Bible in 90 Days

¹³ And they spoke unto him, saying, “No, but we will bind thee fast and deliver thee into their hand; but surely we will not kill thee.” And they bound him with two new cords, and brought him up from the rock.

¹⁴ And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him. And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him; and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burned with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands.

¹⁵ And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.

¹⁶ And Samson said, “With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.”

¹⁷ And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that place Ramathlehi [that is, The lifting up of the jawbone].

¹⁸ And he was sore athirst, and called on the Lord and said, “Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of Thy servant. And now shall I die for thirst and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?”

¹⁹ But God cleaved a hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again and he revived. Therefore he called the name thereof Enhakkore [that is, The well of him that called or cried], which is in Lehi unto this day.

²⁰ And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.

16 Then went Samson to Gaza and saw there a harlot, and went in unto her.

² And it was told the Gazites, saying, “Samson has come hither.” And they compassed him in, and lay in wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, “In the morning when it is day, we shall kill him.”

³ And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight and took the doors of the gate of the city and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders and carried them up to the top of a hill that is before Hebron.

⁴ And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the Valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.

⁵ And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her and said unto her, “Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him; and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver.”

⁶ And Delilah said to Samson, “Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee.”

⁷ And Samson said unto her, “If they bind me with seven green withes that were never dried, then shall I be weak and be as another man.”

⁸ Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withes which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.

⁹ Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, “The Philistines be upon thee, Samson.” And he broke the withes as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.

¹⁰ And Delilah said unto Samson, “Behold, thou hast mocked me and told me lies. Now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound.”

¹¹ And he said unto her, “If they bind me fast with new ropes wherewith work hath not been done, then shall I be weak and be as another man.”

¹² Delilah therefore took new ropes and bound him therewith, and said unto him, “The Philistines be upon thee, Samson.” And there were liersinwait abiding in the chamber. And he broke them from off his arms like a thread.

¹³ And Delilah said unto Samson, “Hitherto thou hast mocked me and told me lies. Tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound.” And he said unto her, “If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.”

¹⁴ And she fastened it with the pin, and said unto him, “The Philistines be upon thee, Samson.” And he awakened out of his sleep, and went away with the pin of the beam and with the web.

¹⁵ And she said unto him, “How canst thou say, ‘I love thee,’ when thine heart is not with me? Thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth.”

¹⁶ And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death,

¹⁷ that he told her all his heart and said unto her, “There hath not come a razor upon mine head, for I have been a Nazirite unto God from my mother’s womb. If I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak and be like any other man.”

¹⁸ And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come up this once, for he hath shown me all his heart.” Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her and brought money in their hand.

¹⁹ And she made him sleep upon her knees. And she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.

²⁰ And she said, “The Philistines be upon thee, Samson.” And he awoke out of his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself.” And he knew not that the Lord had departed from him.

²¹ But the Philistines took him and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grinding in the prison house.

²² However the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven.

²³ Then the lords of the Philistines gathered together to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god and to rejoice, for they said, “Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand!”

²⁴ And when the people saw him, they praised their god; for they said, “Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country who slew many of us.”

²⁵ And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, “Call for Samson, that he may make sport for us.” And they called for Samson out of the prison house, and they made sport of him and they set him between the pillars.

²⁶ And Samson said unto the lad who held him by the hand, “Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them.”

²⁷ Now the house was full of men and women, and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women who beheld while they made sport of Samson.

²⁸ And Samson called unto the Lord and said, “O Lord God, remember me, I pray Thee, and strengthen me, I pray Thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes.”

²⁹ And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood and on which it was borne up, the one with his right hand and the other with his left.

³⁰ And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines.” And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people who were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than those whom he slew in his life.

³¹ Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down and took him, and brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the burying place of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years.

17 And there was a man of Mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah.

² And he said unto his mother, “The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou cursed and spokest of also in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it.” And his mother said, “Blessed be thou of the Lord, my son.”

³ And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, “I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the Lord from my hand for my son to make a graven image and a molten image. Now therefore I will restore it unto thee.”

⁴ Yet he restored the money unto his mother. And his mother took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to a founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image; and they were in the house of Micah.

⁵ And the man Micah had a house of gods, and made an ephod and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.

⁶ (In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.)

⁷ And there was a young man out of Bethlehem in Judah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.

⁸ And the man departed out of the city from Bethlehem in Judah to sojourn where he could find a place; and he came to Mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.

⁹ And Micah said unto him, “From whence comest thou?” And he said unto him, “I am a Levite of Bethlehem in Judah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place.”

¹⁰ And Micah said unto him, “Dwell with me and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel and thy victuals.” So the Levite went in.

¹¹ And the Levite was content to dwell with the man, and the young man was unto him as one of his sons.

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

¹³ Then said Micah, “Now know I that the Lord will do me good, seeing I have a Levite as my priest.”

18 In those days there was no king in Israel; and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought for themselves an inheritance to dwell in, for until that day all their inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israel.

² And the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their borders, men of valor from Zorah and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land and to search it. And they said unto them, “Go, search the land,” who, when they came to Mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, they lodged there.

³ When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man, the Levite; and they turned in thither and said unto him, “Who brought thee hither? And what makest thou in this place? And what hast thou here?”

⁴ And he said unto them, “Thus and thus dealeth Micah with me and hath hired me, and I am his priest.”

⁵ And they said unto him, “Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous.”

⁶ And the priest said unto them, “Go in peace. Your way wherein ye go is before the Lord.”

⁷ Then the five men departed and came to Laish, and saw the people who were therein, how they dwelt free from care, after the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and secure. And there was no magistrate in the land who might put them to shame in any thing, and they were far from the Sidonians and had no business with any man.

⁸ And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol; and their brethren said unto them, “What say ye?”

⁹ And they said, “Arise, that we may go up against them; for we have seen the land, and behold, it is very good. And are ye still? Be not slothful to go and to enter to possess the land.

¹⁰ When ye go, ye shall come unto a people secure and to a large land. For God hath given it into your hands, a place where there is no want of any thing that is in the earth.”

¹¹ And there went from thence of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men appointed with weapons of war.

¹² And they went up and pitched camp in Kirjathjearim in Judah. Therefore they called that place Mahanehdan unto this day; behold, it is behind Kirjathjearim.

¹³ And they passed from thence unto Mount Ephraim and came unto the house of Micah.

¹⁴ Then answered the five men who went to spy out the country of Laish, and said unto their brethren, “Do ye know that there is in these houses an ephod and teraphim, and a graven image and a molten image? Now therefore consider what ye have to do.”

¹⁵ And they turned in that direction, and came to the house of the young man, the Levite, even unto the house of Micah, and saluted him.

¹⁶ And the six hundred men appointed with their weapons of war, who were of the children of Dan, stood by the entrance of the gate.

¹⁷ And the five men who went to spy out the land went up and came in thither, and took the graven image and the ephod and the teraphim and the molten image; and the priest stood in the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men who were appointed with weapons of war.

¹⁸ And these went into Micah’s house and fetched the carved image, the ephod and the teraphim and the molten image. Then said the priest unto them, “What do ye?”

¹⁹ And they said unto him, “Hold thy peace. Lay thine hand upon thy mouth and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest. Is it better for thee to be a priest unto the house of one man, or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel?”

²⁰ And the priest’s heart was glad; and he took the ephod and the teraphim and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people.

²¹ So they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle and their baggage in front of them.

²² And when they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men who were in the houses near to Micah’s house were gathered together and overtook the children of Dan.

²³ And they cried unto the children of Dan; and they turned their faces and said unto Micah, “What aileth thee, that thou comest with such a company?”

²⁴ And he said, “Ye have taken away my gods which I made and the priest, and ye have gone away. And what have I more? And what is this that ye say unto me, ‘What aileth thee?’”

²⁵ And the children of Dan said unto him, “Let not thy voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows run upon thee and thou lose thy life with the lives of thy household.”

²⁶ And the children of Dan went their way; and when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back unto his house.

²⁷ And they took the things which Micah had made and the priest whom he had, and came unto Laish, unto a people who were at quiet and secure; and they smote them with the edge of the sword and burned the city with fire.

²⁸ And there was no deliverer, because it was far from Sidon, and they had no business with any man; and it was in the valley that lieth by Bethrehob. And they built a city and dwelt therein;

²⁹ and they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born unto Israel. However, the name of the city was Laish at the first.

³⁰ And the children of Dan set up the graven image; and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.

³¹ And they set up for themselves Micah’s graven image which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.

19 And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of Mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehem in Judah.

² And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father’s house to Bethlehem in Judah, and was there four whole months.

³ And her husband arose and went after her to speak friendly unto her and to bring her back, having his servant with him and a couple of asses. And she brought him into her father’s house; and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.

⁴ And his father-in-law, the damsel’s father, entertained him, and he tarried with him three days; so they ate and drank and lodged there.

⁵ And it came to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early in the morning, that he rose up to depart; and the damsel’s father said unto his son-in-law, “Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your way.”

⁶ And they sat down and ate and drank both of them together; for the damsel’s father had said unto the man, “Be content, I pray thee, and tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry.”

⁷ And when the man rose up to depart, his father-in-law urged him; therefore he lodged there again.

⁸ And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart; and the damsel’s father said, “Comfort thine heart, I pray thee.” And they tarried until afternoon, and they ate both of them.

⁹ And when the man rose up to depart, he and his concubine and his servant, his father-in-law, the damsel’s father, said unto him, “Behold, now the day draweth toward evening. I pray you tarry all night. Behold, the day groweth to an end. Lodge here, that thine heart may be merry; and tomorrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home.”

¹⁰ But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came opposite Jebus, which is Jerusalem. And there were with him two asses saddled. His concubine also was with him.

¹¹ And when they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said unto his master, “Come, I pray thee, and let us turn in into this city of the Jebusites and lodge in it.”

¹² And his master said unto him, “We will not turn aside hither into the city of a stranger that is not of the children of Israel. We will pass over to Gibeah.”

¹³ And he said unto his servant, “Come, and let us draw near to one of these places to lodge all night, in Gibeah or in Ramah.”

¹⁴ And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin.

¹⁵ And they turned aside thither to go in and to lodge in Gibeah; and when he went in, he sat down in a street of the city, for there was no man who took them into his house for lodging.

¹⁶ And behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at evening, who was also of Mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah, but the men of the place were Benjamites.

¹⁷ And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in the street of the city; and the old man said, “Whither goest thou? And from whence comest thou?”

¹⁸ And he said unto him, “We are passing from Bethlehem in Judah toward the side of Mount Ephraim; from thence am I. And I went to Bethlehem in Judah, but I am now going to the house of the Lord; and there is no man who receiveth me to his house.

¹⁹ Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses, and there is bread and wine also for me and for thy handmaid and for the young man who is with thy servants. There is no want of any thing.”

²⁰ And the old man said, “Peace be with thee. Howsoever, let all thy wants lie upon me. Only lodge not in the street.”

²² Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about and beat at the door, and spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, “Bring forth the man who came into thine house, that we may know him.”

²³ And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them and said unto them, “Nay, my brethren! Nay, I pray you, do not so wickedly! Seeing that this man has come into mine house, do not this folly.

²⁴ Behold, here is my daughter, a maiden, and his concubine. Them I will bring out now, and humble ye them and do with them what seemeth good unto you; but unto this man do not so vile a thing!”

²⁵ But the men would not hearken to him. So the man took his concubine and brought her forth unto them, and they knew her and abused her all the night until the morning; and when the day began to spring, they let her go.

²⁶ Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of the man’s house where her lord was, till it was light.

²⁷ And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went out to go his way; and behold, the woman, his concubine, had fallen down at the door of the house, and her hands were upon the threshold.

²⁸ And he said unto her, “Up, and let us be going.” But none answered. Then the man took her up upon an ass, and the man rose up and went unto his place.

²⁹ And when he had come into his house, he took a knife and laid hold on his concubine and divided her, together with her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the regions of Israel.

³⁰ And it was so, that all who saw it said, “There was no such deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt until this day. Consider it, take counsel, and speak your minds.”

20 Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba with the land of Gilead, unto the Lord in Mizpah.

² And the chief of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen who drew the sword.

³ (Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) Then said the children of Israel, “Tell us, how was this wickedness?”

⁴ And the Levite, the husband of the woman who was slain, answered and said, “I came into Gibeah that belongeth to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge.

⁵ And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round about upon me by night, and thought to have slain me; and my concubine have they forced, so that she is dead.

⁶ And I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel; for they have committed lewdness and folly in Israel.

⁷ Behold, ye are all children of Israel. Give here your advice and counsel.”

⁸ And all the people arose as one man, saying, “We will not any of us go to his tent, neither will we any of us turn into his house.

⁹ But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah: We will go up by lot against it;

¹⁰ and we will take ten men out of a hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred out of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand to fetch victuals for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have wrought in Israel.”

¹¹ So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man.

¹² And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What wickedness is this that is done among you?

¹³ Now therefore, deliver us the men, the children of Belial, who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and put away evil from Israel.” But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren, the children of Israel;

¹⁴ but the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah to go out to battle against the children of Israel.

¹⁵ And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities twenty and six thousand men who drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were numbered seven hundred chosen men.

¹⁶ Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men, lefthanded. Every one could sling stones at a hairbreadth and not miss.

¹⁷ And the men of Israel, besides Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men who drew the sword. All these were men of war.

¹⁸ And the children of Israel arose and went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God and said, “Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin?” And the Lord said, “Judah shall go up first.”

¹⁹ And the children of Israel rose up in the morning and encamped against Gibeah.

²⁰ And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin, and the men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against them at Gibeah.

²¹ And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men.

²² And the people, the men of Israel, encouraged themselves and set up again in battle array in the place where they put themselves in array the first day.

²³ And the children of Israel went up and wept before the Lord until evening, and asked counsel of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin, my brother?” And the Lord said, “Go up against him.”

²⁴ And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day.

²⁵ And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword.

²⁶ Then all the children of Israel and all the people went up, and came unto the house of God and wept, and sat there before the Lord and fasted that day until evening, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.

²⁷ And the children of Israel inquired of the Lord (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,

²⁸ and Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days), saying, “Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin, my brother, or shall I cease?” And the Lord said, “Go up, for tomorrow I will deliver them into thine hand.”

²⁹ And Israel set liersinwait round about Gibeah.

³⁰ And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times.

³¹ And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite some of the people and kill, as at other times, in the highways (of which one goeth up to the house of God and the other to Gibeah in the field), about thirty men of Israel.

³² And the children of Benjamin said, “They are smitten down before us, as at the first.” But the children of Israel said, “Let us flee and draw them from the city unto the highways.”

³³ And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put themselves in array at Baaltamar; and the liersinwait of Israel came forth out of their places, even out of the meadows of Gibeah.

³⁴ And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was sore; but they knew not that evil was near them.

³⁵ And the Lord smote Benjamin before Israel; and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and a hundred men; all these drew the sword.

³⁶ So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten; for the men of Israel gave way to the Benjamites, because they trusted in the liersinwait whom they had set against Gibeah.

³⁷ And the liersinwait hastened and rushed upon Gibeah; and the liersinwait drew themselves along, and smote all the city with the edge of the sword.

³⁸ Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the liersinwait that they should make a great flame with smoke rise up out of the city.

³⁹ And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons; for they said, “Surely they are smitten down before us, as in the first battle.”

⁴⁰ But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and behold, the flame of the city ascended up to heaven.

⁴¹ And when the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin were amazed; for they saw that evil had come upon them.

⁴² Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness, but the battle overtook them; and those who came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them.

⁴³ Thus they enclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them and trod them down with ease opposite Gibeah toward the sunrising.

⁴⁴ And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men. All these were men of valor.

⁴⁵ And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon; and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men, and pursued hard after them unto Gidom and slew two thousand men of them.

⁴⁶ So all who fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men who drew the sword. All these were men of valor.

⁴⁷ But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon, and abode in the rock of Rimmon four months.

⁴⁸ And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men of every city and the beast, and all that came to hand. Also they set on fire all the cities that they came to.

21 Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpah, saying, “There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin for a wife.”

² And the people came to the house of God, and remained there till evening before God, and lifted up their voices and wept sorely,

³ and said, “O Lord God of Israel, why has this come to pass in Israel, that there should be today one tribe lacking in Israel?”

⁴ And it came to pass on the morrow that the people rose early and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.

⁵ And the children of Israel said, “Who is there among all the tribes of Israel who came not up with the congregation unto the Lord?” For they had made a great oath concerning him that came not up to the Lord to Mizpah, saying, “He shall surely be put to death.”

⁶ And the children of Israel repented for Benjamin their brother and said, “There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.

⁷ What shall we do for wives for those who remain, seeing we have sworn by the Lord that we will not give them from our daughters for wives?”

⁸ And they said, “What one is there of the tribes of Israel who came not up to Mizpah to the Lord?” And behold, there came none to the camp from Jabeshgilead to the assembly.

⁹ For the people were numbered, and behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead there.

¹⁰ And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the most valiant and commanded them, saying, “Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead with the edge of the sword, along with the women and the children.

¹¹ And this is the thing that ye shall do: Ye shall utterly destroy every male and every woman that hath lain with a man.”

¹² And they found among the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead four hundred young virgins who had known no man by lying with any male; and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.

¹³ And the whole congregation sent some to speak to the children of Benjamin who were at the rock of Rimmon and to proclaim peace unto them.

¹⁴ And Benjamin came again at that time, and they gave them wives whom they had saved alive from the women of Jabeshgilead; and yet so they sufficed them not.

¹⁵ And the people repented for Benjamin, because the Lord had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.

¹⁶ Then the elders of the congregation said, “What shall we do for wives for those who remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?”

¹⁷ And they said, “There must be an inheritance for those who have escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.

¹⁸ However that be, we may not give them wives from our daughters; for the children of Israel have sworn, saying, ‘Cursed be he that giveth a wife to Benjamin.’”

¹⁹ Then they said, “Behold, there is a feast of the Lord in Shiloh yearly in a place which is on the north side of Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goeth up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.”

²⁰ Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, “Go and lie in wait in the vineyards,

²¹ and see. And behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances, then come ye out of the vineyards and catch you every man his wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

²² And it shall be, when their fathers or their brethren come unto us to complain, that we will say unto them, ‘Be favorable unto them for our sakes, because we reserved not to each man his wife in the war; for ye did not give unto them at this time, that ye should be guilty.’”

²³ And the children of Benjamin did so, and took for themselves wives according to their number from those who danced whom they caught; and they went and returned unto their inheritance, and repaired the cities, and dwelt in them.

²⁴ And the children of Israel departed from thence at that time, every man to his tribe and to his family; and they went out from thence every man to his inheritance.

²⁵ In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

1 Now it came to pass, in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.

² And the name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehemjudah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.

³ And Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons.

⁴ And they took themselves wives of the women of Moab: the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth. And they dwelt there about ten years.

⁵ And Mahlon and Chilion died also, both of them; and the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.

⁶ Then she arose with her daughters-in-law, that she might return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab how the Lord had visited His people in giving them bread.

⁷ Therefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah.

⁸ And Naomi said unto her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each to your mother’s house. The Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead and with me.

⁹ The Lord grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband.” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voice and wept.

¹⁰ And they said unto her, “Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.”

¹¹ And Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters. Why will ye go with me? Are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?

¹² Turn back, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, if I should have a husband also tonight and should also bear sons,

¹³ would ye tarry for them until they were grown? Would ye refrain for them from having husbands? Nay, my daughters, for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord has gone out against me.”

¹⁴ And they lifted up their voice and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth cleaved unto her.

¹⁵ And she said, “Behold, thy sister-in-law has gone back unto her people and unto her gods. Return thou after thy sister-in-law.”

¹⁶ And Ruth said: “Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee; for whither thou goest, I will go, and where thou lodgest, I will lodge. Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.

¹⁷ Where thou diest will I die, and there will I be buried; the Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me.”

¹⁸ When she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, then she left off speaking unto her.

¹⁹ So the two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they had come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved concerning them; and they said, “Is this Naomi?”

²⁰ And she said unto them, “Call me not Naomi [that is, Pleasant]. Call me Mara [that is, Bitter], for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.

²¹ I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty. Why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me and the Almighty hath afflicted me?”

²² So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter-in-law with her, who returned out of the country of Moab; and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.

2 And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth of the family of Elimelech, and his name was Boaz.

² And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, “Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace.” And she said unto her, “Go, my daughter.”

³ And she went, and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and she happened to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.

⁴ And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, “The Lord be with you.” And they answered him, “The Lord bless thee.”

⁵ Then said Boaz unto his servant who was set over the reapers, “Whose damsel is this?”

⁶ And the servant who was set over the reapers answered and said, “It is the Moabite damsel who came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab.

⁷ And she said, ‘I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.’ So she came and hath continued even from the morning until now, except she tarried a little in the house.”

⁸ Then said Boaz unto Ruth, “Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens.

⁹ Let thine eyes be on the field that they reap, and go thou after them. Have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? And when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels and drink of that which the young men have drawn.”

¹⁰ Then she fell on her face and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, “Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take notice of me, seeing I am a stranger?”

¹¹ And Boaz answered and said unto her, “It hath fully been shown to me all that thou hast done unto thy mother-in-law since the death of thine husband, and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother and the land of thy nativity, and hast come unto a people whom thou knewest not heretofore.

¹² The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee from the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou hast come to trust.”

¹³ Then she said, “Let me find favor in thy sight, my lord; for thou hast comforted me, and thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I am not like unto one of thine handmaidens.”

¹⁴ And Boaz said unto her, “At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread and dip thy morsel in the vinegar.” And she sat beside the reapers; and he passed to her parched corn, and she ate and was sufficed, and left.

¹⁵ And when she had risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not.

¹⁶ And let fall also some of the handfuls purposely for her; and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.”

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

¹⁸ And she took it up, and went into the city; and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned; and she brought it forth and gave to her what she had reserved after she was sufficed.

¹⁹ And her mother-in-law said unto her, “Where hast thou gleaned today? And where wroughtest thou? Blessed be he that took notice of thee.” And she showed her mother-in-law with whom she had worked, and said, “The man’s name with whom I wrought today is Boaz.”

²⁰ And Naomi said unto her daughter-in-law, “Blessed be he of the Lord, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead.” And Naomi said unto her, “The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.”

²¹ And Ruth the Moabitess said, “He said unto me also, ‘Thou shalt keep fast by my young men until they have ended all my harvest.’”

²² And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not in any other field.”

²³ So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and wheat harvest, and dwelt with her mother-in-law.

3 Then Naomi her mother-in-law said unto her, “My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?

² And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley tonight at the threshing floor.

³ Wash thyself therefore and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor; but make not thyself known unto the man until he shall have done eating and drinking.

⁴ And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie; and thou shalt go in and uncover his feet, and lay thee down, and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.”

⁵ And she said unto her, “All that thou sayest unto me I will do.”

⁶ And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother-in-law bade her.

⁷ And when Boaz had eaten and drunk and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn; and she came softly, and uncovered his feet and laid herself down.

⁸ And it came to pass at midnight that the man was afraid, and turned himself; and behold, a woman lay at his feet.

⁹ And he said, “Who art thou?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, thine handmaid. Spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid, for thou art a near kinsman.”

¹⁰ And he said, “Blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter; for thou hast shown more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followed not young men, whether poor or rich.

¹¹ And now, my daughter, fear not. I will do for thee all that thou requirest, for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.

¹² And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman; however that be, there is a kinsman nearer than I.

¹³ Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well. Let him do the kinsman’s part. But if he will not do the part of a kinsman for thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman for thee, as the Lord liveth. Lie down until the morning.”

¹⁴ And she lay at his feet until the morning; and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, “Let it not be known that a woman came unto the floor.”

¹⁵ Also he said, “Bring the veil that thou hast upon thee and hold it.” And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her; and she went into the city.

¹⁶ And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “Who art thou, my daughter?” And she told her all that the man had done to her.

¹⁷ And she said, “These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me, ‘Go not empty unto thy mother-in-law.’”

¹⁸ Then said she, “Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall; for the man will not be in rest until he hath finished the thing this day.”

4 Then went Boaz up to the gate and sat himself down there; and behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spoke came by, unto whom he said, “Ho, such a one! Turn aside, sit down here.” And he turned aside and sat down.

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

³ And he said unto the kinsman, “Naomi, who hath come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land which was our brother Elimelech’s.

⁴ And I thought to advise thee, saying, ‘Buy it before the inhabitants and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it. But if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know; for there is none to redeem it besides thee, and I am after thee.’” And he said, “I will redeem it.”

⁵ Then said Boaz, “What day thou buyest the field from the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.”

⁶ And the kinsman said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance. Redeem thou my right for thyself, for I cannot redeem it.”

⁷ Now this was the manner in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning exchanging, to confirm all things: a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbor; and this was a testimony in Israel.

⁸ Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, “Buy it for thyself.” So he drew off his shoe.

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

¹⁰ Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren and from the gate of his place. Ye are witnesses this day.”

¹¹ And all the people who were at the gate and the elders, said, “We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman who hath come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two built the house of Israel; and do thou worthily in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem.

¹² And let thy house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore unto Judah, of the seed which the Lord shall give thee by this young woman.”

¹³ So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife; and when he went in unto her, the Lord gave her conception and she bore a son.

¹⁴ And the women said unto Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel.

¹⁵ And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life and a nourisher of thine old age; for thy daughter-in-law who loveth thee, who is better to thee than seven sons, hath borne him.”

¹⁶ And Naomi took the child and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.

¹⁷ And the women, her neighbors, gave it a name, saying, “There is a son born to Naomi”; and they called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

¹⁸ Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez begot Hezron,

¹⁹ and Hezron begot Ram, and Ram begot Amminadab;

²⁰ and Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon;

²¹ and Salmon begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed;

²² and Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David.

1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaimzophim, of Mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

² And he had two wives: the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

³ And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there.

⁴ And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters, portions.

⁵ But unto Hannah he gave a double portion, for he loved Hannah; but the Lord had shut up her womb.

⁶ And her adversary also provoked her sorely to make her fret, because the Lord had shut up her womb.

⁷ And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, so she provoked her; therefore she wept and did not eat.

⁸ Then said Elkanah her husband to her, “Hannah, why weepest thou? And why eatest thou not? And why is thy heart grieved? Am not I better to thee than ten sons?”

⁹ So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh and after they had drunk. (Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the Lord.)

¹⁰ And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord and wept sorely.

¹¹ And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if Thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of Thine handmaid, and remember me and not forget Thine handmaid, but wilt give unto Thine handmaid a manchild, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.”

¹² And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli observed her mouth.

¹³ Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.

¹⁴ And Eli said unto her, “How long wilt thou be drunken? Put away thy wine from thee.”

¹⁵ And Hannah answered and said, “No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord.

¹⁶ Count not thine handmaid as a daughter of Belial, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.”

¹⁷ Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace; and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of Him.”

¹⁸ And she said, “Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight.” So the woman went her way and ate, and her countenance was no more sad.

¹⁹ And they rose up in the morning early and worshiped before the Lord, and returned and came to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her.

²⁰ Therefore it came to pass, when the time had come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bore a son and called his name Samuel [that is, Asked of God], saying, “Because I have asked him of the Lord.”

²¹ And the man Elkanah and all his house went up to offer unto the Lord the yearly sacrifice and his vow.

²² But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, “I will not go up until the child is weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the Lord and there abide for ever.”

²³ And Elkanah her husband said unto her, “Do what seemeth to thee good. Tarry until thou have weaned him, only the Lord establish His word.” So the woman remained, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.

²⁴ And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks and one ephah of flour and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the Lord in Shiloh; and the child was young.

²⁵ And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli.

²⁶ And she said, “Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman who stood by thee here, praying unto the Lord.

²⁷ For this child I prayed, and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of Him.

²⁸ Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.

2 And Hannah prayed and said, “My heart rejoiceth in the Lord; mine horn is exalted in the Lord. My mouth is enlarged over mine enemies, because I rejoice in Thy salvation.

² There is none holy as the Lord, for there is none besides Thee; neither is there any rock like our God.

³ Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogance come out of your mouth; for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by Him actions are weighed.

⁴ “The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.

⁵ They that were full have hired out themselves for bread, and they that were hungry ceased hungering, so that the barren hath borne seven, and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.

⁶ “The Lord killeth and maketh alive; He bringeth down to the grave and bringeth up.

⁷ The Lord maketh poor and maketh rich; He bringeth low and lifteth up.

⁸ He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes and to make them inherit the throne of glory. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’S, and He hath set the world upon them.

⁹ “He will keep the feet of His saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.

¹⁰ The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall He thunder upon them. The Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; and He shall give strength unto His king and exalt the horn of His anointed.”

¹¹ And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child ministered unto the Lord before Eli the priest.

¹² Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the Lord.

¹³ And the priests’ custom with the people was that when any man offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant came, while the flesh was boiling, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand.

¹⁴ And he struck it into the pan or kettle, or caldron or pot; all that the fleshhook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites who came thither.

¹⁵ Also before they burned the fat, the priest’s servant came and said to the man who sacrificed, “Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have boiled flesh from thee, but raw.”

¹⁶ And if any man said unto him, “Let them not fail to burn the fat presently and then take as much as thy soul desireth,” then he would answer him, “Nay, but thou shalt give it to me now; and if not, I will take it by force.”

¹⁷ Therefore the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord, for men abhorred the offering of the Lord.

¹⁸ But Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.

¹⁹ Moreover his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.

²⁰ And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, “The Lord give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the Lord.” And they went unto their own home.

²¹ And the Lord visited Hannah, so that she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the Lord.

²² Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel, and how they lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

²³ And he said unto them, “Why do ye such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all this people.

²⁴ Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear. Ye make the Lord’S people to transgress.

²⁵ If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him. But if a man sin against the Lord, who shall entreat for him?” Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them.

²⁶ And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favor both with the Lord and also with men.

²⁷ And there came a man of God unto Eli and said unto him, “Thus saith the Lord: ‘Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh’s house?

²⁸ And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be My priest, to offer upon Mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before Me? And did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire from the children of Israel?

²⁹ Why kick ye at My sacrifice and at Mine offering which I have commanded in My habitation, and honorest thy sons above Me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel My people?’