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THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
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The Book of Yahweh
(The Yahwist Bible)
Fragments from the Primitive Document in
Seven Early Books of the
Old Testament
By An Unknown Genius of the
Ninth Century, B.C.
Arranged by
CLARIMOND MANSFIELD, A.M.
THE CORNHILL PUBLISHING COMPANY
BOSTON . NEW YORK
Copyright 1922
By CLARIMOND MANSFIELD
Printed in the United States of America
THE JORDAN AND MORE PRESS
BOSTON
This collection of the fragments of the primitive docu-
ment is reverently dedicated to the memory of the great
unknown poet prophet, to whom both Judaism and
Christianity are indebted for their first Bible.
CM.
August IS, 1921, Boston, U. S. A.
" Do not ignore the past but study it — study it diligently as
being the mightiest factor among the great factors of our human
world." — Count Korzybske.
" Out of that past we have come. Into it we are constantly
returning. Meanwhile it is of the utmost importance to our
lives. It contains the roots of all we are, and of all we have of
wisdom." — C. J. Keyset. "Human Worth of Rigorous
Thinking."
FOREWORD
Sacred Books before 1000 B. C.
All Europe no doubt was " the wilderness eternal " at this
early age, long before the days of Romulus and Remus and the
wolf, excepting the southern point of Greece. However, a famous
civilization flourished on the coast of Asia Minor under Minos,
King of Crete, perhaps the most artistic the world ever has
known. Mr. H. G. Wells claims their exquisite art was due to
the fact that Cnosos (Kvoxro?) had been at peace for over a
thousand years!
The '' Iliad " and the " Odyssey " probably were composed
hundreds of years before the first beginnings of the Old Testa-
ment.* Yet Matthew Arnold says " Homer was rapid, clear,
plain, and direct in thought and expression, — and eminently
noble."
And Dr. EUot says in '' The Harvard Classics " that " artisti-
cally, in spite of their early date, they are the product of a
mature art," and " stand at the head of the literature of Greece
and of the Epic poetry of the world."
What number of authors in all the world's history have won
a greater meed of honor than " The blind old man of Scio's
rocky isle "?
Agamemnon rouses the failing courage of his army by assuring
them '' Father Zeus will never be the protector of liars " and the
son of Nestor proclaims that " all mankind hunger after God."
Even if the Greeks were limited in the practice of their ideals by
their intensely aristocratic form of government, their ethical
ideals, at least, apparently were as lofty in aspiration as our own.
Although the writers of Genesis and Exodus make no mention
of the pyramids, we know now that the Sphinx, Chephron, the
brother of Cheops, had gazed across the Egyptian plains for
over two thousand years before these books were written and
* Gladstone gives 1200 B.C. as the date of the Homeric poems.
X THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
the Pyramid of Cheops still remains one of the Seven Wonders
of the World. The Egyptian obelisk that now ornaments
Central Park, New York, was erected near the site of Cairo
almost one thousand years before the sublime First Chapter of
Genesis was written by Jewish priests in captivity by the waters
of Babylon.
These obelisks which now stand in the Place de la Concorde,
in Paris, on the Thames Embankment in London, and in Central
Park, New York, are of such antiquity that Moses and his
boyhood friends probably passed them on their way to school,
for the two latter stood at the gate of the learned city of Helio-
polis.
The superb civilization of Ancient Egypt reached the climax
of its splendour in art and science between 3000 and 2400 B. C.
At that time some of their portrait sculptures were of so high an
order that they are incomparable and in delicacj'^ of modelling
never have been surpassed by any modern masterpieces.
It is said to have been due to their religious beUef that the
souls of human beings returned and dwelt in the statues erected
in their honor, that the Egj^ptian artists attained such marvellous
skill in portrait sculpture. So it was necessary to make the like-
ness as accurate as possible, in order that the " soul of the de-
parted " should recognize at once, the earthly habitation.
The divine thirst for immortality has never been manifested
more touchingly than in the ancient mummies of Egypt, that
swathed with balsams and aromatic spices to prevent decay, sur-
vived for thousands of years, it being their religious belief that
the soul could live on after death, only so long as the earthly
body with which it had been connected, was preserved.
The great Indian Rishis however taught that the soul was
supreme, unlimited by the body after death. So with splendid
consistency they burned the body, which the soul had left, to
get rid of it as soon as possible, while the Egyptian, on the
contrary, strove to preserve it for thousands of j^ears.
The Bible of the ancient Egyptians was the curious magical
"Book of the Dead " that describes the strange adventures of their
heroes after death, especially the day of judgment, when the
heart of man was weighed in the " balance of justice " before
Osiris and his judges.
FOREWORD xi
It is significant that the oldest book in the world is said to
be "The Moral Aphorisms of Ptah-Hotep," which had a deep
and widespread influence among the early Egyptians.
The legendary date of the beautiful Zend-Avesta, both Bible
and Prayer-book of the Persians, is five thousand years before
the Trojan War, but even if it was wiitten no later than the
ninth century B. C, and few critics have suggested any later
date, it would still be contemporary with the great Yahwist
Bible.
By far the most magnificent literary monuments of antiquity
are the Vedas and Upanishads written by the ancient Rishis of
India, sometime between 2400 and 1200 B. C, according to Dr.
Haug. These books are a vast treasury of the deepest philos-
ophy and some of the loftiest religious teachings ever given to
the world.
The Upanishads say '* Know thine own soul." To an Indian,
religion is the very breath of his life, and the one object of
supreme importance in the world is the soul. The man who does
not recognize his own soul is not regarded in India, even as a man.
The Upanishads say *' Know thou the One, the Soul. It is the
bridge leading to the immortal being."
The teachings of the Vedas are that the one end and aim of
life is the development of the soul or the union of the individual
soul with the Universal Soul of Brahm or God.
The Indian poet chants, '' From love the world is born, by
love it is sustained, towards love it moves, and into love it
enters."
In the Indian civiUzation the ideal '' flower of humanity " is
not the statesman, king, artist or poet, but the Rishi, the one
who has attained the supreme soul.
Upon the Rishi the nation bestows an extravagant homage
that is never given even to the most illufctrious kings.
The Vedas declare, God can be seen and known, and the forest-
dwelling Rishis teach " Listen to me, ye sons of the immortal
spirit, ye who live in the heavenly abode, I have known the
Supreme Person whose light shines forth from beyond the dark-
ness."
xii THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
Prof. Rhys-David, than whom there is no higher authority,
says " nowhere else are found the records of a movement stretch-
ing uninterruptedly for more than three thousand years; no-
where else has greater earnestness or so much ability been devoted
so continuously to religious questions . . . and nowhere else
do we find so complete a picture of the tendencies and influences
which have brought about the marvelous change from the crude
hypotheses of the earliest faith to the sublime conceptions of
such original thinkers as those who put the finishing touches to
the beautiful picture of the Indian Palace of Truth."
China generally is believed to be the most ancient nation in
the world. Its history extends back no one knows how far into
the dim mists of the past. All the other great nations of the
ancient times either have been destroyed utterly or have become
the vassals of a foreign power. Assyria that was once the
terror of the world fell before her old rival and enemy Babylon.
The mighty nations of India and Egypt are subject now to a
foreign nation. Babylon, once the most wonderful city on the
earth, Babjdon that even in the days of the patriarch Abram
had a history of over a hundred kings, Babjdon whose luxury
and magnificence never have been rivalled even b}^ Rome at the
height of her pomp, Babylon finally fell before Cjtus, ruined not
by the Persian army — far from it! — but by the dishonesty and
corruption in her own government!
China alone of all the nations of antiquity has kept her inde-
pendence. To the student of folklore the reason is not far to
seek. From the earliest times the Chinese have had a most
profound reverence for the Moral Law. In one of her most
ancient books, " The Shu King," that corresponds to our Old
Testament, her patriarchs laid down the principles of right and
justice upon which a state must be founded if it is to survive the
storms of the ages and they pointed out clearly also how their
rulers by violation of these principles could bring the state to
ruin. It is said that the whole nation has become so deeply
permeated with these teachings that no one is allowed even to
perform his religious sacrifices until he has paid every debt.
The ideal of the Chinese civihzation is that " right and justice
FOREWORD xiii
is recognized by everyone as a force higher than physical force"
and that moral obligation is of supreme importance.
It is interesting to remember that the distinguished Chinese
minister Wu Ting Fang said at the opening of our last war,
" So long as there is wi'ong and injustice, so long will there be
wars."
It is easy to understand how in a national atmosphere like
this it has been claimed by an eminent author, Ku Hung-
ming, that " the dominant note of Chinese humanity is gentle-
ness." He explains that he means by this '' the absence of
hardness, harshness, roughness or violence, in fact of anything
that jars upon you." . . . This gentleness that is " the funda-
mental characteristic of the real Chinese is the product of the
sjnnpathetic intelligence of a people who live almost entirely a
life of the heart, — a life of emotion and human affection." In
short, the ideal Chinese is one with the intellect of a man and
the heart of a child and " the Chinese spirit, therefore, is the
spirit of perpetual youth, the spirit of national immortahty."
The " deluge myth " evidently was taken by the great Yahwist
writer from the celebrated Gilgamesh epic that described the
adventures of the old Sumerian king of Erech in his search after
immortality, and was written in the highly cultured city of
Babylon durmg a revival of Uterature under the great king
Hammurabi. The discovery of the famous statue of this king,
the original of which is now in the Louvre, receiving from the Sun
God Shamash his code of laws, the most ancient in the world,
and which are inscribed in the block of marble underneath,
has proved to our surprise that, even in the days of Abram and
Sarai, life was as carefully ordered in all its essentials as in the
vaunted civilization of our owti day.
It is difficult to imagine words expressing a deeper sympathy
and tenderness for his people than those of the preamble to the
laws of this wonderful monarch of over four thousand years
ago. ...
" I am the pastor, the saviour, whose sceptre is a right one,
the good protecting shadow^ over my city ; in my breast I cherish
the inhabitants of Sumer and Akkad. By my genius in peace I
have led them, by my wisdom I have directed them, that the
xiv THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
strong might not injure the weak, to protect the widow and
orphan. . . . By the command of Shamash (the Sun god), the
great Judge of Heaven and Earth, let righteousness go forth in
the land. . . Let the oppressed who has a case at law come and
stand before my image as King of Righteousness, let him read
the inscription, and understand my precious words. The
inscribed stone will explain his case to him, and make clear the
law to him, and his heart, well pleased, will say, " ' Hammurabi
is a master, who is as the father who begat his people! ' "
The Yahwist writer was the fine flower, not of this Babylonic
race, but of their kinsmen, the great nomadic tribe of the star-
loving Chaldean Abram, • whose home for centuries was the
wilderness and whose lives were spent in wandering with their
flocks and herds over the vast country that stretched between the
two superb civilizations of Egypt and Babylon.
About twelve hundred years after the days of the patriarch
Abram this Israelite tribe had expanded into a nation — and had
entered the " Promised Land " and built a temple to Yahweh
and a palace that was the admiration of the world.
" Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and over-
laid it with the finest gold. There were six steps to the throne,
and the top of the throne was round behind; and there were
stays on either side by the place of the seat, and two lions stand-
ing beside the stays. And twelve Hons stood there on the one
side and on the other upon the six steps; there was not the like
made in any kingdom."
THE YAHWIST BIBLE
The great Yahwist Bible was written when the Israelites were
at the height of their success and prosperity as a nation, just
after the notable reign of king Solomon. Three hundred years
later came their downfall nationallj\ Their traitorous king
Zedekiah broke his treaty with Nebuchadnezzar in favor of Egypt
and the powerful king of Babylon naturally marched against
Jerusalem, captured the city, destroyed the temple and palace
and deported ten thousand of the leading families to dwell in
Babylon by the banks of the Euphrates river.
If the Sacred Ark of the Covenant was rescued from the
FOREWORD XV
flames by the Jewish priest, its location has never been revealed
to the world.
But at the time of the writing of the Yah wist Bible, the world
was at the feet of the Jewish king, who had married an Egyp-
tian princess, and formed an alliance with the king of Tyre.
The queen o' Sheba had come even from Africa ''the utter-
most parts of the earth," to do him homage " and hear the
wisdom of Solomon," with her own ears.
The unknown prophet who wrote this primitive document,
perhaps the most beautiful and certainly the most ancient
part of our Scriptures, lived in the ninth century, B. C.
At this time, before the religion had assumed its elaborate
ritual, men were on terms of closer intimacy with the Deity, and
our author does not hesitate to use his personal name of Yahweh,
the tribal God of the Hebrews, as freely as Christians use the
name Jesus. His quaint and picturesque document was written
centuries before the Pentateuch. Afterward about 400 B. C.
came the priestly interpolations, the Elohist scripture, the "Book
of the Priests " and Deuteronomy, the whole forming the first
Jewish Bible known as the Torah or Pentateuch.
The " Book of the Priests " chiefly laws, ritual, genealogies
and editorial conmients written after the captivity was evi-
dently deeply influenced by the culture and the gorgeous ritual
of the Babylonian religion.
These interpolations added about five hundred years later,
not only broke the continuity of thought, but almost utterly
destroyed the artistic unity of this perfect little gem of ancient
literature, the Yah wist Bible. They were also the source of
many bewildering contradictions, especially in the first and
second chapters of Genesis.
The explanation of these violent contrasts is very simple.
The first chapter of Genesis was written, not by the Yah wist
prophets, but by the Jewish priests, and was placed by them
before the first chapter of the Yahwdst Bible, as the prevailing
belief of the people — when the Pentateuch or Torah was com-
piled, in the days after the Babylonian captivity.
It is especially interesting as marking the wonderful growth
of their religious ideals in the years that had elapsed since the
days of Solomon. According to Dr. Bennett the Jewish priests
x\n THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
particularly wished to counteract the ancient belief of the com-
mon people in the creation of Eve from a rib of Adam.
In the first chapter the Deity is represented as an invisible
spirit creating the animals in orderly procedure — and man
last of all. " Male and female created he them," apparently
equal. In the second chapter he is pictured as a man kind
hearted but irate and li™g in a beautiful park or garden,
creating Adam himself first of all, and the animals afterward to
give him pleasure. Eve was not even a separate creation in
this first myth, but was moulded from a rib taken from the side
of Adam.
In the sixth and seventh chapters there is also an mteresting
contradiction. In the sixth chapter the animals are pictured as
going into the Ark, " two by two." In the seventh chapter
they go in " seven by seven " according to the Yahwist account.
A few verses farther on they again are pictured as entering
" two by two." The explanation is that the Jemsh priests
decided they must have gone in " two by two " and that Noah
could not have known the distinction between clean and unclean
and so they placed their version before the Yahwist one. As
there was no division into chapters until the middle ages this
served to counteract the belief that they entered " by sevens."
The second mention of their entering " two by two," Dr. Ben-
nett says was inserted by a mere scribe, to strengthen the
position of the priests.
Constant delight has attended upon the task of detaching
from their academic later overlay, this series of narratives,
revealing in all their primitive beauty the personal charm and
distinction of style of their great author.
Freed from this later overlay of interpolations we have a
connected narrative of great interest, a partial restoration of
the famous document, the great Yahwist Bible.
The unknown Yahwist genius found many of his stories in
the works of an earlier day, especially the " Book of Jasher "
and the " Book of the Wars of Yahweh." But his wonderful
tales were chiefly the stories the ancient Israelites told under
the starry skies around their camp-fires for hundreds of years.
Sir James G. Frazcr says: it is the pastoral age depicted " with
a clearness of outline and a vividness of colouring which time
FOREWORD xvii
has not dimmed and which under all the changes of modern life
still holds the reader spell bound by their ineffable charm." . . .
The picture of Rachel at the well '' with the sheep lying round
it in the noontide heat is as vivid in the writer's words as it is
in the colors of Raphael."
" And to this exquisite picturesqueness in the delineation of
human life he adds a charming naivete, an antique simpUcity
in his descriptions of the divine. He carries us back to the days
of old, when no such awful gulf was supposed to intervene
between man and the deity. In his pages we read how God
moulded the first man out of clay, as a child shapes his mud
baby; how he walked in the garden in the cool of the evenmg
and called the shamefaced couple, who had been skulking
behind trees; how he made coats of skin to replace the too
scanty fig-leaves of our first parents; how he shut the door
behind Noah, when the patriarch had entered into the ark;
how he sniffed the sweet savour of the burning sacrifice; how
he came down to look at the tower of Babel, apparently because
viewed from the sky it was beyond his reach of vision; how he
conversed with Abraham at the door of his tent, in the heat of
the day, under the shadow of the whispering oaks. In short,
the whole work of this deUghtful writer is instinct with a breath of
poetry, with sometliing of the freshness and fragrance of the
olden time, which invests it with an ineffable and immortal
charm."
NOTE
The compiler wishes to acknowledge the deepest obligation
to the great editors of the Century Bible, and to the dis-
tinguished author of '' The Folklore of the Old Testament,"
{Sir James G. Frazer, for permission to quote from these books.
The text used in this word is based upon the revised English
version of the Bible, although necessarily very much changed.
C. M.
CONTENTS
The Story of CREATION 3
" '' CAIN 5
" " NOAH 7
" " ABRAM 11
" " ISAAC 25
" " JACOB 30
" " JOSEPH 42
The Story of MOSES 65
" " THE SEVEN PLAGUES 69
" '' THE TEN COMMANDMENTS 77
" " THE QUAILS 83
" " BALAAM 91
" " JOSHUA 105
" '' THE JUDGES 125
The Story of SAMUEL 161
" " KING SAUL 165
" " KING DAVID 175
'' " ABIGAIL 185
" " THE WITCH OF ENDOR 192
" " ABSALOM 217
" " KING SOLOMON AND THE TEMPLE.. 239
GENESIS
The Book of Yahweh
GENESIS
The Story of Creation
In the day that Yahweh made earth and heaven; —
And no plant of the field was yet in the earth, and no herb of
the field had yet sprung up; for Yahweh had not caused it to
rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground;
but there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole
face of the ground. And Yahweh formed man of the dust of
the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life;
and man became a living soul.
And Yahweh planted a garden eastward, in Eden; and there
he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground
made Yahweh to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight,
and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden,
and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
And Yahweh took the man and put him into the garden of
Eden to dress it and to keep it. And Yahweh commanded the
man, saying, " Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely
eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt
not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt
surely die."
And Yahweh said, ''It is not good that the man should be
alone; I will make him an help meet for him." And out of the
ground Yahweh formed every beast of the field, and every fowl
of the air; and brought them unto the man to see what he would
call them; and whatsoever the man called every living creature,
that was the name thereof. And the man gave names to all
cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field;
but for man there was not found an help meet for him.
4 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
And Yahweh caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he
slept; and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in-
stead thereof: and the rib, which Yahweh had taken from the
man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And
the man said, " This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my
flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of
man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother,
and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."
And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not
ashamed.
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field
which Yahweh had made. And he said unto the woman, '' Yea,
hath God said, ' Ye shall not eat of anj^ tree of the garden? ' "
And the woman said unto the serpent, " Of the fruit of the trees
of the garden we may eat; but of the fruit of the tree which is
in the midst of the garden, God hath said, ' Ye shall not eat of
it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.' " And the serpent
said unto the woman, " Ye shall not surely die: for God doth
know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be
opened, and ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil."
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food,
and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be
desired to make one \vise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did
eat; and she gave also unto her husband with her, and he did
eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew
that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and
made themselves girdles.
And they heard the footsteps of Yahweh walking in the garden
in the cool of the day; and the man and his wife hid themselves
from the presence of Yahweh amongst the trees of the garden.
And Yahweh called unto the man, and said unto him, " Where
art thou? " And he said, '' I heard thy step in the garden, and
I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself." And he
said, " Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten
of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not
eat? " And the man said, " The woman whom thou gavest to
be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat."
GENESIS 5
And Yahweh said unto the woman, " What is this thou hast
done? " And the woman said, " The serpent beguiled me, and
I did eat."
And Yahweh said unto the serpent, " Because thou hast done
this, cursed art thou above all cattle, and above every beast of
the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat
all the days of thy life : and I will put enmity between thee and
the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: it shall bruise
thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."
Unto the woman he said, " I will greatly multiply thy sorrow
and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children;
and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over
thee."
And unto Adam he said, " Because thou hast hearkened unto
the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I
commanded thee, saying ' Thou shalt not eat of it : ' cursed is
the ground for thy sake; in toil shalt thou eat of it all the days
of thy life; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee;
and thou shalt eat the herb of the field ; in the sweat of thy face
shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of
it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou
return."
And the man called his wife's name Eve ; because she was the
mother of all living. And Yahweh made for Adam and for his
wife coats of skins, and clothed them.
And Yahweh said, " Behold, the man is become as one of us,
to know good and evil;" and now, lest he put forth his hand,
and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever : there-
fore Yahweh sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the
ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man;
and he placed at the east of the Garden of Eden the Cherubun,
and the flame of a sword which turned every way, to keep the
way of the tree of life.
The Story of Cain and His Descendants
And the man knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare
Cain, and said, " I have gotten a man with the help of Yahweh."
And again she bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of
sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in process of
6 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground
an offering unto Yahweh. And Abel, he also brought of the
firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof.
And Yahweh had respect unto Abel and to his offering: but
unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain
was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And Yahweh said
unto Cain, " Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance
fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if
thou doest not well, sin coucheth at the door: and unto thee
shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him."
And Cain told Abel his brother. And it came to pass, when
they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother,
and slew him. And Yahweh said unto Cain, " WTiere is Abel
thy brother? " And he said, " I know not; am I my brother's
keeper? " And he said, " Wh.a.i hast thou done? the voice of
thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. And now
cursed art thou from the ground, which hath opened her mouth
to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; when thou tillest
the ground, it shall not henceforth >aeld unto thee her strength ;
a fugitive and a wanderer shalt thou be in the earth." And
Cain said unto Yahweh, " IMy punishment is gi'eater than I
can bear. Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the
face of the ground; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall
be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth; and it shall come to
pass, that whosoever findeth me shall slay me." And Yahweh
said unto him, " Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance
shall be taken on him sevenfold." And Yahweh appointed a
sign for Cain, lest any finding him should smite him.
And Cain went out from the presence of Yahweh, and dwelt
in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden. And Cain knew his
wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a
city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son,
Enoch. And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat
Mehujael; and ]Mehujael begat ^Nlethushael: and Methushael
begat Lamech. And Lamech took unto him two wives: the
name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.
And Adah bare Jabel : he was the father of such as dwell in tents
and have cattle. And his brother's name was Jubal: he was
the father of all such as handle the harp and pipe. And Zillah,
GENESIS 7
she also bare Tubal-cain, the forger of every cutting instrument
of brass and iron: and the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.
And Lamech said unto his wives :
'' Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;
Ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech:
For I have slain a man for wounding me,
And a young man for bruising me :
If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold,
Truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold."
And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called
his name Seth: For, said she, " God hath appointed me another
seed instead of Abel; for Cain slew him."
And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called
his name Enosh.
Then began men to call upon the name of Yahweh.
The Story of Noah
And Lamech called his son's name Noah, saying, " This same
shall comfort us for our work and for the toil of our hands, be-
cause of the ground which Yahweh hath cursed."
And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face
of the ground, and daughters were born unto them, that the sons
of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they
took them wives of all that they chose. And Yahweh said,
'' My spirit shall not strive with man forever, for that he also
is flesh: yet shall his days be an hundred and twenty years."
The Nephilim were in the earth in those days, and also after
that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men,
and they bare children to them : the same were the mighty men
which were of old, the men of reno\vn.
And Y^ahweh saw that the wickedness of man was gi'eat in
the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his
heart was only evil continually. And it repented Yahweh that
he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
And Yahweh said, " I will destroy man whom I have created
from the face of the ground; both men, and beast, and creeping
8 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
thing, and fowl of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made
them."
But Noah found grace in the ej^es of Yahweh. And Yahweh
said unto Noah, '' Come thou and all thy house into the ark;
for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.
Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee seven and seven, the
male and his female; and of the beasts that are not clean two, the
male and his female; of the fowl also of the air, seven and seven,
male and female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the
■ earth. For yet seven daj^s, and I -will cause it to rain upon the
earth forty days and forty nights; and every living thing that I
have made T\dll I destroy from off the face of the ground." And
Noah did according unto all that Yahweh commanded him.
And it came to pass after the seven days, that the waters
of the flood were upon the earth. And the rain was upon the
earth forty days and forty nights. And Yahweh shut him in.
And the flood was forty daj^s upon the earth; and the waters
increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the
earth. All in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life,
of all that was in the dry land, died. And every living thing
was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both
man, and cattle, and creeping thing, and fowl of the heaven;
and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only was
left, and they that were with him in the ark.
And the rain from heaven was restrained; and the waters
returned from off the earth continually.
And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened
the window of the ark w^hich he had made: and he sent forth a
raven, and it went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried
up from off the earth. And he sent forth a dove from him, to see
if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground; but
the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned
unto him to the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole
earth: and he put forth his hand, and took her, and brought
her in unto him into the ark. And he stayed yet other seven
days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark; and the
dove came in to him at eventide; and, lo, in her mouth an olive
GENESIS 9
leaf pliickt off : so Noah knew that the waters were abated from
off the earth. And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent
forth the dove; and she returned not again unto him any more.
And Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and
behold, the face of the ground was dried.
And Noah builded an altar unto Yahweh; and took of every
clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings
on the altar. And Yahweh smelled the sweet savour; and
Yahweh said in his heart, " I will not again curse the ground any
more for man's sake, for that the imagination of man's heart is
evil from his youth ; neither will I again smite any more every-
thing living, as I have done. While the earth remaineth, seed-
time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter,
and day and night shall not cease."
And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem,
and Ham and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan.
These three were the sons of Noah: and of these was the whole
earth overspread.
And Noah began to be an husbandman, and planted a vine-
yard: and he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was
uncovered within his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw
the nakedness of his father, n.nd told his two brethren without.
And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both
their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness
of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw
not their father's nakedness. And Noah awoke from his wine,
and knew what his youngest son had done unto him.
And he said: "Cursed be Canaan. A sei*vant of servants
shall he be unto liis brethren." And he said,
"Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Shem;
And let Canaan be his servant.
God enlarge Japheth,
And let him dwell in the tents of Shem;
And let Canaan be his servant."
And Cush begat Nimrod : he began to be a mighty one in the
earth. He was a mighty hunter before Yahweh; wherefore it is
10 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
said, " Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before Yahweh." And
the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad,
and Calneh, in the hmd of Shinar. Out of that land he went
forth into Assyria, and builded Nineveh, and Rehoboth-Ir, and
Calah, and Resen between Nineveh and Calah (the same is the
great city.)
And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and
Naphtuhim, and Pathrusim, and Casluhim (whence went forth
the Philistines), and Caphtorim.
And Canaan begat Zidon his firstborn, and Heth; and the
Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgashite; and the Hivite,
and the Arkite, and the Sinite; and the Arvadite, and the
Zemarite, and the Hamathite; and afterward were the families of
the Canaanite spread abroad. And the border of the Canaanite
was from Zidon, as thou goest toward Gerar, unto Gaza; as
thou goest toward Sodom and Gomorrah and Admah and Ze-
boiim, unto Lasha.
And unto Shem, the father of all the children of Eber, the
elder brother of Japheth, to him also were children born.
And Arpachshad begat Shelah; and Shelah begat Eber.
And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was
Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother's
name was Joktan.
And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth,
and Jerah; and Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah; and Obal,
and Abimael, and Sheba; and Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab;
all these were the sons of Joktan. And their dwelling was from
Mesha, as thou goest toward Sephar, the mountain of the east.
And the whole earth was of one language and of one speech.
And it came to pass, as they journeyed east, that they found a
plain, in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.
And they said one to another, " Go to, let us make brick, and
burn them thoroughly." And they had brick for stone, and
slime had they for mortar. And they said, " Go to, let us build
us a city, and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven, and
let us make us a name; lest we be scattered abroad upon the
face of the whole earth."
GENESIS 11
Aiid Yahweh came down to see the city and the tower, which
the children of men builded. And Yahweh said, " Behold,
they are one people, and they have all one language; and this
is what they begin to do: and now nothing will be withholden
from them, which they purpose to do. Go to, let us go down,
and there confound their language, that they may not understand
one another's speech."
So Yahweh scattered them abroad from thence upon the face
of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. Therefore
was the name of it called Babel; because Yahweh did there con-
found the language of all the earth : and from thence did Yahweh
scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
And Haran died in the presence of his father Terah in the land
of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees. And Abram and Nahor
took them wives: the name of Abram's wife was Sarai; and the
name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father
of Milcah, and the father of Iscah. And Sarai was barren;
she had no child.
The Story of Abram
Now Yahweh said unto Abram, " Get thee out of thy country,
and from thy kindred, and from tljy father's house, unto the
land that I will shew thee: and I will make of thee a great na-
tion, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and be thou
a blessing: and I will bless them that bless thee, and him that
curseth thee will I curse: and in thee shall all the families of the
earth be blessed."
So Abram went, as Yahweh had spoken unto him: and Lot
went with him. And Abram passed through the land unto the
place of Shechem, unto the oak of Moreh. And the Canaanite
was then in the land.
And Yahweh appeared unto Abram, and said, " Unto thy seed
will I give this land " ; and there builded he an altar unto Yah-
weh, who appeared unto him.
And he removed from thence unto the mountain on the east of
Beth-el, and pitched his tent, having Beth-el on the west, and Ai
on the east: and there he builded an altar unto Yahweh, and
called upon the name of Yahweh.
And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the South.
12 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down
into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was sore in the land.
And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt,
that he said unto Sarai his wife, '' Behold now, I know that thou
art a fair w^oman to look upon : and it shall come to pass, when
the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, ' This is his
wife '; and they v/ill kill me, but they ^^dll save thee alive. Say,
I pray thee, thou art my sister : that it may be well with me for
thy sake, and that mj- soul may live because of thee."
And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt,
the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair. And the
princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised her to Pharaoh; and
the w^oman was taken into Pharaoh's house. And he entreated
Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he-
asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she-asses, and
camels.
And Yahweh plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues
because of Sarai Abram's wdfe. And Pharaoh called Abram,
and said, " "WTiat is this that thou hast done unto me? Why
didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife? Why saidst thou,
' She is my sister '? So that I took her to be my wife: now
therefore behold thy ^\dfe, take her, and go thy way."
And Pharaoh gave men charge concerning him: and they
brought him on the wa}^, and his wife, and all that he had.
And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all
that he had, and Lot with him, into the South. And Abram
was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. And he went on
his journeys from the South even to Beth-el, unto the place where
his tent had been at the beginning, between Beth-el and Ai;
unto the place of the altar, wliich he had made there at the first :
and there Abram called on the name of Yahweh.
And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds,
and tents.
And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's
cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle : and the Canaanite and
the Perizzite dwelled then in the land. And Abram said unto
Lot, " Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee,
GENESIS 13
and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we are brethren.
Is not the whole land before thee? Separate thyself, I pray
thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to
the right; or if thou take the right hand, then I will go to the
left/'
And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the Plain of Jordan,
that it was well watered everywhere, before Yahweh destroyed
Sodom and Gomorrah, like the garden of Yahweh, like the land
of Egypt, as thou goest unto Zoar. So Lot chose him all the
Plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east; and moved his tent
as far as Sodom.
Now the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners against
Yahweh exceedingly.
And Yahweh said laito Abram, after that Lot was separated
from him, " Lift up now thine eyes; and look from the place
where thou art, northward and southward and eastward and
westward: for all tlie land which thou seest, to thee will I
give it, and to thy seed forever. And I will make thy seed
as the dust of the earth : so that if a man can number the dust of
the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk
through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it:
for unto thee will I give it."
And Abram moved his tent, and came and dwelt by the oaks
of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built there an altar unto
Yahweh.
After these things the word of Yahweh came unto Abram in a
vision, saying, " Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy
exceeding great reward." And Abram said, " Yahweh, what
wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and he that shall be
possessor of my house is Dammesek Eliezer? " And Abram
said, " Behold, to me thou hast given no seed; and, lo, one born
in my house is mine heir."
And behold, the word of Yahweh came unto him, saying,
" This man shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth
out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir."
And he brought him forth abroad, and said, " Look now
toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to tell them: "
and he said unto him, " So shall thy seed be."
14 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
And he believed in Yahweh; and he counted it to him for
righteousness. And he said unto him, " I am Yahweh that
brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to
inherit it." And he said, " Yahweh, whereby shall I know
that I shall inherit it? " And he said unto him, " Take me
an heifer of three years old, and a she-goat of three years old,
and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young
pigeon."
And he took him all these, and divided them in the midst, and
laid each half over against the other: but the birds divided he
not. And the birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, and
Abram drove them away. And when the sun was going down,
a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness
fell upon him.
And he said unto Abram, " Kjiow of a surety that thy seed
shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve
them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; and also
that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge; and afterward
shall they come out with great substance. But thou shalt go to
thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.
And in the fourth generation they shall come hither agam; for
the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet full."
And it came to pass that, when the sun went down, and it was
dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a flaming torch that passed
between these pieces. In that day, Yahweh made a covenant
with Abram, saying, " Unto thy seed have I given this land,
from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates :
the Kenite, and the Kenizzite, and the Kadmonite, and the
Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Rephaim and the Amorite,
and the Canaanite, and the Girgashite, and the Jebusite."
And Sarai had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was
Hagar. And Sarai said unto Abram, " Behold now, Yahweh
hath restrained me from bearing; go in, I pray thee, unto my
handmaid; it may be that I shall obtain children by her."
And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. And he went in
unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had
conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. And Sarai
GENESIS 15
said unto Abram, " My wrong be upon thee: I gave my hand-
maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived,
I was despised in her eyes: Yahweh judge between me and thee."
But Abram said unto Sarai, " Behold, thy maid is in thy hand;
do to her that which is good in thine eyes." And Sarai dealt
hardly with her, and she fled from her face.
And the angel of Yahweh found her by a fountain of water
in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur. And he
said, " Hagar, Sarai's handmaid, whence camest thou? and
whither goest thou? " And she said, " I flee from the face of
my mistress Sarai." And the angel of Yahweh said unto her,
'* Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son; and thou
shalt call his name Ishmael, because Yahweh hath heard thy
affliction. And he shall be as a wild-ass among men; his hand
shall be against every man, and eveiy man's hand against him;
and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren." And
she caUed the name of Yahweh that spake unto her, " Thou art
a God that seeth: for," she said, " Have I even here looked
after him that seeth me? "
Wherefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi ; behold, it is
between Kadesh and Bered.
And Yahweh appeared unto Abram by the oaks of Mamre, as
he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day ; and he lift up his
eyes and looked, and lo, three men stood over against him : and
when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and
bowed himself to the earth, and said, " My Lord, if now I have
found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy
servant: let now a little water be fetched, and wash your feet,
and rest yourselves under the tree : and I will fetch a morsel of
bread, and comfort ye your heart; after that ye shall pass on:
forasmuch as ye are come to your servant."
And they said, "So do, as thou hast said." And Abram
hastened into the tent unto Sarai, and said, " Make ready
quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes."
And Abram ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and
good, and gave it unto the servant; and he hastened to dress it.
And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed.
16 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree,
and they did eat.
And the}^ said unto him, " Where is Sarai thy wife? " And he
said, " Behold, in the tent." And he said, '' I will certainly
return unto thee when the season cometh round; and, lo, Sarai
thy wife shall have a son." And Sarai heard in the tent door,
w^hich was behind him. Now Abram and Sarai were old, and
well stricken in age; it had ceased to be with Sarai after the
manner of women. And Sarai laughed within herself, saying,
" After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old
also? " And Yahweh said unto Abram, '' Wherefore did
Sarai laugh, saying, ' Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am
old? ' Is anything too hard for Yahweh? At the set time I
will return unto thee, when the season cometh round, and Sarai
shall have a son." Then Sarai denied, sajdng, " I laughed not" ;
for she was afraid. And he said, '' Nay; but thou didst laugh."
And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom;
and Abram went with them to bring them on the way.
Yahweh said, "Shall I hide from Abram that which I do;
seeing that Abram shall surely become a great and mighty
nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
For I have known him, to the end that he may command his
children and his household after him, that they may keep the
way of Yahweh, to do justice and judgment; to the end that
Yahweh may bring upon Abram, that which he hath spoken
of him."
And Yahweh said, " Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah
is great, and because their sin is very grievous; I will go down
now, and see whether thej^ have done altogether according to
the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know."
And the men turned from thence and went toward Sodom; but
Abram stood j^et before Yahweh.
And Abram drew near, and said " Wilt thou consume the
righteous with the wicked? Peradventure there be fifty right-
eous \Nithin the city; wilt thou consume and not spare the place
for the fifty righteous that are therein? That be far from thee
to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked,
that so the righteous should be as the wicked; that be far from
thee: shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? "
GENESIS 17
And Yahweh said, " If I find in Sodom fifty rigliteous within
the city, then I will spare all the place for their sake."
And Abram answered and said, " Behold now, I have taken
upon me to speak unto Yahweh, which am but dust and ashes:
peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous; wilt
thou destroy all the city for lack of five? "
And he said, " I \vi\\ not destroy it, if I find there forty and
five."
And he spake unto him yet again, and said, '' Peradventure
there shall be forty found there."
And he said, " I will not do it for the forty's sake."
And he said, " 0, let not Yahweh be angry, and I will speak:
peradventure there shall thirty be found there."
And he said, " I will not do it, if I find thirty there."
And he said, " Behold, now I have taken upon me to speak
unto Yahweh: peradventure there shall be twenty found there."
And he said, " I will not destroy it for the twenty's sake."
And he said, " 0, let not Yahweh be angry, and I will speak
yet but this once: peradventure ten shall be found there."
And he said, '' I will not destroy it for the ten's sake."
And Yahweh went his way, as soon as he had left communing
with Abram : and Abram returned unto his place.
And two angels came to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the
gate of Sodom; and Lot saw them, and rose up to meet them;
and he bowed himself with his face to the earth; and he said,
" Behold now, my lords, turn aside, I pray you, into your ser-
vant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye
shall rise up early, and go on your way." And they said, " Nay;
but we will abide in the street all night." And he urged them
greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house;
and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and
they did eat.
But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men
of Sodom, compassed the house round, both young and old, all
the people from every quarter; and they called unto Lot, and
said unto him, " Where are the men which came in to thee this
night? Bring them out unto us, that we may know them."
18 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
And Lot went out unto them to the door, and shut the door
after him. And lie said, " I pray you, my brethren, do not so
wickedly. Behold now, I have two daughters which have not
known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and
do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do
nothing; forasmuch as they are come under the shadow of my
roof."
And they said, '' Stand back." And they said, '^ This one
fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge; now will
we deal worse with thee, than with them."
And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and drew near
to break the door. But the men put forth their hand, and
brought Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door.
And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with
blindness, both small and great; so that they wearied themselves
to find the door.
And the men said unto Lot, " Hast thou here any besides?
Son-in-law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whomsoever
thou hast in the city; bring them out of the place; for we will
destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before
Yah well ; and Yahweh hath sent us to destroy it."
And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons-in-law, which
married his daughters, and said, " Up, get you out of this place;
for Yahweh will destroy the city." But he seemed unto his
sons-in-law as one that mocked. And when the morning arose,
then the angels hastened Lot, saying, '^ Arise, take thy wife,
and thy two daughters which are here; lest thou be consumed
in the iniquity of the city."
But he lingered; and the men laid hold upon his hand, and
upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daugh-
ters; Yahweh being merciful unto him; and they brought him
forth, and set him without the city. And it came to pass, when
they brought them forth abroad, that he said, " Escape for thy
life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the Plain;
escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed."
And Lot said unto them, '' not so, my lord; behold now,
thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magni-
fied thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my
life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest evil overtake
GENESIS 19
me, and I die : behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is
a little one: let me escape thither (is it not a little one?)
and my soul shall live."
And he said unto him, '' See, I have accepted thee concerning
this thing also, that I will not overthrow the city of which thou
hast spoken. Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any-
thing till thou be come thither."
Therefore, the name of the city was called Zoar. The sun
was risen upon the earth when Lot came unto Zoar.
Then Yahweh rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brim-
stone and fire from Yahweh out of heaven; and he overthrew
those cities, and all the Plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities,
and that which grew upon the ground. But his wife looked ]:)ack
from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
And Abram got up early in the morning to the place where
he had stood before Yahweh; and he looked toward Sodom and
Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the Plain, and beheld,
and lo, the smoke of the land went up as the smoke of a furnace.
And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and
his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar;
and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.
And the firstborn said unto the younger, '* Our father is old,
and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the
manner of all the earth: come, let us make our father drink
wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our
father." And they made their father drink wine that night:
and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he knew
not when she lay down, nor when she arose. And it came to
pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger,
'' Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him
drink wine this night also ; and go thou in, and lie with him, that
we may preserve seed of our father." And they made their
father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and
lay with him; and he knew not when she lay down, nor when she
arose. Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their
father. And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab ;
the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day. And the
younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Ben-ammi:
the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.
20 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
And Yah well visited Sarai as he had said. And Sarai con-
ceived and bare Abram a son in his old age. And she said
'' Who would have said unto Abram, that Sarai should give
children suck? For I have borne him a son in his old age."
And Abram reproved Abimelech because of the well of
water, which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away.
And Abimelech said, " I know not who hath done this thing:
neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but today."
And Abram set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.
And Abimelech said unto Abram, '' What mean these seven
ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves? " And he said,
" These seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that it
may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well." So
they made a covenant at Beer-sheba: and Abimelech rose up,
and Phicol the captain of his host, and they returned into the
land of the Philistines. And Abram planted a tamarisk tree
in Beer-sheba, and called there on the name of Yahweh, the
Everlasting God. And Abram sojourned in the land of the
Philistines many days.
And it came to pass after these things, that it was told
Abram, saying, '' Behold, Milcali, she also hath borne children
unto thy brother Nahor: Uz his firstborn, and Buz his brother,
and Kemuel the father of Aram: and Chesed, and Hazo, and
Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel. And Bethuel begat Reb-
ekah: these eight did Milcah bear to Nahor, Abram's brother.
And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, she also bare
Tebah, and Gaham, and Tahash, and Maacah.
And Abram was old, and well-stricken in age; and Yahweh
had blessed Abram in all things. And Abram said unto his
servant, the elder of his house, that ruled over all that he had,
" Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: and I will make
thee swear by Yahweh, the God of heaven and the God of the
earth, that thou shalt not take a wife for my son of the daughters
of the Cauaanites, among whom I dwell: but thou shalt go unto
my country, and to mj^ kindred, and take a wife for my son
Isaac."
GENESIS 21
And the servant said unto him, " Peradventure the woman
will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs
bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest? "
And Abram said unto him, " Beware thou that thou bring
not my son thither again. Yahweh, the God of heaven, that
took me from my father's house, and from the land of my na-
tivity, and that spake unto me, and that swear unto me, saying,
' Unto thy seed will I give this land : he shall send his angel
before thee, and thou shalt take a wife for my son from thence.
And if the woman be not willing to follow thee, then thou shalt
be clear from this my oath; only thou shalt not bring my son
thither again.' "
And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abram his
master, and sware to him concerning this matter. And the
servant took ten camels, of the camels of his master, and de-
parted; having all goodly things of his master's in his hand;
and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.
And he made the camels to kneel down without the city by
the well of water at the time of evening, the time that women go
out to draw water. And he said, " Yahweh, the God of mj^
master Abram, send me, I pray thee, good speed this day, and
shew kindness unto my master Abram. Behold, I stand by
the fountain of water; and the daughters of the men of the city
come out to draw water : and let it come to pass, that the damsel
to whom I shall say, ' Let doTVTi thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I
may drink ' ; and she shall say, ' Drink, and I will give thy
camels drink also ' : let the same be she that thou hast appointed
for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast
shewed kindness unto my master."
And it came to pass, before he had done spealdng, that, behold,
Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah,
the wife of Nahor, Abram's brother, with her pitcher upon her
shoulder. And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin,
neither had any man known her; and she went down to the
fountain, and filled her pitcher, and came up.
And the servant ran to meet her, and said, '' Give me to drink,
I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher." And she said, "Drink,
my lord ": and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her
hand, and gave him drink. And when she had done giving him
22 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
drink, she said, " I will draw for thy camels also, until they have
done driiildng."
And she hasted and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and
ran again unto the well to draw, and drew for all his camels.
And the man looked steadfastly on her; holding his peace, to
know whetlier Yahweh had made his journey prosperous or not.
And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the
]nan took a golden ring of half a shekel weight, and two brace-
lets for the hands of ten shekels weight of gold; and said, ''Whose
daughter art thou? Tell me, I pray thee. Is there room in
thy father's house for us to lodge in? "
And she said unto him, " I am the daughter of Bethuel, the
son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor." She said more-
over unto him, " We have both straw and provender enough,
and room to lodge in."
And the man bowed his head, and worshipped Yahweh. And
he said, " Blessed be Yahweh, the God of my master Abram,
w^ho hath not forsaken his mercy and his truth tow^ard my
master: as for me, Yahw^eh hath led me in the way to the house
of thy master's brethren."
And the damsel ran, and told her mother's house according
to these words. And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was
Laban: and Lal)an ran out unto the man, unto the fountain.
And it came to pass, when he saw the ring, and the bracelets
upon his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah
his sister, saying, ''Thus spake the man unto me": that he
came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the
fountain. And he said, " Come in, thou blessed of Yahweh;
wherefore standest thou without? For I have prepared the
house, and room for the camels."
And the man came into the house, and he ungirded the camels;
and he gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to
wash his feet and the men's feet that were with him. And there
was set meat before him to eat, but he said, " I ^vill not eat,
until I have told mine errand." And he said, " Speak on."
And he said, " I am Abram's servant. And Yahweh hath
blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he
hath given him flocks and herds, and silver and gold, and men-
servants and maidservants, and camels and asses. And Sarai
GENESIS 23
my master's wife bare a son to my master when she was old:
and unto him hath he given all that he hath. And my master
made me swear, saying, ' Thou shalt not take a ^vife for my son
of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell:
but thou shalt go unto my father's house, and to my kindred,
and take a wife for my son.' And I said unto my master,
' Peradventure the woman will not follow me.' And he said
unto me, ' Yahweh, before whom I walk, will send his angel
with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for
my son of my kindred, and of my father's house: Then shalt
thou be clear from my oath, when thou comest to my kindred;
and if they give her not to thee, thou shalt be clear from my
oath.' And I came this day unto the fountain, and said, '
Yahweh, the God of my master Abram, if now thou do prosper
my way which I go: behold, I stand by the fountain of water;
and let it come to pass, that the maiden which cometh forth to
draw, to whom I shall say, ' Give me, I pray thee, a little water
of thy pitcher to drink '; and she shall say to me, ' Both drink
thou, and I will also draw for thy camels '; let the same be the
woman whom Yahweh hath appointed for my master's son.'
And before I had done speaking in mine heart, behold, Rebekah
came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down
unto the fountain, and drew: and I said unto her, ' Let me drink,
I pray thee.' And she made haste, and let down her pitcher
from her shoulder, and said, ' Drink, and I will give thy camels
drink also ': so I drank, and she made the camels drink also.
And I asked her, and said, ' Whose daughter art thou? ' And
she said, ' The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah
bare unto him ' : and I put the ring upon her nose and the
bracelets upon her hands. And I bowed my head, and worshipped
Yahweh, and blessed Yahweh, the God of my master Abram,
which had led me in the right way to take my master's brother's
daughter for his son. xlnd now if ye mil deal kindly and truly
with my master, tell me; and if not, tell me; that I may turn to
the right hand, or to the left."
Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, " The thing
proceedeth from Yahweh; we cannot speak unto thee bad or
good. Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and
let her be thy master's son's wife, as Yahweh hath spoken."
24 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
And it came to pass, that, when Abram's servant heard then*
words, he bowed himself down to the earth unto Yahweh. And
the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold,
and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah; he gave also to her
brother and to her mother precious things. And they did eat
and drink, he and the men that were with him, and tarried all
night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said, " Send me
away unto my master."
And her brother and her mother said, '' Let the damsel abide
with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go."
And he said unto them, " Hinder me not, seeing Yahweh hath
prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master."
And they said, " We will call the damsel, and inquire at her
mouth." And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, " Wilt
thou go with this man? " And she said, " I will go."
And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and
Abram's servant, and his men. And they blessed Rebekah
and said unto her, " Our sister, be thou the mother of thousands
of ten thousands, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which
hate them." And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they
rode upon the camels, and followed the man: and the servant
took Rebekah, and went his way.
And Isaac came from the way of Beer-lahai-roi; for he dwelt
in the land of the South. And Isaac went out to meditate in the
field at the eventide; and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and,
behold, there were camels commg. And Rebekah lifted up her
eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel. And
she said unto the servant, " What man is this that walketh in
the field to meet us? " And the servant said, " It is my master " ;
and she took her veil, and covered herself.
And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.
And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarai's tent, and took
Rebekah, and she became his wdfe; and he loved her; and Isaac
was comforted after his mother's death.
And Abram took another wife, and her name was Keturah.
And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and !Midian,
and Ishbak, and Shuah. And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan.
GENESIS 25
And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leum-
mim. And the sons of Midian: Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch,
and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.
And Abram gave all that he had unto Isaac. But unto the
sons of the concubines, which Abram had, Abram gave gifts;
and he sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived,
eastward, unto the east country.
The Story of Isaac
And Isaac dwelt by Beer-lahai-roi. And they dwelt from
Havilah unto Shur that is before Egj'-pt, as thou goest toward
Assyria: he abode in the presence of all his brethren.
And Isaac intreated Yahweh for his wife, because she was
barren; and Yahweh was intreated of him, and Rebekah his
wife conceived. And the children struggled together within her;
and she said, " If it be so, wherefore do I live? " And she went
to inquire of Yahweh.
And Yahweh said unto her,
" Two nations are in thy womb,
And two people shall be separated even from thy bowels;
And the one people shall be stronger than the other people;
And the elder shall serve the younger."
And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there
were twins in her womb. And the first came forth red, all over
like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. And
after that came forth his brother, and his hand had hold on
Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob.
And the boys gi'ew; and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man
of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.
Now Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison; and
Rebekah loved Jacob. And Jacob sod pottage ; and Esau came
in from the field, and he was faint: and Esau said to Jacob,
" Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am
faint ": therefore was his name called Edom. And Jacob said,
" Sell me this day thy birthright." And Esau said, " Behold,
I am at the point to die : and what profit shall the birthright do
to me? " And Jacob said, " Swear to me this day ": and he
sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. And
26 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and he did eat
and drink, and rose up and went his way: so Esau despised his
birthright.
And Isaac dwelt in Gerar: and the men of the place asked him
of his wife; and he said, " She is my sister ": for he feared to
say, " Mj^ wife "; " lest/' said he, " the men of the place should
kill me for Rebekah ": because she was fair to look upon.
And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that
Abimelech, king of the Philistines, looked out at a window, and
saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife.
And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, " Behold, of a surety she
is thy wife: and how saidst thou, ' She is my sister '? " And
Isaac said unto him, " Because I said. Lest I die for her." And
Abimelech said, " What is this thou hast done unto us? One
of the people might lightly have lien vnth. thy wife, and thou
shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us."
And Abimelech charged all the people, saying, '' He that
toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death."
And Isaac sowed in that land, and found in the same year an
hundredfold: and Yahweh blessed him. And the man waxed
great, and grew more and more until he became very great:
and he had possessions of flocks, and possessions of herds, and a
great household: And the Philistines envied him.
Now all the wells which his father's servants had digged in
the days of Abram his father, the Philistines had stopped
them, and filled them with earth. And Abimelech said unto
Isaac, "Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we."
And Isaac departed thence, and encamped in the valley of
Gerar, and dwelt there.
And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had
digged in the days of Abram his father; for the Philistines
had stopped them after the death of Abram; and he called
their names after the names by which his father had called them.
And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a
well of sprmging water. And the herdmen of Gerar strove with
Isaac's herdmen, saying, " The water is ours ": and he called
the name of the well Esek; because they contended with him.
GENESIS 27
And they digged another well, and they strove for that also;
and he called the name of it Sitnah. And he removed from
thence, and digged another well; and for that they strove not:
and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, " For now
Yahweh hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the
land." And he went up from thence to Beer-sheba.
And Yahweh appeared unto him the same night, and said,
" I am the God of Abram thy father: fear not, for I am ^^dth
thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant
Abram's sake." And he builded an altar there, and called
upon the name of Yahweh, and pitched his tent there: and there
Isaac's servants digged a well.
Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath his
friend, and Phicol the captain of his host. And Isaac said unto
them, " Wherefore are ye come unto me, seeing ye hate me, and
have sent me away from you? " And they said, '' We saw
plainly that Yahweh was with thee; and we said, ' Let there now
be an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee ', and let us
make a covenant with thee; that thou wilt do us no hurt, as we
have not touched thee, and as we have done unto thee nothing
but good, and have sent thee away in peace; thou art now the
blessed of Yahweh."
And he made them a feast, and they did eat and drink. And
they rose up betimes in the morning, and sware one to another :
and Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace.
And it came to pass the same day, that Isaac's servants came,
and told him concerning the well which they had digged, and
said unto him, " We have found water." And he called it
Shibah: therefore, the name of the city is Beer-sheba unto
this day.
And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes
were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his elder son,
and said unto him, " My son ": and he said unto him, " Here
am I." And he said, " Behold, now, I am old, I know not the
day of my death. Now, therefore, take, I pray thee, thy weap-
ons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take
me venison; and make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring
28 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee
before I die."
And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son.
And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.
And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, '' Behold, I
heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying, ' Bring me
venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless
thee before Yahweh before my death.' Now, therefore, my son,
obey my voice according to that which I command thee. Go
now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the
goats; and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such
as he loveth : and thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may
eat, so that he may bless thee before his death."
And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, " Behold, Esau my
brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. My father
peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver;
and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing."
And his mother said unto him, " Upon me be thy curse, my
son: only obe}^ my voice, and go fetch me them,"
And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother:
and his mother made savoury meat, such as his father loved.
And Rebekah took the goodly raiment of Esau her elder son,
which were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her
younger son : and she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon
his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck: and she gave the
savoury meat and the bread, which she had prepared, into the
hands of her son Jacob.
And he came unto his father, and said, " My father " : and he
said, " Here am I; who art thou, my son? " And Jacob said
unto his father, " I am Esau thy firstborn; I have done accord-
ing as thou badest me : arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my veni-
son, that thy soul may bless me." And Isaac said unto his son,
" How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? " And
he said, '' Because Yah well thy God sent me good speed." And
Isaac said unto Jacob, " Come near, I pray thee, that I may
feel thee, my son, whether thou be my verj'- son Esau or
not." And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt
liim, and said, " The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are
the hands of Esau." And he discerned him not, because his
GENESIS 29
hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands: so he blessed
him.
And he said, " Art thou my verj^ son Esau? " And he said,
" I am." And he said, " Bring it near to me, and I will eat of
my son's venison, that my soul may bless thee." And he
brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him
wine, and he drank.
And his father Isaac said unto him, " Come near now, and kiss
me, my son." And he came near, and kissed him: and he
smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said,
" See, the smell of my son
Is as the smell of a field which Yahweh hath blessed;
And God give thee of the dew of heaven,
And of the fatness of the earth,
And plenty of corn and wine:
Let peoples serve thee.
And nations bow down to thee:
Be lord over thy brethren,
And let thy mother's sons bow down to thee :
Cursed be every one that curseth thee.
And blessed be every one that blesseth thee."
And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of
blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the
presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from
his hunting. And he also made savoury meat, and brought it
unto his father; and he said unto his father, " Let my father
arise, and eat of his son's venison, that thy soul may bless me."
And Isaac his father said unto him, " Who art thou? " And he
said, '' I am thy son, thy firstborn, Esau."
And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, " Who then
is he that hath taken venison, and brought it to me, and I have
eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? Yea,
and he shall be blessed."
When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an
exceeding great and bitter cry, and said unto his father, '' Bless
me, even me also, my father."
And he said, " Thy brother came with guile, and hath taken
away thy blessing."
30 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
And he said, " Is not he rightly named Jacob? For he hath
supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright;
and, behold, now he hath taken aw^ay my blessing." And he
said, " Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me? "
And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, '' Behold, I have
made him thj^ lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for
servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and
what then shall I do for thee, my son? "
And Esau said unto his father, '' Hast thou but one blessing,
my father? Bless me, even me also, my father." And Esau
lifted up his voice and wept.
And Isaac his father answered and said unto him,
" Behold, of the fatness of the earth shall be thy dwelling,
And of the dew of heaven from above;
And by thy sword shalt thou live, and thou shalt serve thy
brother ;
And it shall come to pass when thou shalt break loose,
That thou shalt shake his yoke from oE thy neck."
And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his
father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, " The days of
mourning for my father are at hand ; then will I slay my brother
Jacob."
And the words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah;
and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto
him, " Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort
hunself, purposing to kill thee. Now, therefore, my son, obey
my voice; and arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran;
and tarry with him a few days, until thy brother's fury turn
away; until thy brother's anger turn away from thee, and he
forget that which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and
fetch thee from thence: why should I be bereaved of you both
in one day? "
The Story of Jacob
And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba, and went toward Haran.
And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night,
because the sun was set; and he took one of the stones of the
place, and put it under his head, and lay down in that place to
GENESIS 31
sleep. iVnd he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth,
and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of
God ascending and descending on it. And, behold, Yahweh
stood above it, and said, " I am Yahweh, the God of Abram
thy father, and the God of Isaac : the land whereon thou liest,
to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; and thy seed shall be as the
dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and
to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and
in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And
behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee whithersoever thou
goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not
leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to
thee of."
And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, " Surely
Yahwehisin this place; and I knew it not." And he was afraid,
and said, " How dreadful is this place! This is none other but
the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."
And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone
that he had put under his head, and set it up for a pillar, and
poured oil upon the top of it. And he called the name of that
place Beth-el: but the name of the city was Luz at the first.
And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, " If God will be with me, and
will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat,
and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father's house
in peace, then shall Yahweh be my God, and this stone, which I
have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house : and of all that thou
shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee."
And he looked, and behold a v/ell in the field, and, lo, three
flocks of sheep lymg there by it; for out of that well they watered
the flocks: and the stone upon the well's mouth was great.
And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the
stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put
the stone again upon the well's mouth in its place.
And Jacob said unto them, " My brethren, whence be ye? "
And they said, " of Haran are we." And he said unto them,
" Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? " And they said, " We
know him." And he said unto them, '' Is it well with him? "
32 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
And they said, "It is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter
Cometh with the sheep." And he said, " Lo, it is yet high day,
neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together:
water ye the sheep, and go and feed them." And they said,
" We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and they
roll the stone from the well's mouth; then we water the sheep."
While yet he spake with them, Rachel came with her father's
sheep; for she kept them. And it came to pass, when Jacob
saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, that
Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and
watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother. And Jacob
kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept. And Jacob
told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was
Rebekah's son: and she ran and told her father.
And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob
his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and
kissed him, and brought hira to his house. And he told Laban
all these things. And Laban said to him, " Surely thou art my
bone and my flesh." And he abode with him the space of a
month. And Laban said unto Jacob, " Because thou art my
brother, shouldest thou, therefore, serve me for nought? Tell
me, what shall thy wages be? "
And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was
Leah, and the name of th(} younger was Rachel. And Leah's
eyes were tender; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.
And Jacob loved Rachel: and he said, " I will serve thee seven
years for Rachel thy younger daughter." And Laban said,
" It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her
to another man: abide with me."
And Jacob served seven years for Rachel : and they seemed
unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.
And Jacob said unto Laban, " Give me my wife, for my days
are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her." And Laban gathered
together all the men of the place, and made a feast. And it
came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter,
and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.
And it came to pass in the morning that, behold, it was Leah ;
and he said to Laban, " What is this thou hast done unto me?
Did not I serve with thee for Rachel? Wherefore then hast
GENESIS 33
thou beguiled me? " Aiid Laban said, '* It is not so done in
our place, to give the younger before the firstborn. Fulfil the
week of this one, and we will give thee the other also for the
service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years."
And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week. And he went in also
unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and
served with him yet seven other years.
And Yahweh saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her
womb: but Rachel was barren. And Leah conceived, and bare
a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, " Because
Yahweh hath looked upon my affliction; for now my husband
will love me." And she conceived again, and bare a son; and
said, " Because Yahweh hath heard that I am hated, he hath
therefore given me this son also"; and she called his name
Simeon. And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said,
" Now this time will my busband be joined unto me, because I
have borne him three sons": therefore, was his name called
Levi. And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said,
''This time will I praise Yahweh": therefore, she called his
name Judah; and she left bearing.
And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel
envied her sister; and she said unto Jacob, " Give me children,
or else I die." And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel:
and he said, '' Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee
the fruit of the womb? "
And she said, '' Behold my maid, Bilhah, go in unto her;
that she may bear upon my knees, and I also may obtain chil-
dren by her." And Jacob went in unto her. And Bilhah con-
ceived, and bare Jacob a son. And Rachel said, '' God hath
judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a
son ": therefore, called she his name Dan. And Bilhah Rachel's
handmaid conceived again, and bare Jacob a second sen. And
Rachel said, " With mighty wrestlings have 1 wrestled with my
sister, and have prevailed ": and she called his name Naphtali.
When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her
handmaid, and gave her to Jacob to wife. And Zilpah, Leah's
handmaid bare Jacob a son. And Leah snid, ''Fortunate,"
34 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
and she called his name Gad, And Zilpah, Leah's handmaid
bare Jacob a second son. And Leah said, '' Happy am I! For
the daughters will call me happy," and she called his name Asher.
And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found
mandrakes in the field and brought them unto his mother Leah.
Then Rachel said to Leah, " Give me, I pray thee, of thy son's
mandrakes." And she said unto her, "Is it a small matter
that thou hast taken away my husband? And wouldest thou
take away my son's mandrakes also? " And Rachel said,
" Therefore he shall lie with thee tonight for thy son's man-
drakes."
And Jacob came from the field in the evening, and Leah went
out to meet him, and said, " Thou must come in unto me; for
I have surely hired thee with my son's mandrakes?" And he
lay with her that night. And God hearkened unto Leah, and
she conceived, and bare Jacob a fifth son. And Leah said,
'' God hath given me my like, because I gave my handmaid
to my husband " ; and she called his name Issachar. And Leah
conceived again, and bare a sixth son to Jacob. And Leah
said, " God hath endowed me wdth a good dowry: now will my
husband dwell with me, because I have borne him six sons ":
and she called his name Zebulun.
And God hearkened to Rachel, and opened her womb. And
she conceived, and bare a son: and said, " God hath taken away
my reproach ": and she called his name Joseph, saying, '' Yah-
weh add to me another son."
And it came to pass, when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob
said unto Laban, " Send me away, that I may go unto mine
own place, and to my country. Give me my wives and my
children for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou
knowest my service wherewith I have served thee."
And Laban said unto him, " If now I have found favour in
thine eyes, tarry: for I have divined that Yahweh hath blessed
me for thy sake." And he said, " Appoint me thy wages, and
I will give it."
And he said unto him, " Thou knowest how I have served
thee, and how thy cattle hath fared with me. For it was little
which thou hadst before I came, and it hath increased unto
n multitude: and Yahweh hath blessed thee whithersoever
GENESIS 35
I turned: and now when shall I provide for mine owii house,
also?"
And he said, " What shall I give thee? "
And Jacob said, " Thou shalt not give me aught: if thou wilt
do this thing for me, I will again feed thy flock and keep it. I
will pass through all thy flock today, removing from thence every
speckled and spotted one, and every black one among the sheep,
and the spotted and speckled among the goats ; and of such shall
be my hire. So shall my righteousness answer for me hereafter,
when thou shalt come concerning my hire that is before thee
every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats,
and black among the sheep, that if found with me shall be
counted stolen."
And Laban said, " Behold, I would it might be according to
thy word."
And he removed that day the he-goats that were ringstraked
and spotted, and all the she-goats that were speckled and spotted,
every one that had white in it, and all the black ones among the
sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons; and he set three
days' journey betv/ixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the
rest of Laban's flocks. And Jacob took him rods of fresh poplar,
and of the almond and of the plane tree; and peeled white
strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the
rods. And he set the rods which he had peeled over against the
flocks in the gutters in the watering-troughs where the flocks
came to drink; and they conceived when they came to drink.
And the flocks conceived before the rods, and the flocks brought
forth ringstraked, speckled, and spotted. And Jacob separated
the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ringstraked
and all the black in the flock of Laban ; and he put his own droves
apart, and put them not unto Laban's flock.
And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger of the flock
did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the flock
in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods; but
when the flock were feeble, he put them not in: so the feebler
were Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's. And the man increased
exceedingly, and had large flocks, and maidservants and men-
servants, and camels and asses.
36 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, *' Jacob hath
taken away ah that was our father's; and of that which was our
father's hath he gotten all this glory." And Jacob beheld the
countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as
beforetime. And Yahweh said unto Jacob, '' Return unto
the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with
thee."
And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto
his flock, and said unto them, " I see your father's countenance
that it is not toward me as beforetime ; but the God of my father
hath been with me. And ye know that with all mj^ power I
have served your father. And your father hath deceived me,
and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to
hurt me. If he said thus, ' The speckled shall be thy wages,'
then all the flock bare speckled : and if he said thus, ' The ring-
straked shall be thy wages ' ; then bare all the flock ringstraked .
Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given
them to me. And it came to pass at the time that the flock
conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and,
behold, the he-goats which leaped upon the flock were ring-
straked, speckled, and grisled. And the angel of God said unto
me in the dream — ' Jacob ' : and I said, ' Here am I.' And he
said, ' Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the he-goats which
leap upon the flock are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I
have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee. I am the God of
Beth-el, where thou anointedst a pillar, where thou vowedst
a vow unto me : now arise, get thee out from this land, and return
unto the land of thy nativity.' "
And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, " Is there
yet any portion of inheritance for us in our father's house?
Are we not counted of him strangers? For he hath sold us, and
hath also quite devoured our money. For all the riches which
God hath taken away from our father, that is ours and our
children's: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do."
Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon the
camels; and he carried away all his cattle. Now Laban was
gone to shear his sheep; and Rachel stole the teraphim that
were her father's. And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban
the SjTian, in that he told him not that he fled. So he fled wath
GENESIS 37
all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the River, and
set his face toward the mountain of Gilead.
And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled.
And he took his brethren V\^ith him, and pursued after him seven
days' journey; and he overtook him in the mountain of Gilead.
And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream of the night, and
said unto him, '' Take heed to thyself that thou speak not to
Jacob either good or bad." And Laban came up with Jacob.
Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountain : and Laban
with his brethren pitched in the mountain of Gilead. And
Laban said to Jacob, " What hast thou done, that thou hast
stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters
as captives of the sword? Wherefore didst thou flee secretly,
and steal away from me ; and didst not tell me, that I might have
sent thee away with mirth and with songs, with tabret and with
harp; and hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daugh-
ters? Now hast thou done foolishly. It is in the power of my
hand to do you hurt : but the God of your father spake unto me
j^ester night, saying, ' Take heed to thyself that thou speak not
to Jacob either good or bad.' And now, though thou wouldest
needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father's
house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods? "
And Jacob answered and said to Laban, " Because I was
afraid; for I said. Lest thou shouldest take thy daughters from
me by force. With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, he shall
not live: before our brethren discern thou what is thine with
me, and take it to thee." For Jacob knew not that Rachel had
stolen them.
And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and
into the tent of the two maidservants; but he found them not.
And he went out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent.
Now Rachel had taken the teraphim, and put them in the camel's
furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban felt about all the
tent, but found them not. And she said to her father, " Let
not my lord be angry that I cannot rise up before thee : for the
manner of women is upon me." And he searched, but found not
the teraphim.
And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob
answered and said to Laban, " What is my trespass? What is
38 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
my sin, that thou hast hotly pursued after me? Whereas thou
felt about all mj^ stuff, what hast thou found of all thy house-
hold stuff? Set it here before my brethren and thy brethren,
that they may judge betwixt us two. This twenty years have
I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she-goats have not cast their
young, and the rams of thy flocks have I not eaten. That which
was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee: I bare the loss of it:
of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day or stolen
by night. Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me,
and the frost by night; and my sleep fled from mine eyes.
These twenty years have I been in thy house; I served thee
fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy flock:
and thou hast changed my wages ten times. Except the God of
my father, the God of Abram, and the Fear of Isaac, had been
with me, surely now hadst thou sent me away empty. God hath
seen mine affliction, and the labour of my hands, and rebuked
thee yesternight."
And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, " The daughters
are my daughters, and the children are my children, and the
flocks are my flocks, and all that seest is mine: and what can I
do this da}^ unto these my daughters, or unto their children which
they have borne? And now come, let us make a covenant,
I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee."
And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar. And Jacob
said unto his brethren, " Gather stones "; and they took stones,
and made an heap; and they did eat there by the heap. And
Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha : but Jacob called it Galeed.
And Laban said, " This heap is witness between me and thee
this day." Therefore was the name of it called Galeed: and
Mizpah, for he said, ^' Yahweh watch between me and thee, when
wc are absent one from another. If thou shalt afflict my daugh-
ters, and if thou shalt take wives beside my daughters, no man
is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me and thee."
And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother
unto the land of Seir, the field of Edom. And he commanded
them, saying, "Thus shall ye say unto my lord Esau: 'Thus
saith thy servant Jacob, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed
GENESIS 39
until now: and I have oxen, and asses and flocks, and menser-
vants and maidservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I
may find grace in thy sight.' "
And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, " We came to
thy brother Esau, and moreover he cometh to meet thee, and
four hundred men with him."
Then Jacob was greatly afraid and was distressed: and he
divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and the
herds, and the camels, into two companies; and he said, "If
Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the company
which is left shall escape."
And Jacob said, " God of my father Abram, and God of
my father Isaac, Yahweh, which saidst unto me. Return unto
thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will do thee good: I
am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth,
which thou hast shewed unto thy servant: for with my staff
I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two companies.
Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the
hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he come and smite me, the
mother with the children. And thou saidst, I will surely do thee
good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be
numbered for multitude."
And he lodged there that night ; and took of that which he had
with him a present for Esau his brother; two hundred she-goats
and twenty he-goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams,
thirty milch camels and their colts, forty kine and ten bulls,
twenty she-asses and ten foals. And he delivered them into the
hand of his servants, every drove by itself; and said unto his
servants, " Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove
and drove." And he commanded the foremost, saying, '' When
Esau my brother meetest thee, and asketh thee, saying, ' Whose
art thou? And whither goest thou? And whose are these
before thee? ' then thou shalt say, 'They be thy servant Jacob's;
it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and behold, he also is
behind us.' " And he commanded also the second, and the
third, and all that followed the droves, saying, '' On this manner
shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him; and ye shall say;
* Moreover, behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us.' " For he
said, " I will appease him with the present that goeth before me.
40 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept
me." So the present passed over before him: and he himself
lodged that night in the company.
And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his
two handmaids, and his eleven children, and passed over the
ford of Jabbok. And he took them, and sent them over the
stream, and sent over that he had. And Jacob was left alone;
and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the
day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he
touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's
thigh was strained, as he wrestled with him.
And he said, " Let me go, for the day breaketh." And he
said, " I will not let thee go, except thou bless me." And he
said unto him, " What is thy name? " And he said, " Jacob."
And he said, " Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but
Israel: for thou hast striven wath God and with men, and hast
prevailed." And Jacob asked him, and said, " Tell me, I pray
thee, thy name." And he said, " Wherefore is it that thou
dost ask after my name? "
And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the
place Peniel; for, said he, I have seen God face to face, and my
life is preserved. And the sun rose upon him as he passed over
Penuel, and he halted upon his thigh. Therefore, the children
of Israel eat not the sinew of the hip which is upon the hollow
of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of
Jacob's thigh in the sinew of the hip.
And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau
came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the
children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two hand-
maids. And he put the handmaids and their children foremost,
and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hinder-
most. And he himself passed over before them, and bowed him-
self to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his
neck, and kissed him; and they wept. And he lifted up his
eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, " Who are
these with thee? " And he said, '' The children which God hath
GENESIS 41
graciously given thy servant." Then the handmaids came near
they and their children, and they bowed themselves. And
Leah also and her children came near, and bowed themselves:
and after came Joseph near and Eachel, and they bowed them-
selves. And he said, " What meanest thou by all this company
which I m^et? " And he said, " To find grace in the sight of my
lord." And Esau said, " I have enough; my brother, let that
thou hast be thine." And Jacob said, " Nay, I pray thee, if now
I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my
hand; forasmuch as I have seen thy face, as one seeth the face
of God, and thou wast pleased with me. Take, I pray thee, my
gift that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously
with me, and because I have enough."
And he urged him, and he took it. And he said, " Let us take
our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee." And he
said unto him, '^ My lord knoweth that the children are tender
and that the flocks and herds with me give suck: and if they
overdrive them one day, all the flocks w411 die. Let my lord, I
pray thee, pass over before his servant : and I will lead on softly,
according to the pace of the cattle that is before me and according
to the pace of the children, until I come unto my lord unto
Seir." And Esau said, " Let me now leave with thee some of the
folk that are with me." And he said, '' What needeth it? Let
me find grace in the sight of my Lord." So Esau returned that
day on his way unto Seir. And Jacob journeyed to Succoth,
and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: there-
fore the name of the place is called Succoth.
And they journeyed from Beth-el; and there was still some
way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had
hard labour. And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour,
that the midwife said unto her, " Fear not; for now thou shalt
have another son." And it came to pass, as her soul was in
departing (for she died), that she called his name Be-noni; but
his father called him Benjamin. And Rachel died and was
buried in the way to Ephrath (the name is Beth-lehem). And
Jacob set up a pillar upon her grave: the same is the Pillar of
Rachel's grave unto this day.
42 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond the tower of
Eder. And it came to pass, while Israel dwelt in that land, that
Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine: and
Israel heard of it.
xVnd theise are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom,
before there reigned any king over the children of Israel. And
Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom ; and the name of his city
was Dinhabah. And Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of
Bozrah reigned in his stead. And Jobab died, and Husham of
the land of the Temnaties reigned in his stead. And Husham
died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who smote Midian in the
field of Moab, reigned in his stead : and the name of his city was
Avith. And Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in
his stead. And Samlah died, and Shaul of Rehoboth by the
River reigned in his stead. And Shaul died, and Baal-hanan
the son of Achbor reigned in his stead. And Baal-hanan the
son of Achbor died, and Hadar reigned in his stead: and the
name of his city v/as Pau; and his wife's name was Mehetabel,
the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Me-zahab.
The Story of Joseph
Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with
his brethren; and he was a lad with the sous of Bilhah, and wth
the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought the
evil report of them unto their father. Now Israel loved Joseph
more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age:
and he made him a coat of many colors. And his brethren saw
that their father loved him more than all his brethren; and they
hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.
And his brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem.
And Israel said unto Joseph, " Do not thy brethren feed the
flock in Shechem? Come, and I will send thee unto them."
So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to
Shechem.
And before he came near unto them, they conspired against
him to slaj' him. And Reuben heard it, and delivered him out
of their hand; and said, " Let us not take his life."
GENESIS 43
And they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a travel-
ing company of Ishmaelites came from Gilead, with their camels
bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to
Egypt. And Judah said unto his brethren, " What profit is it if
we slay our brother and conceal his blood? Come, and let us
sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him;
for he is our brother, our flesh."
And his brethren hearkened unto hun and sold Joseph to the
Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver.
And they sent the coat of many colours; and their father said,
" Joseph is without doubt torn in pieces." And all his sons ancl
all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be
comforted; and he said, " For I will go down to the grave to my
son mourning." And his father wept for him.
And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from
his brethren, and turned in to a certain AduUamite, whose name
was Hirah. And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Ca-
naanite whose name was Shua; and he took her, and went in
unto her. And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called
his name Er. And she conceived again, and bare a son; and
she called his name Onan. And she yet again bare a son, and
called his name Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bare
him. And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name
was Tamar.
And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of Yahweh;
and Yahweh slew him. And Judah said unto Onan, " Go in
unto thy brother's wife, and perform the duty of an husband's
brother unto her, and raise up seed to thy brother." And Onan
knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass,
when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the
ground, lest he should give seed to his brother. And the thing
which he did was evil in the sight of Yahweh: and he slew him
also.
Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter-in-law, ** Remain a
widow in thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown up:
for," he said, " Lest he also die, like his brethren." And Tamar
went and dwelt in her father's house.
44 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
And in process of time Shua's daughter, the wife of Judah,
died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheep-
shearers to Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.
And it was told Tamar, saying, " Behold, thy father-in-law
goeth up to Timnah to shear his sheep."
And she put off from her the garments of her widowhood, and
covered herself with her veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in
the gate of Enaim, which is by the way to Timnah; for she saw
that Shelah was grown up, and she was not given unto him to
wife. When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot;
for she had covered her face. And he turned unto her by the
way, and said, " Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee ":
for he knew not that she was his daughter-in-law. And she
said, '' What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto
me? " And he said, " I will send thee a kid of the goats from
the flock." And she said, " Wilt thou give me a pledge, till
thou send it? " And he said, " Wliat pledge shall I give thee? "
And she said, " Thy signet and thy cord, and thy staff that is in
thine hand." And he gave them to her, and came in unto her,
and she conceived by him.
And she arose, and went away, and put off her veil from her,
and put on the garments of her widowhood. And Judah sent
the kid of the goats by the hand of his friend the Adullamite,
to receive the pledge from the woman's hand; but he found her
not. Then he asked the men of her place, saying, " Where is
the harlot, that was at Enaim by the way side? " And they
said, " There hath been no harlot here." And he returned to
Judah, and said, " I have not found her "; and also the men of
the place said, " There hath been no harlot here." And Judah
said, " Let her take it to her, lest we be put to shame: behold, I
sent this kid, and thou hast not found her."
And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told
Judah, saying, " Tamar thy daughter-in-law hath played the
harlot; and moreover, behold, she is with child by whoredom."
And Judah said, " Bring her forth, and let her be burnt."
When she was brought forth, she sent to her father-in-law,
saying, " By the man, whose these are, am I with child ": and
she said, " Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and
the cords, and the staff." And Judah acknowledged them, and
GENESIS 45
said, " She is more righteous than I; forasmuch as I gave her
not to Shelah my son." And he knew her again no more.
And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, l:)ehold,
twins were in her womb. And it came to pass, when she tra-
vailed, that one put out a hand : and the midwife took and bound
upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, " This came out first."
And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold,
his brother came out: and she said, " Wherefore hast thou made
a breach for thyself? " Therefore, his name was called Perez.
And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread
upon his hand, and his name was called Zerah.
And Joseph was brouglit down to Egypt; an Egyptian
l:)OUght him of the hand of the Ishmaelites, which had brought
him down thither. And Yahweh was with Joseph, and he was a
prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the
Egyptian. And his master saw that Yahweh was with him, and
that Yahv/eh made all that he did to prosper in his hand. And
Joseph found grace in his sight, and he ministered unto him:
and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he
put into his hand. And it came to pass from the time that he
made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that
Yahweh blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the
blessing of Yahweh was upon all that he had, in the house and
in the field. And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and
he knew not aught that was with him, save the bread which he
did eat.
And Joseph was comely, and v/ell favoured. And it came to
pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon
Joseph; and she said, " Lie with me." But he refused, and said
unto his master's wife, '' Behold, my master knoweth not what
is with me in the house, and he hath put all that he hath into
my hand; there is none greater in this house than I; neither
hath he kept back anj^thing from me but thee, because thou art
his wife : how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against
God? " And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by
day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her or to be with
her. And it came to pass about this time, that he went into
46 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
the house to do his work; and there was none of the men of the
house there within. And she caught him by his garment, say-
ing, " Lie with me "; and he left his garment in her hand, and
fled, and got him out.
And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment
in her hand, and was fled forth, that she called unto the men of
her house, and spake unto them, saying, " See, he hath brought
in an Hebrew unto us to mock us ; he came in unto me to lie with
me, and I cried with a loud voice : and it came to pass, when he
heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his gar-
ment by me, and fled, and got him out."
And she laid up his garment by her, until his master came
home. And she spake unto him according to these words, say-
ing, " The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us,
came in unto me to mock me: and it came to pass, as I lifted up
my voice and cried, that he left his garment by me, and fled
out." And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of
his wife, which spake unto hun, sajdng, " After this manner did
thy servant to me "; that his wrath was kindled.
And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison,
the place where the king's prisoners were bound; and he was
there in the prison. But Yahweh was with Joseph, and shewed
kindness unto him, and gave him favour in the sight of the
keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed
to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and
whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. The keeper of
the prison looked not to anything that was under his hand, be-
cause Yahweh was with him; and that which he did, Yahweh
made it to prosper.
Now, therefore, let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise,
and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh do this, and
let him appoint overseers over the land, and take up the fifth
part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. And
let them gather all the food of these good years that come, and
lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and
let them keep it. And the food shall be for a store to the land
against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of
GENESIS 47
Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine. And the
thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his
servants. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, " See, I have set
thee over all the land of Egypt."
And Pharaoh took off his signet ring from his hand, and put it
upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen,
and put a gold chain about his neck; and he made him to ride
in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him,
'' Bow the knee "; and he set him over all the land of Egypt.
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, " I am Pharaoh, and without
thee shall no man lift up his hand or his foot in all the land of
Egypt." And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphenath-
paneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Poti-
phera, priest of On. And Joseph went out over the land of
Egypt.
And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by
handfuls. And he gathered up all the food of the seven years
which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the
cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city
laid he up in the same. And Joseph laid up corn as the sand of
of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was mth-
out number.
And the seven years of plenty, that was in the land of Egypt
came to an end. And the seven years of famine began to come,
according as Joseph had said: and there was famine in all lands;
but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. And when all the
land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for
bread; and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, "Go unto
Joseph; what he saith to you, do." And the famine was over
all the face of the earth : and Joseph opened all the storehouses,
and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine was sore in the
land of Egypt. And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph
for to buy corn; because the famine was sore in all the earth.
Now Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, and Jacob said
unto his sons, " Why do ye look one upon another? " And he
said, " Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt; get
you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live,
48 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
and not die." And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy
corn from Egypt. But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent
not with his brethren; for he said, " Lest perad venture mischief
befall him."
And the sons of Israel came to hny among those that came:
for the famine was in the land of Canaan. And Joseph was the
governor over the land; he it was that sold to all the people of
the land: and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down them-
selves to him with their faces to the earth. And Joseph saw his
brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them
and spake roughly with them; and he said unto them, " Whence
come ye? " And they said, " From the land of Canaan to buy
food."
And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender
in the lodging place, he espied his money; and, behold, it was in
the mouth of his sack. And he said unto his brethren, " My
money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack "; and their
heart failed them, and they turned tremljling one to another.
And he said, " My son shall not go down with you; for his
brother is dead, and he only is left: if mischief befall him by the
way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs
with sorrow to the grave."
And the famine was sore in the land. And it came to pass,
when they had eaten up the corn, which they had brought out of
Egypt, their father said unto them, " Go again, buy us a little
food." And Judah spake unto him, saying, '* The man did
solemnly protest unto us, sajdng, ' Ye shall not see my face,
except your brother be with you.' If thou \nlt send our brother
with us, we will go dov/n and buy thee food : but if thou wilt not
send him, we will not go down: for the man said unto us, ' Ye
shall not see my face, except j^our brother be with you.' "
And Israel said, '' Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell
the man whether ye had yet a brother? " And they said, " The
man asked straitly concerning ourselves, and concerning our
kindred, saying, ' Is your father yet alive? Have ye another
brother? ' And we told him according to the tenor of these
words : could we in any wise know that he would say, ' Bring
your brother down? ' " And Judah said unto Israel his father,
" Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may
GENESIS 49
live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones.
I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him:
if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me
bear the blame forever: for except we had lingered, surely we
had now returned a second time."
And their father Israel said unto them, " If it be so now, do
this; take of the choice fruits of the land in your vessels, and
carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey,
spicery and myi'rh, nuts, and almonds: and take double money
in 3^our hand ; and the money that was returned in the mouth of
your sacks carry again in your hand; perad venture it was an
oversight; take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the
man."
And the men took that present, and they took double money in
their hand, and Benjamin ; and rose up, and went down to Egypt,
and stood before Joseph. And when Joseph saw Benjamin with
them, he said to the steward of his house, '' Bring the men into
the house, and slay, and make ready; for the men shall dine with
me at noon." And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man
brought the men into Joseph's house.
And the men w^re afraid, because they were brought into
Joseph's house; and they said, '' Because of the money that was
returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that
he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us
for bondmen, and our asses." And they came near to the
steward of Joseph's house, and they spake unto him at the door
of the house, and said, ''Oh, my lord, we came indeed dow'n at the
first time to buy food : and it came to pass, when we came to the
lodging place, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every
man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full
weight: and we have brought it again in our hand. And other
money have we brought down in our hand to buy food : we know
not who put our money in our sacks." And he said, " Peace
be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath
given you treasure in your sacks: I had your mone3\"
And the man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave
them water, and they washed their feet ; and he gave their asses
provender. And they made ready the present against Joseph
came at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.
50 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present
which was in their hand into the house, and bowed down them-
selves to him to the earth. And he asked them of their welfare,
and said, " Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake?
Is he j^et alive? " And they said, " Thy servant our father is
well, he is yet alive." And they bowed the head, and made
obeisance. And he lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin his
brother, his mother's son, and said, " Is this j^our youngest
brother, of whom ye spake unto me? " And he said, " God be
gracious unto thee, my son."
And Joseph m.ade haste; for his bov/els did yearn upon his
brother : and he sought where to weep ; and he entered into his
chamber, and wept there. And he washed his face, and came
out; and he refrained himself, and said, " Set on bread." And
they set on for him by himseh, and for them by themselves, and
for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves; be-
cause the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews;
for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians. And they sat
before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the
youngest according to his j^outli: and the men marvelled one
with another. And he took and sent messes unto them from be-
fore him: but Benjamin's mess was five times so much as any of
theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.
And lie commanded tlie steward of his house, saj'ing, " Fill
the men's sacks with food, as much as thej^ can carry, and put
every man's money in his sack's mouth. And put my cup, the
silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the j^oungest, and his corn
monej^" And he did according to the word that Joseph had
spoken.
As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they
and their asses. And when they were gone out of the city, and
were not j^et far off, Joseph said unto his steward, '' Up, foUow
after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto
them, ' AMierefore have ye rewarded evil for good? Is not this
it in which mj- lord drinketh, and whereby he indeed divineth?
Ye have done e\dl in so doing.' " And he overtook them, and
he spake unto them these words.
GENESIS 61
And they said unto him, " Wherefore speaketh my lord such
words as these? God forbid that thy servants should do such a
thing. Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks' mouths,
we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan : how then
should we steal out of thj'' lord's house silver or gold? With
whomsoever of th}^ servants it be found, let him die, and we
also will be my lord's bondmen." And he said, " Now also
let it be according unto your vrords : he with whom it is found
shall be my bondman; and ye shall be blameless."
Then they hasted, and took do'^m every man his sack to the
ground, and opened every man his sack. And he searched, and
began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was
found in Benjamin's sack. Then they rent their clothes, and
laded every man his ass, and returned to the city. And Judah
and his brethren came to Joseph's house; and he was yet there
and they fell before him on the ground.
And Joseph said unto them, " What deed is this that ye have
done? Know ye not that such a man as I can indeed divine? "
And Judah said, " What shall we say unto my lord? What
shall we speak? Or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath
found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord's
bondmen, both we, and he also in whose hand the cup is found."
And he said, '' God forbid that I should do so : the man in whose
hand the cup is found, he shall be my bondman; but as for you,
get you up in peace unto your father."
Then Judah came near unto him, and said, " Oh my lord, let
thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let
not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as
Pharaoh. My lord asked his servants, saying, ' Have ye a
father, or a brother? ' And we said unto my lord, ' We have a
father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and
his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his
father loveth him.' And thou saidst unto thy servants, ' Bring
him dowm unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him.' And we
said unto my lord, * The lad cannot leave his father: for if he
should leave his father, the father would die.' And thou saidst
unto thy servants, ' Except your youngest brother come down
with you, ye shall see my face no more.' And it came to pass
when we came up unto thy servant my father, we told him the
52 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
words of my lord. And our father said, ' Go again, buy us a
little food.' And we said, ' We cannot go down: if our youngest
brother be with us, then will we go down: for we may not see
the man's face, except our youngest brother be with us.' And
thy servant my father said unto us, ' Ye know that my wife
bare me two sons: and the one went out from me, and I said,
" Surely he is torn in pieces "; and I have not seen him since:
and if ye take this one also from me, and mischief befall him, ye
shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.' Now,
therefore, when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be
not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life;
it shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us,
that he will die : and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs
of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave. For thy
servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, ' If
I bring him not unto thee, then shall I bear the blame to my
father for ever.' Now, therefore, let tliy servant, I pray thee,
abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad
go up with his brethren. For how shall I go up to my father,
and the lad be not with me? Lest I see the evil that shall come
on my father."
Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that
stood by him; and he cried, '' Cause every man to go out from
me." And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made
himself known unto his brethren. And he wept aloud: and the
Egyptians heard, and the house of Pharaoh lieard. And Joseph
said unto his brethren, ^' I am Joseph; doth my father yet
live? " And his brethren could not answer him; for thej^ were
troubled at his presence. And Joseph said unto his brethren,
" Come near to me, I pray you." And they came near. And
he said, " I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.
And now be not grieved, nor angrj^ with j^ourselves, that 3''e sold
me hither: for God did send me before 3'ou to preserve life.
For these two \^ears hath the famine been in the land: and
there are yet five j^ears, in the which there shall be neither
plowing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve
you a remnant in the earth, and to save you alive by a
GENESIS 53
great deliverance. So now it was not you that sent me
hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh,
and lord of all his house, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.
Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, ' Thus
saith thy son Joseph, " God hath made me lord of all
Egypt : come down unto me, tarry not : and thou shalt dwell in
the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and
thy children, and thy children's children, and thy flocks, and
thy herds, and all that thou hast: and there will I nourish thee;
for there are yet five years of famine; lest thou come to poverty,
thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast! " ' And, be-
hold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that
it is my mouth that speaketh unto you. And ye shall tell my
father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen;
and ye shall haste and bring clown my father hither." And he
fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin
wept upon his neck. And he kissed all his brethren, and wept
upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.
And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying,
" Joseph's brethren are come"; and it pleased Pharaoh well,
and his servants. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, " Say unto
thy brethren, ' This do ye; lade your beasts, and go, get you
unto the land of Canaan ; and take your father and your house-
holds, and come unto me: and I will give you the good of the
land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land. Now thou
art commanded, this do ye; take your wagons out of the land
of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring
your father, and come. Also regard not your stufT; for the
good of all the land of Egypt is yours.' "
And the sons of Israel did so : and Joseph gave them wagons,
according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them
provision for the way. To all of them he gave each man
changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred
pieces of silver, and five changes of raiment. And to his father
he sent after this manner; ten asses laden with the good things
of Egypt, and ten she-asses laden with corn and bread and
victual for his father by the way. So he sent his brethren away
and they departed: and he said unto them, " See that ye fall
not out by the way."
54 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of
Canaan unto Jacob their father. And they told him, saying,
^' Joseph is yet alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt."
And his heart fainted, for he believed them not. And they
told him all the words of Joseph, v/hich he had said unto them:
and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry
him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived: and Israel said,
'' It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him
before I die."
And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to
Beer-sheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father
Isaac. And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night,
and said, " Jacob, Jacob." And he said, " Here am I." And he
said, " I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down
into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation:
I will go down with thee into Egypt: and I will also surely
bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon
thine eyes." And Jacob rose up from Beer-sheba; and the
sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones,
and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry
him.
And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to shew the way
before him unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen.
And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel
his father, to Goshen; and he presented himself unto hhn, and
fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while. And Israel
said unto Joseph, '^ Now let me die, since I have seen thy face,
that thou art yet alive."
And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his father's house,
" I will go up, and tell Pharaoh, and will say unto him, ' My
brethren, and my father's house, which were in the land of Ca-
naan, are come unto me; and the men are shepherds, for they
have been keepers of cattle; and they have brought their flocks,
and their herds, and all that they have.' And it shall come to
pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say, ' What is your
occupation? ' that ye shall say, ' Tby servants have been keep-
ers of cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and our
GENESIS 55
fathers! ' that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every
shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians."
Then Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, and said, '' My father
and my brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that
they have, are come out of the land of Canaan; and, behold,
they are in the land of Goshen." And from among his brethren
he took five men, and presented them unto Pharaoh. And
Pharaoh said unto his brethren, '' What is your occupation? "
And they said unto Pharaoh, " Thy servants are shepherds,
both we, and our fathers." And they said unto Pharaoh, " To
sojourn in the land are we come; for there is no pasture for thy
servants' flocks; for the famine is sore m the land of Canaan:
now, therefore, w:e pray thee, let thy servants dwell in the land
of Goshen." And Pharaoh said, " In the land of Goshen let
them dwell: and if thou knowest any able men among them,
then make them rulers over my cattle."
And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his
father's household, with bread, according to their families.
And there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was
very sore, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan
fainted by reason of the famine. And Joseph gathered up all the
money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of
Canaan, for the corn which they bought: and Joseph brought
the money into Pharaoh's house.
And v/hen the money was all spent in the land of Egypt, and
in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and
said, " Give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence?
For our money faileth." And Joseph said, " Give your cattle;
and I will give you for your cattle, if money fail." And thej''
brought their cattle unto Joseph: and Joseph gave them bread
in exchange for the horses, and for the flocks, and for the herds,
and for the asses: and he fed them with bread in exchange for
all their cattle for that year.
And when that year was ended, they came unto him, the
second year, and said unto him, " We will not hide from my lord,
how that our monej^ is all spent; and the herds of cattle are my
lord's; there is nought left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies.
56 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
and our lands: wherefore should we die before thme eyes,
both we and our land? Buy us and our land for bread, and
we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh: and give
us seed, that we may live, and not die, and that the land be not
desolate."
So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the
Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine was sore
upon them; and the land became Pharaoh's. And as for the
people, he removed them to the cities from one end of the border
of Egypt even to the other end thereof. Only the land of the
priests bought he not : for the priests had a portion from Pharaoh,
and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave them; wherefore
they sold not their land.
Then Joseph said unto the people, " Behold, I have bought you
this day and j^our land for Pharaoh : lo, here is seed for you, and
ye shall sow the land. And it shall come to pass at the ingather-
ings, that ye shall give a fifth unto Pharaoh, and four parts shall
be your o\mi, for seed of the field, and for your food, and for them
of your households, and for food for your little ones." And they
said, " Thou hast saved our lives: let us find grace in the sight
of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh's servants."
And Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt
unto this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth; only the land
of the priests alone became not Pharaoh's. And Israel dwelt in
the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen.
And the time drew near that Israel must die: And he called
his son Joseph, and said unto him, " If now I have found grace
in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal
kindly and truly with me; burj^ me not, I pray thee, in Egypt:
but w^hen I sleep with my fathers, thou shaft carry me out of
Egypt, and bury me in their bur\dng-place." And he said,
" I will do as thou hast said." And he said, '' Swear unto me ":
and he sware unto him. And Israel bowed himself upon the
bed's head.
And it came to pass after these things, that one said to Joseph,
" Behold, thy father is sick "; and he took with him his two
sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. And one told Jacob, and said,
GENESIS 57
'' Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee ": and Israel
strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.
And Jacob said, " And as for me, when I came from Paddan,
Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when there
was still some way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her
there in the waj^ to Ephrath (the same is Beth-lehem)."
And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, " Who are these?"
And Joseph said unto his father, '' They are my sons, whom God
hath given me here." And he said, " Bring them, I pray thee,
unto me, and I ^vill bless them." Now the eyes of Israel were
dim for age, so that he could not see. And he brought them
near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced them. And
Israel said unto Joseph, " I had not thought to see thy face:
and lo, God hath let me see thy seed also." And Joseph brought
them out from between his knees; and he bowed himself with
his face to the earth. And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in
his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his
left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near
unto him. And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it
upon Epln-aim's head, who was the j^ounger, and his left hand
upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Ma-
nasseh was the firstborn.
And he blessed Joseph, and said, '' The God before whom ray
fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which hath
fed me all my life long unto this day, the angel which hath
redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name
be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and
Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the
earth."
And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon
the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his
father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manas-
seh's head. And Joseph said unto his father, " Not so, my
father: for this is the firstborn: put thy right hand upon his
head." And his father refused, and said, '' I know it, my son,
I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be
great: howbeit his younger brother shall be greater than he, and
his seed shall become a multitude of nations." And he blessed
them that day, saying, '' In thee shall Israel bless, saying, 'God
58 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh ' " : and he set Ephraim
before Manasseh.
And Israel said unto Joseph, " Behold, I die: but God shall
be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers.
Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren,
which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and
with mv bow."
And Jacob called unto his sons, and said: " Gather yourselves
together, that I may tell j^ou that which shall befall you in the
latter daj^s.
Assemble yourselves, and hear, ye sons of Jacob;
And hearken unto Israel j^our father.
Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning
of my strength ;
The excellencj'' of dignity, and the excellency of power.
Unstable as water, thou shalt not have the excellency;
Because thou wentest up to thy father's bed:
Then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.
Simeon and Levi are brethren;
Weapons of violence are their swords.
my soul, come not thou into their council;
Unto their assembly, my glory, be not thou united;
For in their anger they slew a man.
And in their self will they houghed an ox.
Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce;
And their wrath, for it was cruel:
1 will divide them in Jacob,
And scatter them in Israel.
Judah, thee shall thy brethren praise:
Thy hand shall be on the neck of thine enemies;
Thy father's sons shall bow down before thee.
Judah is a lion's whelp;
From the prey, my son, thou art gone up :
GENESIS 59
He stooped down, he couched as a lion,
And as a lioness; who shall rouse him up?
The sceptre shall not depart from Judah,
Nor the ruler's staff from between his feet,
Until Shiloh come;
And unto him shall the obedience of the peoples be.
Binding his foal unto the vine.
And his ass's colt unto the choice vine;
He hath washed his garments in wine,
And his vesture in the blood of grapes:
His eyes shall be red with wine,
And his teeth white with milk.
Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea ;
And he shall be for an haven of ships;
And his border shall be upon Zidon.
Isaachar is a strong ass,
Couching down between the sheepfolds:
And he saw a resting place that it was good,
And the land that it was pleasant ;
And he bowed his shoulder to bear,
And became a servant under taskwork.
Dan shall judge his people,
As one of the tribes of Israel.
Dan shall be a serpent in the way,
An adder in the path,
That biteth the horse's heels,
So that his rider falleth backward,
I have waited for thy salvation, Yahweh.
Gad, a troop shall press upon him:
But he shall press upon their heel.
60 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
Out of Asher his bread shall be fat,
And he shall yield royal dainties.
Naphtali is a hind let loose :
He giveth goodlj^ words.
Joseph is a fruitful bough,
A fruitful bough by a fountain ;
His branches run over the wall.
The archers have sorely grieved him,
And shot at him, and persecuted him:
But his bow abode in strength,
And the arms of his hands were made strong.
By the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob,
(From thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel),
Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee,
And by the Almighty, who shall bless thee.
With blessings of heaven above,
Blessings of the deep that couchcth beneath.
Blessings of the breasts, and of the womb.
The blessings of thy father
Have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors
Unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills:
They shall be on the head of Joseph,
And on the crown of the head of him that was separate from
his brethren.
Benjamin is a wolf that ravineth:
In the morning he shall devour the prey.
And at even he shall divide tlie spoil."
He gathered up his feet into the bed.
And Joseph fell upon his father's face, and wept upon him, and
kissed him. And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians
to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel.
GENESIS 61
And forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the
days of embalming: and the Egyptians wept for him threescore
and ten days.
And when the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spake
unto the house of Pharaoh, saying, '' If now I have found grace
in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying,
' My father made me swear, saying, " Lo, I die: in my grave
which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt
thou bury me." Now therefore let me go up, I pray thee, and
bury my father, and I will come again.' " And Pharaoh said,
" Go up, and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear."
And Joseph went up to bury his father : and with him w^ent up
all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the
elders of the land of Egypt, and all the house of Joseph, and his
brethren, and his father's house: only their little ones, and their
flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen. And
there went up with him both chariots and horsemen : and it was
a very great company.
And they came to the threshing-floor of Atad, which is beyond
Jordan, and there they lamented with a verj'' great and sore
lamentation: and he made a mourning for his father seven
days. And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites
saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, " This is a
grievous mourning to the Egyptians: " wherefore, the name of it
was called Abel-mizraim, which is beyond Jordan.
And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and his brethren, and
all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried
his father.
EXODUS
EXODUS
The Story of Moses
And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.
Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph.
And he said unto his people, " Behold, the people of the children
of Israel are more and mightier than we: come, let us deal wisely
with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when
there falleth out any war, they also join themselves unto our
enemies, and fight against us, and get them up out of the land."
Therefore they did set over them task-masters to afflict them
with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh store-cities,
Pithom and Raamses. But the more they afflicted them, the
more they multipUed and the more they spread abroad. And
they were grieved because of the children of Israel.
And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown
up, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their
l)urdens : and he saw an Egyptian smiting a Hebrew, one of his
brethren. And he looked this way and that way, and when he
saw that there was no man, he smote the Egyptian, and hid him
in the sand. And he went out the second day, and, behold, two
men of the Hebrews were striving together : and he said to him
that did the wrong, " Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? " And
he said, '' Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? tliink-
est thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? " And Moses
feared, and said, " Surely the thing is known." Now when
Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses
fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian:
and he sat down by a well.
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they
came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their
66 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
father's flock. And the shepherds came and drove them away;
but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.
And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, " How is
it that ye are come so soon to-day? " And they said, " An
Egj^ptian dehvered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and
moreover he drew water for us, and watered the flock." And he
said unto his daughters, "And where is he? why is it that ye
have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread." And
Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses
Zipporah his daughter. And she bare a son, and he called his
name Gershom; for he said, I have been a sojourner in a
foreign land.
And it came to pass in the course of those many days, that
the king of Egypt died .... And the angel of Yahweh appeared
unto Moses in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and
he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush
was not consumed. And Moses said, '^ I will turn aside now,
and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt." And
Yahweh saw that he turned aside to see, and Moses said,
" Here am I." And he said, '' Draw not nigh hither : put off thy
shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is
holy ground." And Yahweh said, " I have surely seen the
affliction of my people that are in Egj^pt, and have heard their
cry by reason of their task-masters; for I know their sorrows;
and I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the
Egyptians, and to luring them up out of that land unto a good
land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey ; unto
the place of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and
the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite. And now,
behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: Go.
and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them,' Yah-
weh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abram, of Isaac,
and of Jacob, hath appeared unto me, saying, " I have surely
visited you, and seen that which is done to yoxi in Egypt:
and I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt
unto the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite,
and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, unto a
land flowing with milk and honey." And they shall hearken to
EXODUS 67
thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel,
unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, ' Yahweh,
the God of the Hebrews, hath met with us : and now let us go,
we pray thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we
may sacrifice to Yahweh our God.' "
And Moses answered and said, " But, behold, they will not
believe me, nor hearken unto my voice; for they will say,
Yahweh hath not appeared unto thee." And Yahweh said
unto him, " What is that in thy hand? " And he said, " A rod."
And he said, '' Cast it on the ground." And he cast it on the
ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.
And Yahweh said unto Moses, " Put forth thy hand, and take it
by the tail ": (and he put forth his hand, and laid hold of it,
and it became a rod in his hand:) " that they may believe that
Yahweh, the God of their fathers, the God of Abram, the God
of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee." And
Yahweh said furthermore unto him, " Put now thy hand into thy
bosom." And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he
took it out, behold, his hand was leprous, as white as snow.
And he said, " Put thy hand into thy bosom again." (And he
put his hand into his bosom again; and when he took it out of
his bosom, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh). "And
it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken
to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of
the latter sign. And it shall come to pass, if they will not be-
lieve even these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that
thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the
dry land : and the water which thou takest out of the river shall
become blood upon the dry land."
And Moses said unto Yahweh, " Oh, Lord, I am not eloquent,
neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thj'- servant;
for I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue." And Yahweh
said unto him, '' Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh
a man dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? is it not I, Yahweh?
Now therefore, go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee
what thou shalt speak."
iVnd Yahweh said unto Moses in Midian, "Go, return into
68 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life." And
Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass,
and he returned to the land of Egypt. And it came to pass on
the way at the lodging-place, that Yahweh met him, and sought
to kill him. Then Zipporah took a flint, and cut off the foreskin
of her son, and cast it at his feet; and she said, '^ Surely a bride-
groom of blood art thou to me." So he let him alone. Then
she said, " A bridegroom of blood art thou, because of the cir-
cumcision."
And Moses went and gathered together all the elders of the
children of Israel: and did the signs in the sight of the people.
And the people believed: and when they heard that Yahweh
had visited the children of Israel, and that he had seen their
affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.
And they said, '' The God of the Hebrews hath met with us:
let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the wilderness,
and sacrifice unto Yahweh our God; lest he fall upon us with
pestilence, or with the sword." And the king of Egypt, Pharaoh
said, " Behold, the people of the land are now many, and j^e
make them rest from their burdens." And the same day Pha-
raoh commanded the taskmasters of the people, and their
officers, saying, " Ye shall no more give the people straw to
make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for
themselves. And the number of the bricks, which they did make
heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish aught
thereof: for they are idle; therefore they cry, saying, ' Let us go
and sacrifice to our God.' Let heavier work be laid upon the
men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard
lying words."
And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers,
and they spake to the people, saying, " Thus saith Pharaoh, I
wdll not give you straw. Go yourselves, get you straw where ye
can find it: for nought of your work shall be diminished." So
the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of
Egypt to gather stubble for straw. And the taskmasters were
urgent, saying, " Fulfil j^our works, your daily tasks, as when
there w\as straw. And the officers of the children of Israel,
EXODUS 69
whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten,
and demanded, " Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task both
yesterday and today, in making brick as heretofore? "
Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto
Pharaoh, sajdng, '' Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy ser-
vants? There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they
say to us, * Make brick: ' and, behold, thy servants are beaten;
but the fault is in thine own people." But he said, '' Ye are
idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say. Let us go and sacrifice to
Yahweh. Go therefore, now, and work; for there shall no straw
be given you, yet shall ye deliver the numl^er of bricks." And
the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in
evil case, when it was said, " Ye shall not diminish aught from
your bricks, your daily tasks." And they met Moses, who stood
in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh: and they said
unto them, " Yahweh look upon you, and judge; because ye
have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and
in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to
slay us."
And Moses returned unto Yahweh, and said, '^ Lord, where-
fore hast thou dealt ill with this people; why is it that thou hast
sent me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he
hath dealt ill with this people; neither hast thou delivered thy
people at all." .... And Yahweh said unto Moses, " Now shalt
thou see what I wall do to Pharaoh : for by a strong hand shall
he let them go, and by a strong hand shall he drive them
out of his land."
The Story of the Seven Plagues
And Yahweh said unto Moses, " Pharaoh's heart is stubborn,
he refuseth to let the people go. And thou shalt say unto
him, ' Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, hath sent me unto
thee, saying, "Let my people go, that they may serve me in the
wilderness: and, behold, hitherto thou hast not hearkened." ' "
Thus saith Yahweh, '' In this thou shalt know that I am Yah-
weh. And the fish that are in the river shall die, and the river
shall stink; and the Egyptians shall loathe to drink water from
the river." And the fish that were in the river died; and the
river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink water from the
70 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
river. And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for
water to drink; for they could not drink of the water of the
river. And seven days were fulfilled, after that Yahweh had
smitten the river.
And Yahweh spake unto Moses, '* Go in unto Pharaoh, and
say unto him, Thus saith Yahweh, Let my people go, that they
may serve me. And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I
will smite all thy borders with frogs: and the river shall swarm
with frogs, which shall go up and come into thy house, and into
thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy
servants, and upon thy people, and into thine ovens, and into
thy kneading-troughs : and the frogs shall come up both upon
thee, and upon thy people, and upon all thy servants."
Then Pharaoh called for Moses and said, '' Entreat Yahweh
that he take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and
I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice unto Yahweh."
And Moses said unto Pharaoh, " Have thou this glory over me:
against what time shall I entreat for thee, and for thy servants,
and for thy people, that the frogs be destroyed from thee and thy
houses, and remain in the river only? " And he said, " Against
tomorrow." And he said, " Be it according to thy word; that
thou mayest know that there is none lilce unto Yahweh our God.
And the frogs shall depart from thee, and from thy houses, and
from thy servants, and from thy people; they shall remain in the
river only." And Moses went out from Pharaoh: and Moses
cried unto Yahweh concerning the frogs which he had brought
upon Pharaoh. And Yahweh did according to the word of
Moses; and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the courts,
and out of the fields. And they gathered them together in
heaps; and the land stank. But when Pharaoh saw that there
was respite, he hardened his heart.
And Yahweh said unto Moses, " Rise up early in the morning,
and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh forth to the water;
and say unto him. Thus saith Yahweh, Let my people go, that
they may serve me. Else, if thou wilt not let my people go,
behold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy
servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses: and the
EXODUS 71
houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also
the ground whereon they are. And I will sever in that day the
land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of
flies shall be there ; to the end thou mayest know that I am Yah-
weh in the midst of the earth. And I will put a division between
my people and thy people: by tomorrow shall this sign be.
'' And Yahweh did so; and there came grievous swarms of flies
into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants' houses : and in
all the land of Egypt the land was corrupted by reason of the
swarms of flies. And Pharaoh called for Moses and said, " Go
ye, sacrifice to your God in the land." And Moses said, *' It is
not meet so to do ; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the
Egyptians to Yahweh our God : lo, shall we sacrifice the abomi-
nation of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone
us? We will go three days' journey into the wilderness and
sacrifice to Yahweh, our God, as he shall command us." And
Pharaoh said, ^' I will let j^ou go, that ye may sacrifice to Yah-
weh, 3^our God, in the wilderness; onlj'' ye shall not go very far
away: entreat for me." And Moses said, ''Behold I go out
from thee, and I will entreat Yahweh that the swarms of flies
may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his
people, tomorrow: only let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any
more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to Yahweh." And
Moses went out from Pharaoh, and entreated Yahweh. And
Yahweh did according to the word of Moses; and he removed
the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from
his people; there remained not one. And Pharaoh hardened
his heart this time also, and he did not let the people go.
Then Yahweh said unto Moses, "Go in unto Pharaoh, and
tell him, Thus saith Yahweh the God of the Hebrews, Let my
people go, that they may serve me. For if thou refuse to let
them go, and wilt hold them still, behold, the hand of Yahweh is
upon thy cattle which are in the field, upon the horses, upon the
asses, upon the camels, upon the herds, and upon the flocks:
there shall be a very grievous murrain. And Yahweh shall make
a distinction between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt;
and there shall nothing die of all that belongeth to the children
72 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
of Israel." And Yahweh appointed a set time, saying, " To-
morrow Yah well shall do this thing in the land." And Yahweh
did that thing on the morrow; and all the cattle of Egypt died;
but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one. And
Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not so much as one of the
cattle of the Israelites dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was
stubborn, and he did not let the people go.
And Yahweh said unto Moses, " Rise up early in the morning,
and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, ' Thus saith Yah-
weh, the God of the Hebrews, " Let my people go, that they may
serve me." Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause it
to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since
the day it was founded even until now.' " And Yahweh rained
hail upon the land of Egypt, very grievous such as had not
been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. And
the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of
the field. Only in the land of Goshen where the children of
Israel were, was there no hail.
And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and said unto him,
'' I have sinned this time: Yahweh is righteous, and I and my
people are wicked. Entreat Yahweh for there hath been
enough of these mighty thunderings and hail ; and I will let you
go, and 3^e shall staj'' no longer." And Moses said unto him,
" As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my
hands unto Yahweh; the thunders shall cease, neither shall
there be any more hail. And Moses went out of the city from
Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands unto Yahweh and the
thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the
earth. And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and
the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more and hardened his
heart, he and his servants.
And Moses said unto Pharaoh, " Thus saith Yahweh, the
God of the Hebrews, ' How long wilt thou refuse to humble
thyself before me? let my people go, that they may sei*ve me.
Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, to-morrow
will I bring locusts into thy border: and they shall cover the
face of the earth, that one shall not be able to see the earth:
EXODUS 73
and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which
remaineth unto you from the hail, and shall eat every tree
which groweth for you out of the field : and thy houses shall be
filled, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all
the Egyptians; as neither thy fathers nor thy fathers' fathers
have seen, since the day that they were upon the earth unto
this day.' " And he turned, and went out from Pharaoh! And
Pharaoh's servants said unto him, " How long shall this man be
a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve Yahweh
their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?"
And Moses was brought again unto Pharaoh and he said
unto him, " Go, serve Yahweh your God; but who are they
that shall go? " And Moses said, " We will go with our young
and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with
our flocks and with our herds will we go ; for we must hold a
feast unto Yahweh." And he said unto them, " So be Yahweh
with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones: look to
it: for evil is before you. Not so: go now ye that are men,
and serve Yahweh, for that is what ye desire." And they were
driven out from Pharaoh's presence.
And Yahweh brought an east wind upon the land all that day,
and all the night; and when it was morning, the east wind
brought the locusts. Very grievous were they; before them
there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be
such. For they covered the face of the w^hole earth, and there
remained not any green thing, either tree or herb of the field,
through all the land of Egypt. Then Pharaoh called for Moses
in haste; and he said, " I have sinned against Yahweh your God,
and against you. Now, therefore, forgive, I pray thee, my sin
only this once, and entreat Yahweh your God, that he may take
away from me this death only." And he went out from Pha-
raoh, and entreated Yahweh. And Yahweh turned an exceed-
ing strong west wind, which took up the locusts, and drove them
into the Red Sea; there remained not one locust in all the border
of Egypt.
And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, " Go ye, serve
Yahweh; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed : let your
little ones also go with you." And Moses said, " Thou must also
give into our hand sacrifices and burnt-offerings, that we may
74 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
sacrifice unto Yahweh our God. Our cattle also shall go with us;
there shall not a hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take
to serve Yahweh our God ; and we know not with what we must
serve Yahweh, until we come thither." And Pharaoh said unto
him, " Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no
more; for in the day thou seest my face thou shalt die." And
Moses said, " Thou hast spoken well; I will see thy face again no
more."
And Moses said, " Thus saith Yahweh, About midnight will
I go out into the midst of Egypt: and all the firstborn in the
land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that
sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maid-
servant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of cattle.
And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt,
such as there hath not been, nor shall be any more. But against
any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue,
against man or beast : that ye maj^ know how that Yahweh doth
make a distinction between the Egj^ptians and Israel. And
all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down
themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that
follow thee: and after that I will go out." And he went out
from Pharaoh in hot anger.
And it came to pass at midnight, that Yahweh smote all the
firstborn in the land of EgA^pt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh
that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was
in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle. And Pharaoh
rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egj'p-
tians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a
house where there was not one dead. And he called for Moses
by night, and said, " Rise up, get you forth from among m^^
people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve Yahweh,
as ye have said. Take both your flocks and your herds, as ye
have said, and be gone; and bless me also." And the Egyptians
were urgent upon the people, to send them out of the land in
haste; for they said, " We are all dead men." And the people
EXODUS 75
took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading-troughs
being bound up in their clotlies upon their shoulders.
And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Suc-
coth. And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and
flocks, and herds, even very much cattle. And they baked
unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of
Egypt; for it was not leavened, because they w^ere thrust out of
Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for them-
selves any victual.
And Moses said unto the people, " This day ye go forth in the
month of Ahib. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread,
and in the seventh day shall be a feast to Yahweh. Thou shalt
therefore, keep this ordinance in its season from year to year.
'' And it shall be, when Yahweh shall bring thee into the land
of the Canaanite, as he sware unto thee and to thy fathers, and
shall give it thee, that thou shalt set apart unto Yahweh all that
openeth the womb, and every firstling which thou hast that
Cometh of a beast; the males shall be Yahweh's. And every
firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb ; and if thou wilt
not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck: and all the first-
born of man among thy sons shalt thou redeem."
And Yahweh went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to
lead them the v/ay, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them
light; that they might go by day and by night: the pillar of
cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, departed not from
before the people.
And it was told the king of Egypt that the people were fled:
and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was changed to-
wards the people, and they said, " What is this we have done,
that we have let Israel go from serving us? " And he made
ready his chariot, and took his people with him.
And the Egyptians pursued after them.
-'And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted
up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians were marching after
them; and they were sore afraid: And they said unto Moses,
76 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
'' Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us
away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with
us, to bring us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that
we spake unto thee in Egypt, saying, let us alone, that we may
serve the Egyptians? For it were better for us to serve the
Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness." And
Moses said unto the people, " Fear ye not, stand still, and see
the salvation of Yahweh, which he will work for you today:
for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them
again no more forever. Yahweh will fight for you, and ye shall
hold your peace." And the pillar of cloud removed from before
them, and stood behind them: and there was the cloud and the
darkness, yet gave it light by night : and the one came not near
the other all the night. And Yahweh caused the sea to go back
by a strong east wind all the night.
And it came to pass in the morning watch, that Yahweh
looked forth upon the host of the Egyptians through the pillar
of fire and of cloud, and discomfited the host of the Egyptians.
And he took off their chariot wheels, and they drove them
heavily; so that the Egyptians said, '' Let us flee from the face
of Israel: for Yahweh fighteth for them against the Egyptians."
And the sea returned to its strength when the morning ap-
peared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and Yahweh over-
threw the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. There remained
not so much as one of them. Thus Yahweh saved Israel that day
out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians
dead upon the seashore.
And Moses led Israel onward from the Red Sea, and they
went out into the wilderness of Shur ; and they went three days
in the wilderness, and found no water. And when they came
to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they
were bitter: therefore, the name of it was called Marah. And
the people murmured against Moses, saying, '' What shall we
drink?" And he cried unto Yahweh, and Yahweh showed him ^q
tree, and he cast it into the waters, and the waters were made
sweet.
And they came to Elim, where were twelve springs of water,
EXODUS 77
and threescore and ten palm-trees : and they encamped there by
the waters.
And the people thirsted there for water; and the people
murmured against Moses, and said, '' Wherefore hast thou
brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our
cattle with thirst? " And he called the name of the place Massah,
and because they tempted Yahweh, saying, " Is Yahweh among
us, or not? "
The Story of the Ten Commandments
And Moses went up and Yahweh called unto hun out of the
mountain, saying, " Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob,
and tell the children of Israel: Yahweh will come down in the
sight of all the people upon mount Sinai. And thou shalt set
bounds unto the people round about, sajdng, " Take heed to
yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border
of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to
death: no hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned,
or shot through; whether it be beast or man, he shall not hve."
And mount Sinai, the whole of it, smoked, because Yahweh
descended upon it in fire; and the smoke thereof ascended as
the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.
And Yahweh came down upon mount Sinai, to the top of the
mount: and Yahweh called Moses to the top of the mount:
and Moses went up. And Yahweh said unto Moses, " Go down,
charge the people, lest they break through unto Yahweh to
gaze, and many of them perish. And let the priests also, that
come near to Yahweh sanctify themselves, lest Yahweh break
forth upon them."
And he said unto Moses, " Come up unto Yahweh, thou and
seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye."
Then went up Moses, and seventy of the elders of Israel:
and they saw the God of Israel; and there was under his feet
as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and as it were the
very heaven for clearness. And upon the nobles of the children
78 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
of Israel he laid not his hand: and they beheld God, and did
eat and drink.
And when Moses saw that the people were broken loose, then
Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, " Whoso is on
Yahweh's side, let him come unto me." And all the sons of
Levi gathered themselves together unto him. And he said unto
them, *' Thus saith Yahweh the God of Israel, ' Put ye evevy
man his sword upon his thigh, and go to and fro from gate to
gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and
every man his companion, and everj'' man his neighbor.' And
the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there
fell of the people that day about three thousand men." And
Moses said, " Consecrate yourselves to Yahweh, ye^, every man
against his son, and against his brother; that he maj' bestow
upon you a blessing this day."
And Yahweh spake unto Moses, " Depart, go up hence, thou
and the people that thou hast brought up out of the land of
Egypt, unto the land of which I sware unto Abram, to Isaac,
and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give it: and I will send
an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the
Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hi\nte, and the
Jcbusite: unto a land flowing with milk and honej'': for I will
not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people;
lest I consume thee in the way."
And when the people heard these evil tidings they mourned:
and no man did put on him his ornaments.
And Yahweh said unto Moses, " Hew thee two tables of stone:
and I will write upon the tables the words that were on the first
tables. And be ready by the morning, and come up in the morn-
ing unto mount Sinai, and present thj'self there to me on the
top of the mount. And no man shall come up with thee; neither
let any man be seen throughout all the mount; neither let the
flocks nor herds feed before that mount." And he hewed two
EXODUS 79
tables of stone; and Moses rose up early in the morning, and
went up unto mount Sinai, as Yahweh had commanded him, and
took in his hand two tables of stone. And Yahweh descended
in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name
of Yahweh.
And he said, '^ Behold, I make a covenant; for Yahweh, whose
name is Jealous, is a jealous God. Thou shalt make thee no
molten gods.
The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep. Seven days
thou shalt eat unleavened bread. All that openeth the womb is
mine; and all thy cattle that is male, the firstlings of cow and
sheep. And the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a
lamb : and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its
neck. All the first-born of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And
none shall appear before me empty.
Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt
rest: in plowing time and in harvest thou shalt rest. And thou
shalt observe the feast of weeks, even of the first-fruits of wheat
harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the year's end. Three
times in the year shall all thy males appear before Yahweh, the
God of Israel.
Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened
bread. The first of the first-fruits of thy ground thou shalt
bring unto the house of Yahweh thy God. Thou shalt not boil
a kid in its mother's milk."
And Yahweh said unto Moses, "Write thou these words:
for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with
thee and with Israel." And he was there with Yahweh forty
days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water.
And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the
Ten Commandments.
NUMBERS
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The Story of the Quails
And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Reuel the Midian-
ite, Moses' father-in-law, " We are journeying unto the place
of which Yahweh said, ' I will give it you: come thou with us,
and we will do thee good ; ' for Yahweh hath spoken good con-
cerning Israel." And he said unto him, " I will not go; but I
will depart to mine own land, and to my kindred." And he
said, " Leave us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest
how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou shalt be to
us instead of eyes. And it shall be, if thou go with us, yea,
it shall be, that what good soever Yahweh shall do unto us,
the same will we do unto thee."
And the mixed multitude that was among them lusted ex-
ceedingly: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said,
" Who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish, which
we did eat in Egypt for nought; the cucumbers, and the melons,
and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic: but now our soul
is dried away; there is nothing at all save this manna to look
upon." And the manna was like coriander seed, and the ap-
pearance thereof as the appearance of bdellium. The people
went about, and gathered it and ground it in mills, or beat it
in mortars, and boiled it in pots, and made cakes of it: and
the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil. And when the dew
fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it.
And Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families,
every man at the door of his tent : and the anger of Yahweh was
kindled greatly; and Moses w^as displeased. And Moses said
unto Yahweh, " Wherefore hast thou dealt ill with thy servant?
and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou
layest the burden of all this people upon me? Have I conceived
all this people? Have I brought them forth, that thou should-
est say unto me, ' Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing-father
84 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
carrieth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest
unto their fathers? ' Whence should I have flesh to give unto
all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, ' Give us flesh,
that we may eat.' I am not able to bear all this people alone,
because it is too heavy for me. And if thou deal thus with me,
kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thj^
sight; and let me not see my wretchedness."
And Yah well said unto Moses, " Say thou unto the people,
Sanctify yourselves against tomorrow, and ye shall eat flesh;
for ye have wept in the ears of Yahweh, saying, ' Who shall give
us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore
Yahweh will give you flesh, and ye shall eat. Ye shall not eat
one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor
twenty days, but a whole month, until it come out at your
nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you; because that ye have
rejected Yahweh who is among you, and have wept before
him, saying, ' Why came we forth out of Egypt? ' " And
Moses said, " The people, among whom I am, are six hundred
thousand footmen: and thou hast said, I will give them flesh,
that the}^ may eat a whole month. Shall flocks and herds
be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the
sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them? And Yah-
weh said unto Moses, " Is Yahweh's hand waxed short? now
shalt thou see whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or
not."
And Moses went out, and told the people the words of
Yahweh.
And there went forth a wind from Yahweh, and brought
quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, about a
day's journey on this side, and a day's journey on the other side,
round about the camp, and about two cubits above the face of
the earth. And the people rose up all that day, and all the
night, and all the next daj^, and gatliered the quails: he that
gathered least gathered ten homers: and thej^ spread them all
abroad for themselves round about the camp. While the flesh
was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the anger of
Yahweh was kindled against the people, and Yahweh smote the
people with a very great plague. And the name of that place
was called Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried
NUMBERS 85
the people that lusted. From Kibroth-hattaavah the people
journeyed unto Hazeroth; and they abode at Hazeroth.
Moses said unto the spies, " Get you up this way by the South,
and go up into the hill-countr}^; and see the land, what it is;
and the people that dwell therein, whether they are strong or
weak, whether they are few or many; and what the land is that
they dwell in, whether it is good or bad; and what cities they
are that they dwell in, whether in camps, or in strongholds;
and what the land is, whether it is fat or lean, whether there is
wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring
of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the first-
ripe grapes.
And they went up by the South, and came unto Hebron;
and Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were
there. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in
Egypt.) And they came unto the valley of Eshcol, and cut
down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they
bare it upon a staff between two ; they brought also of the pome-
granates, and of the figs. That place was called the valley of
Eshcol, because of the cluster which the children of Israel cut
down from thence.
Thej^ returned to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them,
and unto all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of
the land. And they told him, and said, " We came unto the
land whither thou sentest us; and surely it floweth with milk
and honey; and this is the fruit of it. Howbeit the people that
dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified, and very
great : and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. Amalek
dwelleth in the land of the South; and the Hittite, and
the Jebusite, and the Amorite, dwell in the hill-country; and the
Canaanite dwelleth by the sea, and along by the side of
the Jordan."
And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, " Let us
go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome
it." But the men that went up with him said, " We are not
able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.
all the people that we saw in it are men of great stature.
86 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
And there we saw the Nephihm, the sons of Anak, who come of
the Nephihm: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and
so we were in their sight."
And the people wept that night.
And wherefore doth Yahweh bring us unto this land, to fall
by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will be a prej^:
were it not better for us to return into Egypt? "
And the}^ said one to another, " Let us make a captain, and
let us return into Egypt. If Yahweh delight in us, then he will
bring us into this land, and give it unto us; a land w^hich floweth
with milk and honey. Only rebel not against Yahweh, neither
fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their
defence is removed from over them, and Yahweh is with us:
fear them not."
And Yahweh said unto Moses, " How long will this people
despise me? and how long will they not believe in me, for all
the signs which I have wrought among them? I will smite
them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make
of thee a nation greater and mightier than they."
And Moses said unto Yahweh, " Then the Egyptians will hear
it; for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among
them; and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: they
have heard that thou Yahweh art in the midst of this people;
for thou Yahweh art seen face to face, and thy cloud standeth
over them, and thou goest before them, in a pillar of cloud by
day, and in a pillar of fire by night. Now if thou shalt kill this
people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame
of thee will speak, saying, '' Because Yahweh was not able to
bring this people into the land which he sware unto them, there-
fore he hath slain them in the wilderness. And now, I pray
thee, let the power of Yahweh be great, according as thou hast
spoken, saying, ' Yahweh is slow to anger, and abundant in
lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression; and that
will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the
fathers upon the children, upon the third and upon the fourth
generation. Pardon, I pray thee, the iniquity of this people
according unto the greatness of thy lovingkindness, and accord-
NUMBERS 87
ing as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until
now.' "
And Yahweh said, '' I have pardoned according to thy word:
but in very deed, as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with
the glorj^ of Yahweh; because all those men that have seen my
glor}^, and my signs, which I wrought in Egypt and in the wilder-
ness, yet have tempted me these ten times, and have not heark-
ened to my voice; surely thej^ shall not see the land which I
sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that despised
me see it: but my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit
with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the
land whereinto he went ; and his seed shall possess it. Now the
Amalekite and the Canaanite dwell in the valley: tomorrow-
turn ye, and get you into the wilderness by the way to the Red
Sea. But your little ones, that ye said should be a prey, them
will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have re-
jected. But as for you, your dead bodies shall fall in this
wilderness."
And Moses told these words unto all the children of Israel:
and the people mourned greatly. And they rose up early in the
morning, and gat them up to the top of the mountain, saying,
"Lo, we are here, and will go up unto the place which Yahweh
hath promised: for we have sinned. And Moses said, *' AVhere-
fore now do ye transgress the commandment of Yahv/eh, seeing
it shall not prosper? Go not up, for Yahweh is not among you ;
that ye be not smitten down before your enemies. For there
the Amalekite and the Canaanite are before you, and ye shall
fall bj^ the sword: because ye are turned back from following
Yahweh, therefore Yahweh will not be with you." But they
presumed to go up to the top of the mountain : nevertheless the
ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and Moses, departed not out of
the camp. Then the Amalekite came down, and the Canaanite
who dwelt in that mountain, and smote them and beat them
down, even unto Hormah.
Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of
Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men.
And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab;
88 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
and they said, '' We will not come up: is it a small thing that
thou hast brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and
honey, to kill us in the wilderness, but thou must needs make
thyself also a prince over us? Moreover thou hast not brought
us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us inheri-
tance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these
men? we will not come up."
And Moses was very wroth, and said unto Yahweh, " Respect
not thou their offering: I have not taken one ass from them,
neither have I hurt one of them."
And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and
the elders of Israel followed him. And he spake unto the con-
gregation, saying, " Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these
wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in
all their sins."
And Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood at the door of
their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little ones.
And Moses said, '' Hereby ye shall know that Yahweh hath set
me to do all these works; for / have not done them of mine own
mind. If these men die the common death of all men, or if they
be visited after the visitation of all men; then Yahweh hath
not sent me. But if Yahweh make a new thing, and the ground
open its mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain
unto them, and they go down alive into Sheol; then ye shall
understand that these men have despised Yahweh."
And it came to pass, as he made an end of speaking all these
words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them;
and the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up, and
their households, and so they, and all that appertained to them,
went down alive into Sheol: and the earth closed upon them,
and they perished from among the assembly. And all Israel
that were round about them fled at the crj^ of them; for they
said, '' Lest the earth swallow us up."
And the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, came
into the wilderness of Zin in the first month: and the people
abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.
And there was no water for the congregation: and thej^ as-
NUMBERS 89
sembled themselves together agamst Moses and against Aaron.
And the people strove with Moses, and spake, saying, '' Would
that we had died when our brethren died before Yahweh! And
why have ye brought the assembly of Yahweh into this wilder-
ness, that we should die there, we and our beasts? And where-
fore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in
unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines,
or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink." And
Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto
the door of the tent of meeting, and fell upon their faces: and
the glory of Yahweh appeared unto them. And Yahweh spake
unto Moses, saying, '' Take the rod, and assemble the congrega-
tion, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock
before their eyes, that it give forth its water; and thou shalt
bring forth to them water out of the rock; so thou shalt give the
congregation and their cattle drink." And Moses took the rod
from before Yahweh, as he commanded him.
And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before
the rock, and he said unto them, " Hear now, ye rebels; shall we
bring you forth water out of this rock? " And Moses lifted up
his hand, and smote the rock wdth his rod twice: and water
came forth abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their
cattle. And Yahweh said unto Moses and Aaron, " Because ye
believed not in me, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of
Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this assembly into the land
w^hich I have given them. These are the waters of Meribah;
because the children of Israel strove with Yahweh, and he was
sanctified in them."
And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of
Edom, " Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all the
travail that hath befallen us: how our fathers went down into
Egj^pt, and we dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians
dealt ill with us, and our fathers : and when we cried unto Yah-
weh, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and brought us forth
out of Egypt: and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the utter-
most of thy border. Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy land:
we will not pass through field or through vineyard, neither will
we drink of the water of the wells; we will go along the king's
highway; we will not turn aside to the right hand nor to the
90 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
left, until we have passed thj^ border." And Edom said unto
him, " Thou shalt not pass through me, lest I come out with the
sword against thee." And the children of Israel said unto him,
'' We will go up by the highway; and if Ave drink of thy water, I
and my cattle, then will I give the price thereof: let me only,
without doing anything else, pass through on my feet." And he
said, " Thou shalt not pass through." And Edom came out
against him with much people and with a strong hand. Thus
Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: where-
fore Israel turned away from him.
And the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who dwelt in the South,
heard tell that Israel came by the way of Atharim ; and he fought
against Israel, and took some of them captive. And Israel
vowed a vow unto Yahweh,and said, " If thou wilt indeed deliver
this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their
cities?" And Yahweh hearkened to the voice of Israel, and de-
livered up the Canaanites ; and they utterly destroyed them and
their cities: and the name of the place was called Hormah.
And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites,
saying, " Let me pass through th}^ land: we vnW not turn aside
into field, or into vineyard; we will not drink of the water of the
wells: we will go by the king's highway, until we have passed
thy border." And Sihon would not suffer Israel to pass through
his border : but Sihon gathered all his people together, and went
out against Israel into the wilderness, and came to Jahaz;
and he fought against Israel. And Israel smote him with the
edge of the sword, and possessed his land from the Arnon unto
the Jabbok, even unto the children of Ammon; for the border of
the children of Ammon was strong. And Israel took all these
cities : and Israel dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites, in Hesh-
bon, and in all the towns thereof. For Heshbon was the city of
Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought against the for-
mer king of Moal), and taken all his land out of his hand, even
unto the Arnon. Wherefore they that speak in proverbs saj'',
" Come ye to Heshbon;
Let the cit}^ of Sihon be built and established :
For a fire is gone out of Heshbon,
NUMBERS 91
A flame from the citj^ of Sihon :
It hath devoured Ar of Moab,
The lords of the high places of the Arnon.
Woe to thee, Moab!
Thou art undone, people of Chemosh:
He hath given his sons as fugitives,
And his daughters into captivity.
Unto Sihon king of the Amorites.
AVe have shot at them; Heshbon is perished even unto Dibon,
And we have laid waste even unto Nophah,
Which reacheth unto Medeba."
Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites. And Moses
sent to spy out Jazer; and they took the towns thereof, and drove
out the Amorites that were there.
The Story of Balaam
And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to
the Amorites. And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because
they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the chil-
dren of Israel. And Moab said unto the elders of Midian,
'* Now will this multitude lick up all that is round about us, as
the ox licketh up the grass of the field." x\nd Balak the son of
Zippor was king of Moab at that time. And he sent messengers
unto Balaam the son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the River,
to the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying,
''Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold,
they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me.
Come now, therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for
they are too mightj^ for me: perad venture I shall prevail, that
we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land;
for I know that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom
thou cursest is cursed."
And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed
witli the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came
unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak. And he
said unto them, " Lodge here this night, and I will bring you
word again, as Yahweh shall speak unto me : and the princes of
Moab abode with Balaam." And God came unto Balaam, and
said, " What men are these with thee? " And Balaam said
92 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
unto God, '' Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent
unto me, saying, ' Behold, the people that is come out of Egypt,
it covereth the face of the earth: now, come curse me them;
peradventure I shall be able to fight against them, and shall
drive them out.' And God said unto Balaam, " Thou shalt not
go with them; thou shalt not curse the people; for they are
blessed." And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the
princes of Balak, " Get j^ou into your land; for Yahweh refuseth
to give me leave to go with you." And the princes of Moab
rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, '' Balaam refuseth
to come with us."
And Balak sent 3^et again princes, more, and more honorable
than they. And they came to Balaam, and said to him, " Thus
saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder
thee from coming unto me: for I will promote thee unto very
great honor, and whatsoever thou sayest unto me I will do:
come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people." And
Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, " If
Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot
go beyond the word of Yahweh my God, to do less or more.
Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I
may know what Yahweh will speak unto me more." And God
came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, " If the men are
come to call thee, rise up, go with them; but onh-- the word
which I speak unto thee, that shalt thou do."
And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and
went with the princes of Moab. And God's anger was kindled
because lie went; and the angel of Yahweh placed himself in the
way for an adversary' against him. Now he was riding upon his
ass, and his two servants were with him. And the ass saw the
angel of Yaliweh stcunding in the waj', with his sword drawn in
his hand; and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went
into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the
way. Then the angel of Yaliweh stood in a narrow path between
the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.
And the ass saw the angel of Yahweh, and she thrust herself unto
the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he
smote her again. And the angel of Yahweh went further, and
stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the
NUMBERS 93
right hand or to the left. And the ass saw the angel of Yahweh,
and she lay down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was
kindled, and he smote the ass with his staff. And Yahweh
opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, " What
have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three
times? " And Balaam said unto the ass, '' Because thou hast
mocked me: I would there were a sword in my hand, for now I
had killed thee." And the ass said unto Balaam, " Am not I
thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden all thy life long unto this
day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? " And he said, ''Nay."
Then Yahweh opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the
angel of Yahweh standing in the way, with his sword drawn in
his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face. And
the angel of Yahweh said unto him, " Wherefore hast thou smit-
ten thine ass these three times? behold, I am come forth for an
adversary, because thy way is perverse before me: and the ass
saw me, and turned aside before me these three times: unless
she had turned aside from me, surely now I had even slain thee,
and saved her alive." And Balaam said unto the angel of
Yahweh, " I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in
the way against me: now, therefore, if it displease thee, I will
get me back again." And the angel of Yahweh said unto Ba-
laam, " Go with the men; but only the word that I shall speak
unto thee, that thou shalt speak." So Balaam went with the
princes of Balak.
And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out
to meet him unto the City of Moab, which is on the border of
the Arnon, which is in the utmost part of the border. And
Balak said unto Balaam, '' Did I not earnestly send unto thee to
call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able
indeed to promote thee to honor? " And Balaam said unto
Balak, " Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all
to speak any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth,
that shall I speak." And Balaam went with Balak, and they
came unto Kiriath-huzoth. And Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep,
and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.
And it came to pass in the morning, that Balak took Balaam,
and brought him up into the high places of Baal; and he saw
from thence the utmost part of the people. . . . And Balaam said
94 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
unto Balak, Build nie here seven altars, and prepare me here
seven bullocks and seven rams." And Balak did as Balaam had
spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock
and a ram. And Balaam said unto Balak, " Stand by thy burnt-
offering, and I will go : peradventure Yahweh will come to meet
me; and whatsoever he showeth me I will tell thee." And he
went to a bare height. And God met Balaam : and he said unto
him, '' I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered up a
bullock and a ram on every altar." And Yahweh put a word in
Balaam's mouth, and said, " Return unto Balak, and thus thou
shalt speak. And he returned unto him, and, lo, he was standing
by his burnt-offering, he, and all the princes of Moab. And he
took up his parable, and said,
" From Ai'am hath Balak brought me.
The king of Moab from the mountains of the East:
Come, curse me Jacob,
And come, defy Israel.
How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed?
And how shall I defy, whom Yahweh liath not defied?
For from the top of the rocks I see him,
And from the hills I behold him:
Lo, it is a people that dwelleth alone,
And shall not be reckoned among the nations.
Who can count the dust of Jacob,
Or number the fourth part of Israel?
Let me die the death of the righteous.
And let my last end be like his! "
And Balak said unto Balaam, " What hast thou done unto me?
I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed
them altogether." And he answered and said, " Must I not
take heed to speak that which Yahweh putteth in my mouth? "
And Balak said unto him, " Come, I pray thee, with me unto
another place, from whence thou mayest see them; thou shalt
see but the utmost part of them, and of Israel.
What hath God wrought!
Behold, the people riseth up as a lioness,
And as a lion doth he lift himself up:
He shall not lie down until he eat of the prey,
And drink the blood of the slain."
NUMBERS 95
And Balak said unto Balaam, " Neither curse them at all,
nor bless them at all." But Balaam answered and said unto
Balak, " Told not I thee, saying, ' All that Yahweh speaketh,
that I must do? ' "
And Balak said unto Balaam, " Come now, I will take thee
unto another place; peradventure it will please God that thou
mayest curse me them from thence." And Balak took Balaam
unto the top of Peor, that looketh down upon the desert. And
Balaam said unto Balak, " Build me here seven altars, and
prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams." And Balak
did as Balaam had said, and offered up a bullock and a ram on
every altar.
And when Balaam saw that it pleased Yahweh to bless Israel,
he went not, as at the other tunes, to meet with enchantments,
but he set his face toward the wilderness. And Balaam lifted
up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes;
and the Spirit of God came upon him. And he took up his
parable, and said,
" Balaam the son of Beor saith,
And the man whose eye was closed saith :
He saith, who heareth tlie words of God,
Who seeth the vision of the Almighty,
Falling down, and having his eyes open:
How goodly are thy tents, Jacob,
Thy tabernacles, Israel!
As valleys are they spread forth,
As gardens by the river-side,
As lign-aloes which Yahweh hath planted.
As cedar-trees beside the waters.
Water shall flow from his buckets.
And his seed shall be in many waters.
And his king shall be higher than Agag,
And his kingdom shall be exalted.
God bringeth him forth out of Egypt;
He hath as it were the strength of the wild-ox :
He shall eat up the nations his adversaries.
And shall break their bones in pieces,
96 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
And smite them through with his arrows.
He couched, he lay down as a hon,
And as a Uoness ; who shall rouse him up?
Blessed be every one that blesseth thee,
And cursed be every one that curseth thee."
And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote
his hands together; and Balak said unto Balaam, '^ I called
thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether
blessed them these three times. Therefore now flee thou to
thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour: but,
lo, Yahweh hath kept thee back from honor." And Balaam
said unto Balak, " Spake I not also to thy messengers that thou
sentest unto me, saying, ' If Balak would give me his house full
of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of Yahweh,
to do either good or bad of mine own mind; what Yahweh
speaketh, that will I speak? ' And now, behold, I go unto my
people: come, arid I will advertise thee what this people shall
do to thy people in the latter days." And he took up his para-
ble, and said,
" Balaam the son of Beor saith.
And the man whose eye was closed saith:
He saith, who heareth the words of God,
And knoweth the knowledge of the Most High,
Who seeth the vision of the Almighty,
Falling down, and having his eyes open:
I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not nigh:
There shall come forth a star out of Jacob,
And a sceptre shall rise out of Israel,
And shall smite through the corners of Moab,
And break down all the sons of tumult.
And Edom shall be a possession,
Seir also shall be a possession, ivhich were his enemies;
While Israel doeth valiantly.
And out of Jacob shall one have dominion,
And shall destroy'' the remnant from the city.
And he looked on Amalek, and took up his parable, and said,
Amalek was the first of the nations;
But his latter end shall come to destruction.
NUMBERS 97
And he looked on the Kenite, and took up his parable, and
said,
Strong is thy dwelUng-place.
And thy nest is set in the rock.
Nevertheless Kain shall be wasted.
Until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.
And he took up his parable, and said,
Alas, who shall live when God doeth this?
But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim,
And they shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber;
And he also shall come to destruction."
And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place;
and Balak also went his way.
And Israel abode in Shittim; and the people began to play the
harlot with the daughters of Moab: for they called the people
unto the sacrifices of their gods; and the people did eat and
bowed down to their gods. And Israel joined himself unto Baal-
peors : And the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel. And
Yahweh said unto Moses, " Take all the chiefs of the people,
and hang them up unto Yahweh before the sun, that the fierce
anger of Yahweh may turn away from Israel." And Moses
said unto the judges of Israel, " Slay ye every one his men that
have joined themselves unto Baal-peor."
DEUTERONOMY
DEUTERONOMY
Moses said, " And there shalt thou build an altar unto Yahweh
thy God, an altar of stones : thou shalt lift up no iron tool upon
them. Thou shalt build the altar of Yahweh thy God of un-
hewn stones: and thou shalt offer burnt offerings thereon unto
Yahweh thy God: and thou shalt sacrifice peace offerings."
And Yahweh said unto Moses, " Behold, thy days approach
that thou must die: call Joshua, and present yourselves in the
tent of meeting, that I may give him a charge." And Moses
and Joshua went, and presented themselves in the tent of meet-
ing. And Yahweh appeared in the Tent in a pillar of cloud:
and the pillar of cloud stood over the door of the Tent.
And Yahweh shev/ed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan;
and all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, and
all the land of Judah, unto the hinder sea; and the South, and
the Plain of the valley of Jericho the city of palm trees, unto
Zoar. And Yahweh said unto him, " This is the land which I
sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I
will give it unto thj^ seed : I have caused thee to see it with thine
eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither." So Moses the ser-
vant of Yahweh died there in the land of Moab, according to the
word of Yahweh. And he buried him in the valley in the land
of Moab over against Beth-peor: but no man knoweth of his
sepulchre unto this day.
JOSHUA
JOSHUA
The Story of Joshua
Now it came to pass after the death of Moses the servant of
Yahweh, that Yahweh spake unto Joshua the son of Nun,
Moses' mmister, saying, " Moses my servant is dead; now
therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people,
unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of
Israel."
Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying,
" Pass through the midst of the camp, and command the people,
saying, ' Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye are to
pass over this Jordan.' "
And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men as
spies secretly, saying, '' Go view the land, and Jericho." And
they went, and came into the house of an harlot whose name was
Rahab, and lay there. And it was told the king of Jericho,
saying, " Behold, there came men in hither tonight of the chil-
dren of Israel to search out the land." And the king of Jericho
sent unto Rahab, saying, " Bring forth the men that are come to
thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to
search out all the land."
And the woman took the two men, and hid them; and she
said, " Yea, the men came unto me, but I wist not whence they
were; and it came to pass about the time of the shutting of the
gate, when it was dark, that the men went out ; whither the men
went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall over-
take them." But she had brought them up to the roof, and hid
them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the
roof.
And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the
fords : and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone
out, they shut the gate. And before they were laid down, she
came up unto them upon the roof; and she said unto the men.
106 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
'' I know that Yahweh hath given you the land, and that your
terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land
melt away before you. Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto
me bj^ Yahweh, since I have dealt kindly with 3^ou, that he also
will deal kindly with my father's house, and give me a true token :
and that ye will save alive my father, and mj' mother, and my
brothers, and mj^ sisters, and all that they have, and will deliver
our lives from death."
And the men said unto her, " Our life for yours, if ye utter not
this our business; and it shall be, when Yahweh giveth us the
land, that we will deal kindly and trulj^ with thee."
Then she let them down by a cord through the mndow: for
her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall.
And she said unto them, " Get you to the mountain, lest the
pursuers light upon you; and hide yourselves there three days,
until the pursuers be returned : and afterward may ye go your
way."
And the men said unto her, " We will be guiltless of this thine
oath which thou hast made us to swear. Behold, when we come
into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the
window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt gather
unto thee into the house thy father, and thy mother, and thy
brethren, and all thy father's household. And it shall be, that
whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street,
his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and
whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on
our head, if any hand be upon him. But if thou utter this our
business, then we ^vill be guiltless of thine oath which thou hast
made us to swear."
And she said, " According to your words, so be it." And she
sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet
line in the window.
And they went, and came unto the mountain, and abode there
three daj-s, until the pursuers were returned: and the pursuers
sought them throughout all the way, but found them not.
Then the two men returned, and descended from the moun-
tain, and passed over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun;
and they told him all that had befallen them. And they said
unto Joshua, '' Truly Yahweh hath delivered into our hands all
JOSHUA 107
the land; and moreover all the inhabitants of the land do melt
away before us.'^
And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and they removed
from Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of
Israel; and they lodged there before they passed over.
And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went
through the midst of the camp; and they commanded the people,
saying, " When ye see the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, your
God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove
from your place, and go after it."
And Joshua said unto the people, " Sanctify yourselves: for
tomorrow Yahweh will do wonders among you." And Joshua
spake unto the priests, saying, " Take up the ark of the covenant,
and pass over before the people." And they took up the ark of
the covenant, and went before the people.
And Yahweh said, " And thou shalt command the priests
that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, ' When ye are come to
the bank of the waters of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.' "
And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, " Come hither,
and hear the words of Yahweh your God." And Joshua said,
" Hereby ye shall knoY\^ that the living God is among you.
Behold, the ark of the covenant of Yahweh of all the earth passeth
over before you into Jordan. Now, therefore, take you twelve
men out of the tribes of Israel, for everj^ tribe a man. And it
shall come to pass, when the soles of the feet of the priests that
bear the ark of Yahweh, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in
the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off,
even the waters that come down from above; and they shall
stand in one heap."
And it came to pass, when the people removed from their
tents, to pass over Jordan, the priests that bare the ark of the
covenant being before the people ; and when they that bare the
ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare
the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (for Jordan over-
flovv^eth all its banks ail the time of harvest), that the watei's
which came down from above stood, and rose up in one heap, a
great way off, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan: and
108 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
those that went down toward the sea of the Arabah, even the
Salt Sea, were wholly cut off: and the people passed over right
against Jordan. And the priests that bare the ark of the cove-
nant of Yahweh stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan.
Yah well spake unto Joshua, saying, " Take j^ou twelve men
out of the people, out of every tribe a man, and command ye
them, saying, " Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out
of the place where the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stones, and
carry them over mth you, and lay them down, in the lodging
place, where ye shall lodge this night."
Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of
the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man : and Joshua said
unto them, '' Pass over before the ark of Yahweh your God into
the midst of Jordan, and take you up everj'- man of you a stone
upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of
the children of Israel : that this may be a sign among you, that
when your children ask in time to come, saying, ' What mean ye
by these stones? ' then ye shall say unto them, ' Because the
waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of
Yahweh; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were
cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the chil-
dren of Israel forever.' "
And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and
took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, as Yahweh
spake unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the
children of Israel; and they carried them over with them unto
the place where they lodged, and laid them down there. And the
people hasted and passed over.
And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed
over, that the ark of Yahweh passed over, and the priests, in the
presence of the people. And it came to pass, when the priests
that bare the ark of the covenant of Yahweh were come up out
of the midst of Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were
lifted up unto the dry ground, that the waters of Jordan returned
unto their place, and went over all its banks, as aforetime. And
those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua
set up in Gilgal.
JOSHUA 109
At that time Yahweh said unto Joshua, " Make thee knives
of flint, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second
time." And Joshua made him knives of flint, and circumcised
the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins. And it came
to pass, when they had done circumcising all the nation, that
they abode in their places in the camp, till they were whole.
And Yahweh said unto Joshua, '' This day have I rolled away
the reproach of Egypt from off 3''0u." Wherefore the name of
that place was called Gilgal, unto this day.
And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he
lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over
against him with his sword drawn in his hand : and Joshua went
unto him, and said unto him, " Art thou for us, or for our ad-
versaries? " And he said, '' Nay; but as captain of the host of
Yahweh am I now come." And Joshua fell on his face to the
earth, and did worship, and said unto him, " What saith my lord
unto his servant? " And the captain of Yahweh's host said
unto Joshua, '' Put off thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place
whereon thou standest is holy." And Joshua did so. . . . (Now
Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel:
none went out, and none came in.) And Yahweh said unto
Joshua, " See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king
thereof, and the mighty men of valour. And ye shall compass
the city, all the men of war, going about the city once. Thus
shalt thou do six days. And seven priests shall bear seven
trumpets of rams' horns before the ark : and the seventh day ye
shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow
with the trumpets. And it shall be, that when they make a
long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of
the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and
the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall go
up every man straight before him."
And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto
them, " Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests
bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of Yahweh."
And they said unto the people, " Pass on and compass the city,
and let the armed men pass on before the ark of Yahweh."
And it was so, that when Joshua had spoken unto the people,
the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns be-
no THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
fore Yahweh passed on, and blew with the trumpets: and the
ark of the covenant of Yahweh followed them. And the armed
men went before the priests that blew the trumpets, and the
rearward went after the ark, the priests blowing with the trum-
pets as they went.
And Joshua commanded the people, saying, " Ye shall not
shout, nor let your voice be heard, neither shall any word pro-
ceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then
shall ye shout." So he caused the ark of Yahweh to compass the
city, going about it once: and they came into the camp, and
lodged in the camp.
And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up
the ark of Yahweh. And the seven priests bearing the seven
trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of Yahweh went on con-
tinually, and blew with the trumpets : and the armed men went
before them; and the rearward came after the ark of Yahweh,
the priests blowing with the trumpets as they w^ent.
And the second day they compassed the city once, and re-
turned into the camp : so they did six days. And it came to pass
on the seventh day, that the}'' rose early at the dawTiing of the
day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times:
only on that day they compassed the city seven times.
And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests
blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, " Shout;
for Yahweh hath given you the city. And the city shall be de-
voted, even it and all that is therein, to Yahweh. But all the
silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are holy unto
Yahweh: they shall come into the treasur}'- of Yahweh."
So the people shouted, and the priests blew with the trumpets:
and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the
trumpet, that the people shouted with a great shout, and the
wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city,
every man straight before him, and they took the city. And
they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and
woman, both j^oung and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the
edge of the sword.
And Joshua said unto the two men that had spied out the land,
" Go into the harlot's house, and bring out thence the woman,
and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her." And the young
JOSHUA 111
men the spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father,
and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had, all her
kindred also they brought out; and they set them without the
camp of Israel. And they burnt the citj'' with fire, and all that
was therein: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of
brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of
Yahweh. But Rahab the harlot, and her father's household,
and all that she had, did Joshua save alive; and she dwelt in
the midst of Israel, unto this day; because she hid the mes-
sengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.
And Joshua charged them with an oath at that time, saying,
" Cursed be the man before Yahweh, that riseth up and buildeth
this city Jericho : with the loss of his first-born shall he lay the
foundation thereof, and with the loss of his youngest son shall he
set up the gates of it." So Yahweh was with Joshua; and his
fame was in all the land.
And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth-
aven, on the east side of Beth-el, and spake unto them, saying,
'' Go up and spy out the land." And the men went up and spied
out Ai. And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, " Let
not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men
go up and smite Ai; make not all the people to toil thither; for
they are but few."
So there went up thither of the people about three thousand
men: and they fled before the men of Ai. And the men of Ai
smote of them about thirty and six men: and they chased them
from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them at the
going down: and the hearts of the people melted, and became as
water. And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon
his face before the ark of Yahweh until the evening, he and the
elders of Israel; and they put dust upon their heads.
And Joshua said, " Alas, Lord God, v/herefore hast thou at
all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of
the Amorites, to cause us to perish? Would that we had been
content and dwelt beyond Jordan! Oh Yahweh, what shall I
say, after that Israel hath turned their backs before their enemies!
For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear
112 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
of it, and shall compass us round, and cut off our name from the
earth: and what wilt thou do for thy great name? "
And Yah well said unto Joshua, " Get thee up; wherefore art
thou thus fallen upon thy face? Israel hath sinned; yea, they
have even transgressed my covenant which I commanded them:
yea, they have even taken of the devoted thing; and have also
stolen, and dissembled also, and they have even put it among
their own stuff. Therefore the children of Israel cannot stand
before their enemies, they turn their backs before their enemies,
because they are become accursed: I will not be with you any
more, except ye destroy the devoted thing from among you.
Up, sanctify the people, and say, ' Sanctify yourselves against
tomorrow: for thus saitli Yahweh, the God of Israel.' There is
a devoted thing in the midst of thee, Israel; thou canst not
stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the devoted thing
from among you. In the morning therefore ye shall be brought
near by your tribes : and it shall be, that the tribe which Yahweh
taketh shall come near by families; and the family which Yah-
weh shall take shall come near by households; and the house-
hold which Yahweh shall take shall come near man by man.
And it shall be, that he that is taken with the devoted thing shall
be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath : because he hath trans-
gressed the covenant of Yahweh, and because he hath wrought
folly in Israel."
So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel
near by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken: and he
brought near the family of Judah: and he took the family of
Judah; and he took the family of Zerahites: and he brought
near the family of the Zerahites man by man: and Zabdi was
taken: and he brought near his household man by man; and
Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the
tribe of Judah, was taken.
And Joshua said unto Achan, " My son, give, I pray thee, glory
to Yahweh, the God of Israel, and make confession unto him;
and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me."
And Achan answered Joshua, and said, " Of a truth I have sinned
against Yahweh, the God of Israel, and thus and thus have I
done : when I saw among the spoil a goodly Babylonish mantle,
and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty
JOSHUA 113
shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, be-
hold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the
silver under it."
So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and,
behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it. And they
took them from the midst of the tent, and brought them unto
Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel; and they laid them
down before Yahweh. And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took
Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the mantle, and the
wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen,
and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had:
and they brought them up into the valley of Achor. And
Joshua said, " Why hast thou troubled us? Yahweh shall
trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones;
and they burned them with fire, and stoned them with stones.
And they raised over him a great heap of stones, unto this day;
and Yahweh turned from the fierceness of his anger. Where-
fore the name of that place was called The valley of Achor, unto
this day.
So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up to Ai,
and Joshua chose out thirtj^ thousand men, the mighty men of
valour, and sent them forth by night. And he commanded
them, saying, " Behold, ye shall lie in ambush against the city,
behind the citj^: go not very far from the city, but be ye all
ready: and I, and all the people that are vdih me, will approach
unto the city: and it shall come to pass, when they come out
against us, as at the first, that we \\'ill flee before them; and they
\vill come out after us, till we have drawn them away from the
city; for thej'- will say, '' Thej^ flee before us, as at the first;
so we will flee before them: and ye shall rise up from the ambush,
and take possession of the city: for Yahweh j'our God will
deliver it into your hand. And it shall be, when ye have seized
upon the city, that ye shall set the city on fii'e."
And Joshua sent them forth; and they went to the ambush-
ment, and abode between Beth-el and Ai, on the west side of Ai :
but Joshua lodged that night among the people.
And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and mustered the
114 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people
to Ai. And all the people, even the men of war that were with
him, went up, and drew nigh, and came before the city, and
pitched on the north side of Ai: now there was a valley between
him and Ai. And he took about five thousand men, and set
them in ambush between Beth-el and Ai, on the west side of the
city. So the}'' set the people, even all the host that was on the
north of the city, and their liers in wait that were on the west of
the city, and Joshua w^nt that night into the midst of the vale.
And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that thej^ hasted
and rose up earl}^, and the men of the city went out against
Israel to battle, he and all his people, at the time appointed, be-
fore the Arabah; but he \vist not that there was an ambush
against him behind the city.
And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before
them, and fled by the way of the wlderness. And all the people
that were in the city were called together to pursue after them;
and they pursued after Joshua, and were drawn away from the
city. And there was not a man left in Ai or Beth-el, that went
not out after Israel: and they loft the city open, and pursued
after Israel.
And Yahweh said unto Joshua, " Stretch out the javelin that
is in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thine hand."
And Joshua stretched out the javelin that was in his hand toward
the city. And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and
they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand, and entered
into the citj^, and took it; and they hasted and set the city on
fire. And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and
behold, the smoke of the citj^ ascended up to heaven, and they
had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people that
fled to the wdlderness turned back upon the pursuers. And when
Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city,
and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they turned again,
and slew the men of Ai.
And the other came forth out of the city against them; so
they were in the midst of Israel, some on this side, and some on
that side: and they smote them, so that they let none of them
remain or escape. And the king of Ai they took alive, and
brought him to Joshua.
JOSHUA 115
And it came to pass when Israel had made an end of slaying
all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness wherein
they pursued them, and they were all fallen by the edge of the
sword, until the}'' were consumed, that all Israel returned unto
Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword. And all that fell
that day, both of men and women, were twelve thousand, even
all the men of Ai. For Joshua drew not back his hand, where-
with he stretched out the javelin, until he had utterly destroyed
all the inhabitants of Ai.
So Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap forever, even a
desolation, unto this day. And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree
until the eventide: and at the going down of the sun Joshua
commanded, and they took his carcass dowm from the tree, and
cast it at the entering of the gate of the city, and raised thereon
a great heap of stones, unto this day.
But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had
done unto Jericho and to Ai, they also did work wilily, and went
and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks
upon their asses, and wine-skins, old and rent and bound up;
and old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon
them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and was be-
come mouldy.
And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said
unto him, and to the men of Israel, " We are come from a far
country: now therefore make ye a covenant with us." And
the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, '' Peradventure ye dwell
among us; and how shall we make a covenant with you? "
And they said unto Joshua, " We are thy servants." And
Joshua said unto them, " Who are ye? And from whence come
ye? " And they said unto him, '' From a very far country thy
servants are come. And our elders and all the inhabitants of our
country spake to us, saying, ' Take provision in your hand for
the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, " We are
your servants: and now make ye a covenant with us." ' This
our bread we took hot for our pro\dsions out of our houses on
the day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is
dry, and is become mouldy: and these wine-skins, which we
116 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
filled, were new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our gar-
ments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long
journey."
And the men took of their provision, and asked not counsel
at the mouth of Yahweh. And Joshua made peace with them,
and made a covenant with them, to let them live. And it came
to pass at the end of three days after they had made a covenant
with them, that they heard that they were their neighbors, and
that they dwelt among them.
And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying,
" Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, ' We are very far from
you '; when ye dwell among us? Now therefore ye are cursed
and there shall never fail to be of you bondmen, both hewers of
wood and drawers of water for the house of my God." And so
he did unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the
children of Israel, that they slew them not. And Joshua made
them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the
congregation, and for the altar of Yahweh, unto this day.
Now it came to pass, when Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem
heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it;
and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel,
and among them; that they feared greatly, because Gibeon was
a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater
than Ai, and all the men thereof were might}^
Wherefore, Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent unto Hohan
king of Hebron, and unto Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto
Japhia king of Lachish, and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying,
" Come up unto me, and help me, and let us smite Gibeon:
for it hath made peace with Joshua and with the children of
Israel."
Therefore, the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jeru-
salem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of
Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together, and
went up, the}-- and all their hosts, and encamped against Gibeon,
and made war against it. And the men of Gibeon sent unto
Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, sa\dng, " Slack not thy hand from
JOSHUA 117
thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us:
for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the hill country
are gathered together against us."
So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war
with him, and all the mighty men of valour. Joshua therefore
came upon them suddenly; for he went up from Gilgal all the
night. And Yahweh discomfited them before Israel, and he
slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them
by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon, and smote them to
Azekah, and unto Makkedah. And it came to pass, as they fled
from before Israel, while they were in the going down of Beth-
horon, that Yahweh cast down great stones from heaven upon
them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died
with the hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew
with the sword.
And he said in the sight of Israel,
" Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon;
And thou, Moon, in the valley of Aijalon.
And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed,
Until the nation had avenged themselves of their enemies."
Is not this WTitten in the book of Jashar? And the sun stayed
in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole
day. And there was no day like that before it or after it, that
Yahweh hearkened unto the voice of a man.
And Joshua returned; and all Israel with him, unto the camp
to Gilgal.
And these five kings fled, and hid themselves in the cave at
Makkedah. And it was told Joshua, saying, " The five kings
are found, hidden in the cave at Makkedah. And Joshua said,
" Roll great stones unto the mouth of the cave, and set men by
it for to keep them : but stay not ye ; pursue after your enemies,
and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into
their cities : for Yahweh your God hath delivered them into your
hand."
And it came to pass, when Joshua and the children of Israel
had made an end of slaying them with a verj'- great slaughter,
till they were consumed, and the remnant which remained of
118 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
them had entered into the fenced cities, that all the people re-
turned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace : none moved
his tongue against any of the children of Israel.
Then said Joshua, '' Open the mouth of the cave, and bring
forth those five Idngs unto me out of the cave." And they did
so, and brought forth those five kings unto him out of the cave,
the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth,
the king of Lachish, the king of Egion.
And it came to pass, when they brought forth those, kings unto
Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said
unto the chiefs of the men of war which went with him, '' Come
near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings." And they
came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them.
And afterward Joshua smote them, and put them to death, and
hanged them on five trees; and they were hanging upon the trees
until the evening. And it came to pass at the time of the going
down of the sun, that Joshua commanded, and they took them
down off the trees, and cast them into the cave wherein they
had hidden themselves, and laid great stones on the mouth of
the cave, unto this very day.
And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor heard thereof,
that he sent to Jobab, king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron,
and to the king of Achshaph.
And they went out, they and all their hosts v/ith them, much
people, even as the sand that is upon the seashore in multitude,
wdth horses and chariots very many. And all these kings met
together; and they came and pitched together at the waters of
Merom, to fight with Israel.
And Yahweh said unto Joshua, " Be not afraid because of
them: for tomorrow at this time will I deliver them up all slain
before Israel: thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their
chariots with fire." So Joshua came, and all the people of war
with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly, and
fell upon them. And Yahweh dehvered them into the hand of
Israel, and they smote them, and chased them unto great Zidon,
and unto Misrephoth-maim, and unto the valley of Mizpeh
eastward; and they smote them, until they left them none
JOSHUA 119
remaining. And Joshua did unto them as Yahweh bade him:
he houghed their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire.
Now Joshua was old and well stricken in years; and Yahweh
said unto him, " Thou art old and well stricken in years, and
there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed. Now
therefore divide this land for an inheritance."
Nevertheless, the children of Israel drave not out the Geshu-
rites, nor the Maacathites: but Geshur and Maacath dwelt in
the midst of Israel, unto this day.
And Caleb drove out thence the three sons of Anak, Sheshai,
and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.
And he went up thence against the inhabitants of Debir:
now the name of Debir before time was Kiriath-sepher. And
Caleb said, " He that smiteth Kiriath-sepher, and taketh it, to
him will I give Achsah my daughter to mfe.
And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it:
and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife. And it came to
pass, when she came unto him, that she moved him to ask of her
father a field: and she lighted down from off her ass; and Caleb
said unto her, " What wouldest thou? " And she said, " Give
me a blessing; for that thou hast set me in the land of the South,
give me also springs of water." And he gave her the upper
springs and the nether springs.
And as for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the
children of Judah could not drive them out: but the Jebusites
dwelt with the children of Judah at Jerusalem, unto this day.
And the lot for the children of Joseph went out from the
Jordan at Jericho, at the waters of Jericho on the east, even the
wilderness, going up from Jericho tln-ough the hill country to
Beth-el; and it went out from Beth-el to Luz, and passed along
unto the border of the Archites to Ataroth; and it went down
westward to the border of the Japhletites, unto the border of
Beth-horon the nether, even unto Gezer: and the goings out
thereof were at the sea.
120 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
Together with the cities which were separated for the children
of Ephraim in the midst of the inheritance of the children of
Manasseh, all the cities with their villages.
And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer:
but the Canaanites dwelt in the midst of Ephraim, unto this
day, and became servants to do taskwork.
As for Machir the first-born of Manasseh, the father of Gilead,
because he was a man of war, therefore, he had Gilead and
Bashan. And the lot was for the rest of the children of Manasseh
according to their families; for the children of Abiezer, and for
the children of Helek, and for the children of Asriel, and for the
children of Shechem, and for the children of Hepher, and for the
children of Shemida: these were the male children of Manasseh
the son of Joseph according to their families. The land of
Tappuah belonged to Manasseh : but Tappuah on the border of
Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim: these cities
l:)elonged to Ephraim among the cities of Manasseh.
And Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher Beth-shean and
her towns, and Ibleam and her to\\ais, and the inhabitants of Dor
and her towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and her towns,
and the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns, even the three
heights. Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the
inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in
that land. And it came to pass, when the children of Israel
were waxen strong, that they put the Canaanites to taskwork
and did not utterly drive them out.
And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, " Why
hast thou given me but one lot and one part for an inheritance,
seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as hitherto Yahweh hath
blessed me? " And Joshua said unto them, " If thou be a great
people, get thee up to the forest, and cut down for thyself there
in the land of the Perizzites and of the Rephaim; since the hill
country of Ephraim is too narrow for thee."
And the children of Joseph said, " The hill country is not
enough for us; and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of
the valley have chariots of iron, both they who are in Beth-
shean and her towns, and they who are in the valley of Jezreel.
JOSHUA 121
And Joshua spake unto the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim
and to Manasseh, saying, " Thou art a great people, and hast
great power: thou shalt not have one lot only: but the hill
country shall be thine; for though it is a forest, thou shalt cut it
down, and the goings out thereof shall be thine: for thou shalt
drive out the Canaanites, though they have chariots of iron, and
though they be strong.
" And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes
which had not yet divided their inheritance. And Joshua said
unto the children of Israel, ' How long are ye slack to go in to
possess the land, which Yahweh, the God of your fathers, hath
given you? Appoint for you three men for each tribe: and I
will send them, and they shall arise, and wallc through the land,
and describe it according to their inheritance; and they shall
come unto me. And they shall divide it into seven portions:
Judah shall abide in his border on the south, and the house of
Joseph shall abide in their border on the north. And j^e shall
describe the land into seven portions, and bring the description
hither to me: and I will cast lots for you here before Yahweh
our God.' "
And the men arose, and went : and Joshua charged them that
went to describe the land, saying, " Go and walk through the land,
and describe it, and come again to me, and I will cast lots for
you here before Yahweh in Shiloh." And the men went and
passed through the land, and described it by cities into seven
portions in a book, and they came to Joshua unto the camp at
Shiloh. And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before Yahweh:
and there Joshua divided the land unto the children of Israel
according to their divisions.
And the border of the children of Dan went out beyond them :
for the children of Dan went up and fought against Leshem, and
took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and possessed
it, and dwelt therein, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of
Dan their father.
JUDGES
JUDGES
The Story of the Judges
And the children of Israel sent tribute by him unto Eglon the
king of Moab. And Ehud made him a .sword which had two
edges, a cubit in length; and he girded it under his raiment upon
his right thigh. And he offered the tribute unto Eglon king of
Moab: now Eglon was a very fat man. And when he had made
an end of offering the tribute, he sent away the people that bare
the tribute. But he himself turned back from the quarries
that were by Gilgal, and said, " I have a secret errand unto
thee, king." And he said, " Keep silence." And all that
stood by him went out from him. And Ehud came unto him;
and he was sitting by himself alone in the cool upper room. And
Ehud said, " I have a message from God unto thee." And he
arose out of his seat. And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took
the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body:
and the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon
the blade, for he drew not the sword out of his body; and it
came out behind. Then Ehud went forth into the porch, and
shut the doors of the upper room upon him, and locked them.
Now when he was gone out, his servants came; and they saw,
and, behold, the doors of the upper room were locked; and they
said, " Surely he is covering his feet in the upper chamber." And
they tarried till they were ashamed; and, behold, he opened not
the doors of the upper room; therefore they took the key, and
opened them: and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on
the earth.
And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the
quarries, and escaped unto Seirah. And it came to pass, when
he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the hill country of
Ephraim; and the children of Israel went down with him from
the hill country, and he before them. And he said unto them,
"Follow after me; for Yahweh hath delivered your enemies
the Moabites into your hand." And they went down after
126 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
him, and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and
suffered not a man to pass.
Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, she
judged Israel at that time. And she dwelt under the palm-tree
of Deborah between Ramah and Beth-el in the hill country of
Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.
And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh-
naphtali, and said unto him, " Hath not Yahweh, the God of
Israel, commanded, saying, ' Go and draw unto mount Tabor,
and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naph-
tali and of the children of Zebulun? ' And I will draw unto thee,
to the river Kishon, Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his
chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thy
hand." And Barak said unto her, " If thou wilt go with me,
then I mil go; but if thou wilt not go with me, I will not go."
And she said, " I wiU surely go with thee: notwithstanding, the
journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for
Yahweh will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman." And Debo-
rah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh. And Barak called
Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh; and there went
up ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up
with him.
Now Heber the Kenite had separated himself from the Ke-
nites, even from the children of Hobab the brother-in-law of
Moses, and had pitched his tent as far as the oak in Zaanannim,
which is by Kedesh.
And they told Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was
gone up to mount Tabor. And Sisera gathered together all his
chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people
that were with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles, unto the
river Kishon. And Deborah said unto Barak, '^ Up; for this
is the day in which Yahweh hath delivered Sisera into thy hand :
is not Yahweh gone out before thee? " So Barak went down
from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him. And
Yahweh discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his
host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; and Sisera
alighted from his chariot, and fled away on his feet. But Barak
JUDGES 127
pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth
of the Gentiles : and all the host of Sisera fell by the edge of the
sword; there was not a man left.
Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the
wife of Heber the Kenite; for there was peace between Jabin
the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite. And
Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, " Turn in, my
lord, turn in to me; fear not." And he turned in unto her into
the tent, and she covered him with a rug. And he said unto her,
'^ Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty."
And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered
him. And he said unto her, " Stand in the door of the tent, and
it shall be, when any man doth come and inquire of thee, and
say, ' Is there any man here? that thou shalt say. No.' " Then
Jael Heber's wife took a tent-pin, and took a hammer in her hand,
and went softly unto him, and smote the pin into his temples,
and it pierced through into the ground; for he was in a deep
sleep; so he swooned and died. And, behold, as Barah pursued
Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, " Come,
and I will show thee the man whom thou seekest." And he
came unto her; and, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the tent-pin
was in his temples.
Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that
day, saying,
" For that the leaders took the lead in Israel,
For that the people offered themselves willingly.
Bless ye Yahweh.
Hear, ye kings; give ear, ye princes;
I, even I, will sing unto Yahweh;
I will sing praise to Yahweh the God of Israel.
Yahweh, when thou wentest forth out of Seir,
When thou marchedst out of the field of Edora,
The earth trembled, the heavens also dropped,
Yea, the clouds dropped water.
The mountains quaked at the presence of Yahweh,
Even yon Sinai at the presence of Yahweh, the God of Israel.
12S THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath,
In the clays of Jael, the highways were unoccupied,
And the travelers walked through byways.
The rulers ceased in Israel, they ceased,
Until that I Deborah arose.
That I arose a mother in Israel.
They chose new gods;
Then was war in the gates :
Was there a shield or spear seen
Among forty thousand in Israel?
My heart is toward the governors of Israel,
That offered themselves willingly among the people:
Bless ye Yahweh.
Tell of it, ye that ride on white asses,
Ye that sit on rich carpets,
And ye that walk by the way,
Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water,
There shall they rehearse righteous acts of Yahweh,
Even the righteous acts of his rule in Israel.
Then the people of Yahweh went down to the gates.
Awake, awake, Deborah;
Awake, awake, utter a song:
Arise, Barak, and lead away thy captives, thou son of
Abinoam.
Then came down a remnant of the nobles and the people;
Yahweh came down for me against the mighty.
Out of Ephraim came down they whose root is in Amalek;
After thee, Benjamin, among th}'' peoples;
Out of Machir came down governors,
And out of Zebulun they that handle the marshal's staff.
And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah;
As was Issachar, so was Barak;
Into the valley they rushed forth at his feet.
By the watercourses of Reuben
There were great resolves of heart.
Why satest thou among the sheepfolds.
To hear the pipings for the flocks?
JUDGES 129
At the watercourses of Reuben
There were great searchings of heart.
Gilead abode beyond the Jordan:
And Dan, why did he remain in sliips?
Asher sat still at the haven of the sea,
And abode by his creeks.
Zebulun was a people that jeoparded their lives unto the
death,
And Naphtali, upon the high places of the field.
The kings came and fought ;
Then fought the kings of Canaan,
In Taanach by the waters of Megiddo:
They took no gain of money.
From heaven fought the stars,
From their courses they fought against Sisera.
The river Kishon swept them away,
That ancient river, the river Kishon.
my soul, march on with strength.
Then did the horsehoofs stamp
By reason of the prancings, the praneings of their strong
ones.
Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of Yahweh,
Curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof;
Because they came not to the help of Yahweh,
To the help of Yahweh against the might3\
Blessed above women shall Jael be.
The wife of Heber the Kenite;
Blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
He asked water, and she gave him milk;
She brought him butter in a lordly dish.
She put her hand to the tent-pin,
And her right hand to the workmen's hammer;
And with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote through
his head;
Yea, she pierced and struck through his temples.
At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay;
At her feet he bowed, he fell:
Where he bowed, there he fell down dead.
130 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
Through the window she looked forth, and cried,
The mother of Sisera cried through the lattice,
Wliy is his chariot so long in coming?
Wliy tarry the wheels of his chariots?
Her wise ladies answered her,
Yea, she returned answer to herself,
Have they not found, have they not divided the spoil?
A damsel, two damsels to every man;
To Sisera a spoil of dyed garments,
A spoil of dyed garments embroidered.
Of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks
of the spoil?
So let all thine enemies perish, O Yahweh :
But let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth
in his might."
And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto
Yahweh because of Midian, that Yahweh sent a prophet unto
the children of Israel: and he said unto them, " Thus saith
Yahweh, the God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and
brought you forth out of the house of bondage; and I delivered
you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all
that oppressed you, and drove them out from before you, and
gave you their land; and I said unto ^''ou, ' I am Yahweh your
God; ye shall not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land j^e
dwell.' But ye have not hearkened unto my voice."
And the angel of Yahweh came, and sat under the oak which
was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and
his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine-press, to hide
it from the Midianites. And the angel of Yahweh appeared
unto him, and said unto him, " Yahweh is with thee, thou mighty
man of valour." And Gideon said unto him, " Oh, my lord, if
Yahweh is with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where are
all his wondrous works which our fathers told us of, saying,
' Did not Yaliweh bring us up from Egypt? ' but now Yahweh
hath cast us off, and delivered us into the hand of Midian."
And Yahweh looked upon him, and said, " Go in this thy might,
and save Israel from the hand of Midian: have not I sent thee?"
JUDGES 131
And he said unto him, '' Oh, Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel?
behold, my family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least
in my father's house." And Yahweh said unto him, " Surely I
will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one
man." And he said unto him, " If now I have found favour in
thy sight, then show me a sign that it is thou that talkest with
me. Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and
bring forth my present, and laj'' it before thee." And he said,
" I will tarry until thou come again."
And 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 unto him under the
oak, and presented it. 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. 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 un-
leavened cakes; and the angel of Yahweh departed out of his
sight. And Gideon saw that he was the angel of Yahweh; and
Gideon said, " Alas, Lord Yahweh! forasmuch as I have seen
the angel of Yahweh face to face." And Yahweh said unto him,
''Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die." Then
Gideon built an altar there unto Yahweh, and called it Yahweh-
shalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
And it came to pass the same night, that Yahweh said unto
him, " Take thy father's bullock, even the second bullock seven
years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath,
and cut down the Asherah that is by it ; and build an altar unto
Yahweh thy God upon the top of this stronghold, in the orderly
manner, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt-offering
with the wood of the Asherah which thou shalt cut down."
Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as Yahweh
had spoken unto him : and it came to pass, because he feared his
father's household and the men of the city, so that he could not
do it b}^ day, that he did it by night.
And when the men of the city arose early in the morning,
behold, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the Asherah
was cut dov/n that was by it, and tlie second bullock was offered
132 THE BOOK OF YAIIWEH
upon the altar that was built. 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."
Then the men of the city said unto Joash, " Bring out thy son,
that he may die, because he hath broken down the altar of Baal,
and because he hath cut down the Asherah that was by it."
And Joash said unto all that stood against him, " Will ye con-
tend for Baal? or will ye save him? he that will contend for him,
let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god,
let him contend for himself, because one hath broken down his
altar." Therefore, on that day he called him Jerub-baal,
saying, " Let Baal contend against him, because he hath broken
down his altar."
Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children
of the east assembled themselves together; and thej^ passed
over, and encamped in the valley of Jezreel. But the Spirit of
Yahweh came upon Gideon; and he blew a trumpet; and
Abiezer was gathered together after him. And he sent mes-
sengers throughout all Manasseh; and they also were gathered
together after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and
unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet
them.
And Gideon said unto God, " If thou wilt save Israel by my
hand, as thou hast spoken, behold, I will put a fleece of wool on
the threshing-floor; if there be dew on the fleece only, and it be
dry upon all the ground, then shall I know that thou w^lt save
Israel by my hand, as thou hast spoken." And it was so; for
he rose up early on the morrow, and pressed the fleece together,
and wTung the dew out of the fleece, a bowlful of water. And
Gideon said unto God, " Let not thine anger be kindled against
me, and I will speak but this once: let me make trial, 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." And God
did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there
was dew on all the ground.
Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were
with him, rose up earlj^ and encamped beside the spring of
JUDGES 133
Harod : and the camp of Midian was on the north side of them,
by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.
And Yahweh said unto Gideon, " The people that are with thee
are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand,
lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, ' Mine own
hand hath saved me.' " Now therefore proclaim in the ears of
the people, saying, " Whosoever is fearful and trembling, let
him return and depart from mount Gilead." And there returned
of the people twenty and two thousand ; and there remained ten
thousand.
And Yahweh 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." So he brought down the people unto the water : and Yah-
weh said unto Gideon, " Every one that lappeth of the water
with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shall thou set by himself;
likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink."
And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their
mouth, was three hundred men: but all the rest of the people
bowed down upon their knees to drink water. And Yahweh
said unto Gideon, " By the three hundred men that lapped will I
save you, and deliver the Midianites into thy hand; and let all
the people go every man unto his place." So the people took
victuals in their hand, and their trumpets; and he sent all the
men of Israel every man unto his tent, but retained the three
hundred men : and the camp of Midian was beneath him in the
valley.
And it came to pass the same night, that Yahweh said unto
him, '^ Ai'ise, get thee down into the camp; for I have delivered
it into thy hand. But if thou fear to go down, go thou with
Purah thy servant down to the camp : and thou shalt hear what
they say; and afterward shall thy hands be strengthened to
go down into the camp." Then went he down mth Purah his
servant unto the outermost part of the armed men that were in
the camp. And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all
the children of the east lay along in the valley like locusts for
multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand
134 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
which is upon the seashore for multitude. And when Gideon
was come, behold, there was a man telling a dream unto his
fellow; and he said, " Behold, I dreamed a dream; and, lo, a
cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian, and came
unto the tent, and smote it so that it fell, and turned it upside
down, so that the tent lay flat." And his fellow answered and
said, " This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of
Joash, a man of Israel : into his hand God hath delivered Midian,
and all the host."
And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream,
and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped; and he re-
turned into the camp of Israel, and said, " Arise; for Yahweh
hath deUvered into your hand the host of Midian." And he
divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put
into the hands of all of them trumpets, and empty pitchers, with
torches within the pitchers. And he said unto them, " Look
on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outer-
most part of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do.
When I blow the trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow
ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say,
' For Yahweh and for Gideon.' "
So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came
unto the outerm.ost part of the camp in the beginning of the
middle watch, when they had but newly set the watch: and they
blew the trumpets, and brake in pieces the pitchers that were in
their hands. And the three companies blew the trumpets,
and brake the pitchers, and held the torches in their left hands,
and the trumpets in their right hands wherewith to blow; and
they cried, " The sword of Yahweh and of Gideon." And they
stood every man in his place round about the camp ; and all the
host ran; and they shouted, and put them to flight. And they
blew the three hundred trumpets, and Yahweh set every man's
sword against his fellovv', and against all the host; and the host
fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of
Abel-me-holali, by Tabbath. And the men of Israel were gath-
ered together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all
Manasseh, and pursued after Midian.
And Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hiU country
of Ephraim, saying, " Come down against Midan, and take
JUDGES 135
before them the waters, as far as Beth-barah, even the Jordan."
So all the men of Ephraim were gathered together, and took
the waters as far as Beth-barah, even the Jordan. And they
took the two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb; and they
slew Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the
winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian; and they brought the
heads of Oreb and Zee!) to Gideon beyond the Jordan.
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 Midian? " And they did chide with him sharply.
And he said unto them, '^ What have I now done in comparison
^vith you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better
than the vintage of Abiezer? God hath delivered into your
hand the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I
able to do in comparison with you? " Then their anger was
abated toward him, when he had said that.
And Gideon came to the Jordan, and passed over, he, and the
three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing.
And he said unto the men of Succoth, *' Give, I pray you, loaves
of bread unto the people that follow me; for they are faint, and
I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian."
And the princes of Succoth said, " Ai'e the hands of Zebah and
Zalmunna now in thy hand, that we should give bread unto thine
army?" And Gideon said, " Therefore when Yahweh hath
dehvered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear
your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers."
And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them in like
manner; and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of
Succoth had answered. And he spake also unto the men of
Penuel, saying, " When I come again in peace, I will break down
this tower."
Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts
with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all
the host of the children of the east ; for there fell a hundred and
twentj'' thousand men that drew sword. 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.
136 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
And Zebah and Zalmunna fled; and he pursued after them; and
he took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and dis-
comfited all the host.
And Gideon the son of Joash returned from the battle from the
ascent of Heres. And he caught a young man of the men of
Succoth, and inquired of him: and he described for him the
princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, seventy and seven
men. And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, " Be-
hold Zebah and Zalmunna, concerning whom ye did taunt me,
sajdng, ' Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thy
hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary? ' "
And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness
and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth. And
he brake down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.
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 thej^; each one resembled the children of
a king." Aiid he said, " They were my brethren, the sons of my
mother: as Yahweh liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would
not slay you." And he said unto Jether his firstborn, " Up, and
slay them." But the youth drew not his sword; for he feared,
because he was j'^et a youth. 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 the crescents that were on their camels' necks.
Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, " Rule thou over us,
both thou, and th}^ son, and th}^ son's son also; for thou hast
saA^ed us out of the hand of Midian." And Gideon said unto
them, " I will not rule over j^ou, neither shall mj'' son rule over
you : Yahweh shall rule over you." And Gideon said unto them,
" I would make a request of you, that ye would give me every
man the ear-rings of his spoil." (For they had golden ear-rings,
because they were Ishmaelites.) And they answered, " We will
willingly give them." And they spread a garment, and did cast
therein every man the ear-rings of his spoil. And the weight of
the golden ear-rings that he requested was a thousand and seven
hundred shekels of gold; besides the crescents, and the pendants,
and the purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and
besides the chains that were about their camels' necks. And
JUDGES 137
Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in
Ophrah.
And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto
his mother's brethren, and spake with them, and with all the
family of the house of his mother's father, saying, " Speak, I
pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is
better for you, that all the sons of Jerubbaal, who are threescore
and ten persons, rule over you, or that one rule over you? re-
member also that I am your bone and your flesh." 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." And they
gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of
Baal-berith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light fellows,
who followed him. And he went unto his father's house at
Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being three-
score and ten persons, upon one stone : but Jotham the youngest
son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself. And all the men
of Shechem assembled themselves together, and all the house of
Millo, and went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the
pillar that was in Shechem.
And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood on 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. The trees went forth on a time to
anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive-tree,
' Reign thou over us.' But the olive-tree said unto them,
* Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honor God
and man, and go to wave to and fro over the trees? ' And the
trees said to the fig-tree, ' Come thou, and reign over us.' But
the fig-tree said unto them, ' Should I leave my sweetness, and
my good fruit, and go to wave to and fro over the trees? ' And
the trees said unto the vine, ' Come thou, and reign over us.*
And the vine said unto them, ' Should I leave my new wine, which
cheereth God and man, and go to wave to and fro over the trees?'
Then said all the trees unto the bramble, ' Come thou, and reign
over us.' And the bramble said unto the trees, ' If in truth ye
138 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
anoint me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade;
and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars
of Lebanon.' Now therefore, if ye have dealt trulj^ and uprightly,
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; (for my father fought for you, and
adventured his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian :
and ye are risen up against my father's house this day, and have
slain his sons, three score and ten persons, upon one stone, and
have made Abimelech, the son of his maid-servant, king over the
men of Shechem, because he is your brother;) if ye then have
dealt truly and uprightly with Jerubbaal and with his house this
day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in
you: 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." And Jotham ran away, and fled,
and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his
brother.
And Abimelech was prince over Israel three j-ears. And
God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of She-
chem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously mth Abime-
lech: that the violence done to the threescore and ten sons of
Jerubbaal might come, and that their blood might be laid upon
Abimelech their brother, who slew them, and upon the men of
Shechem, who strengthened his hands to slay his brethren.
And the men of Shechem set liers-in-wait for him on the tops of
the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way
by them: and it was told Abimelech.
And Gaal the son of Ebed came mth his brethren, and went
over to Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their trust in
him. And they went out into the field, and gathered their
vineyards, and trod the grapes, and held festival, and went into
the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abime-
lech. .\nd 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 ye the men of Hamor
the father of Shechem: but why should we serve him? And
would that this people were under mj^ hand! then would I re-
JUDGES 139
move Abimelech." And he said to Abimelech, " Increase thine
array, and come out."
And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal
the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled. And he sent messengers
unto Abimelech craftilj-, saying, " Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed
and his brethren are come to Sliechem; and, behold, they con-
strain the city to take part against thee. Now therefore, up by
night, thou and the people that are with thee, and lie in wait in
the field : and it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sun is
up, thou shalt rise early, and rush upon the city; and, behold,
when he and the people that are with him come out against thee^
then mayest thou do to them as thou shalt find occasion."
And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with
him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four com-
panies. And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the
entrance of the gate of the city : and Abimelech rose up, and the
people that were with him, from the ambushment. And when
Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, '' Behold, there come
people down from the tops of the mountains." And Zebul said
unto him, " Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as if they
were men." And Gaal spake again and said, " See, there come
people down by the middle of the land, and one company cometh
by the way of the oak of Meonenim." Then said Zebul unto
him, " Where is now thy mouth, that thou saidst, ' Who is Abime-
lech, that we should serve him? ' is not this the people that thou
hast despised? go out now, I pray, and fight with them." And
Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with
Abimelech. And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before
him, and there fell many wounded, even unto the entrance of
the gate.
And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul drove out Gaal
and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem. And
it came to pass on the m.orrow, that the people went out into the
field; and they told Abimelech. And he took the people, and
divided them into three companies, and laid wait in the field;
and he looked, and, behold, the people came forth out of the
city; and he rose up against them, and smote them. And
Abimelech, and the companies that were with him, rushed for-
ward, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city : and the
140 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
two companies rushed upon all that were in the field, and smote
them. And Abimelech fought against the city all that day;
and he took the city, and slew the people that were therein:
and he beat down the city, and sowed it \\dth salt.
And when all the men of the towxr of Shechem heard thereof,
they entered into the stronghold of the house of Elberith. And
it was told Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem
were gathered together. And Abimelech gat him up to mount
Zalmon he and all the people that were with him; and Abime-
lech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the
trees, and took it up, and laid it on his shoulder : and he said unto
the people that were with him, " What ye have seen me do, make
haste, and do as I have done." And all the people lilce^dse cut
do\\Ti every man his bough, and followed Abimelech and put them
to the stronghold, and set the stronghold on fire upon them; so
that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a
thousand men and women.
Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against
Thebez, and took it. But there was a strong tower ^vithin the
city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of
the city, and shut themselves in, and gat them up to the roof of
the tower. And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought
against it, and drew near unto the door of the tower to burn it
with fire. And a certain woman cast an upper millstone upon
Abimelech's head, and brake his skull. Then he called hastily
unto the j^'oung man his armor-bearer, and said unto him,
" Draw thy sword, and kill me, that men say not of me, A woman
slew him." And his young man thrust him through, and he
died. And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead,
they departed every man unto his place. Thus God requited
the -wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, m
slaying his seventy brethren ; and all the wickedness of the men
of Shechem did God requite upon their heads: and upon them
came the curse of Jotham the son of JeiTibbaal.
And after Abimelech there arose to save Israel Tola the son of
Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt
in Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim. And he judged
JUDGES 141
Israel twentj' and three years, and died, and was buried in
Shamir.
And after him arose Jair, the Gileadite; and he judged Israel
twenty and two years. And he had thirty sons that rode on
thirty ass colts, and thej^ had thirty cities, which are called
IIa\Toth-jair unto this daj^ which are in the land of Gilead.
And Jair died, and was buried in Kamon.
Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and
he was the son of a harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah. And
Gilead's wife bare him sons; and when his wife's sons grew up,
they drove out Jephthah, and said unto him, " Thou shalt not
inherit in our father's house; for thou art the son of another
woman." Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in
the land of Tol^: and there were gathered vain fellows to Jeph-
thah, and they went out with him.
And it came to pass after a while, that the children of Am-
nion made war against Israel. 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; and they said
imto Jephthah, " Come and be our chief, that we may fight vnth
the children of Ammon." And Jephthah said unto the elders of
Gilead, '' Did not ye hate me, and drive me out of my father's
house? and why are ye come unto me now when ye are in dis-
tress?" And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, " There-
fore are we turned again to thee now, that thou mayest go w^ith
us, and fight with the children of Ammon; and thou shalt be
our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead." And Jephthah
said unto the elders of Gilead, '' If ye bring me home again to
fight with the children of Ammon, and Yahweh deliver them
before me, shall I be your head? " And the elders of Gilead said
unto Jephthah, ''Yahweh shall be witness between us; surely
according to thy word so will we do." Then Jephthah went
with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and
chief over them: and Jephthah spake all his words before
Yahweh in Mizpah.
And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of
Ammon, saj'-ing, " What hast thou to do with me, that thou
142 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
art come unto me to fight against my land? " And the king of
the children of Ammon answered unto tlie messengers of Jeph-
thah, '' Because Israel took away my land, when he came up out
of Eg3^pt, from the Anion even unto the Jabbok, and unto the
Jordan: now, therefore, restore those lands again peaceably."
And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the chil-
dren of Ammon; and he said unto him, " Thus saith Jephthah:
Israel took not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the chil-
dren of Ammon; but when they came up from Egypt, and
Israel went through the wilderness unto the Red Sea, and came
to Kadesh; then Israel sent messengers unto the king of Edom,
saying, " Let me, I pray thee, pass through thy land; but the
king of Edom hearkened not. And in like manner he sent unto
tlie king of Moab; but he would not: and Israel abode in
Kadesh. Then they went through the wilderness, and went
around the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by
the east side of the land of Moab, and they encamped on the
other side of the Arnon ; but the}' came not within the border of
Moab, for the Arnon was the border of Moab. 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 unto my place. But Sihon trusted not Israel to pass
through his border; but Sihon gathered all his people together,
and encamped in Jahaz, and fought against Israel. And Yah-
weh, the 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.
And they possessed all the border of the Amorites, from the
Ai'non even unto the Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto
the Jordan. So now Yahweh, the God of Israel, hath dispos-
sessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, and shouldest
thou possess them? Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh
thy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever Yahweh our
God hath dispossessed from before us, them will we possess.
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? While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and its
towns, and in Ai'oer and its towns, and in all the cities that are
along by the side of the Arnon, three hundred years; wherefore
JUDGES 143
did ye not recover them withiu that time? I therefore, have not
sinned against thee, but thou doest me wrong to war against
me: Yahweh, the Judge, be judge this day between the children
of Israel and the children of Amnion. Howbeit the king of the
children of Ammon hearkened not unto the words of Jephthah
which he sent him."
Tlien the Spirit of Yahweh 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. And Jephthah vowed a vow unto Yahweh, and said,
" If thou wilt indeed deliver the children of Ammon into my
hand, then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth from the
doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the
children of Ammon, it shall be Yahweh's, and I will offer it up
for a burnt-offering." So Jephthah passed over unto the chil-
dren of Ammon to fight against them; and Yahweh delivered
them into his hand. And he smote them from Aroer until thou
come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and unto Abelcheramim,
with a very great slaughter. So the children of Ammon were
subdued before the children of Israel.
And Jephthah came to Mizpah unto his house: and, behold,
his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with
dances: and she was his only child; besides her he had neither
son nor daughter. 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 Yahweh, and I cannot go
back." And she said unto him, " My father, thou hast opened
thy mouth unto Yahweh; do unto me according to that which
hath proceeded out of thj^ mouth, forasmuch as Yahweh hath
taken vengeance for thee on thine enemies, even on the
children of Ammon." And she said unto her father, " Let this
thing be done for me : let me alone two months, that I may de-
part and go down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity,
I and my companions. And he said, ''Go." And he sent her
away for two months: and she departed, she and her com-
panions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains. 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
144 THE BOOK OF YAHWEIi
vowed: and she knew not man. And it was a custom in Israel,
that the daughters of Israel went yearly to celebrate the daughter
of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.
And the men of Ephraim were gathered together, and passed
northward; and they 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 thy house upon thee with
fire." And Jephthah said unto them, " I and my people were
at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called
you, ye saved me not out of their hand. And when I saw that
ye saved me not, I put my life in my hand, and passed over
against the children of Ammon, and Yahweh delivered them
into my hand : wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day,
to fight against me? " Then Jephthah gathered together all
the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim; and the men of
Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, " Ye are fugitives of
Ephraim, ye Gileadites, in the midst of Ephraim, and in the midst
of Manasseh." And the Gileadites took the fords of the Jordan
against the Ephraimites. And it was so, that, when any of the
fugitives of Ephraim said, '' Let me go over, the men of Gilead
said unto him, " Art thou an Ephraimite? " If he said, " Nay,"
then said they unto him, " Say now Shibboleth "; and he said,
"Sibboleth"; for he could not frame to pronounce it right:
then they laid hold on him, and slew him at the fords of the
Jordan. And there fell at that time of Ephraim forty and two
thousand.
And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah
the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.
And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. And he
had thirty sons; and thirty daughters he sent abroad, and thirty
daughters he brought in from abroad for his sons. And he judged
Israel seven years. And Ibzan died, and was buried at Beth-
lehem.
And after him Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel; and he
judged Israel ten years. And Elon the Zebulunite died, and was
buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.
And after him Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite judged
JUDGES 145
Israel. And he had forty sons and thh-ty sons' sons, that rode
on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years.
And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was
buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of
the Amalekites.
And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the
Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren,
and bare not. And the angel of Yahweh appeared unto the
woman, and said unto her, " Behold now, thou art barren, and
bearest not; but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son. Now
therefore, beware, I pray thee, and drink no wine nor strong
drink, and eat not any unclean thing: for, lo, thou shalt conceive,
and bear a son; and no razor shall come upon his head; for the
child shall be a Nazirite unto God from the womb : and he shall
begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines." Then
the woman came and told her husband, saying, " A man of God
came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of
the angel of God, very terrible; and I asked him not whence he
was, neither told he me his name: but he said unto me, Behold,
thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor
strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing; for the child shall
be a Nazirite unto God from the womb to the day of his death."
Then Manoah entreated Yahweh, and said, " Oh, Lord, I pray
thee, let the man of God whom thou didst send come again unto
us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be
born." And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the
angel of God came again unto the woman as she sat in the field :
but Manoah her husband was not with her. And the woman
made haste, and ran, and told her husband, and said unto him,
" Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me
the other day." And Manoah arose, and went after his wife,
and came to the man, and said unto him, " Art thou the man that
spakest unto the woman? " And he said, " I am." And Ma-
noah said, " Now let thy words come to pass: what shall be the
ordering of the child, and hoio shall we do unto him? " And the
angel of Yahweh said unto Manoah, " Of all that I said unto the
woman let her beware. She may not eat of any thing that
146 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
Cometh of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink,
nor eat any unclean thing; all that I commanded her let her
observe."
And Manoah said unto the angel of Yahweh, " I pray thee, let
us detain thee, that we may make ready a kid for thee." And
the angel of Yahweh said unto Manoah, " Though thou detain
me, I \vill not eat of thy bread; and if thou wilt make ready a
burnt-offering, thou must ofier it unto Yahweh." For Manoah
knew not that he was the angel of Yahweh. And Manoah said
unto the angel of Yahweh, " What is thy name, that, wlien thy
words come to pass, we may do thee honor? " And the angel of
Yahweh said unto him, " Wherefore askest thou after my name,
seeing it is wonderful? " So Manoah took the kid wdth the meal-
offering, and offered it upon the rock unto Yahw^eh: and the
angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on.
For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from
off the altar, that the angel of Yahweh ascended in the flame of
the altar: and Manoah and his wife looked on; and they fell on
their faces to the ground.
But the angel of Yahweh did no more appear to Manoah or
to his w^ife. Then Manoah knew that he was the angel of
Yahweh. And Manoah said unto his wife, '' We shall surely die,
because we have seen God." But his wife said unto him, " If
Yahweh were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a
burnt-offering and a meal-oifering at our hand, neither would he
have showed us all these things, nor would at this time have told
such things as these." And the woman bare a son, and called
his name Samson: and the child grew, and Yahweh blessed him.
And the Spirit of Yahweh began to move him in Mahanehdan,
between Zorah and Eshtaol.
And Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in
Timnah of the daughter of the Philistines. And he came up,
and told his father and his mother, and said, " I have seen a
woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines: now,
therefore, get her for me to wife." Then his father and his
mother said unto him, " Is there never a woman among the
daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou
JUDGES 147
goest to take a wife of the uiicircimicised Philistines? " And
Samson said unto his father, " Get her for me; for she pleaseth
me well." But his father and his mother knew not that it was
of Yahweh; for he sought an occasion against the Philistines.
Now at that time the Philistines had rule over Israel.
Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to
Timnah, and came to the \dneyards of Timnah: and, behold, a
young lion roared against him. And the Spirit of Yahweh came
mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a
kid; and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father
or his mother what he had done. And he went down, and talked
with the woman; and she pleased Samson w^ell. And after a
while he returned to take her; and he turned aside to see the
carcass of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees in
the body of the lion, and honey. And he took it into his hands,
and went on, eating as he went; and he came to his father
and mother, and gave unto them, and they did eat : but he told
them not that he had taken the honey out of the body of the
lion.
And his father went down unto the woman: and Samson
made there a feast; for so used the young men to do. And it
came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty
companions to be with him. And Samson said unto them, " Let
me now put forth a riddle unto j^ou: if ye can declare it unto me
A\dthin the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will
give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of raiment;
but if ye cannot declare it unto me, then shall ye give me thirty
linen garments and thirty changes of raiment. And they said
unto him, " Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it." And he
said unto them,
" Out of the eater came forth food.
And out of the strong came forth sweetness."
And they could not in three days declare the riddle.
And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto
Samson's wife, '' Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto
us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house vnih. fire :
have ye called us to impoverish us? is it not so? " And Sam-
son's wife wept before him, and said, '' Thou dost but hate me,
148 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
and lovest me not : thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children
of my people, and hast not told it me." And he said unto her,
" Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I
tell thee? " And she wept before him the seven days, while their
feast lasted : and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told
her, because she pressed him sore; and she told the riddle to the
children of her people. And the men of the city said unto him
on the seventh day before the sun went down, " What is sweeter
than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? " And he said
unto them,
'* If ye had not plowed with my heifer,
Ye had not found out my riddle."
And the Spirit of Yahweh came mightily upon him, and he went
down to Ashkelon, and smote thirty men of them, and took their
spoil, and gave the changes of raiment unto them that declared
the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his
father's house. But Samson's wiie was given to his companion,
whom he had used as his friend.
But it came to pass after a while, in the time of wheat harvest,
that Samson visited his wife with a kid ; and he said, I will go in to
my wife into the chamber." But her father would not suffer him
to go in. And her father said, '' I verily thought that thou
hadst utterly hated her; therefore, I gave her to thy com-
panion: is not her j'-ounger sister fairer than she? take her, I
pray thee, instead of her." And Samson said unto them,
" This time shall I be blameless in regard of the Philistines,
when I do them a mischief." And Samson went and caught
three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail,
and put a firebrand in the midst between every two tails. And
when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the stand-
ing grain of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks and
the standing grain, and also the oliveyards. Then the Philis-
tines said, " Who hath done this? " And they said, " Samson,
the son-in-law of the Timnite, because he hath taken his wile,
and given her to his companion." And the Philistines came up,
JUDGES 149
and burnt her and her father with fire. And Samson said unto
them, "If ye do after this manner, surely I will be avenged of
you, and after that I will cease." And he smote them hip and
thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the
cleft of the rock of Etam.
Then the Philistines went up, and encamped in Judah, and
spread themselves in Lehi. And the men of Judah said, " Why
are ye come up against us? " And they said, " To bind Samson
are we come up, to do to him as he hath done to us." Then
three thousand men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock
of Etam, and said to Samson, " Knowest thou not that the
Philistines are rulers over us? what then is this that thou hast
done unto us? " And he said unto them, " As they did unto me,
so have I done unto them." And they said unto him, " We are
come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the hand
of the Phihstines." And Samson said unto them, " Swear unto
me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves." And they spake
unto him, saying, " No; but we will bind thee fast, and deliver
thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee." And
they bound him with two new ropes, and brought him up from
the rock.
When he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted as they
met him: and the Spirit of Yahweh came mightily upon him,
and the ropes that were upon his arms became as flax that was
burnt with fire, and his bands dropped from off his hands.
And he found a fresh jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand,
and took it, and smote a thousand men therewith. And Sam-
son said,
" With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps,
With the jawbone of an ass have I smitten a thousand men."
And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that
he cast away the jawbone out of his hand; and that place was
called Ramath-lehi. And he was sore athirst, and called on
Yahweh, and said, " Thou hast given this great deliverance by
the hand of thy servant; and now shall I die for thirst, and fall
into the hand of the uncircumcised." But God clave the hollow
place that is in Lehi, and there came water thereout; and when
he had dmnk, his spirit came again, and he revived: wherefore
150 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
the name thereof was called En-hakkore, which is in Lehi,
unto this day.
And Samson went to Gaza, and saw there a harlot, and went
in unto her. And it ivas told the Gazites, saying, " Samson is
come hither." And tlic}^ compassed him in, and laid wait for
him all night in the gate of the cit}^ and were quiet all the night,
saying, "Let be till morning light, then we will kill him." And
Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and laid hold of
the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and plucked
them up, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and
carried them up to the top of the mountain that is before Hebron.
And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the
valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. And the Lords of the
Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, " Entice him,
and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we
may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him:
and we will give thee ever}- one of us eleven hundred pieces of
silver." And Delilah said to Samson, " Tell me, I pray thee,
wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be
bound to afflict thee." And Samson said unto her, " If they
bind me with seven green v/ithes that were never dried, then
shall I become weak, and be as another man." Then the lords
of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withes which had
not been dried, and she bound him mth them. Now she had
liers-in-wait abiding in the inner chamber. And she said unto
him, " The Philistines are upon thee, Samson." And he brake
the withes, as a string of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire.
So his strength was not known.
And Delilah said unto Samson, " Behold, thou hast mocked
me, and told me lies: now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou
mightest be bound." And he said unto her, " If they only bind
me with new ropes v/herewith no work hath been done, then shall
I become weak, and be as another man." So Delilah took new
ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him, " The
PhiUstines are upon thee, Samson." And the liers-in-wait were
abiding in the inner chamber. And he brake them from off his
arms like a thread.
JUDGES 151
And Delilah said unto Samson, " Hitlierto thou hast mocked
me, and told me lies : tell me wherewth thou mightest be bound."
And he said unto her, " If thou weavest the seven locks of my
head with the web." And she fastened it with the pin, and said
unto him, " The Philistines are upon thee, Samson." And he
awaked out of his sleep, and plucked away the pin of the beam,
and the web.
And she said unto him, '' How canst thou say, I love thee, when
thy heart is not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times,
and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth." And it
came to pass, when she pressed him daily wdth her words, and
urged him, that his soul was vexed unto death. And he told
her all his heart, and said unto her, " There hath not come a
razor upon my head ; for I have been a Nazirite unto God from
my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go
from me, and I shall become weak and be like any other man."
And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she
sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, " Come up
this once, for he hath told me all his heart." Then the lords of
the Philistines came up unto her, and brought the money in
their hand. And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she
called for a man, and shaved off the seven locks of his head;
and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.
And she said, " The PhiHstines are upon thee, Samson." And
he awoke out of his sleep, and said, " I will go out as at other
times, and shake myself free." But he knew not that Yahweh
was departed from. him. And the Philistines laid hold on him,,
and put out his eyes; and they brought him down to Gaza, and
bound him. mth fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison-
house. Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after
he was shaven. .
And the lords of the Philistines gathered them together to
offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice; for
they said, " Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our
hand." And when the people saw him, they praised their god;
for they said, " Our god hath delivered into our hand our enemy,
and the destroyer of our country, who hath slain many of us."
And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said,
" Call for Samson, that he may make us sport." And they called
152 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
for Samson out of the prison-house; and he made sport before
them. And they set him between the pillars: and Samson said
unto the lad that held him by the hand, '' Suffer me that I may
feel the pillars whereupon the house resteth, that I may lean
upon them." Now the house was full of men and women; and
aU the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon
the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while
Samson made sport.
And Samson called unto Yahweh, and said, " Lord Yahweh,
remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee,
only this once, God, that I may be at once avenged of the
Philistines for my two eyes." And Samson took hold of the two
middle pillars upon which the house rested, and leaned upon
them, the one with his right hand, and the other with his left.
And Samson said, " Let me die with the Philistines." And he
bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the
lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead
that he slew at his death were more than they that he slew in his
life. Then his brethren and all the house of his father came
down, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him be-
tween Zorah and Eshtaol in the burying-place of Manoah his
father.
And there was a man of the hill country of Ephraim, whose
name was Micah. And he said unto his mother, " The eleven
hundred pieces of silver that were taken from thee, about which
thou didst utter a curse, and didst also speak it in mine ears,
behold, the silver is with me; I took it." And his mother said,
" Blessed be my son of Yahweh." And he restored the eleven
hundred pieces of silver to his mother; and his mother said,
*' I verily dedicate the silver unto Yahweh from my hand for
my son, to make a gi'aven image and a molten image : now there-
fore, I will restore it unto thee." And when he restored the
money unto his mother, his mother took two hundred pieces
of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a
gi'aven image and a molten image: and it was in the house of
Micah. And the man Micah had a house of gods, and he made
an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who
JUDGES 153
became his priest. In those days there was no king in Israel:
every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
And there was a young man out of Beth-lehem-judah, of the
family of Judah, who was a Levite; and he sojourned there.
And the man departed out of the city, out of Beth-lehem-judah,
to sojourn where he could find a place; and he came to the hill
country of Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.
And Micah said unto him, " Whence comest thou? " And he
said unto him, '' I am a Levite of Beth-lehem-judah, and I go
to sojourn where I may find a place." And Micah said unto him,
" Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will
give thee ten pieces of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel,
and thy victuals." So the Levite went in. And the Levite
was content to dwell with the man ; and the young man was unto
him as one of his sons. And Micah consecrated the Levite, and
the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.
Then said Micah, " Now know I that Yahweh will do me good,
seeing I have a Levite to my priest."
In those days there was no king in Israel: and in those days
the tribe of the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in;
for unto that day their inheritance had not fallen unto them
among the tribes of Israel. And the children of Dan sent of
their family five men from their whole number, men of valour,
from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to search
it; and they said unto them, " Go, search the land: and they
came to the hill country of Ephraim, unto the house of Micah,
and lodged there. When they were by the house of Micah,
they knew the voice of the young man the Levite; and they
turned aside thither, and said unto him, " Who brought thee
hither? and what doest thou in this place? and what hast thou
here? " And he said unto them, " Thus and thus hath Micah
dealt with me, and he hath hired me, and I am become his priest."
And they said unto him, " Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that
we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous."
And the priest said unto them, "Go in peace: before Yahweh
is your way wherein ye go."
Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the
154 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
people that were therein, how they dwelt in security, after the
manner of the Sidonians, quiet and secure; for there was none
in the land, possessing authority, that might put them to shame
in any thing, and they were far from the Sidonians, and had no
dealings with any man. And thej^ came unto their brethren to
Zorah an.d Eshtaol: and their brethren said unto them, '' What
say ye? " And they said, " Arise, and let us go up against them;
for we have seen the land, and, behold, it is very good: and are
ye still? be not slothful to go and to enter in to possess the land.
When ye go, ye shall come unto a people secure, and the land is
large; for God hath given it into your hand, a place where there
is no want of any thing that is in the earth."
And there set forth from thence of the family of the Danites,
out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men girt with
weapons of war. And they went up, and encamped in Kiriath-
jearim, in Judah: wherefore they called that place Mahaneh-
dan, unto this day; behold, it is behind Kiriath-jearim. And
the}^ passed thence unto the hill country of Ephraim, and came
unto the house of Micah.
Then answered the five men that went to spy out the countr}^
of Laish, and said unto their brethren, " Do ye know that there
is in these houses an cphod, and teraphim, and a graven image,
and a molten image? now therefore consider what ye have to
do." And tlie}' turned aside thither, and came to the house of
the young man, the Levite, even unto the house of Micah, and
asked him of his welfare. And the six hundred men girt with
their weapons of war, who were of the children of Dan, stood by
the entrance of the gate. And the five men that went to spy
out the land went up, and came in thither, and took the graven
image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image:
and the priest stood by the entrance of the gate with the six
hundred men girt with weapons of war. And when these went
into Micah's house, and fetched the graven image, the ephod,
and the teraphim, and the molten image, the priest said unto
them, " What do ye? " And they said unto him, " Hold thy
peace, lay thy hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to
us a father and a priest : is it better for thee to be priest unto the
house of one man, or to be priest imto a tribe and a family in
Israel? " And the priest's heart was glad, and he took the
JUDGES 155
ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the
midst of the people.
So they turned and departed, and put the Httle ones and the
cattle and the goods before them. When they were a good way
from the house of Micah, the men that were in the houses near to
Micah's house were gathered together, and overtook the children
of Dan. And they cried unto the children of Dan. And they
turned their faces, and said unto Micah, " What aileth thee, that
thou comest with such a company? " And he said, " Ye have
taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and are gone
away, and what have I more? and how then say ye unto me,
' What aileth thee? ' " And the children of Dan said unto him,
" Let not thy voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows fall
upon you, and thou lose thy life, with the lives of thy household."
And the children of Dan went their way: and when Micah saw
that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back unto
his house.
And they took that which Micah had made, and the priest
whom he had, and came unto Laish, unto a people quiet and
secure, and smote them with the edge of the sword; and they
burnt the city with fire. And there was no deliverer, because it
was far from Sidon, and they had no dealings with any man;
and it was in the valley that Heth by Beth-rehob. And they
built the city, and dwelt therein. And they called the name of
the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born
unto Israel: howbeit the name of the city was Laish at the first.
And the children of Dan set up for themselves the graven image ;
and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, he and his
sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites until the day of the
captivity of the land. So they set them up Micah's graven
image which he made, all the time that the house of God was in
Shiloh.
And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in
Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the farther
side of the hill country of Ephraim, who took to him a concubine
out of Beth-lehem-judah. And his concubine played the harlot
against him, and went away from him unto her father's house to
156 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
Beth-lehem-judah, and was there the space of four months. And
her husband arose, and went after her, to speak kindly unto her,
to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of
asses: and she brought him into her father's house; and when
the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him. And
his father-in-law, the damsel's father, retained him; and he
abode with him three days: so they did eat and drink, and lodged
there. And it came to pass on the fourth day, that they arose
early in the morning, and he rose up to depart : and the damsel's
father said unto his son-in-law, " Strengthen thy heart with a
morsel of bread, and afterward ye shall go your way." So they
sat down, and did eat and drink, both of them together : and the
damsel's father said unto the man, '' Be pleased, I pray thee, to
tarry all night, and let thy heart be merry." And the man rose
up to depart; but his father-in-law urged him, and he lodged
there again. And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day
to depart; and the damsel's fatlier said, " Strengthen thy heart, I
pray thee, and tarry ye until the day dcclineth "; and they did
eat, both of tliem. And when the man rose up to depart, he,
and his concubine, and his servant, his father-in-law, the
damsel's father, said unto him, " Behold, now the day draweth
toward evening, I pray you tarry all night: behold, the day
groweth to an end, lodge here, that thy heart may be merry;
and to-morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go
home."
But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and
departed, and came over agamst Jebus (the same is Jerusalem)
and there were with him a couple of asses saddled ; his concubine
also was mth him. When they were by Jebus, the day was far
spent; and the servant said unto his master, " Come, I pray
thee, and let us turn aside into this city of the Jebusites, and
lodge in it." And his master said unto him, " We will not turn
aside into the city of a foreigner, that is not of the children of
Israel; but we will pass over to Gibeah." And he said unto his
servant, " Come and let us draw near to one of these places; and
we will lodge in Gibeah, or in Ramah." So they passed on and
went their way; and the sun went down upon them near to
Gibeah, Avhich bclongeth to Benjamin. And they turned aside
thither, to go in to lodge in Gibeah : and he went in, and sat him
JUDGES 167
down in the street of the city; for there was no man that took
them into his house to lodge.
And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the
field at even: now the man was of the hill country of Ephraim,
and he sojourned in Gibeah; but the men of the place were Ben-
jamites. And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the wayfaring man
in the street of the city; and the old man said, " Whither goest
thou? and whence comest thou? " And he said unto him,
" We are passing from Beth-lehem-judah unto the farther side
of the hill country of Ephraim ; from thence am I, and I went to
Beth-lehem-judah: and I am 7iow going to the house of Yahweh:
and there is no man that taketh me into his house. Yet there is
both straw and provender for our asses; and there is bread and
wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man
that is with thy servants: there is no want of any thing." And
the old man said, " Peace be unto thee; howsoever let all thy
wants lie upon me ; only lodge not in the street." So he brought
him into his house, and gave the asses fodder; and they washed
their feet, and did eat and drink.
As they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of
the city, certain base fellows, beset the house round about,
beating at the door; and they spake to the master of the house,
the old man, saying, '' Bring forth the man that came into thy
house, that we may know him." And the man, the master of the
house, went out unto them, and said unto them, '' Nay, my
brethren, I pray you, do not so wickedly; seeing that this man is
come into my house, do not this folly." But the men would not
hearken to him: so the man laid hold on his concubine, and
brought her forth unto them; and they knew her, and abused
her all the night until the morning: and when the day began to
spring, they let her go. Then came the woman in the dawning
of the day, and fell down at the door of the man's house where
her lord was, till it was light.
And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of
the house, and went out to go his way; and, behold, the woman
his concubine was fallen dowai at the door of the house, with her
hands upon the threshold. And he said unto her, '' Up, and let
us be going "; but none answered: then he took her up upon the
ass; and the man rose up, and gat him unto his place. And
158 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
when he was come into his liouse, he took a knife, and laid hoki on
his concubine, and divided her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces,
and sent her throughout all the borders of Israel. And it was so,
that all that saw it said, '' There was no such deed done nor seen
from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of
Egypt unto this day: consider it, take counsel, and speak."
SAMUEL I
SAMUEL I
The Story of Samuel
Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and
pitched beside Eben-ezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.
And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel:
and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the
PhiHstines: and they slew of the army in the field about four
thousand men. And when the people were come into the camp,
the elders of Israel said, " Wherefore hath Yahweh smitten us
today before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the cove-
nant of Yahweh out of Shiloh unto us, that it may come among
us, and save us out of the hand of our enemies."
So the people sent to Shiloh, and they brought from thence
the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, the Lord of hosts, which
sitteth upon the cherubim: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni
and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
And when the ark of the covenant of Yahweh came into the
camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth
rang again.
And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they
said, " What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp
of the Hebrews? " And they understood that the ark of Yah-
weh was come into the camp.
And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, " God is come
into the camp." And they said, " Woe unto us! For there
hath not been such a thing heretofore. Woe unto us! Who
shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty gods? These
are the gods that smote the Egyptians, with all manner of plagues
in the wilderness. Be strong, and quit yourselves like men,
ye Phihstines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as
they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight."
And the Phihstines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they
fled every man to his tent: and there was a very great slaughter;
for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen. And the ark
1G2 THE BOOK OF YAHWEII
of God was taken ; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas,
were slain.
And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came
to Shiloh the same da}^ with his clothes rent, and with earth upon
his head. And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon his seat by the
wayside watching: for his heart trembled for the ark of God.
And when the man came into the citj^ and told it, all the city
cried out. And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said,
'' What meaneth the noise of this tumult? " Aiid the man
hasted, and came and told Eli. Now Eli was ninety and eight
years old; and his eyes were set, that he could not see. And
the man said unto Eli, '' I am he that came out of the army, and
I fled today out of the army." And he said, " How went the
matter, my son? " And he that brought the tidings answered
and said, " Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath
been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons
also, Hophni and Phinheas, are dead, and the ark of God is
taken."
And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God,
that he fell from off his seat backward by the side of the gate,
and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and
heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.
And his daughter-in-lav/, Phinehas' wife, was mth child, near
to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark
of God was taken, and that her father-in-law and her husband
were dead, she bowed herself and brought forth; for her pains
came upon her. And about the time of her death the women
that stood by her said unto her, " Fear not; for thou hast brought
forth a son." But she answered not, neither did she regard it.
And she named the child Ichabod, saying, *' The glory is departed
from Israel "; because the ark of God was taken, and because of
her father-in-law and her husband. And she said, " The glory
is departed from Israel; for the ark of God is taken."
Now the Philistines had taken the ark of God, and they
brought it from Eben-ezer unto Ashdod. And the Philistines
took the ark of God, and brought it into the house of Dagon,
and set it bj^ Dagon.
And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold,
Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of
SAMUEL I 163
Yahweh. And tliey took Dagon, and set him in his place again.
And when the}^ arose early on the morrow morning, behold,
Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of
Yahweh: and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his
hands lay cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon
was left to him. Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any
that come into Dagon's house tread on the threshold of Dagon
in Ashdod, unto this da5^
And the hand of Yahweh was heavy upon them of Ashdod,
and he destroyed them, and smote them with tumours, even
Ashdod and the borders thereof. And when the men of Ashdod
saw that it was so, they said, " The ark of the God of Israel
shall not abide v/ith us : for his hand is sore upon us, and upon
Dagon our god."
They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philis-
tines unto them, and said, " What shall we do with the ark of
the God of Israel? " And they answered, " Let the ark of the
God of Israel be carried about unto Gath." And they carried
the ark of the God of Israel about thither. And it was so, that,
after they had carried it about, the hand of Yahweh was against
the city with a very great discomfiture: and smote the men
of the city, both small and great, and tumours break out upon
them.
So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass
as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Eki'onites cried out,
saying, " They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel
to us, to slay us and our people." They sent therefore and
gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and they said,
" Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to
its own place, that it slay us not, and our people " : for there was
a deadly discomfiture throughout aU the city; the hand of God
was very heavy there. And the men that died not were smitten
with the tumours; and the cry of the city went up to heaven.
And the ark of Yahweh was in the country of the Philistines
seven months. And the PhiHstines called for the priests and
the diviners, saying, " What shall we do with the ark of Yahweh?
Show us wherewith we shall send it to its place." And they said,
" If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty;
but in any wise return him a guilt offermg: then ye shall be
164 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand i»s not removed
from you."
Then said they, " What shall be the guilt offering which we
shall return to him? " And they said, " Five golden tumours,
and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the
Philistines: for one plague was on you all, and on your lords.
Wherefore ye shall make images of your tumours, and images of
your mice that mar the land; and ye shall give glory unto the
God of Israel : peradventure he will lighten his hand from off
you, and from off your gods, and from off your land. Where-
fore then do ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pha-
raoh hardened their hearts? When he had wrought wonderfully
among them, did they not let the people go, and they departed?
Now therefore take and prepare you a new cart, and two milch
kine, on which there hath come no yoke, and tie the kine to the
cart, and bring their calves hom.e from them : and take the ark
of Yahweh, and lay it upon the cart; and put the jewels of gold,
which ye return him for a guilt offering, in a coffer by the side
thereof; and send it away, that it may go. And see, if it goeth
up by the way of its own border to Beth-shemesh, then he hath
done us this great e\dl: but if not, then we shall know that it is
not his hand that smote us; it was a chance that happened
to us."
And the men did so ; and took two milch kine, and tied them
to the cart, and shut up their calves at home : and they put the
ark of Yahweh upon the cart, and the coffer w^th the mice of gold
and the images of their tumours. And the kine took the straight
way by the way to Beth-sliemesh ; they went along the high
way, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand
or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them
unto the border of Beth-shemesh.
And they of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest
in the valley: and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark,
and rejoiced to see it. And the cart came into the field of
Joshua the Beth-shemite, and stood there, where there was
a great stone: and they clave the wood of the cart, and offered
up the kine for a burnt offering unto Yahweh.
And the Levites took down the ark of Yahweh, and the coffer
that was mth it, wherein the jewels of gold were, and put them
SAMUEL I 165
on the great stone: and the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt
offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day unto Yahweh.
And when the five lords of the Phihstines had seen it, they re-
turned to Ekron the same day.
And these are tlie golden tumours which the Philistines re-
turned for a guilt offering unto Yahweh; for Ashdod one, for
Gaza one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one; and
the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the
Phihstines belonging to the five lords, both of fenced cities and of
country villages: even unto the great stone, whereon they
set dowm the ark of Yahweh, which stone remaineth unto this
day in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite.
And he smote the men of Beth-shemesh, because they had
looked into the ark of Yahweh, even he smote of the people
seventy men, and fifty thousand men: and the people mourned,
because Yahweh had smitten the people with a great slaughter.
And the men of Beth-shemesh said, " Who is able to stand before
Yahweh, this holy God? And to whom shall he go up from us? "
And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim,
saying, " The Philistines have brought again the ark of Yahweh;
come ye down, and fetch it up to you." And the men of Kiriath-
jearim came, and fetched up the ark of Yahweh, and brought it
into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar
his son to keep the ark of Yahweh.
The Story of Saul
Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish,
the son of Abel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of
Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valour. And he
had a son, whose name was Saul, a young man and a goodly:
and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person
than he : from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any
of the people.
And the asses of Kish, Saul's father were lost. And Kish
said to Saul, his son, " Take now one of the servants with thee,
and arise, go seek the asses."
And he passed through the hill country of Ephraim, and
passed through the land of Shalishah, but they found them not,
then they passed through the land of ShalUm, and there they
166 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
were not: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites,
but they found them not.
When they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his
servant that was with him, " Come and let us return; lest my
father leave caring for the asses, and take thought for us."
And he said unto him, " Behold now, there is in this city a man
of God, and he is a man that is held in honour; all that he saith
comcth surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he
can tell us concerning our journey whereon we go." Then said
Saul to his servant, " But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring
the man? For the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not
a present to bring to the man of God: what have we? " And
the servant answered Saul again, and said, " Behold, I have in
my hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver : that will I give to
the man of God, to tell us our way." (Beforetime in Israel,
when a man went to inquire of God, thus he said, " Come and
let us go to the seer ": for he that is now called a Prophet was
beforetime called a Seer.) Then said Saul to his servant, " Well
said; come, let us go."
So they went unto the cit}^ where the man of God was. As
they went up the ascent to the city, they found young maidens
going out to draw water, and said vmto them, " Is the seer
here? " And they answered them, and said, " He is; behold, he
is before thee: make haste now, for he is come today into the
city; for the people have a sacrifice today in the high place:
as soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway find
him, before he go up to the high place to eat : for the people will
not eat until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; and
afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you
up; for at this time ye shall find him." And they went up to
the city, and as they came within the city, behold, Samuel came
out against them, for to go up to the high place.
Now Yahweh had revealed unto Samuel a day before Saul
came, saying, " Tomorrow about this time I will send thee a man
out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be
prince over my people Israel, and he shall save my people out of
the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon mj'- people,
because their cry is come unto me."
And when Samuel saw Saul, Yahweh said unto him, '' Behold
SAMUEL I 167
the man of whom I spake to thee! This same shall have au-
thority over my people."
Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, " Tell
me, I praj" thee, where the seer's house is." And Samuel an-
swered Saul, and said, " I am the seer; go up before me unto
the high place, for ye shall eat with me today: and in the morn-
ing I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart.
And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy
mind on them; for they are found. And for whom is all that is
desiral)le in Israel? Is it not for thee, and for all thy father's
house? "
And Saul answered and said, " Am not I a Benjamite, of the
smallest of the tribes of Israel? And my family the least of all
the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Wherefore then speakest
thou to me after this manner? "
And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into
the guest chamber, and made them sit in the chiefest place among
them that were bidden, which were about thirty persons. And
Samuel said unto the cook, " Bring the portion which I gave
thee, of which I said unto thee, ' Set it by thee.' " And the cook
took up the thigh, and that which was upon it, and set it before
Saul. And Samuel said, " Behold that which hath been re-
served! Set it before thee and eat; because unto the appointed
time hath it been kept for thee, for I said, ' I have invited the
people.' " So Saul did eat with Samuel that day.
And when they were come down from the high place into
the city, he communed with Saul upon the housetop. And they
arose early: and it came to pass about the spring of the day,
that Samuel called to Saul on the housetop, saying, " Up, that
I may send thee away." And Saul arose, and they went out
both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.
As they were going down at the end of the cit}^, Samuel said
to Saul, " Bid the servant pass on before us (and he passed
on), but stand thee still at this time, that I may cause thee to
hear the word of God."
Then Samuel took the vial of oil, and poured it upon his head,
and kissed him, and said, " Is it not that Yahweh hath anointed
thee to be prince over his inheritance? When thou art departed
from me today, then thou shalt find two men b}'' Rachel's
168 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
sepulchre, in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will
say unto thee, ' The asses which thou wentest to seek are found;
and lo thy father hath left the care of the asses, and taketh
thought for j^'ou, saying, " What shall I do for my son? " ' Then
shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to
the oak of Tabor, and there shall meet thee there three men
going up to God to Beth-el, one carrying three kids, and another
carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle
of wine; and they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of
bread; which thou shalt receive of their hand. After that thou
shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philis-
tines; and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither
to the city, that thou shalt meet a band of prophets coming down
from the high place vdth a psaltery, and a timbrel, and a pipe,
and a harp, before them; and they shall be prophesying: and
the spirit of Yahweh will come mightily upon thee, and thou
shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.
iVnd let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou
do as occasion serve thee; for God is with, thee."
And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from
Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came
to pass that day.
Aiid when they came thither to the hill, behold, a band of
prophets met him; and the spirit of God came mightily upon
him, and he prophesied among them. And it came to pass,
when all that knew him before time saw that, behold, he prophe-
sied ^vith the prophets, then the people said one to another,
'' Wliat is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also
among the prophets? " And one of the same place answered
and said, " And who is their father? "
Therefore, it became a proverb, " Is Saul also among the
prophets? "
And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to
the high place.
And Saul's uncle said unto him and to his servant, " AVhither
went ye? " And he said, " To seek the asses: and when we saw
that they were not found, we came to Samuel." iVnd Saul's
uncle said, " Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said unto you."
And Saul said unto his uncle, '' He told us plainly that the asses
SAMUEL I 169
were found." But concerning the matter of the kingdom,
whereof Samuel spake, he told him not.
Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against
Jabesh-gilead : and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash,
'' Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee." And
Nahash the Ammonite said unto them, " On this condition will
I make it with you, that all your right eyes be put out; and I
will lay it for a reproach upon all Israel." And the elders of
Jabesh said unto him, " Give us seven days' respite, that we
may send messengers unto all the borders of Israel: and then,
if there be none to save us, we will come out to thee."
Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and spake these
words in the ears of the people : and all the people lifted up their
voice, and wept. And, behold, Saul came following the oxen
out of the field; and Saul said, " What aileth the people that they
weep? " And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh.
And the spirit of God came mightily upon Saul when he heard
those words, and his anger was kindled greatly. And he took
a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent them through-
out all the borders of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying,
" Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so
shall it be done unto his oxen."
And the dread of Yahweh fell on the people, and they came out
as one man. And he numbered them in Bezek; and the chil-
dren of Israel were three hundred thousand and the men of
Judah thirty thousand.
And they said unto the messengers that came, '' Thus shall
ye say unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, ' Tomorrow, by the time
the sun is hot, ye shall have deliverance.' " And the messengers
came and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad. There-
fore, the men of Jabesh said, " Tomorrow we will come out unto
you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you."
And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in
three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in
the morning watch, and smote the Ammonites until the heat
of the day: and it came to pass, that they which remained
were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.
170 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul
king before Yahweh in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices
of peace offerings before Yahweh; and there Saul and all the
men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
And Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel; whereof
two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the mount of
Beth-el; and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Ben-
jamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent.
And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in
Geba, and the Phihstines heard of it. And Saul blew the trum-
pet throughout all the land, saying, " Let the Hebrews hear."
And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten the garrison of
the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with
the Philistines. And the people were gathered together after
Saul to Gilgal.
And the Philistines assembled themselves together to fight
with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horse-
men, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multi-
tude : and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward of
Beth-aven.
When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for
the people were distressed), then the people did hide themselves
in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in holds, and in pits.
Now some of the Hebrews had gone over Jordan to the land of
Gad and Gilead.
And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that
Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the
people were scattered from him. And Saul said, " Bring hither
the burnt offering to me, and the peace offerings." And he
offered the burnt offering.
And it came to pass that, as soon as he had made an end of
offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went
out to meet him, that he might salute him. And Samuel said,
'' What hast thou done? " And Saul said, " Because I saw that
the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not
within the days appointed, and that the Philistines assembled
themselves together at Michmash; therefore said I, ' Now will
SAMUEL I 171
the Philistines come down upon me to Gilgal, and I have not
entreated the favour of Yahweh : I forced myseh therefore, and
offered the burnt offering.' " And Samuel said to Saul, " Thou
hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of
Yahweh thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would
Yahweh have established thy kingdom upon Israel forever.
But now thy kingdom shall not continue : Yahweh hath sought
him a man after his own heart, and Yahweh hath appointed him
to be prince over his people, because thou hast not kept that
which Yahweh commanded thee."
And Saul numbered the people that were present with him,
about six hundred men. And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and
the people that were present with them, abode in Geba of
Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.
And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in
three companies: one com.pany turned unto the way that
leadeth to Ophrah, unto the land of Shual: and another company
turned the way to Beth-horon: and another company turned
the way of the border that looketh down upon the valley of
Zeboim toward the wilderness. And the garrison of the Philis-
tines went out unto the pass of Michmash.
Now it fell upon a day, that Jonathan, the son of Saul said
unto the young man that bare his armour, " Come and let us go
over to the Philistines' garrison, that is on yonder side." But he
told not his father. And Saul abode in the uttermost part of
Gibeah under the pomegranate tree which is in Migron : and the
people that were with him were about six hundred men; and
Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas,
the son of Eli, the priest of Yahweh in Shiloh, wearing an ephod.
And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone.
And between the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go
over unto the Philistines' garrison, there was a rocky crag on
the one side, and a rocky crag on the other side : and the name
of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Sehen. The
one crag rose up on the north in front of Michmash, and the
other on the south in front of Geba.
And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour,
'' Come and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircum-
cised : it may be that Yahweh will work for us : for there is no
172 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
restraint to Yahweh to save by many or by few." And his
armour-bearer said unto him, "Do all that is in thine heart:
turn thee, and behold I am with thee according to thy heart."
Then said Jonathan, " Behold, we will pass over unto the men,
and we will discover ourselves unto them. If they say thus unto
us, ' Tarry until we come to you ' ; then we will stand still in
our place, and will not go up unto them. But if they say thus,
' Come up unto us ' ; then we will go up : for Yahweh hath
delivered them into our hand; and this shall be the sign unto
us."
And both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of
the Philistines: and the Philistines said, " Behold, the Hebrews
come forth out of the holes where thej'- had hid themselves."
And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armour-
bearer, and said, " Come up to us, and we will show you a thing."
And Jonathan said unto his armour-bearer, " Come up after
me: for Yahweh hath delivered them into the hand of Israel."
And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet,
and his armour-bearer after him : and thej^ fell before Jonathan ;
and his armour-bearer slew them after him. And that first
slaughter, which Jonathan and his armour-bearer made, was
about twenty men, within as it were half a furrow's length in an
acre of land. And there was a trembling in the camp, in the
field, and among all the people; the garrison, and the spoilers,
they also trembled: and the earth quaked; so there was an
exceeding great trembling. And the watchmen of Saul in Gib-
eah of Benjamin looked: and, behold, the multitude melted
away, and they went hither and thither.
Then said Saul unto the people that were with him, " Number
now, and see who is gone from us." And when they had num-
bered, behold, Jonathan and his armour-bearer were not there.
And Saul said unto Ahijah, " Bring hither the ark of God."
For the ark of God was there at that time with the children of
Israel.
And it came to pass, while Saul talked unto the priest, that
the tumult that \vas in the camp of the Philistines went on and
increased: and Saul said unto the priest, ''Withdraw thine
hand." And Saul and all the people that were with him were
gathered together, and came to the battle: and, behold, every
SAMUEL I 173
man's sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great
discomfiture.
Now the Hebrews that were with the Phihstines as before-
time, which went up with them into the camp, from the country
round about; even they also turned to be with the Israelites
that were with Saul and Jonathan. Likewise all the men of
Israel which had hid themselves in the hill country of Ephraim,
when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed
hard after them in the battle.
So Yah well saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over
by Beth-aven. And the men of Israel were distressed that day:
but Saul adjured the people, saying, " Cursed be the man that
eateth any food until it be evening, and I be avenged on mine
enemies." So none of the people tasted food.
And all the people came into the forest; and there was honey
upon the ground. And when the people were come unto the
forest, behold, the honey dropped: l3ut no man put his hand to
his mouth; for the people feared the oath. But Jonathan heard
not when his father charged the people with the oath: where-
fore he put forth the end of his rod that was in his hand, and
dipped it in the honej^-comb, and put his hand to his mouth:
and his eyes were enlightened. Then answered one of the people
and said, '' Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath,
sajung, ' Cursed be the man that eateth food this day.' " And
the people were faint. Then said Jonathan, " My father hath
troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been
enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey. How much
more, if haply the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of
their enemies which thej^ found? For now hath there been no
great slaughter among the Philistines?"
And they smote of the Philistines that day from Michmash to
Aijalon: and the people were very faint. And the people flew
upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew
them on the ground: and the people did eat them with the
blood.
Then they told Saul, saying, " Behold, the people sin against
Yahweh, in that they eat with the blood." And he said, " Ye
have dealt treacherously: roll a great stone unto me this day."
And Saul said, " Disperse yourselves among the people, and say
174 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
unto them, ' Bring me hither every man his ox, and every man
liis sheep, and slay them here, and eat; and sin not against
Yahweh in eating with the blood.' " And all the people brought
every man his ox with. him. that night, and slew them there.
And Saul built an altar unto Yahweh: the same was the first
altar that he built unto Yahweh.
And Saul said, " Let us go down after the Philistines by night,
and spoil them until the morning light, and let us not leave a
man of them." And the}^ said, '' Do whatsoever seemeth good
unto thee." Then said the priest, " Let us draw near hither
unto God." And Saul asked counsel of God, " Shall I go down
after the Philistines? Wilt thou deliver them into the hand of
Israel? " But he answered him not that day.
And Saul said, " Draw nigh hither, all ye chiefs of the people:
and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day. For, as
Yahweh liveth, which saveth Israel, though it be in Jonathan,
my son, he shaU surely die." But there was not a man among
all the people that answered him.
Then said he unto all Israel, " Be ye on one side, and I and
Jonathan, mj' son, will be on the other side." And the people
said unto Saul, " Do what seemeth good unto thee." Therefore,
Saul said unto Yahweh, the God of Israel, " Shew the right."
And Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot but the people
escaped.
And Saul said, " Cast lots between me and Jonathan, my son."
And Jonathan was taken. Then Saul said to Jonathan, " Tell
me what thou hast done." And Jonathan told him, and said,
" I did certainly taste a little honey with the end of the rod that
was in mine hand; and, lo, I must die." And Saul said, " God
do so and more also; for thou shalt surely die, Jonathan."
And the people said unto Saul, " Shall Jonathan die, who
hath wTought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid; as
Yahweh liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the
ground; for he hath ^^Tought with God this day." So the people
rescued Jonathan, that he died not.
Then Saul went up from following the Pliilistines: and the
Philistines went to their own place.
And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of
SAMUEL I 175
Saul: and when Saul saw any mighty man, or any valiant man,
he took him unto him.
The Story of David
Now the spirit of Yahweh had departed from Saul, and an evil
spirit from Yahweh troubled him. And Saul's servants said
unto him, " Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.
Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee,
to seek out a man who is a cunning player on the harp: and it
shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee,
that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well." And
Saul said unto his servants, '' Provide me now a man that can
play well, and bring him to me." Then answered one of the
young men, and said, " Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the
Beth-lehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty man of
valour, and a man of war, and prudent in speech, and a comely
person, and Yahweh is with liim."
Wlierefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, " Send
me David thy son, which is with the sheep." And Jesse took
an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent
them by David, his son unto Saul.
And David came to Saul, and stood before him ; and he loved
him greatly; and he became his armour-bearer. And Saul sent
to Jesse, saying, " Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for
he hath found favour in my sight." And it came to pass, when
the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took the
harp, and played with his hand : so Saul was refreshed, and was
well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle,
and they were gathered together at Socob, which belongeth to
Judah, and pitched between Socob and Azckah, in Ephes-
dammim.
And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and
pitched in the vale of Elah, and set the battle in array against
the PhiHstines. And the Philistines stood on the mountain
on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other
side; and there was a valley between them. And there went out
a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath,
of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.
176 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
And he had an hehnet of brass upon his head, and he was
clad with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five
thousand shekels of brass. And he had greaves of brass upon
his legs, and a javelin of brass between his shoulders. And
the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and his spear's
head weighed six hundred shekels of iron : and his shield-bearer
went before him. And he stood and cried unto the armies of
Israel, and said unto them, " Why are ye come out to set your
battle in array? Am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul?
Choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. If
he be able to fight with me, and kill me, then will we be your
servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall
ye be our servants, and serve us." And the Philistine said,
" I defy the armies of Israel this da}^; give me a man, that we
may fight together."
And when Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philis-
tine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.
And David said unto Saul, " Let no man's heart fail because
of him; thy servant mil go and fight with this Philistine."
And Saul said to David, " Thou art not able to go against this
Philistine to fight with him; for thou art but a j^outh, and he a
man of war from his youth."
And David said unto Saul, " Thy servant kept his father's
sheep; and when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb
out of the flock, I went out after him, and smote him, and de-
livered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I
caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. Thy
servant smote both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised
Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies
of the living God."
And David said, " Yahweh that delivered me out of the paw
of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me
out of the hand of this Philistine." And Saul said unto David,
"Go, and Yahweh shall be with thee."
And Saul clad David with his apparel, and he put an helmet
of brass upon his head, and he clad him with a coat of mail.
And David girded his sword upon his apparel, and he assayed
SAMUEL I 177
to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul,
" I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them." And
David put them off him. And he took his staff in his hand, and
chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in
the shepherd's bag which he had, even in his scrip; and his shng
was in his hand : and he drew near to the PhiUstine.
And the Phihstine came on and drew near unto David; and
the man that bare the shield went before him. And when the
Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for
he was but a youth, and ruddy, and withal of a fair countenance.
And the Philistine said unto David, " Am I a dog that thou
comest to me with staves? " And the Philistine cursed David
by his gods. And the Philistine said to David, " Come to me,
and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the
beasts of the field."
Then said David to the Philistine, " Thou comest to me with
a sword, and with a spear, and with a javelin: but I come to
thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies
of Israel, which thou hast defied. This day will Yahweh deliver
thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine
head from off thee; and I will give the carcasses of the host
of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the
wild beasts of the earth ; that all the earth may know that there
is a God in Israel: and that all this assembly may know that
Yahweh saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is
Yahweh's, and he will give you into our hand."
And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came
and drew nigh to meet David, that David hastened, and ran
toward the army to meet the Philistine. And David put his
hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote
the Philistine in the forehead: and the stone sank into his fore-
head, and he fell upon his face to the earth.
So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with
a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was
no sword in the hand of David. Then David ran, and stood
over the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the
sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith.
And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead,
they fled.
178 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
And the men of Israel and of Judali arose, and shouted, and
pursued the Phihstines, until thou comest to Gai, and to the
gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down
by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron.
And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the
Phihstines, and they spoiled their camp. And David took the
head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put
his armour in his tent.
And it came to pass, as they came, when David returned from
the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of
all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul,
with timbrels, with joy, and with instruments of music. And the
women sang one to another in their play, and said,
" Saul hath slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands."
And Saul was very wroth, and this saying displeased him;
and he said, " They have ascribed unto Da\dd ten thousands,
and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he
have more but the kingdom? " And Saul eyed David from that
and forward.
And Saul was afraid of David, because Yahweh was with him,
and was departed from Saul. Therefore, Saul removed him from
him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went
out and came in before the people. And David behaved himself
wisely in all his ways; and Yahweh was with him. And when
Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe
of him. But all Israel and Judah loved David; for he went out
and came in before them.
And Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David: and they told
Saul, and the thing pleased him. And Saul said, " I will give
him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the
Philistine may be against him." Wherefore Saul said to David,
" Thou shalt this day be my son-in-law a second time."
And Saul commanded his servants, saying, " Commune with
David secretly, and say, ' Behold, the king hath delight in thee
SAMUEL I 179
and all his servants love thee : now, therefore, be the king's son-
in-law.' " And Saul's servants spake those words in the ears of
David. And David said, " Seemeth it to you a light thing to be
the king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly
esteemed? "
And the servants of Saul told him, saying, " On this manner
spake David." And Saul said, " Thus shall ye say to David,
' The king desireth not any do\\Ty, but an hundred foreskins of
the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies.' "
Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the
Philistines. And when his servants told David these words, it
pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law. And the days
were not expired; and David arose and went, he and his men,
and slew of the Philistines two hundred men ; and David brought
their foreskins, and thej^ gave them in full tale to the king, that
he might be the king's son-in-law.
And Saul give him Michal, his daughter to wiie. And Saul
saw and knew that Yahweh was with David; and Michal,
Saul's daughter loved him. And Saul was yet the more afraid
of David.
And there was war again; and David went out, and fought
with the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter; and
they fled before him.
And an evil spirit from Yahweh was upon Saul, as he sat
in his house mth his spear in his hand; and David played with
his hand. And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with
the spear; but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he
Smote the spear into the wall : and Da\dd fled, and escaped that
night.
And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said
before Jonathan, '' What have I done? What is mine iniquity?
And what is m.y sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life?"
And he said unto him, "God forbid; thou shalt not die:
behold, my father doeth nothing either great or small, but that
he discloseth it unto me, and why should my father hide this
thing from m.e? It is not so."
And David sware moreover, and said, " Thy father knoweth
well that I have found grace in thine eyes, and he saith, ' Let
not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved ' ; but truty as Yah-
180 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
well liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me
and death." Then said Jonathan unto David, " Whatsoever
thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee."
And David said unto Jonathan, '' Behold, tomorrow is the
new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat:
but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third
day at even. If thy father miss me at all, then say, ' David
earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem
his city: for it is the yearlj^ sacrifice there for all the family.'
If he say thus, ' It is well '; thy servant shall have peace: but
if he be wroth, then know that evil is determined by him. There-
fore deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy
servant into a covenant of Yahweh with thee : but if there be in
me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me
to thy father? "
And Jonathan said, " Far be it from thee: for if I should at
all know that evil were determined by my father to come upon
thee, then would not I tell it thee? "
Then said David to Jonathan, " Who shall tell me if perchance
thy father answer thee roughl}^? "
Then Jonathan said unto him, '' Tomorrow is the new moon:
and thou slialt be missed, because thy seat will be empt3\
And when thou hast stayed three days, thou shalt go down
quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself
when the business was in hand, and shalt remain by the stone
Ezel. And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as
though I shot at a mark. And, behold, I will send the lad, say-
ing, ' Go find the arrows.' If I say unto the lad, ' Behold,
the arrows are on this side of thee': take them, and come;
for there is peace to thee and no hurt, as Yahweh liveth. But
if I say thus unto the boy, ' Behold, the arrows are beyond
thee ': go thy way; for Yahweh hath sent thee away. And as
touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold,
Yahweh is between thee and me forever."
So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon
was come, the king sat down to eat meat. And the king sat
upon his seat, as at other times, even upon the seat by the wall;
and Jonathan stood up, and Abner sat by Saul's side: but
David's place was empt3\ Nevertheless Saul spake not any
SAMUEL I 181
thing that day: for he thought, " Something hath befallen him,
he is not clean; surely he is not clean."
And it came to pass on the morrow after the new moon, which
was the second day, that David's place was empty: and Saul
said unto Jonathan his son, " Wherefore cometh not the son of
Jesse to meat, neither yesterday nor today? "
And Jonathan answered Saul, " David earnestly asked leave
of me to go to Beth-lehem: and he said, ' Let me go, I pray thee;
for our family hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he
hath commanded me to be there : and now if I have found favour
in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren.'
Therefore, he is not come unto the king's table."
Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said
unto him, " Thou son of a perverse rebellious woman, do not I
know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own shame,
and unto the shame of thy mother's nakedness? For as long
as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be
stablished, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch
him unto me, for he shall surely die."
And Jonathan answered Saul, his father, and said unto him,
" Wlierefore should he be put to death? What hath he done? "
And Saul cast his spear at him to smite him: whereby Jona-
than knew that it was determined of his father to put David to
death. So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did
eat no meat the second day of the month : for he was grieved for
David, because his father had done him shame.
And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out
into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad
with him. And he said unto his lad, " Run, find now the arrows
which I shoot." And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond
him. And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which
Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said,
" Is not the arrow beyond thee? " And Jonathan cried after
the lad, " Make speed, haste, stay not." And Jonathan's lad
gathered up the arrows, and came to his master. But the lad
knew not any thing: only Jonathan and David, knew the mat-
ter. And Jonathan gave his weapons unto his lad, and said
unto him, '' Go carry them to the city."
And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place
182 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
toward the South, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed
himself three times : and they kissed one another, and wept one
with another, until David exceeded. And Jonathan said to
David, " Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in
the name of Yahweh, saying, ' Yahweh shall be between me and
thee, and between my seed and thy seed, for ever.' " And he
arose and departed : and Jonathan went into the city.
Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and
Ahimelech came to meet David trembling, and said unto him,
" Why art thou alone, and no man with thee "? And David
said unto Ahimelech the priest, " The king hath commanded
me a business, and hath said unto me, ' Let no man know any-
thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have
commanded thee : and I have appointed the young men to such
and such a place.' Now therefore what is under thine hand?
Give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or whatsoever there
is present."
And the priest answered David, and said, " There is no com-
mon bread under mine hand, but there is holy bread; if only the
young men have kept themselves from women." And David
answered the priest, and said unto him, " Of a truth women
have been kept from us about these three days; when I came out,
the vessels of the young men were holy, though it was but a
common journey; how much more then today shall their vessels
be holy? "
So the priest gave him holy bread: for there was no bread
there but the shewbread, that was taken from before Yahweh,
to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away. Now
a certain man of the servants of Saul w^as there that day, de-
tained before Yahweh; and his name was Doeg the Edomite,
the chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul. And David
said unto Ahimelech, " And is there not here under thine hand
spear or sword? For I have neither brought my sword nor my
weapons with me, because the king's business required haste."
And the priest said, " The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom
thou slewest in the vale of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a
cloth behind the ephod : if thou wilt take that, take it : for there
is no other save that here." And David said, " There is none
like that; give itjne."
SAMUEL I 183
David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave
of AduUam: and when his brethren and all his father's house
heard of it, they went dow^i thither to him. And every one that
was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one
that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he
became captain over them : and there were with him about four
hundred men.
And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab : and he said unto
the king of Moab, " Let my father and my mother, I pray thee,
come forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for
me." And he brought them before the king of Moab : and they
dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold. And
the prophet Gad said unto David, " Abide not in the hold; de-
part, and get thee into the land of Judah." Then David
departed, and came into the forest of Hereth.
And Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that
v^^ere with him; now Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under the
tamarisk tree in Ramah, v^th his spear in his hand, and all his
servants were standing about him. And Saul said unto his
servants that stood about him, " Hear now ye Benjamites;
will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards,
will he make you all captains of thousands and captains of hun-
dreds; that all of you have conspired against me, and there is
none that discloseth to me when my son maketh a league with
the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is sorry for me, or
discloseth unto me that my son hath stirred up my servant
against me, to Ue in wait, as at this day? "
Then answered Doeg, the Edomite, which stood by the ser-
vants of Saul, and said, '' I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob,
to Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub. And he mquired of Yahweh
for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Go-
liath the Philistine."
Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of
Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests that were in Nob :
and they came all of them to the king. And Saul said, " Hear
now, thou son of Ahitub." And he answered, " Here I am, my
lord."
And Saul said unto him, " Why have ye conspired against
me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread,
184 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
and a sword, and hast inquired of God for him, that he should
rise against me, to He in wait, as at this day? "
Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, " And who
among all thy servants is so faithful as David, which is the
king's son-in-law, and is taken into thy council, and is honorable
in thine house? Have I today begun to inquire of God for him?
Be it far from me; let not the king impute not anj^thing unto his
servant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy servant
knoweth nothing of all this, less or more."
And the king said, " Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou,
and all thy father's house." And the king said unto the guard
that stood about him, " Turn, and slay the priests of Yahweh;
because their hand also is with David, and because they knew
that he fled, and did not disclose it to me."
But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand
to fall upon the priests of Yahweh. And the king said to Doeg,
'^ Turn thou, and fall upon the priests." And Doeg, the Edomite
turned, and he fell upon the priests, and he slew on that day
fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod. And
Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword,
both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen and asses
and sheep, with the edge of the sword.
And one of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, named
Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David. And Abiathar told
David that Saul had slain Yahweh's priests. And David said
unto Abiathar, " I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite
was there, that he would surely tell Saul : I have occasioned the
death of all the persons of thy father's house. Abide thou with
me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: for
with me thou shalt be in safeguard."
And they told David, saying, '' Behold, the Philistines are
fighting against Keilah, and they rob the threshing-floors."
Therefore David inquired of Yahweh, saying, ^* Shall I go
and smite these Phihstines? " And Yahweh said unto David,
" Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah." And David's
men said unto him, " Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how
much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the
Philistines? " Then David inquired of Yahweh yet again.
SAMUEL I 185
And Yahweh answered him and said, " Arise, go down to Keilah;
for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand."
And David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with
the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and slew them
with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of
Keilah.
And it came to pass, when Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech,
fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in
his hand. And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah.
And Saul said, ''God hath delivered him into mine hand; for
he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars."
And Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to
Keilah, to besiege David and his men.
And David knew that Saul devised mischief against him;
and he said to Abiathar, the priest, '' Bring hither the ephod."
Then said David, " Yahweh, the God of Israel, thy servant
hath surely heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy
the city for my sake. Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into
his hand? Will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard?
O Yahweh, the God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant."
And Yahweh said, " He will come down." Then said David,
" Will the men of Keilah deliver up me and my men into the
hand of Saul? " And Yahweh said, " They will deliver thee up."
Then David and his men, which were about six hundred,
arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they
could go. And it was told Saul that David had escaped from
Keilah; and he forbare to go forth.
And David abode in the wilderness in the strong holds, and
remained in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. And
Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into
his hand.
The Story of Abigail
And Samuel died; and all Israel gathered themselves to-
gether, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah.
And David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran.
And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in
Carmel; and the man was ver^- great, and he had three thousand
sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep
186 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
in Carmel. Now the name of that man was Nabal; and the
name of his wife Abigail : and the woman was of good under-
standing, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was
churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.
And David heard in the v/ilderness that Nabal did shear his
sheep. And David sent ten young men, and David said unto
the young men, " Get 3^ou up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and
greet him in my name : and thus shall ye say to him that liveth
in prosperity, ' Peace be both unto thee, and peace be to thine
house, and peace be unto all that thou hast. And now I have
heard that thou hast shearers: thy shepherds have now been
with us, and we did them no hurt, neither was there aught missing
unto them, all the while they were in Carmel. Ask thy j^oung
men and they will tell thee: wherefore let the young men find
favour in thine eyes; for we come in a good day: give, I pray
thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand, unto thy servants, and
to thy son David.' "
And when David's young men came, they spake to Nabal
according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased.
And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, '' Who is
David? And who is the son of Jesse? There be many servants
now a days that break away every man from his master. Shall I
then take mj^ bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have
killed for my shearers, and give it unto men of whom I know not
whence they be? "
So David's j^oung men turned on their way, and went back,
and came and told him according to all these words. And David
said unto his men, " Gird ye on every man his sword." And
they girded on everj^ man his sword; and David also girded on
his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred
men ; and two hundred abode b}^ the stuff.
But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying,
" Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute
our master; and he flew upon them. But the men were very
good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we anj--
thing, as long as we were conversant with them, when we were
in the fields : the}^ were a wall unto us both by night and bj'' daj^
all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. Now
therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is
SAMUEL I 187
determined against our master, and against all his house: for
he is such a son of Belial, that one cannot speak to him."
Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and
two bottles of mne, and five sheep ready dressed, and five
measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins,
and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses. And
she said unto her young men, " Go on before me; behold I come
after you." But she told not her husband Nabal.
And it was so, as she rode on her ass, and came do\vn by the
covert of the mountain, that, behold, David and his m-en came
down against her; and she met them. Nov/ David had said,
" Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the
wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained
unto him: and he hath returned me evil for good. God do so
unto the enemies of David, and more also, if I leave of all that
pertain to him by the morning light so much as one man child."
And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off her
ass, and fell before Da\dd on her face, and bowed herself to the
ground.
And she fell at his feet, and said, " Upon me, my lord, upon
me be the iniquity'': and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak
in thine ears, and hear thou the words of thine handmaid.
Let not m.y lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even
Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly
is with him : but I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my
lord, whom thou didst send. Now therefore my lord, as
Yahweh Hveth, and as thy soul liveth, seeing Yahweh hath
withholden thee from bloodguiltiness, and from avenging thy
self with thine own hand, now therefore let thine enemies, and
them that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal. And now this
present which thy servant hath brought unto my lord, let it be
given unto the young men that follow my lord. Forgive, I
pray thee, the trespass of thine handmaid: for Yahweh wall
certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord fighteth
the battles of Yahweh; and evil shall not be found in thee all
thy days. And though man be risen up to pursue thee, and to
seek thy soul, yet the soul of my lord shall be bound in the
bundle of life ^vith Yahweh thy God; and the souls of tliine
enemies, them shall he sling out, as from the hollow of a sling.
188 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
And it shall come to pass, when Yahweh shall have done to my
lord according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning
thee, and shall have appointed thee prince over Israel; that
this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my
lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that mj^ lord
hath avenged himself; and when Yahweh shall have dealt well
with my lord, then remember thine handmaid."
And David said to Abigail, " Blessed be Yahweh, the God of
Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me: and blessed be
thy wisdom, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day
from bloodguiltiness, and from avenging myself with mine own
hand. For in very deed, as Yahweh, the God of Israel, liveth,
which hath withholden me from hurting thee, except thou hadst
hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been left
unto Nabal by the morning light so much as one man child."
So David received of her hand that which she had brought
him: and he said unto her, " Go up in peace to thine house;
see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy
person."
And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast
in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal's heart was
merry within him, for he was very drunken: wherefore she
told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light. And
it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of
Nabal, that his wife told him these things, and his heart died
within him, and he became as a stone.
And it came to pass about ten days after, that Yahweh smote
Nabal, that he died.
And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, " Blessed
be Yahw'eh, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from
the hand of Nabal, and hath kept back his servant from evil:
and the evil-doing of Nabal hath Yahweh returned upon his
own head." And David sent and spake concerning Abigail, to
take her to him to wife.
And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to
Carmel, they spake unto her, saying, " David hath sent us unto
thee, to take thee to him to wife." And she arose, and bowed
herself with her face to the earth, and said, " Behold, thine
handmaid is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my
SAMUEL I 189
lord." And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass,
with five damsels of hers that followed her; and she went after
the messengers of David, and became his wife.
David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they became both
of them his wives. Now Saul had given Michal his daughter,
David's wife, to Palti, the son of Laish, which was of Gallim.
And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, " Doth
not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the
desert? " Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of
Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to
seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul pitched in the
hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert, by the way.
But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul
came after him into the wilderness. David therefore sent
out spies, and understood that Saul was come of a certainty.
And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched :
and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son
of Ner, the captain of his host : and Saul lay within the place of
the wagons, and the people pitched round about him.
Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and
to Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, " Who
will go down with me to Saul to the camp? " And Abishai said,
" I will go down with thee."
So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, be-
hold, Saul lay sleeping within the place of the wagons, with his
spear stuck in the ground at his head : and Abner and the people
lay round about him.
Then said Abishai to David, " God hath delivered up thine
enemy into thine hand this day: now, therefore, let me smite
him, I pray thee, -with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I
will not smite him the second time."
And David said to Abishai, " Destroy him not: for who can
put forth his hand against Yahweh's anointed, and be guilt-
less? " And David said, " As Yahweh liveth, Yahweh shall
smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall go down
into battle, and perish. Yahweh forbid that I should put forth
mine hand against Yahweh's anointed: but now take, I pray
thee, the spear that is at his head, and the cruse of water, and
let us go."
190 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's
head; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it,
neither did any awake: for they were all asleep; because a deep
sleep from Yahweh was fallen upon them.
Then Da\dd went over to the other side, and stood on the
top of the mountain afar off; a great space being between them:
and David cried to the people, and to Abner, the son of Ner,
sajdng, " Answerest thou not, Abner? " Then Abner answered
and said, " Who art thou that criest to the king? " And David
said to Abner, " Art not thou a valiant man? And who is like
to thee in Israel? "Wherefore, then hast thou not kept watch over
thy lord the king? For there came one of the people in to de-
stroy the king thy lord. This thing is not good that thou hast
done. As Yahweh liveth, ye are worthj^ to die, because ye have
not kept watch over your lord, Yahweh's anointed. And now,
see, where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at
his head."
And Saul knew David's voice, and said, " Is this thy voice,
my son David? " And David said, '' It is my voice, my lord,
king." And he said, *' Wherefore doth my lord pursue after
his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil is in mine
hand? Now therefore I pray thee, let my lord the king hear
the words of his servant. If it be Yahweh that hath stirred thee
up against me, let him accept an offering: but if it be the chil-
dren of men, cursed be they before Yahweh; for they have driven
me out this day that I should not cleave unto the inheritance of
Yahweh, sajdng, ' Go, serve other gods.' Now therefore let
not my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of Yah-
weh : for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one
doth hunt a partridge in the mountains."
Then said Saul, " I have sinned: return, mj^ son David: for
1 will no more do thee harm, because ni}^ life was precious in
thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have
erred exceedingly." And David answered and said, '' Behold
the spear, king! Let then one of the young men come over
and fetch it. And Yahweh shall render to every man his right-
eousness and his faithfulness: forasmuch as Yahweh delivered
thee into my hand todaj^, and I would not put forth mine hand
against Yaliweh's anointed. And, behold, as thy life was much
SAMUEL I 191
set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the
eyes of Yahweh, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation."
Then Saul said to Da\dd, "Blessed be thou, my son David:
thou shalt both do mightily, and shalt surely prevail,"
So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place. And
David said in his heart, " I shall now perish one day by the hand
of Saul : there is nothing better for me than that I should escape
into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me,
to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel: so shall I escape
out of his hand."
And David arose, and passed over, he and the six hundred men
that were mth him, unto Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.
And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every
man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahi-
noam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's
wife. And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath; and he
sought no more again for him.
And David said unto Achish, " If now I have found grace in
thine eyes, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the
country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant
dv»^ell in the royal city mth thee? " Then Achish gave him Ziklag
that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah
unto this day.
And the number of the days that David dwelt in the country
of the Philistines was a full year and four months. And David
and his men went up, and made a raid upon the Geshurites, and
the Girzites, and the Amalekites, for those nations were the
inhabitants of the land, which were of old, as thou goest to
Shur, even unto the land of Egypt. And David smote the land,
and saved neither man nor woman alive, and took away the
sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the
apparel; and he returned, and came to Achish.
And Achish said, '' Hither have ye made a raid today? "
And David said, " Against the South of Judah, and against the
South of the Jerahmeelites, and against the South of the Ke-
nites."
And David saved neither man nor woman aUve, to bring them
to Gath, saying, " Lest they should tell on us, saying, ' So did
102 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
David, and so hath been his manner all the while he hath dwelt
in the country of the Philistines.' "
And Achisli believed David, saying, " He hath made his
people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore, he shall be my
servant forever."
And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gath-
ered their hosts together for warfare, to fight with Israel. And
Achish said unto David, " Know thou assiu'edly, that thou shalt
go out with me in the host, thou and thy men." And David
said to Achish, " Therefore, thou shalt know what thy servant
will do." And Achish said to David, " Therefore, will I make
thee keeper of mine head forever."
The Story of the Witch of Endor
Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and
buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put
away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of
the land.
And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came
and pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together,
and they pitched in Gilboa.
And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid,
and his heart trembled greatly. And when Saul inquired of
Yah well, Yahweh answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by
Urim, nor bj'' prophets. Then said Saul unto his servants,
'^ Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to
her, and inquire of her." And his servants said to him, " Be-
hold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at En-dor."
And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and went,
he and two men with him, and the^' came to the woman by night;
and he said, " Divine unto me, I pray thee, by the familiar
spirit, and bring me up whomsoever I shall name unto thee."
And the woman said unto him, " Behold, thou knowest what
Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar
spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest
thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die? " And Saul sware
to her by Yahweh, saying, " As Yahweh liveth, there shall no
punishment happen to thee for this thing." Then said the
SAMUEL I 193
woman, '^ Whom shall I bring up unto thee? " And he said,
" Bring me up Samuel."
And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice :
and the woman spake to Saul, saying, " Why hast thou deceived
me? For thou art Saul." And the king said unto her, " Be
not afraid; for what seest thou? " And the woman said unto
Saul, " I see a god coming up out of the earth." And he said unto
her, " What form is he of? " And she said, " An old man cometh
up; and he is covered with a robe."
And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his
face to the ground, and did obeisance. And Samuel said to
Saul, " Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? " And
Saul answered, " I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make
war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me
no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams : therefore, I have
called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall
do."
And Samuel said, " Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, see-
ing Yahweh is departed from thee, and is become thine adversary?
And Yahweh hath wrought for himself, as he spake by me:
and Yahweh hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and
given it to thy neighbour, even to David. Because thou obeyedst
not the voice of Yahweh, and didst not execute his fierce wrath
upon Amalek, therefore hath Yahweh done this thing unto thee
this day. Moreover Yahweh will deliver Israel also with thee
into the hand of the Philistmes: and tomorrow shalt thou and
thy sons be mth me: Yahweh shall deliver the host of Israel
also into the hand of the Philistines."
Then Saul fell straightway his full length upon the earth,
and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel; and
there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no bread all the
day, nor all the night. And the woman came unto Saul, and saw
that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, '' Behold, thine
handmaid hath hearkened unto thy voice, and I have put my
life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou
spakest unto me. Now therefore I pray thee, hearken thou
also unto the voice of thine handmaid, and let me set a morsel
of bread before thee; and eat, that thou mayest have strength,
when thou goest on thy way."
194 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
But he refused, and said, *' I will not eat/' But his servants,
together with the woman, constrained him; and he hearkened
unto their voice.
So he arose from the earth, and sat upon the bed. And the
woman had a fatted calf in the house; and she hasted, and killed
it ; and she took flour, and kneaded it, and did bake unleavened
bread thereof: and she brought it before Saul, and before his
servants; and they did eat. Then they rose up, and went away
that night.
Now the Philistines gathered together all their hosts to
Aphek: and the Israelites pitched by the fountain, which is in
Jezreel. And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds,
and by thousands : and David and his men passed on in the rear-
ward with Achish.
Then said the princes of the Philistines, " What do these
Hebrews here? " And Achish said unto the princes of the
Philistines, " Is not this Da\dd, the servant of Saul the king of
Israel, which hath been with me these days or these years, and
I have found no fault in him since he fell away unto me unto this
day? " But the princes of the Philistines were vvToth yviih him;
and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, " Make the
man return, that he may go back to his place where thou hast
appointed him, and let him not go dovm with us to battle, lest
in the battle he become an adversary to us: for wherewith
should this fellow reconcile himself unto his lord? Should it
not be wdth the heads of these men? Is not this David, of whom
they sang one to another in dances, saying,
" Saul hath slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands? "
Then Achish called David, and said unto him, " As Yahweh
liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy
coming in with me in the host is good in ray sight : for I have not
found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me unto this
day: nevertheless, the lords favour thee not. Wherefore now
return, and go in peace, that thou displease not the lords of the
PhiHstines."
And David said unto Achish, " But what have I done? And
what hast thou found in thy servant so long as I have been be-
SAMUEL I 196
fore thee unto this day, that I may not go and fight against the
enemies of my lord the king? "
And Achish answered and said to David, " I know that thou
art good in my sight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding the
princes of the Philistines have said, ' He shall not go up with
us to the battle.' Wherefore, now rise up early in the morn-
ing with the servants of thy lord that are come with thee;
and as soon as ye be up early in the morning, and have light,
depart."
So David rose up early, he and his men, to depart in the
morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. And the
Philistines went up to Jezreel.
And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to
Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid
upon the South, and upon Ziklag, and had smitten Zildag, and
burned it mth fire; and had taken captive the v/omen and all
that were therein, both small and great : they slev\' not any, but
carried them off, and went their way.
And when Da\dd and his men came to the city, behold, it
was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their
daughters, were taken captives. Then David and the people
that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they
had no more power to weep. And David's tv/o wives were taken
captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail, the wife of
Nabal, the Carmelite. And David w^as greatly distressed; for
the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the
people w^as grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters :
but David strengthened himself in Yahweh his God.
And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech,
" I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod." And Abiathar
brought thither the ephod to David. And David inquired of
Yahweh, saying, " If I pursue after this troop, shall I overtake
them? " And he answered him, " Pursue: for thou shalt surely
overtake them, and shalt without fail recover all."
So David went, he and the six hundred men that were wdth
him, and came to the brook Besor, where those that were left
behind stayed. But David pursued, he and four hundred men;
for two hundred stayed behind, which were so faint that they
could not go over the brook Besor : and they found an Egyptian
196 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and
he did eat; and they gave him water to drink: and they gave
him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins; and when
he had eaten, his spirit came again to him; for he had eaten no
bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights.
And David said unto him, '' To whom belongest thou? And
whence art thou? " And he said, " I am a young man of Egypt,
servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three
days agone I fell sick. We made a raid upon the South of the
Cherethites, and upon that which belongeth to Judah, and upon
the South of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire."
And David said to him, " Wilt thou bring me down to this
troop? " And he said, '' Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt
neither kill me, nor deliver me up into the hands of my master,
and I will bring thee down to this troop."
And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread
abroad over all the ground, eating and drinking, and feasting,
because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the
land of the PhiUstines, and out of the land of Judah. And David
smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next
day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred
young men which rose upon camels and fled.
And David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken: and
David rescued his two wives. And there was nothing lacking
to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters,
neither spoil, nor anything that they had taken to them: David
brought back all.
And David took all the flocks and the herds, w^hich they drave
before those other cattle, and said, " This is David's spoil."
And David came to the two hundred men, which were so faint
that they could not follow David, whom also the}^ had made to
abide at the brook Besor: and they went forth to meet David
and to meet the people that were with him; and when David
came near to the people, he saluted them.
Then answered all the wicked men and men of Belial, of those
that went with David, and said, '' Because they went not with
us, we \\dll not give them aught of the spoil that we have re-
covered, save to every man his wife and his children, that they
may lead them away, and depart." Then said David, " Ye
SAMUEL I 197
shall not do so, my brethren, with that which Yahweh hath given
unto us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the troop that
came against us into our hand. And who will hearken unto you
in this matter? For as his share is that goeth down to the battle,
so shall his share be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall share
alike." And it was so from that day forward, that he made it a
statute and an ordinance for Israel unto this day.
And when David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil unto the
elders of Judah, ev6n to his friends, saying, " Behold a present
for you of the spoil of the enemies of Yahweh; to them which
were in Beth-el, and to them which were in Ramoth of the South,
and to them which were in Jattir: and to them which were in
Aroer, and to them which were in Siphmoth, and to them wiiich
were in Eshtemoa; and to them which were in Racal, and to
them which were in the cities of tlie Jerahmeelites, and to them
which were in the cities of the Kenites; and to them which were
in Hormah, and to them which were in Cor-ashan, and to
them which were in Athach; and to them which were in Hebron,
and to all the places where David himself and his men were wont
to haunt."
Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of
Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in
mount Gilboa. And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul
and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and
Abinadah, and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. And the battle
went sore against Saul, and the archers overtook him; and he
was greatly distressed by reason of the archers. Then said
Saul to his armour-bearer, " Draw thy sword, and thrust me
through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust
me through, and abuse me." But his armour-bearer would
not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took his sword,
and fell upon it.
And when his armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he like-
wise fell upon his sword, and died with him. So Saul died, and
his three sons, and his armour-bearer, and all his men, that
same day together.
And when the men of Israel that were on tlie other side of the
valley, and they that were beyond Jordan, saw that the men
198 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook
the cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.
And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines
came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons
fallen in mount Gilboa. And they cut off his head, and stripped
off his armour, and sent iiito the land of the Philistines round
about, to carry tiie tidings unto the house of their idols, and
to the people. And they put his armour in the house of the
Ashtaroth: and they fastened his bod}^ to the wall of Beth-san.
And when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard concerning
him that which the Philistines had done to Saul, all the valiant
]nen arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the
bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan; and they came to
Jebesh, and burnt them there. And they took their bones, and
buried them under the tam.arisk tree in Jabesh, and fasted seven
davs.
SAMUEL II
SAMUEL II
The Story of the Kings
And it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was
returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had
abode two days in Ziklag; it came even to pass on the third
day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with
his clothes rent, and earth upon his head : and so it was, when he
came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.
And David said unto him, " From whence comest thou? "
And he said unto him, " Out of the camp of Israel and I escaped."
And David said unto him, " How went the matter? I pray
thee, tell me." And he answered, " The people are fled from
the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead;
and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also." And David
said unto the young man that told him, " How knowest thou
that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead? "
Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and like-
wise all the men that were with him: and they mourned, and
wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son,
and for the people of Yahweh, and for the house of Israel; be-
cause they were fallen by the sword.
And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over
Jonathan his son: and he bade them teach the children of Judah
the song of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jashar.
Thy glory, Israel, is slain upon thy high places!
How are the mighty fallen!
Tell it not in Gath,
Pubhsh it not in the streets of Ashkelon;
Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice.
Lest the daughters of the unchcumcised triumph.
Ye mountains of Gilboa.
Let there be no dew nor rain upon you, neither fields of
offerings :
For there the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away.
202 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
The shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.
From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty,
The bow of Jonathan turned not back,
And the sword of Saul returned not empty.
Saul and Jonathan were lovel}^ and pleasant in their lives,
And in their death they were not divided;
They were s\\dfter than eagles,
They were stronger than lions.
Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
Who clothed j^ou in scarlet delicately,
AVho put ornaments of gold upon your apparel.
How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle!
Jonathan is slain upon thy high places.
I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan :
Very pleasant hast thou been unto me :
Thy love to me was wonderful.
Passing the love of women,
How are the might}" fallen,
And the weapons of war perished!
And it came to pass after this, that David inquired of Yahweh,
saying, " Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? " And
Yahweh said unto him, " Go up." And David said, " Whither
shall I go up? " And he said, " Unto Hebron."
So David went up thither, and his two mves, also, Ahinoam
the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.
And his men that were \Aith him did David bring up, every man
with his household: and the}' dwelt in the cities of Hebron.
And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David
king over the house of Judah.
And they told David, saying, "' The men of Jabesh-gilead were
they that buried Saul." And David sent messengers unto the
men of Jebesh-gilead, and said unto them, " Blessed be ye of
Yahweh, that ye have shewed this kindness unto your lord, even
unto Saul, and have buried him. And now Yahweh shew kind-
ness and truth unto yow. and I also will requite you this kind-
ness, because jt have done this thing. Now, therefore, let your
hands be strong, and be ye valiant: for Saul your lord is dead,
and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them."
SAMUEL II 203
Now Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, liad taken
Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, and brought him over to Maha-
naim; and he made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashu-
rites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraini, and over Benjamin,
and over all Israel. (Ish-bosheth Saul's son was forty years old
when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years.)
But the house of Judah followed David. And the time that
David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven
years and six months.
And Abner, the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth,
the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. And
Joab, the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out,
and met them by the pool of Gibeon; and they sat do^vn, the
one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side
of the pool.
And Abner said to Joab, " Let the young men, I pray thee,
arise and play before us." And Joab said, " Let them arise."
Then they arose and went over by number; twelve for Benja-
min, and for Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, and twelve of the
servants of David. And the}^ caught every one his fellow by the
head, and thrust his sword in his fellow's side; so they fell down
together; wherefore tliat place was called Helkath-hazzurim,
which is in Gibeon. And the battle was very sore that day;
and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants
of David.
And the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, and Abishal,
and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe. And
Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the
right hand nor to the left from foUowuig Abner. Then Abner
looked behind him, and said, ''Is it thou, Asahel? " And he
answered, " It is I." And Abner said to him, " Turn thee aside
to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the
young men, and take thee his armour." But Asahel would not
turn aside from following of him. And Abner said again to
Asahel, " Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should I
smite thee to the ground? How then should I hold up my face
to Joab thy brother?" Howbeit he refused to turn aside:
wherefore Abner mth the hinder end of the spear smote him in
the belly, that the spear came out behind him; and he fell
204 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
down there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass
that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and
died stood still.
But Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner : and the sun went
down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that Ueth be-
fore Giah l^y the way of the wilderness of Gibeon. And the
children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner,
and became one band, and stood on the top of an hill.
Then Abner called to Joab, and said, " Shall the sword devour
for ever? Knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the
latter end? How long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people
return from following their brethren? "
And Joab said, " As God liveth, if thou hadst not spoken,
surely then in the morning the people had gone away, nor fol-
lowed every one his brother." So Joab blew the trumpet, and
all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more,
neither fought they any more.
And Abner and his men went all that night through the
Arabah; and they passed over Jordan, and went through all
Bithron, and came to Mahanaim. And Joab returned from
following Abner: and when he had gathered all the people to-
gether, there lacked of David's servants nineteen men and Asahel.
But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of
Abner's men, so that three hundred and threescore men died.
And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his
father, which was in Beth-lehem. And Joab and his men went
all night, and the day brake upon them at Hebron.
And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of
Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong in
the house of Saul. Now Saul had a concubine, whose name was
Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ish-bosheth said to Abner,
" Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father's concubine? "
Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish-bosheth, and
said, " Am I a dog's head that belongeth to Judah? This day
do I shew kindness unto the house of Saul thy father, to his
brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the
hand of David, and yet thou chargest me this day with, a fault
concerning this woman. God do so to Abner, and more also,
if, as Yahweh hath sworn to David, I do not even so to him;
SAMUEL II 205
to translate the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set
up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan
even to Beer-sheba." And he could not answer Abner another
word, because he feared him.
And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying,
" Whose is the land? " Saying also, " Make thy league with me,
and, behold, my hand shall be with thee, to bring about all Israel
unto thee."
And he said, " Well, I will make a league with thee; but one
thing I require of thee, that is, thou shalt not see my face, except
thou first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when thou comest to
see my face." And David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth Saul's
son, saying, " Deliver me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to
me for an hundred foreskins of the Philistines."
And Ish-bosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even
from Paltiel the son of Laish. And her husband went with her,
weeping as he went, and followed her to Bahurim. Then said
Abner unto him, "Go, return "; and he returned.
And Abner had conununication with the elders of Israel,
saying, " In times past ye sought for David to be king over you:
now then do it : for Yahweh hath spoken of David, saying, ' By
the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out
of the hand of the Philistines and out of the hand of all their
enemies.' "
And Abner also spake in the ears of Benjamin: and Abner
went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed
good to Israel, and to the whole house of Benjamin. So Abner
came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him.
And David made Abner and the men that were with him a
feast. And Abner said unto David, " I will arise and go, and
will gather all Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make
a covenant with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that
thy soul desire th.
And David sent Abner away, and he Vv^ent in peace. And,
behold, the servants of David and Joab came from a foray and
brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner was not with
David in Hebron; for he had sent him awaj^, and he was gone in
peace.
When Joab and all the host that was with him were come, they
206 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
told Joab, saying, " Abner, the son of Ner came to the king, and
he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace." Then Joab
came to the king, and said, " What hast thou done? Behold,
Abner came unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him away,
and he is quite gone? Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that
he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and th}''
coming in, and to know all that thou doest."
And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers
after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah :
but David knew it not. And when Abner was returned to Heb-
ron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with
him quietly, and smote him there in the belly, that he died, foi-
the blood of Asahel his brother.
And afterward when David heard it, he said, '' I and my king-
dom are guiltless before Yahweli for ever from the blood of Abner,
the son of Ner: let it fall upon the head of Joab, and upon all his
father's house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one
that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff,
or that faileth b}^ the sword, or that lacketh bread."
So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had
killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.
And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with
liim, " Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and
mourn before Abner. And King David followed the bier. And
they buried Abner in Hel^ron: and the king lifted up his voice,
and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept. And
the king lamented for Abner, and said :
" Should Abner die as a fool dieth?
Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters:
As a man faileth before the children of iniquitv, so didst thou
fall."
And all the people wept again over him. And all the people
came to cause Da\dd to eat bread while it was yet day; but
David sware, saying, " God do so to me, and more also, if I taste
bread, or aught else, till the sun be do\\m." And all the people
took notice of it, and it pleased them: as whatsoever the king
did pleased all the people. So all the people and all Israel under-
SAMUEL II 207
stood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of
Ner.
And the king said unto his servants, " Know ye not that there
is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel? And I am
this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons
of Zeruiah be too hard for me : Yahweh reward the wicked doer
according to his wickedness."
And when Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, heard that Abner was dead
in Hebron, his hands became feeble, and all the Israelites were
troubled. And Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, had two men that were
captains of hands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the
name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon, the Beerothite,
of the children of Benjamin: (for Beeroth, also, is reckoned to
Benjamin: and the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and have been
sojourners there until this day).
Now Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet.
He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan
out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled : and it came
to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame.
And his name was Mephibosheth.
And the sons of Rimmon, the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah,
went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ish-
bosheth, as he took his rest at noon. And they came thither
into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched
wheat : and they smote him in the belly : and Rechab and Baa-
nah his brother escaped.
Now when they came into the house, as he lay on his bed
in his bedchamber, they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded
him, and took his head, and went by the way of the Arabah all
night. And they brought the head of Ish-bosheth unto David to
Hebron, and said to the king, " Behold the head of Ish-bosheth
the son of Saul thine enem.y, which sought thy life ; and Yahweh
hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed."
And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the
sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said unto them, " As
Yahweh liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity,
when one told me, saying, ' Behold, Saul is dead,' thinking to
have brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in
Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his tidings. How
208 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in
his own house upon his bed, shall I not now require his blood of
your hand, and take you away from the earth? "
And David commanded his young men, and they slew them,
and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up beside
the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth, and
buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron.
Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and
spake, saying, '' Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh. In
times past, when Saul was king over us, it was thou that leddest
out and broughtest in Israel: and Yahweh said to thee, " Thou
shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be prince over Israel."
So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king
David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Yahweh:
and they anointed David king over Israel.
And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the
Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land : which spake unto David,
saying, " Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou
shalt not come in hither ": thinking, " David cannot come in
hither." Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion;
the same is the city of David.
And David said on that day, " Whosoever smiteth the Jebu-
sites, let him get up to the watercourse, and smite the lame and
the blind, that are hated of David's soul." Wherefore they say,
" There are the blind and the lame; he cannot come into the
house." And David dwelt in the strong hold, and called it the
city of David. And David built round about from Millo and
inward. And David waxed greater and greater; for Yahweh,
the God of hosts, was with him.
And Hiram, king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar
trees, and carpenters, and masons: and they built David an
house. And David perceived that Yahweh had established him
king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his
people Israel's sake.
And when the Philistines heard that thej'' had anointed David
king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David; and
David heard of it, and went down to the hold.
Now the Philistines had come and spread themselves in the
SAMUEL II 209
valley of Rephaim. And David inquired of Yahweh, saying,
'' Shall I go up against the Philistines? Wilt thou deliver them
into mine hand?" And Yahweh said unto David, "Go up:
for I will certainly deUver the Philistines into thine hand."
And David came to Baal-perazim, and David smote them
there; and he said, " Yahweh hath broken mine enemies before
me, like the breach of waters." Therefore he called the name
of that place Baal-perazim. And they left their images there,
and David and his men took them away.
And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves
in the valley of Rephaim. And when David inquired of Yahweh,
he said, " Thou shalt not go up; make a circuit behind them,
and come upon them over against the mulberry trees. And it
shall be, when thou hearest the sound of marching in the tops of
the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself : for then
is Yahweh gone out before thee to smite the host of the Philis-
tines." And David did so, as Yahweh commanded him; and
smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gezer.
And David again gathered together all the chosen men of
Israel, thirty thousand. And David arose, and went with all
the people that were with him, from Baale Judah, to bring up
from thence the ark of God, which is called by the Name, even
the name of the Lord of hosts that sitteth upon the cherubim.
And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it
out of the house of Abinadab that was in the hill: and Uzzah
and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart. And they
brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was in the hill,
with the ark of God : and Ahio went before the ark. And David
and all the house of Israel played before Yahweh with all manner
of instruments made of fir wood, and with harps, and mth
psaltries, and with timbrels, and with castanets, and \\dth cym-
bals.
And when they came to the threshing-floor of Nacon, Uzzah
put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the
oxen stumbled. And the anger of Yahweh was kindled against
Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error: and there he
died by the ark of God. And David was displeased, because
Yahweh had broken forth upon Uzzah : and he called that place
Perez-uzzah, unto this day.
210 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
And David was afraid of Yahweh that flay; and he said,
" How shall the ark of Yahweh come unto me? " So David
would not remove the ark of Yahweh unto him into the city of
David : but David carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom
the Gittite. And the ark of Yahweh remained in the house of
Obed-edom the Gittite three months: and Yahweh blessed
Obed-edom, and all his house.
And it was told king David, sa^dng, " Yahweh hath blessed
the house of Obed-edom, and all that pertaineth unto him, be-
cause of the ark of God."
And David went and brought up the ark of God from the house
of Obed-edom into the city of David with joy. And it was so,
that when they that bare the ark of Yahweh had gone six paces,
he sacrificed an ox and a fatling. And David danced before
Yahweh with all his might; and Da\'id was girded with a linen
ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark
of Yahweh with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.
And it was so, as the ark of Yahweh came into the city of
David, that Michal, the daughter of Saul looked out at the win-
dow, and saw king David leaping and dancing before Yahweh;
and she despised him in her heart.
And they brought in the ark of Yahweh, and set it in its place,
in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it : and David
offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Yahweh.
And when David had made an end of offering the burnt offering
and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of
Yahweh, the Lord of hosts.
And he dealt among all tlie people, even among the whole
multitude of Israel, both to men and women, to every one a
cake of bread, and a portion of flesh, and a cake of raisins. So all
departed every one to his house.
Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal,
the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, " How
glorious was the king of Israel todaj', who uncovered himself
today in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the
vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself! " And David
said unto Michal, " It was before Yahweh, which chose me above
thy father, and above all his home, to appoint me prince over
the people of Yahweh, over Israel: therefore will I play before
SAMUEL IT 211
Yahweh. And I will be yet more vile than thus, and will be
base to mine own sight: but of the handmaids which thou hast
spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour." And Michal, the
daughter of Saul had no child unto the daj^ of her death.
And David said, " Is there j^et any that is left of the house of
Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan's sake? "
And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was
Ziba, and they called him unto David; and the king said unto
him, " Art thou Ziba? " And he said, " Thy servant is he."
And the king said, " Is there not yet anj'- of the house of Saul,
that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? " And Ziba
said unto the king, '' Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on
his feet." And the king said unto him, '' Where is he? " And
Ziba said unto the king, " Behold, he is in the house of Machir,
the son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar."
Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of
Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar.
And Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came
unto David, and fell on his face, and did obeisance. And David
said, " Mephibosheth." And he answered, " Behold thy ser-
vant! " And Da\'id said unto him, " Fear not; for I will surely
shev/ thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will
restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat
bread at my table continually." And he did obeisance, and
said, " What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such
a dead dog as I am? "
Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said unto
him, " All that pertained to Saul and to all his house have I
given unto thy master's son. And thou shalt till the land for
him, thou, and thy sons, and thy servants; and thou shalt bring
in the fruits, that thy master's son may have bread to eat: but
Mephibosheth, thy master's son shall eat bread alway at my
table."
Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. Then said
Ziba unto the king, " According to all that my lord, the king,
commandeth his servant, so shall thy servant do." '' As for
Mephibosheth," said the king, " he shall eat at my table, as one
of the king's sons." And Mephibosheth had a 3^oung son, whose
name was Mica. And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba were
212 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
servants unto Mephibosheth. So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jeru-
salem: for he did eat continually at the king's table; and he
was lame on both his feet.
And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of
Ammon died, and Hanun, his son, reigned in his stead. And
David said, " I will shew kindness unto Hanun, the son of
Nahash, as his father shewed kindness unto me." So David
sent by the hand of his servants to comfort him concerning his
father.
And David's servants came into the land of the children of
Ammon. But the princes of the children of Ammon said unto
Hanun, their lord, " Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy
father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? Hath not
David sent his servants unto thee to search the city, and to spy
it out, and to overthrow it? "
So Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one half
of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even
to their buttocks, and sent them away. When they told it
unto David, he sent to meet them; for the men were greatly
ashamed. And the king said, " Tarry at Jericho until your
beards be grown, and then return."
And when the children of Ammon saw that they were become
odious to David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the
Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thou-
sand footmen, and the king of Maacah with a thousand men, and
the men of Tob twelve thousand men.
And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of
the mighty men. And the children of Ammon came out, and
put the battle in array, at the entering in of the gate: and the
Syrians of Zobah, and of Rehob, and the men of Tob and Maa-
cah, were by themselves in the field. Now when Joab saw that
the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose of all
the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the
Syrians: and the rest of the people he committed into the hand
of Abishai, his brother, and he put them in array against the
children of Ammon.
And he said, " If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou
shalt help me; but if the children of Ammon be too strong for
thee, then I will come and help thee. Be of good courage, and
SAMUEL II 213
let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God :
and Yahweh do that which seemeth him good."
So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh unto the
battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him. And
when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled,
they likewise fled before Abishai, and entered into the city.
Then Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to
Jerusalem.
And it came to pass, at the return of the year, at the time when
kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants
with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of
Ammon, and besieged Rabbah.
But David tanied at Jerusalem. And it came to pass at
eventide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the
roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman
bathing; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. And
David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said,
" Is not this Bath-sheba, the daughter of EUam, the wife of
Uriah the Hittite? "
And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in
unto him, and he lay with her; (for she was purified from her
uncleanness), and she returned unto her house. And the woman
conceived; and she sent and told David, and said, ^' I am with
child."
And David sent to Joab, saying, '' Send me Uriah the Hittite."
And Joab sent Uriah to Da\ad. And when Uriah was come
unto him, David asked of him how Joab did, and how the people
fared, and how the war prospered. And Da\id said to Uriah,
'' Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet."
And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there fol-
lowed him a mess of meat from the king. But Uriah slept at
the door of the king's house with aU the servants of his lord, and
went not down to his house. And when they told David, say-
ing, " Uriah went not down unto his house," David said unto
Uriah, " Art thou not come from a journey? Wherefore didst
thou not go down unto thine house? " And Uriah said unto
David, " The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in booths; and
my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the
214 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
open field; shall I tlien go into mine house, to eat and to drink,
and to lie with my wife? As thou livest, and as thy soul liveth,
I Avill not do this thing." And David said to Uriah, '^ Tarry
liere today also, and tomorrow I will let thee depart."
So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow. And
when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him;
and he made him drunk; and at even he went out to lie on his
bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his
house.
And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter
to Joab, and sent it bj^ the hand of Uriah. And he wi'ote in the
letter, saying, " Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest
battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die."
And it came to pass, when Joab kept watch upon the city,
that he assigned Uriah unto the place where he knew that
valiant men were. And the men of the city went out, and fought
with Joab : and there fell some of the people, even of the servants
of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.
Then Joab sent and told David aU the things concerning the
war; and he charged the messenger, saying, "Wlien thou hast
made an end of telling all the things concerning the war unto the
king, it shall be that, if the king's wi'ath arise, and he say unto
thee, " Wherefore went ye so nigh unto the city to fight? Knew
ye not that they would shoot from the wall? Who smote
Abimelech, the son of Jerubbesheth? Did not a woman cast
an upper mill-stone upon him from the wall, that he died at
Thebez? Why went ye so nigh the wall? " then shalt thou
say, " Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also."
So the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that
Joab had sent him for. And the messenger said unto David,
^' The men prevailed against us, and came out unto us into the
field, and we were upon them even unto the entering of the gate.
And the shooters shot at thy servants from the wall; and some
of the king's servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite
is dead also."
Then David said unto the messenger, " Thus shall thou say
unto Joab, ' Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword
devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong
against the city, and overthrow it; and encourage thou him.' "
SAMUEL II 215
And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husl^aiid was
dead, she made himentation for her husband. And when the
mourning was past, David sent and took her home to his house,
and slie became his wife, and bare hhn a son. But the thing
that David had done displeased Yahweh.
And Yahweh sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto
him, and said unto him, " There were two men in one city; the
one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had exceeding many-
flocks and herds: but the poor man had nothing, save one little
ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew
up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his
own morsel, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and
was unto him as a daughter. And there came a traveler unto
the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his
own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto
him, but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man
that was come to him." And David's anger was greatly kindled
against the man; and he said to Nathan, " As Yahweh liveth,
the man that hath done this is worthy to die: and he shall
restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because
he had no pity."
And Nathan said to David, '' Thou art the man. Thus saith
Yahweh, the God of Israel, * I anointed thee king over Israel,
and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; and I gave thee thy
master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and
gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah : and if that had been
too little, I would have added unto thee such and such thmgs.'
Vv^herefore hast thou despised the word of Yahweh, to do that
which is evil in his sight? Thou hast smitten Uriah the Hittite
with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast
slain him with the sword of the children of Amnion."
And David said unto Nathan, " I have sinned against Yah-
weh." And Nathan said unto Da^dd, " Yahweh also hath put
away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Howbeit, because by this
deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of Yahweh
to bb^phemie, the child also that is born unto thee shall surel}^
die/^ And Nathan departed unto his house.
216 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
And Yahweh stmck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto
David, and it was very sick. David, therefore, besought God
for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night
upon the earth. And the elders of his house arose, and stood
beside him, to raise him up from the earth : but he would not,
neither did he eat bread with them. And it came to pass on the
seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David
feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, '' Be-
hold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he
hearkened not unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if
we tell him that the child is dead? "
But when David saw that his servants whispered together,
David perceived that the child was dead; and David said unto
liis servants, '' Is the child dead? " And they said, " He is dead."
Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed
himself, and changed his apparel; and he came into the house of
Yahweh, and worshipped : then he came to his own house, and
when he required they set bread before him, and he did eat.
Then said his servants unto him, '' Wliat thing is this that
thou hast done? Thou didst fast and weep for the child, while
it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and
eat bread." And he said, " While the child was yet alive, I
fasted and wept; for I said, 'Who knoweth whether Yahweh
Avill not be gracious to me, that the child may live? ' But now
he is dead, wherefore should I fast? Can I bring him back
again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me."
And David comforted Bath-sheba his wife, and went in unto
her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his
name Solomon. And Yahweh loved him: and he sent by the
hand of Nathan the prophet, and he called his name Jedidiah.
Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the cliildren of Ammon,
and took the royal city. And Joab sent messengers to David,
and said, " I have fought against Rabbah, yea, I have taken
the city of waters. Now therefore gather the rest of the people
together, and encamp against the city, and take it: lest I take
the city, and it be called after my name."
And Da\dd gathered all the people together, and went to
Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it. And he took the
crown of their king from off his head; and the weight thereof
SAMUEL II 217
was a talent of gold, and in it were precious stones; and it was
set on David's head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city,
exceeding much. And he brought forth the people that were
therein, and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron,
and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brick-
kiln: and thus did he unto aU the cities of the children of Ammon.
And David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem.
The Story of Absalom
And it came to pass after this, that Absalom, the son of David
had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Ammon, the son
of David, loved her. And Ammon was so vexed that he fell sick
because of his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin; and it seemed
hard to Ammon to do anything unto her.
But Ammon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son
of Shimeah David's brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil
man. And he said unto him, " Why, son of the king, art thou
thus lean from day to day? Wilt thou not tell me? " And
Ammon said unto him, " I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's
sister." And Jonadab said unto him, " Lay thee down on thy
bed, and feign thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see
thee, say unto him, ' Let my sister Tamar come, I pray thee,
and give me bread to eat, and dress the food in my sight, that I
may see it, and eat it at her hand.' "
So Ammon lay down, and feigned himself sick: and when the
king was come to see him, Ammon said unto the king, " Let my
sister Tamar come, I pray thee, and make me a couple of cakes
in my sight, that I may eat at her hand." Then David sent
home to Tamar, saying, " Go now to thy brother Ammon's
house, and dress him food."
So Tamar went to her brother Ammon's house : and he was
laid down. And she took dough, and kneaded it, and made
cakes in his sight, and did bake the cakes. And she took the
pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat.
And Ammon said, " Have out all men from me." And they went
out every man from him. And Ammon said unto Tamar, ''Bring
the food into the chamber, that I may eat out of thine hand."
And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought
them into the chamber to Ammon, her brother. And when she
had brought them near him to eat, he took hold of her, and said
218 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
unto her, " Come, lie with me, my sister." And she answered
hun, '^ Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing
ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly. And I,
whither shall I carry my shame? And as for thee, thou shalt be
as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak
unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee."
Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but being
stronger than she, he forced her, and lay with her. Then
Ammon hated her with exceeding great hatred; for the hatred
wherewdth he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he
had loved her. And Ammon said unto her, " Arise, be gone."
And she said unto him, " Not so, because this great wrong in
putting me forth is worse than the other that thou didst unto
me." But he would not hearken unto her.
Then he called his servant that ministered unto him, and said,
" Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her."
And she had a garment of divers colours upon her: for
with such robes were the king's daughters that were virgins ap-
parelled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door
after her. And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her
garment of divers colours that was on her; and she laid her hand
on her head, and went her way, crying aloud as she went.
And Absalom her brother said unto her, " Hath Ammon thy
brother been with thee? But now hold thy peace, my sister:
he is thy brother; take not this thing to heart." So Tamar
remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house.
But when king Da\dd heard of all these things, he was very
wroth. And Absalom spake unto Ammon neither good nor bad:
for Absalom hated Ammon, because he had forced his sister
Tamar.
And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had
sheep-shearers in Baal-hazor, which is beside Ephraim: and
Absalom invited all the king's sons. And Absalom came to the
king, and said, " Behold now, thy servant hath sheepshearers ;
let the king, I pray thee, and his servants go with thy servant.
And the king said to Absalom, '' Nay, my son, let us not all go,
lest we be burdensome unto thee." And he pressed him: how-
beit he would not go, but blessed him.
Then said Absalom, " If not, I pray thee, let my brother
SAMUEL II 219
Ammon go with us." And the king said unto him, " Why should
he go with thee? " But Absalom pressed him, that he let Am-
mon and all the king's sons go with him.
And Absalom commanded his servants, saying, '' Mark ye
nov/, when Ammon's heart is merry with wine; and when I say
unto you, ' Smite Ammon,' then kill him, fear not: have not I
commanded you? Be courageous, and be valiant."
And the servants of Absalom did unto Ammon as Absalom had
commanded.
Then all the king's sons arose, and every man gat him up upon
his mule, and fled.
And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that the
tidings came to David, saying, " Absalom hath slain all the king's
sons, and there is not one of them left." Then the king arose,
and rent his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants
stood by with their clothes rent.
And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah DaAdd's brother, answered
and said, " Let not my lord suppose that they have killed all the
young men, the king's sons; for Ammon only is dead: for by the
appointment of Absalom this hath been determined from the
day that he forced his sister Tamar . Now therefore let not my lord
the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king's
sons are dead: for Ammon only is dead. But Absalom fled."
And the j^oung man that kept the w^atch lifted up his eyes, and
looked, and behold, there came much people by the w^ay of the
hill side behind him.
And Jonadab said unto the king, " Behold, the king's sons are
come: as thy servant said, so it is." And it came to pass, as
soon as he had made an end of speaking, that, behold, the king's
sons came, and lifted up their voice, and wept : and the king also
and all his servants wept very sore. But Absalom fled, and went
to Talmai, the son of Ammihur, king of Geshur. And David
mourned for his son every day.
So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three
years. And the soul of king David longed to go forth unto
Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Ammon, seeing he
was dead.
Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart
was toward Absalom. And Joab sent to Takoa, and fetched
220 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
thence a wise woman, and said unto her, " I pray thee, feign
thyself to be a mourner, and put on mourning apparel, I pray
thee, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that had
a long time mourned for the dead: and go in to the king, and
speak on this manner unto him." So Joab put the words in her
mouth.
And when the woman of Tekoa spake to the king, she fell on
her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, '' Help,
king." And the king said unto her, " AVhat aileth thee?"
And she answered, '' Of a truth I am a widow woman, and mine
husband is dead. And thy handmaid had two sons, and they two
strove together in the field, and there was none to part them, but
the one smote the other, and killed him. And, behold, the whole
family is risen against thine handmaid, and they said, * Deliver
him that smote his brother, that we may kill him for the life of
his brother whom he slew, and so destroy the heir also '; thus
shall they quench my coal which is left, and shall leave to my
husband neither name nor remainder upon the face of the
earth."
And the king said unto the woman, " Go to thine house and I
will give charge concerning thee." And the woman of Tekoa
said unto the king, '' My lord, king, the iniquity be on me, and
on my father's house: and the king and his throne be guiltless."
And the king said, " Whosoever saith aught unto thee, bring
him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more."
Then said she, " I pray thee, let the king remember Yahweh
thy God, that the avenger of blood destroy not any more, lest
they destroy my son." And he said, " As Yahweh Uveth, there
shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth."
Then the woman said, '' Let thine handmaid, I pray thee,
speak a word unto my lord the king." And he said, " Say on."
And the woman said, " Wherefore then hast thou devised such
thing against the people of God? For in speaking this word
the king is as one which is guilty, in that the king doth not fetch
home again his banished one. For we must needs die, and are
as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again;
neither doth God take away life, but deviseth means, that he
that is banished be not an outcast from him. Now therefore
seeing that I am come to speak this word unto my lord the king
SAMUEL II 221
it is because the people have made me afraid : and thy handmaid
said, ' I will now speak unto the king: it may be that the king
will perform the request of his servant. For the king will hear,
to deliver his servant out of the hand of the man that would
destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.'
Then thine handmaid said, ' Let, I pray thee, the word of my
lord the king be comfortable: for as an angel of God, so is my
lord the king to discern good and bad ' : and Yahweh th}^ God
be with thee."
Then the king answered and said unto the woman, " Hide
not from me, I pray thee, aught that I shall ask thee." And the
woman said, " Let my lord the king now speak." And the king
said, " Is the hand of Joab with thee in all this? " And the
woman answered and said, " As thy soul liveth, my lord the
king, none can turn to the right hand or to the left from aught
that my lord the king hath spoken: for thy servant Joab, he
bade me, and he put all these words in the mouth of thine hand-
maid: to change the face of the matter hath thy servant Joab
done this thing: and my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of
an angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth."
And the king said unto Joab, " Behold now, I have done this
thing: go therefore, bring the young man Absalom again."
And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and did obeisance, and
blessed the king: and Joab said, " Today thy servant knoweth
that I have found grace in thy sight, my lord, king, in that the
king hath performed the request of his servant."
So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to
Jerusalem. And the king said, '' Let him turn to his own house,
but let him not see my face." So Absalom turned to his own
house, and saw not the king's face.
And Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem; and he saw
not the king's face. Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to
the king; but he would not come to him: and he sent again a
second time, but he would not come. Therefore he said unto
his servants, " See, Joab's field is near mine, and he hath barley
there; go and set it on fire." And Absalom's servants set the
field on fire. Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto his
house, and said unto him, " Wherefore have the servants set my
field on fire? " And Absalom answered Joab, " Behold, I sent
222 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
unto thee, saying, ' Come hither, that I may send thee to the
king, to say, " Wherefore am I come from Geshur? It were
better for me to be there still " ': now, therefore, let me see the
king's face; and if there be iniquity in me, let him kill me."
So Joab came to the king and told him; and when he had called
for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face
to the ground before the king: and the king kissed Absalom.
And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him a
chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him. And
Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate:
and it was so, that when any man had a suit which should come
to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and
said, " Of what city art thou? " And he said, " Thy servant is of
one of the tribes of Israel." And Absalom said unto him, " See,
thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed
of the king to hear thee." Absalom said moreover, " Oh that I
were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any
suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice! "
And it was so, that when any man came nigh to do him obei-
sance, he put forth his hand, and took hold of him, and kissed
him. And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to
the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of
Israel.
And it came to pass at the end of four years, that Absalom
said unto the king, " I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow,
which I have vowed unto Yahweh, in Hebron. For thy servant
vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, " If
Yahweh shall indeed bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will
serve Yahweh." And the king said unto him, " Go in peace."
So he arose, and went to Plebron. But Absalom sent spies
through all the tribes of Israel, saying, " As soon as ye hear the
sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, " Absalom is king in
Hebron." And with Absalom went two hundred men out of
Jerusalem, that were invited, and went in their simplicity;
and they knew not any thing. And Absalom sent for Ahithophel
the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh,
while he offered the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong;
for the people increased continuallj'- with Absalom.
And there came a messenger to David, saying, '' The hearts of
SAMUEL II 223
the men of Israel are after Absalom." Aiid David said unto all
his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, '* Arise, and let
us flee; for else none of us shall escape from Absalom: make
speed to depart, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down e'V'il
upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword." And
the king's servants said unto the king, " Behold, thy servants are
ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall choose."
And the king went forth, and all his household after him.
And the king left ten women which were concubines, to keep the
house. And the king went forth, and all the people after him;
and they tarried in Beth-merhak. And all his servants passed
on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites,
and all the Gittites, six hundred men which came after him from
Gath, passed on before the king.
Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, " Wherefore goest
thou also with us? Return, and abide \vith the king: for thou
art a stranger, and also an exile; return to thine own place.
Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee
go up and down with us, seeing I go whither I may? Return
thou, and take back thy brethren; mercy and truth be with
thee."
And Ittai answered the king, and said, '' As Yahweh liveth,
and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord
the king shall be, whether for death or for life, even there also
will thy servant be." And Da^dd said to Ittai, " Go and pass
over."
And Ittai, the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the
little ones that were with him. And all the country wept witli
a loud voice, and all the people passed over : the king also him-
self passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed
over, toward the way of the wilderness.
And, lo, Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him, bear-
ing the ark of the covenant of God; and they set down the ark of
God, and Abiathar went up, until all the people had done passing
out of the cit3\ And the king said unto Zadok, " Carry back
the ark of God into the city : if I shall find favour in the eyes of
Yahweh, he will bring me again, and shew me both it, and his
habitation : but if he say thus, ' I have no delight in thee ' ;
behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him."
224 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
The king said also unto Zadok, the priest, " Art thou not a
seer? Return into the city in peace, and your two sons with
you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan, the son of Abiathar. See,
I will tarry at the fords of the wilderness, until there come word
from you to certify me." Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried
the ark of God again to Jerusalem: and they abode there.
And David went up by the ascent of the mount of Olives, and
wept as he went up; and he had his head covered, and went bare-
foot: and all the people that were with him covered every man
his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.
And one told David, saying, " Ahithophel is among the con-
spirators with. Absalom." And David said, " Yahweh, I
pray thee, turn the counsel of Aliithophel into foolishness."
And it came to pass, that when David was come to the top of the
ascent, where God was worshipped, behold, " Hushai,the Archite,
came to meet him ^ath his coat rent, and earth upon his head:
and David said unto him, " If thou passest on with me, then
thou shalt be a burden unto me: but if thou return to the city,
and say unto Absalom, ' I will be thy servant, king; as I
have been thy father's servant in time past, so will I now be thy
servant ' : then shalt thou defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.
And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar, the
priests? Therefore it shall be, that what thing soever thou
shalt hear out of the king's house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok
and Abiathar, the priests. Behold, thej^ have there with them
their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok's son, and Jonathan, Abiathar's
son; and by them he shall send unto me every thing that ye
shall hear." So Hushai, David's friend came into the city; and
Absalom came into Jerusalem.
And when David was a little past the top of the ascent, behold,
Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, wdth a couple of
asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and
an hundred clusters of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits,
and a bottle of wine.
And the king said unto Ziba, " ^Miat meanest thou by these?"
And Ziba said, " The asses be for the king's household to ride
on; and the bread and summer fruit for the j^oung men to eat;
and the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink."
And the king said, '' And where is thy master's son? " And
SAMUEL II 225
Ziba said unto the king, " Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for
he said, ' Today shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom
of my father.' " Then said the king to Ziba, " Behold, thine is all
that pertaineth unto Mephibosheth." And Ziba said, " I do
obeisance; let me find favour in thy sight, my lord, king."
And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, there came
out thence a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name
was Shimei, the son of Gera; he came out, and cursed still as he
came. And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of
king David : and all the people and all the mighty men were on his
right hand and on his left.
And thus said Shimei when he cursed, " Begone, begone, thou
man of blood, and man of Belial: Yahweh hath returned
upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou
hast reigned; and Yahweh hath delivered the kingdom into the
hand of Absalom, thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thine
own mischief, because thou art a man of blood."
Then said Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, unto the king, " WTiy
should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over,
I pray thee, and take off his head."
And the king said, " What have I to do with you, ye sons of
Zeruiah? Because he curseth, and because Yahweh hath said
unto him, ' Curse David ' ; who then shall say, ' Wherefore hast
thou done so? ' And David said to Abishai, and to all his
servants, ' Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels,
seeketh my life: how much more may this Benjamite now do
it? ' Let him alone, and let him curse; for Yahweh hath bid-
den him. It may be that Yahweh will look on the wrong done
unto me, and that Yahweh will requite me good for his cursing
of me this day."
So David and his men went by the way; and Shimei went
along on the hillside over against him, and cursed as he went, and
threw stones at him, and cast dust. And the king, and all the
people that were with him, came weary: and he refreshed him-
self there.
And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to
Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. And it came to pass,
when Hushai, the Archite, David's friend, was come unto Absa-
lom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, " God save the king, God
226 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
save the king." And Absalom said to Hushai, " Is this thy kind-
ness to thy friend? Wliy wentest thou not with thy friend? "
And Hushai said unto Absalom, " Nay; but whom Yahweh,
and this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, his will I
be, and with him will I abide. And again, whom should I serve?
Should I not serve in the presence of his son? As I have served
in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy presence."
Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, " Give your counsel what
we shall do." And Aliithophel said unto Absalom, " Go in
unto thy father's concubines, which he hath left to keep the
house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy
father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong."
So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and
Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in the sight of all
Israel. And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in
those days, was as if a man inquired at the oracle of God: so
was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with
Absalom.
Moreover, Ahithophel said unto Absalom, '^ Let me now choose
out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David
this night : and I will come upon him while he is weary and weak
handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are
with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only: and I will
bring back all the people unto thee : the man whom thou seekest
is as if all returned: so all the people shall be in peace." And
the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.
Then said Absalom, " Call now Hushai, the Archite also, and
let us hear likewise what he saith." And when Hushai was come
to Absalom, Absalom spake unto him, saying, " Ahithophel
hath spoken after this manner: shall we do after his saying?
If not, speak thou." And Hushai said unto Absalom, " The
counsel that Ahithophel hath given this time is not good."
Hushai said moreover, " Thou knowest thy father and his
men, that they be mightj^ men, and they be chafed in their
minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field : and thy father
is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people. Behold,
he is hid now in some pit, or in some other place : and it will come
to pass, when some of them be fallen at the first, that whatsoever
heareth it will say, ' There is a slaughter among the people that
SAMUEL II 227
follow Absalom.' And even he that is valiant, whose heart is as
the heart of a lion, shall utterly melt: for all Israel knoweth that
thy father is a mighty man, and they which be with him are
valiant men. But I counsel that all Israel be gathered together
unto thee, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, as the sand that is by
the sea for multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own
person. So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall
be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the
ground: and of him and of all the men that are with him we
will not leave so much as one. Moreover, if he be gotten into
a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will
draw it into the river, until there be not one small stone found
there."
And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, '' The counsel of
Hushai, the Archite, is better than the counsel of Ahithophel."
For Yahweh had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahitho-
phel, to the intent that Yahweh might bring evil upon Absalom.
Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar, the priests,
" Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders
of Israel; and thus and thus have I counselled. Now there-
fore send quickly, and tell David, saying, ' Lodge not this
night at the fords of the wilderness, but in any wise pass over;
lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people that are with
him.' "
Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by En-rogel ; and a maid-
servant used to go and tell them; and they went and told king
David : for they might not be seen to come into the city. But
a lad saw them, and told Absalom : and they went both of them
away quickly, and came to the house of a man in Bahurim, who
had a well in his court; and they went down thither. And the
woman took and spread the covering over the well's mouth, and
strewed bruised corn thereon; and nothing was known. And
Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house; and they
said, " Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan? " And the woman
said unto them, " They be gone over the brook of w^ater."
And when they had sought and could not find them, they re-
turned to Jerusalem. And it came to pass, after they were de-
parted, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king
David; and they said unto David, " Arise ye, and pass quickly
228 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
over the water: for thus hath Ahithophel counselled against
you."
Then David arose, and all the people that were with him, and
they passed over Jordan : by the morning light there lacked not
one of them that was not gone over Jordan.
And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed,
he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home, unto his city,
and set his house in order, and hanged himself; and he died, and
was buried in the sepulchre of his father.
Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over
Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him. And Absalom
set Amasa over the host instead of Joab. Now Amasa was
the son of a man, whose name was Ithra, the Israelite, that went
in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah, Joab's
mother. And Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead.
And it came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim,
that Shobi, the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of
Ammon, and Machir, the son of Ammiel of Lo-debar, and Bar-
zillai, the Gileadite of Rogelim, brought beds, and basons, and
earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and meal, and parched
corn, and beans, and lentils, and parched pulse, and honey, and
butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine, for David, and for the
people that were with him, to eat: for they said, " The people is
hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness."
And David numbered the people that were with him, and set
captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. And
David sent forth the people, a third part under the hand of
Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai, the son of
Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third part under the hand of
Ittai the Gittite.
And the king said unto the people, " I will surely go forth
with you myself also." But the people said, " Thou shalt not
go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither
if half of us die, will they care for us: but thou art worth ten
thousand of us: therefore, now it is better that thou be ready to
succour us out of the citJ^" And the king said unto them,
" What seemeth you best I will do."
And the king stood by the gate side, and all the people went
out by hundreds and by thousands. And the king commanded
SAMUEL II 229
Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, " Deal gently for my sake
with the young man, even with Absalom." And all the people
heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning
Absalom.
So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the
battle was in the forest of Ephraim. And the people of Israel
were smitten there before the servants of David, and there was
a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men. For
the battle was there spread over the face of all the country:
and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword
devoured.
And Absalom chanced to meet the servants of Da\T[d. And
Absalom rode upon his mule, and the mule went under the thick
boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and
he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the
mule that was under him went on.
And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, " Behold,
I saw Absalom hanging in an oak." And Joab said unto the
man that told him, " And, behold, thou sawest it, and why didst
thou not smite him there to the ground? And I would have
given thee ten pieces of silver, and a girdle." And the man said
unto Joab, " Though I should receive a thousand pieces of silver
in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the
king's son : for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai
and Ittai, sajdng, ' Beware that none touch the young man
Absalom.' Other^dse if I had dealt falsely against his life
(and there is no matter hid from the king), then thou thyself
wouldest have stood aloof." Then said Joab, " I may not tarry
thus with thee."
And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through
the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the
oak. And ten young men that bare Joab's armour compassed
about and smote Absalom, and slew him. And Joab blew the
trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel:
for Joab held back the people. And they took Absalom, and
cast him into the great pit in the forest, and raised over him a
very great heap of stones : and all Israel fled every one to his
tent.
Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for him-
230 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
self the pillar, which is in the king's dale: for he said, " I have
no son to keep my name in remembrance ": and he called the
pillar after his own name : and it is called Absalom's monument,
unto this day.
Then said Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, " Let me now run, and
bear the king tidings, how that Yahweh hath avenged him of his
enemies." And Joab said unto him, " Thou shalt not be the
bearer of tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another
day: but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king's
son is dead."
Then said Joab to the Cushite, " Go tell the king what thou
hast seen." And the Cushite bowed himseK unto Joab, and
ran.
Then said Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok yet again to Joab,
" But come what maj^, let me, I pray thee, also run after the
Cushite." And Joab said, " Wherefore wilt thou run, my son,
seeing that thou \\alt have no reward for the tidings? " "But
come what may," said he, " I will run." And he said unto him,
" Run." Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and overran
the Cushite.
Now Da\dd sat between the two gates, and the watchman went
up to the roof of the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes,
and looked, and, behold, a man running alone. And the watch-
man cried, and told the king. And the king said, ''If he is
alone, there is tidings in his mouth." And he came apace, and
drew near. And the watchman saw another man running; and
the watchman called unto the porter, and said, " Behold,
another man, running alone." And the king said, " He also
bringeth tidings." And the watchman said, " Me thinketh the
mnning of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz, the son
of Zadok." And the king said, " He is a good man, and cometh
with good tidings."
And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, " All is well."
And he bowed himself before the king with his face to the earth,
and said, " Blessed be Yahweh thy God, which hath dehvered
up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king."
And the king said, '' Is it well with the young man Absalom? "
And Ahimaaz answered, " When Joab sent the king's servant,
even me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what
SAjMUEL II 231
it was." And the king said, " Turn aside, and stand here."
And he turned aside, and stood still.
And, behold, the Cushite came; and the Cushite said, " Tid-
ings for my lord the king: for Yahweh hath avenged thee this
day of all them that rose up against thee." And the king said
unto the Cushite, ''Is it well with the young man Absalom? "
And the Cushite answered, '' The enemies of my lord the king,
and all that rise up against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young
man is."
And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber
over the gate, and wept : and as he went, thus he said, " my son
Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would God I had died for
thee, Absalom, my son, my son! "
And it was told Joab, " Behold, the king weepeth and mourn-
eth for Absalom." And the victory that day was turned into
mourning unto all the people : for the people heard say that day,
'' The king grieveth for his son." And the people gat them by
stealth that day into the city, as people that are ashamed steal
away when they flee in battle.
And the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud
voice, " my son Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son! "
And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, " Thou
hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this
day have saved thy life, and the Hves of thy sons and of thy
daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concu-
bines; in that thou lovest them that hate thee, and hatest them
that love thee. For thou hast declared this day, that princes
and servants are nought unto thee : for this day I perceive, that
if Absalom had lived, and all w^e had died this day, then it had
pleased thee well. Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak
comfortably unto thy servants : for I swear by Yahweh, if thou
go not forth, there will not tarry a man with thee this night:
and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that hath
befallen thee from thy youth until now."
Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told unto
all the people, saying, " Behold, the king doth sit in the gate:"
and all the people came before the king.
Now Israel had fled every man to his tent. And all the people
w^ere at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, " The
232 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
king delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, and he saved us
out of the hand of the Phihstines; and now he is fled out of the
land from Absalom. And Absalom, whom we anointed over us,
is dead in battle. Now therefore why speak ye not a word of
bringing the king back? "
And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests
saying, " Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, ' Why are ye
the last to bring the king back to his house? Seeing the speech
of all Israel is come to the king, to bring him to his house. Ye
are my brethren, ye are my bone and my flesh; wherefore, then
are ye the last to bring back the king? ' And say ye to Amasa,
' Art thou not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and
more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continu-
ally in the room of Joab.' "
And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the
heart of one man; so that they sent unto the king, saying, " Re-
turn thou, and all thy servants." So the king returned, and
came to Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the
king, to bring the king over Jordan.
And Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, which was of
Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet
king David. And there was a thousand men of Benjamin with
him, and Ziba, the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen
sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went through
Jordan in the presence of the king. And there went over a
ferry boat to bring over the king's household, and to do what he
thought good.
And Shimei, the son of Gera, fell down before the king, when
he was come over Jordan. And he said unto the king, " Let
not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember
that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the
king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his
heart. For thj^ servant doth know that I have sinned: there-
fore, behold, I am come this day the first of all the house of
Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king."
But Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, answered and said, " Shall
not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed Yahweh's
anointed? "
And David said, " What have I to do with you, ye sons of
SAMUEL II 233
Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? Shall
there any man be put to death this day in Israel? For do not
I know that I am this day king over Israel? " And the
king said unto Shimei, " Thou shalt not die." And the king
sware unto him.
And Mephibosheth, the son of Saul, came down to meet the
king: and he had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his
beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed
until the day he came home in peace. And it came to pass,
when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king
said unto him, " Wlierefore wentest not thou with me, Mephib-
osheth? " And he answered, " My lord, kmg, my servant
deceived me: for thy servant said, ' I will saddle me an ass, that
I may ride thereon, and go with the king,' because thy servant
is lame. And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the
king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore
what is good in thine eyes. For all my father's house were but
dead men before my lord the king: yet didst thou set thy servant
among them that did eat at thine own table. What right
therefore have I yet that I should cry any more unto the king."
And the king said unto him, " Why speakest thou any more of
thy matters? I say, ' Thou and Ziba divide the land.' " And
Mephibosheth said unto the king, " Yea, let him take all, foras-
much as my lord the king is come in peace unto his own house.
And Barzillai, the Gileadite, came down from Rogelim: and
he went over Jordan with the king, to conduct him over Jordan.
Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old:
and he had provided the king with sustenance whilst he lay at
Mahanaim; for he was a very great man. And the king said
unto Barzillai, " Come thou over with me, and I will sustain
thee with me in Jerusalem." And Barzillai said unto the king,
" How many are the days of the years of my life, that I should go
up with the king unto Jerusalem? I am this day fourscore
years old: can I discern between good and bad? Can thy ser-
vant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear any more the
voice of singing men and singing women? Wherefore then
should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king? Thy
servant would but just go over Jordan with the king: and why
should the king recompense it me with such a reward? Let thy
234 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine
own cit}^, by the grave of my father and my mother. But be-
hold, thjT- servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the
king; and do to him what shall seem good unto thee."
And the king answered, *' Chimham shall go over with me,
and I will do to him that which shall seem good unto thee: and
whatsoever thou shalt require of me, that will I do for thee."
And all the people went over Jordan, and the king went over:
and the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned
unto his own place.
So the king went over to Gilgal, and Chimham went over with
him : and all the people of Judah brought the king over, and also
half the people of Israel.
And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said
unto the king, " Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen
thee away, and brought the king, and his household, over Jor-
dan, and all David's men with him? " And all the men of Judah
answered the men of Israel, " Because the king is near of kin
to us; wherefore, then be ye angry for this matter? Have we
eaten at all of the king's cost. Or hath he given us any gift? "
And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said,
" We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in
David than ye; why then did ye despise us, that our advice
should not be first had in bringing back our king? " And the
words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the
men of Israel.
■ And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name
was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew the
trumpet, and said, " We have no portion in David, neither have
we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents,
Israel." So all the men of Israel went up from following David,
and followed Sheba, the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah
clave unto their king from Jordan even to Jerusalem.
And David came to his house at Jerusalem ; and the king took
the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the
house, and put them in ward, and provided them with suste-
nance, but went not in unto them. So they were shut up unto
the day of their death, living in widowhood.
Then said the king to Amasa, " Call me the men of Judah
SAMUEL II 235
together within three days, and be thou here present. So
Amasa went to call the men of Judah together: but he tarried
longer than the set time which he had appointed him.
And David said to Abishai, " Now shall Sheba, the son of
Bichri, do us more harm than did Absalom: take thou thy lord's
servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and
escape out of our sight.
And there went out after him Joab's men, and the Cherethites
and the Pelethites, and all the m-ighty men: and they went out
of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa
came to meet them. And Joab was girded with his apparel of
war that he had put on, and thereon was a girdle with a sword
fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went
forth it fell out. And Joab said to Amasa, " Is it well with thee,
my brother? " And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his
right hand to kiss him. But Amasa took no heed to the sword
that was in Joab's hand : so he smote him therewith in the belly,
and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not
again; and he died.
And Joab and Abishai, his brother, pursued after Sheba, the
son of Bichri. And there stood by him one of Joab's young men,
and said, " He that favoureth Joab, and he that is for David,
let him follow Joab."
And Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the midst of the high
way. And when the men saw that all the people stood still, he
carried Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a
garment over him, when he saw that every one that came by him
stood still. When he was removed out of the highway, all the
people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba, the son of
Bichri.
And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, and to
Bethmaacah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered to-
gether, and went also after him. And they came and be-
sieged him in Abel of Beth-maacah, and they cast up a mount
against the city, and it stood against the rampart: and ail
the people that were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it
down.
Then cried a wise woman out of the city, " Hear, hear; say, I
236 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
pray you, unto Joab, 'Come near hither, that I may speak with
thee.' "
And he came near unto her; and the woman said, " Art thou
Joab? " And he answered, " I am." Then she said unto him,
'* Hear the words of thine handmaid." And he answered, " I
do hear." Then she spake, sa>dng, " They were wont to speak
in okl time, sajHing, ' Thej^ shall surely ask counsel at Abel ' :
and so they ended the matter. I am of them that are peaceable
and faithful in Israel : thou seekest to destroj' a citj' and a mother
in Israel: why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of Yahweh? "
And Joab answered and said, " Far be it, far be it from me,
that I should swallow up or destroy. The matter is not so : but
a man of the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri
by name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, even against
David: deliver him only, and I will depart from the city." And
the woman said unto Joab, " Behold, his head shall be thrown
to thee over the wall."
Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And
they cut ofT the head of Sheba, the son of Bichri, and threw it
out to Joab. And he blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed
from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to
Jerusalem unto the king.
KINGS I
KINGS I
The Story of Solomon
Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they
covered him ^vith clothes, but he gat no heat. Wherefore his
servants said unto him, " Let there be sought for my lord the
king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and
cherish him; and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king
may get heat. So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all
the borders of Israel, and found Abishag, the Shunammite, and
brought her to the king. And the damsel was verj^ fair; and
she cherished the king, and ministered to him; but the king
knew her not.
Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying,
" I will be king ": and he prepared him chariots and horsemen,
and fifty men to run before him. And his father had not dis-
pleased him at any time in saying, " Why hast thou done so? "
and he was also a very goodly man ; and he was born after Absa-
lom. And he conferred with Joab, the son of Zeruiah, and with
Abiathar, the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him.
But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and
Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men
that belonged to David, were not with Adonijah. And Adoni-
jah slew sheep and oxen and fatlings by the stone of Zoheleth,
which is beside En-rogel; and he called all his brethren, the
king's sons, and all the men of Judah, the king's servants:
but Nathan, the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and
Solomon his brother, he called not.
Then Nathan spake unto Bath-sheba the mother of Solomon,
saying, '' Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith
doth reign, and David our lord knoweth it not? Now therefore
come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest
save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon. Go and
get thee in unto king David, and say unto him. Didst not thou,
my lord, O king, swear unto thy handmaid, saying, " Assuredly
240 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my
throne? why then doth Adonijah reign? Behold, while thou
yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee, and
confirm thy words."
And Bath-sheba went in unto the king into the chamber;
and the king was veiy old; and Abishag the Shunammite
was ministering unto the king. And Bath-sheba bowed, and
did obeisance unto the king. And the king said, " What
wouldest thou? " And she said unto him, "My lord, thou
swearest by Yahweh thy God unto thy handmaid, saying,
' Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall
sit upon my throne. And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth;
and thou, my lord the king, knowest it not: and he hath
slain oxen and fathngs and sheep in abundance, and hath
called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab
the captain of the host; but Solomon thy servant hath he not
called. And thou, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are
upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the
throne of my lord the king after him. Otherwise it will come
to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that
I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders."
And, lo, while she j^et talked \vith the king, Nathan the prophet
came in. And they told the king, saying, " Behold, Nathan
the prophet." And when he was come in before the king, he
bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.
And Nathan said, '^ My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah
shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? For he
is gone down this day, and hath slain oxen and fathngs and sheep
in abundance, and hath called all the king's sons, and the cap-
tains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they
are eating and drinking before him, and saj'', ' Lo7ig live king
Adonijah.' But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest
and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon,
hath he not called. Is this thing done by my lord the Idng, and
thou hast not showed unto thy servants who should sit on the
throne of my lord the king after him? "
Then king David answered and said, " Call to me Bath-sheba."
And she came into the king's presence, and stood before the
king. And the king sware, and said, " As Yahweh liveth, who
KINGS I 241
hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity, verily as I sware
unto thee by Yahweh, the God of Israel, saying, ' Assuredly
Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my
throne in my stead '; verily so will I do this day." Then Bath-
sheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did obeisance to the
king, and said, " Let my lord king David live for ever."
And king David said, " Call to me Zadok the priest, and
Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada." And
they came before the king. And the king said unto them,
" Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon
my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to
Gihon: and let Zadok, the priest and Nathan, the prophet
anoint him there king over Israel; and blow ye the trumpet, and
say, 'Long live king Solomon.' Then ye shall come up after
him, and he shall come and sit upon my throne; for he shall be
king in my stead; and I have appointed him to be prince over
Israel and over Judah." And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada
answered the king, and said, " Amen: Yehweh the God of my
lord the king, say so too. As Yahweh hath been with my lord
the king, even so be he with Solomon, and make his throne
greater than the throne of my lord king David."
So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the
son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, went
dowTi, and called Solomon to ride upon king David's mule, and
brought him to Gihon. And Zadok the priest took the horn of
oil out of the Tent, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the
trumpet; and all the people said, "Long live king Solomon."
And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with
pipes, and rejoiced wath great joy, so that the earth rent with the
sound of them.
And Adonijah and all the guests that were with him heard
it as they had made an end of eating. And when Joab heard the
sound of the trumpet, he said, " Wherefore is this noise of the
city being in an uproar? " While he yet spake, behold, Jona-
than the son of Abiathar, the priest came: and Adonijah said,
" Come in; for thou art a worthy man, and bringest good tid-
ings." And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, " Verily
our lord king David hath made Solomon king: and the king
hath sent w^th him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet,
242 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the
Pelethites; and they have caused him to ride upon the king's
mule; and Zadok the priest and Nahan the prophet have
anointed him king in Gihon; and they are come up from thence
rejoicing, so that the city rang again. This is the noise that ye
have heard. And also Solomon sitteth on the throne of the
kingdom. And moreover the king's servants came to bless our
lord king David, saying, " Thy God make the name of Solomon
better than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy
throne ": and the king bowed himself upon the bed. And also
thus said the king, " Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel,
who hath given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even
seeing it."
And all the guests of Adonijah were afraid, and rose up, and
went every man his way. And Adonijah feared because of
Solomon; and he arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns
of the altar. And it was told Solomon, saying, " Behold,
Adonijah feareth king Solomon; for, lo, he hath laid hold on the
horns of the altar, saying, ' Let king Solomon swear unto me
first that he will not slay his servant with the sword.' " And
Solomon said, '' If he shall shew himself a worth}'' man, there
shall not a hair of him fall to the earth; but if wickedness be
found in him, he shall die." So king Solomon sent, and they
brought him down from the altar. And he came and did obei-
sance to king Solomon; and Solomon said unto him, "Go to
th}'' house."
Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he
charged Solomon his son, saying, " I am going the way of all the
earth." Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of
Zeruiah did unto me, even what he did to the two captains of the
hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the
son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace,
and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his
loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet. Do therefore
according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar head go down to
Sheol in peace. But show kindness unto the sons of Barzillai
the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at thy table;
for so they came to me when I fled from Absalom thy brother.
And, behold, there is with thee Shimei the son of Gera, the Benja-
KINGS I 243
mite, of Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse in the
day when I went to Mahanaim ; but he came down to meet me
at the Jordan, and I sware to him by Yahweh, saying, ' I will
not put thee to death with the sword.' Now therefore hold
him not guiltless, for thou art a wise man; and thou Avilt know
what thou oughtest to do unto him, and thou shalt bring his
hoar head down to Sheol with blood."
Then Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bath-sheba, the
mother of Solomon. And she said, " Comest thou peaceably? "
And he said, " Peaceably." He said moreover, " I have some-
what to say unto thee." And she said, " Say on." And he
said, " Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and that all
Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign: howbeit the
kingdom is turned about, and is become my brother's; for it
was his from Yahweh. And now I ask one petition of thee,
deny me not." And she said unto him, " Say on." And he
said, " Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king (for he will
not say thee nay), that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to
^vife." And Bath-sheba said, " Well; I will speak for thee unto
the king."
Bath-sheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto
liim for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed
himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a
throne to be set for the king's mother; and she sat on his right
hand. Then she said, " I ask one small petition of thee; deny
me not." And the king said unto her, " Ask on, my mother;
for I will not deny thee." And she said, " Let Abishag, the
Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife." And
king Solomon answered and said unto his mother, " And why
dost thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? ask for
him the kingdom also; for he is mine elder brother; even for
him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab, the son of Zeruiah."
Then king Solomon sware by Yahweh, saying, '' God do so to
me, and more also, if Adonijah hath not spoken this word against
his own life. Now therefore as Yahweh liveth, who hath estab-
lished me, and set me on the throne of David my father, and who
hath made me an house, as he promised, surely Adonijah shall be
put to death this day." And king Solomon sent by Benaiah, the
son of Jehoiada; and he fell upon him, so that he died.
244 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
iVnd unto Abiathar the priest said the king, " Get thee to
Anathoth, unto thine owti fields; for thou art worthy of death:
but I will not at this time put thee to death, because thou barest
the ark of the Yahweh before David my father, and because
thou wast afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted."
.And the tidings came to Joab; for Joab had turned after
Adonijah, though he turned not after Absalom. And Joab fled
unto the Tent of Yahweh, and caught hold on the horns of the
altar. And it was told king Solomon, " Joab is fled unto the
Tent of Yahweh, and, behold, he is by the altar." Then Solo-
mon sent Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, saying, " Go, faU upon
him." And Benaiah came to the Tent of Yahweh, and said
unto him, " Thus saith the king. Come forth." And he said,
" Nay; but I will die here." And Benaiah brought the king
word again, saying, " Thus said Joab, and thus he answered
me." And the king said unto him, ''Do as he hath said, and
fall upon him, and burj^ him; that thou mayest take away the
blood, which Joab shed v.ithout cause, from me and from my
father's house. And Yahweh wifl return his blood upon his
own head, because he feU upon two men more righteous and
better than he, and slew them with the sword, and my father
Da^dd knew it not, to wit, Abner the son of Xer, captain of the
host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of
Judah. So shall their blood return upon the head of Joab, and
upon the head of his seed for ever: but unto David, and unto his
seed, and unto his house, and unto his throne, shall there be
peace for ever from Yahweh." Then Benaiah the son of
Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and slew him; and he
was buried in his own house in the \\ilderness. And the king
put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his room over the host;
and Zadok the priest did the king put in the room of Abiathar.
And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him,
" Build thee an house in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and go not
forth thence any whither. For on the day thou goest out, and
passest over the brook Kidron, know thou for certain that thou
shalt surely die: thy blood shall be upon thine own head."
And Shimei said unto the king, " The sajang is good: as my lord
the king hath said, so Tvill thy servant do." And Shimei dwelt
in Jerusalem manv davs.
KINGS I 245
And it came to pass at the end of three years, that two of the
servants of Shimei ran away unto Achish, son of Maacah, king
of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, " Behold, thy servants
are in Gath." And Shimei arose, and saddled his ass, and went
to Gath to Achish, to seek his servants; and Shimei went, and
brought his servants from Gath. And it was told Solomon that
Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and was come again.
And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him,
'' Did I not adjure thee by Yahweh, and protest unto thee, say-
ing, ' Know for certain, that on the day thou goest out, and
walkest abroad any whither, thou shalt surely die? and thou
saidst unto me, The sajdng that I have heard is good.' Why
then hast thou not kept the oath of Yahweh, and the command-
ment that I have charged thee with? " The king said, moreover
to Shimei, " Thou knowest all the wickedness which thy heart is
privy to, that thou didst to David mj^ father: therefore Yahweh
shall return thy wickedness upon thine own head. But king
Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of Da^dd shall be estab-
lished before Yahweh for ever." So the king commanded Be-
naiah the son of Jehoiada; and he went out, and fell upon him,
so that he died. And the kingdom was estabhshed in the hand
of Solomon.
And Solomon made affinitj^ with Pharaoh king of Egj'pt, and
took Pharaoh's daughter, and brought her into the city of Da^dd,
until he had made an end of building his o\sti house, and the house
of Yahweh, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.
And king Solomon was king over all Israel. And these were
the princes whom he had : Azariah the son of Zadok, the priest ;
Ehhoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat,
the son of Ahilud, the recorder; and Benaiah, the son of Je-
hoiada was over the host ; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests ;
and Azariah, the son of Nathan was over the officers; and Zabud
the son of Nathan w^as chief minister, ajid the king's friend;
and Ahishar was over the household; and Adoniram, the son of
Abda was over the men subject to taskwork.
And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, who pro\'ided
victuals for the king and his household : each man had to make
pro^'ision for a month in the j'ear. And these are their names:
Ben-hur, in the hill-countrj' of Ephraim; Ben-deker, in Makaz,
246 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
and in Shaalbim, and Beth-shemesh, and Elon-beth-hanan ;
Ben-hesed, in Arubboth (to him pertained Socoh, and all the land
of Hepher); Ben-abinadab, in all the height of Dor (he had
Taphath, the daughter of Solomon to wife); Baana, the son of
Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth-shean which is
beside Zarethan, beneath Jezreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-
meholah, as far as bej^ond Jokmeam.; Ben-geber, in Ramoth-
gilead (to him pertained the tow^is of Jair the son of Manasseh,
which are in Gilead; even to him pertained the region of Argob,
which is in Bashan, threescore great cities with walls and brasen
bars); Ahinadab, the son of Iddo, in Mahanaim; Ahimaaz, in
Naphtali (he also took Basemath, the daughter of Solomon to
wife) ; Baana, the son of Hushai, in Asher and Bealoth; Jehosha-
phat, the son of Paruah, in Issachar; Shimei, the son of Ela,
in Benjamin; Geber the son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, the
country of Sihon, king of the Amorites and of Og, king of Bashan;
and he was the only officer that was in the land.
And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of
fine flour, and threescore measures of meal, ten fat oxen, and
twenty oxen out of the pastures, and a hundred sheep, besides
harts, and gazelles, and roebucks, and fatted fowl.
And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his
chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. And those officers
provided victuals for king Solomon, and for all that came unto
king Solomon's table, ever}'- man in his month; they let nothing
be lacking. Barley also and straw for the horses and swift
steeds brought thej'' unto the place where the officers were every
man according to his charge.
And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, wherein Solomon
had built the two houses, the house of Yahweh and the king's
house (now Hiram the king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with
cedar-trees and fir-trees, and with gold, according to all his de-
sire), that then king Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the
land of Galilee. And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the
cities which Solomon had given him; and they pleased him not.
And he said, " What cities are these which thou hast given me,
mj'' brother?" And he called them the land of Cabul unto this
day. And Hiram sent to the king sixscore talents of gold.
And this is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised,
KINGS I 247
to build the house of Yahweh, and his own house, and Millo,
and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Meggido, and Gezer.
Pharaoh, king of Egypt had gone up, and taken Gezer, and burnt
it with fire, and slain the Canaanites that dwelt in the city and
given it for a portion unto his daughter, Solomon's wife. And
Solomon built Gezer, and Beth-horon the nether, and Baalath,
and Tamar in the ^dlderness, in the land, and all the store-cities
that Solomon had, and the cities for his chariots, and the
cities for his horsemen, and that which Solomon desired to build
for his pleasure in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land
of his dominion. As for all the people that were left of the
Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the
Jebusites, who were not of the children of Israel; their children
that were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel
were not able utterly to destroy, of them did Solomon raise a
levy of bondservants, unto this day. But of the children of
Israel did Solomon make no bondservants; but they were the
men of war, and his servants, and his princes, and his captains,
and rulers of his chariots and of his horsemen.
These were the chief officers that were over Solomon's work,
five hundred and fifty, who bare rule over the people that wrought
in the work.
But Pharaoh's daughter came up out of the city of David
unto her house which Solomon had built for her: then did he
build Millo.
And three times in a year did Solomon offer burnt-offerings,
and peace-offerings upon the altar which he built unto Yahweh,
burning incense therewith, upon the altar that was before Yah-
weh. So he finished the house.
And king Solomon made a navy of ships in Ezion-geber, which
is beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of
Edom. And Hiram sent in the navy his servants, shipmen that
had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon. And
they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred
and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon.
And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir,
brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug-trees and precious
stones. And the king made of the almug-trees pillars for the
house of Yahweh, and for the king's house, harps also and psal-
248 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
tries for the singers: there came no such almiig-trees, nor were
seen, unto this day.
Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was
six hundred threescore and six talents of gold, besides tJmt which
the traders brought, and the traffic of the merchants, and of all
the kings of the mingled people, and of the governors of the
country. And king Solomon made two hundred bucklers of
beaten gold; six hundred shekels of gold Avent to one buckler.
And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three pounds
of gold went to one shield : and the king put them in the house of
the forest of Lebanon. Moreover the king made a great throne
of ivory, and overlaid it with the finest gold. There were six
steps to the throne, and the top of the throne was round behind ;
and there were stays on either side by the place of the seat,
and two lions standing beside the stays. And twelve lions stood
there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps : there
was not the like made in any kingdom.
And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and
he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thou-
sand horsemen, that he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with
the king at Jerusalem. And the horses which Solomon had were
brought out of Egypt; and the king's merchants received them
in droves, each drove at a price. And a chariot came up and
went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse
for a hundred and fifty; and so for all the kings of the Hittites,
and for the kings of Syria, did thej^ bring them out by their
means.
NOTES
GENESIS
I. The Story of Creation
Page 3 {Ch. II, 4h.)
Yahweh was the name of the tribal God of the Hebrews. lu dis-
entangling these most ancient passages, scholars have been guided by
the use of the name of Yahweh for the Deity, hence it has been called
" The Yahwist Bible " which is supposed to begin in the middle of the
fourth verse of second chapter. In the original story there was probably
a " Tree of Life " and a " Tree of Death." If man ate of the one he
lived forever, if he ate of the other he lived only a few hundred years.
But deceived by the serpent he ate of the " Tree of Death," and so lost
his immortality.
Page 4 {Ch. Ill, 8)
According to Sir James Frazer they heard the sound of his footsteps,
and not that of his voice, as in the English version.
Page 5 {Ch. Ill, IJ,, 15)
Among savage tribes it was a common belief that serpents ate dust and
with lizards and beetles were immortal.
In the most ancient Semitic Epic, the serpent steals the life plant
from Gilgamesh, while he is bathing in the brook. When he dis-
covers he has lost his immortality, he sits down and weeps. This story
of the Fall is taken from an earlier savage myth that man has been
robbed of his immortality by these rivals.
Page 5 {Ch. Ill, 22)
Lest they might " live forever " was the sole reason apparently why
they were driven out of the Garden.
Page 6 {Ch. IV, 22)
" Wandering families of smiths are still found among Arabs."
Page 7 {Ch. IV, 23, 24)
These verses are taken from the most ancient literary material used
by the Yahwistic writer.
THE STORY OF NOAH
Page? {Ch. VI, 1)
The Babylonian deluge myth as found in the cuneiform tablets is
believed to be the origin of the Biblical story of the flood.
Pages {Ch. VII, 1)
Xanthus was the tenth king of Babylon in the Babylonian story as
told by Berosus. Noah was the tenth man from Adam in the Yahwistic
narration. According to Josephus the animals went in " by sevens."
250 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
The laws of uncleanness were parallel with the taboos that " totem-
ism lays on the use of sacred animals as food," according to W. Robertson
Smith.
A special prominence is given to the number seven both in the Yah-
wistic and Babylonian version. See, Century Bible.
Page 9 {Ch. VIII, 21)
The Sumerian legend is believed to have been written about the time
of Hammurabi, 2100 B. C.
Page 10 (Ch. XI)
Herodotus says that the temple was in a series of eight terraces or
solid towers, one on the top of the other with a rampart winding up on
the outside, but broken about half way up by a landing place where there
were seats for rest and refreshment.
Page 10 {Ch. X, 8-11)
Cush was the son of Ham, Accad, ancient Akkad-Shinar, Babylonia.
Nineveh was probably settled 3000 B. C.
" In the ancient Sumerian language the temple was called E-temen-
an-ki or the House of the Foundation of Heaven and Earth." — R. F.
Harper.
THE STORY OF ABRAM
Page 11 {Ch. XI, 28)
" Ur of the Chaldees." The Hebrew Yahweh was originally a
Turanian deity.
Page H {Ch. XV, 10 and 18)
Yahweh adopts the common customs of men in making a legal con-
tract. " The practise of passing between the parts of the animal
sacrifices can hardly have any other meaning than that the man identifies
himself with the animal into whose body he forces himself and that he
offers it to the Higher Powers as a substitute for himself. The principle
of vicarious sacrifice which has played so great a part in the history of
religion could hardly be carried out more perspicuously than in these
savage and bloody rites." — Sir James Frazer.
Page 20 {Ch. XXI, 25)
Abimelech was the king of Gerar.
Page 20 {Ch. XXIV, v. 2, 3)
One of the ancient phallic customs of taking an oath, among savage
tribes, which were especially prevalent in the Semitic races. Compare
Chap. 47, V. 29.
Page 22 {Ch. XXIV, v. 21)
This storj' is supposed to depict well known experiences of the nomads
of the desert in seeking wives from other tribes, especially the meeting
with the women at a well.
NOTES 251
THE STORY OF ISAAC
Page 25 {Ch. XXV, v. 26)
" Abram is the type of a Semitic Sheik, brave and hospitable, dignified
and courteous. Jacob is the type of the Semitic trader, supple and acute
with a keen eye to gains, compassing his ends not by force but by craft,
and not too scrupulous in his choice of means by which to overreach and
outwit his competitors." — Sir James Frazer.
Page 27 {Chap. XXVII)
" At a certain stage of moral evolution such frauds excite little or no
reprobation except among those who immediately suffer by them;
the impartial spectator indeed is apt to applaud them as exhibitions of
superior intelligence and dexterity triumphing over mere honest stupid-
ity. However, a time comes when public opinion ranges itself on the
side of the honest dullard and against the clever sharper, because experi-
ence proves that everj' fraud, however admirable the ingenuity and
foresight it displays, directly injui-es not only individuals but society as a
whole, by loosening that bond of mutual confidence by which alone any
corporate body of men is held together. When this truth has been
generally recognized the historian comes to judge the doings of men in
the past by a moral standard which neither the men themselves nor their
contemporaries ever dreamed of applying to their actions, and if the
heroic figures of the past seem to fall far below that standard, the chari-
table critic instead of frankly acknowledging the gulf which moral progress
has created between himself and them, attempts to bridge it over by
finding excuses or justification for deeds which his own ethical judgment
leads him to condemn. The process of whitewashing moral black-
amoors when it is prompted by the charity of a kindly heart and not by
the empty vanity of maintaining a paradox is creditable to the white-
washer and perhaps harmless to other people." — Sir James G. Frazer.
THE STORY OF JACOB
Page 31 {Ch. XXVIII, 18)
The Century Bible says that the pillar or sacred stone was part of the
apparatus of a sanctuarj' in early times both in Israel and elsewhere
and was a relic of an earlier time when the stone itself was an object of
worship, the abode of the deity — the black stone at Mecca continues
to be worshipped by the Mohammedans.
Page 33 {Ch. XXIX, 27)
" This affair apart from the genuine love Jacob felt for one of his wives
was essentially a commercial transaction between two sharp men, each
of whom tried successfully to cheat the other. The virtuous indignation
which each of the two rogues felt or affected at the rascality of the other
is a delicate stroke of satire in the manner of ^Moliere." — Folklore of the
Old Testament.
Page 33 {Ch. XXX)
This patriarch, in marrj'ing his cross cousins, the daughters of his
mother's mother, the elder before the younger, and serving his father-in-
law for a series of years for them was obse^^ang the ancient customs of
many tribes.
252 THE BOOK OF YAHTV^EH
Page 33 {Ch. XXX, v. U)
" The original Hebrew tradition with regard to the birth of Joseph is
' that his mother got him by eating of a mandrake.' But the pious
editor of Genesis, shocked at the intrusion of this crude boorish super-
stition into the patriarchal narrative drew his pen through the unedify-
ing part of the story which traced Rachel's first pregnancy to the eating
of the yellow berries, replacing it by the decorous phrase. ' God remem-
bered Rachel, and God hearkened to her. and opened her womb.' Never-
theless, though this curious piece of folk-lore was struck out of the text
of Genesis, some thousands of years ago the popular belief in the magical
virtue of the mandrake to ensure conception, was by no means thereby
eradicated, for it has sur\-ived among the natives of Palestine to the
present time." — Sir James G. Frazer.
It is said that even in America roots are imported from the East and
are sold among orthodox Jews, some even paying as high as ten dollars
for a specimen.
The ancient Greeks also ascribe to the mandrake the power of excit-
ing the passion of love.
Page 38 {Ch. XXXI, 49)
" This verse in regard to Mizpah is an expression of mutual distrust
and is singularly unsuitable for an inscription of the so-called Mizpah
rings which are used as tokens by separated friends and lovers." — Cen-
tury Bihle.
Page 40 {Ch. XX XIII, 3)
An ancient custom, according to the Amarna tablets.
THE STORY OF JOSEPH
Page 42 {Ch. XXXVII)
Gunkel considers that the stories with regard to Joseph are based on
Egj'ptian and other foreign legends.
Page 43 {Ch. XXXIX)
This is e\adently an Egj'ptian tale of Anuys and Bata, the two brothers.
Page 46 {Ch. XLI, 33)
Pharaoh sends for Joseph to be brought out of prison to interpret a
dream.
Page 47 {Ch. XLI, 40)
According to the customs of oriental despotism the most obscure
indi\'idual or even slave might suddenly be made the Sultan.
Page 50 {Ch. XLIV, 5)
Divination by means of a cup was similar to our modern custom of
telling fortunes by means of tea leaves.
Page 50 {Ch. XLI II, 32)
" In later times the Jews would not eat with foreigners on account of
the laws as to ceremonial cleanness and uncleanness; and there is evi-
dence that similar customs existed among the Egj^ptians." — Century
Bible.
NOTES 253
Page 64 {Ch. XLVI, 34)
The Egyptians considered the shepherds rather as pariahs.
Page 56 {Ch. XLVII, 22)
" The priests, we learn from the monuments, had vast estates like the
monasteries and clergy in the middle ages.
" We learn from the monuments that a large proportion of the land in
Egypt was held either by the King or the priests." — Century Bible.
Page 59 {Ch. XLIX, 14)
" The Israelites did not consider the ass as a foolish absurd animal;
nobles rode on asses on state occasions." — Century Bible.
Page 37 {Ch. XXXI, v. 34)
Teraphim, domestic idols roughly made in human form.
EXODUS
THE STORY OF MOSES
In Genesis the writer describes the march of the patriarchs from the
country of the Euphrates to that of the Nile. Four hundred years later
the family of the patriarch has developed into a nation, and their na-
tional history may be said to commence in Exodus.
Page 65 {Ch. I, 15)
Josephus says the Israelites dug canals and built pyramids, and cities.
Page 66 {Ch. Ill, 18)
" The God of the Hebrews is thought of as dwelling in the wilderness,
the home of the people before their settlement in Egypt under Joseph
and Jacob." — Century Bible.
Page 6S {Ch. V, 5)
" The people of the land " were foreign slaves.
Page 68 {Ch. V, 15)
In the ancient orient it was easy for the common people to get direct
access to the King.
Page 70 {Ch. VIII, 3)
The Egyptians kneaded dough by the hand in a bowl and by the feet
in a tub.
Page 71 {Ch. VIII, 26)
It is implied that the Israelites would sacrifice animals which according
to the Egyptians ought not to be offered.
Page 72 {Ch. IX, 18)
Hail and thunder rarely occur in Egypt.
Locusts are still a trouble in Egypt.
254 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
Page 74 {Ch. XII, 30)
A household in the Orient is much larger than with us.
Page 74 {Ch. XII, 34)
The people are prevented by their sudden departure from leavening
their dough. The Feast of Unleavened Bread commemorates the hasty
start of their Exodus.
Page 78 {Ch. XXXIV)
Ten Commandments.
1. Only Yahweh is to be worshipped.
2. No molten images are to be made.
3. The Feast of Unleavened Bread is to be observed seven days.
4. Firstling of oxen and sheep are to be given to Yahweh. Firstling
of ass and the first-born of man are to be redeemed.
5. The Sabbath shall be observed.
6. Feasts are to be observed at the Harvest and the Vintage.
7. Three times in the year all males are to appear before Yahweh.
8. Leavened bread not to be offered with sacrifices.
9. First fruits to be offered at a sanctua^J^
10. A kid not to be boiled in its mother's milk.
Page 79 {Ch. XXXIV, 17)
" The symbolic blocks of wood or stone, rough-hewn or in their natural
state might be tolerated." — Century Bible.
Page 79 {Ch. XXXIV, 27)
The preceding verses are sometimes called " The Little Book of the
Covenant" and probably were the origin of the Ten Commandments.
{Ch. XXXIV, 28)
" The laws of Hammurabi prove that Babylon in the days of Abram
was a far more civilized and highly organized state, than the Israel of
the Covenant was under Moses, 500 years later." — Dr. Bennett.
NUMBERS
Numbers commences with Chapter X, 29-32 — in the Yahwistic
Document.
Page 84 {Ch. XI, 31)
The description is almost in " complete accord with the phenomena
attending the annual migrations of the quails in the Peninsular at the
present day. The quail winters in Africa and in Spring crosses to Pales-
tine in myriads. Making long flights and always flying with the wind,
the birds often alight in an exhausted condition, when they are caught in
great numbers." — Century Bible.
Page 84 {Ch. II, 32)
About 100 imperial bushels.
Page 85 {Ch. XIII, 20)
This was the end of July or the Ijeginning of August.
NOTES 255
{Ch. XIII, 22)
The Anakim were men of abnormal stature.
Page 85 {Ch. XIII, 29)
The Amalekites were a nomad tribe. The Hittites were a non-Semitic
tribe. The Nephilim were probably the giants.
Page 89 (Ch. XX, 17)
The ancient trade route through Edom.
Page 90 {Ch. XXI, 27)
Ballard singers or wandering minstrels.
Page 91 {Ch. XXI, 29)
Chemosh was the tribal god of the Moabites.
Page 91 {Ch. XXII, 6)
Balak wishes to have the Hebrews laid under a powerful spell which
was a common belief of the times." — Century Bible.
Page 92 {Ch. XXII, 24)
The endowment of Balaam's she-ass with abnormal powers of vision
and even with the power of speech is the outstanding feature of the earlj--
Hebrew folk-tale and has its analogies in almost every countrj' of the
West. — Century Bible.
Page 93 (Ch. XXII, 4I)
The high places were usually situated on hill tops.
Page 94 {Ch. XXIII, 1)
The number seven plays a large part also in the ritual and incantation
literature of Babylonia. — Century Bible.
Page 97 {Ch. XXIV, 21)
The reference is to their almost inaccessible rock dwellings.
THE STORY OF JOSHUA
Page 105 {Ch. II, 6)
These stalks were two or three feet long, and were used to make linen
for mummy v\^rappings.
Page 107 {Ch. Ill, 15)
The River Jordan is about 100 feet wide, of muddy water.
Page 108 {Ch. IV, 70)
The number twelve probably of astral origin figures largely in connec-
ion with sacred objects. — Zimmern.
Page 109 {Ch. V, 2)
The case of survival of stone instruments in an iron age due to
religious conservatism found amongst the Egyptians in circumcision
and in embalming. — Century Bible.
256 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
Page 109 {Ch. V, 16)
It is a custom among the Samaritans and Mohammedans as well
to enter their sanctuaries barefooted.
Page 109 {Ch. VI, /,)
The sacredness of the number is variously emphasized as giving these
seven-fold acts a supernatural power: the seven-fold circuit isolates the
city for Yahweh. This belief in the sacredness of " seven " held also with
Egypt and India is especially prominent in Babylonia with its seven
planets, seven evil spirits and seven-walled underworld.
Page 113 {Ch. VII, U)
" The defective sense of justice in "those early days arose from a de-
fective sense of individuality." — Mozley.
According to ancient ethics the guilt extended to the whole family
group.
Page 117 {Ch. X, IS)
The book of Jasher is a collection of ancient songs originally handed
down orally.
Page 118 {Ch. XI, 6)
This custom of houghing was probably due to Israel's inability to use
horses and chariots.
THE STORY OF THE JUDGES
Note. — The Yahwistic narrative commences in the middle of the
15th verse of third chapter.
I.
Page 123 {Ch. Ill, 20)
The room on the flat roof, completely enclosed, which was common in
the East.
Page 126 {Ch. IV, J,)
It was the custom at that time to have disputes settled by some one
distinguished for wisdom.
Page 127 {Ch. IV, 21)
When the camp was pitched, it was part of the women's work to drive
in the tent pins.
Page 127 {Ch. V, 4)
In the time of Samuel and David all the Hebrew tribes acknowledged
Yahweh as their God.
In those days it is believed by many, the sky was regarded as a solid
covering to the earth.
Page 131 {Ch. V, 6)
Caravans were compelled to keep to their tracks on their way from one
place to another, and so these wayfarers were compelled to abandon
their roads and make their way by crooked and abandoned paths.
NOTES 257
Page 131 (Ch. VI, 26)
The asherah is the pole or post set up beside an altar.
Page 136 {Ch. VIII, 27)
The ephod was an image used in consulting the oracle.
Page 140 {Ch. IX, 45)
An expression for making utterly desolate. — Century Bible.
Page I43 {Ch. XI, 34)
She was dancing to the accompaniment of tambourines played by
her attendants.
Page 145 {Ch. XIII, 6)
Probably similar to the wandering dervishes in Arabia and fakirs in
India.
Page 145 {Ch. XIII, 22)
It was a common belief that to see God meant death to man.
Page I48 {Ch. XV, 1)
About the month of May.
Page 151 {Ch. XVI, 23)
Dagon the tribal God of the Philistines was worshipped in Ashdod.
Page 152 {Ch. XVI, )
Sir James Frazer says the story of Samson is that of an utterly un-
scrupulous and selfish adventurer. And it is "only redeemed from the
vulgarity of commonplace rascality by the elements of supernatural
strength, headlong valor and a certain grim humour, which together
elevated it to a sort of burlesque epic, after the manner of Ariosto.
Page 152 {Ch. XVII, 1)
Micah is none the less a worshipper of Yahweh because he has images.
— Century Bible.
Page 152 {Ch. XVII, 5)
The teraphim were household gods, partly at least in human form.
THE STORY OF SAMUEL
Page 161
This is the Book of the " Former Prophets "; that is, Joshua, Judges,
Samuel and Kings. The Book of Samuel was separated into two sec-
tions only in 1517.
The Ark was " the visible symbol of the presence of Yahweh."
{1 Sam. I, 4)
Sacrifices were divided into the offering burnt on the altar of Yahweh,
the portion for the food of the priests and, third, the rest reverted to
the worshipper who with his retinue ate of it within the sanctuary
limits.
258 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
(i Satn. II, 19)
What the ephod really was is not j^et decided. The references to it
are not correlative for it is carried by a priest, is used in divination, is
wholly or partly of precious metal, is a small image or idol (1 Sam.
XXI, 9) and here appears as the " ephod bad " or ephod of linen, a short
skirt, or possibly a sash.
Page 162 (1 Satn. V, 1, 2)
Ashdod, now Esdud, halfway between Joppa and Gaza, was the princi-
pal city of the Philistine Federation, Pentapolis.
War trophies alv/ays were placed in a temple.
Page 163 {1 Sam. V, 6)
Thej' leapt over the threshold, not to step on it since the fragments of
the image of the god Dagon rested on it and made it sacred. This rite
is of many other cults, also.
{1 Sam. VII, 3)
Strange gods were those of other nations than Israel. Ashtaroth is a
plural and means all the images of Astarte, or Ishtar.
Page 183 {1 Sam. VII, 6)
Mispar or Mispeh, a watchtower.
Page 165
" One of the most tragic figures in the history of Israel is that of Saul,
the first king of the nation. ... A shrewd man of affairs as well as an
ecclesiastic of the most rigid type, Samuel had dexterously contrived not
only to anoint but to nominate the new king on whom the hopes of Israel
now centered. . . . His tall and stately form, his gallant bearing, his
skilful generalship and dauntless courage on the field of battle, all
marked him out as a natui-al leader of men. Yet, under a showy exterior,
this dashing and popular soldier concealed some fatal infirmities, —
a jealous and suspicious disposition, a choleric temper, a weakness of
will, a vacillation of purpose, and, above all, a brooding melancholy
under which his intellect, never of a high order, sometimes trembled on
the verge of insanity. In such dark hours the profound dejection which
clouded his brain could only be lightened and dispelled by the soothing
strains of solemn music; and one of the most graphic pictures painted
for us by the Hebrew historian is that of the handsome king sitting sunk
in gloom, while the minstrel boy, the ruddy-cheeked David, stood before
him discoursing sweet music on the trembling strings of the harp, till
the frown passed from the royal brow and the sufferer found a truce to his
uneasy thoughts." — Folk Lore in the Old Testament.
Page 167 {1 Sam. X, 1)
Here is the first mention of the rite of anointing as part of the conse-
cration to kingship, but without doubt it was an old custom from Egypt,
although it appears not to have been used in Babylonia.
Page 170 {1 Sam. XIII, 9)
Sacrifices of consecration of the soldiery were made at the beginnings
of campaigns. See taboo effects in 1 Sam. XXI, 4 and 2 Sam. XI, 11.
NOTES 259
Page 174 U Sam. XIV, 37)
Yahweh was silent because the food taboo had been broken.
Page 176 {1 Sam. XVI, U)
That is, the evil spirit had been permitted by Yahweh to appear to
Saul. It is agreed now that Saul had " morbid melancholia " for which
music is considered a valuable help.
(1 Sam. VII, 15)
Israel has reached its long-sought ideal and become a theocracy, a
nation ruled directly by God, with Samuel as the mouthpiece and
representative of Yahweh.
Page 186 {1 Sam. XXV)
^ The story of Abigail is called a masterpiece of earliest Hebrew narra-
tion.
Page 186
" So long as Samuel lived, Saul was little more than a tool in hands
far stronger than his own. The prophet was indeed one of those master-
ful natures, those fanatics cast in an iron mould, who, mistaking their
own unbending purpose for the will of heaven, march forward unswerv-
ingly to their goal, trampling down all opposition, their hearts steeled
against every tender emotion of humanity and pity. . . . While Saul
was content to do the bidding of this imperious mentor ... he was
graciously permitted to strut before the eyes of the \ailgar wearing his
shadowy crown; but no sooner did he dare to diverge by a hair's breadth
from the ruthless commands laid on him by his spiritual director, than
Samuel broke his puppet king and threw him away as an instrument
that had ceased to serve his purpose." — Sir James G Frazer.
Page 192
" Yet a thought struck the king. Might he not summon up the dead
seer from the grave and elicit words of hope and comfort from his ghostly
lips? . . . He had himself driven into exile all the practitioners of the
black art .... between him and the witch's home lay the whole
army of the Philistines. To go by day would have been to court death.
It was necessary to wait for nightfall." ..." The demand [for SamuelJ
startled the necromancer, and looking hard at her visitor she discerned
him to be the king. In great alarm, believing she had been caught in a
trap, she cried out. . . . But the king pacified her . . . soon . . . she
saw something invisible to them. So the king perceived it was the ghost
of Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance.
. . . But the unhappy monarch found 'the ghost as hard and implacable
as the living prophet. ..." — Sir James G. Eraser.
Page 192 {1 Sam. XXVIII, 3-20)
Modern translators seem to think verse 12 has an error and that it
should read Saul for Samuel and be " And when the woman saw Saul."
Page 193
Necromancy, bringing the spirits of the dead again to earth to aid the
living by their wisdom, seems ingrained in human nature from the
260 THE BOOK OF YAHWEH
earliest ages to the present time and no laws however strict can prevent
the attempt. Saul's yielding is a strong case in point. The practice
started in earliest heathen times and no law of Israel could avail against
the urge in days of dire trouble when the accepted religious observances
and beliefs seemed inadequate.
Sir James Frazer says, " The practice of necromancy was probably
common to the Hebrews with other branches of the Semitic race. A
clear reference to it appears to be contained in the twelfth canto of the
Gilgamesh epic."
Samuel and Kings originally formed one connected narrative or book.
Page 201 {2 Sam. I, 17)
This song and that of Deborah in Judges are the two oldest pieces of
Hebrew poetrj' now known.
Page 210 {2 Sam. VI, 14)
He whirled like a dervish. Ephod, a short skirt or sash here.
Page 231 {2 Sam. XIX, 23)
This passage of David's grief is regarded as one of the most perfect
examples of literarj- art in the Old Testament.
Folk Lore Club.
Nassau, N. P., Bahama Islands. C M.
1921.
DATE
DUE
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The book of Yahweh (the Yahwist Bible)
Princeton Theological Semmary-Speer Library
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