02 April - Judges 8-9

Jude Sat Dec 08, 2018 11:21 am

My soul doth magnify my YAH, and my spirit hath rejoiced in EL my Saviour; For HE that is mighty hath done to me great things; and Holy is HIS Name. Now unto HIM who is ever present in my helpless estate; who is able to keep me from falling and to present me faultless before the presence of His Glory with exceeding joy, unto the King Eternal, Immortal, Invisible, the only wise EL our Saviour be honour and glory and majesty, dominion and power both now and for ever Halleluyah!

JUDGES 8

1And the men of Ephrayim said to him, “What is this you have done to us by not calling us when you went to fight with Miḏyan?” And they contended with him sharply,

2and he said to them, “What have I done as compared with you? Are the gleanings of Ephrayim not better than the grape harvest of Aḇi‛ezer?

3“Elohim has given into your hands the princes of Miḏyan, Orĕḇ and Ze’ĕḇ. And what was I able to do as compared with you?” And when he had said that their rage toward him subsided.

4And Giḏ‛on and the three hundred men who were with him came to the Yardĕn, passing over, weary yet pursuing.

5And he said to the men of Sukkoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the people who follow me, for they are weary, and I am pursuing Zeḇaḥ and Tsalmunna, sovereigns of Miḏyan.”

6But the leaders of Sukkoth said, “Are the hands of Zeḇaḥ and Tsalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your army?”

7And Giḏ‛on said, “Because of this, when יהוה has given Zeḇaḥ and Tsalmunna into my hand, I shall tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers!”

8And he went up from there to Penu’ĕl and spoke to them in the same way. And the men of Penu’ĕl answered him as the men of Sukkoth had answered him.

9So he spoke also to the men of Penu’ĕl, saying, “When I come back in peace I shall break down this tower!”

10And Zeḇaḥ and Tsalmunna were at Qarqor, and their armies with them, about fifteen thousand men, all who were left of all the army of the people of the East. Now those who had already fallen were one hundred and twenty thousand men who drew the sword.

11And Giḏ‛on went up by the way of those who dwell in tents on the east of Noḇaḥ and Yog̅behah. And he smote the camp while the camp was at ease.

12And Zeḇaḥ and Tsalmunna fled, and he pursued them, and captured the two sovereigns of Miḏyan, Zeḇaḥ and Tsalmunna, and shuddered the entire army.

13And Giḏ‛on son of Yo’ash returned from battle, from the Ascent of Ḥeres,

14and captured a youth of the men of Sukkoth and questioned him. So the youth wrote down for him the leaders of Sukkoth and its elders, seventy-seven men.

15And he came to the men of Sukkoth and said, “See: Zeḇaḥ and Tsalmunna, about whom you taunted me, saying, ‘Are the hands of Zeḇaḥ and Tsalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are weary?’ ”

16And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Sukkoth a lesson.

17And he broke down the tower of Penu’ĕl and slew the men of the city.

18And he said to Zeḇaḥ and Tsalmunna, “How were the men whom you killed at Taḇor?” So they answered, “They were like you, each one looked like the son of a sovereign.”

19And he said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As יהוה lives, if you had let them live, I would not slay you.”

20And he said to Yether his first-born, “Rise, slay them!” But the youth would not draw his sword, for he was afraid, because he was still a youth.

21Then Zeḇaḥ and Tsalmunna said, “Rise yourself, and fall on us. For as a man is, so is his might.” So Giḏ‛on arose and slew Zeḇaḥ and Tsalmunna, and took the crescent ornaments which were on their camels’ necks.

22So the men of Yisra’ĕl said to Giḏ‛on, “Rule over us, both you and your son, also your son’s son, for you have saved us from the hand of Miḏyan.”

23But Giḏ‛on said to them, “I do not rule over you, nor does my son rule over you. יהוה does rule over you.”

24And Giḏ‛on said to them, “I have a request to make of you, that each of you give me the ring from his spoil.” For they had rings of gold, because they were Yishma‛ĕlites.

25And they said, “We shall certainly give them.” And they spread out a garment, and each man threw into it the ring from his spoil.

26And the weight of the gold rings that he requested was one thousand seven hundred pieces of gold – besides the crescent ornaments, and the pendants, and purple robes which were on the sovereigns of Miḏyan, and besides the chains that were around their camels’ necks.

27And Giḏ‛on made it into a shoulder garment and set it up in his city, Ophrah. And all Yisra’ĕl went whoring after it there. And it became a snare to Giḏ‛on and to his house.

28Thus Miḏyan was humbled before the children of Yisra’ĕl, and they lifted their heads no more. And the land had rest for forty years in the days of Giḏ‛on.

29And Yerubba‛al son of Yo’ash went and dwelt in his own house.

30And Giḏ‛on had seventy sons who were his own offspring, for he had many wives.

31And his concubine who was in Sheḵem also bore him a son, and he gave him the name Aḇimeleḵ.

32And Giḏ‛on son of Yo’ash died at a good old age, and was buried in the tomb of Yo’ash his father, in Ophrah of the Aḇi‛ezerites.

33And it came to be, when Giḏ‛on was dead, that the children of Yisra’ĕl again went whoring after the Ba‛als, and made Ba‛al-Berith their mighty one.

34Thus the children of Yisra’ĕl did not remember יהוה their Elohim, who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies round about,

35nor did they show kindness to the house of Yerubba‛al, Giḏ‛on, according to all the good which he did for Yisra’ĕl.

JUDGES 9

1And Aḇimeleḵ son of Yerubba‛al went to Sheḵem, to his mother’s brothers, and spoke with them and with all the clan of the house of his mother’s father, saying,

2“Please speak in the hearing of all the masters of Sheḵem, ‘Which is better for you, that seventy men, all the sons of Yerubba‛al rule over you, or that one man rule over you?’ And you shall remember that I am your own flesh and bone.”

3And his mother’s brothers spoke all these words concerning him in the hearing of all the masters of Sheḵem. And their heart inclined toward Aḇimeleḵ, for they said, “He is our brother.”

4And they gave him seventy pieces of silver from the house of Ba‛al-Berith, with which Aḇimeleḵ hired worthless and reckless men. And they followed him.

5And he went to his father’s house at Ophrah and slew his brothers, the seventy sons of Yerubba‛al, on one stone. But Yotham the youngest son of Yerubba‛al was left, because he hid himself.

6And all the masters of Sheḵem gathered together, and all of Bĕyth Millo, and they went and made Aḇimeleḵ sovereign beside the terebinth tree at the post that was in Sheḵem.

7And they informed Yotham, and he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim, and lifted his voice and cried out, and said to them, “Hear me, you masters of Sheḵem, and let Elohim hear you!

8“The trees went forth to anoint a sovereign over them. And they said to the olive tree, ‘reign over us!’

9“And the olive tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my oil, with which they esteem mighty ones and men, and go to sway over trees?’

10“Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come, reign over us!’

11“And the fig tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my sweetness and my good fruit, and go to sway over trees?’

12“Then the trees said to the vine, ‘Come, reign over us!’

13“And the vine said to them, ‘Shall I leave my new wine, which rejoices mighty ones and men, and go to sway over trees?’

14“Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘Come, reign over us!’

15“And the bramble said to the trees, ‘If in truth you anoint me as sovereign over you, come, take shelter in my shade. But if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Leḇanon!’

16“And now, if you have acted in truth and integrity in setting up Aḇimeleḵ to reign, and if you have acted well with Yerubba‛al and his house, and have done to him as his hands did to you –

17for my father fought for you and risked his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Miḏyan,

18but you have risen up against my father’s house today, and slew his seventy sons on one stone, and set up Aḇimeleḵ, the son of his female servant, to reign over the masters of Sheḵem, because he is your brother –

19if then you have acted in truth and integrity with Yerubba‛al and with his house this day, then rejoice in Aḇimeleḵ, and let him also rejoice in you.

20“But if not, let fire come out from Aḇimeleḵ and devour the masters of Sheḵem and Bĕyth Millo, and let fire come out from the masters of Sheḵem and from Bĕyth Millo and devour Aḇimeleḵ!”

21Then Yotham ran away and fled, and he went to Be’ĕr and dwelt there, for fear of Aḇimeleḵ his brother.

22And Aḇimeleḵ governed Yisra’ĕl three years,

23and Elohim sent an evil spirit between Aḇimeleḵ and the masters of Sheḵem. And the masters of Sheḵem acted treacherously against Aḇimeleḵ,

24in order that the violence done to the seventy sons of Yerubba‛al might come, and their blood be laid on Aḇimeleḵ their brother, who slew them, and on the masters of Sheḵem, who strengthened his hands to slay his brothers.

25And the masters of Sheḵem set men in ambush against him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who passed over by them along that way. And it was reported to Aḇimeleḵ.

26And Ga‛al son of Eḇeḏ came with his brothers and passed over to Sheḵem. And the masters of Sheḵem put their trust in him,

27and went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards and trod out, and held a feast. And they went into the house of their mighty one, and ate and drank, and cursed Aḇimeleḵ.

28And Ga‛al son of Eḇeḏ said, “Who is Aḇimeleḵ, and who is Sheḵem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Yerubba‛al, and is not Zeḇul his officer? Serve the men of Ḥamor the father of Sheḵem! But why should we serve him?

29“If only this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Aḇimeleḵ.” And he said to Aḇimeleḵ, “Increase your army and come out!”

30And when Zeḇul, the governor of the city, heard the words of Ga‛al son of Eḇeḏ, his displeasure burned.

31And he sent messengers to Aḇimeleḵ by deceit, saying, “See, Ga‛al son of Eḇeḏ and his brothers have come to Sheḵem. And see, they are besieging the city against you.

32“And now, get up by night, you and the people who are with you, and lie in wait in the field.

33“And it shall be, as soon as the sun is up in the morning, then rise early and rush upon the city. And see, when he and the people who are with him come out against you, you shall do to them as your hand finds to do.”

34And Aḇimeleḵ and all the people who were with him rose up by night, and laid in wait against Sheḵem in four companies.

35Now Ga‛al son of Eḇeḏ went out and stood in the entrance to the city gate, and Aḇimeleḵ and the people who were with him rose from lying in wait.

36And when Ga‛al saw the people, he said to Zeḇul, “See, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains!” But Zeḇul said to him, “You are seeing the shadows of the mountains like men.”

37And Ga‛al spoke again and said, “See, people are coming down from the high part of the land, and another company is coming from the Diviners’ Terebinth Tree.”

38And Zeḇul said to him, “Now where is your mouth with which you said, ‘Who is Aḇimeleḵ, that we should serve him?’ Are not these the people whom you despised? I beg you, go out and fight them now.”

39So Ga‛al went out, leading the masters of Sheḵem, and fought Aḇimeleḵ.

40And Aḇimeleḵ pursued him, and he fled from him. And many fell wounded, up to the entrance of the gate.

41And Aḇimeleḵ stayed at Arumah, and Zeḇul drove out Ga‛al and his brothers, so that they would not dwell in Sheḵem.

42And it came to be the next day that the people went out into the field, and they informed Aḇimeleḵ.

43And he took his people, and divided them into three companies, and laid in wait in the field, and looked and saw the people coming out of the city. And he rose against them and smote them.

44And Aḇimeleḵ and the company that was with him rushed forward and stood at the entrance of the gate of the city. And the other two companies rushed upon all who were in the fields and smote them.

45And Aḇimeleḵ fought against the city all that day, and captured the city and slew the people who were in it. And he broke down the city and sowed it with salt.

46And all the masters of the tower of Sheḵem had heard that, and entered the stronghold of the house of Ěl Berith.

47And it was reported to Aḇimeleḵ that all the masters of the tower of Sheḵem were gathered together.

48So Aḇimeleḵ went up to Mount Tsalmon, he and all the people who were with him. And Aḇimeleḵ took an axe in his hand and cut down a branch from the trees, and took it and laid it on his shoulder. Then he said to the people who were with him, “What you have seen me do, hurry, do as I have done.”

49And all the people likewise cut down each one his own branch and followed Aḇimeleḵ, and put them against the stronghold, and set the stronghold on fire above them, so that all the men of the tower of Sheḵem died, about a thousand men and women.

50Aḇimeleḵ then went to Thĕḇĕts, and he encamped against Thĕḇĕts and captured it.

51However, there was a strong tower in the city, and all the men and women and all the masters of the city fled there and shut themselves in, and went up to the top of the tower.

52And Aḇimeleḵ came to the tower and fought against it, and approached the door of the tower to burn it with fire.

53But a certain woman dropped an upper millstone on the head of Aḇimeleḵ, and crushed his skull.

54He then immediately called the young man, his armour-bearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest men say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’ ” And his young man thrust him through, and he died.

55And when the men of Yisra’ĕl saw that Aḇimeleḵ was dead, each one went to his own place.

56Thus did Elohim repay the evil of Aḇimeleḵ, which he had done to his father to slay his seventy brothers.

57And all the evil of the men of Sheḵem Elohim turned back on their own heads, and the curse of Yotham son of Yerubba‛al came on them.