What does the Bible say about the book of judges?

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Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible

• Judges 2:1-23

  [1] The angel of Yahweh came up from Gilgal to Bochim. He said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you to the land which I swore to your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you: [2] and you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall break down their altars. But you have not listened to my voice: why have you done this? [3] Therefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be [as thorns] in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you. [4] It happened, when the angel of Yahweh spoke these words to all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept. [5] They called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there to Yahweh. [6] Now when Joshua had sent the people away, the children of Israel went every man to his inheritance to possess the land. [7] The people served Yahweh all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of Yahweh that he had worked for Israel. [8] Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Yahweh, died, being one hundred ten years old. [9] They buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath Heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, on the north of the mountain of Gaash. [10] Also all that generation were gathered to their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, who didn't know Yahweh, nor yet the work which he had worked for Israel. [11] The children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and served the Baals; [12] and they forsook Yahweh, the God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the peoples who were round about them, and bowed themselves down to them: and they provoked Yahweh to anger. [13] They forsook Yahweh, and served Baal and the Ashtaroth. [14] The anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers who despoiled them; and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies. [15] Wherever they went out, the hand of Yahweh was against them for evil, as Yahweh had spoken, and as Yahweh had sworn to them: and they were sore distressed. [16] Yahweh raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who despoiled them. [17] Yet they didn't listen to their judges; for they played the prostitute after other gods, and bowed themselves down to them: they turned aside quickly out of the way in which their fathers walked, obeying the commandments of Yahweh; [but] they didn't do so. [18] When Yahweh raised them up judges, then Yahweh was with the judge, and saved them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented Yahweh because of their groaning by reason of those who oppressed them and vexed them. [19] But it happened, when the judge was dead, that they turned back, and dealt more corruptly than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down to them; they didn't cease from their doings, nor from their stubborn way. [20] The anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel; and he said, Because this nation have transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not listened to my voice; [21] I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations that Joshua left when he died; [22] that by them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of Yahweh to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not. [23] So Yahweh left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.

• Judges 1:1-36

  [1] It happened after the death of Joshua, the children of Israel asked of Yahweh, saying, Who shall go up for us first against the Canaanites, to fight against them? [2] Yahweh said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand. [3] Judah said to Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with you into your lot. So Simeon went with him. [4] Judah went up; and Yahweh delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand: and they struck of them in Bezek ten thousand men. [5] They found Adoni-bezek in Bezek; and they fought against him, and they struck the Canaanites and the Perizzites. [6] But Adoni-bezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes. [7] Adoni-bezek said, "Seventy kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered [their food] under my table: as I have done, so God has requited me." They brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there. [8] The children of Judah fought against Jerusalem, and took it, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire. [9] Afterward the children of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites who lived in the hill-country, and in the South, and in the lowland. [10] Judah went against the Canaanites who lived in Hebron (now the name of Hebron before was Kiriath Arba); and they struck Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai. [11] From there he went against the inhabitants of Debir. (Now the name of Debir before was Kiriath Sepher.) [12] Caleb said, He who strikes Kiriath Sepher, and takes it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter as wife. [13] Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter as wife. [14] It happened, when she came [to him], that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she alighted from off her donkey; and Caleb said to her, What would you? [15] She said to him, Give me a blessing; for that you have set me in the land of the South, give me also springs of water. Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs. [16] The children of the Kenite, Moses' brother-in-law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which is in the south of Arad; and they went and lived with the people. [17] Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they struck the Canaanites who inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. The name of the city was called Hormah. [18] Also Judah took Gaza with the border of it, and Ashkelon with the border of it, and Ekron with the border of it. [19] Yahweh was with Judah; and drove out [the inhabitants of] the hill-country; for he could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron. [20] They gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses had spoken: and he drove out there the three sons of Anak. [21] The children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day. [22] The house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel; and Yahweh was with them. [23] The house of Joseph sent to spy out Bethel. (Now the name of the city before was Luz.) [24] The watchers saw a man come forth out of the city, and they said to him, Show us, we pray you, the entrance into the city, and we will deal kindly with you. [25] He shown them the entrance into the city; and they struck the city with the edge of the sword; but they let the man go and all his family. [26] The man went into the land of the Hittites, and built a city, and called the name of it Luz, which is the name of it to this day. [27] Manasseh did not drive out [the inhabitants of] Beth-shean and its towns, nor [of] Taanach and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land. [28] It happened, when Israel had grown strong, that they put the Canaanites to forced labor, and did not utterly drive them out. [29] Ephraim didn't drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer; but the Canaanites lived in Gezer among them. [30] Zebulun didn't drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites lived among them, and became subject to forced labor. [31] Asher didn't drive out the inhabitants of Acco, nor the inhabitants of Sidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob; [32] but the Asherites lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; for they did not drive them out. [33] Naphtali didn't drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, nor the inhabitants of Beth Anath; but he lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: nevertheless the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and of Beth Anath became subject to forced labor. [34] The Amorites forced the children of Dan into the hill-country; for they would not allow them to come down to the valley; [35] but the Amorites would dwell in Mount Heres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim: yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, so that they became subject to forced labor. [36] The border of the Amorites was from the ascent of Akrabbim, from the rock, and upward.

• Judges 6:1-40

  [1] The children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh: and Yahweh delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. [2] The hand of Midian prevailed against Israel; and because of Midian the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds. [3] So it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east; they came up against them; [4] and they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, until you come to Gaza, and left no sustenance in Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor donkey. [5] For they came up with their cattle and their tents; they came in as locusts for multitude; both they and their camels were without number: and they came into the land to destroy it. [6] Israel was brought very low because of Midian; and the children of Israel cried to Yahweh. [7] It happened, when the children of Israel cried to Yahweh because of Midian, [8] that Yahweh sent a prophet to the children of Israel: and he said to them, Thus says Yahweh, the 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 who oppressed you, and drove them out from before you, and gave you their land; [10] and I said to you, I am Yahweh your God; you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But you have not listened to my voice. [11] The angel of Yahweh came, and sat under the oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained to Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. [12] The angel of Yahweh appeared to him, and said to him, Yahweh is with you, you mighty man of valor. [13] Gideon said to him, Oh, my lord, if Yahweh is with us, why then has all this happened to us? and where are all his wondrous works which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not Yahweh bring us up from Egypt? but now Yahweh has cast us off, and delivered us into the hand of Midian. [14] Yahweh looked at him, and said, Go in this your might, and save Israel from the hand of Midian: have not I sent you? [15] He said to him, Oh, Lord, with which shall I save Israel? behold, my family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house. [16] Yahweh said to him, Surely I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man. [17] He said to him, If now I have found favor in your sight, then show me a sign that it is you who talk with me. [18] Please don't go away, until I come to you, and bring out my present, and lay it before you. He said, I will wait until you come again. [19] Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of meal: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out to him under the oak, and presented it. [20] The angel of God said to him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth. He did so. [21] Then the angel of Yahweh put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there went up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and the angel of Yahweh departed out of his sight. [22] Gideon saw that he was the angel of Yahweh; and Gideon said, Alas, Lord Yahweh! because I have seen the angel of Yahweh face to face. [23] Yahweh said to him, Peace be to you; don't be afraid: you shall not die. [24] Then Gideon built an altar there to Yahweh, and called it Yahweh-shalom: to this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. [25] It happened the same night, that Yahweh said to him, Take your father's bull, even the second bull seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the Asherah that is by it; [26] and build an altar to Yahweh your God on the top of this stronghold, in the orderly manner, and take the second bull, and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which you shall cut down. [27] Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as Yahweh had spoken to him: and it happened, because he feared his father's household and the men of the city, so that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night. [28] When the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the Asherah was cut down that was by it, and the second bull was offered on the altar that was built. [29] They said one to another, Who has done this thing? When they inquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing. [30] Then the men of the city said to Joash, Bring out your son, that he may die, because he has broken down the altar of Baal, and because he has cut down the Asherah that was by it. [31] Joash said to all who stood against him, Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? he who will contend for him, let him be put to death while [it is yet] morning: if he be a god, let him contend for himself, because one has broken down his altar. [32] Therefore on that day he named him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal contend against him, because he has broken down his altar. [33] Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east assembled themselves together; and they passed over, and encamped in the valley of Jezreel. [34] But the Spirit of Yahweh came on Gideon; and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered together after him. [35] He sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; and they also were gathered together after him: and he sent messengers to Asher, and to Zebulun, and to Naphtali; and they came up to meet them. [36] Gideon said to God, If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have spoken, [37] behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there be dew on the fleece only, and it be dry on all the ground, then shall I know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have spoken. [38] It was so; for he rose up early on the next day, and pressed the fleece together, and wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water. [39] Gideon said to God, Don't let your anger be kindled against me, and I will speak but this once: Please let me make a trial just this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only on the fleece, and on all the ground let there be dew. [40] God did so that night: for it was dry on the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

• Judges 17:6

  In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

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