From: "FamilyNet"
Bible Reading for March 20
Judges 5
[1] Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying, [2]
Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly
offered themselves.
[3] Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the
LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel. [4] LORD, when thou
wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth
trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water.
[5] The mountains melted from before the LORD, even that Sinai from before the
LORD God of Israel.
[6] In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways
were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways. [7] The inhabitants
of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose,
that I arose a mother in Israel. [8] They chose new gods; then was war in the
gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel? [9] My
heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly
among the people. Bless ye the LORD. [10] Speak, ye that ride on white asses,
ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way.
[11] They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places of
drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the LORD, even
the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his villages in Israel: then
shall the people of the LORD go down to the gates. [12] Awake, awake, Deborah:
awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou
son of Abinoam. [13] Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the
nobles among the people: the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty. [14]
Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after thee, Benjamin,
among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulun they
that handle the pen of the writer. [15] And the princes of Issachar were with
Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley.
For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart. [16] Why
abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For
the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart. [17] Gilead
abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the
sea shore, and abode in his breaches. [18] Zebulun and Naphtali were a people
that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field.
[19] The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by
the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money. [20] They fought from
heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.
[21] The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river
Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength. [22] Then were the
horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the pransings of their mighty
ones.
[23] Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the
inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the
help of the LORD against the mighty. [24] Blessed above women shall Jael the
wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
[25] He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a
lordly dish.
[26] She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer;
and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had
pierced and stricken through his temples. [27] At her feet he bowed, he fell,
he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down
dead. [28] The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the
lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his
chariots?
[29] Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself, [30]
Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or
two; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of
needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks
of them that take the spoil?
[31] So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him be as
the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.
Judges 6
[1] And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD
delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. [2] And the hand of Midian
prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel
made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds.
[3] And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the
Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them;
[4] And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth,
till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep,
nor ox, nor ass.
[5] For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as
grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without
number: and they entered into the land to destroy it. [6] And Israel was
greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel
cried unto the LORD. [7] And it came to pass, when the children of Israel
cried unto the LORD because of the Midianites,
[8] That the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto
them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and
brought you forth out of the house of bondage; [9] And I delivered you out of
the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and
drave them out from before you, and gave you their land;
[10] And I said unto you, I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the
Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice. [11] And
there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah,
that pertained unto Joash the Abi-ezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by
the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. [12] And the angel of the LORD
appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man
of valour. [13] And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us,
why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our
fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now
the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.
[14] And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou
shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? [15]
And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my
family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.
[16] And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt
smite the Midianites as one man.
[17] And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew
me a sign that thou talkest with me. [18] Depart not hence, I pray thee, until
I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he
said, I will tarry until thou come again.
[19] And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an
ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot,
and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it. [20] And the
angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay
them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so. [21] Then the
angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and
touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the
rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the
LORD departed out of his sight. [22] And when Gideon perceived that he was an
angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord GOD! for because I have seen an
angel of the LORD face to face.
[23] And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not
die.
[24] Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it
Jehovah-shalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites. [25] And
it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Take thy father's
young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the
altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it:
[26] And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in
the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice
with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down. [27] Then Gideon took
ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had said unto him: and so it was,
because he feared his father's household, and the men of the city, that he
could not do it by day, that he did it by night. [28] And when the men of the
city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and
the grove was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon
the altar that was built. [29] And they said one to another, Who hath done
this thing? And when they inquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of
Joash hath done this thing. [30] Then the men of the city said unto Joash,
Bring out thy son, that he may die: because he hath cast down the altar of
Baal, and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it.
[31] And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal?
will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst
it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath
cast down his altar.
[32] Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead
against him, because he hath thrown down his altar. [33] Then all the
Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered
together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel. [34] But the
Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abi-ezer was
gathered after him.
[35] And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; who also was gathered
after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto
Naphtali; and they came up to meet them. [36] And Gideon said unto God, If
thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said,
[37] Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on
the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know
that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said. [38] And it was
so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and
wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.
[39] And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I
will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the
fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let
there be dew.
[40] And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there
was dew on all the ground.
Judges 7
[1] Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose
up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the
Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.
[2] And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many
for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves
against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. [3] Now therefore go to,
proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid,
let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the
people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.
[4] And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them
down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that
of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee;
and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall
not go.
[5] So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto
Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth,
him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his
knees to drink.
[6] And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth,
were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their
knees to drink water.
[7] And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I
save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other
people go every man unto his place. [8] So the people took victuals in their
hand, and their trumpets: and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto
his tent, and retained those three hundred men: and the host of Midian was
beneath him in the valley. [9] And it came to pass the same night, that the
LORD said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered
it into thine hand. [10] But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy
servant down to the host:
[11] And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be
strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his
servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host. [12] And the
Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in
the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without
number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude. [13] And when Gideon was
come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said,
Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the
host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and
overturned it, that the tent lay along. [14] And his fellow answered and said,
This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of
Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host. [15]
And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the
interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of
Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host
of Midian.
[16] And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a
trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the
pitchers.
[17] And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I
come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do.
[18] When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the
trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the LORD,
and of Gideon.
[19] So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside
of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set
the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in
their hands.
[20] And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and
held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to
blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon. [21] And
they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran,
and cried, and fled.
[22] And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man's
sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to
Beth-shittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abel-meholah, unto Tabbath.
[23] And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and
out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites. [24]
And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down
against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Beth-barah and
Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the
waters unto Beth-barah and Jordan. [25] And they took two princes of the
Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb
they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads
of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.
Judges 8
[1] And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that
thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they
did chide with him sharply.
[2] And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you? Is not
the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abi-ezer? [3]
God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and
what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then their anger was abated toward
him, when he had said that.
[4] And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men
that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them. [5] And he said unto the men of
Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for
they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.
[6] And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now
in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army? [7] And Gideon said,
Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then
I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.
[8] And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise: and the men
of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him. [9] And he
spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will
break down this tower. [10] Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their
hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the
hosts of the children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty
thousand men that drew sword. [11] And Gideon went up by the way of them that
dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host: for the
host was secure. [12] And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them,
and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the
host. [13] And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was
up, [14] And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him:
and he described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even
threescore and seventeen men.
[15] And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna,
with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now
in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary?
[16] And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and
briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth. [17] And he beat down the
tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city. [18] Then said he unto Zebah
and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor? And they
answered, As thou art, so were they; each one resembled the children of a king.
[19] And he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother: as the
LORD liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you. [20] And he
said unto Jether his firstborn, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his
sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth. [21] Then Zebah and Zalmunna
said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And
Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that
were on their camels' necks. [22] Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon,
Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also: for thou
hast delivered us from the hand of Midian.
[23] And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son
rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you. [24] And Gideon said unto them, I
would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of
his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.) [25]
And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and
did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey. [26] And the weight of
the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels
of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the
kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels' necks.
[27] And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah:
and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare
unto Gideon, and to his house. [28] Thus was Midian subdued before the
children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the
country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.
[29] And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house. [30] And
Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.
[31] And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose
name he called Abimelech.
[32] And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the
sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites. [33] And it came
to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again,
and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baal-berith their god.
[34] And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who had
delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side: [35]
Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon,
according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.
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