Bible in 90 Days

²⁸ And he said unto them, Follow after me; for Hashem hath delivered your enemies Moav into your yad. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Yarden toward Moav, and allowed not an ish to pass over.

²⁹ And they struck down Moav at that time about ten thousand ish, all strong ish chayil; and there escaped not an ish.

³⁰ So Moav was subdued that day under the yad Yisroel. And HaAretz had rest fourscore shanah.

³¹ And after him was Shamgar ben Anat, which struck down of the Pelishtim (Philistines) six hundred ish with an ox goad; and he also saved Yisroel.

4 And the Bnei Yisroel again did rah in the sight of Hashem, when Ehud was dead.

² And Hashem sold them into the yad Yavin Melech Kena’an, that reigned in Chatzor; the sar whose tze’va (army) was Sisra, which dwelt in Charoshet HaGoyim.

³ And the Bnei Yisroel cried unto Hashem; for he had nine hundred chariots of barzel (iron); and twenty shanah he oppressed chazakah the Bnei Yisroel.

⁴ And isha Devorah, a neviah, the eshet Lapidot, judged Yisroel at that time.

⁵ And she held court under the Tomer Devorah between Ramah and Beit-El in har Ephrayim; Bnei Yisroel came up to her for mishpat.

⁶ And she sent and called Barak ben Avinoam out of Kedesh Naphtali, and said unto him, Hath not Hashem Elohei Yisroel commanded, saying, Go and take position at Har Tavor, and take with thee ten thousand ish of the Bnei Naphtali and of the Bnei Zevulun?

⁷ And I will lure unto thee to the river Kishon the sar Tze’va Yavin, Sisra, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine yad.

⁸ And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go; but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.

⁹ And she said, I will surely go with thee; notwithstanding the derech of thee shall not take thee to thy teferet (honor); for Hashem shall sell Sisra into the yad of an isha. And Devorah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.

¹⁰ And Barak summoned Zevulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with ten thousand ish at his feet; and Devorah went up with him.

¹¹ Now Chever the Keni, which was of the Bnei Chovav the khoten Moshe, had separated from the Kayin [other Keni], and encamped his ohel unto the oak at Tzaanannim, which is near Kedesh.

¹² And they told Sisra that Barak ben Avinoam was gone up to Har Tavor.

¹³ And Sisra gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of barzel (iron), and kol haAm that were with him, from Charoshet HaGoyim unto the river Kishon.

¹⁴ And Devorah said unto Barak, Go! For this is the day in which Hashem hath delivered Sisra into thine yad. Is not Hashem gone out before thee? So Barak went down from Har Tavor, and ten thousand ish after him.

¹⁵ And Hashem routed Sisra, and all his chariots, and kol hamachaneh, with the edge of the cherev before Barak; so that Sisra got down from his merkavah (chariot), and fled away on foot.

¹⁶ But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the machaneh, as far as Charoshet HaGoyim; and kol machaneh Sisra fell by the edge of the cherev; and there was not a man left.

¹⁷ Howbeit Sisra fled away on foot to the ohel Yael the isha of Chever the Keni; for there was shalom between Yavin Melech Chatzor and the Bais Chever Keni.

¹⁸ And Yael went out to meet Sisra, and said unto him, Turn in, adoni, stay with me; fear not. And when he had entered with her into the ohel, she covered him with a covering.

¹⁹ And he said unto her, Give me, now, a little mayim to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a skin of cholov, and gave him drink, and covered him.

²⁰ Again he said unto her, Stand at the petach haohel, and it shall be, when any ish doth come and inquire of thee, and say, Is there any ish here?‖thou shalt say, No.

²¹ Then Yael eshet Chever took a yetad haohel (tent peg), and took a makevet (hammer) in her yad, and went softly unto him, and drove the yetad into his temple, and stuck it into the ground; for he was fast asleep exhausted. So he died.

²² And, hinei, as Barak pursued Sisra, Yael came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will show thee the ish whom thou seekest. And when he came into her ohel, hinei, Sisra lay dead, and the yetad was in his temple.

²³ So Elohim subdued on that day Yavin Melech Kena’an before the Bnei Yisroel.

²⁴ And the yad Bnei Yisroel prospered, and prevailed against Yavin Melech Kena’an, until they had destroyed Yavin Melech Kena’an.

5 Then sang Devorah and Barak ben Avinoam on that day, saying,

² Barachu Hashem that the strong in Yisroel put forth strength, that the people willingly offered themselves.

³ Hear, O ye melachim; give ear, O ye rozenim (princes); I, even I, will sing unto Hashem; I will make music to Hashem Elohei Yisroel.

⁴ Hashem, when Thou wentest out from Seir, when Thou marchedst out of the sadeh Edom, Eretz trembled, HaShomayim poured, clouds also poured down mayim.

⁵ The harim quaked at the presence of Hashem, this Sinai before Hashem Elohei Yisroel.

⁶ In the days of Shamgar ben Anat, in the days of Yael, the roads were abandoned, and the travellers walked the byways.

⁷ The warrior ceased, they ceased in Yisroel, until I, Devorah, arose, I Em B’Yisroel arose.

⁸ They chose elohim chadashim when war was at the she’arim (gates); was there a mogen or spear to be seen among forty thousand in Yisroel?

⁹ My lev is toward the ones ruling in Yisroel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Barachu Hashem.

¹⁰ Reflect, ye that ride on white donkeys, ye that sit on saddle blankets, and walk on the derech.

¹¹ The voice of the singers in the place of drawing mayim, there shall they rehearse the Tzidkot Hashem, even the Tzidkot of His warriors in Yisroel; then shall HaAm Hashem go down to the she’arim.

¹² Awake, awake, Devorah; awake, awake, break out in song; arise, Barak, and lead captive thy captives, thou ben Avinoam.

¹³ Then came down a sarid (remnant) to the nobles; the people of Hashem came down to me as gibborim.

¹⁴ Out of Ephrayim was their shoresh against Amalek; after thee, Binyamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down mekhokekim (law givers), and out of Zevulun they that hold the shevet of the sofer (scribe).

¹⁵ And the sarim of Yissakhar were with Devorah; Yissakhar was with Barak; he rushed at his feet into the emek. Among the divisions of Reuven there were gedolim chikkei lev (great searchings, indecisions of heart).

¹⁶ Why abodest thou among the mishpetayim (sheepfolds), to hear the bleatings of the flocks? Among the divisions of Reuven there were great indecisions of heart.

¹⁷ Gil‘ad abode beyond Yarden; and why did Dan linger by oniyyot? Asher remained on the seacoast, and dwelt by his landings.

¹⁸ Zevulun and Naphtali were a people that risked their nefesh unto the death in the high places of the sadeh.

¹⁹ The melachim came and fought, then fought the melachim of Kena’an at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no plunder of kesef.

²⁰ They fought from Shomayim; the kokhavim in their courses fought Sisra.

²¹ The Kishon River swept them away, that nachal kedumim, the Kishon River. O my nefesh, march on with oz.

²² Then were the ikvei sus (horse hooves) galloping, the prancings of hooves, the prancings of their mighty steeds.

²³ Curse Meroz, said the Malach Hashem, curse bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the ezrat Hashem, to the help of Hashem, against the gibborim.

²⁴ Blessed above nashim shall Yael eshet Chever the Keni be, blessed shall she be above nashim in the ohel.

²⁵ He asked mayim, and she gave him cholov; she brought forth curds in a noble’s dish.

²⁶ She put her yad to the yetad, and her right hand to the workman’s hammer; and with the hammer she struck Sisra, she crushed his rosh, when she had shattered and pierced his temple.

²⁷ At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down; at her feet he bowed, he fell; where he bowed, sham (there) he fell down dead.

²⁸ The Em Sisra looked out through the chalon (window), and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the wheels of his marekevot (chariots)?

²⁹ Her chachemot sarot (wisest ladies) answered her, indeed, she repeats to herself her words,

³⁰ Are they not finding and dividing the prey; to every gever a girl or two; for Sisra colorful garments as plunder, a plunder of dyed work embroidered, of divers colors of needlework on both sides, fit for the necks of them that take the spoil?

³¹ So let all thine enemies perish, Hashem; but let them that love Him be as the shemesh in its gevurah. And HaAretz had rest arba’im shanah.

6 And the Bnei Yisroel did evil in the sight of Hashem; Hashem delivered them into the yad Midyan [See Gn.25:2] sheva shanim.

² And the yad Midyan prevailed against Yisroel; and because of Midyan the Bnei Yisroel made them dens in the mountains, and caves, and strongholds.

³ And so it was, when Yisroel had sown, that Midyan came up, and Amalek, and the Bnei Kedem, even they came up against them;

⁴ And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of ha’aretz, till thou come unto Azah (Gaza), and left no sustenance for Yisroel, neither seh, nor ox, nor donkey.

⁵ For they came up with their cattle and their ohalim, and they came as a swarm of arbeh for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number; and they entered into ha’aretz to destroy it.

⁶ And Yisroel was greatly impoverished because of Midyan; and the Bnei Yisroel cried unto Hashem.

⁷ And it came to pass, when the Bnei Yisroel cried unto Hashem because of Midyan,

⁸ That Hashem sent an ish navi unto the Bnei Yisroel, which said unto them, Thus saith Hashem Elohei Yisroel, I brought you up from Mitzrayim, and brought you forth out of the bais avadim (house of bondage);

⁹ And I delivered you out of the yad Mitzrayim, and out of the yad of all that oppressed you, and drove them out from before you, and gave you their land;

¹⁰ And I said unto you, I am Hashem Eloheichem; fear not the elohei HaEmori (g-ds of the Amorites), in whose land ye dwell; but ye have not obeyed My voice.

¹¹ And there came Malach Hashem, and sat under a terebinth tree which was in Ophrah, that belonged unto Yoash the Aviezri; and bno Gid’on threshed chittim (wheat) in the winepress, to hide it from Midyan.

¹² And the Malach Hashem appeared unto him, and said unto him, Hashem is with thee, thou Gibbor HeChayil.

¹³ And Gid’on said unto him, Oh Adoni, if Hashem be with us, why then is all this befallen us? And where be all His nifla’ot (miracles) which Avoteinu told us of, saying, Did not Hashem bring us up from Mitzrayim? But now Hashem hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of Midyan.

¹⁴ And Hashem turned to him, and said, Go in this thy ko’ach, and thou shalt save Yisroel from the yad Midyan; have not I sent thee?

¹⁵ And he said unto Him, O Adoni, wherewith shall I save Yisroel? Hinei, my eleph is poor in Menasheh, and I am the least in the Bais Avi.

¹⁶ And Hashem said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt strike down Midyan as ish echad.

¹⁷ And he said unto Him, If now I have found chen in Thy sight, then show me an ot that Thou speakest with me.

¹⁸ Depart not from here, now, until I come unto Thee, and bring forth my minchah, and set it before Thee. And He said, I will tarry until thou come again.

¹⁹ And Gid’on went in, and made ready a kid, and matzot of an ephah of flour; the basar he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto Him under the terebinth tree, and presented it.

²⁰ And the Malach HaElohim said unto him, Take the basar and the matzot, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.

²¹ Then the Malach Hashem put forth the tip of the staff that was in his yad, and touched the basar and the matzot; and there rose up eish from the rock, and consumed the basar and the matzot. Then the Malach Hashem departed out of his sight.

²² When Gid’on perceived that he was the Malach Hashem, Gid’on said, Alas, Adonoi Hashem! I have seen Malach Hashem face to face.

²³ And Hashem said unto him, Shalom l’chah; fear not; thou shalt not die.

²⁴ Then Gid’on built a Mizbe’ach there unto Hashem, and called it Hashem Shalom; unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Aviezri.

²⁵ And it came to pass the same night, that Hashem said unto him, Take thy father’s young bull, even the second bull of sheva shanim, and tear down the mizbe’ach of Ba’al that thy av hath, and cut down the Asherah that is beside it;

²⁶ And build a Mizbe’ach unto Hashem Eloheicha upon the top of this rock, in the proper arrangement; take the second bull, offer an olah with the wood of the Asherah pole which thou shalt cut down.

²⁷ Then Gid’on took ten men from his avadim, and did just as Hashem had said unto him; and so it was, because he feared his Bais Avi, and the men of the Ir, that he could not do it yomam (by day), that he did it by lailah.

²⁸ And when the men of the Ir arose early in the boker, hinei, the mizbe’ach of Baal was cast down, and the Asherah was cut down that was beside it, and the second bull was offered upon the Mizbe’ach that was built.

²⁹ And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they inquired and asked, they said, Gid’on ben Yoash hath done this thing.

³⁰ Then the men of the Ir said unto Yoash, Bring out thy ben, that he may die; because he hath cast down the mizbe’ach of Ba’al, and because he hath cut down the Asherah that was beside it.

³¹ And Yoash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Ba’al? Will ye save him? He that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet boker; if he be Elohim, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his mizbe’ach.

³² Therefore on that day he called him Yerubaal, saying, Let Baal contend against him, because he hath torn down his mizbe’ach.

³³ Then kol Midyan and Amalek and the Bnei Kedem were gathered together, and went over, and encamped in the valley of Yizre’el.

³⁴ But the Ruach [Hakodesh] of Hashem came upon Gid’on; he blew a shofar; and Aviezer was summoned to follow after him.

³⁵ And he sent malachim throughout all Menasheh; who also was gathered after him; and he sent malachim unto Asher, and unto Zevulun, and unto Naphtali; and they went up to meet them.

³⁶ And Gid’on said unto HaElohim, If Thou wilt save Yisroel by my yad, as Thou hast said,

³⁷ Hinei, I will put a fleece of wool in the goren (threshing floor); and if the tal (dew) be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all ha’aretz, then shall I know that Thou wilt save Yisroel by my yad, as Thou hast said.

³⁸ And it was so; for he rose up early on the next day, and squeezed the fleece together, and wrung the tal out of the fleece, a bowl full of mayim.

³⁹ And Gid’on said unto HaElohim, Let not Thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once; let me test, now, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be tal.

⁴⁰ And Elohim did so that night; for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was tal on all the ground.

7 Then Yerubaal, who is Gid’on, and kol haAm that were with him, rose up early and encamped by Ein Charod; so that the Machaneh Midyan was on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.

² And Hashem said unto Gid’on, The people that are with thee are too rav (many) for Me to give Midyan into their hands, lest Yisroel vaunt themselves against Me, saying, Mine own yad hath saved me.

³ Now therefore go to, proclaim in the oznei haAm, saying, Whoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from Har HaGil‘ad. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.

⁴ And Hashem said unto Gid’on, HaAm are yet too many; bring them down unto the mayim, and I will sift them for thee there; and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.

⁵ So he brought down haAm unto the mayim; and Hashem said unto Gid’on, Every one that laps the mayim with his leshon, as a kelev laps, him shalt thou separate by himself; likewise every one that kneels down upon his knees to drink.

⁶ And the number of the ones lapping, putting their yad to their mouth, were three hundred ish; but all the rest of haAm kneeled down upon their knees to drink mayim.

⁷ And Hashem said unto Gid’on, By the three hundred ish that lapped will I save you, and deliver Midyan into thine yad; and let all the other people go every ish unto his makom (place, home).

⁸ So the [retained] people took provision in their yad, and their shofarot; and he sent kol ish Yisroel every ish unto his ohel, but retained those three hundred haIsh; and the Machaneh Midyan was below him in the valley.

⁹ And it came to pass the same lailah, that Hashem said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the Machaneh; for I have delivered it into thine yad.

¹⁰ But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy eved down to the machaneh;

¹¹ And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the machaneh. Then he went down with Phurah his eved unto the outposts of the armed men that were in the machaneh.

¹² And Midyan and Amalek and kol Bnei Kedem lay along in the valley like arbeh for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the chol (sand) on the seashore for multitude.

¹³ And when Gid’on arrived, hinei, there was an ish that told a chalom unto his re’a, and said, Hinei, I dreamed a chalom, and, hinei, a round loaf of lechem se’orim tumbled into the Machaneh Midyan, and came unto an ohel, and struck it that it fell, and overturned it, that the ohel collapsed.

¹⁴ And his re’a answered and said, This is nothing else but the cherev Gid’on ben Yoash, an ish Yisroel; for into his yad hath HaElohim delivered Midyan, and kol hamachaneh.

¹⁵ And it was so, when Gid’on heard the telling of the chalom, and the shever (breaking [of a dream, i.e., its interpretation]) thereof, that he worshiped, and returned into the machaneh Yisroel, and said, Arise; for Hashem hath delivered into your yad the Machaneh Midyan.

¹⁶ And he divided the three hundred haIsh into three companies, and he put a shofar in every man’s yad, with empty jars, and torches within the jars.

¹⁷ And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise; and, hinei, when I come to the edge of the machaneh, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do.

¹⁸ When I blow the shofar, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the shofarot also on every side of all the machaneh, and say, "For Hashem, and for Gid’on."

¹⁹ So Gid’on, and the hundred ish that were with him, came unto the outside of the machaneh in the beginning of the ashmoret hatikhonah (middle watch); and they had just set the shomrim; and they blew the shofar, and broke the jars that were in their hands.

²⁰ And the three companies blew the shofar, and broke the jars, and held the torches in their left hands, and the shofarot in their right hands to blow withal; and they cried, A Cherev for Hashem and for Gid’on.

²¹ And they held every ish his position round about the machaneh; and kol hamachaneh ran, and cried out, and fled.

²² And the three hundred blew the shofarot, and Hashem caused every man’s cherev to be against his re’a, even throughout all the machaneh; and the machaneh fled to Beit-Sheetah in Tzererah, and to the border of Avel Mecholah, by Tabat.

²³ And the Ish Yisroel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, out of Asher, and out of all Menasheh, and pursued after Midyan.

²⁴ And Gid’on sent malachim throughout all Har Ephrayim, saying, Come down against Midyan, and seize ahead of them the mayim as far as Beit Barah and Yarden. Then kol ish Ephrayim gathered themselves together, and took the mayim unto Beit Barah and Yarden.

²⁵ And they took two sarim (princes) of Midyan, Orer and Ze’ev; and they killed Orev upon the Tzur Orev, and Ze’ev they killed at the Yekev (winepress) of Ze’ev, and pursued Midyan, and brought the heads of Orev and Ze’ev to Gid’on beyond the Yarden.

8 And the Ish Ephrayim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with Midyan? And they did criticize him sharply.

² And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephrayim tov (better) than the vintage of Aviezer?

³ Elohim hath delivered into your hands the sarim of Midyan, Orev and Ze’ev; and what was I able to do in comparison with you? Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.

⁴ And Gid’on came to the Yarden, and passed over, he, and the three hundred haIsh that were with him, exhausted yet pursuing them.

⁵ And he said unto the Anshei Sukkot, Give, now, loaves of lechem unto the people that follow me; for they be exhausted, and I am pursuing after Zevach and Tzalmunna, melachim of Midyan.

⁶ And the sarei Sukkot said, Are the hands of Zevach and Tzalmunna now in thine yad, that we should give lechem unto thine tz’va (army)?

⁷ And Gid’on said, Therefore when Hashem hath delivered Zevach and Tzalmunna into mine yad, then I will tear your basar with the kotz (thorns) of the midbar and with briers.

⁸ And he went up from there to Penuel [Peniel], and spoke unto them likewise; and the Anshei Penuel [Peniel] answered him as the men of Sukkot had answered him.

⁹ And he spoke also unto the Anshei Penuel, saying, When I come again in shalom, I will break down this migdal.

¹⁰ Now Zevach and Tzalmunna were in Karkor, and their machaneh with them, about 15,000, all that were left of all the machaneh of the Bnei Kedem; for there fell a 120,000 Ish that drew the cherev.

¹¹ And Gid’on went up by the derech of them that dwelt in ohalim on the east of Novach and Yogbehah, and struck down the machaneh; for the machaneh was unsuspecting, thinking themselves secure.

¹² And when Zevach and Tzalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two melachim of Midyan, Zevach and Tzalmunna, and did rout all the machaneh.

¹³ And Gid’on ben Yoash returned from milchamah by the Cheres Pass,

¹⁴ And caught a na’ar of the Anshei Sukkot, and inquired of him; and he wrote down for him the sarim of Sukkot, and the zekenim thereof, even threescore and seventeen ish.

¹⁵ And he came unto the Anshei Sukkot, and said, Hinei, Zevach and Tzalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of Zevach and Tzalmunna now in thine yad, that we should give lechem unto thy anashim that are exhausted?

¹⁶ And he took the zekenim of the Ir, kotz of the midbar and briers, and with them he taught the Anashim of Sukkot.

¹⁷ And he pulled down the migdal of Penuel [Peniel], and put to death the Anshei HaIr.

¹⁸ Then said he unto Zevach and Tzalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye slaughtered at Tavor? And they answered, As thou art, so were they; each one with the bearing of Bnei HaMelech.

¹⁹ And he said, They were my brethren, even the Bnei Immi; as Hashem liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I should not have put you to death.

²⁰ And he said unto Yeter his bechor, Up, and slay them. But the na’ar (youth) drew not his cherev; for he feared, because he was yet a na’ar.

²¹ Then Zevach and Tzalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us; for as the ish is, so is his gevurah. And Gid’on arose, and put to death Zevach and Tzalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels’ necks.

²² Then the Ish Yisroel said unto Gid’on, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy ben, and the ben of thy ben also; for thou hast delivered us from the yad Midyan.

²³ And Gid’on said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall beni rule over you; Hashem shall rule over you.

²⁴ And Gid’on said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every ish the nezem (earring) of his booty—for they had nizmei zahav (gold earrings), because they were Yishmaelim [descendents of Ishmael].

²⁵ And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread out a simlah (upper garment), and did cast therein every ish the nezem of his booty.

²⁶ And the weight of the nizmei hazahav that he requested was 1,700 shekels of zahav; beside ornaments, and pendants, and purple raiment that was on the melachim of Midyan, and apart from the chains that were about their camels’ necks.

²⁷ And Gid’on made an ephod thereof, and put it in his Ir, even in Ophrah; and kol Yisroel went there a-whoring after it; which thing became a mokesh (snare) unto Gid’on, and to his Bais.

²⁸ Thus was Midyan subdued before the Bnei Yisroel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And HaAretz was in quietness arba’im shanah in the days of Gid’on.

²⁹ And Yerubaal ben Yoash went and dwelt in his own bais.

³⁰ And Gid’on had threescore and ten banim of his own; for he had many nashim.

³¹ And his pilegesh (concubine) that was in Shechem, she also bore him a ben, whose shem he called Avimelech.

³² And Gid’on ben Yoash died in a good old age, and was buried in the kever of Yoash his av, in Ophrah of the Aviezri.

³³ And it came to pass, as soon as Gid’on was dead, that the Bnei Yisroel turned again, and went a-whoring after Baalim, and made Baal-brit their elohim.

³⁴ And the Bnei Yisroel remembered not Hashem Eloheihem, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side;

³⁵ Neither showed they chesed to the Bais Yerubaal, namely, Gid’on, according to all the tovah which he had showed unto Yisroel.

9 And Avimelech ben Yerubaal went to Shechem unto achei immo, and spoke with them, and with all the mishpakhat bais avi immo, saying,

² Speak, now, in the ears of all the ba’alei Shechem, Which is better for you, either that all the Bnei Yerubaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one man reign over you? Remember also that I am your etzem (bone) and your basar (flesh).

³ And the achei immo spoke of him in the ears of all the ba’alei Shechem all these words; and their lev inclined to follow Avimelech; for they said, He is acheinu.

⁴ And they gave him 70 pieces of kesef out of the bais Baal-brit, wherewith Avimelech hired morally empty and reckless persons, which followed him.

⁵ And he went unto his bais avi at Ophrah, and slaughtered his brethren the Bnei Yerubaal, being 70 persons, upon one even (stone); notwithstanding yet Yotam the youngest ben Yerubaal escaped; for he hid himself.

⁶ And all the ba’alei Shechem gathered together, and all the Bais Millo, and went, and crowned Avimelech melech, by the great tree near the pillar that was in Shechem.

⁷ And when they told it to Yotam, he went and stood on top of Mt Gerizim, lifted up his voice, cried out, and said unto them, Pay heed unto me, ye ba’alei Shechem, that Elohim may pay heed unto you.

⁸ The etzim (trees) went forth one day to anoint a melech over them; and they said unto the zayit (olive tree), Reign thou over us.

⁹ But the zayit said unto them, Should I leave my oil, wherewith by me they honor Elohim and anashim, and go to be promoted over the etzim?

¹⁰ And the etzim (trees) said to the te’enah (fig tree), Come thou, and reign over us.

¹¹ But the te’enah said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the etzim (trees)?

¹² Then said the etzim (trees) unto the gefen, Come thou, and reign over us.

¹³ And the gefen said unto them, Should I leave my tirosh, which cheereth Elohim and anashim, and go to be promoted over the etzim?

¹⁴ Then said all the etzim (trees) unto the thornbush, Come thou, and reign over us.

¹⁵ And the thornbush said unto the etzim (trees), If b’emes ye anoint me melech over you, then come and take refuge in my tzel (shade): and if not, let eish come out of the thornbush, and devour the cedars of the Levanon.

¹⁶ Now therefore, if ye have done b’emes and in good faith, in that ye have made Avimelech melech, and if ye have dealt tovah with Yerubaal [Gid’on] and his bais, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands—

¹⁷ For avi [Gid’on] fought for you, and risked his nefesh, and delivered you out of the yad Midyan;

¹⁸ And ye are risen up against bais avi this day, and have slain his banim, threescore and ten persons, upon one even (stone), and have made Avimelech, ben amah (son of his slave girl), melech over the ba’alei Shechem, because he is your brother—

¹⁹ If ye then have dealt b’emes and in good faith with Yerubaal and with his bais this day, then rejoice ye in Avimelech, and let him also rejoice in you;

²⁰ But if not, let eish come out from Avimelech, and devour the ba’alei Shechem, and the Bais Millo; and let eish come out from the ba’alei Shechem, and from the Bais Millo, and devour Avimelech.

²¹ And Yotam ran away, and escaped, and went to Be’er, and dwelt there, for fear of Avimelech his brother.

²² When Avimelech had reigned shalosh shanim over Yisroel,

²³ Then Elohim sent a ruach ra’ah between Avimelech and the ba’alei Shechem; and the ba’alei Shechem dealt treacherously with Avimelech;

²⁴ That the chamas done to the 70 Bnei Yerubaal might come, and their dahm be laid upon Avimelech their brother, which slaughtered them; and upon the ba’alei Shechem, which aided him in the slaughter of his brethren.

²⁵ And the ba’alei Shechem set ambushers in wait for him on top of the hills, and they robbed all that passed along that derech by them; and it was told Avimelech.

²⁶ And Gaal ben Eved came with his achim, went over to Shechem; the ba’alei Shechem put their confidence in him.

²⁷ And they went out into the sadeh, and gathered their kramim, and trode the grapes, and made merry, and went into the bais eloheihem, and did eat and drink, and cursed Avimelech.

²⁸ And Gaal ben Eved said, Who is Avimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is not he ben Yerubaal? And Zevul his pakid? Serve the anshei Chamor avi Shechem. For why should we serve him?

²⁹ O that this people were under my yad! Then would I remove Avimelech. And he said to Avimelech, Gather thine tze’va (army), and come out!

³⁰ And when Zevul the sar of the Ir heard the words of Gaal ben Eved, his anger was kindled.

³¹ And he sent malachim unto Avimelech covertly, saying, Hinei, Gaal ben Eved and his brethren have come to Shechem; and, hinei, they incite the Ir against thee.

³² Now therefore go up by lailah, thou and the people with thee, and lie in wait in the sadeh:

³³ And it shall be, that in the boker, as soon as the shemesh is up, thou shalt rise early, and set upon the Ir; and, hinei, when he and the people with him come out against thee, then mayest thou do to them just as thy hand finds to do.

³⁴ And Avimelech rose up, and kol haAm that were with him, by lailah, and they laid wait in ambush against Shechem in four companies.

³⁵ And Gaal ben Eved went out, and stood in the petach sha’ar haIr; and Avimelech and the people that were with him rose up from lying in wait for ambush.

³⁶ And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zevul, Hinei, there come people down from the top of the mountains. And Zevul said unto him, Thou seest the tzel of the mountains as if seeing anashim.

³⁷ And Gaal spoke again, and said, Hinei, there come people down the middle of the land, and another company come along by the Elon Me’onenim.

³⁸ Then said Zevul unto him, Where is now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst, Who is Avimelech that we should serve him? Is not this the people that thou hast despised? Go out, now, and fight against him.

³⁹ And Gaal went out before the ba’alei Shechem, and fought with Avimelech.

⁴⁰ And Avimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown and chalalim (wounded), even unto the petach hasha’ar.

⁴¹ And Avimelech dwelt at Arumah; and Zevul thrust out Gaal and his achim, that they should not dwell in Shechem.

⁴² And it came to pass on the next day, that the people went out into the sadeh; and they told Avimelech.

⁴³ And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait concealed in the sadeh, and looked, and, hinei, the people were come forth out of the Ir; and he rose up against them, and attacked them.

⁴⁴ And Avimelech, and the company that was with him, rushed forward, and stood in the petach sha’ar of the Ir; and the two other companies rushed upon all who were in the sadeh, and slaughtered them.

⁴⁵ And Avimelech fought against the Ir all that day; and he took the Ir, and slaughtered the people that was therein, and destroyed the Ir, and sowed it with melach (salt).

⁴⁶ And when all the ba’alei migdal Shechem heard that, they entered into the stronghold of the bais el brit.

⁴⁷ And it was told Avimelech, that all the ba’alei migdal Shechem were gathered together.

⁴⁸ And Avimelech got him up to Mt Tzalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Avimelech took axes in his yad, and cut down a branch from the etzim (trees), and lifted it, and laid it on his shoulder, and said unto the people that were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done.

⁴⁹ And kol haAm likewise cut down every man his branch, and followed Avimelech, and piled them against the stronghold, and set the stronghold on eish over them; so that all the anshei migdal Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.

⁵⁰ Then went Avimelech to Tevetz, and encamped against Tevetz, and captured it.

⁵¹ But there was a migdal oz within the Ir, and there fled all the anashim and nashim, and all ba’alei haIr, and locked it after them, and got them up to the top of the migdal.

⁵² And Avimelech came unto the migdal, and fought against it, and drew near unto the petach of the migdal to burn it with eish.

⁵³ And a certain woman dropped an upper millstone upon Avimelech’s head, and cracked his gulgolet (skull).

⁵⁴ Then he called hastily unto the na’ar his armorbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy cherev, and slay me, that men say not of me, An isha slaughtered him. And his na’ar thrust him through, and he died.

⁵⁵ And when the Ish Yisroel saw that Avimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place.

⁵⁶ Thus Elohim repaid the wickedness of Avimelech, which he did unto his av, in slaying his seventy brethren;

⁵⁷ And all the evil of the anshei Shechem did Elohim render upon their heads: and upon them came the Kelalat Yotam ben Yerubaal.

10 And after Avimelech there arose to save Yisroel Tolah ben Puah ben Dodo, an ish Yissakhar; and he dwelt in Shamir in har Ephrayim.

² And he judged Yisroel twenty and three shanah, and died, and was buried in Shamir.

³ And after him arose Yair, a Gileadi, and judged Yisroel twenty and two shanah.

⁴ And he had shloshim banim that rode on shloshim donkeys, and they had shloshim towns, which are called Chavvot Yair unto this day, which are in Eretz Gil‘ad.

⁵ And Yair died, and was buried in Kamon.

⁶ And the Bnei Yisroel did evil again in the sight of Hashem, and served Baalim, and Ashtarot, and the elohei Aram, and the elohei Tzidon, and the elohei Moav, and the elohei Bnei Ammon, and the elohei Pelishtim, and forsook Hashem, and served Him not.

⁷ And the Af Hashem was hot against Yisroel, and He sold them into the yad Pelishtim (Philistines), and into the yad Bnei Ammon.

⁸ And that year they oppressed and persecuted the Bnei Yisroel; eighteen shanah, all the Bnei Yisroel that were on the other side of the Yarden in the Eretz Emori, which is in Gil‘ad.

⁹ Moreover the Bnei Ammon passed over Yarden to fight also against Yehudah, and against Binyamin, and against the Bais Ephrayim; so that Yisroel was greatly distressed.

¹⁰ And the Bnei Yisroel cried unto Hashem, saying, We have sinned against Thee, both because we have forsaken Eloheinu, and also served Baalim.

¹¹ And Hashem said unto the Bnei Yisroel, Did not I deliver you from Mitzrayim, and from Emori, from the Bnei Ammon, and from the Pelishtim (Philistines)?

¹² The Tzidonim also, and the Amalek, and the Maon, did oppress you; and ye cried out to Me, and I saved you out of their yad.

¹³ Yet ye have forsaken Me, and served elohim acherim; so I will not continue to save you.

¹⁴ Go and cry unto the elohim which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.

¹⁵ And the Bnei Yisroel said unto Hashem, Chatanu (we have sinned); do Thou unto us whatsoever seemeth hatov unto Thee; only save us, now, this day.

¹⁶ And they put away the elohei hanekhar (strange, foreign g-ds) from among them, and served Hashem; and His nefesh was troubled with the amal Yisroel (misery of Yisroel).

¹⁷ Then the Bnei Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gil‘ad. And the Bnei Yisroel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mitzpah.

¹⁸ And HaAm and the Sarei Gil‘ad said one to another, What man is he that will begin to fight against the Bnei Ammon? He shall be Rosh over all the inhabitants of Gil‘ad.

11 Now Yiftach the Gileadi was a gibbor chayil, and he was the ben of an isha zonah; and Gil‘ad fathered Yiftach.

² And Gil’ad’s isha bore him banim; and the bnei haisha grew up, and they thrust out Yiftach, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our bais avi; for thou art the ben isha acheret.

³ Then Yiftach fled from his achim, and dwelt in Eretz Tov; and there were gathered anashim reikim (outlaws) around Yiftach, and went out with him.

⁴ And it came to pass in process of time, that the Bnei Ammon made war against Yisroel.

⁵ And it was so, that when the Bnei Ammon made war against Yisroel, the ziknei Gil‘ad went to fetch Yiftach out of Eretz Tov;

⁶ And they said unto Yiftach, Come, and be our katzin (leader), that we may fight with the Bnei Ammon.

⁷ And Yiftach said unto the ziknei Gil‘ad, Did not ye hate me, and expel me out of my bais avi? And why are ye come unto me now when ye are in distress?

⁸ And the ziknei Gil‘ad said unto Yiftach, Nevertheless, we turn again to thee now, that thou mayest go with us, and fight against the Bnei Ammon, and be our rosh over all the inhabitants of Gil‘ad.

⁹ And Yiftach said unto the ziknei Gil‘ad, If ye bring me home again to fight against the Bnei Ammon, and Hashem deliver them before me, shall I be your rosh?

¹⁰ And the ziknei Gil‘ad said unto Yiftach, Hashem be witness between us, if we do not so according to thy words.

¹¹ Then Yiftach went with the ziknei Gil‘ad, and the people made him rosh and katzin over them; and Yiftach uttered all his words before Hashem in Mitzpah.

¹² And Yiftach sent malachim unto the melech Bnei Ammon, saying, What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come against me to fight in my land?

¹³ And the melech Bnei Ammon answered unto the malachim of Yiftach, Because Yisroel took away my land, when they came up out of Mitzrayim, from Arnon even unto Yabbok, and unto Yarden; now therefore give back those lands again b’shalom (peaceably).

¹⁴ And Yiftach sent malachim again unto the melech Bnei Ammon;

¹⁵ And said unto him, Thus saith Yiftach, Yisroel took not away Eretz Moav, nor the Eretz Bnei Ammon;

¹⁶ But when Yisroel came up from Mitzrayim, and walked through the midbar until Yam Suf, and came to Kadesh;

¹⁷ Then Yisroel sent malachim unto the melech Edom, saying, Let me, now, pass through thy land; but the melech Edom would not pay heed thereto. In like manner they sent unto the melech Moav; but he would not consent; Yisroel abode in Kadesh.

¹⁸ Then they went along through the midbar, skirted the Eretz Edom, and Eretz Moav, and came by the east side of Eretz Moav, encamped on the other side of Arnon, but came not within the territory of Moav; for the Arnon was the boundary of Moav.

¹⁹ And Yisroel sent malachim unto Sichon melech HaEmori, the melech Cheshbon; and Yisroel said unto him, Let us pass, now, through thy land into my makom.

²⁰ But Sichon trusted not Yisroel to pass through his territory; but Sichon gathered all his people together, and encamped in Yahatz, and fought against Yisroel.

²¹ And Hashem Elohei Yisroel delivered Sichon and all his people into the yad Yisroel, and they struck them down; so Yisroel possessed all the Eretz HaEmori, the inhabitants of that country.

²² And they possessed all the territory HaEmori, from Arnon even unto Yabbok, and from the midbar even unto Yarden.

²³ So now Hashem Elohei Yisroel hath dispossessed HaEmori from before His people Yisroel, and shouldest thou possess it?

²⁴ Wilt not thou possess that which Kemosh eloheicha giveth thee to possess? So whatever Hashem Eloheinu shall take possession of before us, that will we possess.

²⁵ And now art thou anything better than Balak ben Tzippor, melech Moav? Did he ever strive against Yisroel, or did he ever fight against them,

²⁶ While Yisroel dwelt in Cheshbon and her towns, and in Aroer and her settlements, and in all the towns that be along by the coasts of Arnon, three hundred shanah? Why therefore did ye not recover them within that time?

²⁷ Wherefore I have not sinned against thee, but thou doest me wrong to war against me; Hashem HaShofet be judge this day between the Bnei Yisroel and the Bnei Ammon.

²⁸ Howbeit the melech Bnei Ammon paid heed not unto the words of Yiftach which he sent him.

²⁹ Then the Ruach Hashem came upon Yiftach, and he passed over Gil‘ad, and Menasheh, passed over Mitzpeh of Gil‘ad, and from Mitzpeh of Gil‘ad he passed over unto the Bnei Ammon.

³⁰ And Yiftach vowed a neder unto Hashem, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the Bnei Ammon into mine hands,

³¹ Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the delet of my bais to meet me, when I return b’shalom from the Bnei Ammon, shall surely be Hashem’s, and I will offer it up for an olah.

³² So Yiftach passed over unto the Bnei Ammon to fight against them; and Hashem delivered them into his hands.

³³ And he struck them down from Aroer, even till thou come to Minnit, even 20 towns, unto Avel-Kramim, with a very great slaughter. Thus the Bnei Ammon were subdued before the Bnei Yisroel.

³⁴ And Yiftach came to Mitzpah unto his bais, hinei, his bat came out to meet him with tambourines and with dances; she was his yechidah (only one); beside her he had neither ben nor bat.

³⁵ And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he tore his clothes, and said, Alas, my bat! Thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me; for I have opened my mouth unto Hashem, and I cannot go back.

³⁶ And she said unto him, Avi, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto Hashem, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as Hashem hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the Bnei Ammon.

³⁷ She said unto her av, Let this thing be done for me; let me alone two chodashim, that I may go up and down upon the hills, and bewail betulai (my virginity), I and my friends.

³⁸ And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two chodashim; and she went with her companions, and bewailed her betulim (virginity) upon the hills.

³⁹ And it came to pass at the end of two chodashim, that she returned unto her av, who did with her according to his neder which he had vowed; and she knew no man. And it was a chok in Yisroel,

⁴⁰ That the banot Yisroel went yearly to lament the bat Yiftach the Gileadi arba’at yamim bashanah.

12 And the ish Ephrayim gathered themselves together, and went into Tzafon, and said unto Yiftach, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the Bnei Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? We will burn thine bais upon thee with eish.

² And Yiftach said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the Bnei Ammon; and when I called you, ye saved me not out of their hands.

³ And when I saw that you were not my moshi’a, I put my nefesh in my hands, and passed over against the Bnei Ammon, and Hashem delivered them into my yad; why then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me?

⁴ Then Yiftach gathered together all the Anshei Gil‘ad, and fought with Ephrayim; and the anshei Gil‘ad struck down Ephrayim, because they said, Ye Gilead are fugitives of Ephrayim among the Ephrayim, and among the Menasheh.

⁵ And the Gilead took the fords of the Yarden before the Ephrayim; and it was so, that when those Ephrayim which were escaped said, Let me cross over; that the anshei Gil‘ad said unto him, Art thou an Ephrati? If he said, No,

⁶ Then said they unto him, Say now Shibbolet; and he said Sibbolet, for he could not pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slaughtered him at the fords of the Yarden; and there fell at that time of the Ephrayim forty and two thousand.

⁷ And Yiftach judged Yisroel shesh shanim. Then died Yiftach the Gileadi, and was buried in one of the towns of Gil‘ad.

⁸ And after him Ibtzan of Beit-Lechem judged Yisroel.

⁹ And he had shloshim banim, and shloshim banot, whom he gave away in marriage outside [his eleph], and took in sloshim banot from outside for his banim. And he judged Yisroel shevat shanim.

¹⁰ Then died Ibtzan, and was buried at Beit-Lechem.

¹¹ And after him Elon, a Zevuloni, judged Yisroel; and he judged Yisroel eser shanim.

¹² And Elon the Zevuloni died, and was buried in Ayalon in Eretz Zevulun.

¹³ And after him Avdon ben Hillel, a Piratoni, judged Yisroel.

¹⁴ And he had arba’im banim and thirty grandsons, that rode on threescore and ten donkeys; and he judged Yisroel shmoneh shanim.

¹⁵ And Avdon ben Hillel the Piratoni died, and was buried in Piraton in Eretz Ephrayim, in the har HaAmaleki.

13 And the Bnei Yisroel did harah again in the sight of Hashem; and Hashem delivered them into the yad Pelishtim arba’im shanah.

² And there was a certain ish from Tzorah, of the mishpakhat HaDanai, whose shem was Manoach; and his isha was barren and bore not.

³ And the Malach Hashem appeared unto the isha, and said unto her, Hinei now, thou art barren, and bearest not; but thou shalt conceive, and bear ben.

⁴ Now therefore be shomer and drink not yayin nor shekhar (strong drink), and eat not kol tameh;

⁵ For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear ben; and no morah (razor) shall come on his rosh; for the na’ar shall be a Nazir Elohim from the beten (womb); and he shall begin to save Yisroel from the yad Pelishtim.

⁶ Then the isha came and told her ish, saying, An Ish HaElohim came unto me, and his appearance was like the appearance of a Malach HaElohim, norah me’od; but I asked him not where he came from, neither told he me shmo;

⁷ But he said unto me, See thou shalt conceive, and bear ben; and now drink no yayin nor shekhar, neither eat any tumah; for the na’ar shall be Nazir Elohim from the beten to the yom moto (day of his death).

⁸ Then Manoach prayed entreating Hashem, and said, O Adonoi, let the Ish HaElohim which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we must do unto the na’ar that shall be born.

⁹ And HaElohim paid heed to the kol Manoach; and the Malach HaElohim came again unto the isha as she sat in the sadeh; but Manoach her ish was not with her.

¹⁰ And the isha made haste, and ran, and told her ish, and said unto him, Hinei, the ish hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the other day.

¹¹ And Manoach arose, and went after his isha, and came to the ish, and said unto him, Art thou the ish that didst speak unto the isha? And he said, I am.

¹² And Manoach said, Now let thy devar come to pass. How shall be the mishpat hana’ar (proper treatment of the child), and his ma’aseh (work, [life’s] work)?

¹³ And the Malach Hashem said unto Manoach, Of all that I said unto the isha let her be shomer (beware, guard, keep watch over).

¹⁴ She may not eat of any thing that cometh of the gefen, neither let her drink yayin or shekhar, nor eat any tumah; all that I commanded her let her be shomer to do.

¹⁵ And Manoach said unto the Malach Hashem, Now, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a young goat for thee.

¹⁶ And the Malach Hashem said unto Manoach, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy lechem; and if thou wilt offer an olah (burnt offering), thou must offer it unto Hashem. For Manoach knew not that he was Malach Hashem.

¹⁷ And Manoach said unto Malach Hashem, Mi shmehchah? That when thy devar come to pass we may do thee honor?

¹⁸ And the Malach Hashem said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my shem, seeing it is FELI (supremely wonderful [see Isa 9:5(6); Ex 15:11])?

¹⁹ So Manoach took a young goat with a minchah, and offered it upon the tzur unto Hashem; and wonderously did He act; and Manoach and his wife looked on.

²⁰ For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward Shomayim from off the Mizbe’ach, that the Malach Hashem ascended in the flame of the Mizbe’ach. And Manoach and his wife looked on, and fell on their faces to the ground [cf Ac 1:9].

²¹ But the Malach Hashem did no more appear to Manoach and to his isha. Then Manoach knew that He was the Malach Hashem.

²² And Manoach said unto his isha, We shall surely die, because we have seen Elohim.

²³ But his isha said unto him, If Hashem were pleased to kill us, He would not have received an olah (burnt offering) and a minchah from yadenu (our hands), neither would He have showed us all these things, nor at this time would have told us such things as these.

²⁴ And the isha bore ben, and called shmo Shimshon; and the na’ar grew, and Hashem blessed him.

²⁵ And the Ruach Hashem began to impel him at times in Machaneh Dan between Tzorah and Eshtaol.

14 And Shimshon went down to Timnah, and saw an isha in Timnah of the banot Pelishtim (Philistines).

² And he came up, and told his av and his em, and said, I have seen an isha in Timnah of the banot Pelishtim; now therefore get her for me as isha.

³ Then his av and his em said unto him, Is there not among the banot of thy achim, or among kol Ami (all my people) an isha, that thou goest to take an isha of the Pelishtim haArelim? And Shimshon said unto his av, Get her for me; for she is yashrah (right) in my eyes.

⁴ But his av and his em knew not that this was from Hashem, for He sought an occasion against the Pelishtim; for at that time the Pelishtim had dominion over Yisroel.

⁵ Then went Shimshon down, and his av and his em, to Timnah, and came to the kramim (vineyards) of Timnah; and, hinei, a young lion roared against him.

⁶ And the Ruach Hashem came mightily upon him, and he tore him as he would have torn a young goat, and he had nothing in his yad; but he told not his av or his em what he had done.

⁷ And he went down, and talked with the isha; and she was right in the eyes of Shimshon [cf Prov 16:25].

⁸ And after a time he returned to take her [in marriage], and he turned aside to look at the carcass of the lion; and, hinei, there was a swarm of bees and devash in the geviyah of the lion.

⁹ And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his av and em, and he gave them, and they did eat; but he told not them that he had taken the devash out of the geviyah of the lion.

¹⁰ So his av went down unto the isha; and Shimshon made there a mishteh; for so used the bocherim to do.

¹¹ And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought shloshim companions to be with him.

¹² And Shimshon said unto them, I will now put forth a khidah (riddle) unto you; if ye can certainly declare it to me within the shivat yemei hamishteh, and find it out, then I will give you shloshim linen garments and shloshim sets of begadim;

¹³ But if ye cannot declare it to me, then shall ye give me shloshim linen garments and shloshim begadim. And they said unto him, Put forth thy khidah, that we may hear it.

¹⁴ And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth the edible, and out of the oz (strong) came forth matok (sweetness). And they could not in shloshet yamim expound the khidah.

¹⁵ And it came to pass on the yom hashevi’i, that they said unto the isha of Shimshon, Entice thy ish, that he may declare unto us the khidah, lest we burn thee and thy bais avi with eish; Have ye invited us to make us poor? Is it not so?

¹⁶ And the isha of Shimshon wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not; thou hast put forth a khidah unto the bnei ami, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Hinei, I have not told it avi nor immi, and shall I tell it thee?

¹⁷ And she wept before him the shivat hayamim, while their mishteh lasted; and it came to pass on the yom hashevi’i, that he told her, because of the pressing of her nagging; and she told the khidah to the bnei of her Am (People).

¹⁸ And the anshei haIr said unto him on the yom hashevi’i before the sun went down, What is sweeter than devash? And what is stronger than an ari? And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not hit upon my khidah.

¹⁹ And the Ruach Hashem came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck down shloshim ish of them and took as spoil their garments and gave unto them which expounded the khidah. And his af (anger) was kindled, and he went up to his bais avi.

²⁰ But the isha of Shimshon was given to his companion, who had been his best man (i.e., his Shoshvin. See Yochanan 3:29 OJBC).

15 But it came to pass within a while after, in the time of katzir chittim, that Shimshon visited his isha with a young goat; and he said, I will go in to my isha into the cheder. But her av would not allow him to go in.

² And her av said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her; therefore I gave her to thy companion; is not her younger achot fairer than she? Take her now, instead of her.

³ And Shimshon said concerning them, Now shall I be more blameless than the Pelishtim, though I do them ra’ah.

⁴ And Shimshon went and caught three hundred foxes, and took torches, and turned them tail to tail, and put a torch in the midst between two tails.

⁵ And when he lit eish to the torches, he let them go into the standing grain of the Pelishtim, and burned up both the harvested grain and also the standing grain, and also olive orchards.

⁶ Then the Pelishtim said, Who hath done this? And they answered, Shimshon, the choson of the Timni, because he had taken his isha, and given her to his companion. And the Pelishtim came up, and burned her and her av with eish.

⁷ And Shimshon said unto them, Since ye have done this, yet will I be avenged of you and after that I will cease.

⁸ And he struck them hip and thigh with a makkah gedolah; and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam.

⁹ Then the Pelishtim went up and encamped in Yehudah, and spread themselves out in Lechi.

¹⁰ And the ish Yehudah said, Why are ye come up against us? And they answered, To bind Shimshon are we come up, to do to him as he hath done to us.

¹¹ Then three thousand men of Yehudah went to the top of the rock Etam and said to Shimshon, Knowest thou not that the Pelishtim are rulers over us? What is this that thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them.

¹² And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the yad Pelishtim. And Shimshon said unto them, Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves.