Bible in 90 Days

¹³ And they answered him, saying, “No. We will bind you and deliver you into their hand, but we will not kill you.” And they bound him with two new ropes and brought him from the rock.

¹⁴ When he came to Lehi, the Philistines shouted at him. And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him; and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire. For the bands loosed from his hands.

¹⁵ And he found a new jawbone of a donkey and put forth his hands and caught it and killed a thousand men with it.

¹⁶ Then Samson said, “With the jaw of a donkey, are heaps upon heaps! With the jaw of a donkey, I have killed a thousand men!”

¹⁷ And when he had stopped speaking, he cast away the jawbone from his hand, and called that place, Ramath Lehi.

¹⁸ And he was very thirsty, and called on the LORD, and said, “You have given this great deliverance into the hand of your servant. And now shall I die for thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?”

¹⁹ Then God broke the cheek tooth that was in the jaw; and water came out from there. And when he had drunk, his spirit returned, and he was revived. Therefore, its name is called, En Hakkore, which is in Lehi to this day.

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

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

² And it was told to the Gazites, “Samson has come here.” And they went around and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all night, saying, “Wait until the early morning and we shall kill him.”

³ And Samson slept until midnight and arose at midnight and took the doors of the gates of the city and the two posts and lifted them away, with the bars, and put them upon his shoulders and carried them up to the top of the mountain that is before Hebron.

⁴ And after this, he loved a woman by the river of Sorek, whose name was Delilah,

⁵ to whom came the princes of the Philistines. And they said to her, “Entice him and see wherein his great strength lies, and by what means we may overcome him, so that we may bind him and punish him. And every one of us shall give you eleven hundred shekels of silver.”

⁶ And Delilah said to Samson, “Tell me, please, wherein your great strength lies, and with what you might be bound, to do you harm.”

⁷ Then Samson answered her, “If they bind me with seven green cords that were never dried, then I shall be weak and be as another man.”

⁸ And the princes of the Philistines brought her seven green cords that were not dry, and she bound him with them.

⁹ And she had men lying in wait with her in the chamber. Then she said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he broke the cords, as a thread of yarn is broken when it feels fire. So, his strength was not known.

¹⁰ Afterward, Delilah said to Samson, “See, you have mocked me and told me lies. I ask you now, please tell me with what you might be bound.

¹¹ Then he answered her, “If they bind me with new ropes that never were used, then shall I be weak and be as another man.”

¹² Delilah, therefore, took new ropes and bound him with them, and said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And men lay in wait in the chamber, and he broke them from his arms, as a thread.

¹³ Afterward Delilah said to Samson, “Up to now you have beguiled me, and told me lies. Tell me how you might be bound.” And he said to her, “If you weave the seven locks of my head with the threads of the woof.

¹⁴ And she fastened it with a pin and said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he awoke out of his sleep and went away with the pin of the web and the woof.

¹⁵ Again, she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when your heart is not with me? You have mocked me these three times and have not told me wherein your great strength lies.”

¹⁶ And because she pressed him with her words continually, and pestered him, his soul was pained to the death.

¹⁷ Therefore, he told her all his heart and said to her, “There has never come a razor upon my head; for I am a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. Therefore, if I am shaved, my strength will go from me and I shall be weak and be like all men.”

¹⁸ And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent, and called for the princes of the Philistines, saying, “Come up once again; for he has shown me all his heart.” Then the princes of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in their hands.

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

²⁰ Then she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he awoke out of his sleep, and thought, “I will go out now, as at other times, and shake myself.” But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him.

²¹ Therefore, the Philistines took him and put out his eyes and brought him down to Gaza and bound him with chains. And he was a grinder in the prison house.

²² And the hair of his head began to grow again after it was shaved.

²³ Then, the princes of the Philistines gathered themselves together to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon, their god, and to rejoice. For they said, “Our god has delivered Samson, our enemy, into our hands!”

²⁴ Also when the people saw him, they praised their god. For they said, “Our god has delivered our enemy and the destroyer of our country, who has killed many of us, into our hands!”

²⁵ And when their hearts were merry, they said, “Call Samson, so that he may perform for us!” So, they called Samson out of the prison house. And he was a laughingstock to them. And they set him between the pillars.

²⁶ Then, Samson said to the servant who led him by the hand, “Lead me, so that I may touch the pillars that the house stands upon, and so that I may lean on them.”

²⁷ Now, the house was full of men and women. And all the princes of the Philistines were there. Also, there were about three thousand men and women on the roof who watched while Samson performed.

²⁸ Then, Samson called to the LORD, and said, “O Lord GOD! Think upon me, I pray! O God, I beg You, strengthen me just this one time, so that I may, at once, be avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes!”

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

³⁰ Then Samson said, “Let me lose my life with the Philistines!” And he flexed with all his might; and the house fell upon the princes and upon all the people who were inside. So, the dead which he killed at his death, were more than those whom he had killed in his life.

³¹ Then, his brethren and all the House of his father came down and took him and brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol, in the sepulcher of Manoah, his father. Now, he had judged Israel for twenty years.

17 There was a man of Mount Ephraim whose name was Micah.

² And he said to his mother, “The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from you (on which you spoke a curse within my hearing), behold, the silver is with me. I took it.” Then his mother said, “Blessed be my son by the LORD!”

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

⁴ And when he had restored the money to his mother, his mother took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to the founder, who made a graven and molten image from it. And it was in the house of Micah.

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

⁶ In those days, there was no king in Israel. Every man did that which was good in his own eyes.

⁷ There was also a young man from Bethlehem, Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite and had sojourned there.

⁸ And the man departed out of the city, out of Bethlehem, Judah, to dwell wherever he could find. And as he journeyed, he came to Mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah.

⁹ And Micah said to him, “Where have you come from?” And the Levite answered him, “I came from Bethlehem, Judah, and go to dwell wherever I may find.”

¹⁰ Then Micah said to him, “Dwell with me; and be to me a father and a priest. And I will give you ten shekels of silver per year, and a suit of clothes, and your food and drink.” So, the Levite went in.

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

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

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

18 In those days, there was no king in Israel. And at the same time, the tribe of Dan sought an inheritance for themselves to dwell in. For up to that time, their inheritance had not fallen to them among the tribes of Israel.

² Therefore, the children of Dan sent from their family five men of their territory, men expert in war, out of Zorah and Eshtaol, to view the land and spy it out. And they said to them, “Go! Spy out the land!” Then they came to Mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah and lodged there.

³ When they were in the house of Micah, they recognized the voice of the young man, the Levite. And turning aside, they said to him, “Who brought you here? What do you make in this place? What are you doing here?”

⁴ And he answered them, “Micah has dealt thus and so with me…He has hired me. I am his priest.”

⁵ Again, they said to him, “Ask counsel now of God, so that we may know whether the way which we go shall be prosperous.”

⁶ And the priest said to them, “Go in peace. For the LORD guides your way which you go.”

⁷ Then the five men departed and came to Laish and saw the people who were there, who dwelt securely, just as the Sidonians, quiet and sure, because no man made any trouble in the land or usurped any dominion. Also, they were far from the Sidonians and had no business with anyone.

⁸ So, they came back to their brethren, to Zorah and Eshtaol. And their brethren said to them, “What have you to say?”

⁹ And they answered, “Arise, so that we may go up against them. For we have seen the land and surely it is very good. And do you sit still? Do not be slothful to go and enter to possess the land.

¹⁰ “If you will go, you shall come to a carefree people and a large country. For God has given it into your hand, a place which lacks nothing that is in the world.”

¹¹ Then, there departed from there of the family of the Danites, from Zorah and from Eshtaol, six hundred men appointed with instruments of war.

¹² And they went up and camped in Kirjath Jearim in Judah. Therefore, they called that place Mahaneh Dan to this day. And it is behind Kirjath Jearim.

¹³ And they went there, to Mount Ephraim, and came to the house of Micah.

¹⁴ Then the five men who went to spy out the country of Laish answered and said to their brethren, “Do you not know that there is, in these houses, an ephod and teraphim and a graven and a molten image? Now, therefore, consider what you have to do.”

¹⁵ And they turned that way and came to the house of the young Levite man, to the house of Micah, and greeted him peaceably.

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

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

¹⁸ And the other went into Micah’s house and fetched the graven image, the ephod and the teraphim, and the molten image. Then the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”

¹⁹ And they answered him, “Hold your peace. Lay your hand upon your mouth and come with us to be our father and priest. Which is better: that you should be a priest to the house of one man or that you should be a priest to a tribe and to a family in Israel?”

²⁰ And the priest’s heart was glad. And he took the ephod and the teraphim and the graven image and went among the people.

²¹ And they turned and departed and put the children and the cattle and the substance before them.

²² When they were far away from the house of Micah, the men who were in the houses near Micah’s house gathered together and pursued after the children of Dan

²³ and cried to the children of Dan, who turned their faces and said to Micah, “What ails you that you make such an outcry?”

²⁴ And he said, “You have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and have gone your ways. And what more do I have? How, then, can you say to me, ‘What ails you?’”

²⁵ And the children of Dan said to him, “Do not let your voice be heard among us, lest our angry friends run upon you, and you lose your life with the lives of your household.”

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

²⁷ And they took the things which Micah had made, and the priest which he had, and came to Laish, to that quiet and trusting people, and struck them with the edge of the sword, and burnt the city with fire.

²⁸ And there was no one to help, because Laish was far from Sidon, and they had no business with anyone. Also, it was in the valley that lies by Beth Rehob. Afterward, they built the city and dwelt in it,

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

³⁰ Then the children of Dan set up the graven image for themselves. And Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, and his sons, were the priests in the tribe of the Danites until the day of the captivity of the land.

³¹ So, they set up the graven image for themselves which Micah had made during the whole time the House of God was in Shiloh.

19 Also in those days, when there was no king in Israel, a certain Levite dwelt on the side of Mount Ephraim and took as a wife a concubine out of Bethlehem, Judah.

² And his concubine played the whore there and went away from him to her father’s house, to Bethlehem, Judah, and continued there for the space of four months.

³ And her husband arose and went after her, to speak friendly to her, and to bring her back. He also had his servant with him and a couple of donkeys. And she brought him to her father’s house. And when the young woman’s father saw him, he rejoiced at his coming.

⁴ And his father-in-law (the young woman’s father) received him. And he stayed with him for three days. So, they ate and drank and lodged there.

⁵ And when the fourth day came, they arose early in the morning, and he prepared to depart. Then, the young woman’s father said to his son-in-law, “Comfort your heart with a morsel of bread, and then go your way.”

⁶ So, they sat down and ate and drank, both of them together. And the young woman’s father said to the man, “Please, be content to stay all night, and let your heart be merry.”

⁷ And when the man rose up to depart, his father-in-law urged him. Therefore, he returned and lodged there.

⁸ And he arose up early the fifth day to depart. And the young woman’s father said, “Please, comfort your heart.” And they stayed until after midday, and they both ate.

⁹ Afterward, when the man arose to depart with his concubine and his servant, his father-in-law (the young woman’s father) said to him, “Behold now, the day draws toward evening. Please, stay all night. Behold, the Sun goes to rest. Lodge here, so that your heart may be merry. And tomorrow get on your way early and go to the tent.”

¹⁰ But the man would not stay, but arose and departed, and came over opposite Jebus (which is Jerusalem). And his two donkeys, laden, and his concubine were with him.

¹¹ When they were near Jebus, the day was well-spent and the servant said to his master, “Please come and let us turn to this city of the Jebusites and lodge there all night.”

¹² And his master answered him, “We will not turn into the city of strangers who are not of the children of Israel. But we will go forth to Gibeah.”

¹³ And he said to his servant, “Come and let us draw near to one of these places, so that we may lodge in Gibeah or in Ramah.”

¹⁴ So they went forward on their way. And the Sun went down upon them near Gibeah, which is in Benjamin.

¹⁵ Then, they turned there to go in and lodge in Gibeah. And when he came, he sat down in a street of the city, for there was no man who would take them into his house to lodge.

¹⁶ And behold, at evening, there came an old man from his work, out of the field. And the man was from Mount Ephraim but dwelt in Gibeah. And the men of that place were the children of Jemini.

¹⁷ And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in the streets of the city. Then, this old man said, “Where are you going and from where did you come?”

¹⁸ And he answered him, “We came from Bethlehem, Judah, to the side of Mount Ephraim. I am from there. And I went to Bethlehem, Judah, and go to the House of the LORD. And no man has received me into his house,

¹⁹ “though we have straw and provender for our donkeys, and also bread and wine for me and your handmaid, and for the boy who is with your servant. We lack nothing.”

²⁰ And the old man said, “Peace be with you. As for all that you lack, you shall find it with me. Only, do not stay in the street all night.”

²¹ So, he brought him into his house and gave fodder to the donkeys. And they washed their feet and ate and drank.

²² And as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, wicked men, surrounded the house and struck at the door and spoke to this old man, the master of the house, saying, “Bring forth the man who came into your house, so that we may know him!”

²³ And this man, the master of the house, went out to them, and said to them, “No, my brethren! Please do not do so wickedly, seeing that this man has come into my house. Do not do this villainy!

²⁴ “Behold, here is my daughter, a virgin, and his concubine! I will bring them out now. Humble them and do with them what seems good to you. But do not do this villainy to this man!”

²⁵ But the men would not listen to him. Therefore, the man took his concubine and brought her out to them. And they knew her and abused her all night until the morning. And when the day began to spring, they let her go.

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

²⁷ And her lord arose in the morning and opened the doors of the house and went out to go his way. And behold, the woman, his concubine, was dead at the door of the house, her hands upon the threshold.

²⁸ And he said to her, “Up! And let us go!” But she did not answer. Then he took her up upon the donkey. And the man rose up and went to his place.

²⁹ And when he had come to his house, he took a knife and laid hands on his concubine and divided her in pieces, with her bones, into twelve parts, and sent her through all quarters of Israel.

³⁰ And all who saw it, said, “There was no such thing done or seen since the time that the children of Israel came up from the land of Egypt until this day. Consider the matter, consult and give sentence!”

20 Then all the children of Israel went out. And the Congregation was gathered together with the land of Gilead before the LORD in Mizpah, as one man, from Dan to Beersheba.

² And the chief of all the people, and all the tribes of Israel, assembled four hundred thousand footmen who drew sword from the Congregation of the people of God.

³ (Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) Then, the children of Israel said, “How did this wickedness happen?”

⁴ And the same Levite, the husband of the woman who was slain, answered and said, “I came to Gibeah, which is in Benjamin, with my concubine, to lodge.

⁵ “And the men of Gibeah arose against me and surrounded the house by night, intending to kill me. But instead, they afflicted my concubine so that now she is dead.

⁶ “Then I took my concubine and cut her in pieces and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel; for they have committed abomination and villainy in Israel.

⁷ “Behold, you are all children of Israel. Give your advice and counsel in this.”

⁸ Then all the people arose as one man, saying, “Not one of us shall go to his tent, nor any turn into his house.

⁹ “But now, this is that thing which we will do to Gibeah: We will go up, by lot, against it;

¹⁰ “and we will take ten men out of a hundred, throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred out of thousand, and a thousand of ten thousand, to bring provisions for the people, so that when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin they may do according to all the villainy that it has done in Israel.”

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

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

¹³ “Now, therefore, deliver to us those wicked men who are in Gibeah, so that we may put them to death and put away evil from Israel!” But the children of Benjamin would not obey the voice of their brethren, the children of Israel.

¹⁴ Rather, the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together in Gibeah, from out of their cities, to come and fight against the children of Israel.

¹⁵ And the children of Benjamin from out of the cities were numbered at that time, twenty-six thousand men who drew sword (in addition to the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were numbered at seven hundred chosen men).

¹⁶ Of all these people, seven hundred chosen men were left-handed and could sling stones at a hair’s breadth, and not fail.

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

¹⁸ And the children of Israel arose and went up to the House of God and asked of God, saying, “Which of us shall go up first to fight against the children of Benjamin?” And the LORD said, “Judah first.”

¹⁹ Then the children of Israel arose up early and camped near Gibeah.

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

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

²² And the people, the men of Israel, plucked up their hearts, and set themselves in battle formation again, in the same place where they had put themselves in formation on the first day.

²³ (For the children of Israel had gone up and wept before the LORD until the evening, and had asked of the LORD, saying, “Shall I go back to battle against the children of Benjamin, my brethren?” And the LORD said, “Go up against them.”)

²⁴ Then the children of Israel came near, against the children of Benjamin, on the second day.

²⁵ Also the second day, Benjamin came forth to meet them out of Gibeah, and, again, cut down to the ground eighteen thousand men of the children of Israel. All of them could handle the sword.

²⁶ Then all the children of Israel went up. And all the people also came to the House of God, and wept, and sat there before the LORD, and fasted on that day until the evening, and offered Burnt Offerings and Peace Offerings before the LORD.

²⁷ And the children of Israel asked the LORD (for there was the Ark of the Covenant of God in those days,

²⁸ and Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it at that time) saying, “Shall I continue to go to battle against the children of Benjamin, my brethren, or shall I cease?” And the LORD said, “Go up. For tomorrow I will deliver them into your hand.”

²⁹ And Israel set men to lie in wait all around Gibeah.

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

³¹ Then the children of Benjamin, coming out against the people, were drawn from the city. And they began to strike of the people and kill as at other times, by the roads in the field (of which one goes up to the House of God and the other to Gibeah) upon about thirty men of Israel.

³² (For the children of Benjamin said, “They have fallen before us, as at first.” But the children of Israel said, “Let us flee and draw them away from the city to the highways).

³³ And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place and put themselves in formation at Baal Tamar. And the men of the Israelites who lay in wait came forth from their place, out of the meadows of Geba.

³⁴ And they came over near Gibeah, ten thousand chosen men of all Israel. And the battle was fierce, for the Benjamites did not know that calamity was upon them.

³⁵ And the LORD struck Benjamin before Israel. And that same day, the children of Israel destroyed twenty-five thousand one hundred men of the Benjamites, all who could handle the sword.

³⁶ So the children of Benjamin saw that they were stricken down. For the men of Israel gave ground to the Benjamites because they trusted the men who lay in wait, whom they had laid beside Gibeah.

³⁷ And those who lay in wait hurried and broke forth toward Gibeah, and the ambushers spread out and struck the whole city with the edge of the sword.

³⁸ Also, the men of Israel had appointed a certain time with the ambushers, that they would make a great flame and smoke would arise up out of the city.

³⁹ And when the men of Israel turned in the battle, Benjamin began to strike and kill some of the men of Israel, about thirty people. For they said, “Surely they are stricken down before us, as in the first battle!”

⁴⁰ But when the flame began to rise out of the city, a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked back, and behold, the flame of the city began to ascend up to Heaven.

⁴¹ Then the men of Israel turned back; and the men of Benjamin were astonished. For they saw that calamity was upon them.

⁴² Therefore, they fled before the men of Israel, to the way of the wilderness. But the battle overtook them. Also, those who came out of the cities killed them in the midst of them.

⁴³ Thus they surrounded the Benjamites, chasing them down and easily catching them opposite Gibeah, on the eastern side.

⁴⁴ And eighteen thousand men of Benjamin were killed, all men of war.

⁴⁵ And they turned and fled to the wilderness, to the rock of Rimmon. And the Israelites killed five thousand of them along the way, and pursued after them to Gidom, and killed two thousand of them,

⁴⁶ so that all the men of Benjamin who were killed that day were twenty-five thousand men who drew sword, who were all men of war.

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

⁴⁸ Then, the men of Israel turned to the children of Benjamin and struck them with the edge of the sword, from the men of the city to the beasts, and all who came to hand. Also, they set on fire all the cities that they could find.

21 Moreover, the men of Israel swore in Mizpah, saying, “None of us shall give his daughter to the Benjamites as a wife.”

² And the people came to the House of God and stayed there until evening before God, and lifted up their voices and wept with great lamentation,

³ and said, “O LORD God of Israel! Why has this come to pass at this time in Israel, that this day one tribe of Israel should be missing?”

⁴ And the next day, the people rose up and made an Altar there, and offered Burnt Offerings and Peace Offerings.

⁵ Then, the children of Israel said, “Who is he among all the tribes of Israel who did not come up with the Congregation to the LORD?” For they had made a great oath concerning him who did not come up to the LORD to Mizpah, saying, “Let him die the death.”

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

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

⁸ Also they said, “Is there any other tribe of Israel that did not come up to Mizpah to the LORD?” And behold, no one had come from Jabesh Gilead to the camp or to the Congregation.

⁹ For when the people were reviewed, behold, none of the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead were there.

¹⁰ Therefore, the Congregation sent twelve thousand men of the most valiant there and commanded them, saying, “Go and strike the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead with the edge of the sword, both women and children.

¹¹ “And this is what you shall do: you shall utterly destroy all the males and all the women who have lain with men.”

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

¹³ Then the whole Congregation sent and spoke with the children of Benjamin who were in the rock of Rimmon and called peaceably to them.

¹⁴ And Benjamin came back at that time; and they gave them wives which they had saved alive from the women of Jabesh Gilead. But they did not have enough for them.

¹⁵ And the people were sorry for Benjamin, because the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.

¹⁶ Therefore, the elders of the Congregation said, “What shall we do about wives for the remnant? For the women of Benjamin have been destroyed.”

¹⁷ And they said, “There must be an inheritance for those of Benjamin that escapes, so that a tribe is not destroyed out of Israel.

¹⁸ “However, we may not give them wives from our daughters.” For the children of Israel had sworn, saying, “Cursed is he who gives a wife to Benjamin.”

¹⁹ Therefore they said, “Behold, there is a feast of the LORD every year in Shiloh (which is on the northern side of Bethel and on the eastern side of the road that goes up from Bethel to Shechem and to the south of Lebonah).”

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

²¹ “And when you see that the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances, then every man come out of the vineyards and catch yourself a wife from the daughters of Shiloh and go into the land of Benjamin.

²² “And when their fathers or their brethren come to us to complain, we will say to them, ‘Have pity on them for our sakes, because we did not reserve a wife for each man in the war; and because you have not given to them before now, you have sinned.’”

²³ And the children of Benjamin did so, and took wives of those who danced, according to their number. They took them and went away and returned to their inheritance and repaired the cities and dwelt in them.

²⁴ So, the children of Israel departed from there at that time, each man to his tribe and to his family. And each man went out from there to his inheritance.

²⁵ In those days, there was no king in Israel. Every man did that which was good in his eyes.

1 In the time that the Judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. And a man of Bethlehem Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab (he and his wife and his two sons).

² And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife, Naomi, and the names of his two sons, Mahlon and Chilion (Ephrathites of Bethlehem Judah). And when they came into the land of Moab, they continued there.

³ Then, Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died. And she remained with her two sons, who took wives of the Moabites. One’s name was Orpah; and the name of the other was Ruth. And they dwelled there about ten years.

⁴ And Mahlon and Chilion both died. So, the woman was left without her two sons or her husband.

⁵ Then, she arose with her daughters-in-law and returned from the country of Moab. For she had heard say in the country of Moab that the LORD had visited His people and given them bread.

⁶ So she left the place where she was (and her two daughters-in-law with her) and they went on their way, to return to the land of Judah.

⁷ Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in law, “Go. Each of you return to your own mother’s house. The LORD show favor to you, as you have done with the dead, and with me.

⁸ “The LORD grant you that you may find rest, either of you, in the house of her husband.” And when she kissed them, they lifted up their voices and wept.

⁹ And they said to her, “Surely we will return with you to your people.”

¹⁰ But Naomi said, “Turn back my daughters. For what reason would you go with me? Are there any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?

¹¹ “Turn back my daughters. Go your way. For I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, ‘I have hope,’ and if I had a husband this night (indeed, and if I had borne sons) would you wait for them until they were of age? Would you be deterred from the taking of husbands, for them?

¹² “No, my daughters. For it grieves me greatly for your sakes that the hand of the LORD has gone out against me.”

¹³ Then they lifted up their voices and wept again, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law. But Ruth stayed with her.

¹⁴ And Naomi said, “Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people, and to her gods. Return after your sister-in-law.”

¹⁵ And Ruth answered, “Do not urge me to leave you, or to depart from you. For where you go, I will go. And where you dwell, I will dwell. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.

¹⁶ Where you die, I will die. And there I will be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, if anything but death separates you and me.”

¹⁷ When she saw that she was steadfastly-minded to go with her, she stopped speaking to her.

¹⁸ So they both went, until they came to Bethlehem. And when they had come to Bethlehem, word spread throughout all the city. And they said, “Is not this Naomi?”

¹⁹ And she answered them, “Do not call me Naomi. But, call me ‘Mara’. For the Almighty has given me much bitterness.

²⁰ “I went out full, and the LORD has caused me to return empty. Why do you call me Naomi, seeing the LORD has humbled me, and the Almighty has brought me to adversity?”

²¹ So, when she came out of the country of Moab, Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess (her daughter-in-law) with her. And they came to Bethlehem, in the beginning of barley harvest.

2 Then Naomi’s husband had a kinsman, one of great power, of the family of Elimelech. And his name was Boaz.

² And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the field and gather ears of corn after him in whose sight I find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.”

³ And she went; and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers. And it happened that she came upon the portion of the field of Boaz (who was of the family of Elimelech).

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

⁵ Then Boaz said to his servant who was appointed over the reapers, “Whose maid is this?”

⁶ And the servant who was appointed over the reapers answered, and said, “It is the Moabitish maid who came with Naomi out of the country of Moab.”

⁷ “And she said to us, ‘Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.’ So she came, and has continued from that time in the morning until now, except for a little time spent in the house.”

⁸ Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Hear me, my daughter. Go to no other field to gather, nor go from here. But stay here by my maidens.

⁹ “Let your eyes be on the field that they reap and do as they do. Have I not charged the servants that they do not touch you? Moreover, when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink of that which the servants have drawn.”

¹⁰ Then she fell on her face and bowed herself to the ground and said to him, “How have I found favor in your eyes, that you should know me, seeing I am a stranger?”

¹¹ And Boaz answered and said to her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been told and shown to me, how you have left your father and your mother and the land where you were born and have come to a people which you have not known.

¹² “May the LORD repay your work, and a full reward be given to you from the LORD God of Israel, under Whose wings you have come to trust.”

¹³ Then she said, “Let me find favor in your sight, my lord. For you have comforted me and spoken comfortably to your maid, though I am not like one of your maids.”

¹⁴ And Boaz said to her, “At mealtime, come here and eat from the food. And dip your morsel in the vinegar.” And she sat beside the reapers. And he gave her parched corn. And she ate and was satisfied. And even left some of it.

¹⁵ And when she arose to glean, Boaz commanded his servants, saying, “Let her gather among the sheaves; and do not rebuke her.

¹⁶ “Also, let some of the sheaves fall for her; and let it lie, so that she may gather it up. And do not rebuke her.”

¹⁷ So she gleaned in the field until evening. And she threshed that which she had gathered. And it was about an ephah of barley.

¹⁸ And she took it up and went into the city. And her mother-in-law saw what she had gathered. Also, she gave to her that which she had saved, after she was full.

¹⁹ Then, her mother-in-law said to her, “Where have you gleaned today? And where did you work? Blessed is he who knew you.” And she showed her mother-in-law for whom she had worked, and said, “The man’s name for whom I worked today, is Boaz.”

²⁰ And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed by the LORD. For he does not cease to do good to the living and to the dead. The man is near to us, and in our family.”

²¹ And Ruth the Moabitess said, “He also said to me, “You shall be with my servants until they have ended all my harvest.”

²² And Naomi answered Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It is best, my daughter, that you go out with his maids, so that they do not meet you in another field.”

²³ Then she stayed by the maids of Boaz, to gather until the end of barley harvest, and of wheat harvest, and dwelt with her mother-in-law.

3 Afterward, Naomi, her mother-in-law, said to her, “My daughter, shall I not seek rest for you; so that you may prosper?

² “Now, is Boaz (with whose maids you were) not also our kinsman? Behold, he winnows barley tonight in the floor.

³ “Therefore, wash yourself and anoint yourself and put your clothes on and get down to the floor. Do not let the man know of you until he has finished eating and drinking.

⁴ “And when he falls asleep, mark the place where he lays down; and go and uncover the place of his feet and lay down there. And he shall tell you what you shall do.”

⁵ And she answered her, “All that you ask of me, I will do.”

⁶ So she went down to the floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law asked of her.

⁷ And when Boaz had finished eating and drinking, and cheered his heart, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn. And she came, softly, and uncovered the place of his feet and lay down.

⁸ And at midnight, the man was afraid and woke up. And lo, a woman lay at his feet.

⁹ Then he said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your handmaid. Spread the wing of your garment over your handmaid. For you are the kinsman.”

¹⁰ Then he said, “May you be blessed by the LORD, my daughter. For you have shown more goodness in the end than at the beginning. Inasmuch as you did not follow young men, were they poor or rich.”

¹¹ “And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do to you all that you require. For all the city of my people knows that you are a virtuous woman.

¹² “And now, it is true that I am your kinsman. Although, there is a kinsman nearer than me.

¹³ “Stay here tonight. And when morning has come, if he will do the duty of a kinsman to you, well, let him do the kinsman’s duty. But if he will not do the kinsman’s part, then will I do the duty of a kinsman, as the LORD lives. Sleep until the morning.”

¹⁴ And she lay at his feet until the morning. And she arose before dawn. For he said, “Let no man know that a woman came into the floor.”

¹⁵ Also, he said, “Bring the cloak that you have on and hold it.” And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley and laid them on her. And she went into the city.

¹⁶ And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “What happened, my daughter?” And she told her all that the man had done to her, and said, “He gave me these six measures of barley. For he said to me, ‘You shall not come empty to your mother-in-law.’”

¹⁷ Then she said, “My daughter, sit still until you know how things will go; for the man will not rest until he has finished the matter this same day.”

4 Then Boaz went up to the gate and sat there. And behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz had spoken came by. And he said, “Ho, such one! Come, sit down here.” And he turned and sat down.

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

³ And he said to the kinsman, “Naomi, who has returned from the country of Moab, wishes to sell a parcel of land which was our brother Elimelech’s.

⁴ “And I thought to tell you, saying, ‘Buy it’, before the inhabitants and before the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it. But if you will not redeem it, tell me. For I know that there is no one besides you to redeem it. And I am after you.” Then he answered, “I will redeem it.”

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

⁶ And the kinsman answered, “I cannot redeem it; lest I destroy my own inheritance. I give my right to you, for I cannot redeem it.”

⁷ Now this was the custom in ancient Israel concerning redeeming, changing and establishing all things: a man took off his shoe and gave it to his neighbor. And this was a sure witness in Israel.

⁸ Therefore, the kinsman said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself.” And he took off his shoe.

⁹ And Boaz said to the elders and to all the people, “You are witnesses today, that I have bought from Naomi all that was Elimelech’s and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s.

¹⁰ “And moreover, I have bought Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, to be my wife, to stir up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, so that the name of the dead is not forgotten from among his brothers and from the gate of his place. You are witnesses today.”

¹¹ And all the people who were in the gate, and the elders, said, “We are witnesses. The LORD make the wife who comes into your house like Rachel and like Leah, who between them built the house of Israel. So that you may do worthily in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem,

¹² “and that your house be like the house of Perez (whom Tamar bore to Judah from the seed which the LORD shall give you from this young woman).”

¹³ So Boaz took Ruth; and she was his wife. And when he went into her, the LORD gave, so that she conceived and bore a son.

¹⁴ And the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the LORD, Who has not left you without a kinsman today. And His name shall be continued in Israel.

¹⁵ And this shall restore your life and nourish your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you, has borne him. And she is better to you than seven sons.”

¹⁶ And Naomi took the child and laid it in her lap and became nurse to it.

¹⁷ And the women, her neighbors, gave it a name, saying, “There is a child born to Naomi.” And they called his name “Obed”. The same was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

¹⁸ These now are the generations of Perez: Perez begat Hezron,

¹⁹ and Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab,

²⁰ and Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon,

²¹ and Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,

²² and Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.

1 There was a man of one of the two Ramathaim Zophim, of Mount Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

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

³ And this man went up out of his city every year to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of Hosts in Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli were, Hophni and Phinehas, priests of the LORD.

⁴ And on a day when Elkanah sacrificed, he gave to Peninnah, his wife, and to all her sons and daughters, portions.

⁵ But to Hannah he gave a worthy portion, for he loved Hannah and the LORD had made her barren.

⁶ And her adversary severely provoked her, trying to make her rage because the LORD had made her barren.

⁷ And so it was, as often as she went up to the House of the LORD, thus she provoked her, so that she wept and did not eat.

⁸ Then her husband, Elkanah, said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart troubled? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”

⁹ So Hannah rose up after they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh. And Eli the Priest sat upon a stool by one of the posts of the Temple of the LORD.

¹⁰ And she was troubled in her mind and prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly.

¹¹ Also she vowed a vow, and said, “O LORD of Hosts, if You will, look on the trouble of Your handmaid and remember me. And do not forget Your handmaid but give to Your handmaid a male child. Then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life. And no razor shall come upon his head.”

¹² And as she continued praying before the LORD, Eli watched her mouth.

¹³ For Hannah spoke in her heart. Her lips only moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore, Eli thought she was drunk.

¹⁴ And Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Put away your drunkenness from you.”

¹⁵ Then Hannah answered and said, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink but have poured out my soul before the LORD.

¹⁶ “Do not count your handmaid as a wicked woman, for of the abundance of my complaint and my grief I have spoken as of now.”

¹⁷ Then Eli answered, and said, “Go in peace. And the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of Him.”

¹⁸ She said again, “Let your handmaid find grace in your sight.” So, the woman went her way and ate and no longer looked sad.

¹⁹ Then they rose up early and worshipped before the LORD and returned and came to their house, to Ramah. Now Elkanah knew Hannah, his wife. And the LORD remembered her.

²⁰ For in process of time, Hannah conceived and bore a son. And she called his name, Samuel, saying, “Because, I have asked for him from the LORD.”

²¹ So, the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice and his vow.

²² But Hannah did not go up; for she said to her husband, “I will wait until the child is weaned; then I will bring him, so that he may appear before the LORD and stay there forever.

²³ And Elkanah, her husband, said to her, “Do what seems best to you. Wait until you have weaned him. Only, may the LORD accomplish His Word.” So, the woman waited and nursed her son until she had weaned him.

²⁴ And when she had weaned him, she took him with her with three bullocks and an ephah of flour and a bottle of wine and brought him to the House of the LORD in Shiloh. And the child was young.

²⁵ And they killed a bull and brought the child to Eli.

²⁶ And she said, “Oh, my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood with you here praying to the LORD!

²⁷ “I prayed for this child; and the LORD has given me my desire which I asked of Him.

²⁸ “Therefore, I also have given him to the LORD. As long as he lives, he shall be given to the LORD.” And he worshipped the LORD there.

2 And Hannah prayed, and said, “My heart rejoices in the LORD. My horn is exalted in the LORD. My mouth is enlarged over my enemies because I rejoice in Your salvation.

² “There is none as Holy as the LORD. Yea, there is none besides You; and there is no god like our God.

³ “No longer speak so exceedingly proudly. Do let not arrogancy come out of your mouth. For the LORD is a God of knowledge; and by Him enterprises are established.

⁴ “The bow and the mighty men are broken; and the weak have girded themselves with strength.

⁵ “Those who were full are now hired for bread, yet the hungry are no more. Even the barren has borne seven; and she who had many children is now feeble.

⁶ “The LORD kills and makes alive, brings down to the grave and raises up.

⁷ “The LORD makes poor and makes rich, brings low and exalts.

⁸ “He raises up the poor from the dust and lifts up the beggar from the dunghill, to set among princes and to make them inherit the seat of glory. For the pillars of the Earth are the LORD’s, and he has set the world upon them.

⁹ “He will keep the feet of His saints; and the wicked shall keep silence in darkness. For in might shall no man be strong.

¹⁰ “The LORD’s adversaries shall be destroyed, and out of Heaven shall He thunder upon them. The LORD shall judge the ends of the world, and shall give power to His King, and exalt the horn of His Anointed.”

¹¹ And Elkanah went to Ramah, to his house, and the child ministered to the LORD before Eli the Priest.

¹² Now the sons of Eli were wicked men and did not know the LORD.

¹³ For the Priests’ custom toward the people was this: when any man offered sacrifice, the Priest’s boy came with a three-toothed fleshhook in his hand while the flesh was boiling,

¹⁴ and thrust it into the kettle or into the caldron or into the pan, or into the pot. All that the fleshhook would bring up the Priest took for himself. Thus they did to all the Israelites who came there to Shiloh.

¹⁵ Yea, before they burnt the fat, the Priest’s boy came and said to the man who offered, “Give me flesh to roast for the Priest. For he will not have boiled flesh from you, but raw.”

¹⁶ And if any man said to him, “Let them burn the fat according to the custom, then take as much as your heart desires,” then he would answer, “No, but you shall give it now. And if you will not, I will take it by force.”

¹⁷ Therefore, the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD; for men abhorred the Offering of the LORD.

¹⁸ Now Samuel, being a young child, ministered before the LORD girded with a linen ephod.

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

²⁰ And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, “The LORD give you seed of this woman for the petition that she asked of the LORD.” And they departed to their place.

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

²² So, Eli was very old and heard all that his sons did to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who assembled at the Door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation.

²³ And he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear evil reports of you from all the people.

²⁴ “Do no more, my sons. For it is not a good report that I hear, that you make the LORD’s people trespass.

²⁵ “If one man sins against another, the Judge shall judge it. But if a man sins against the LORD, who will plead for him?” Nevertheless they did not obey the voice of their father; because the LORD wanted to kill them.

²⁶ Now the child, Samuel, profited and grew and was in favor, both with the LORD and also with men.

²⁷ And there came a man of God to Eli, and said to him, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Did not I plainly appear to the House of your [v]father when they were in Egypt, in Pharaoh’s house?

²⁸ ‘And I chose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be My Priest, to offer upon My Altar, and to burn incense, and to wear an ephod before Me? And I gave to the House of your father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel.

²⁹ ‘Why have you kicked against My Sacrifice and My Offering which I Commanded in My Tabernacle, and honor your children above Me, to make yourselves fat from the firstfruits of all the Offerings of Israel My people?’