Shofetim, starting at chapter 7
{7:1} Then Yerubba`al, who is Gid`on, and all the people who were
with him, rose up early, and encamped beside the spring of Harod: and
the camp of Midyan was on the north side of them, by the hill of
Moreh, in the valley. {7:2} The LORD said to Gid`on, The people who
are with you are too many for me to give the Midyanim into their hand,
lest Yisra'el vaunt themselves against me, saying, My own hand has
saved me. {7:3} Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people,
saying, Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return and depart
from Mount Gil`ad. There returned of the people twenty-two thousand;
and there remained ten thousand. {7:4} The LORD said to Gid`on, The
people are yet too many; bring them down to the water, and I will try
them for you there: and it shall be, that of whom I tell you, This
shall go with you, the same shall go with you; and of whoever I tell
you, This shall not go with you, the same shall not go. {7:5} So he
brought down the people to the water: and the LORD said to Gid`on,
Everyone who laps of the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, him
shall you set by himself; likewise everyone who bows down on his knees
to drink. {7:6} The number of those who lapped, putting their hand to
their mouth, was three hundred men: but all the rest of the people
bowed down on their knees to drink water. {7:7} The LORD said to
Gid`on, By the three hundred men who lapped will I save you, and
deliver the Midyanim into your hand; and let all the people go every
man to his place. {7:8} So the people took victuals in their hand, and
their trumpets; and he sent all the men of Yisra'el every man to his
tent, but retained the three hundred men: and the camp of Midyan was
beneath him in the valley. {7:9} It happened the same night, that the
LORD said to him, Arise, get you down into the camp; for I have
delivered it into your hand. {7:10} But if you fear to go down, go you
with Purah your servant down to the camp: {7:11} and you shall hear
what they say; and afterward shall your hands be strengthened to go
down into the camp. Then went he down with Purah his servant to the
outermost part of the armed men who were in the camp. {7:12} The
Midyanim and the `Amaleki and all the children of the east lay along
in the valley like locusts for multitude; and their camels were
without number, as the sand which is on the sea-shore for multitude.
{7:13} When Gid`on had come, behold, there was a man telling a dream
to his fellow; and he said, Behold, I dreamed a dream; and, behold, a
cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midyan, and came to the
tent, and struck it so that it fell, and turned it upside down, so
that the tent lay flat. {7:14} His fellow answered, This is nothing
else save the sword of Gid`on the son of Yo'ash, a man of Yisra'el:
into his hand God has delivered Midyan, and all the host. {7:15} It
was so, when Gid`on heard the telling of the dream, and the
interpretation of it, that he worshiped; and he returned into the camp
of Yisra'el, and said, Arise; for the LORD has delivered into your
hand the host of Midyan. {7:16} He divided the three hundred men into
three companies, and he put into the hands of all of them trumpets,
and empty pitchers, with torches within the pitchers. {7:17} He said
to them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the
outermost part of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall you
do. {7:18} When I blow the [1>]shofar[<1], I and all who are with me,
then blow you the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and
say, For the LORD and for Gid`on. {7:19} So Gid`on, and the hundred
men who were with him, came to the outermost part of the camp in the
beginning of the middle watch, when they had but newly set the watch:
and they blew the trumpets, and broke in pieces the pitchers that were
in their hands. {7:20} The three companies blew the trumpets, and
broke the pitchers, and held the torches in their left hands, and the
trumpets in their right hands with which to blow; and they cried, The
sword of the LORD and of Gid`on. {7:21} They stood every man in his
place round about the camp; and all the host ran; and they shouted,
and put [them] to flight. {7:22} They blew the three hundred trumpets,
and the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, and against all
the host; and the host fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Tzererah, as
far as the border of Avel-Mecholah, by Tabbat. {7:23} The men of
Yisra'el were gathered together out of Naftali, and out of Asher, and
out of all Menashsheh, and pursued after Midyan. {7:24} Gid`on sent
messengers throughout all the hill-country of Efrayim, saying, Come
down against Midyan, and take before them the waters, as far as
Beit-Barah, even the Yarden. So all the men of Efrayim were gathered
together, and took the waters as far as Beit-Barah, even the Yarden.
{7:25} They took the two princes of Midyan, `Orev and Ze'ev; and they
killed `Orev at the rock of `Orev, and Ze'ev they killed at the
winepress of Ze'ev, and pursued Midyan: and they brought the heads of
`Orev and Ze'ev to Gid`on beyond the Yarden.
{8:1} The men of Efrayim said to him, Why have you served us thus,
that you didn't call us, when you went to fight with Midyan? They did
chide with him sharply. {8:2} He said to them, What have I now done in
comparison with you? Isn't the gleaning of the grapes of Efrayim
better than the vintage of Avi-Ezer? {8:3} God has delivered into your
hand the princes 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. {8:4} Gid`on came to the Yarden, [and] passed over,
he, and the three hundred men who were with him, faint, yet pursuing.
{8:5} He said to the men of Sukkot, Please give loaves of bread to the
people who follow me; for they are faint, and I am pursuing after
Zevach and Tzalmunnah, the kings of Midyan. {8:6} The princes of
Sukkot said, Are the hands of Zevach and Tzalmunnah now in your hand,
that we should give bread to your army? {8:7} Gid`on said, Therefore
when the LORD has delivered Zevach and Tzalmunnah into my hand, then I
will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with
briers. {8:8} He went up there to Penu'el, and spoke to them in like
manner; and the men of Penu'el answered him as the men of Sukkot had
answered. {8:9} He spoke also to the men of Penu'el, saying, When I
come again in shalom, I will break down this tower. {8:10} Now Zevach
and Tzalmunnah were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about
fifteen thousand men, all who were left of all the host of the
children of the east; for there fell one hundred twenty thousand men
who drew sword. {8:11} Gid`on went up by the way of those who lived in
tents on the east of Novach and Yogbehah, and struck the host; for the
host was secure. {8:12} Zevach and Tzalmunnah fled; and he pursued
after them; and he took the two kings of Midyan, Zevach and
Tzalmunnah, and confused all the host. {8:13} Gid`on the son of Yo'ash
returned from the battle from the ascent of Heres. {8:14} He caught a
young man of the men of Sukkot, and inquired of him: and he described
for him the princes of Sukkot, and the Zakenim of it, seventy-seven
men. {8:15} He came to the men of Sukkot, and said, See Zevach and
Tzalmunnah, concerning whom you did taunt me, saying, Are the hands of
Zevach and Tzalmunnah now in your hand, that we should give bread to
your men who are weary? {8:16} He took the Zakenim of the city, and
thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men
of Sukkot. {8:17} He broke down the tower of Penu'el, and killed the
men of the city. {8:18} Then said he to Zevach and Tzalmunnah, What
manner of men were they whom you killed at Tavor? They answered, As
you are, so were they; each one resembled the children of a king.
{8:19} He said, They were my brothers, the sons of my mother: as the
LORD lives, if you had saved them alive, I would not kill you. {8:20}
He said to Yeter his firstborn, Up, and kill them. But the youth
didn't draw his sword; for he feared, because he was yet a youth.
{8:21} Then Zevach and Tzalmunnah said, Rise you, and fall on us; for
as the man is, so is his strength. Gid`on arose, and killed Zevach and
Tzalmunnah, and took the crescents that were on their camels' necks.
{8:22} Then the men of Yisra'el said to Gid`on, Rule you over us, both
you, and your son, and your son's son also; for you have saved us out
of the hand of Midyan. {8:23} Gid`on said to them, I will not rule
over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over
you. {8:24} Gid`on said to them, I would make a request of you, that
you would give me every man the ear-rings of his spoil. (For they had
golden ear-rings, because they were Yishme`elim.) {8:25} They
answered, We will willingly give them. They spread a garment, and did
cast therein every man the ear-rings of his spoil. {8:26} The weight
of the golden ear-rings that he requested was one thousand and seven
hundred [shekels] of gold, besides the crescents, and the pendants,
and the purple clothing that was on the kings of Midyan, and besides
the chains that were about their camels' necks. {8:27} Gid`on made an
efod of it, and put it in his city, even in Ofrat: and all Yisra'el
played the prostitute after it there; and it became a snare to Gid`on,
and to his house. {8:28} So Midyan was subdued before the children of
Yisra'el, and they lifted up their heads no more. The land had rest
forty years in the days of Gid`on. {8:29} Yerubba`al the son of Yo'ash
went and lived in his own house. {8:30} Gid`on had seventy sons
conceived from his body; for he had many wives. {8:31} His concubine
who was in Shekhem, she also bore him a son, and he named him
Avimelekh. {8:32} Gid`on the son of Yo'ash died in a good old age, and
was buried in the tomb of Yo'ash his father, in Ofrat of the
Abiezrites. {8:33} It happened, as soon as Gid`on was dead, that the
children of Yisra'el turned again, and played the prostitute after the
Ba`alim, and made Ba`al-Berit their god. {8:34} The children of
Yisra'el didn't remember the LORD their God, who had delivered them
out of the hand of all their enemies on every side; {8:35} neither
shown they kindness to the house of Yerubba`al, [who is] Gid`on,
according to all the goodness which he had shown to Yisra'el.
{9:1} Avimelekh the son of Yerubba`al went to Shekhem to his
mother's brothers, and spoke with them, and with all the family of the
house of his mother's father, saying, {9:2} Please speak in the ears
of all the men of Shekhem, Whether is better for you, that all the
sons of Yerubba`al, who are seventy persons, rule over you, or that
one rule over you? Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.
{9:3} His mother's brothers spoke of him in the ears of all the men of
Shekhem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow
Avimelekh; for they said, He is our brother. {9:4} They gave him
seventy [pieces] of silver out of the house of Ba`al-Berit, with which
Avimelekh hired vain and light fellows, who followed him. {9:5} He
went to his father's house at Ofrat, and killed his brothers the sons
of Yerubba`al, being seventy persons, on one stone: but Yotam the
youngest son of Yerubba`al was left; for he hid himself. {9:6} All the
men of Shekhem assembled themselves together, and all the house of
Millo, and went and made Avimelekh king, by the oak of the pillar that
was in Shekhem. {9:7} When they told it to Yotam, he went and stood on
the top of Mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said
to them, Listen to me, you men of Shekhem, that God may listen to you.
{9:8} The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and
they said to the olive tree, Reign you over us. {9:9} But the olive
tree said to them, Should I leave my fatness, with which by me they
honor God and man, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?
{9:10} The trees said to the fig tree, Come, and reign over us. {9:11}
But the fig tree said to them, Should I leave my sweetness, and my
good fruit, and go to wave back and forth over the trees? {9:12} The
trees said to the vine, Come, and reign over us. {9:13} The vine said
to them, Should I leave my new wine, which cheers God and man, and go
to wave back and forth over the trees? {9:14} Then said all the trees
to the bramble, Come, and reign over us. {9:15} The bramble said to
the trees, If in truth you anoint me king over you, then come and take
refuge in my shade; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and
devour the cedars of Levanon. {9:16} Now therefore, if you have dealt
truly and righteously, in that you have made Avimelekh king, and if
you have dealt well with Yerubba`al and his house, and have done to
him according to the deserving of his hands {9:17} (for my father
fought for you, and adventured his life, and delivered you out of the
hand of Midyan: {9:18} and you are risen up against my father's house
this day, and have slain his sons, seventy persons, on one stone, and
have made Avimelekh, the son of his maid-servant, king over the men of
Shekhem, because he is your brother); {9:19} if you then have dealt
truly and righteously with Yerubba`al and with his house this day,
then rejoice you in Avimelekh, and let him also rejoice in you: {9:20}
but if not, let fire come out from Avimelekh, and devour the men of
Shekhem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of
Shekhem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Avimelekh. {9:21}
Yotam ran away, and fled, and went to Be'er, and lived there, for fear
of Avimelekh his brother. {9:22} Avimelekh was prince over Yisra'el
three years. {9:23} God sent an evil spirit between Avimelekh and the
men of Shekhem; and the men of Shekhem dealt treacherously with
Avimelekh: {9:24} that the violence done to the seventy sons of
Yerubba`al might come, and that their blood might be laid on Avimelekh
their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shekhem, who
strengthened his hands to kill his brothers. {9:25} The men of Shekhem
set liers-in-wait for him on the tops of the mountains, and they
robbed all who came along that way by them: and it was told Avimelekh.
{9:26} Ga`al the son of `Eved came with his brothers, and went over to
Shekhem; and the men of Shekhem put their trust in him. {9:27} They
went out into the field, and gathered their vineyards, and trod [the
grapes], and held festival, and went into the house of their god, and
did eat and drink, and cursed Avimelekh. {9:28} Ga`al the son of `Eved
said, Who is Avimelekh, and who is Shekhem, that we should serve him?
Isn't he the son of Yerubba`al? and Zevul his officer? serve you the
men of Hamor the father of Shekhem: but why should we serve him?
{9:29} Would that this people were under my hand! then would I remove
Avimelekh. He said to Avimelekh, Increase your army, and come out.
{9:30} When Zevul the ruler of the city heard the words of Ga`al the
son of `Eved, his anger was kindled. {9:31} He sent messengers to
Avimelekh craftily, saying, Behold, Ga`al the son of `Eved and his
brothers are come to Shekhem; and, behold, they constrain the city [to
take part] against you. {9:32} Now therefore, up by night, you and the
people who are with you, and lie in wait in the field: {9:33} and it
shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, you shall
rise early, and rush on the city; and, behold, when he and the people
who are with him come out against you, then may you do to them as you
shall find occasion. {9:34} Avimelekh rose up, and all the people who
were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shekhem in four
companies. {9:35} Ga`al the son of `Eved went out, and stood in the
entrance of the gate of the city: and Avimelekh rose up, and the
people who were with him, from the ambush. {9:36} When Ga`al saw the
people, he said to Zevul, Behold, there come people down from the tops
of the mountains. Zevul said to him, You see the shadow of the
mountains as if they were men. {9:37} Ga`al spoke again and said,
Behold, there come people down by the middle of the land, and one
company comes by the way of the oak of Me`onenim. {9:38} Then said
Zevul to him, Where is now your mouth, that you said, Who is
Avimelekh, that we should serve him? is not this the people that you
have despised? go out now, I pray, and fight with them. {9:39} Ga`al
went out before the men of Shekhem, and fought with Avimelekh. {9:40}
Avimelekh chased him, and he fled before him, and there fell many
wounded, even to the entrance of the gate. {9:41} Avimelekh lived at
Arumah: and Zevul drove out Ga`al and his brothers, that they should
not dwell in Shekhem. {9:42} It happened on the next day, that the
people went out into the field; and they told Avimelekh. {9:43} He
took the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait
in the field; and he looked, and, behold, the people came forth out of
the city; He rose up against them, and struck them. {9:44} Avimelekh,
and the companies that were with him, rushed forward, and stood in the
entrance of the gate of the city: and the two companies rushed on all
who were in the field, and struck them. {9:45} Avimelekh fought
against the city all that day; and he took the city, and killed the
people who were therein: and he beat down the city, and sowed it with
salt. {9:46} When all the men of the tower of Shekhem heard of it,
they entered into the stronghold of the Beit-El-Berit. {9:47} It was
told Avimelekh that all the men of the tower of Shekhem were gathered
together. {9:48} Avimelekh got him up to Mount Tzalmon, he and all the
people who were with him; and Avimelekh took an axe in his hand, and
cut down a bough from the trees, and took it up, and laid it on his
shoulder: and he said to the people who were with him, What you have
seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done. {9:49} All the people
likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Avimelekh, and put
them to the stronghold, and set the stronghold on fire on them; so
that all the men of the tower of Shekhem died also, about a thousand
men and women. {9:50} Then went Avimelekh to Tevetz, and encamped
against Tevetz, and took it. {9:51} But there was a strong tower
within the city, and there fled all the men and women, and all they of
the city, and shut themselves in, and got them up to the roof of the
tower. {9:52} Avimelekh came to the tower, and fought against it, and
drew near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire. {9:53} A
certain woman cast an upper millstone on Avimelekh's head, and broke
his skull. {9:54} Then he called hastily to the young man his armor
bearer, and said to him, Draw your sword, and kill me, that men not
say of me, A woman killed him. His young man thrust him through, and
he died. {9:55} When the men of Yisra'el saw that Avimelekh was dead,
they departed every man to his place. {9:56} Thus God requited the
wickedness of Avimelekh, which he did to his father, in killing his
seventy brothers; {9:57} and all the wickedness of the men of Shekhem
did God requite on their heads: and on them came the curse of Yotam
the son of Yerubba`al.
________________________________________________________________________
Footnotes:
[1] {7:18} trumpet
________________________________________________________________________
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