From: "Friends" 

CHAPTER 9
Judges 9:1
1 And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother's
brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of
his mother's father, saying,
Judges 9:2
2 Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is
better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore
and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember  also
that I am your bone  and your flesh. Judges 9:3
3 And his mother's brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of
Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for
they said, He is our brother.
Judges 9:4
4 And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of
Baalberith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which
followed him.
Judges 9:5
5 And he went unto his father's house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the
sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone:
notwithstanding yet Jotham  the youngest  son  of Jerubbaal  was left;  for
he hid  himself.
Judges 9:6
6 And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo,
and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in
Shechem.
Judges 9:7
7 And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount
Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken
unto me, ye men  of Shechem,  that God  may hearken  unto you. Judges 9:8
8 The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said
unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us. Judges 9:9
9 But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith
by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? Judges
9:10
10 And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us. Judges 9:11
11 But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my
good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees? Judges 9:12
12 Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us. Judges 9:13
13 And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God
and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? Judges 9:14
14 Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.
Judges 9:15
15 And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over
you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come
out of the bramble, and devour  the cedars  of Lebanon. Judges 9:16
16 Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made
Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and
have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands; Judges 9:17
17 (For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and
delivered you out of the hand of Midian:
Judges 9:18
18 And ye are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain
his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made
Abimelech, the son of his maidservant,  king  over the men  of Shechem,
because he is your brother;)
Judges 9:19
19 If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his
house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in
you:
Judges 9:20
20 But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of
Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of
Shechem, and from the house  of Millo,  and devour  Abimelech. Judges 9:21
21 And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for
fear of Abimelech his brother.
Judges 9:22
22 When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel, Judges 9:23
23 Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem;
and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech: Judges 9:24
24 That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might
come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew
them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided  him in the killing  of his
brethren.
Judges 9:25
25 And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of the
mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them: and it was
told Abimelech.
Judges 9:26
26 And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren, and went over to
Shechem: and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him. Judges 9:27
27 And they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and
trode the grapes, and made merry, and went into the house of their god, and
did eat and drink, and cursed  Abimelech. Judges 9:28
28 And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem,
that we should serve him? is not he the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his
officer? serve  the men  of Hamor  the father  of Shechem:  for why should
we serve him?
Judges 9:29
29 And would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove
Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.
Judges 9:30
30 And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of
Ebed, his anger was kindled.
Judges 9:31
31 And he sent messengers unto Abimelech privily, saying, Behold, Gaal the
son of Ebed and his brethren be come to Shechem; and, behold, they fortify
the city  against thee.
Judges 9:32
32 Now therefore up by night, thou and the people that is with thee, and
lie in wait in the field:
Judges 9:33
33 And it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, thou
shalt rise early, and set upon the city: and, behold, when he and the
people that is with him come out against thee, then mayest thou do to them
as thou shalt find occasion.
Judges 9:34
34 And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night,
and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies. Judges 9:35
35 And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entering of the gate
of the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, from
lying in wait.
Judges 9:36
36 And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there come
people down from the top of the mountains. And Zebul said unto him, Thou
seest  the shadow  of the mountains  as if they were men. Judges 9:37
37 And Gaal spake again and said, See there come people down by the middle
of the land, and another company come along by the plain  of  Meonenim.
Judges 9:38
38 Then said Zebul unto him, Where is now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst,
Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? is not this the people that
thou hast despised? go out, I pray now, and fight  with them. Judges 9:39
39 And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.
Judges 9:40
40 And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were
overthrown and wounded, even unto the entering of the gate. Judges 9:41
41 And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his
brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem. Judges 9:42
42 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the
field; and they told Abimelech.
Judges 9:43
43 And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid
wait in the field, and looked, and, behold, the people were come forth out
of the city; and he rose up against them, and smote  them. Judges 9:44
44 And Abimelech, and the company that was with him, rushed forward, and
stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and the two other companies
ran upon all the people that were in the fields, and slew  them. Judges
9:45
45 And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the
city, and slew the people that was therein, and beat down the city, and
sowed it with salt.
Judges 9:46
46 And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered
into an hold of the house of the god Berith. Judges 9:47
47 And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were
gathered together.
Judges 9:48
48 And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that
were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough
from the trees, and took  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.
Judges 9:49
49 And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed
Abimelech, and put them to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon them; so
that all the men of the tower  of Shechem  died  also, about a thousand 
men and women.
Judges 9:50
50 Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it.
Judges 9:51
51 But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the
men and women, and all they of the city, and shut it to them, and gat them
up to the top of the tower.
Judges 9:52
52 And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard
unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire. Judges 9:53
53 And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech's head,
and all to brake his skull.
Judges 9:54
54 Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, and said
unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew
him. And his young man thrust him through,  and he died. Judges 9:55
55 And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed
every man unto his place.
Judges 9:56
56 Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his
father, in slaying his seventy brethren: Judges 9:57
57 And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads:
and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal. CHAPTER 10
Judges 10:1
1 And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of Puah,
the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt  in Shamir  in mount 
Ephraim. Judges 10:2
2 And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir.
Judges 10:3
3 And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years.
Judges 10:4
4 And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty
cities, which are called Havothjair unto this day, which are in the land of
Gilead.
Judges 10:5
5 And Jair died, and was buried in Camon. Judges 10:6
6 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and
served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods  of
Zidon, and the gods  of Moab,  and the gods  of the children  of Ammon, 
and the gods  of the Philistines,  and forsook  the LORD,  and served  not
him. Judges 10:7
7 And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into
the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon.
Judges 10:8
8 And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel: eighteen
years, all the children of Israel that were on the other side Jordan in the
land of the Amorites,  which is in Gilead. Judges 10:9
9 Moreover the children of Ammon passed over Jordan to fight also against
Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim; so that
Israel was sore distressed.
Judges 10:10
10 And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, We have sinned
against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served
Baalim. Judges 10:11
11 And the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Did not I deliver you
from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and
from the Philistines?
Judges 10:12
12 The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress
you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand. Judges
10:13
13 Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver
you no more.
Judges 10:14
14 Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in
the time of your tribulation.
Judges 10:15
15 And the children of Israel said unto the LORD, We have sinned: do thou
unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee,
this day.
Judges 10:16
16 And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD:
and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel. Judges 10:17
17 Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in
Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled themselves together, and
encamped in Mizpeh.
Judges 10:18
18 And the people and princes of Gilead said one to another, What man is he
that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall be head
over all the inhabitants  of Gilead. CHAPTER 11
Judges 11:1
1 Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son
of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah. Judges 11:2
2 And Gilead's wife bare him sons; and his wife's sons grew up, and they
thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our
father's house;  for thou art the son  of a strange  woman. Judges 11:3
3 Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob: and
there were gathered vain men to Jephthah, and went out with him. Judges
11:4
4 And it came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ammon made
war against Israel.
Judges 11:5
5 And it was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel,
the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob: Judges
11:6
6 And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight
with the children of Ammon.
Judges 11:7
7 And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, Did not ye hate me, and
expel me out of my father's house? and why are ye come unto me now when ye
are in distress?
Judges 11:8
8 And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, Therefore we turn again to
thee now, that thou mayest go with us, and fight against the children of
Ammon, and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead. Judges 11:9
9 And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home again to
fight against the children of Ammon, and the LORD deliver them before me,
shall I be your head?
Judges 11:10
10 And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, The LORD be witness between
us, if we do not so according to thy words. Judges 11:11
11 Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him
head and captain over them: and Jephthah uttered all his words before the
LORD  in Mizpeh.
Judges 11:12
12 And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon,
saying, What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come against me to
fight in my land?
Judges 11:13
13 And the king of the children of Ammon answered unto the messengers of
Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when they came up out of Egypt,
from Arnon even unto Jabbok,  and unto Jordan:  now therefore restore those
lands again  peaceably.
Judges 11:14
14 And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ammon:
Judges 11:15
15 And said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, Israel took not away the land of
Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon: Judges 11:16
16 But when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked through the wilderness
unto the Red sea, and came to Kadesh; Judges 11:17
17 Then Israel sent messengers unto the king of Edom, saying, Let me, I
pray thee, pass through thy land: but the king of Edom would not hearken
thereto. And in like manner they sent unto the king  of Moab:  but he would
 not consent: and Israel  abode  in Kadesh. Judges 11:18
18 Then they went along through the wilderness, and compassed the land of
Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the east side of the land of Moab,
and pitched on the other side  of Arnon,  but came  not within the border
of Moab:  for Arnon  was the border  of Moab. Judges 11:19
19 And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of
Heshbon; and Israel said unto him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy
land into  my place.
Judges 11:20
20 But Sihon trusted not Israel to pass through his coast: but Sihon
gathered all his people together, and pitched in Jahaz, and fought against
Israel.
Judges 11:21
21 And the LORD God of Israel delivered Sihon and all his people into the
hand of Israel, and they smote them: so Israel possessed all the land of
the Amorites,  the inhabitants  of that country. Judges 11:22
22 And they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon even unto
Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto Jordan. Judges 11:23
23 So now the LORD God of Israel hath dispossessed the Amorites from before
his people Israel, and shouldest thou possess it? Judges 11:24
24 Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess?
So whomsoever the LORD our God shall drive out from before us, them will we
possess.
Judges 11:25
25 And now art thou any thing better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of
Moab? did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them,
Judges 11:26
26 While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her towns, and in Aroer and her towns,
and in all the cities that be along by the coasts of Arnon, three hundred
years? why therefore did ye not recover  them within that time? Judges
11:27
27 Wherefore I have not sinned against thee, but thou doest me wrong to war
against me: the LORD the Judge be judge this day between the children of
Israel and the children of Ammon.
Judges 11:28
28 Howbeit the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the words
of Jephthah which he sent him.
Judges 11:29
29 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over
Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of
Gilead he passed over unto the children  of Ammon. Judges 11:30
30 And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without
fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, Judges 11:31
31 Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house
to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely
be the LORD'S, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering. Judges 11:32
32 So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against
them; and the LORD delivered them into his hands. Judges 11:33
33 And he smote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minnith, even
twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a very great
slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon  were subdued  before  the children 
of Israel. Judges 11:34
34 And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter
came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only
child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter. Judges 11:35
35 And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and
said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of
them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD,  and I
cannot  go back.
Judges 11:36
36 And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the
LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth;
forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance  for thee of thine enemies, 
even of the children  of Ammon.
Judges 11:37
37 And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me
alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail
my virginity, I and my fellows.
Judges 11:38
38 And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months: and she went with
her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains. Judges 11:39
39 And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto her
father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she
knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel, Judges 11:40
40 That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of
Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year. CHAPTER 12
Judges 12:1
1 And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward,
and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the
children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go  with thee? we will burn
thine house  upon thee with fire.
Judges 12:2
2 And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with
the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of
their hands.
Judges 12:3
3 And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and
passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into
my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day,  to fight  against
me?
Judges 12:4
4 Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with
Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye
Gileadites are fugitives  of Ephraim  among  the Ephraimites,  and among
the Manassites.
Judges 12:5
5 And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites:
and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me
go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite?  If
he said,  Nay;
Judges 12:6
6 Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for
he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him
at the passages of Jordan: and there fell  at that time  of the Ephraimites
forty  and two  thousand.
Judges 12:7
7 And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite,
and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead. Judges 12:8
8 And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. Judges 12:9
9 And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he sent abroad, and
took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel
seven  years.
Judges 12:10
10 Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Bethlehem. Judges 12:11
11 And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years.
Judges 12:12
12 And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the country of Zebulun.
Judges 12:13
13 And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel. Judges 12:14
14 And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and
ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years. Judges 12:15
15 And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in
Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites.

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