

  1. Reg. 14. c.
• (f 1.108

  For they fell a kyllyng one of another
• (g) 1.109

  Meanyng the passages or the fourds, that the•• shuld not escape.
• * 1.110

  Psal 83 b. Esa. 10. f.
• (h) 1.111

  These pla∣ces toke that names of the actes that were done there.
• (a) 1.112

  Whiche haue slayne two princes Oreb & Zeb.
• (b) 1.113

  This last act of the whole ••tri••e, is more fa∣mous then the enterprise of one man of one familie.
• (c) 1.114

  A ••tie ••nde Ior∣•• in the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of God, which Iacob 〈◊〉〈◊〉 dyd when ••rt••d frō ••ing his brother Esau.
• (d) 1.115

  They can not beleue, that Gedeon is able to ouer come the prin∣ces, and ther∣fore they mock him and chur∣lyshly deny him relief.
• (e) 1.116

  Hauing gotten the victorie.
• (f) 1.117

  Euen na∣ture forceth me to reuenge their deathes.
• (g) 1.118

  Meaning that they would be ryd out of their payne at once: or that they thought it di∣shonour to be put to death by a boy.
• (h) 1.119

  That is, thy posteritie.
• (i) 1.120

  By such one as he shall chose, accor∣ding to the sentence of his holy worde, to rule and to mayntayne his true reli∣gion.
• (k) 1.121

  To be a testimonie of this victorie: But after∣ward abused to idolatrie.
• (l) 1.122

  An E•• pi••, w••∣by is the me••nt that the•• were nether tha••∣full, nor kynd, nor louing, nor bene•• to the children of Iero••
• (a) 1.123

  The desire of soueraintie where it roo∣teth▪ sheedeth the innocent blood that is founde in his way, as a woolfe deuou∣reth lambes.
• (b) 1.124

  In this parable he set∣teth before their eyes their folly and vngratitude in choosyng a kyng: & with threatnyng telleth them what rewarde both they and their kyng shall haue.
• (c) 1.125

  He alludeth to the vse of oyle in sacrifi∣ces, lampes & vnction of pro¦phets priestes and kynges.
• (d) 1.126

  Because wine was ••∣poynted by the lawe to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 drynk•• offe∣ryng for a sweete honour vnto the Lord Num. xv. ••.
• (e) 1.127

  Abimelech shall destroy the nobles of Sichem.
• (g) 1.128

  Because the people con¦sented with the king in fr••••ding in∣nocent blood: therfore God destroyed both the one and the other.
• (h) 1.129

  By these wordes he mocked Gaal for the bragge he made afore agaynst Abi∣melech.
• i 1.130

  That it shoulde be vnfrutful, and neuer serue to any vse.
• k 1.131

  That is of Baal Berith as afore. Chap. 8. g.
• * 1.132

  ii. Re. x.
• l 1.133

  What strength the curse of he•• men oppressed with wrong, hath to bring the vengeance of God vpon the oppres∣sours, may appeare by this, and like∣wyse by Eli∣zeus the pro∣phet.
• “ 1.134

  Or, gouer¦ned.
• (a) 1.135

  That was the vse of men of great authoritie and honour.
• (b) 1.136

  Or the townes of Iair. Deut. Chap. 3.
• “ 1.137

  Or, A••am
• “ 1.138

  Or, Del••¦uered.
• c 1.139

  That is the Ruben••∣tes. Gadites and halfe the tribe of Ma∣nasses.
• d 1.140

  By st••r 〈◊〉〈◊〉 them vp s•• prophete •• Chap. ••.
• * 1.141

  Deut 32 c
• * 1.142

  Neuer re∣triued to the priuiledge of •• wyfe.
• * 1.143

  That was the name of the owner of the lande.
• (c) 1.144

  To make inuasions vpō the enemies of the people of God, and to line of the spoyle.
• (d) 1.145

  God can bring the cast∣away to haue rule ouer his oppressours: Let no man therfore ex∣alte him selfe, and despise any man of Gods crea∣tion.
• “ 1.146

  Hebr Ad∣ded to com∣mit.
• * 1.147

  Iud 2 b 3 b. 4 ••.6 •• 10. a.
• (a) 1.148

  Meaning he should haue a peculiar cal∣ling to serue God in, sepa∣rat from the common ordre of men.
• “ 1.149

  Or, won∣derfull.
• (b) 1.150

  It semeth that the angell appeared twyse in one day.
• (c) 1.151

  Whom he thought to be a man, but was in dede an angel.
• (d) 1.152

  That is, any thing that is forbid by the lawe.
• (e) 1.153

  And not vnto me, ••or to idols.
• * 1.154

  Or, Mer••
• * 1.155

  For God sent fire from 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 then to sa¦crifice.
• * 1.156

  Exo 33. d. Iud vi. c.
• g 1.157

  These gra¦ces that we haue receaued of God, & his accepting of our obedience, are sure tokēs of his loue to∣ward vs: so that nothyng can hurt vs.
• “ 1.158

  Or, to come vpon hym at tymes.
• “ 1.159

  Heb▪ take her for me 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wyfe.
• (a) 1.160

  The•• speke in defence of Gods lawe that for byd∣deth maryage with straun∣gers Deu. 7. a
• (b) 1.161

  At y^e first: but it is lyke they had vn∣derstandyng of Gods wyll afore they dyd consent.
• (c) 1.162

  Whereby he had stren∣gth and bold∣nesse.
• (d) 1.163

  Whom god had appointed to be their de∣l••uerer from the yoke of the Philistines.
• (e) 1.164

  That is, of an asse late∣ly dead.
• f 1.165

  That is, the lyftyng vp of the lawe.
• * 1.166

  Or, ••pyne.
• * 1.167

  Ent••e him 〈◊〉〈◊〉 men 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to tell wherein his strength con∣fu••
• (c) 1.168

  For so thou vsest to saye, and wouldest haue me to beleue it.
• (d) 1.169

  what wret∣ched and mi∣serable thral••∣dome are they in, that can not re∣frame the company of the harlot.
• (e) 1.170

  Not for the losse of his heare, but for the contempt of the ordi∣nance of God.
• (f) 1.171

  And so dyd his strēgth by his repentance, prayer, and reconciliation to God.
• * 1.172

  Or, wa•• mocked.
• “ 1.173

  Hebr. Take one vengeance.
• (a) 1.174

  Sides of s••luer.
• (b) 1.175

  Contrar•• to the com∣maundement of God & true religion.
• * 1.176

  By E¦p••od vnder 〈…〉〈…〉 all kinde of garmentes ••gyng to a priest.
• d 1.177

  It is thought to be an image made to the shape and figure of a man, and also to signifie all other instru∣ments belon∣gyng to their fal••e religion.
• “ 1.178

  Heb. fil∣led the hand
• (e) 1.179

  In this that the Le∣uite wande∣reth to seke a liuing▪ it is manifest that Gods lawe & true religion which prouide for the Leuite was vtterly neglected and out of place.
• (f) 1.180

  For the belly sake alto∣gether against Gods lawe.
• (g) 1.181

  When men in religion wander be∣syde Gods word, they thynke they please God, when in deede they offend hym.
• (a) 1.182

  So that it was no meruell that religion was corrupt and al thynges out of order: seing there was no magistrate to punishe offen∣ces.
• * 1.183

  That is, they knewe him by his speache.
• (c) 1.184

  Thus God will send to such as loue not the truth, strong delu∣sion, wherby they are con∣firmed in their error to their destruction.
• “ 1.185

  Heb. made them asha∣med.
• (h) 1.186

  That is, abuse them.
• (i) 1.187

  Dead.
• “ 1.188

  Or, hus∣bande.
• (k) 1.189

  Thynk∣yng that she was asleepe
• (l) 1.190

  Meanyng home to m••nt Ephraim.
• * 1.191

  Ose. x. b.
• (a) 1.192

  That is, all with one •• consent.
• (b) 1.193

  To the Leuite.
• (c) 1.194

  Before we haue re∣uenged this wickednes.
• * 1.195

  Iosua. xxii. d.
• (d) 1.196

  By pu∣nyshyng the wicked doers accordyng to their desertes.
• (e) 1.197

  Therein makyng them selues gyltie of the wicked∣nes cōmitted, and therfore 〈◊〉〈◊〉 parta∣kers of the punyshment.
• (f) 1.198

  That is, the tabernacle wherin y^e 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of God was, whiche then was in Silo.
• (g) 1.199

  They pre¦sume so much of their num∣ber & strength, that they aske no councell of God for the victorie: they finde therefore successe ther∣after.
• (h) 1.200

  That is▪ serued in the priestes office.