1 SAMUEL 29

The Philistines Mistrust David

1 Now the Philistines gathered all their forces at Aphek, while Israel camped by the spring in Jezreel.

2 As the Philistine lords (governors) were proceeding on [marching] by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were proceeding on in the rear with Achish [the king of Gath],

3 the Philistine commanders [having noticed David] said, “What are these Hebrewsdoing here?” Achish said to the Philistine commanders, “Is this not David, the servant of Saul king of Israel, who has been with me these days and years, and I have found no fault in him from the day he desertedto meto this day?”

4 But the Philistine commanders were angry with Achish and they said to him, “Make this man return, so that he may go back to his place where you have assigned him, and do not let him go down to battle with us, or in the battle he may [turn and] become our adversary. For how could David reconcile himself to his lord [Saul]?Would itnot be with the heads of these [Philistine] men?

5 Is this not David, of whom they used to sing in dances,

‘Saul killed his thousands,

And David his ten thousands’?”

6 Then Achish called David and said to him, “As the Lordlives, youhave beenupright (righteous), and yourbehavior in the army is pleasing in my sight. For from the day you came to me to this day I have found no evil in you. Nevertheless,the [Philistine] lords do not approve of you.

7 So return now and go in peace [to your place], so that you do not displease the Philistine lords.”

8 David said to Achish, “But what have I done? What have you found in your servant from the day when I [first] came before you to this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”

9 Achish answered David, “I know that you are blameless in my sight, like an angel of God; nevertheless the commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He must not go up with us to the battle.’

10 So now, get up early in the morning with your master’s servants who have come with you, and as soon as you are up in the morning and have light, leave.”

11 So David and his men got up early to leave in the morning, to return to the land of the Philistines. But the Philistines went up to Jezreel [to fight against Israel].

1 SAMUEL 30

David’s Victory over the Amalekites

1 Now it happened when David and his men came [home] to Ziklag on the third day, [they found] that the Amalekites had made a raid on the Negev (the South country) and on Ziklag, and had overthrown Ziklag and burned it with fire;

2 and they had taken captive the women [and all] who were there, both small and great. They killed no one, but carried them off [to be used as slaves] and went on their way.

3 When David and his men came to the town, it was burned, and their wives and their sons and their daughters had been taken captive.

4 Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept untilthey were too exhausted to weep [any longer].

5 Now David’s two wives had been captured, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite.

6 Further, David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for all of them were embittered, each man for his sons and daughters. But David felt strengthenedandencouraged in the Lordhis God.

7 David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, “Please bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought him the ephod.

8 David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I pursue this band [of raiders]? Will I overtake them?” And He answered him, “Pursue, for you will certainly overtake them, and you will certainly rescue [the captives].”

9 So David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to the brook Besor; there those [who could not continue] remained behind.

10 But David pursued [the Amalekites], he and four hundred men, for two hundred who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor stayedbehind.

11 They found an Egyptian [who had collapsed] in the field and brought him to David, and gave him bread and he ate, and they gave him water to drink,

12 and they gave him a piece of a fig cake and two clusters of raisins; and when he had eaten, hisenergy returned, for he had not eaten bread or had any water to drink for three days and three nights.

13 David said to him, “To whom do you belong, and where are you from?” He said, “I am a young man from Egypt, a servant of an Amalekite; and my master abandoned me [as useless] when I fell sick three days ago.

14 We made a raid on the Negev of the Cherethites, and on that which belongs to Judah, and on the Negev of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire.”

15 Then David said to him, “Will you take me down to this band [of raiders]?” And he said, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or turn me over to the hand of my master, and I will bring you down to this band.”

16 When he brought David down, the Amalekites had disbandedandspread over all the land, eating and drinking and dancing because of all the great spoil they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah.

17 Then David [and his men] struck them down [in battle] from twilight until the evening of the next day; and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode camels and fled.

18 So David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and rescued his two wives.

19 Nothing of theirs was missing whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had been taken; David recovered it all.

20 So David captured all the flocks and herds [which the enemy had], and [the people] drove those animals before him and said, “This is David’s spoil.”

The Spoils Are Divided

21 David came to the two hundred men who were so exhausted that they could not follow him and had been left at the brook Besor [with the provisions]. They went out to meet David and the people with him, and when he approached the people, he greeted them.

22 Then all the wicked and worthless men among those who went with David said, “Because they did not go with us, we will give them none of the spoil that we have recovered, except that each man may take his wife and children away and leave.”

23 David said, “You must not do so, my brothers, with what the Lordhas given us. He has kept us safe and has handed over to us the band [of Amalekites] that came against us.

24 And who will listen to you in regard to this matter? For as is the share of him who goes down into the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the provisions and supplies; they shall share alike.”

25 So from that day forward he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day.

26 When David came to Ziklag, he sent part of the spoil to the elders of Judah, his friends, saying, “Here is a blessing (gift) for you from the spoil of the enemies of the Lord:

27 For those in Bethel, Ramoth of the Negev, Jattir,

28 Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa,

29 Racal, the cities of the Jerahmeelites, the cities of the Kenites,

30 Hormah, Bor-ashan, Athach,

31 Hebron, and for [those elders in] all the places where David himself and his men were accustomed to go.”

1 SAMUEL 31

Saul and His Sons Slain

1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before them and fell slain on Mount Gilboa.

2 The Philistines overtook Saul and his sons; and they killed Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua, Saul’s sons.

3 The battle went heavily against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was severely wounded by the archers.

4 Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and pierce me through with it, otherwise these uncircumcised [Philistines] will come and pierce me through and abuseandmock me.” But his armor bearer would not, because he was terrified [of doing such a thing]. SoSaul took his sword and fell on it.

5 When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died with him.

6 So Saul, his three sons, his armor bearer, and all his men died together on that day.

7 When the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley [of Jezreel], and those who were beyond the Jordan, saw that theothermen of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned the cities and fled; then the Philistines came and lived in them.

8 The next day, when the Philistines came to plunder the dead, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.

9 So they cut off Saul’s head and stripped off his weaponsandarmor and sent them throughout the land of the Philistines, to bring the good news to the house of their idols and to the people.

10 And they put Saul’s weaponsandarmor in the temple of the Ashtaroth (female goddesses), and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan.

11 When theinhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,

12 all the brave men stood and walked all night, and they took the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and they came to Jabesh and cremated them there.

13 They took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and fasted [as a sign of mourning and respect] for seven days.

RUTH 1

Naomi Widowed

1 In the days when the judges governed [Israel], there was a famine in the land [of Canaan]. And a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to live temporarily in thecountry of Moab with his wife and his two sons.

2 The man’s name was Elimelech and his wife’s name was Naomi and his two sons were named Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went to the country of Moab and stayed there.

3 Then Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left [a widow] with her two sons.

4 They took wives from the Moabite women; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other was Ruth. They lived there about ten years;

5 and then both Mahlon and Chilion also died, so the woman [Naomi] was left without her two sons and her husband.

6 Then she set out with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in Moab how the Lordhad taken care of His people [of Judah] in giving them food.

7 So she left the place where she was living, her two daughters-in-law with her, and they started on the way back to the land of Judah.

8 But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you return to your mother’s house. May the Lordshow kindness to you as you have shown kindness to the dead and to me.

9 May the Lordgrant that you find rest, each one in the home of her husband.” Then she kissed them [goodbye], and they wept aloud.

10 And they said to her, “No, we will go with you to your people [in Judah].”

11 But Naomi said, “Go back, my daughters, why should you go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb that may become your husbands?

12 Go back, my daughters, go, for I am too old to have a husband. If I said I have hope, and if I actually had a husband tonight and even gave birth to sons,

13 would you wait until they were grown? Would you go without marrying? No, my daughters; for it is much moredifficult for me than for you, because the Lord’shand has gone against me.”

Ruth’s Loyalty

14 Then they wept aloud again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law [goodbye], but Ruth clung to her.

15 Then Naomi said, “Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; turn backandfollow your sister-in-law.”

16 But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people will be my people, and your God, my God.

17 Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lorddo the same to me [as He has done to you], and more also, if anything but death separates me from you.”

18 When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she said nothing more.

19 So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole city wasstirred because of them, and the women asked, “Is this Naomi?”

20 She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi (sweetness); call me Mara (bitter), for the Almighty has caused me great griefandbitterness.

21 I left full [with a husband and two sons], but the Lordhas brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, since the Lordhas testified against me and the Almighty has afflicted me?”

22 So Naomi returned from the country of Moab, and with her Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law. And they arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.

RUTH 2

Ruth Gleans in Boaz’ Field

1 Now Naomi had a relative of her husband, a man of great wealthandinfluence, from the family of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz.

2 And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the field andglean among the ears of grain after one [of the reapers] in whose sight I may find favor.” Naomi said to her, “Go, my daughter.”

3 So Ruth went and picked up the leftover grain in a field after the reapers; and she happened to stop at the plot of land belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.

4 It was then that Boaz came back from Bethlehem and said to the reapers, “The Lordbe with you!” And they answered him, “The Lordbless you!”

5 Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?”

6 The servant in charge of the reapers answered, “She is the young Moabite woman who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab.

7 And she said, ‘Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among thesheaves.’ So she came and has continued [gathering grain] from early morning until now, except when she sat [resting] for a little while in the [field] house.”

8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen carefully, my daughter. Do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but stay here close by my maids.

9 Watch which field they reap, and follow behind them. I have commanded the servants not to touch you. And when you are thirsty, go to the [water] jars and drink from what the servants draw.”

10 Then she kneeled face downward, bowing to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes that you should notice me, when I am a foreigner?”

11 Boaz answered her, “I have been made fully aware of everything that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people that you did not know before.

12 May the Lordrepay you for your kindness, and may your reward be full from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”

13 Then she said, “Let me find favor in your sight, my lord, for you have comforted me and have spoken kindly to your maidservant, though I am not as one of your maidservants.”

14 At mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come over here and eat some bread and dip your bread in the vinegar.” So she sat beside the reapers; and he served her roasted grain, and she ate until she was satisfied and she had some left [for Naomi].

15 When she got up to glean, Boaz ordered his servants, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not insult her.

16 Also you shall purposely pull out for her some stalks [of grain] from the sheaves and leave them so that she may collect them, and do not rebuke her.”

17 So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about anephah of barley.

18 She picked it up and went into the city, and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. Ruth also took out and gave to Naomi what she had saved after she [had eaten and] was satisfied.

19 Her mother-in-law said to her, “Where did you glean today? Where did you work? Blessed be the man who took notice of you.” So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked and said, “The name of the man with whom I worked today is Boaz.”

20 Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed of the Lordwho has not ceased his kindness to the living and to the dead.” Again Naomi said to her, “The man is one of our closest relatives, one who has the right toredeem us.”

21 Then Ruth the Moabitess said, “He also said to me, ‘Stay close to my servants until they have harvested my entire crop.’”

22 Naomi said to Ruth, “It is good, my daughter, for you to go out [to work] with his maids, so that others do not assault you in another field.”

23 So she stayed close to the maids of Boaz, gleaning until the end of the barley and wheat harvests. And she lived with her mother-in-law.

RUTH 3

Boaz Will Redeem Ruth

1 Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to Ruth, “My daughter, shall I not look forsecurityanda home for you, so that it may be well with you?

2 Now Boaz, with whose maids you were [working], is he not our relative? See now, he is winnowing barley at the threshing floor tonight.

3 So wash and anoint yourself [with olive oil], then put on your [best] clothes, and go down to the threshing floor;but stay out of the man’s sight until he has finished eating and drinking.

4 When he lies down, notice the place where he is lying, andgo and uncover his feet and lie down. Then he will tell you what to do.”

5 Ruth answered her, “I will do everything that you say.”

6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had told her.

7 When Boaz had eaten and drunk and his heart was happy, he went to lie down at the end of the stack of grain. Then Ruth came secretly, and uncovered his feet and lay down.

8 In the middle of the night the man was startled and he turned over, and found a woman lying at his feet.

9 So he said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth your maid. Spread the hem of your garment over me, for you are a close relativeandredeemer.”

10 Then he said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter. You have made your last kindness better than the first; for you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich.

11 Now, my daughter, do not be afraid. I will do for you whatever you ask, since all my people in the city know that you are a woman of excellence.

12 It is true that I am your close relativeandredeemer; however, there is a relative closer [to you] than I.

13 Spend the night [here], and in the morning if he will redeem you, fine; let him do it. But if he does not wish to redeem you, then, as the Lordlives, I will redeem you. Lie down until the morning.”

14 So she lay at his feet until the morning, but got up before anyone could recognize another; Boaz said, “Do not let it be known that the woman came to the threshing floor [last night].”

15 He also said, “Give me the shawl you are wearing and hold it out.” So Ruth held it and he measured out six measures of barley [into it] and placed it on her. And she went into the city.

16 When she came home, her mother-in-law said, “How did it go, my daughter?” And Ruth told her everything that the man had done for her.

17 She said, “He gave me these six measures of barley, and he said to me, ‘Do not go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”

18 Then Naomi said, “Sitandwait, my daughter, until you learn how this matter turns out; for the man will not rest until he has settled it today.”

RUTH 4

The Marriage of Ruth

1 Then Boaz went up to the city gate [where business and legal matters were settled] and sat down, and then the close relative (redeemer) of whom Boaz had spoken came by. He said to him, “Come over here,friend, and sit down.” So he came and sat down.

2 Then Boaz took ten men from the elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” And they sat down.

3 He said to the closest relative (redeemer), “Naomi, who has returned from the country of Moab, must sell the plot of land which belonged to our brother Elimelech.

4 So I thought to let you hear of it, saying, ‘Buy it in the presence of those sitting here, and before the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if not, then tell me, so that I may know; for there is no one besides you to redeem it, and I am [next of kin] after you.’” And he said, “I will redeem it.”

5 Then Boaz said, “The day that you buy the field from Naomi, you must also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of the deceased, to restore the name of the deceased to his inheritance.”

6 The closest relative (redeemer) said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, because [by marrying a Moabitess] I wouldjeopardize my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption (purchase) yourself, because I cannot redeem it.”

7 Now formerly in Israel this was the custom concerning redeeming and exchangingproperty. To confirm a transaction, a man pulled off his sandal and gave it to the other. This was theway ofconfirmingandattesting in Israel.

8 So, when the closest relative (redeemer) said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself,” he pulled off his sandal [and gave it to Boaz to confirm the agreement].

9 Then Boaz said to the elders and to all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought everything that was Elimelech’s and everything that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s from the hand of Naomi.

10 I have also acquired Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, to be my wife to restore the name of the deceased to his inheritance, so that the name of the deceased will not be cut off from his brothers or from the gate of his birthplace. You are witnesses today.”

11 All the people at the gate and the elders said, “We are witnesses. May the Lordmake the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, the two who built the household of Israel. May you achieve wealthandpower in Ephrathah and become famous in Bethlehem.

12 Further, may your house be like the house of Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring which the Lordwill give you by this young woman.”

13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and the Lordenabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son.

14 Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed is the Lordwho has not left you without a redeemer (grandson, as heir) today, and may his name become famous in Israel.

15 May he also be to you one who restores life and sustains your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.”

The Line of David Began Here

16 Then Naomi took the child and placed him in her lap, and she became his nurse.

17 The neighbor women gave him a name, saying, “A son (grandson) has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed (worshiper). He is the father of Jesse, the father of David [the ancestor of Jesus Christ].

18 Now these are the descendants of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron,

19 Hezron was the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab,

20 Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon,

21 Salmon the father of Boaz, Boaz the father of Obed,

22 Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David [the king of Israel and the ancestor of Jesus Christ].

JUDGES 1

Jerusalem Is Captured

1 Now it came about after the death of Joshua, that thesons (descendants) of Israel (Jacob) asked the Lord, “Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites, to fight against them?”

2 And the Lordsaid, “Judah shall go up [first]; behold, I have given the land into his hand.”

3 And [the tribe of the sons of] Judah said to [the tribe of the sons of] Simeon his brother, “Come up with me into my allotted territory, so that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with you into your allotted territory.” So Simeon went with him.

4 Then Judah went up, and the Lordgave the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand, and they struck down in defeat ten thousand men at Bezek.

5 Then they found Adoni-bezek in Bezek and fought against him, and they struck down in defeat the Canaanites and the Perizzites.

6 But Adoni-bezek fled; and they pursued him and caught him and cut off his thumbs and his big toes.

7 Adoni-bezek said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off used to gather upscraps of foodunder my table; as I have done [to others], so God has repaid me.” So they brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there.

8 Then the sons of Judah fought against [Jebusite] Jerusalem andcaptured it and struck it with the edge of the sword and set the city on fire.

9 Afterward the sons of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites who lived in the hill country, in the Negev (South country) and in the lowland.

10 So Judah went against the Canaanites who lived in Hebron (the name of Hebron formerly was Kiriath-arba); and they defeated Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai.

Capture of Other Cities

11 From there [the tribe of] Judah went against the inhabitants of Debir (the name of Debir formerly was Kiriath-sepher [city of books and scribes]).

12 And Caleb said, “Whoever attacks Kiriath-sepher and captures it, I will even give him my daughter Achsah as a wife.”

13 Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, captured it; so he gave him his daughter Achsah as a wife.

14 When she cameto Othniel,she persuaded him to [allow her to] ask her father [Caleb] for a field. Then she [rode up to Caleb and] dismounted from her donkey, and Caleb said to her, “What do you want?”

15 She said to him, “Give me a blessing; since you have given me the land of the Negev (South country), give me springs of water, too.” So Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.

16 The sons of [Jethro] the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up from the City of Palms (Jericho) with the sons of Judah, to the wilderness of Judah which is in the Negev (South country)nearArad; and they went and lived with the people.

17 Then [the warriors of the tribe of] Judah went with [the warriors of the tribe of] Simeon his brother, and they struck the Canaanites living in Zephath and utterly destroyed it. So the city was called Hormah (destruction).

18 Also [the warriors of] Judah captured Gaza with its territory and Ashkelon with its territory and Ekron with its territory.

19 The Lordwas with Judah, and [the tribe of] Judah took possession of the hill country, but they could not dispossessanddrive out those inhabiting the valley because they had iron chariots.

20 Then they gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses had said, and he drove out from there the three sons of Anak.

21 But the sons of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who inhabited Jerusalem; so the Jebusites have lived with the sons of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.

22 Thehouse of Joseph also went up against Bethel, and the Lordwas with them.

23 The house of Joseph spied out Bethel (now the name of the city was formerly Luz).

24 The spies saw a man coming out of the city and they said to him, “Please show us the entrance to the city and we will treat you kindly.”

25 So he showed them the entrance to the city, and they struck the city with the edge of the sword, but they let the man and all his family go free.

26 The man went into theland of the Hittites and built a city and named it Luz, which is its name to this day.

Places Not Conquered

27 But [the tribe of] Manasseh did not take possession of Beth-shean and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages; so the Canaanites remained in that land.

28 It happened when Israel became strong, that they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but they did not drive them out completely.

29 Neither did [the warriors of] Ephraim drive out the Canaanites who were living in Gezer; so the Canaanites lived in Gezer among them.

30 [The warriors of the tribe of] Zebulun did not drive out the inhabitants of Kitron or of Nahalol; so the Canaanites lived among them and were put to forced labor.

31 [The warriors of the tribe of] Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Acco, or the inhabitants of Sidon, or of Ahlab, or of Achzib, or of Helbah, or of Aphik, or of Rehob.

32 So the Asherites lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land, because they did not drive them out.

33 Neither did [the warriors of] Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, or the inhabitants of Beth-anath, but they lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; and the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and of Beth-anath became forced labor for them.

34 Then theAmorites forced the sons of Dan [back] into the hill country, for they would not allow them to come down into the valley;

35 yet the Amorites persisted in living on Mount Heres (the mountain of the sun), in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim; but when the power of the house (descendants) of Joseph became strongandprevailed, they became forced labor.

36 The border of the Amorites ran from the ascent of Akrabbim, fromSela (rock) and upward.

JUDGES 2

Israel Rebuked

1 Now theAngel of the Lordcame up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, “I brought you up from Egypt and led you to the land which I swore [to give] to your fathers; and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you,

2 and as for you, you shall not make a covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars.’ But you have notobeyed Me; what is this that you have done?

3 So I also said, ‘I will not drive your enemies out before you; but they will belike thornsin your sides and their gods will be a snare to you.’”

4 When the Angel of the Lordhad spoken these words to all the Israelites, the people raised their voices and wept.

5 So they named that place Bochim (weepers); and there they offered sacrifices to the Lord.

Joshua Dies

6 And when Joshua had sent the people away, the [tribes of the] Israelites went each to his inheritance, to take possession of the land.

7 The people served the Lordall the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of the Lordwhich He had done for Israel.

8 Then Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of a hundred and ten.

9 And they buried him in the territory of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.

10 Also, all [the people of] that generation were gathered to their fathers [in death]; and another generation arose after them who did not know (recognize, understand) the Lord, nor even the work which He had done for Israel.

Israel Serves Baals

11 Then the Israelites did evil in the sight of the Lordand worshipedandserved the Baals,

12 and they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt. They followed other gods from the gods of the peoples who were around them, and they bowed down to them, and offendedandprovoked the Lordto anger.

13 So they abandoned the Lordand served Baal [the pagan god of the Canaanites] and theAshtaroth.

14 So the anger of the Lordburned against Israel, and He gave them into the hands (power) of plunderers who robbed them; and He sold them into the hands of their surrounding enemies, so that they could no longer stand [in opposition] before their enemies.

15 Wherever they went, the hand of the Lordwas against them for evil (misfortune), as the Lordhad spoken, and as the Lordhad sworn to them, so that they were severely distressed.

16 Then the Lordraised upjudges who rescued them from the hands of those who robbed them.

17 Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they played the prostitute after other gods and they bowed down to them. They quickly turned aside from the way in which their fathers had walked in obeying the commandments of the Lord; they did not do astheir fathers.

18 When the Lordraised up judges for them, He was with the judge and He rescued them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the Lordwas moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed and afflicted them.

19 But when the judge died, they turned back and behaved more corruptly than their fathers, in following and serving other gods, and bowing down to them. They did notabandon their practices or their stubborn ways.

20 So the anger of the Lordburned against Israel, and He said, “Because thisnation has transgressed (violated) My covenant (binding agreement) which I commanded their fathers, and has not listened to My voice,

21 I also will no longer drive out before them any of the nations which Joshua left [to be conquered] when he died,

22 in order to test [the loyalty of] Israel by them, whether Israel will keep the way of the Lordto walk in it, as their fathers did, or not.”

23 So the Lordallowed those nations to remain, not driving them out at once; and He did not give them into the hand of Joshua.

JUDGES 3

Idolatry Leads to Servitude

1 Now these are the nations which the Lordleft [in order] to test Israel by them (that is,all [the people of Israel] who had not [previously] experienced any of the wars in Canaan;

2 only in order that the generations of the sons of Israel might be taught war, at least those who had not experienced it previously).

3 The remaining nations are:the five lords (governors) of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon from Mount Baal-hermon to the entrance of Hamath.

4 They were [allowed to remain] for the testing of Israel, to determine whether Israel would listen toandobey the commandments of the Lord, which He had commanded their fathers (ancestors) through Moses.

5 And the Israelites lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites;

6 and they took their daughters for themselves as wives and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their [pagan] gods.

7 And the Israelites did evil in the sight of the Lord, and they forgot the Lordtheir God and served the Baals and theAsheroth.

8 So the anger of the Lordwas kindled against Israel, and He sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king ofMesopotamia; and the Israelites served Cushan-rishathaim eight years.

The First Judge Rescues Israel

9 But when the Israelites cried out to the Lord[for help], the Lordraised up aman to rescue the people of Israel,Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.

10 The Spirit of the Lordcame upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to war, and the Lordgave Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand, and he prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim.

11 And the land was at rest [from oppression for] forty years. Then Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

12 Now the Israelites again did evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lordstrengthened Eglon king of Moab against Israel, since they had done what was evil in the sight of the Lord.

13 And Eglon gathered to him the sons of Ammon and Amalek, and went and struck down Israel [in defeat], and they took possession of the City of Palm Trees (Jericho).

14 And the Israelites served Eglon king of Moab eighteen years.

Ehud Rescues Israel from Moab

15 But when the Israelites cried out to the Lord[for help], the Lordraised up aman to rescue them, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite,a left-handed man. And the Israelites senta giftof tribute by him to Eglon king of Moab.

16 Now Ehud made for himself a sword acubit long, which had two edges, and he bound it on hisright thigh under his robe.

17 And he brought the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man.

18 And when Ehud had finished presenting thetribute, he sent away the people who had carried it.

19 But Ehud himself turned back from thesculptured stones at Gilgal, [and he returned to Eglon] and said [to him], “I have a secret message for you, O king.” Eglon said “Keep silence.” And all who attended him left him.

20 Ehud came to him as he was sitting alone in his [private] cool upper chamber, and Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” And the king got up from his seat.

21 Then Ehud reached out with his left hand and took the sword from his right thigh, and plunged it into Eglon’s belly.

22 And the hilt also went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, because Ehud did not draw the sword out of his belly; and the refuse came out.

23 Then Ehud went out into the vestibule and shut the doors of the upper chamber behind him, and lockedthem.

24 When Ehud departed, Eglon’s servants came. And when they saw that the doors of the upper room were locked, they said, “He is onlyrelieving himself in the cool room.”

25 They waited [a very long time] until they became embarrassedanduneasy, but he still did not open the doors of the upper room. So [finally] they took the key and opened them, and behold, their master had fallen to the floor, dead.

26 Now Ehud escaped while they lingered, and he passed beyond the sculptured stones and escaped to Seirah.

27 When he had arrived, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim; and the sons of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he was in front of them.

28 And he said to them, “Pursuethem,for the Lordhas handed over your enemies the Moabites to you.” So they went down after him and seized thefords of the Jordan opposite Moab and did not allow anyone to cross.

29 They struck down at that time about ten thousand Moabite men, all strong, courageous men; not a man escaped.

30 So Moab was subduedandhumbled that day under the hand of Israel, and the land was at rest for eighty years.

Shamgar Rescues from Philistines

31 After Ehud came Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck down six hundred Philistine men with anoxgoad. He too saved Israel.