Bible in 90 Days
13 So they said, “No, we won’t. But we’re going to tie you up securely and transfer you to their custody. But we won’t kill you.” Then they bound him with two ropes and brought him up from the caves.[a]
Samson Kills 1,000 Philistines
14 When Samson[b] arrived at Lehi, the Philistines came shouting to meet him. Then the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, so that the ropes that bound him were like flax that’s been burned by fire, and his bonds dissolved. 15 He happened upon a jawbone from a putrefying donkey, reached out to grab it, and killed 1,000 men with it. 16 Then Samson declared,
“With a jawbone from the donkey—
here a heap, there a pair of heaps—[c]
with the jawbone of the donkey
I’ve killed 1,000 men.”
17 When he finally finished bragging, he discarded the jawbone and named that place “Jawbone Heights.”[d]
18 Aferward, he became thirsty, called out to the Lord, and told him, “So, you provided this great deliverance at the hands[e] of your servant, but now I’m to die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?” 19 So God split a hollow place that’s in Lehi, and water sprang out of it. After he had taken a drink, his strength returned, and he revived. That’s why it was named “En-hakkore,”[f] which is in Lehi to this day. 20 Samson[g] governed Israel for twenty years during the Philistine domination.
Samson’s Troubles in Gaza
16 Sometime later, Samson went to Gaza, saw a prostitute there, and went in to have sex with her. 2 When the Gazites were informed,[h] “Samson has come here!” they surrounded him, intending to lay in wait for him at the city gate throughout the entire night. They kept quiet all night, telling each other,[i] “At first light, let’s kill him!”
3 Meanwhile, Samson had sex until midnight, then at midnight he got up, grabbed the doors, the two door posts, and the bars of the city gate, and uprooted them. He put them on his shoulders and carried them to the top of the mountain opposite Hebron.
Samson Meets Delilah
4 After this incident, he loved a woman in Sorek Valley whose name was Delilah. 5 The Philistine officials approached her and told her, “Entice him to discover where his great strength is, and how we can overpower him. We intend to tie him up and torture him. We’ll each pay you 1,100 silver coins.”
6 So Delilah asked Samson, “Please tell me the secret to[j] your great strength and how you may be tied up and tortured.”
7 Samson replied, “If I’m tied up with seven green cords[k] that have never been dried out, then I’ll become weak and just like any other[l] human being.”
8 Then the Philistine leaders brought her seven green cords[m] that had never been dried, and she tied him up with them. 9 Meanwhile, some kidnappers were hiding inside an inner room, waiting for her signal.[n] So she told him, “The Philistines are attacking you!” But he snapped the cords[o] as one might break a burned candle wick.[p] So his secret[q] remained undiscovered.
10 Some time later, Delilah told Samson, “Look here! You’ve been mocking me and lying to me. Now please tell me how you can be tied up.”
11 He told her, “If I’m tied up securely with new ropes that have never been used, then I’ll become weak and just like any other[r] human being.”
12 So Delilah grabbed some new ropes and tied him up. Then she told him, “The Philistines are attacking you, Samson!” because some kidnappers were hiding inside an inner room. But he snapped the ropes[s] from his arms like thread.
13 Later on, Delilah told Samson, “You’re still mocking me and telling me lies! Tell me how to tie you up!”
He answered her, “If you weave the seven locks on my head into a loom and fasten it with a peg, then I will become weak and just like any other human being.”
14 So Delilah took the seven locks on his head and wove them into the loom while he slept.[t] She fastened his hair with a peg and then told him, “The Philistines are attacking you, Samson!” But he woke up from his nap and pulled the pin from the loom and the weaving.
Samson Tells Delilah His Secret
15 Some time later, she asked him, “How can you keep saying ‘I love you!’ when your heart isn’t with me? These three times you’ve lied to me and haven’t told me where your great strength lies.” 16 She nagged him every day with this speech, pestering him until he[u] was annoyed nearly[v] to death.
17 So he finally disclosed everything. He told her,[w] “A razor has never touched my head, because I’ve been a Nazirite for God before I was born.[x] If I am shaved, then my strength will abandon me and I will become weak like every human being.”
18 When Delilah realized that he had disclosed everything[y] to her, she sent for the Philistine officials and told them, “Hurry up and come here at once, because he has told me everything.”[z] So the Philistine officials went to her and brought their money with them. 19 So she enticed him to fall asleep on her lap, called for a man to shave off his seven locks of hair[aa] from his head, and so began to humiliate him. Then his strength abandoned him.
20 When she cried out, “The Philistines are attacking you, Samson!” he woke from his sleep and told himself,[ab] “I’ll go out like I did at other times like this and shake myself free.” But he didn’t know that the Lord had abandoned him.
Samson is Imprisoned by the Philistines
21 Then the Philistines grabbed him, gouged out his eyes, brought him down to Gaza, tied him up in bronze chains,[ac] and made him grind grain in their prison.[ad] 22 But the hair on his head began to grow again after it had been shaved off.
23 Some time later, the Philistine officials got together to present a magnificent sacrifice to their god Dagon, and to throw a party, because they were claiming, “Our god has given Samson into our control!”
24 When the people saw Samson,[ae] they praised their god, claiming:
Our god has given our enemy into our control;
the one who was destroying our land,
and who has killed many of us.
25 Because they all got good and drunk,[af] they ordered, “Go get Samson, so he can entertain us.” So they called for Samson from the prison, and he entertained them while they made him stand between the pillars.
Samson Kills Himself and 3,000 Philistines
26 Then Samson told the young man who had been leading him around by the hand, “Let me touch and feel the pillars on which this building rests, and I’ll support myself against them.” 27 Now the building was full of men, women, and all the Philistine officials, with about 3,000 men and women on the roof watching Samson while he was entertaining them.
28 Then Samson cried out to the Lord, “Lord God, please remember me. And please strengthen me this one time, God, so that I can repay the Philistines right now for my two eyes.” 29 Then Samson grabbed the two middle pillars upon which the house rested and braced himself against them with one pillar in his right hand and the other in his left.
30 Then Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” He strained with all his strength until the building collapsed on the officials and every person in it. As a result, the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he killed during his lifetime. 31 Afterwards, his brothers and his father’s household servants[ag] came down, took him, brought him back, and buried him in his father Manoah’s tomb between Zorah and Eshtaol. He had governed Israel for 20 years.
Micah’s Descent into Idolatry
17 A man named Micah lived in the mountainous region[ah] of the territory of[ai] Ephraim. 2 He told his mother, “Do you remember[aj] those 1,100 silver coins that were stolen from you and about which you uttered a curse when I could hear it? Well, I have the silver. I took it.”
So she replied, “May my son be blessed by the Lord.”
3 Her son gave back the 1,100 silver coins to his mother, and she said, “I’m totally giving this silver—from my hand to the Lord—so my son can make a carved image and a cast image. So I’m returning it to you.”
4 When he had returned the silver to his mother, his mother took 200 of the silver coins and handed them over to a silversmith. He crafted them into a carved image and into a cast image, and they were set up[ak] in Micah’s house. 5 This man Micah had his own shrine,[al] had crafted his own ephod and some household idols,[am] and had installed one of his sons as a priest.
6 Back in those days, Israel didn’t yet have a king, so each person did whatever seemed right in his own opinion.
7 A young male descendant of Levi happened to be visiting there from Bethlehem in the territory of[an] Judah. 8 The man had left his city Bethlehem in Judah to live wherever he could. As he traveled along, he eventually arrived at Micah’s house in the mountainous region[ao] of Ephraim, looking for work.
9 Micah asked him, “Where did you come from?”
He replied, “I’m a descendant of Levi from Bethlehem in Judah, and I’m going to stay temporarily wherever I can find a place.”[ap]
10 So Micah replied, “Come live with me! You can be a spiritual father[aq] to me, as well as a priest. I’ll pay you ten silver coins a year, plus a priestly uniform[ar] and an income.” So the descendant of Levi moved in. 11 The descendant of Levi agreed to live with the man, and the young man became like one of the family.[as] 12 Micah set up the descendant of Levi in ministry, and the young man became his priest while he lived in Micah’s house. 13 As for Micah, he kept saying, “Now I know the Lord will make me rich, because I have a descendant of Levi for a priest!”
The Descendants of Dan Learn about Micah
18 Back in those days, Israel didn’t have a king yet, and during that time the tribe of Dan had been seeking a territorial inheritance to live in, because up until that time no territory had been allotted to them as a possession among the tribes of Israel. 2 So the tribe[at] of Dan sent from their families five valiant men of their number from Zorah and Eshtaol to scout the land and search through it. Following their orders, which were “Go and scout the land,” they came to the mountainous region[au] of Ephraim, arrived at Micah’s home, and stayed there.
3 As they approached Micah’s home, they recognized the voice of the young male descendant of Levi. They turned aside from there and spoke to him, asking him, “Who brought you here? What work are you doing here? And what’s your business here?”
4 He answered, “Micah did such and such for me, and has hired me, so I’ve become his priest.”
5 They replied, “Go ask God, please, about whether or not we’ll be successful in this journey.”
6 The priest responded to them, “Travel in peace. The mission that you’re to accomplish is from the Lord.”
7 So the five men left and went to Laish, and observed the people who were living there carefree, as Sidonians tend to do, in peace and quiet. There was no ruler in the land oppressing them for any reason. They were living far away from the Sidonians, and had no dealings with anyone.[av] 8 When they returned to their relatives at Zorah and Eshtaol, their relatives asked them, “What’s your report?”[aw]
9 They replied, “Let’s get going and attack them. We’ve scouted out the land—and look!—it’s a very good one. Why should we sit still? We can’t wait to go back, invade, and take over the land. 10 When you invade, you’ll meet a carefree people living in a spacious territory. God has given it into your control—it’s a place that lacks nothing on this earth!” 11 So 600 descendants of Dan from Zorah and Eshtaol set out for battle, armed with military weapons. 12 They went out and encamped at Kiriath-jearim in the territory of Judah. (That’s why they call the place Mahaneh-dan to this day. It lies west of Kiriath-jearim.) 13 They proceeded from there to the mountainous region[ax] of Ephraim and arrived at Micah’s house.
The Descendants of Dan Commandeer Micah’s Idols
14 Then the five men who had gone to scout out the territory of Laish told their relatives, “Are you aware that in these houses there’s an ephod, some household idols,[ay] a carved image, and a cast image? You know what you need to do.” 15 So they turned aside from there, went to Micah’s house, and greeted him.
16 While the 600 Danite soldiers, armed with military weapons, stood guard at the entrance to the gate, 17 the five men who had gone to scout out the land arrived, entered Micah’s home[az] and confiscated the carved image, the ephod, the household idols,[ba] and the cast image. Meanwhile, the priest stood outside by the entrance to the gate with the 600 men armed with military weapons. 18 After they went into Micah’s home and took possession of the carved image, the ephod, the household idols,[bb] and the cast image, the priest challenged them. “What are you doing?” he asked them.
19 They told him, “Shut up and keep quiet.[bc] Come with us and be our spiritual[bd] father and priest. It’s better for you, isn’t it, to be a priest to an entire[be] tribe and family in Israel than to be priest to the home of one man?”
20 The priest was happy to oblige,[bf] so he took the ephod, the household idols,[bg] and the carved image and went along with the army. 21 Then they turned around and left, sending their little ones, their livestock, and their valuables on ahead. 22 When they had been gone a short distance from Micah’s home, some of Micah’s neighbors assembled a search party and overtook the descendants of Dan. 23 They yelled at the descendants of Dan, who turned around to face Micah and asked, “What’s wrong[bh] with you? You’ve assembled together…?”
24 Micah[bi] replied, “You took my gods that I crafted, along with the priest, and left! What do I have left? So what’s with this ‘What’s wrong with you?’”
25 The descendants of Dan answered him, “You had better not talk to us about this,[bj] or else these bad guys here will attack you. You will lose your life, along with the lives of your whole[bk] household.”
26 Then the descendants of Dan went on their way. Because Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back home. 27 But the descendants of Dan[bl] took what Micah had made, along with the priest who had worked for him, and went to Laish, to a quiet and carefree people, and killed them with swords. Then they set fire to the city. 28 They had no one else to deliver them,[bm] because they lived far from Sidon and had no dealings with anyone.[bn] It lay in the valley near Beth-rehob. They rebuilt the city and lived in it. 29 They renamed the city Dan, after the name of their ancestor Dan, who had been born in Israel. The former name of the city was Laish. 30 The descendants of Dan set up the carved image, and Gershom’s son Jonathan, a descendant of Manasseh, served along with his descendants as priests to the tribe of Dan until the land was taken captive. 31 Micah’s carved image, that he himself had crafted, was in place during the entire time that God’s tent was set up at Shiloh.
The Levite’s Mistress
19 Now it happened in those days, before there was a king in Israel, that a certain male descendant of Levi, who lived in a remote part of the mountainous region[bo] of Ephraim, took a mistress for himself from Bethlehem in the territory of Judah. 2 But his mistress was sexually unfaithful to him, and then she left him to live in her father’s home in Bethlehem in the territory of Judah. She had been living there for a period[bp] of about four months 3 when her husband got up and went after her, intending to speak lovingly to her[bq] in order to win her back. He took with him his young man servant and a pair of donkeys. When she brought him into her father’s house to see him, her father was happy to have met him.
4 The young woman’s father (that is, his father-in-law) made him stay there for three days while they ate and drank during his visit there. 5 On the fourth day, they got up early that morning, and the descendant of Levi[br] got ready to leave. Then the young woman’s father-in-law told him, “Fortify yourself[bs] by eating some food before you go.” 6 So both of them sat down for a bit, ate and drank together, and the young woman’s father invited the man, “Please, enjoy yourself and spend another night.” 7 The man got up, intending[bt] to leave, but his father-in-law urged him to spend the night there again.
8 On the fifth day, he got up early in the morning, but the young woman’s father-in-law told him, “Please, fortify yourself,”[bu] so they delayed until later that afternoon while both of them ate together. 9 When the man got up to leave with his mistress and servant, his father-in-law, the young woman’s father, told him, “Look now, evening is coming, so please spend another night. See how the daylight is fading, so spend the night here and enjoy yourself. Then tomorrow get up early and leave on your journey home.”
10 Because the man was unwilling to spend the night, he got up, left, and arrived opposite Jebus (now known as Jerusalem). He had with him a pair of saddled donkeys, along with his mistress. 11 As they approached Jebus, the daylight was almost gone, so the servant suggested to his master, “Come on, let’s spend the night in this Jebusite city.”
12 But his master replied, “We’re not going to turn aside into a city of foreigners who are not part of the Israelis. Instead, we’ll go on to Gibeah.” 13 He also told his servant, “Come on,[bv] let’s go to one of these places and spend the night in Gibeah or Ramah.” 14 So they continued on their way, and the sun set on them near Gibeah, which is part of Benjamin’s territorial allotment.[bw] 15 They turned aside there, intending to enter Gibeah and spend the night.
The Homosexual Descendants of Benjamin in Gibeah
After they entered the city, they had to sit down in the public square because no one would take them into their[bx] home for the night. 16 Just then, an old man was coming out of the fields that evening from work. The man was from the mountainous region[by] of Ephraim and had been staying in Gibeah, even though the men of that place were descendants of Benjamin. 17 As the old man looked up and saw the traveling man in the public square of the city, he asked, “Now then, where are you headed? And where are you from?”
18 He replied, “We’re traveling from Bethlehem in Judah to the remote part of the mountainous region[bz] of Ephraim, because I’m from there, and I’ve been visiting Bethlehem in Judah. I’m going home now, but no one will take me into his home. 19 Meanwhile, we also have straw and fodder for our donkeys, and bread and wine for me, for this[ca] young woman servant, and for the young man who is with your servants. We don’t need anything else.”
20 The old man replied, “Don’t be alarmed. I’ll take care of all your needs. Just don’t spend the night in the public square.” 21 So he took him into his home and fed the donkeys while they refreshed themselves and had dinner.[cb]
22 While they were enjoying themselves, all of a sudden certain ungodly men[cc] who lived in the city surrounded the house, pounded on the door, and ordered the old man who owned the home, “Bring out the man who came to visit your home so we can have sex with him.”
23 The man who owned the house went out to talk to them and pleaded with them, “No, my brothers, please don’t act so wickedly. This man is my guest! Don’t try to do this stupid thing. 24 Instead, here’s my virgin daughter and my visitor’s[cd] mistress. Please let me bring them out to you. Occupy yourselves with them, and do to them whatever you would like. But don’t commit such a stupid thing against this man.”
The Men of Gibeah Rape and Murder the Mistress
25 But the men were unwilling to listen to him. So the descendant of Levi[ce] grabbed his mistress, took her out to them, and they raped and tortured her all night until morning. Then they released her as the first daylight was beginning to appear. 26 As dawn was breaking, the woman approached the door of the man’s home where her master was and collapsed. Eventually, full daylight came. 27 When her master got up that morning and opened the doors of the house to leave on his way, there was his mistress, fallen dead at the door of the house with her hands grasping the threshold.
28 He spoke to her, “Get up, and let’s go.”
But there was no response. So he placed her on the donkey, mounted his own animal,[cf] and went home. 29 When he arrived home, he grabbed a knife, took hold of his mistress, cut her apart limb by limb into twelve pieces, and sent her remains[cg] throughout the land of Israel. 30 All the witnesses said, “Nothing has happened or has been seen like this from the day the Israelis came here from the land of Egypt to this day! Think about it, get some advice about it, and then speak up about it!”
The Israelis Attack the Tribe of Benjamin
20 Then the entire Israeli nation—from Dan to Beer-sheba, including the territory of Gilead—came out for war. The army assembled as one united force to God at Mizpah. 2 The officials of the entire nation, including every tribe of Israel, took their stand in the assembly of the people of God: 400,000 foot soldiers, all of them[ch] expert swordsmen. 3 While the descendants of Benjamin were learning that the Israelis had gone up to Mizpah, the Israelis asked, “Somebody tell us how this evil could happen?”
4 So the descendant of Levi, the husband of the murdered woman, spoke up and replied, “I came to spend the night at Gibeah, which is part of Benjamin, along with my mistress. 5 But the officials of Gibeah attacked me and surrounded the house because of me. They intended to kill me, but instead they tortured my mistress to death. 6 So I grabbed my mistress, cut her in pieces, and sent her remains[ci] throughout the territory of Israel’s inheritance, because they’ve committed a vile, stupid outrage in Israel. 7 So look, all you Israelis! Speak up and give us your advice!”
8 Then the entire army stood up as a single unit and declared, “Nobody’s going back to his tent, and nobody’s going home! 9 This is what we’ll do to Gibeah: we’re going to assemble an army by lottery. 10 We’ll take ten men out of 100 from all of the tribes of Israel. We’ll appoint 100 out of 1,000 and 1,000 out of 10,000 to supply provisions for the army. And when we reach Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin, we’ll punish them for all of the stupid things that they’ve done in Israel.” 11 That’s how the army of Israel came to be gathered together to attack the city, united as a single unit.
12 The tribes of Israel sent men throughout the entire tribe of Benjamin to ask them, “What is this evil thing that has occurred among you? 13 Now then, hand over the men—those ungodly men,[cj] and we’ll execute them in order to remove this evil from Israel.”
But the descendants of Benjamin wouldn’t obey the request of their own relatives, the Israelis, 14 so the descendants of Benjamin assembled from the cities of Gibeah to fight the Israelis in battle. 15 The day of the battle,[ck] the army from the descendants of Benjamin numbered 26,000 expert swordsmen from their cities, not including the inhabitants of Gibeah, who numbered 700 special forces soldiers. 16 Out of all these soldiers, 700 of them were left-handed—and each one could sling a stone at a hair and never miss. 17 But the Israeli army—not counting the tribe of Benjamin—numbered 400,000 expert swordsmen, all of them battle-hardened soldiers.[cl]
Civil War Lays Waste to the Tribe of Benjamin
18 The Israelis mounted up, traveled to Bethel, and asked God what to do.[cm] They said, “Who is to lead us in our opening attack against the descendants of Benjamin?”
The Lord replied, “Judah is to open the attack.”
19 So the Israelis got up in the morning, encamped near Gibeah, 20 and the army of Israel went out to fight the tribe of Benjamin, assembling in battle array against them at Gibeah. 21 The descendants of Benjamin came out of Gibeah, and 22,000 soldiers of Israel fell in battle that day.
22 But the army—the men of Israel—encouraged themselves and arrayed for battle again the next day in the same place where they had gathered the day before. 23 From there[cn] the Israelis went up and wept in the Lord’s presence until evening. Then they asked the Lord, “Should we attack the descendants of[co] Benjamin again?”
The Lord replied, “Attack them.”[cp]
24 So the Israelis attacked the descendants of Benjamin for a second day, 25 and the tribe of Benjamin went to war against them from Gibeah during that second day, and 18,000 soldiers from the Israelis—all of them expert swordsmen—fell to the ground. 26 All the Israelis, including its army, went up from there to Bethel and wept, remaining there in the Lord’s presence, fasting throughout the day until dusk, when they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings in the Lord’s presence. 27 The Israelis inquired of the Lord, since the Ark of the Covenant was there[cq] at that time 28 while Eleazar’s son Phinehas, a descendant of Aaron, served before it in those days. They asked, “Should we go out to war again against the descendants of our relative Benjamin, or shall we cease?”
And the Lord answered, “Go out, and tomorrow I will deliver them into your control.”
29 So Israel set soldiers in ambush around Gibeah. 30 The Israelis went out against the descendants of Benjamin on the third day, arraying themselves against Gibeah as they had done previously. 31 They attacked the army and were drawn away from the city as they began to inflict casualties on the soldiers along the roads to Bethel and Gibeah, just as they had done the other times. About 30 soldiers from Israel fell in battle there[cr] and in the fields.
32 Then the descendants of Benjamin told themselves,[cs] “They’re falling right in front of us, just like before!”
But the army of Israel told themselves, “Let’s draw them away by escaping to the highways from the city.” 33 So the entire army of Israel moved from their location and arrayed themselves at Baal-tamer while that part of their army moved from their ambush positions from Maareh-geba. 34 As 10,000 of Israel’s best soldiers came to fight Gibeah, the battle became fierce, but the army of Benjamin didn’t know that disaster was close at hand. 35 The Lord struck Benjamin in the full view of Israel. As a result, the Israelis destroyed 25,100 soldiers of Benjamin that day, all expert swordsmen.
36 Then the descendants of Benjamin realized that they had been defeated. The army of Israel pretended to retreat from the army of Benjamin, knowing that they had set some soldiers in ambush near Gibeah. 37 The soldiers in ambush rushed out to attack Gibeah, deploying in force[ct] and executing the entire city with swords. 38 Meanwhile, the army of Israel had arranged to signal their soldiers who had been hiding in ambush by sending up a cloud of smoke from the city. 39 The army of Israel turned around in the battle, and the army of Benjamin began to attack and kill about 30 soldiers, thinking, “Now we’re really defeating them,[cu] just like before.”
40 But then the smoke began to rise from the city in a column. The army of Benjamin observed behind them that the whole city was going up in flames[cv] straight into the sky! 41 At that point, as the army of Israel turned back to face the army of Benjamin,[cw] the army of Benjamin was filled with terror, because they realized that disaster was about to overtake them. 42 So they turned tail and ran away from the army of Israel toward the wilderness, but they were overtaken in battle when soldiers came out from the cities to destroy them.[cx] 43 They surrounded the army of Benjamin, pursuing them ceaselessly until they defeated them near the east-facing[cy] border of Gibeah. 44 That’s how 18,000 men from the tribe of Benjamin fell in battle, all of whom were valiant soldiers. 45 The rest of them turned and ran into the wilderness in the direction of the rock of Rimmon, but 5,000 of them were killed on the highways while 2,000 of them were overtaken and killed near Gidom.
46 To sum up, the soldiers from the tribe of Benjamin who died that day totaled 25,000 men, all of them expert swordsmen and valiant soldiers. 47 However, 600 soldiers ran into the wilderness in the direction of the rock of Rimmon, where they remained as fugitives for four months. 48 Meanwhile, the army of Israel went back to fight the surviving[cz] descendants of Benjamin. They attacked the entire city with swords, including its cattle and everyone they could find. Then they set fire to all of the cities that they could find.
The Israelis Mourn the Tribe of Benjamin
21 Now the people of Israel had taken a vow in Mizpah that went like this: “Not even one of us will give his daughter in marriage to a descendant of Benjamin!” 2 So the people went to Bethel, sat before God until dusk, where they cried out loud and wept bitterly. 3 “Why, Lord God of Israel,” they asked him, “is one tribe missing[da] from Israel?”
4 The next day, the people got up early, built an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. 5 The Israelis asked themselves, “Who didn’t come up in our assembly in the Lord’s presence from among all of the tribes of Israel?” They had taken a solemn oath concerning those who didn’t come up to meet with the Lord at Mizpah that “They will certainly be executed.”
6 But the Israelis were mourning for their relatives in the tribe of Benjamin. They announced, “One tribe has been eliminated from Israel today! 7 What can we do to find wives for the survivors who remain, since we’ve already taken an oath in the Lord’s presence not to give them any of our daughters in marriage?”
The Israelis Attempt to Mitigate Their Disaster
8 They asked, “What one group of the tribes of Israel didn’t come up to meet the Lord at Mizpah?” It turned out that no one had come to the encampment from Jabesh-gilead, 9 since when they took a census of the assembly, not even one of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead was in attendance. 10 So the congregation sent out 12,000 of their valiant soldiers, issuing these orders to them: “Go and attack the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with swords, including the women and little ones. 11 You’re to completely destroy every man and every married woman.”[db]
12 They discovered among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead 400 young virgins who hadn’t had sex with a man, and they brought them to the encampment at Shiloh in the territory of Canaan. 13 Then the entire congregation sent for the surviving[dc] descendants of Benjamin who were living at the rock of Rimmon and assured them that their intentions toward them were peaceful.[dd] 14 So the survivors of the tribe of Benjamin[de] returned at that time, and the Israelis[df] gave them the women whom they had kept alive from the raid on[dg] Jabesh-gilead. Even so, there weren’t enough for them.
15 The people felt sorry for the tribe of Benjamin because the Lord had broken one of the tribes of Israel. 16 So the elders of the congregation asked, “What will we do to obtain wives for the survivors, since the women of Benjamin have been devastated?” 17 They continued, “Let’s make sure that there’s an inheritance for the survivors of the tribe of Benjamin, so that a tribe won’t be blotted out from Israel. 18 But we can’t give them wives from our own daughters, since we’ve[dh] taken this vow: ‘May the Lord curse[di] anyone who gives his daughter as[dj] a wife to the tribe of Benjamin!’”
19 So they concluded, “Look, there’s a festival to the Lord every year in Shiloh on the north side of Bethel, south of Lebonah and on the east side of the highway that runs from Bethel to Shechem…” 20 So they told the descendants of Benjamin, “Go and hide in the vineyards. 21 Watch when the unmarried women[dk] from Shiloh come out to participate in the dances. Then come out of the vineyards and each of you grab a wife from the unmarried women[dl] from Shiloh. Then go back home to the territory of Benjamin. 22 If their fathers or brothers come complaining to us, we’ll tell them ‘Be generous! Give them to us voluntarily, because we didn’t take anyone to be a wife for the men of the tribe of Benjamin[dm] as a result of the battle. And you haven’t incurred guilt by giving your daughters to them.’”
23 So the descendants of Benjamin did all of this: they chose and carried away just enough wives from those who danced to meet the number needed, then they left to return to their inheritance, to rebuild their cities, and to live there. 24 The Israelis left there at that time, each man to his tribe and family, and each of them went down from there to his territorial allotment.
25 Back in those days, Israel didn’t yet have a king, so each person did whatever seemed right in his own opinion.
Naomi’s Family
1 Now there came a time of famine while judges were ruling in the land of Israel.[dn] A man from Bethlehem of Judah, his wife, and his two sons left to live in the country of Moab. 2 The man’s name was Elimelech, his wife’s name was Naomi, and their two sons were named Mahlon and Chilion—Ephrathites from Bethlehem of Judah. They journeyed to the country of Moab and lived there for some time.[do] 3 Then Naomi’s husband Elimelech died, and she was left with her two sons. 4 Each of her sons[dp] married Moabite women: one named Orpah and the other named Ruth. After they lived there about ten years, 5 both Mahlon and Chilion died, leaving Naomi[dq] alone with neither her husband nor her two sons.
Naomi Returns to Judah
6 She and her daughters-in-law prepared to return from the country of Moab, because she had heard while living there[dr] how the Lord had come to the aid of his people, giving them relief.[ds] 7 So she left the place where she had been, along with her two daughters-in-law, and they traveled along the return road to the land of Judah. 8 But along the way,[dt] Naomi told her two daughters-in-law, “Each of you go back home. Return to your mother’s house. May the Lord show his gracious love to you, as you have shown me and our loved ones who have died.[du] 9 May the Lord grant each of you security in your new[dv] husbands’ households.” Then she kissed them good-bye,[dw] and they cried loudly.
10 They both replied to her, “No! We’ll go back with you to your people.”
11 But Naomi responded, “Go back, my daughters. Why go with me? Are there still sons to be born to me[dx] as future husbands for you? 12 So go on back, my daughters! Be on your way! I’m too old to remarry.[dy] If I were to say that I’m hoping for a husband tonight and then also bore sons this very night,[dz] 13 would you wait for them until they were grown? Would you refrain from marriage for them? No, my daughters! I’m more deeply grieved than you, because[ea] the Lord is working against me!”
Ruth Remains with Naomi
14 They began to cry loudly again. So Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye,[eb] but Ruth remained with her. 15 Naomi told Ruth,[ec] “Look, your sister-in-law has returned to her people and to her gods. Follow your sister-in-law!”
16 But Ruth answered, “Stop urging me to abandon you and to turn back from following you. Because wherever you go, I’ll go. Wherever you live, I’ll live. Your people will be my people, and your God, my God. 17 Where you die, I’ll die and be buried. May the Lord do this to me—and more—if anything[ed] except death comes between you and me.”
18 When Naomi[ee] observed Ruth’s[ef] determination to travel with her, she ended the conversation. 19 So they continued on until they reached Bethlehem.
Naomi and Ruth Arrive in Bethlehem
Now when the two of them arrived in Bethlehem, the entire town got excited at the news of their arrival[eg] and they asked one another, “Can this be Naomi?”
20 But Naomi replied, “Don’t call me ‘Naomi’![eh] Call me ‘Mara’![ei] That’s because the Almighty has dealt bitterly with me. 21 I left here full, but the Lord brought me back empty. So why call me ‘Naomi’? After all, the Lord is against me, and the Almighty has broken[ej] me.”
22 So Naomi returned to Bethlehem[ek] from the country of Moab, along with her daughter-in-law Ruth the Moabite woman. And they arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.
Boaz Meets Ruth
2 Naomi had a close relative of her late[el] husband, a man of considerable wealth from the family of Elimelech. His name was Boaz.
2 Ruth the Moabite told Naomi, “Please allow me to go out to the fields and glean grain behind anyone who shows me kindness.”
So Naomi replied, “Go ahead, my daughter.”
3 So she went out, proceeded to the field, and gleaned behind the harvesters. And it happened that she came to the portion of land belonging to Boaz, of the family of Elimelech.
4 Now when Boaz arrived from Bethlehem, he told the harvesters, “The Lord be with you.”
“May the Lord bless you!” they replied.
5 At this point, Boaz asked the foreman of[em] his harvesters, “To whom does this young woman belong?”
6 The foreman of[en] the harvesters answered, “She is the Moabite who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. 7 She asked us, ‘Please allow me to glean what’s left of the grain behind the harvesters.’ So she came out and has continued working[eo] from dawn until now, except for a short time in a shelter.”
Boaz Shows Kindness to Ruth
8 Boaz then addressed Ruth: “Listen, my daughter![ep] Don’t glean in any other field. Don’t even leave this one, and be sure to stay close to my women servants. 9 Keep your eyes on the field where they are harvesting, and follow them. I’ve ordered my young men not to bother[eq] you, haven’t I? And when you are thirsty, drink from the water vessels that the young men have filled.”
10 At this she fell prostrate, bowing low to the ground, and asked him, “Why is it that you’re showing me kindness by noticing me, since I’m a foreigner?”
11 Boaz answered her, “It has been clearly disclosed to me all that you have done for your mother-in-law following the death of your husband—how you left your father, your mother, and your own land behind, and came to a people you did not previously know. 12 May the Lord repay you for your work, and may a full reward be given you from the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings[er] you have come for refuge.”
13 She responded, “May I continue to find favor in your sight, sir, since you’ve been comforting me and you have spoken graciously to[es] your servant, even though I am not one of your servants.”
14 At lunchtime, Boaz invited her, “Come on over, have some food, and dip your bread in our oil and[et] vinegar.” So she sat down beside the harvesters, and he handed her some roasted grain, which she ate until she was satisfied. She kept what was left over.
Boaz the Benefactor
15 After she had left to glean, Boaz commanded his servants,[eu] “Allow her to glean also among the cut sheaves, and don’t taunt her. 16 One other thing[ev]—drop some handfuls[ew] deliberately, leaving them for her so she can gather it. And don’t bother her.” 17 So Ruth[ex] gathered grain out in the field until dusk, and then threshed what she had gathered—about a week’s supply[ey] of barley. 18 She picked up her grain[ez] and went back to town.
Her mother-in-law noticed how much Ruth[fa] had gleaned and had brought back from what was left over from her lunch. 19 So her mother-in-law quizzed her, “Where did you glean today? Where, precisely, did you work? May the one who took notice of you be blessed.”
So Ruth told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked. She said, “The man’s name with whom I worked today is Boaz.”
20 Naomi replied, “May the one who hasn’t abandoned his gracious love to the living or to the dead be blessed by the Lord.” Naomi added, “This man is closely related to us, our related redeemer,[fb] as a matter of fact!”
21 Then Ruth the Moabite woman added, “He also told me ‘Stay close to my young men until they have completed my entire harvest.’”
22 Naomi responded to her daughter-in-law Ruth, “It is prudent, my daughter, for you to go out with his women servants, so someone won’t attack you in another field.” 23 So Ruth[fc] continued to stay close to the young women who worked for Boaz, gathering grain until both the barley and wheat harvests were complete, all the while living with her mother-in-law.
Naomi Offers to Find a Husband for Ruth
3 Ruth’s[fd] mother-in-law Naomi, told her, “My daughter, should I not make inquiries about your financial security,[fe] so you’ll be better off in life?[ff] 2 Isn’t Boaz one of our close relatives? You’ve been associating with his women servants lately. Look, he’ll be winnowing barley at the threshing floor tonight. 3 So get cleaned up, put on some perfume, dress up, and go to the threshing floor, but don’t let him see you[fg] until after he’s finished eating and drinking. 4 When he lies down, be sure to notice where he is resting. Then go over, uncover his feet, and lie down. He’ll tell you what to do.”
5 Ruth replied, “I’ll do everything you’ve said.” 6 So she went out to the threshing floor and did precisely what her mother-in-law had advised.
Ruth’s Meeting with Boaz
7 After Boaz had finished eating and drinking to his heart’s content, he went over and lay down next to the pile of threshed grain. Ruth[fh] came in quietly, uncovered his feet, and lay down. 8 In the middle of the night, Boaz[fi] was startled awake and turned over in surprise to see a woman lying at his feet.
9 He asked her, “Who are you?”
She answered, “I’m only Ruth, your servant. Spread the edge[fj] of your garment over your servant, because you are my related redeemer.”
10 He replied, “May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter. You’ve added to the gracious love you’ve already demonstrated[fk] by not pursuing younger men, whether rich or poor. 11 Don’t be afraid, my daughter. I’ll do for you everything that you have asked, since all of my people in town are aware that you’re a virtuous[fl] woman. 12 It’s true that I’m your related redeemer, but there is another related redeemer even closer than I. 13 Stay the night, and if he fulfills his duty as your related redeemer in the morning, that will be acceptable. But if he isn’t inclined to do so,[fm] then, as the Lord lives, I will act as your related redeemer myself. So lie down until morning.”
14 So she lay down at his feet until dawn approached, then got up while it was still difficult for anyone to be recognized. Then he told her, “It shouldn’t be known that a woman has come to the threshing floor.” 15 So he said, “Take your cloak and hold it out.” She did so, and he measured out six units[fn] of barley and placed them in a sack[fo] on her. Then she left for town.
Naomi’s Response to Ruth
16 When Ruth[fp] returned to her mother-in-law, Naomi[fq] asked her, “How did it go, my daughter?”
Then she related everything that the man had done for her. 17 Ruth[fr] also said, “He gave me these six units[fs] of barley and told me, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”[ft]
18 Naomi[fu] replied, “Be patient, my daughter, until you learn how this works out, because the man won’t rest until he finishes everything today.”
Boaz Acts to Fulfill His Responsibilities
4 Meanwhile, Boaz approached the city gate[fv] and sat down there. Just then, the very same related redeemer whom Boaz had mentioned came by, so Boaz[fw] called out to him, “Come over and sit down here, my friend!” So the man came over and sat down.
2 Boaz[fx] selected ten of the town elders and spoke to them, “Sit down here.” So they sat down 3 and Boaz[fy] addressed the related redeemer directly: “A portion of a field belonging to our relative Elimelech is up for sale by Naomi, who recently returned from the country of Moab. 4 So I thought to myself I ought to tell you that you must make a public purchase of this before the town residents and the elders of my people. So if you intend to act as the related redeemer, then do so.[fz] But if not, let me know, because except for you—and I after you—there is no one to fulfill the duties of a related redeemer.”
The man responded, “I will act as related redeemer.”
A Complication Arises and is Resolved
5 Boaz continued, “On the very day you obtain the field from Naomi,[ga] I’ll be obtaining[gb] Ruth the Moabite woman, the widow of the late heir,[gc] so the family name may be continued[gd] as an inheritance.”
6 At this, the nearer related redeemer replied, “Then I am unable to act as related redeemer, because that would complicate my own inheritance. You act instead as the related redeemer, because I cannot do so.”[ge]
7 During Israel’s earlier history,[gf] all things concerning redeeming or changing inheritances were confirmed by a man taking off his sandal and giving it to the other party,[gg] thereby creating a public[gh] record in Israel. 8 So when the nearer related redeemer told Boaz, “Make the purchase yourself,” he then took off his sandal.
Boaz’s Public Commitment
9 At this, Boaz addressed the elders and all of the people: “You all are witnesses today that I hereby redeem everything from Naomi that belonged to Elimelech, including what belonged to Chilion and Mahlon, 10 along with Mahlon’s wife Ruth the Moabite woman. I will marry her to continue the family name as an inheritance, so that the name of the deceased does not disappear from among his relatives, nor from the public record.[gi] You are all witnesses today!”
11 Then all of the assembled people,[gj] including the elders who were there, said, “We are witnesses! May the Lord make this woman who enters your house like Rachel and Leah, who together established the house of Israel. May you prosper in Ephrathah, and may you excel in Bethlehem! 12 Moreover, may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore for Judah, from the offspring that the Lord gives you from this young woman.”
The Marriage of Boaz and Ruth
13 So Boaz took Ruth to be his wife, and when he had marital relations with her, the Lord made her conceive, and she bore a son. 14 Then the women of Bethlehem[gk] told Naomi, “May the Lord be blessed,[gl] who has not left you today without a related redeemer. May his name become famous throughout Israel! 15 And he will restore your life for you and will support you in your old age, because your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who has borne him, is better for you than seven sons!”
16 Naomi took care of the child, taking him to her breast and becoming his nurse. 17 So her women neighbors gave the child a nickname, which is “Naomi has a son!” They named him Obed. He became the father of Jesse, who was the father of David.
The Ancestry of David
18 This is the genealogy of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron, 19 Hezron fathered Ram, and Ram fathered Amminadab. 20 Amminadab fathered Nahshon, and Nahshon fathered Salmon. 21 Salmon fathered Boaz, and Boaz fathered Obed. 22 Then Obed fathered Jesse, who fathered David.
The Birth of Samuel
1 A certain man lived in Ramathaim-zophim, which is in the hill country of Ephraim. He was Jeroham’s son Elkanah, the grandson of Elihu and grandson of Tohu, who was the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2 He had two wives; the name of one was Hannah and the name of the other was Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. 3 That man would go up from his town each year to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of the Heavenly Armies at Shiloh, where Eli’s two sons Hophni and Phineas served as priests of the Lord. 4 On the day when Elkanah offered sacrifices, he would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters, 5 but he would give twice as much to Hannah because he loved her.
Now the Lord had closed her womb. 6 Her rival would provoke her severely so that she complained loudly[gm] because the Lord had closed her womb. 7 Elkanah[gn] would do this year after year, as often as Hannah[go] went up to the house of the Lord. Likewise, Peninnah[gp] would provoke her, and Hannah[gq] would cry and would not eat. 8 Elkanah her husband told her, “Hannah, why are you crying and why don’t you eat? Why are you upset?[gr] Am I not better to you than ten sons?”
9 Hannah got up after she had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the chair by the doorpost of the tent[gs] of the Lord. 10 Deeply distressed, she prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. 11 Hannah[gt] made a vow: “Lord of the Heavenly Armies, if you just look at the misery of your maid servant, remember me, and don’t forget your maid servant. If you give your maid servant a son,[gu] then I’ll give him to the Lord[gv] for all the days of his life,[gw] and a razor is never to touch[gx] his head.”
12 As she continued to pray in the Lord’s presence, Eli was watching her mouth. 13 Hannah[gy] was praying inwardly.[gz] Her lips were quivering, and her voice could not be heard. So Eli thought she was drunk. 14 Eli told her, “How long will you stay drunk? Put away your wine!”
15 “No, sir!”[ha] Hannah replied. “I’m a deeply troubled[hb] woman. I’ve drunk neither wine nor beer. I’ve been pouring out my soul in the Lord’s presence. 16 Don’t consider your maid servant a worthless woman. Rather, all this time I’ve been speaking because I’m very anxious and distressed.”
17 “Go in peace,” Eli answered. “May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him.”
18 She said, “Let your servant[hc] find favor in your eyes.” Then she[hd] went on her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.[he]
19 They got up early the next morning and worshipped in the Lord’s presence, and then they returned and came to their house at Ramah. Elkanah had marital relations with[hf] his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. 20 By the time of the next year’s sacrifice,[hg] Hannah had become pregnant and had borne a son. She named him Samuel[hh] because she said,[hi] “I asked the Lord for him.”
Hannah Dedicates Samuel to the Lord
21 Then Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the yearly sacrifice to the Lord and pay his vow. 22 Hannah did not go up because she had told her husband, “As soon as the child is weaned, I’ll take him to appear in the Lord’s presence and remain there[hj] forever.”[hk]
23 “Do what you want,”[hl] Elkanah told her. “Stay until you have weaned him, only may the Lord bring about what you’ve said.”[hm] So Hannah[hn] stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him. 24 Then, when she had weaned him, she brought him[ho] up with her to Shiloh,[hp] along with a three-year-old bull,[hq] an ephah[hr] of flour, and a skin of wine. She brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh, and the boy[hs] was young.[ht] 25 They slaughtered the bull and brought the boy[hu] to Eli.
26 Hannah[hv] said, “Sir,[hw] as surely as you are alive, I’m the woman who stood before you here praying to the Lord. 27 I prayed for this boy, and the Lord granted me the request I asked of him. 28 Now[hx] I’m dedicating[hy] him to the Lord, and as long as he lives,[hz] he will be dedicated[ia] to the Lord.” Then they worshipped[ib] the Lord there.
Hannah’s Thanksgiving Psalm
2 Then Hannah prayed:
“My heart exults in the Lord;
my strength[ic] is increased by the Lord.
I will open my mouth to speak[id] against my enemies,
because I rejoice in your deliverance.
2 Indeed,[ie] there is no one holy like the Lord,
indeed, there is no one besides you,
there is no rock like our God.
3 Don’t continue to talk proudly,
and don’t speak arrogantly,
for the Lord is a God of knowledge,
and by him actions are weighed.
4 The bows of warriors are shattered,[if]
but those who stumble are equipped with[ig] strength.
5 Those who had an abundance of bread
now hire themselves out,
and those who were hungry
hunger no more.[ih]
While the barren woman gives birth to seven children,[ii]
she who had many children languishes.
6 The Lord kills and gives life,
he brings people down to where the dead are[ij]
and he raises them up.
7 The Lord makes people poor
and he makes people rich,
he brings them low,
and he also exalts them.
8 He raises the poor up from the dust,
he lifts up the needy from the trash heap
to make them sit with princes
and inherit a seat of honor.
Indeed the pillars of the earth belong to the Lord,
and he has set the world on them.
9 He guards the steps[ik] of his faithful ones,
while the wicked are made silent[il] in darkness.
He grants the request of the one who prays.[im]
He blesses the year of the righteous.[in]
Indeed it’s not by strength that a person prevails.
10 The Lord will shatter his enemies[io]
—those who contend against him.
Who is holy?[ip]
The one who will thunder[iq] against them in the heavens.
The Lord will judge the ends of the earth,
he will give strength to his king,
and he will increase the strength of His anointed one.”
11 Then Elkanah went to his house at Ramah, while the boy was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli the priest.
Eli’s Wicked Sons
12 Now the sons of Eli were worthless men who did not know the Lord. 13 The custom of the priests with the people was that whenever a person offered a sacrifice, a servant[ir] of the priest would come with a three pronged fork in his hand while the meat was boiling, and[is] 14 he would stick it into the boiler or pot,[it] and take everything[iu] the fork brought up—that is, the priest would take it for himself. This is what they were supposed to do with all the Israelis who came there to Shiloh. 15 But even before they burned the fat, the servant of the priest would come and say to the person offering the sacrifice, “Give me meat to roast for the priest. He won’t accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.”
16 If the man told him[iv], “They must surely[iw] burn up the fat first, and then take for yourself whatever[ix] you desire,” the servant would say, “No,[iy] give it now, and if you don’t,[iz] I’ll take it by force!”[ja] 17 By doing this, the sin of the young men was very serious in the Lord’s sight because the men[jb] despised the Lord’s offering.
Samuel at Shiloh
18 Now Samuel was ministering in the Lord’s presence, as a boy wearing a linen ephod.[jc] 19 His mother would make a small robe for him, and she would bring it each year when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. 20 Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say,[jd] “May the Lord give[je] you descendants[jf] from this woman in place of the one she dedicated[jg] to the Lord.” Then they would return to their[jh] home.[ji]
21 The Lord took note of Hannah,[jj] and she became pregnant and gave birth to[jk] three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel continued to grow,[jl] and the Lord was constantly[jm] with him.
Judgment against Eli’s Sons
22 Now Eli was very[jn] old, and he had heard everything that[jo] his sons were doing[jp] to the Israelis,[jq] and how they lay with the women who were serving regularly[jr] at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 23 “Why are you doing these things that I’m hearing about?” he asked his sons,[js] “These reports about your evil deeds are coming from all these[jt] people! 24 No, my sons, I’m not hearing good news being circulated by the Lord’s people. 25 If a person sins[ju] against another, God[jv] will mediate for him,[jw] but if a person sins against the Lord, who can intercede for him?”
But they would not follow the advice of[jx] their father; for the Lord wanted to put them to death. 26 But the boy Samuel continued to grow both physically and in favor with the Lord and the people.
27 A man of God came to Eli, saying to him,[jy] “This is what the Lord says: ‘When they were in Egypt and slaves[jz] to the house of Pharaoh, did I not reveal[ka] to the family of your ancestor Aaron[kb] 28 that I had chosen him[kc] out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer up burnt offerings on my altar, burn incense, and carry[kd] the ephod in my presence? And did I not give to your ancestors’ family all the Israeli fire-offerings? 29 Why, then, do all of you show contempt for[ke] my sacrifice and offering that I’ve commanded for my[kf] dwelling? And you honor your sons more than me in order to fatten yourselves[kg] from the best of all the offerings of my people Israel.’[kh]
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