CITIES OF REFUGE

20 Then the Lord spoke to Joshua, 2 “Tell the Israelites: Select your cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses,f 3 so that a person who kills someone unintentionally or accidentally may flee there. These will be your refuge from the avenger of blood.g 4 When someone flees to one of these cities, stands at the entrance of the city gate, and states his case before the elders of that city, they are to bring him into the city and give him a place to live among them.h 5 And if the avenger of blood pursues him, they must not hand the one who committed manslaughter over to him, for he killed his neighbor accidentally and did not hate him beforehand. 6 He is to stay in that city until he stands trial before the assembly and until the death of the high priest serving at that time.i Then the one who committed manslaughter may return home to his own city from which he fled.”

7 So they designated Kedesh in the hill country of Naphtali in Galilee,j Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah.k 8 Across the Jordan east of Jericho, they selected Bezer on the wilderness plateau from Reuben’s tribe, Ramoth in Gilead from Gad’s tribe, and Golan in Bashan from Manasseh’s tribe.

9 These are the cities appointed for all the Israelites and the aliens residing among them,l so that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there and not die at the hand of the avenger of blood until he stands before the assembly.

CITIES OF THE LEVITES

21 The Levite family heads approached the priest Eleazar, Joshua son of Nun, and the family heads of the Israelite tribes. 2 At Shiloh, in the land of Canaan, they told them, “The Lord commanded through Moses that we be given cities to live in, with their pasturelands for our livestock.”m 3 So the Israelites, by the Lord’s command, gave the Levites these cities with their pasturelands from their inheritance.

4 The lot came out for the Kohathite clans: The Levites who were the descendants of the priest Aaron received thirteen cities by lot from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin. 5 The remaining descendants of Kohath received ten cities by lot from the clans of the tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and half the tribe of Manasseh.

6 Gershon’s descendants received thirteen cities by lot from the clans of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and half the tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

7 Merari’s descendants received twelve cities for their clans from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.

8 The Israelites gave these cities with their pasturelands around them to the Levites by lot, as the Lord had commanded through Moses.

CITIES OF AARON’S DESCENDANTS

9 The Israelites gave these cities by name from the tribes of the descendants of Judah and Simeon 10 to the descendants of Aaron from the Kohathite clans of the Levites, because they received the first lot. 11 They gave them Kiriath-arbaa (that is, Hebron; Arba was the father of Anak) with its surrounding pasturelands in the hill country of Judah. 12 But they gave the fields and settlements of the city to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession.

13 They gave to the descendants of the priest Aaron:

Hebron, the city of refuge for the one who commits manslaughter, with its pasturelands, Libnah with its pasturelands, 14 Jattir with its pasturelands, Eshtemoa with its pasturelands, 15 Holon with its pasturelands, Debir with its pasturelands, 16 Ain with its pasturelands, Juttah with its pasturelands, and Beth-shemesh with its pasturelands—nine cities from these two tribes.

17 From the tribe of Benjamin they gave:

Gibeon with its pasturelands, Geba with its pasturelands, 18 Anathoth with its pasturelands, and Almon with its pasturelands—four cities. 19 All thirteen cities with their pasturelands were for the priests, the descendants of Aaron.

CITIES OF KOHATH’S OTHER DESCENDANTS

20 The allotted cities to the remaining clans of Kohath’s descendants, who were Levites, came from the tribe of Ephraim. 21 The Israelites gave them:

Shechem,b the city of refuge for the one who commits manslaughter, with its pasturelands in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer with its pasturelands, 22 Kibzaim with its pasturelands, and Beth-horon with its pasturelands—four cities.

23 From the tribe of Dan they gave:

Elteke with its pasturelands, Gibbethon with its pasturelands, 24 Aijalon with its pasturelands, and Gath-rimmon with its pasturelands—four cities.

25 From half the tribe of Manasseh they gave:

Taanach with its pasturelands and Gath-rimmonA with its pasturelands—two cities.

26 All ten cities with their pasturelands were for the clans of Kohath’s other descendants.

CITIES OF GERSHON’S DESCENDANTS

27 From half the tribe of Manasseh, they gave to the descendants of Gershon,c who were one of the Levite clans:

Golan, the city of refuge for the one who commits manslaughter, with its pasturelands in Bashan, and Beeshterah with its pasturelands—two cities.

28 From the tribe of Issachar they gave:

Kishion with its pasturelands, Daberath with its pasturelands, 29 Jarmuth with its pasturelands, and En-gannim with its pasturelands—four cities.

30 From the tribe of Asher they gave:

Mishal with its pasturelands, Abdon with its pasturelands, 31 Helkath with its pasturelands, and Rehob with its pasturelands—four cities.

32 From the tribe of Naphtali they gave:

Kedesh in Galilee, the city of refuge for the one who commits manslaughter, with its pasturelands, Hammoth-dor with its pasturelands, and Kartan with its pasturelands—three cities.

33 All thirteen cities with their pasturelands were for the Gershonites by their clans.

CITIES OF MERARI’S DESCENDANTS

34 From the tribe of Zebulun, they gave to the clans of the descendants of Merari,d who were the remaining Levites:

Jokneam with its pasturelands, Kartah with its pasturelands, 35 Dimnah with its pasturelands, and Nahalal with its pasturelands—four cities.

36 From the tribe of Reuben they gave:

Bezere with its pasturelands, JahzahB with its pasturelands, 37 Kedemoth with its pasturelands, and Mephaath with its pasturelands—four cities.C

38 From the tribe of Gad they gave:

Ramoth in Gilead, the city of refuge for the one who commits manslaughter, with its pasturelands, Mahanaim with its pasturelands, 39 Heshbon with its pasturelands, and Jazer with its pasturelands—four cities in all. 40 All twelve cities were allotted to the clans of Merari’s descendants, the remaining Levite clans.

41 Within the Israelite possession there were forty-eight cities in all with their pasturelands for the Levites.a 42 Each of these cities had its own surrounding pasturelands; this was true for all the cities.

THE LORD’S PROMISES FULFILLED

43 So the Lord gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there. 44 The Lord gave them rest on every side according to all he had sworn to their ancestors. None of their enemies were able to stand against them, for the Lord handed over all their enemies to them. 45 None of the good promises the Lord had made to the house of Israel failed. Everything was fulfilled.b

EASTERN TRIBES RETURN HOME

22 Joshua summoned the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh 2 and told them, “You have done everything Moses the Lord’s servant commanded youc and have obeyed me in everything I commanded you. 3 You have not deserted your brothers even once this whole time but have carried out the requirement of the command of the Lord your God. 4 Now that he has given your brothers rest, just as he promised them, return to your homes in your own land that Moses the Lord’s servant gave you across the Jordan. 5 Only carefully obey the command and instruction that Moses the Lord’s servant gave you: to love the Lord your God, walk in all his ways, keep his commands, be loyal to him, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul.”d

6 Joshua blessed them and sent them on their way,e and they went to their homes. 7 Moses had given territory to half the tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, but Joshua had given territory to the other half,A with their brothers, on the west side of the Jordan.f When Joshua sent them to their homes and blessed them, 8 he said, “Return to your homes with great wealth: a huge number of cattle, and silver, gold, bronze, iron, and a large quantity of clothing. Share the spoil of your enemies with your brothers.”g

EASTERN TRIBES BUILD AN ALTAR

9 The Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh left the Israelites at Shiloh in the land of Canaan to return to their own land of Gilead,h which they took possession of according to the Lord’s command through Moses. 10 When they came to the region ofB the Jordan in the land of Canaan, the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh built a large, impressive altar there by the Jordan.

11 Then the Israelites heard it said, “Look, the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh have built an altar on the frontier of the land of Canaan at the region ofC the Jordan, on the Israelite side.” 12 When the Israelites heard this, the entire Israelite community assembled at Shiloh to go to war against them.i

EXPLANATION OF THE ALTAR

13 The Israelites sent Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest to the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, in the land of Gilead.j 14 They sent ten leaders with him—one family leader for each tribe of Israel. All of them were heads of their ancestral families among the clans of Israel.k 15 They went to the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, in the land of Gilead, and told them, 16 “This is what the Lord’s entire community says: ‘What is this treachery you have committed today against the God of Israel by turning away from the Lord and building an altar for yourselves, so that you are in rebellion against the Lord today? 17 Wasn’t the iniquity of Peor,l which brought a plague on the Lord’s community, enough for us? We have not cleansed ourselves from it even to this day,m 18 and now would you turn away from the Lord? If you rebel against the Lord today, tomorrow he will be angry with the entire community of Israel.n 19 But if the land you possess is defiled, cross over to the land the Lord possesses where the Lord’s tabernacle stands, and take possession of it among us. But don’t rebel against the Lord or against us by building for yourselves an altar other than the altar of the Lord our God. 20 Wasn’t Achan son of Zerah unfaithful regarding what was set apart for destruction, bringing wrath on the entire community of Israel? He was not the only one who perished because of his iniquity.’ ”a

21 The Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh answered the heads of the Israelite clans, 22 “The Mighty One, God, the Lord! The Mighty One, God, the Lord!A,b He knows,c and may Israel also know. Do not spare us today, if it was in rebellion or treachery against the Lord 23 that we have built for ourselves an altar to turn away from him. May the Lord himself hold us accountable if we intended to offer burnt offerings and grain offerings on it, or to sacrifice fellowship offerings on it. 24 We actually did this from a specific concern that in the future your descendants might say to our descendants, ‘What relationship do you have with the Lord, the God of Israel? 25 For the Lord has made the Jordan a border between us and you descendants of Reuben and Gad. You have no share in the Lord!’ So your descendants may cause our descendants to stop fearing the Lord.

26 “Therefore we said: Let’s take action and build an altar for ourselves, but not for burnt offering or sacrifice. 27 Instead, it is to be a witness between us and you,d and between the generations after us, so that we may carry out the worship of the Lord in his presence with our burnt offerings, sacrifices, and fellowship offerings.e Then in the future, your descendants will not be able to say to our descendants, ‘You have no share in the Lord!’ 28 We thought that if they said this to us or to our generations in the future, we would reply: Look at the replica of the Lord’s altar that our ancestors made, not for burnt offering or sacrifice, but as a witness between us and you. 29 We would never ever rebel against the Lord or turn away from him today by building an altar for burnt offering, grain offering, or sacrifice, other than the altar of the Lord our God, which is in front of his tabernacle.”

CONFLICT RESOLVED

30 When the priest Phinehas and the community leaders, the heads of Israel’s clans who were with him, heard what the descendants of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh had to say, they were pleased. 31 Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest said to the descendants of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh, “Today we know that the Lord is among us, because you have not committed this treachery against him.f As a result, you have rescued the Israelites from the Lord’s power.”

32 Then the priest Phinehas son of Eleazar and the leaders returned from the Reubenites and Gadites in the land of Gilead to the Israelites in the land of Canaan and brought back a report to them. 33 The Israelites were pleased with the report, and they blessed God.g They spoke no more about going to war against them to ravage the land where the Reubenites and Gadites lived. 34 So the Reubenites and Gadites named the altar: ItB is a witness between us that the Lord is God.

JOSHUA’S FAREWELL ADDRESS

23 A long time after the Lord had given Israel rest from all the enemies around them,h Joshua was old, advanced in age.i 2 So Joshua summoned all Israel, including its elders, leaders, judges, and officers,j and said to them, “I am old, advanced in age, 3 and you have seen for yourselves everything the Lord your God did to all these nations on your account, because it was the Lord your God who was fighting for you.k 4 See, I have allotted these remaining nations to you as an inheritance for your tribes,l including all the nations I have destroyed, from the Jordan westward to the Mediterranean Sea. 5 The Lord your God will force them back on your account and drive them out before you so that you can take possession of their land,m as the Lord your God promised you.

6 “Be very strongn and continue obeying all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, so that you do not turn from it to the right or left 7 and so that you do not associate with these nations remaining among you. Do not call on the names of their gods or make an oath to them;o do not serve them or bow in worship to them. 8 Instead, be loyal to the Lord your God, as you have been to this day.p

9 “The Lord has driven out great and powerful nations before you,q and no one is able to stand against you to this day.r 10 One of you routed a thousands because the Lord your God was fighting for you, as he promised.C,t 11 So diligently watch yourselves! Love the Lord your God! 12 If you ever turn away and become loyal to the rest of these nations remaining among you,u and if you intermarry or associate with themv and they with you, 13 know for certain that the Lord your God will not continue to drive these nations out before you. They will become a snare and a trap for you,a a sharp stickA for your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you disappear from this good land the Lord your God has given you.

14 “I am now going the way of the whole earth,b and you know with all your heart and all your soul that none of the good promises the Lord your God made to you has failed. Everything was fulfilled for you; not one promise has failed.c 15 Since every good thing the Lord your God promised you has come about, so he will bring on you every bad thing until he has annihilated you from this good land the Lord your God has given you.d 16 If you break the covenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods, and bow in worship to them, the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and you will quickly disappear from this good land he has given you.”

REVIEW OF ISRAEL’S HISTORY

24 Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shecheme and summoned Israel’s elders, leaders, judges, and officers, and they presented themselves before God.f 2 Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your ancestors, including Terah,g the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River and worshiped other gods. 3 But I took your father Abraham from the region beyond the Euphrates River, led him throughout the land of Canaan, and multiplied his descendants.h I gave him Isaac,i 4 and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau.j I gave the hill country of Seir to Esau as a possession.k

“ ‘Jacob and his sons, however, went down to Egypt.l 5 I sent Moses and Aaron,m and I defeated Egypt by what I did within it, and afterward I brought you out. 6 When I brought your ancestors out of Egypt and you reached the Red Sea,n the Egyptians pursued your ancestors with chariots and horsemen as far as the sea. 7 Your ancestors cried out to the Lord, so he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea over them, engulfing them. Your own eyes saw what I did to Egypt. After that, you lived in the wilderness a long time.

8 “ ‘Later, I brought you to the land of the Amorites who lived beyond the Jordan.o They fought against you, but I handed them over to you. You possessed their land, and I annihilated them before you. 9 Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab,p set out to fight against Israel. He sent for Balaam son of Beor to curse you, 10 but I would not listen to Balaam. Instead, he repeatedly blessed you, and I rescued you from him.

11 “ ‘You then crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho.q Jericho’s citizens—as well as the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hethites, Girgashites, Hivites, and Jebusites—fought against you, but I handed them over to you. 12 I sent hornetsB,r ahead of you, and they drove out the two Amorite kingss before you. It was not by your sword or bow. 13 I gave you a land you did not labor for, and cities you did not build,t though you live in them; you are eating from vineyards and olive groves you did not plant.’

THE COVENANT RENEWAL

14 “Therefore, fear the Lord and worship him in sincerity and truth.u Get rid of the gods your ancestors worshipedv beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and worship the Lord. 15 But if it doesn’t please you to worship the Lord, choose for yourselves today: Which will you worship—the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living?w As for me and my family, we will worship the Lord.”

16 The people replied, “We will certainly not abandon the Lord to worship other gods! 17 For the Lord our God brought us and our ancestors out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery,x and performed these great signs before our eyes. He also protected us all along the way we went and among all the peoples whose lands we traveled through. 18 The Lord drove out before us all the peoples, including the Amorites who lived in the land. We too will worship the Lord, because he is our God.”

19 But Joshua told the people, “You will not be able to worship the Lord, because he is a holy God. He is a jealous God;y he will not forgive your transgressions and sins.z 20 If you abandon the Lord and worship foreign gods, he will turn against you, harm you, and completely destroyaa you, after he has been good to you.”

21 “No!” the people answered Joshua. “We will worship the Lord.”

22 Joshua then told the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you yourselves have chosen to worship the Lord.”

“We are witnesses,” they said.

23 “Then get rid of the foreign gods that are among you and turn your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.”

24 So the people said to Joshua, “We will worship the Lord our God and obey him.”

25 On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people at Shechem and established a statute and ordinance for them. 26 Joshua recorded these things in the book of the law of God;a he also took a large stone and set it up there under the oak at the sanctuary of the Lord. 27 And Joshua said to all the people, “You see this stone—it will be a witness against us,b for it has heard all the words the Lord said to us, and it will be a witness against you, so that you will not deny your God.” 28 Then Joshua sent the people away, each to his own inheritance.

BURIAL OF THREE LEADERS

29 After these things, the Lord’s servant, Joshua son of Nun, died at the age of 110. 30 They buried him in his allotted territory at Timnath-serah, in the hill country of Ephraimc north of Mount Gaash. 31 Israel worshiped the Lord throughout Joshua’s lifetime and during the lifetimes of the elders who outlived Joshuad and who had experienced all the works the Lord had done for Israel.

32 Joseph’s bones, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt,e were buried at Shechem in the parcel of land Jacob had purchased from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for a hundred pieces of silver.A,f It was an inheritance for Joseph’s descendants.

33 And Eleazar son of Aaron died, and they buried him at Gibeah,B which had been given to his son Phinehasg in the hill country of Ephraim.

JUDGES

JUDAH’S LEADERSHIP AGAINST THE CANAANITES

1 After the death of Joshua,a the Israelites inquired of the Lord,b “Who will be the first to fight for us against the Canaanites?”

2 The Lord answered, “Judahc is to go.d I have handed the land over to him.”e

3 Judah said to his brother Simeon, “Come with me to my allotted territory, and let’s fight against the Canaanites. I will also go with you to your allotted territory.” So Simeon went with him.

4 When Judah attacked, the Lord handed the Canaanites and Perizzitesf over to them. They struck down ten thousand men in Bezek.g 5 They found Adoni-bezek in Bezek, fought against him, and struck down the Canaanites and Perizzites.

6 When Adoni-bezek fled, they pursued him, caught him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes.h 7 Adoni-bezek said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off used to pick up scrapsA under my table. God has repaid me for what I have done.” They brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there.

8 The men of Judah fought against Jerusalem, captured it, put it to the sword, and set the city on fire. 9 Afterward, the men of Judah marched down to fight against the Canaanites who were living in the hill country, the Negev, and the Judean foothills.B 10 Judah also marched against the Canaanites who were living in Hebroni (Hebron was formerly named Kiriath-arbaj). They struck down Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.k 11 From there they marched against the residents of Debirl (Debir was formerly named Kiriath-sepher).

12 Calebm said, “Whoever attacks and captures Kiriath-sepher, I will give my daughter Achsahn to him as a wife.” 13 So Othnielo son of Kenaz, Caleb’s youngest brother, captured it, and Caleb gave his daughter Achsah to him as his wife.

14 When she arrived, she persuaded Othniel to ask her father for a field. As she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What do you want?” 15 She answered him, “Give me a blessing. Since you have given me land in the Negev,p give me springs also.” So Caleb gave her both the upper and lower springs.q

16 The descendants of the Kenite, Moses’s father-in-law,r had gone up with the men of Judah from the City of Palms* s to the Wilderness of Judah, which was in the Negev of Arad.t They went to live among the people.

17 Judah went with his brother Simeon, struck the Canaanites who were living in Zephath, and completely destroyed the town. So they named the town Hormah.u 18 Judah captured Gaza and its territory, Ashkelon and its territory, and Ekron and its territory. 19 The Lord was withv Judah and enabled them to take possession of the hill country, but they could not drive outw the people who were living in the plain because those people had iron chariots.x

20 Judah gave Hebron to Caleb, just as Moses had promised.y Then Caleb drove out the three sons of Anakz who lived there.

BENJAMIN’S FAILURE

21 At the same time the Benjaminites did not drive out the Jebusites who were living in Jerusalem. The Jebusites have lived among the Benjaminites in Jerusalem to this day.aa

SUCCESS OF THE HOUSE OF JOSEPH

22 The house of Joseph also attacked Bethel, and the Lord was withab them. 23 They sent spies to Bethel (the town was formerly named Luzac). 24 The spies saw a man coming out of the town and said to him, “Please show us how to get into town, and we will show you kindness.”ad 25 When he showed them the way into the town, they put the town to the sword but released the man and his entire family. 26 Then the man went to the land of the Hittites, built a town, and named it Luz. That is its name still today.

FAILURE OF THE OTHER TRIBES

27 At that time Manasseh failed to take possession of Beth-sheanae and Taanachaf and their surrounding villages, or the residents of Dor,ag Ibleam,ah and Megiddoai and their surrounding villages; the Canaanites were determined to stay in this land.a 28 When Israel became stronger, they made the Canaanites serve as forced labor but never drove them out completely.b

29 At that time Ephraim failed to drive out the Canaanites who were living in Gezer, so the Canaanites have lived among them in Gezer.c

30 Zebulun failed to drive out the residents of Kitron or the residents of Nahalol,d so the Canaanites lived among them and served as forced labor.

31 Asher failed to drive out the residents of Acco or of Sidon, or Ahlab, Achzib, Helbah, Aphik, or Rehob. 32 The Asherites lived among the Canaanites who were living in the land, because they failed to drive them out.

33 Naphtali did not drive out the residents of Beth-shemesh or the residents of Beth-anath. They lived among the Canaanites who were living in the land, but the residents of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath served as their forced labor.

34 The Amoritese forced the Danites into the hill country and did not allow them to go down into the valley. 35 The Amorites were determined to stay in Har-heres, Aijalon,f and Shaalbim. When the house of Joseph got the upper hand, the Amorites were made to serve as forced labor. 36 The territory of the Amorites extended from the Scorpions’ Ascent,g that is from Selah upward.

PATTERN OF SIN AND JUDGMENT

2 The angel of the Lordi went up from Gilgal to Bochim and said, “I brought you out of Egypt and led you into the landj I had promised to your ancestors.k I also said: I will never break my covenant with you. 2 You are not to make a covenantl with the inhabitants of this land. You are to tear down their altars.m But you have not obeyed me. What have you done? 3 Therefore, I now say: I will not drive out these people before you.n They will be thornsE in your sides,o and their gods will be a trap for you.”p 4 When the angel of the Lord had spoken these words to all the Israelites, the people wept loudly. 5 So they named that place BochimF and offered sacrifices there to the Lord.

JOSHUA’S DEATH

6 Previously, when Joshua had sent the people away, the Israelites had gone to take possession of the land, each to his own inheritance.q 7 The people worshiped the Lord throughout Joshua’s lifetime and during the lifetimes of the elders who outlived Joshua. They had seen all the Lord’s great worksr he had done for Israel.

8 Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of 110. 9 They buried him in the territory of his inheritance, in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim,s north of Mount Gaash. 10 That whole generation was also gathered to their ancestors. After them another generation rose up who did not know the Lordt or the works he had done for Israel.

11 The Israelites did what was evil in the Lord’s sight.u They worshiped the Baalsv 12 and abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed other gods from the surrounding peoplesw and bowed down to them. They angered the Lord,x 13 for they abandoned him and worshiped Baal and the Ashtoreths.y

14 The Lord’s anger burned against Israel, and he handed them over to marauders who raided them. He soldz them to the enemies around them, and they could no longer resist their enemies. 15 Whenever the Israelites went out, the Lord was against themaa and brought disaster on them, just as he had promised and sworn to them.ab So they suffered greatly.

16 The Lord raised upac judges, who saved them from the power of their marauders, 17 but they did not listen to their judges. Instead, they prostitutedad themselves with other gods, bowing down to them. They quickly turned from the wayae of their ancestors, who had walked in obedience to the Lord’s commands. They did not do as their ancestors did. 18 Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for the Israelites, the Lord was withaf him and saved the people from the power of their enemies while the judge was still alive. The Lord was moved to pity whenever they groaned because of those who were oppressing and afflicting them. 19 Whenever the judge died, the Israelites would act even more corruptlyag than their ancestors, following other gods to serve them and bow in worship to them. They did not turn from their evil practices or their obstinateah ways.

20 The Lord’s anger burned against Israel, and he declared, “Because this nation has violated my covenanta that I made with their ancestorsb and disobeyed me, 21 I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua leftc when he died.d 22 I did this to test Israel and to see whether or not they would keep the Lord’s waye by walking in it, as their ancestors had.”f 23 The Lord left these nations and did not drive them out immediately. He did not hand them over to Joshua.

THE LORD TESTS ISRAEL

3 These are the nations the Lord left in order to test all those in Israel who had experienced none of the wars in Canaan.g 2 This was to teach the future generations of the Israelites how to fight in battle, especially those who had not fought before. 3 These nations included the five rulersh of the Philistinesi and all of the Canaanites, the Sidonians,j and the Hivitesk who lived in the Lebanese mountains from Mount Baal-hermon as far as the entrance to Hamath.C 4 The Lord left them to test Israel, to determine if they would keep the Lord’s commands he had given their ancestors through Moses.l 5 But they settled among the Canaanites, Hethites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. 6 The Israelites took their daughters as wives for themselves, gave their own daughters to their sons, and worshiped their gods.m

OTHNIEL, THE FIRST JUDGE

7 The Israelites did what was evil in the Lord’s sight; they forgot the Lord their Godn and worshiped the Baals and the Asherahs. 8 The Lord’s anger burned against Israel, and he sold them to King Cushan-rishathaimF of Aram-naharaim,G,o and the Israelites served him eight years.

9 The Israelites cried out to the Lord.p So the Lord raised up Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s youngest brother,q as a delivererr to save the Israelites. 10 The Spirit of the Lord came on him, and he judged Israel. Othniel went out to battle, and the Lord handed over King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram to him, so that Othniel overpowered him. 11 Then the land had peace fors forty years, and Othniel son of Kenaz died.

EHUD

12 The Israelites again did what was evil in the Lord’s sight. He gave King Eglon of Moabt power over Israel, because they had done what was evil in the Lord’s sight. 13 After Eglon convinced the Ammonites and the Amalekites to join forces with him, he attacked and defeated Israel and took possession of the City of Palms.* u 14 The Israelites served King Eglon of Moab eighteen years.

15 Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord, and he raised up Ehud son of Gera, a left-handedv Benjaminite,I as a deliverer for them. The Israelites sent him with the tributew for King Eglon of Moab.

16 Ehud made himself a double-edged sword eighteen inches long.J He strapped it to his right thigh under his clothes 17 and brought the tribute to King Eglon of Moab, who was an extremely fat man. 18 When Ehud had finished presenting the tribute, he dismissed the people who had carried it. 19 At the carved images near Gilgal he returned and said, “King Eglon, I have a secret message for you.” The king said, “Silence!” and all his attendants left him. 20 Then Ehud approached him while he was sitting alone in his upstairs room where it was cool. Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you,” and the king stood up from his throne. 21 Ehud reached with his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh, and plunged it into Eglon’s belly. 22 Even the handle went in after the blade, and Eglon’s fat closed in over it, so that Ehud did not withdraw the sword from his belly. And the waste came out.K 23 Ehud escaped by way of the porch, closing and locking the doors of the upstairs room behind him.

24 Ehud was gone when Eglon’s servants came in. They looked and found the doors of the upstairs room locked and thought he was relieving himselfL in the cool room. 25 The servants waited until they became embarrassed and saw that he had still not opened the doors of the upstairs room. So they took the key and opened the doors—and there was their lord lying dead on the floor!

26 Ehud escaped while the servants waited. He passed the Jordan near the carved images and reached Seirah. 27 After he arrived, he sounded the trumpet throughout the hill country of Ephraim. The Israelites came down with him from the hill country, and he became their leader. 28 He told them, “Follow me, because the Lord has handed over your enemies, the Moabites, to you.” So they followed him, captured the fords of the Jordan leading to Moab, and did not allow anyone to cross over.a 29 At that time they struck down about ten thousand Moabites, all stout and able-bodied men. Not one of them escaped. 30 Moab became subject to Israel that day, and the land had peace for eighty years.

SHAMGAR

31 After Ehud, Shamgar son of Anath became judge. He also delivered Israel, striking down six hundred Philistines with a cattle prod.

DEBORAH AND BARAK

4 The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord after Ehud had died. 2 So the Lord sold them to King Jabinb of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor.c The commander of his army was Siserad who lived in Harosheth of the Nations.* 3 Then the Israelites cried oute to the Lord, because Jabin had nine hundred iron chariots, and he harshly oppressed them twenty years.

4 Deborah, a prophetessf and the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. 5 She would sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to settle disputes.g

6 She summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “Hasn’t the Lord, the God of Israel,h commanded you, ‘Go, deploy the troops on Mount Tabor,i and take with you ten thousand men from the Naphtalitesj and Zebulunites?k 7 Then I will lure Sisera commander of Jabin’s army, his chariots, and his infantry at the Wadi Kishonl to fight against you, and I will hand him over to you.’ ”m

8 Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go. But if you will not go with me, I will not go.”

9 “I will gladly go with you,” she said, “but you will receive no honor on the road you are about to take, because the Lord will sell Sisera to a woman.” So Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh. 10 Barak summoned Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; ten thousand men followed him, and Deborah also went with him.

11 Now Heber the Kenite had moved away from the Kenites, the sons of Hobab,n Moses’s father-in-law,o and pitched his tent beside the oak tree of Zaanannim,p which was near Kedesh.

12 It was reported to Sisera that Barak son of Abinoam had gone up Mount Tabor. 13 Sisera summoned all his nine hundred iron chariots and all the troops who were with him from Harosheth of the Nations to the Wadi Kishon. 14 Then Deborah said to Barak, “Go! This is the day the Lord has handed Sisera over to you. Hasn’t the Lord gone before you?” So Barak came down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him.

15 The Lord threw Sisera, all his charioteers, and all his army into a panicq before Barak’s assault. Sisera left his chariot and fled on foot. 16 Barak pursued the chariots and the army as far as Harosheth of the Nations, and the whole army of Sisera fell by the sword; not a single man was left.

17 Meanwhile, Sisera had fled on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because there was peace between King Jabin of Hazor and the family of Heber the Kenite. 18 Jael went out to greet Sisera and said to him, “Come in, my lord. Come in with me. Don’t be afraid.” So he went into her tent, and she covered him with a blanket. 19 He said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink for I am thirsty.” She opened a container of milk, gave him a drink, and covered him again. 20 Then he said to her, “Stand at the entrance to the tent. If a man comes and asks you, ‘Is there a man here?’ say, ‘No.’ ” 21 While he was sleeping from exhaustion, Heber’s wife, Jael, took a tent peg, grabbed a hammer, and went silently to Sisera. She hammered the peg into his temple and drove it into the ground, and he died.

22 When Barak arrived in pursuit of Sisera, Jael went out to greet him and said to him, “Come and I will show you the man you are looking for.” So he went in with her, and there was Sisera lying dead with a tent peg through his temple!

23 That day God subdued King Jabin of Canaan before the Israelites. 24 The power of the Israelites continued to increase against King Jabin of Canaan until they destroyed him.

DEBORAH’S SONG

5 On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang:

2 When the leaders leadB in Israel,

when the people volunteer,

blessed be the Lord.

3 Listen, kings! Pay attention, princes!

I will sing to the Lord;

I will sing praise to the Lord God of Israel.

4 Lord, when you came from Seir,a

when you marched from the fields of Edom,

the earth trembled,b

the skies pouredc rain,

and the clouds poured water.

5 The mountains melted before the Lord,

even Sinai,A before the Lord, the God of Israel.d

6 In the days of Shamgare son of Anath,

in the days of Jael,f

the main roads were deserted

because travelers kept to the side roads.

7 Villages were deserted,B

they were deserted in Israel,

until I,C Deborah, arose,

a mother in Israel.

8 Israel chose new gods,

then there was war in the city gates.

Not a shield or spear was seen

among forty thousand in Israel.

9 My heart is with the leaders of Israel,

with the volunteers of the people.

Blessed be the Lord!

10 You who ride on whiteB donkeys,

who sit on saddle blankets,

and who travel on the road, give praise!

11 Let them tell the righteous actsg of the Lord,

the righteous deeds of his villagers in Israel,

with the voices of the singers at the watering places.B

Then the Lord’s people went down to the city gates.

12 “Awake! Awake, Deborah!

Awake! Awake, sing a song!

Arise, Barak,

and take your prisoners,

son of Abinoam!”

13 Then the survivorsh came down to the nobles;i

the Lord’s people came down to meD against the warriors.

14 Those with their roots in AmalekE came from Ephraim;

Benjamin came with your people after you.

The leaders came down from Machir,j

and those who carry a marshal’s staff came from Zebulun.

15 The princes of Issachar were with Deborah;

Issachar was with Barak;

they were under his leadershipF,k in the valley.

There was great searchingG of heart

among the clans of Reuben.

16 Why did you sit among the sheep pensH

listening to the playing of pipes for the flocks?

There was great searching of heart

among the clans of Reuben.

17 Gileadl remained beyond the Jordan.

Dan, why did you linger at the ships?

Asher remained at the seashore

and stayed in his harbors.

18 The people of Zebulun defied death,

Naphtali also, on the heights of the battlefield.

19 Kings came and fought.

Then the kings of Canaan fought

at Taanach by the Waters of Megiddo,

but they did not plunder the silver.

20 The stars fought from the heavens;

the stars fought with Sisera from their paths.

21 The river Kishon swept them away,m

the ancient river, the river Kishon.

March on, my soul, in strength!

22 The horses’ hooves then hammered—

the galloping, galloping of hisI stallions.

23 “Curse Meroz,” says the angel of the Lord,

“Bitterly curse her inhabitants,

for they did not come to help the Lord,

to help the Lord with the warriors.”

24 Jael is most blessed of women, is Jael,

the wife of Heber the Kenite;

she is most blessed among tent-dwelling women.

25 He asked for water; she gave him milk.

She brought him creama in a majestic bowl.

26 She reached for a tent peg,

her right hand, for a workman’s hammer.

Then she hammered Sisera—

she crushed his head;

she shattered and pierced his temple.

27 He collapsed, he fell, he lay down between her feet;

he collapsed, he fell between her feet;

where he collapsed, there he fell—dead.

28 Sisera’s mother looked through the window;

she peered through the lattice, crying out:

“Why is his chariot so long in coming?

Why don’t I hear the hoofbeats of his horses?”A

29 Her wisest princesses answer her;

she even answers herself:

30 “Are they not finding and dividing the spoil—

a girl or twoC for each warrior,

the spoil of colored garments for Sisera,

the spoil of an embroidered garment or two for my neck?”D

31 Lord, may all your enemies perish as Sisera did.E

But may those who love him

be like the rising of the sun in its strength.

And the land had peace for forty years.

MIDIAN OPPRESSES ISRAEL

6 The Israelites did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.b So the Lord handedc them over to Midian seven years, 2 and they oppressed Israel.d Because of Midian, the Israelites made hiding placese for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds. 3 Whenever the Israelites planted crops, the Midianites, Amalekites, and the people of the eastf came and attacked them. 4 They encamped against them and destroyed the produce of the land, even as far as Gaza. They left nothing for Israel to eat, as well as no sheep, ox, or donkey. 5 For the Midianites came with their cattle and their tents like a great swarm of locusts.g They and their camels were without number, and they entered the land to lay waste to it. 6 So Israel became poverty-stricken because of Midian, and the Israelites cried out to the Lord.h

7 When the Israelites cried out to him because of Midian, 8 the Lord sent a propheti to them. He said to them, “This is what the Lordj God of Israel says: ‘I brought you out of Egypt and out of the place of slavery.k 9 I rescued you from the power of Egypt and the power of all who oppressedl you. I drove them out before you and gave you their land. 10 I said to you: I am the Lord your God. Do not fear the gods of the Amorites whose land you live in.m But you did not obey me.’ ”

THE LORD CALLS GIDEON

11 The angel of the Lordn came, and he sat under the oak that was in Ophrah,o which belonged to Joash, the Abiezrite. His son Gideon was threshing wheat in the winepress in order to hide it from the Midianites. 12 Then the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “The Lord is with you, valiant warrior.”p

13 Gideon said to him, “Please, my lord, if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened? And where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about? They said, ‘Hasn’t the Lord brought us out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to Midian.”

14 The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and deliver Israel from the grasp of Midian. I am sending you!”q

15 He said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I deliver Israel? Look, my family is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s family.”

16 “But I will be with you,”r the Lord said to him. “You will strike Midian down as if it were one man.”

17 Then he said to him, “If I have found favor with you,s give me a signt that you are speaking with me. 18 Please do not leave this place until I return to you. Let me bring my gift and set it before you.”

And he said, “I will stay until you return.”

19 So Gideon went and prepared a young goat and unleavened bread from a half bushelA of flour. He placed the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot. He brought them out and offered them to him under the oak.

20 The angel of Goda said to him, “Take the meat with the unleavened bread, put it on this stone, and pour the broth on it.” So he did that.

21 The angel of the Lord extended the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened bread. Fire came up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. Then the angel of the Lord vanished from his sight.

22 When Gideon realized that he was the angel of the Lord, he said, “Oh no, Lord God!b I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face!”c

23 But the Lord said to him, “Peace to you. Don’t be afraid, for you will not die.” 24 So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it The Lord Is Peace.B It is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites today.

GIDEON TEARS DOWN A BAAL ALTAR

25 On that very night the Lord said to him, “Take your father’s young bull and a second bull seven years old. Then tear down the altar of Baald that belongs to your father and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. 26 Build a well-constructed altar to the Lord your God on the top of this mound.e Take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah pole you cut down.” 27 So Gideon took ten of his male servants and did as the Lord had told him. But because he was too afraid of his father’s family and the men of the city to do it in the daytime, he did it at night.

28 When the men of the city got up in the morning, they found Baal’s altar torn down, the Asherah pole beside it cut down, and the second bull offered up on the altar that had been built. 29 They said to each other, “Who did this?” After they made a thorough investigation, they said, “Gideon son of Joash did it.”

30 Then the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son. He must die, because he tore down Baal’s altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.”

31 But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Would you plead Baal’s case for him? Would you save him? Whoever pleads his case will be put to death by morning! If he is a god, let him plead his own case because someone tore down his altar.” 32 That day Gideon was called Jerubbaal, since Joash said, “Let Baal contend with him,” because he tore down his altar.

THE SIGN OF THE FLEECE

33 All the Midianites, Amalekites, and people of the east gathered together, crossed over the Jordan, and camped in the Jezreel Valley.f

34 The Spirit of the Lord enveloped* Gideon,g and he blew the trumpet and the Abiezrites rallied behind him. 35 He sent messengers throughout all of Manasseh, who rallied behind him. He also sent messengers throughout Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, who also came to meet him.

36 Then Gideon said to God, “If you will deliver Israel by me, as you said, 37 I will put a wool fleece here on the threshing floor. If dew is only on the fleece, and all the ground is dry, I will know that you will deliver Israel by me, as you said.” 38 And that is what happened. When he got up early in the morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung dew out of it, filling a bowl with water.

39 Gideon then said to God, “Don’t be angry with me; let me speak one more time. Please allow me to make one more test with the fleece. Let it remain dry, and the dew be all over the ground.” 40 That night God did as Gideon requested: only the fleece was dry, and dew was all over the ground.

GOD SELECTS GIDEON’S ARMY

7 Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the troops who were with him, got up early and camped beside the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them, below the hill of Moreh, in the valley. 2 The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many troops for me to hand the Midianites over to them, or else Israel might elevate themselves over me and say,D ‘I saved myself.’ 3 Now announce to the troops, ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’ ”h So twenty-two thousand of the troops turned back, but ten thousand remained.

4 Then the Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many troops. Take them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. If I say to you, ‘This one can go with you,’ he can go. But if I say about anyone, ‘This one cannot go with you,’ he cannot go.” 5 So he brought the troops down to the water, and the Lord said to Gideon, “Separate everyone who laps water with his tongue like a dog. Do the same with everyone who kneels to drink.” 6 The number of those who lapped with their hands to their mouths was three hundred men, and all the rest of the troops knelt to drink water. 7 The Lord said to Gideon, “I will deliver youa with the three hundred men who lapped and hand the Midianites over to you. But everyone else is to go home.” 8 So Gideon sent all the Israelites to their tents but kept the three hundred troops, who took the provisions and their rams’ horns. The camp of Midian was below him in the valley.

GIDEON SPIES ON THE MIDIANITE CAMP

9 That night the Lord said to him, “Get up and attack the camp, for I have handed it over to you.b 10 But if you are afraid to attack the camp, go down with Purah your servant. 11 Listen to what they say, and then you will be encouraged to attack the camp.” So he went down with Purah his servant to the outpost of the troopsB who were in the camp.

12 Now the Midianites, Amalekites, and all the people of the east had settled down in the valley like a swarm of locusts, and their camels were as innumerable as the sand on the seashore. 13 When Gideon arrived, there was a man telling his friend about a dream. He said, “Listen, I had a dream:c a loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp, struck a tent, and it fell. The loaf turned the tent upside down so that it collapsed.”

14 His friend answered, “This is nothing less than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has handed the entire Midianite camp over to him.”

GIDEON ATTACKS THE MIDIANITES

15 When Gideon heard the account of the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship. He returned to Israel’s camp and said, “Get up, for the Lord has handed the Midianite camp over to you.” 16 Then he divided the three hundred men into three companies and gave each of the men a trumpet in one hand and an empty pitcher with a torch inside it in the other hand.

17 “Watch me,” he said to them, “and do what I do. When I come to the outpost of the camp, do as I do. 18 When I and everyone with me blow our rams’ horns, you are also to blow your rams’ horns all around the camp. Then you will say, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon!’ ”

19 Gideon and the hundred men who were with him went to the outpost of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch after the sentries had been stationed. They blew their rams’ horns and broke the pitchers that were in their hands. 20 The three companies blew their rams’ horns and shattered their pitchers. They held their torches in their left hands and their rams’ horns to blow in their right hands, and they shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” 21 Each Israelite took his position around the camp, and the entire Midianite army began to run, and they cried out as they fled. 22 When Gideon’s men blew their three hundred rams’ horns, the Lord caused the men in the whole army to turn on each other with their swords.d They fled to Acacia HouseD in the direction of Zererah as far as the border of Abel-meholahe near Tabbath. 23 Then the men of Israel were called from Naphtali, Asher, and Manasseh, and they pursued the Midianites.

THE MEN OF EPHRAIM JOIN THE BATTLE

24 Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim with this message: “Come down to intercept the Midianites and take control of the watercourses ahead of them as far as Beth-barah and the Jordan.” So all the men of Ephraimf were called out, and they took control of the watercourses as far as Beth-barah and the Jordan. 25 They captured Oreb and Zeeb, the two princes of Midian; they killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb, while they were pursuing the Midianites. They brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon across the Jordan.

8 The men of Ephraim said to him, “Why have you done this to us, not calling us when you went to fight against the Midianites?” And they argued with him violently.

2 So he said to them, “What have I done now compared to you? Is not the gleaningg of Ephraim better than the grape harvesth of Abiezer? 3 God handed over to you Oreb and Zeeb, the two princes of Midian. What was I able to do compared to you?” When he said this, their anger against him subsided.

GIDEON PURSUES THE KINGS OF MIDIAN

4 Gideon and the three hundred men came to the Jordan and crossed it. They were exhausted but still in pursuit. 5 He said to the men of Succoth,a “Please give some loaves of bread to the troops under my command,A because they are exhausted, for I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”

6 But the princes of Succoth asked, “Are Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hands that we should give bread to your army?”

7 Gideon replied, “Very well, when the Lord has handed Zebah and Zalmunna over to me, I will tearC your flesh with thorns and briers from the wilderness!” 8 He went from there to Penuel and asked the same thing from them. The men of Penuelb answered just as the men of Succoth had answered. 9 He also told the men of Penuel, “When I return safely, I will tear down this tower!”

10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and with them was their army of about fifteen thousand men, who were all those left of the entire army of the people of the east. Those who had been killed were one hundred twenty thousand armed men. 11 Gideon traveled on the caravan routeE east of Nobahc and Jogbehah and attacked their army while the army felt secure. 12 Zebah and Zalmunna fled, and he pursued them. He captured these two kings of Midian and routed the entire army.

13 Gideon son of Joash returned from the battle by the Ascent of Heres. 14 He captured a youth from the men of Succoth and interrogated him. The youth wrote down for him the names of the seventy-seven leaders and elders of Succoth. 15 Then he went to the men of Succoth and said, “Here are Zebah and Zalmunna. You taunted me about them, saying, ‘Are Zebah and Zalmunna now in your power that we should give bread to your exhausted men?’ ” 16 So he took the elders of the city, and he took some thorns and briers from the wilderness, and he disciplined the men of Succoth with them. 17 He also tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.

18 He asked Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men did you kill at Tabor?”

“They were like you,” they said. “Each resembled the son of a king.”

19 So he said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother! As the Lord lives, if you had let them live, I would not kill you.” 20 Then he said to Jether, his firstborn, “Get up and kill them.” The youth did not draw his sword, for he was afraid because he was still a youth.

21 Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Get up and strike us down yourself, for a man is judged by his strength.” So Gideon got up, killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and took the crescent ornaments that were on the necks of their camels.

GIDEON’S LEGACY

22 Then the Israelites said to Gideon, “Rule over us,d you as well as your sons and your grandsons, for you delivered us from the power of Midian.”

23 But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you; the Lord will rule over you.” 24 Then he said to them, “Let me make a request of you: Everyone give me an earring from his plunder.” Now the enemy had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.

25 They said, “We agree to give them.” So they spread out a cloak, and everyone threw an earring from his plunder on it. 26 The weight of the gold earrings he requested was forty-three poundsF of gold, in addition to the crescent ornaments and ear pendants, the purple garments on the kings of Midian, and the chains on the necks of their camels. 27 Gideon made an ephode from all this and put it in Ophrah, his hometown. Then all Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his household.

28 So Midian was subdued before the Israelites, and they were no longer a threat. The land had peace for forty yearsf during the days of Gideon. 29 Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) son of Joash went back to live at his house.

30 Gideon had seventy sons, his own offspring, since he had many wives. 31 His concubine who was in Shechemg also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech. 32 Then Gideon son of Joash died at a good old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

33 When Gideon died, the Israelites turned and prostituteda themselves by worshiping the Baals and made Baal-berithA their god. 34 The Israelites did not remember the Lord their Godb who had rescued them from the hand of the enemies around them. 35 They did not show kindnessc to the house of Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) for all the good he had done for Israel.